In the guest room next door, Cui Nianmi buried herself in the quilt and cried her heart out.

"Miss, what's wrong? Don't cry!"

The first time I fell in love with a man.

But he is already married and has a child, and he still says he loves me so deeply. What should I do?

The maid guessed,

"Miss, could it be that Mr. Yan is married?"

At present, this is the only reason that can make my lady collapse.

Cui Nianmi cried so hard that she was out of breath.

"Miss, this is fate. You returned to the capital to enter the palace and become the emperor's concubine. You'd better let Mr. Yan go."

When Cui Nianmi heard this, she cried even more sadly.

A family mission, her love, a broken heart, and an uncertain future.

At noon the next day, in the Yangxin Palace.

After Xuan Ling finished his work of state affairs, he gently stroked his temple.

Eunuch Fu brought ginseng tea.

"Your Majesty, please take a rest."

Xuan Ling drank half a cup of ginseng tea and then held a piece of ginseng slices neatly arranged in the box.

"This is the red ginseng slices sent by the Empress."

Xuan Ling stood up and went outside the hall to stretch his muscles.

Eunuch Fu followed and said:

"The Empress, please advise. Concubine Xian was delayed in her service the night before. When does the Emperor plan to arrange for her to sleep with him again?"

Xuan Ling walked to the tuberose flowerpot and bent down to clean the dried flowers and leaves.

The flowers are graceful and fragrant. When you smell them, it seems that all your tiredness is relieved.

"Go and fetch Consort Chen and General Jiang to come to the Yangxin Palace."

When Eunuch Fu heard this, he thought, well, Concubine Xian’s chance to sleep with him would probably have to wait for a while.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Xuan Ling touched the imperial green ring on the ring finger of his right hand.

Yanyan was still angry, so she put the matter of sleeping with him aside for now.

After a stick of incense, he looked out the door and saw a lively little ball running towards him.

"Father! Father!"

Jiang Jiang was holding a kite in his hand.

"Where's your mother?"

"Mom said she wanted to read a book, and she also said...what was it?"

"Self-reflection?"

Jiang Jiang chuckled and said, "Yes, it's self-reflection."

Xuan Ling was helpless, the little girl was still angry.

"Come on, Father will accompany you to fly a kite for a while."

"Father, how high can you put it?"

"Higher than the sky."

"Really? Father is so amazing."

On the flat ground behind the East Warm Pavilion, Xuan Ling and Jiang Jiang were running happily and flying kites.

After a while, a falcon soared in the boundless blue sky.

As night fell, Jiang Jiang pleaded, "Father, I want to stay."

Xuan Ling picked him up,

"Let's go, let's go to Huayutang to soak in the hot springs first, and then have dinner. After that, you will accompany your father to read the memorials, and your father will teach you how to play chess."

"Haha, okay."

Isn’t hot springs just about playing in the water? It’s so beautiful!

In the hot spring pool,

Xuan Ling closed his eyes and leaned quietly against the edge of the Qinglong Jade.

"Father!"

Jiang Jiang was shirtless and wearing only shorts. He held a small bucket in his hand and poured it towards Xuan Ling.

"You little brat, you've learned how to launch a surprise attack."

Xuan Ling chased Jiang Jiang and splashed water on him, like a big boy.

Late at night, the two of them lay down on the dragon bed.

Jiang Jiang asked, "Father, when will I have brothers and sisters?"

Xuan Ling was stunned. "Why do you ask that?"

Jiang Jiang curled his lips and said, "Mother doesn't let me mention it. Why?"

Xuan Ling touched his head and said, "You will have brothers and sisters to play with you in the future."

Jiangjiang got up and gave him a back massage, blinking his big eyes.

"I want to be the best to my father."

What he meant was that he wanted to be the most filial child to me, but he just couldn't express it completely.

If I had a child with Yanyan, he would definitely be as smart and filial as Jiangjiang, but...

Tell stories to him and coax him to sleep.

Xuan Ling stood up and took out the portrait from the gold-threaded rosewood cabinet.

The child he drew last time, the child he imagined he and Sheng Xiyan would have, looked roughly like this.

Yanyan, don’t I also long to have a child with you two?

But any desire cannot be compared with your safety.

Whether you hate it or resent it, this is the best solution I have thought of.

Don't want you to take any risk,

Stay safe and sound by my side,

That’s enough.

The next day, around noon.

Sheng Xiyan was making incense on the soft couch.

Hua Xia came in and said, "Your Majesty, Concubine Xian and Concubine Zhang are here to see you. Do you want to see them?"

If it is blocked, people in the harem will start to talk about how Concubine Chen not only steals the emperor's favor, but is also cold and self-admiring.

"Everyone is here, let's meet them."