Anyone would want to go forward and touch this adorable child.
However, Noble Consort Qiao had her eyes lowered slightly and was seated by the side, so none of the consorts dared to act rashly.
After a while, Consort Yi arrived. Almost all the important consorts in the palace were present.
The remaining ones were those who did not have a high status and thus were not qualified to visit Noble Consort Qiao to give their New Year greetings.
Today, Consort Yi brought the second prince, Gu Zitang, along.
Gu Zitang took a few steps forward and cupped his hands at Noble Consort Qiao. “Mother Qiao, have a good New Year. I hope that you’ll become more beautiful in the new year.”
Noble Consort Qiao chuckled and glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “Other people don’t follow their mother here, but you specially came here with Consort Yi. You must be wanting to bring Nuo’er out to play again, right?”
Gu Zitang nodded and smiled brightly. “I can’t hide anything from Mother Qiao’s eyes. It’s New Year’s Eve today and I have less homework. It’s been a while since I looked for Sister Nuo’er to play with her.”
As he spoke, he looked at Gu Nuo’er.
The child had already put down the fabric tiger. She placed her small hands on the edge of the stool and slid down from the seat.
She didn’t forget to shake her head like an adult. “Second Brother really can’t do without Baby Nuo.”
Everyone laughed heartily.
It was boring to listen to the consorts chatting anyway. Furthermore, Noble Consort Qiao also wanted to take this opportunity to keep the other consorts in check too.
Therefore, she nodded and allowed Gu Zitang to bring Gu Nuo’er out for a walk.
Consort Yi couldn’t help but remind him, “Although it’s not snowing outside anymore, you have to be careful. If you let your sister fall, be careful that I’ll skin you alive!”
Noble Consort Qiao picked up her teacup and said, “Sister Yi, it’s the New Year. Don’t say such scary things.”
Gu Zitang echoed, “Don’t worry, Mother. If Sister follows me, how could I let her suffer?”
After saying that, Gu Zitang held Gu Nuo’er’s hand and the two of them went out.
After they left, Noble Consort Qiao put down her teacup and asked Consort Lan, “Sister Lan, I’ve been busy recently and hadn’t asked about the Third Prince recently.
“Is everything alright? Last time, I heard from you that this child doesn’t like poetry and only likes medical skills. Does he like the few books on Chinese medicine that I had sent over?”
Consort Lan smiled sweetly. “I was planning to look for an opportunity to thank Your Highness. My son doesn’t have any other abilities and has only taken after me in sharing the same hobby I had when I was young.
“He just likes to read medical books and study medicinal herbs every day. He just stays in the Imperial Academy of Medicine all the time and doesn’t even want to come back.”
When Consort Yi heard this, she was a little envious. “It’s good that he likes to read. Medical books are also books. He’s not like Zitang. Other than playing with the abacus, I’m afraid he doesn’t have any other abilities!”
After saying that, Consort Yi pressed her slender fingers on her glabella worriedly. “Could it be that in the future, he can only have wealth that can rival a country?”
Everyone was speechless.
Isn’t it good to have money? Consort Yi, you should be content!
On the other side, the second prince, Gu Zitang, led Gu Nuo’er out of the Qiushui Palace.
His smiling face then turned into panic.
“Nuo’er, something bad has happened!”
Gu Nuo’er tilted her head, her watery eyes filled with curiosity. “What’s wrong, Second Brother?”
“That treasure chest that we buried in the cold palace and is only known to the two of us is missing money when I went to check on it recently!”
As Gu Zitang spoke, he paced around on the spot. “The cold palace is so remote, and the place we hid is also very concealed.
“How could the money have gone missing? I suspect that the cold palace is haunted!”
Gu Nuo’er looked at Gu Zitang’s tightly furrowed brows.
She opened her mouth and was just about to say that she was the one who had taken the money.
Unexpectedly, Gu Zitang grabbed his sister’s hand. “Nuo’er, don’t doubt me. Brother will never steal money. I’ll bring you to see it now!”
