Chapter 708 Fatherly Love
Xiao Yan moved quickly and the stove fire soon started to burn.
The water gurgled in the pot. He shook the cut noodles into it, and white steam rose up, blurring his resolute profile. Soon, a bowl of steaming noodles was brought to San Ya.
The clear soup base is topped with smooth noodles, and a little chopped green onion is carefully sprinkled on top - it is cooked very well.
San Ya picked up the chopsticks, lowered her head and took a bite.
The noodles are chewy and the soup has a simple flavor, which is the pure noodle aroma in my memory.
But as soon as he swallowed a mouthful, his eyes couldn't help but become hot again.
She quickly lowered her head, but her tears fell uncontrollably into the bowl, creating tiny ripples.
She didn't want her father to see, so she just ate mouthful after mouthful, as if all her fear and grievances could be swallowed and digested along with the familiar taste of this bowl.
Xiao Yan sat opposite her, silently watching her trembling shoulders and her drooping cheeks hiding the traces of tears, without saying a word.
When she had almost finished eating, she slowly spoke, her voice as steady as a mountain:
"Just give birth to the baby. Daddy will be here until you're out of confinement."
Upon hearing this, San Ya raised her red eyes and tried to give him a relaxed smile, "Dad, don't worry about me. I'm not completely unprepared. All military affairs have been arranged properly, so there won't be any chaos."
She paused, her tone now filled with her own boldness and confidence, even though tears were still streaming down her face. "I'm the general you brought up. I won't embarrass you, and I won't make any mistakes."
Xiao Yan looked at her pretending to be strong, and a hint of imperceptible heartache flashed across the depths of his eyes, but more of it was pride.
He nodded, his voice low and certain: "Dad knows."
As the night deepens, the northwest wind outside the window blows across the courtyard wall, but it cannot blow away the warm lights in the room and the bowl of ordinary yet precious noodles that is infused with infinite care and protection.
Capital city.
Ever since he knew Xiao Yan had left, Liu Jian had lost his energy in doing anything and was always wondering when he would arrive.
If Xiao Yan goes, my sister will have relatives to accompany her.
Although Xiao Yan probably hated him very much, he could let Xiao Yan do whatever he wanted as long as his sister was fine.
Just as I was in a daze, I saw my younger brother Liu Yu coming in hurriedly with a basket.
"What's wrong?" Liu Jian's expression instantly concealed his emotions. "Have you sold all the goods?"
"No, it's the Shuisheng lady in front who is about to give birth."
Liu Jian was puzzled. "She's about to give birth. What does it have to do with us?"
We are just acquaintances, so there is no need to give gifts.
"No, brother, don't you like waiting for people to have children the most?" Liu Yu said righteously.
And in order to prove that what he said was true, he had reasons and evidence.
"When Mother gave birth to Yuanyi, I thought you were worried about her, so you kept waiting. But later, when Madam Jiang gave birth, you also wanted to accompany her..."
The queen had previously given birth to Princess Yuanyi.
But as strong as she was, the entire pregnancy, even the confinement period, did not affect her ability to handle external affairs.
Liu Yu's little brain turned over and over, and he finally came to the conclusion that his elder brother just had this special "hobby" - he liked to wait for people to give birth to children.
Liu Jian slapped his brother on the forehead and said, "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll beat you up."
"That's how it is." Liu Yu muttered.
"Besides, I won't take you to the Marquis' Mansion to play with Chi Chi." Liu Jian used his trump card.
Liu Yu immediately covered his mouth with his hands.
He wants to go play with his beautiful sister.
It’s not just because Chi Chi is good-looking.
Liu Yu did not admit that he was a superficial person who judged people by their appearance.
Although others may misunderstand this way, such as his brother.
But he really likes Chi Chi because she is kind, gentle and innocent.
Alas, no one understands him.
But he knew that if his elder brother didn't take him with him, he would have no excuse to go to the Marquis' Mansion.
After all, everyone is over the age of seven, and boys and girls are not allowed to touch each other.
When it comes to being thick-skinned, you have to rely on your elder brother.
So when he saw that Liu Jian was angry, he really didn't dare to say anything.
Liu Jian paused for a moment before saying calmly, "Speaking of Yuan Yi, I just remembered that we haven't been to the palace to pay our respects to Father, the Emperor, and Mother, the Empress, for five or six days. It's okay now, so let's go."
By the way, visit my sister.
Liu Yu doesn't want to go back yet.
How could the four square kilometers of sky in the palace be as good as the freedom outside?
But he couldn't just let it go.
Liu Jian finally forced him to change his clothes, and the two brothers looked like decent people, from two little bitter melons in the market, to the Crown Prince and the King of Jin.
They happened to arrive when the emperor and empress were boating on Kunming Lake.
So the rare time that the emperor and empress spent together turned into a gathering of the four members of the family.
Liu Jian felt that his father was full of resentment.
The queen was very happy.
It is rare for a family of four to get together nowadays.
"Father, Mother, you continue talking, and we two will just listen." Liu Jian was very well-behaved.
Liu Yu lowered his head and fiddled with the box of snacks and fruits in front of him, thinking silently that if he sold these, he would definitely make more than the current money.
After experiencing poverty, his eyes now light up when he sees money.
The Queen smiled and said, "Nothing much. Your father has been busy with the Ministry of War these past few days, so I rarely get to see him."
"No." The emperor said, "Xiao Yan asked for leave, but there are still so many people in the Ministry of War, and they are not just sitting there to eat. But you are so busy every day that you can't even take care of us gentlemen."
When there are no outsiders around, the emperor never puts on airs in front of the queen.
Like a resentful husband in the boudoir, full of complaints.
"Everyone is busy." The Queen smiled gently, "I just feel that Xiao Yan has always been calm and sensible. Although it was wrong for him to lead the troops out of the capital without permission, the Emperor did not blame him too much. Why—"
Liu Jian was reaching for the lotus, as if he didn't hear what was said.
However, the boat was shaking, causing Liu Yu to protest, "Brother, don't move! Be careful, the boat will capsize."
"My father and I can both swim. Don't worry, your father saved our mother, and I will save you. I won't put your father in any difficult position." Liu Jian joked.
Liu Yu glared at him fiercely.
The two brothers quarreled, but the emperor didn't take it seriously at all.
He continued the Queen's words as if nothing had happened, "Xiao Yan insisted on going to the northwest because he heard Jiaojiao was injured."
"Jiaojiao is injured?" The Queen asked in surprise, "Are you okay?"
"It's nothing serious, just a broken bone that will take a hundred days to heal." The emperor said calmly, "It's mainly because Xiao Yan favors Jiaojiao. Even his biological daughter Xiaoman is ranked behind Jiaojiao."
"Of course he is partial, otherwise he wouldn't let Jiaojiao inherit his career." said the queen.
Liu Jian didn't interrupt the whole time.
"It just so happens that this incident has caused quite a stir. It would be good for him to take the blame and go out of the spotlight." The emperor rubbed his temples. "I've had enough of being the emperor."
He sighed, "I don't know when I can take you into seclusion."
The emperor looked at Liu Jian and said, "As the crown prince, don't hang around in the streets every day. Help me handle the affairs of state and take over the throne as soon as possible. Let me be the emperor emeritus, free and easy, and take your mother to see the beautiful country."
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