Imperial edict
Chapter 121
The overwhelming pain swept over him, leaving no room for respiration. Wen Shuse was covered in sweat and his mind was in a mess. He didn't even know who was around him, let alone the person outside the door. He was struggling in the endless sea of suffering, silently counting the hours in his heart, not knowing when it would end.
When I was in agony, I suddenly heard a voice beside my ear, "Jiaoxian."
The familiar voice seemed like a dream, and my scattered consciousness was slowly brought back, and the pain became clearer.
Xiangyun almost cried when she heard this. She knelt beside the bed, held Wen Shuse's hand, and said excitedly: "My dear, my dear, my dear is back. Please hold on for a while..."
Isn't this a dream?
A pain that tore through the bone marrow attacked from the abdomen, and Wen Shu's face turned pale with pain. The midwife saw that the time was almost up, and hurriedly said: "Madam, it will be soon. Just use your strength slowly, don't rush, and follow me to regulate your breathing..."
The midwife was asked by the Second Lady from the Queen. She was experienced in delivering babies, and the women who gave birth after her care did not have to suffer any hardship afterwards.
But no matter how good your experience is, you still have to rely on yourself to get through that gate of hell.
Although there was a door between them, the painful struggle inside could be heard clearly outside, and none of the three people outside the door spoke.
The Second Madam held her breath and almost choked. She glanced to the side and saw Xie Shao standing in front of the door, his fingers clenched into fists, veins popping out on the back of his hands. His upper body was hidden in the light and shadow, obscured by the night, so she couldn't see his expression clearly, but he must be nervous.
The second wife wanted to ease the tension, so she asked him, "When did you come back?"
Xie Shao stood there motionless and didn't answer, as if he didn't hear anything.
The Second Madam took a breath and said nothing more. She turned around and told the maid, "Go get a clean cloak for the young master."
The night was silent for a moment, and then a loud cry was heard from inside the house. The Second Madam and Ming Wanrou breathed a sigh of relief, and their bodies went limp.
The door was opened from the inside, and Ming Wanrou asked first, "Is it the young master or the young lady?"
"Replying to the Crown Princess, it's a young master."
Ming Wanrou's face showed obvious disappointment.
My daughter-in-law is gone.
Aunt Qing looked up at Xie Shao, who was standing tense at the door, and knelt down to pay her respects. She smiled and said, "Congratulations, Third Young Master. The young mistress and her child are safe. Go in and take a look."
Xie Shao stood there but did not move.
After the door opened, the light from inside overflowed, illuminating the face. His expression was haggard but secretly excited. There was a thin layer of mist in his eye sockets, which had already turned red.
From the moment you left, I miss you every day.
The young lady's face, the young lady's smile, when the night is quiet, it is the bone-eating longing. I have endured the winter, endured the spring, and the days have passed one by one.
The war was over, and there was no time to take off his armor. He rode his horse at full speed, rushing back towards the young lady, just to see her earlier. However, when he got there, he suddenly didn't know how to cross the threshold.
The guilt and heartache made him unable to move.
During her pregnancy, he was not with her for a single day. As the father of her child and her husband, he did not take care of her at all.
He was too embarrassed to go in and didn't know how to face her.
The maid hurriedly brought the cloak.
The Second Madam took it, covered him with it, and tightened the straps, "You are covered in dust, don't go in and infect the mother and child. Remember to wash your hands before holding the child." She looked up at him and urged, "Go in, luckily you made it in time. If you didn't, you would have heard how Shuse would scold you."
She deserves to be scolded.
Xie Shao finally took a step, stepped in, and slowly walked around the cloak. The baby's crying continued, each cry tugged at his heart, filled with anticipation and caution.
So much so that I dare not look up easily.
As soon as he walked around the screen, Aunt Qing brought a basin of water and said, "Sir, wash your hands first."
"Okay." He turned around and handed the volume in his hand to Xiangyun first.
Knowing that the young lady opposite had seen him, his heart was pounding and his eyelids were trembling. He pretended to be calm and buried his head in the basin to wash his hands, then took the towel handed to him by the maid to wipe their hands dry.
He tucked in the collar of his cloak, and after he was done, he turned around and looked up at the young lady lying on the bed.
A few seasons have passed.
