After a lively and boisterous lunch, with the help of Lady Yang and her husband, by the ti Emperor Xuanming arrived in the evening, the family had clearly entered a state of formal reconciliation.
Habitually scooping the jade-like hand before him into his large palm, and looking at his son whose eyes were slightly red, Xiao Qi couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
After all, this was a son he had doted on for over a decade, worried over for over a decade. With such a pleasing appearance, no matter how much disappointnt he felt before, now only a trace of reluctance remained.
Especially now, when the child clearly appeared overly devastated and lacking in confidence.
His expression imdiately softened:
"In a few days, Yu'er, you shall first enter the court and learn alongside the various ministers. I have already selected a marriage match for you—the eldest daughter of Grand Academician Zhou. You've t her before, Yu'er. She is the most gentle and well-mannered. After the New Year, the Ministry of Rites will arrange your wedding."
An Ning was also aware of this matter.
The eldest daughter of Grand Academician Zhou, Zhou Huijun, aged seventeen, was not only beautiful in appearance but, as the legitimate eldest daughter, also handled affairs with thoroughness.
Of course, most importantly, the Zhou family of Kuaiji was a famously prominent aristocratic clan from the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region, a lineage steeped in scholarly tradition for generations. Not only would there be no worry about their future children's education, but once Yu'er married in, with this connection, his actions would generally be more convenient.
The Zhou family also had many officials and in-laws within the court. Even if sothing truly happened in the future, he wouldn't be left isolated and helpless.
Just like the Dingguo Duke Wei family selected for Little Five, it was a rare, deeply considered, one-in-ten-thousand excellent marriage match.
Lazily toying with the jade pendant in her hand, An Ning once again marveled at how the original owner's temperant was sotis truly not bad.
For children in the palace, especially given that the original owner hadn't been attentive enough as a mother in recent years, the biological father inevitably had to step in and compensate.
Whether it was affection or other matters, the more one worried and intervened, the heavier their weight in one's heart naturally beca.
Not to ntion the added bonus of being the son of a favored consort—love for the house extends to the crow.
It could be said that if it were anyone else today, they wouldn't have had this much patience.
They might even think this cheap son was born for nothing, utterly useless!
After a round of encouragent, they sent off their son and daughter, whose eyes were slightly red but whose moods were clearly improved. Then, glancing at the beloved consort before him, whose anger ca quickly and left just as swiftly, who had clearly already set this matter aside and was acting as if nothing had happened...
After a brief mont of worry, Xiao Qi's heart felt as if it were soaking in a pool of warm water, growing increasingly tender and soft.
Indeed, Yue'er was just being childish, unwilling to bow her head to those harem won in the future.
If she truly had any obsession with the position of Empress Dowager, with Yue'er's temperant, how could she have let A Yu off so easily...
***
That night, under the moonlight, the gauze canopy swayed like thin mist, with intermittent, fragnted gasps and pants.
After a bout of tender intimacy, the bedding was filled with a hazy, intoxicating fragrance. Gently gathering the waterfall-like ink-black hair of the person in his arms, Xiao Qi couldn't help but feel a bit more amused:
"Didn't Yue'er find the palace boring? In a while, when the weather gets colder, why don't we simply go to the detached palace?"
"Just the two of us..." Of course, this referred to those within the harem; the accompanying guards and palace servants were not included.
"Really?"
"Then I want to go to the one I stayed in before, the one with the hot springs!"
Under the fragnted moonlight, An Ning's originally bright eyes beca dazzlingly brilliant. She wasn't feeling sleepy anymore and imdiately propped herself up on the person, beginning to chatter excitedly.
An Ning, like the original owner, was soone who loved comfort imnsely.
Thus, hot springs, warm shelters, flower houses—not to ntion her favorite cultivated flowers—she even went through and selected from last year's newly-tributed woolen rugs from the Western Regions.
Xiao Qi initially listened seriously, but after a while, seeing she hadn't ntioned the two children at all, he was not the least bit surprised, yet couldn't help but sigh with a laugh:
"Forget about Yu'er, he's older now and has his own Wang mansion. Little Five's Princess's Manor is still under construction. Leaving her alone in the palace would be too lonely after all."
"And there's Heng'er from the Duke of Wei's family. He's thirteen this year. Let's take this opportunity to summon him for you and Little Five to et."
Oh, fostering feelings! She understood.
"Fine, bringing Little Five along works too!"
An Ning nodded sowhat indifferently. But just as she was about to fall asleep, her hand sohow ended up holding sothing resembling a token. The cold tallic sensation in her hand instantly made An Ning frown. After seeing it clearly, she was even more blunt and unceremonious:
"What is this thing?"
"It's hideously ugly!"
It doesn't match any of her outfits!
Seeing her peculiar point of focus, Xiao Qi wasn't surprised and wasn't angry either. Instead, he found it sowhat amusing.
He just patted her gently, explaining in a warm voice:
"This is a token that can mobilize a portion of the Imperial Capital's forbidden army. If in the future, I... if I depart before you, Yue'er. Before being escorted to your fiefdom, if soone intends you harm, this will be your final trump card. Before that, I will also gradually hand over so of the palace's covert guards to you."
"But Yue'er must rember, unless you encounter a life-threatening danger, you must not take this out arbitrarily. Even this matter, apart from yourself and , no one else should know..."
Seeing him so uncharacteristically serious, An Ning couldn't help but freeze. Her clear, moon-bright eyes stared unblinkingly at the person before her, and the habitual laziness and willfulness on her face transford into a hint of unease.
In the darkness, her hands even subconsciously tightened their grip on the other's sleeve.
But Xiao Qi didn't stop. He still looked at her, speaking earnestly, word by word:
"And also, human hearts are prone to change; this has been true since ancient tis. Even trusted aides, over ti, may not remain without ulterior intentions. By then, these things may not be sufficiently effective."
"If I truly depart suddenly, do not hesitate. Take the imperial edict I gave you before and leave imdiately."
The one left before, that would be the edict to proceed to the fief.
Perhaps these words were too heavy, or perhaps the earlier scene was truly frightening. Even soone as seemingly oblivious as her now had a hint of mistiness flash in her eyes.
In the darkness, An Ning didn't speak, just lowered her head. Under the bedding, one foot kicked the calf of the person beside her, again and again.
After a long while, she suddenly looked up, her eyes tearful and misty, yet staring with exceptional ferocity at the person beneath her: "Then just don't leave! Why do you have to leave!"
Ah, how could I not wish the sa, but unfortunately, how is this sothing human effort can control?
But... how wonderful. She asked why I have to leave, not why I wouldn't pass the throne to Yu'er.
Feeling the ticklish sensation on his shoulder, like a small beast gnawing, Xiao Qi felt a bittersweet ache in his heart while also secretly delighting.
It seems the ancients weren't necessarily wrong. Sotis, only by experiencing life and death can one truly see so things clearly.
This is true for smart people, and even more so for soone as seemingly oblivious and pure-hearted as Yue'er.
At the sa ti, beside him, tightly clutching the palm-sized token in her hand—a token that also didn't exist in her previous life—An Ning similarly couldn't help but think to herself.
Hah, indeed, at any ti, for an absolutely self-confident person, self-rationalization and self-touching are the most wonderful.
Once you believe your love is twelve parts strong, then whether it is or isn't, true love is invincible.
Of course, on the surface, the two were still tightly embracing each other—one filled with infinite lancholy and reluctance, the other oblivious yet inexplicably sad...
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