Chapter 33
The empress, lost in thought, was suddenly struck by the sight of the baby's face.
Those beautiful eyes seemed to hold a galaxy of stars, yet at this moment they were only staring at her. Their soft, cute, and obedient appearance made her completely forget about those two brats!
She reached out to take it, but Sheng Yu quickly pulled it back.
"Do you... can Zitong hug me?" Sheng Yu asked hesitantly.
The Empress frowned her beautiful brows. "Your Majesty, I also have children, and... two of them."
The Empress inwardly mocked herself when she mentioned "two," but Sheng Yu did not notice.
"..."
After a long pause, Sheng Yu reluctantly handed it to the Empress.
But when he saw the affection on the Empress's face, he couldn't help but feel a little emotional. "I remember that Zitong loved her daughter very much back then. It's strange, though. Before the second child was born, many imperial physicians and famous folk doctors said that it would be a girl."
The Empress's eyes darkened slightly, but when she raised her face, her smile was gentle. "Haven't you now compensated me with a beautiful young lady?"
From that day on, Sheng Yu would directly refuse anyone who asked about Jiao Jiao's appearance!
Now, not only Zhang Delu, Yu Bai, and Mu Zhi would secretly approach Ling Wu, but even the Empress, who had been indifferent to Sheng Yu for ten years, would secretly tease Ling Wu while Sheng Yu was reviewing memorials!
Sheng Yu was truly afraid that one day his little princess would be able to speak, and the first word she uttered would not be "Father Emperor" or "Daddy," but rather "Mother Empress" or something else!
And so it went, until March, when Lingwu was six and a half months old.
This day happened to be Sheng Yu's birthday.
In the past ten years, the Great Sheng Dynasty has become rich and prosperous, with a strong army and numerous vassal states. In addition, this is Sheng Yu's thirty-fifth birthday, so this event is even more grand!
Ling Wu was also taken out by Sheng Yu. He carried Ling Wu in his arms, with the Empress, dressed in full regalia, beside them.
As for why she dressed up so elegantly, it was because the Empress noticed that every time she dressed so splendidly, she would steal Ling Wu's attention away from everyone else!
She chuckled to herself, thinking that Jiaojiao was a little "lustful".
"Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty!" The awkward pronunciation of foreigners was also mixed in.
Sheng Yu held Ling Wu in his arms, and after sitting down with the Empress, he said in a deep voice, "Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Then came a series of congratulatory gifts. After the vassal states sent their gifts, the country sent its own. After the country sent its own gifts, the imperial concubines sent theirs. After the imperial concubines sent theirs, the princes and princesses sent theirs.
There were many amazing moments during the process, especially when Bei Han presented his princess. Her eyes sparkled with exotic charm, which could not be summed up by mere beauty.
However, Sheng Yu remained indifferent.
He's seen all sorts of treasures, so what's so amazing about this?
Moreover, he and the Empress finally had a chance to repair their relationship. How could a beauty he had only met once be as irresistible as the power of first love?
Just as the Fifth Princess obediently finished presenting her gifts, and Sheng Yu was about to begin the banquet—
Then she heard the little one in her arms laugh in a childish voice.
Hesitation crossed Sheng Yu's eyes, and a moment of confusion appeared on his face.
Jiaojiao is... smiling!
The Emperor and Empress both looked down at the little one in Sheng Yu's arms.
The little one opened his big, watery eyes, looked up at Sheng Yu, and smiled sweetly, mimicking the way the Fifth Princess had clasped her hands together in congratulations.
"Jiaojiao...is she celebrating Father Emperor's birthday?"
Lingwu was dressed very festively by Muzhi today. It was summer, and the pomegranate red pleated skirt felt silky and breathable to the touch.
Because of what had just happened, Sheng Yu's hand, which was gently patting Ling Wu's back, paused.
The little baby had two little pigtails, and her long eyelashes fluttered over her big eyes. She was lively and well-behaved, like a porcelain doll.