The moment he touched those eyes, his throat felt as if it was cut by a knife. His eyes became blurry and hazy. After a while, he raised his lips and said in a hoarse voice, "I'm back, Jade Fairy."
Wen Shuse had been looking at him since he came in.
I don’t know how long we were separated.
At first I could still remember the days, but later I couldn’t count them with my hands anymore and I became too lazy to remember.
Now that figure seemed to appear in the blink of an eye, yet it also seemed to have been separated by several years.
When he raised his head and looked at her, two lines of tears fell without warning. Her chest felt tight and uncomfortable. The longing and pain in her heart turned into a feeling of grievance. She pursed her lips tightly, not daring to look at him again, and had to turn her head away.
The footsteps gradually approached and stopped beside her bed.
I saw him squatting down out of the corner of my eye.
After a while, the hand hanging on the quilt was suddenly touched by a slightly cool temperature. It was a long-lost touch, familiar yet strange, like a stone thrown into the lake, stirring up the spring water waiting for the spring breeze. My heart suddenly felt sore and painful, and tears fell again.
She did not dodge, so the hand tentatively moved forward and slowly wrapped around her palm, applying force bit by bit until they finally held each other tightly.
The soft and tender touch melted people's hearts in an instant. He rubbed the back of her hand with his fingertips again and again, and it seemed that he finally felt the reality at this moment.
He returned to the young lady.
The tip of her nose felt sore, and she lowered her head in time to block the tears in her eyes, and apologized again, "Wen Er, I'm sorry."
He misses her very much.
Thinking about it every moment.
Wen Shuse turned her head and looked at him lying beside her. She felt wronged for not having a husband to accompany her during the ten months of pregnancy. But now that he apologized, she felt distressed again. She wiped the tears from her face and said softly, "I'm glad you're back."
After the pain in his heart passed, Xie Shao raised his head and looked cautiously at the weak young lady on the bed. He found the familiarity in her eyes and released the longing in her eyes.
"Am I ugly now?" Wen Shu looked away when he stared at her. She ate a lot recently and felt that she had gained weight. She didn't even dare to look in the mirror.
Xie Shao shook his head, "It looks good."
"You call this beautiful." Since she became pregnant, she has not used any cream or makeup. She is now exhausted and her face is probably completely colorless.
"It looks good." Xie Shao repeated, reaching out to brush away the hair that was stuck to her forehead. His fingers touched the side of her face and he didn't want to move them away. His eyes were full of heartache, "My wife has suffered."
It is indeed bitter and painful.
He's not much better.
He used to have fair skin and tender flesh, and his face was whiter than that of a young lady, but now it has been weathered and darker. The laziness in his eyes has faded, revealing a firmness.
Much more mature than before.
After staring at him for a while, the subtle feeling of strangeness actually made her feel strangely shy. She avoided his gaze and murmured, "Then be nicer to me in the future."
"Yeah." He would do whatever she asked him to do, even giving her his life.
When Aunt Qing saw that the two had calmed down a little, she winked at the midwife and asked her to bring the child forward.
The little girl stopped crying.
With his eyes open, he turned left and right, and sucked his lips quietly. He looked particularly pleasing. The midwife came forward with the child in her arms, congratulated him with a smile, and said, "You're back just in time, Third Young Master. Look, the little master is so handsome." Then she was about to hand the child in her arms to him.
Xie Shao was stunned for a moment, then stood up hurriedly, feeling quite at a loss as to what to do.
The midwife smiled and said, "It's the same for everyone who becomes a father for the first time. Don't be afraid. The Third Young Master can be held in your arms like this old woman."
Xie Shao stretched out his hand nervously, still feeling a little apprehensive.
During the past few months in Hexi and Hebei, his hands had taken countless lives, but now, facing such a little life, he held his breath nervously, not daring to use force, and held him up carefully and cautiously.
The little thing in my arms was so light that I couldn't even feel that I was holding him in my arms.
He was small, with a palm-sized head and a red face covered with fine hair. His eyes opened for a while and then slowly closed, as if he was very tired, and he fell asleep again in the blink of an eye.
This is his son with the young lady.
It was such a small thing, but it had the ability to soften people's hearts. Even the bravest man on the battlefield had no power to resist at this moment. He didn't dare to use force with his hands for fear of hurting him, nor did he dare to relax for fear of falling.
The little girl yawned lazily in his arms and moved her fingers slightly.
