It was obvious that princess Yumi wasn't appreciative of the apple gruel that her mother was trying to feed her, coupled with the pretentious love.
She turned her face away severally from the silver spoon, but an annoyed Cheng was having it and forced it into her mouth. As if protesting, Yumi spat the gruel out on Cheng's expensive silk.
Cheng felt the urge to slap the baby, throw her , anything to teach her a lesson. But then she remembered that Aiko was still in the room watching.
She clicked her tongue and forced a fake understanding motherly smile.
"My baby you should learn to eat healthy and not spit out your food" she cood and the baby.
"Do you see how difficult this is?" Cheng continuedas if talking to her self, dabbing at the gruel stain with increasing frustration. "She refuses to eat properly while I'm trying to teach her manners. It's a miracle she is surviving infancy at all."
Yumi squirmed in her arms, kicking chubby feet against Cheng's stomach as if protesting the unwanted meal. The Empress tried again with another spoonful but received only a glare from her daughter before the baby burst into indignant cries.
"Oh, hush now," Cheng muttered distractedly while jiggling the infant up and down in hopes of distracting her from discomfort or hunger pangs. "You're lucky to have such patient parents willing to endure your tantrums."
She glanced over at Aiko who maintained a neutral expression despite obvious disagreement with how Empress handled parenting duties.
"Lady Bella would have done a better job as a mother" Aiko thought to her self. "What?! What did you just say?!" An angry Cheng asked a frightened Aiko, who just realized she had thought out loud.
Aiko's face paled instantly at Cheng's sharp tone, her eyes widening in panic as she realized she had accidentally voiced her thoughts aloud. "Your Majesty, please forgive me! That was not what I meant meant ."
She scrambled to her feet from the chair, bowing deeply with trembling hands clasped behind her back. "I spoke out of turn - a foolish mistake caused by exhaustion from caring for Princess Yumi."
Cheng rose slowly, her expression hardening as she set the crying infant down on the blankets. "Exhaustion does not grant you license to criticize my parenting choices in my own chambers."
The Empress's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper as she approached Aiko step by deliberate step. "Comparing me unfavorably to that dead concubine proves you possess far too much familiarity for a mere servant."
Aiko swallowed hard, risking a glance toward the door where escape might be possible if not for royal guards posted outside.
Baby Yumi cries increased as she hears her mother's harsh tone. Cheng turns back to the baby angrily and carried her in frustration. The baby yanked at her hair with her chubby hands nonchalantly as she squirmed. "Shut up" you are so weak! Shut up " she starts to shout at the crying baby. Aiko was still on the floor pleading for forgiveness at the same time which added to Cheng's frustration .
Cheng's voice rose to a furious pitch as she shook the infant roughly in her arms. "Enough! You useless child, stop your pathetic noise!" Her silk sleeves rustled as she shifted Yumi's weight impatiently, completely ignoring the tiny hands tugging at her hair with innocent curiosity.
"Your Majesty, please be careful with Princess Yumi," Aiko dared to interject from her position on the floor. Her voice quivered with apprehension as she watched Cheng's treatment of their daughter escalate beyond normal disciplinary measures.
The Empress whirled around sharply at the interruption, her face contorted with irritation. "Silence yourself! Unless you wish to join Bella in whatever afterlife awaits traitors."
She jabbed a finger toward Aiko accusingly before turning back to address Yumi directly once more.
"There will be no more crying in this household," she declared loud enough.