Chapter 154 Extra: No one can compete with me for favor!
Five years passed in a flash.
At the morning court that day, Xie Yan had just taken his seat on the dragon throne when a court official loudly reported, "Your Majesty! Marquis Pingyuan has led his army to capture the State of Yin. The King of Yin has personally presented a letter of surrender, expressing his willingness to submit and pay tribute year after year!"
The whole hall was in uproar, and then thunderous celebrations broke out.
Xie Yanlong was very happy and rarely smiled in front of the court officials. He immediately issued an edict to commend Ruan Yunce.
When the court was dismissed, an old minister looked at the young emperor's departing back and sighed inwardly: Today's prosperous country has generals guarding the borders outside and the emperor and empress working together inside. It is really a prosperous scene.
Who still remembers that in the first two years after Your Majesty ascended the throne, some court officials made suggestions under the pretext of "expanding the harem and having more offspring."
But His Majesty was firm in his attitude. The first censor who spoke was dismissed from his post the next day, demoted to a commoner and exiled to the northwest border. Later, another assistant minister tentatively raised the issue and was directly demoted to a ninth-rank county lieutenant and sent to a remote county magistrate's office to copy documents.
Afterwards, several court officials were severely punished. In addition, the brothers in the Marquis of Zhenguo protected her closely. Anyone who dared to talk about the queen in private would be really tired of living.
After a while, no one in the court dared to mention the word "taking a concubine" anymore.
Today, Shengguo is enjoying peace and prosperity, and thinking about the good news just coming from the border, everyone feels that: His Majesty is devoted, the Empress is virtuous, and the Marquis is loyal and brave. The good days of Shengguo are still long.
After the court was dismissed, Xie Yan went straight back to Zhaoming Palace.
Although there is Fengyi Palace in the harem that is exclusively for the queen, he and Ruan Yunsheng have always lived together, and the magnificent palace has become an idle decoration.
In the warm room of the palace, sunlight filtered through the carved window lattices onto the desk. Ruan Yunsheng was holding his son Xie Chengqi's little hand while they practiced calligraphy.
Five years have passed without diminishing her beauty. Today she is wearing a crimson palace dress made of brocade newly imported from Jiangnan. The jade bracelet sways gently as she raises her hand, making her fair wrist look even whiter.
There were no complicated gold ornaments on her temples, only a white jade hairpin that held her long hair diagonally. The jade was translucent, but it could not suppress the radiance between her eyebrows and eyes. She was so beautiful that people dared not disturb her casually.
Xie Yan walked over lightly, gently put his arms around her slender waist from behind, rested his chin on her shoulder, and smiled as he whispered in her ear the good news that Ruan Yunce had recaptured Yin State and Yin State had surrendered to him.
Ruan Yunsheng's eyes lit up instantly, and he turned around and said happily, "Great! I'll send someone out of the palace right away to tell my second sister-in-law the good news!"
As she spoke, she remembered something and shook Xie Yan's hand. "I haven't been back to the Marquis' Mansion for several months. Why don't I go there myself and stay at home for a night? Oh, by the way, my third sister-in-law gave birth to a little girl a few days ago. I heard that she looks like a snowball and is very cute. I haven't seen her in person yet!"
The smile on Xie Yan's face faded a little, his brows slightly furrowed, and his tone was filled with a little subtle grievance: "Shengsheng, you are going back home, what should Qi'er and I do?"
Xie Chengqi, who was sitting at the desk, immediately put down his brush, jumped off the chair with his short legs, and ran to Ruan Yunsheng. He looked up at her eagerly with his little face, and said in a baby voice, "Qi'er wants to go see my sister with mother! And bring some sweet cakes for her!"
Ruan Yunsheng was amused by her son. She reached out and touched the top of his soft hair, and said with a narrowed eyelid, "Okay, your mother will take you with her."
Turning to look at Xie Yan, he said with a playful tone, "I'll take Qi'er back home to stay for one night, okay?"
Xie Yan snorted inwardly.
He knew very well that whenever Shengsheng returned to the Marquis' Mansion, her brothers and sisters-in-law would find ways to keep her for a few more days. How could they really only stay for one night?
Although according to the rules, it is against etiquette for the queen to stay overnight outside the palace, he had promised before the wedding that Shengsheng could go back to the Marquis' Mansion anytime she wanted.
He watched Ruan Yunsheng excitedly instructing the palace servants to pack up things, and he personally selected gifts for his nephews and nieces, as well as the crispy candies that had just been made in the imperial kitchen, which filled half the table.
Xie Chengqi followed behind her with his short legs. The sight of the mother and son chatting and laughing was heartwarming.