The cute and adorable look touches people's hearts directly.
My heart melted and my eyes became red.
"My dear, have you seen enough?" Wen Shuse saw that he didn't move for a long time and reminded him, "I haven't seen it yet."
"Okay." Xie Shao finally came back to his senses, slowly squatted down, and very carefully placed the little guy next to Wen Shuse, "My lady, did you see it?"
"Yeah." Wen Shu looked at him intently.
When she was still in her belly, she was curious about what he looked like, whether he looked more like her or his father. Now that she had seen him, she couldn't tell who he looked like.
The little guy had his eyes closed and was sleeping very soundly, with a small nose and a small mouth. The mouth was really small, probably only as big as the tip of her finger.
"Why don't they look like each other?"
Xie Shao disagreed, "Like a lady."
"How did you tell that?"
“Similar.”
Wen Shuse:......
The fact that he tells lies with open eyes has not changed.
The midwife at the side smiled and said, "Young Master is still young. You will know who he looks like when he grows up. Leave the young master to the wet nurse first. The young mistress is still weak after giving birth. She should lie down for a while."
The wet nurse had been waiting there for a long time, and after hearing what was said, she hurried forward to hold the baby.
Xie Shao stood up and made way for him. Just as he was about to sit down, the midwife said, "Third Young Master, please go down first. I haven't dealt with the Young Madam yet."
Xie Shao looked at Wen Shuse and didn't want to leave.
Wen Shuse didn't want him to stay and didn't want him to see the blood, so she teased him, "I'm not the one who can run away, what are you afraid of?" She took a look at him and saw that he came back in a hurry, "My dear, you haven't changed your clothes yet, come back after you change your clothes."
It was indeed a long and dusty journey.
He turned to look at Xiangyun, took the scroll from her hand, bent over and placed it on the head of Wen Shuse's bed, "This is for my wife. Leave it here first."
After the person left, Wen Shuse glanced sideways.
The scroll had a jade axis and a silk cover, so she knew what was inside without having to open it.
He did it.
He gave her all the cakes that were drawn for her.
She once pushed him into officialdom with just a few words: she didn't want to suffer with him. She made him the deputy commander of the cavalry. He almost lost his life for military merit, but she also earned the honor of a third-rank lady for her.
She had heard from her brother about the wars in Hexi and Hebei.
Xie Shao was also gambling with his life. Behind the words "stay safe and don't worry" on the letter was actually the flashing of swords and sabers. If he took a wrong step or lost a game, he would be broken into pieces.
When the new emperor ascends the throne, his external identity is still that of an adopted son. If he wants to stabilize the court and the country, he must establish his prestige.
With the situation in the court like this, the border needs even more deterrence.
The unrest in Hexi and Hebei was just the right opportunity for the new emperor to establish his prestige.
Once the opportunity comes, then there is the candidate.
The Yang family has become estranged from the new emperor because of the 'Empress Dowager' incident, and the only people the new emperor can trust are the Xie family.
Xie Shao was gambling, and the new emperor was also gambling, gambling that he could pacify Hexi and Hebei and win a war with the Liao Kingdom.
If the bet is won, the new emperor will not only establish his prestige, but also be able to legitimately employ people from the Xie family.
If the achievement of pacifying Hexi and Hebei was not enough, then taking back several occupied cities from the Liao Kingdom, rescuing tens of thousands of displaced civilians, and making the Liao Kingdom sign a truce treaty on its own initiative, such achievements were beyond the reach of even General Yang back then, and were enough to earn the highest reward.
What's more, a new emperor appoints new ministers. If the new emperor wants to confer a title on him, who dares to object?
Although his background meant that his official career would not be ordinary, it was not mediocre either.
This was the amulet that her husband had won for her at the risk of his life with his own ability. Wen Shuse did not open it, but held the volume tightly in her hand.
He was so tired that after the midwife took care of his body, he fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke up, it was already daybreak. I noticed that the volume in my hand was missing, so I subconsciously reached for it.
"It's here. It's not lost." Seeing her open her eyes and frantically looking for it, Xie Shao quickly stuffed the scroll back into her hands and asked softly, "Are you hungry?"
I had originally agreed to wait for him to come over, but I didn't expect that I would sleep all night. I looked at him apologetically and asked, "My dear, have you rested?"