"Giggle~" She laughed adorably while tilting her head, seemingly trying to decipher the meaning behind Sheng Yu's words.
Then she grinned, revealing her two small, white, adorable baby teeth, and gave Sheng Yu a bright smile.
Sheng Yu's eyes were a little hot, but with so many officials and envoys below him, he suppressed the stinging sensation in his nose. The immense joy that welled up in his heart was no less than the excitement he felt when he first ascended the throne and pacified the four seas!
His darling finally smiled, and even bowed! He said that the child he raised with his own hands must be the most intelligent person in the world!
The Empress, standing to the side, was also forcibly suppressing the joy in her heart.
The two held high positions and were currently being looked up to by everyone, so although they remained calm and composed on the surface, their hands were trembling slightly with excitement.
Zhang Delu, standing nearby, also stepped forward with delight, "Your Majesty, the young prince is here to wish you a happy birthday! Your Majesty's blessings are boundless, and the young prince is as lovely as jade, as intelligent as ice, innocent and adorable, and so clever and quick-witted..."
As he spoke, he kept glancing at Ling Wu, trying to get her to smile at him too.
"Hahaha—" Sheng Yu didn't notice and laughed heartily.
The Empress chuckled, "Our Jiaojiao is innocent and naive; her filial piety is more precious than any gift!"
Crown Prince: ...
Second Prince: "Brother, is that our mother?"
The prince's hand tightened around the wine cup for a moment, he gently closed his eyelashes, and finally only uttered a "Hmm".
Second Prince: "We're not related by blood, are we?"
The Crown Prince frowned, and this time without pausing, slapped the Second Prince directly on the head, saying, "Why are you speaking such obvious truths?"
The second prince looked completely bewildered: "Huh?"
The Crown Prince coughed lightly, “…Don’t talk nonsense.”
Their whispered conversation went unnoticed.
The foreign envoys below nodded in agreement. They had long heard that the Emperor and Empress of Dasheng favored the Sixth Princess, and now it seemed that the rumors were indeed true!
The ministers below were already used to it. As long as the young prince made a simple, ordinary gesture, and they didn't make any major mistakes that day, His Majesty wouldn't get angry.
The concubines also turned their heads away, no longer looking.
I'm used to it...
Holding the Fifth Princess, Consort Shu gritted her teeth inwardly. This Bai Mihan was truly a persistent ghost.
Speaking of Bai Mihan, she felt utterly disgusted!
Back then, she was the most favored lady, but no one knew where Bai Mihan, that country bumpkin, got her seductive tricks from, which were quite different from those of us well-educated noble ladies.
She fell into the Imperial Garden and His Majesty rescued her; in broad daylight, she engaged in lewd acts, demanding that His Majesty hold her in public…
Using these seductive tricks, she snatched away all the favor that should have been hers, and repeatedly hijacked her plans.
Fortunately, although His Majesty favored that vixen, he bestowed children upon her according to the maternal family and rank of the concubines; otherwise, they would have been utterly disgraced.
Consort Shu tightened her grip on her handkerchief, glanced at Consorts Xian and De, and sure enough, saw the same look of disgust in them.
However, the displeasure on Consort Shu's face did not subside.
Her fifth son had just finished presenting his gifts, but this time, unlike in previous years, he was not personally held by His Majesty and seated at the head of the table.
Such a disparity not only displeased her, but even the fifth princess in her arms had tears in her eyes, making her feel sorry for her.
The little darling in her arms broke free from her embrace, feeling wronged, and ran towards the head of the table to try and win favor.
Seeing that Consort Shu had failed to stop her, Consorts Xian and De raised their eyebrows slightly and resumed their calm demeanor, but in their hearts they were watching the show.
Sheng Yu and the Empress were focused on Ling Wu, eagerly awaiting the moment when she would utter the words "father" and "mother".
At that moment, the Fifth Princess tugged at the hem of Sheng Yu's dragon robe.
The fifth princess's round little body looked very cute, but her little face showed a wronged expression.
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