Although he was extremely reluctant, Xie Yan couldn't bear to spoil her fun, so he could only stand aside and watch them busy with a wronged look on his face.
In the end, he watched helplessly as Ruan Yunsheng, holding his son's hand, left the palace with a group of guards and palace maids, leaving him alone in the empty Zhaoming Palace.
Xie Chengqi nestled on the soft cushions of the carriage, his small body pressed tightly against Ruan Yunsheng, his soft little hands clutching her sleeves, and he coquettishly said in a baby voice, "Mother, Qi'er wants to sleep with you tonight, and I want to listen to your stories."
He was calculating in his mind: In the palace, my father always monopolized my mother. Now that he has left the palace, my father can't chase him out and snatch my mother away from him, right?
Ruan Yunsheng was amused by his son's cute appearance. He pinched his chubby cheek with his fingertips and said with a smile, "Okay, but Qi'er must be obedient when you arrive at the Marquis' Mansion. You are not allowed to run around everywhere, understand?"
"Qi'er, be obedient!" Xie Chengqi nodded vigorously, having been looking forward to the night since noon.
But who would have thought that just after he finished washing up in the evening, he saw his father, who should have been far away in the palace, pushing the door and walking in.
There was still some night dew on Xie Yan's dark-colored uniform, and it was obvious that he had just rushed in from the palace.
Xie Chengqi's little face instantly fell, and he pouted in grievance. His little hands quickly grabbed the corner of Ruan Yunsheng's clothes, as if he was afraid that his mother would be snatched away.
Ruan Yunsheng was also surprised: "Didn't we agree that I would bring Qi'er back to the palace tomorrow? Why are you here too?"
Xie Yan walked over to her with confidence, and took her into his arms, his tone carrying a hint of deliberate grievance: "Just now, it looked gloomy outside, like it was going to rain, and there might be thunder tonight. The Zhaoming Palace is deserted, and I'm afraid to live alone in such a huge palace, so I had to come out to look for you."
Ruan Yunsheng: “…”
Is it appropriate for a king of a country to be afraid of thunder?
"Mother..." Xie Chengqi tugged at Ruan Yunsheng's skirt, looking at her eagerly, his voice tinged with tears, "Qi'er was very well behaved today. Mother promised to sleep with Qi'er."
Ruan Yunsheng patted his son's little head, then looked at Xie Yan, who was standing beside him with an innocent look on his face, and hesitantly suggested, "Since this bed is big enough, how about we, the three of us, sleep together?"
Xie Chengqi's eyes lit up instantly, and he quickly turned to Xie Yan, hugging his thigh softly: "Father is the best, he will definitely agree, right?"
Xie Yan didn't give in at all.
No one can compete with him for favor in front of Shengsheng, not even his own son!
He glanced at Xie Chengqi coldly and said calmly, "Qi'er, you are not a two-year-old child anymore. How can you still be so dependent on your mother at such a age? What kind of person is that?"
Ruan Yunsheng was stunned when he heard this: "Xie Yan... Qi'er is only three years old!"
Xie Yan immediately put on an aggrieved expression, lowered his eyes to look at her, and whispered in her ear: "But I lost my father when I was just born, and I lost my mother when I was three years old. Shouldn't Shengsheng love me more?"
These words left Ruan Yunsheng speechless for a moment. She looked at Xie Yan, who looked aggrieved, and then at her son, who was about to cry. She didn't know which one to persuade.
Xie Yan didn't give her a chance to hesitate. He turned to Xie Chengqi and said in a serious tone, "Your cousin was able to sleep on her own right after she was born. You're the Crown Prince of Sheng State, aren't you even as good as a newborn girl? If this gets out, how will the officials and the people laugh at you?"
Xie Chengqi was young, but he was very concerned about his reputation. When he heard this, he immediately pursed his lips and whispered back, "Then...then why don't we just keep it secret from outsiders?"
"You are the future monarch. You must behave properly. How can you be so secretive?"
Xie Yan lectured his son earnestly. Without waiting for his son to speak, he beckoned over the nurse, picked up Xie Chengqi by the back of his collar and handed him over, saying with a stern face, "Take the prince back to his room to rest. Watch him carefully and don't let him come over here again."
The wet nurse quickly took the prince, bowed to the emperor and empress, and hurriedly retreated with the palace maids.
Xie Chengqi lay on the nanny's shoulder, and did not forget to look back at Ruan Yunsheng with grievance. He looked so pitiful.
Ruan Yunsheng glared at Xie Yan helplessly and said angrily, "Qi'er is still so young, do you really have to be so strict with him?"
Xie Yan smiled and picked her up by the waist, his tone filled with a hint of triumph and tenderness: "My Shengsheng should belong to me alone."
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