The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 843: Chapter 823: The Struggle for the Throne 5

Anning woke up in the morning and immediately saw a pair of curious round eyes.

She smiled and touched the little girl’s hair, ”What, don’t you recognize your mother?”

The little girl’s eyes blinked twice, ”I do.”

Anning sat up and called the little servant waiting outside to come in and help Miss get dressed.

A rather handsome young servant entered, carrying a slightly cool breath with him.

Anning asked, ”Did it snow outside?”

The servant warmed his hands by the fire, then came over to help Miss wash and dress, ”It started snowing after midnight and kept snowing through the half-night. It’s already a thick layer outside now.”

Anning got out of bed, put on her shoes, and threw on a large coat, ”Once you’ve helped Miss freshen up, bring her to the main room.”

She tugged at her clothing neckline and passed through a door into Xiao Yuan’s room.

Xiao Yuan was already awake, sitting on the bed, wrapped in a cotton robe, looking urgent and anxious.

In the room, Third Miss Chunxi was crying non-stop. Several servants were comforting and holding her, but to no avail, and Xiao Yuan was also extremely worried.

Anning walked over, ”What’s wrong? Why is Third Miss crying?”

The servants quickly squatted down and saluted, ”Master, we don’t know what’s going on. Third Miss has eaten, her diaper has been changed, but she keeps crying.”

Anning reached out and checked Third Miss, then untied the ropes binding her, held her, and placed her on Xiao Yuan’s bed, covering her with a small quilt without tying her.

As soon as she did this, Third Miss stopped crying.

Anning said, ”It’s warm in the room, Third Miss felt a bit hot.”

She instructed the servants, ”If the room gets warm, cover Third Miss with something slightly thinner. Don’t let her get overheated.”

Xiao Yuan let out a big sigh of relief.

He and Anning had raised children before, but he wasn’t as meticulous or experienced as Anning. In parenting, he truly wasn’t as skilled as Anning.

”Children are vulnerable to heat. If they get heat sickness, it’s even harder to deal with than cold sickness.”

Anning softly murmured.

Xiao Yuan nodded, ”I’ll remember.”

Anning told the servants, ”Go and prepare the meal.”

The servants hurriedly retreated.

Anning glanced at the weather outside and whispered to Xiao Yuan, ”Once the Baptism is over, I plan to take Miss to the hot spring manor for a few days. Will you be okay by yourself at home?”

”Why?”

Xiao Yuan was startled, ”Is something happening?”

Anning leaned in and whispered, ”I’m afraid this snowfall won’t stop soon. With heavy snow, incidents are bound to happen. The court’s Prime Minister Yuan and Prime Minister Shen are fiercely at odds right now. I’m worried it might involve us. It’s crucial to avoid it temporarily.”

Since taking her position, she has stayed low-key and has no substantial power. Anning, because of this, doesn’t dare involve herself in any court party disputes, and avoids standing out at all costs.

Now, she needs to embody one word: endure.

Xiao Yuan also realized it’s heavily snowing outside, considering many houses in South City are poorly built, he said, ”Some might freeze to death. Do you think the esteemed nobles in the palace can initiate some charity, like distributing porridge and rice or some winter clothes, saving as many as possible?”

Anning shook her head, ”The harem does not involve itself in governance.”

With that, Xiao Yuan fell silent.

That’s indeed the case. Emperor Feng Jing had enough of the Grand Empress interfering in governance during her reign. Since she took power, she has strived to suppress the harem’s influence, and the esteemed nobles in the harem are just like captive songbirds, too scared to step out of line.

”It’s nothing we can do about it.”

Anning squeezed Xiao Yuan’s hand, ”We can only endure, but once we secure it... it will be according to your wishes.”

After speaking, she let the servant bring Miss into the room.

Miss entered, timidly paying her respects to Anning and Xiao Yuan, ”Greetings, Mother. Greetings, Father.”

Xiao Yuan smiled and gestured to Miss, ”Come, over here to Father.”

Miss was not afraid of Xiao Yuan. She walked over a few steps, looked at Third Miss lying on the bed, ”Is this my sister? She’s so small.”

Xiao Yuan smiled, ”Yes indeed, your sister is small. We need Miss to take good care of her sister.”

Miss looked up at Xiao Yuan, ”Okay, Father, don’t worry. I will take care of my sister.”

She then gazed at Anning, ”Mother, can I hold my sister?”

As soon as she said this, the attending servant got startled and prepared to step forward.

Anning gestured them away.

She picked up Third Miss, carefully supported her with both hands, and let Miss hold her.

Though Miss was holding her, Anning’s hands were supporting underneath.

Nevertheless, Miss was already very happy.

She beamed with excitement, ”Sister is so small and light. Sister needs to grow quickly, and then we can play together.”

Anning let Miss hold her for a while, then placed Third Miss back on the bed.

She reached out and tousled Miss’s head, gathered into little buns, ”Good, but our Da Chunqing also needs to eat more to grow strong. Only then can you protect your sister.”

Upon hearing this, Miss immediately puffed out her cheeks and raised her arms, ”Mother, don’t worry, I will eat and grow strong.”

In a short while, the servants came in and set the meal.

A table was placed in front of Xiao Yuan with postpartum meals.

Anning sat at the bedside; a small table was set beside her, and she sat holding Miss while eating.

She always practiced frugality, and the meals in the Fifth Princess Manor were simple. Anning wasn’t extravagant, maintaining this habit.

On the low table in front of her, the dishes were very simple: a bowl of millet porridge, two plates of pickles, a stir-fried vegetable, and a few steamed white, plump buns.

Anning had someone bring a small bowl, filled half with porridge, and a bun cooled down for Miss to hold and bite.

In no time, Miss had her face covered in food, and Anning asked with a smile, ”Are you full?”

Miss nodded.

Anning allowed her to go play with the servants.

Only then did Anning have time to eat.

Xiao Yuan noticed Anning had a plate of stir-fried vegetables in front of her, while he did not, so he asked Anning to pass it over.

After eating a few bites of the vegetables, Xiao Yuan remarked, ”These dishes aren’t very flavorful.”

Anning asked him, ”What would you like to eat?”

Xiao Yuan pondered, ”I want to eat cucumber.”

Ha, that indeed poses a challenge.

If it were summer, not just eating cucumber, they could deliver two carts worth. But alas, this was the midst of heavy snow, yet he casually asked for this.

”I’d like to have roasted eggplant and leek dumplings as well.”

Xiao Yuan made two more requests.

Anning rubbed her chin, ”Fine, I’ll get them for you. Whatever you want, just ask. For my husband, I can whip up some delicacies at least.”

After the meal, Anning went to the study to write a letter.

She wrote a letter of greeting to Emperor Feng Jing with heartfelt emotions.

In the letter, she mentioned having a legitimate daughter now, Miss was ill, and the Lord was in postpartum recovery. She had to care for Miss, look after her husband and Third Miss, spent a night watching over Miss, which reminded her of when she fell ill as a child, and how Emperor Feng Jing watched over her the same way, which made her cry for her past misdeeds, truly felt guilty and sad, and deeply sorry to her mother.

Then she expressed the desire to take Miss to the hot spring manor to recuperate for a few days, additionally to fast and pray for Emperor Feng Jing’s well-being, and sought Emperor Feng Jing’s permission.