The young prince had just turned five when Yuan Qing took him along to handle state affairs.
"Uncle, where are Father and Mother?" Little Yuan Jing sat on the dragon throne, which was taller than him, his clean, bright black eyes fixed on Yuan Qing below, his expressionless face blank.
Yuan Qing, who was dragged by Xiao Changqi to do hard labor, said: "The restaurant that Her Majesty opened in cooperation with the Royal Kitchen opened today. To celebrate, His Majesty took the Empress to the hot spring resort."
Little Yuanjing pouted and muttered, "I knew Father and Mother had abandoned me and gone out to play again."
Yuan Qing smiled and asked, "Does Your Highness also wish to go out and have some fun?"
Young Prince: "No."
Yuan Qing couldn't help but chuckle, but Your Highness, your expression doesn't seem like you don't want to.
"Your Highness, I would like to invite you out for some fun. Would Your Highness be so kind as to grant my invitation, considering how much I dedicate myself to the affairs of the state every day?"
The little prince thought for a moment, then nodded with a blank expression: "Alright."
On the other side.
The empress and emperor, who had left their son behind to enjoy some time alone, first had lunch at a restaurant, then listened to a storyteller tell a myth before heading to the hot spring resort.
Yuan Dan leaned lazily against the man, her eyes closed, and said, "Jing'er woke up and didn't see me. I wonder if she'll be angry with me."
With one arm around the woman, Xiao Changqi slowly and methodically tied up his empress's hair with the other: "Jing'er is already five years old."
"He's five, not fifteen," Yuan Dan said helplessly. "Don't you think you're being too strict with Jing'er?"
Xiao Changqi: "Jing'er is the future ruler of a country..."
Yuan Dan made a pause gesture, then looked at the man with a long gaze and said, "There's no study for you to sleep in at the hot spring resort."
Xiao Changqi: "..."
The people serving at the hot spring villa were all former servants of the Prince Gan's mansion, and Chief Steward Zhou also spent his retirement years there.
The mansion of Prince Gan is still standing, but people are sent to clean it every day.
The couple planned to move back to the Prince's Mansion when Xiao Yuanjing ascended the throne.
After a relaxing hot spring bath, Yuandan was carried out by Xiao Changqi.
The servants all lowered their heads, not daring to look at the emperor and empress.
After resting on the tatami for half an hour, Yuan Dan opened her eyes and saw a man sitting beside her reading a book. She looked at him quietly and suddenly spoke: "Qi Zhi?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Changqi raised his head and cast an inquiring glance at her.
Yuan Dan smiled and shook her head to indicate that it was nothing; she just wanted to call out to a man.
Night falls.
I woke up groggily on New Year's Day and instinctively wanted to snuggle into the man's arms, only to find the space beside me empty.
She immediately opened her eyes and, sure enough, the man sleeping beside her was nowhere to be seen.
"Your Majesty?" Yuan Dan slowly sat up, looked around, but still couldn't see Xiao Changqi.
She threw off the covers and got out of bed. On New Year's Day, she stepped out of the inner room and looked up to see a man standing by the window in a single layer of clothing.
"Your Majesty, why are you up?"
The man turned around, his handsome face full of coldness, but the moment he saw the woman, all his indifference melted into gentleness: "Little Yuanyuan, come here."
Yuan Dan didn't notice anything amiss and walked up to the man: "What's wrong?"
Xiao Changqi pulled the woman into his arms, his deep, slightly husky voice whispering in her ear, "I want to hug my little Yuanyuan."
On New Year's Day, she obediently let the man hold her: "What difference does it make when you hold me?"
I have to hug him late at night.
“It’s different.” The man’s voice was somewhat soft and melancholic. “Normally I hold my queen, but today I hold my little phoenix.”
Upon hearing this, Yuan Dan froze, his expression one of shock: "Qi...Qi Zhi?"
"Hmm," the man said softly, "I remember now, Little Yuanyuan."
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