"Rest." After washing up last night, he lay beside her bed all night. Seeing that she held the volume all night and left marks on her face, he gently took it out of her hand.
Unexpectedly, she woke up as soon as she moved away.
The Second Madam had someone prepare some light and easy-to-eat food early in the morning. Xie Shao helped her up, put a pillow behind her, and went outside to get a bowl of fish porridge.
Although she was a little weak, her hands were still able to move. She was not used to being fed by others, so she reached out to grab the food, "Let me do it."
However, Xie Shao did not let go. He looked up at her and said sincerely: "Please fulfill my wish for once, my lady. I want to feed you in my dreams." Since he knew she was pregnant, every day of delay was torment for him.
He will slowly make up for the days he missed.
Knowing that he felt guilty, Wen Shuse didn't move and let him feed it into his mouth spoonful by spoonful.
The lights were dim last night and I was too excited to look at his face properly.
Now the man had changed his clothes after bathing, still wearing a green round-necked robe, but it was much more noble than the one he wore last night. His shoulders were embroidered with golden cloud patterns, and his hair was tied with a jade crown. He sat upright beside her bed, holding the emerald green porcelain bowl in his hand for a while, steadily, without any sign of shaking.
The man is still the same man, but he is different now. The immaturity in his body has faded away without him noticing. The steadiness emanating from his bones has made his facial features more distinct.
The wind from Hexi doesn't make people look old, but makes them more and more beautiful.
Noticing her gaze, Xie Shao raised his eyes and looked at her softly, "What's wrong?"
Wen Shuse didn't lie, "Look at my husband."
Xie Shao smiled, "Don't you recognize me?"
Wen Shuse's cheeks were finally flushed by his smile. She looked away, swallowed the meat porridge he fed her, and said vaguely, "Well, it looks better."
Xie Shao looked at her rosy cheeks, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart. The corners of his lips slightly raised. He fed the last mouthful of porridge into her mouth, then straightened his body, moved closer, and whispered to her, "Madam, please look at it as you like."
Wen Shuse glanced at his smiling eyes and her heart began to beat fast. He asked her to look, but she didn't have the courage to do so.
Instead, he was watching.
After being stared at for a while, her face was already burning, so she could only change the subject, "My dear, have you eaten yet?"
"Not hungry yet."
"Oh, you have to eat something even if you're not hungry."
Seeing that she hadn't let go, Xie Shao didn't make it difficult anymore and asked, "Are you full?"
"Yeah, I'm full."
Xie Shao stood up to put the bowl down, and when he turned back, he saw her staring at the volume in her hand.
She had been holding the scroll all night, but the seal on it had not been opened. She must have known what was inside, so he sat back beside her and asked her softly, "Don't you want to take a look?"
I have to read it, but, "Since it is a gift from you, please open it with me."
Xie Shao returned to Dongdu yesterday. Without even changing his clothes, he hurried to the palace to report. This was to ask for this gift, which he wanted to give to her as a gift when he returned home.
He had already read it when the emperor gave it to him.
"Okay." Xie Shao took it and glanced at the bed, "Can I sit?"
sure.
After going out, he suddenly became polite and Wen Shuse moved inside.
Xie Shao sat on the bed and leaned towards her, with half of his arm touching her shoulder. Seeing that she did not reject him, he moved closer, half hugged her, and unfolded the edict he had promised the young lady.
When Wen Shuse saw the seven-colored silk, his heart skipped a beat. He felt a little nervous and asked, "What grade?"
"First rank."
Wen Shu was stunned. Xie Pushe was only a second-rank official.
"Father resigned from his post today."
When the Yuan family fell, General Yang took over the Menxia Province, and his father was reinstated to control the Shangshu Province. When the new emperor ascended the throne, the situation in the court was split into two factions between the Xie and Yang families.
But compared to the Yang family, my father had many students in his early years, and he had a clear advantage in the court.
But precisely because of this, the Xie family's situation became more difficult. Their extensive network of contacts was also a constraint. Although the late emperor pretended to dismiss Xie Pushe in his early years, it was true that his students had committed crimes.
If the Xie family wants to move forward, they have to get rid of these shackles that seem to be beneficial to the Xie family.
No matter how close the relationship is, the boundaries between the ruler and the subject must be clearly defined. The Xie family is more open-minded about this than the Yang family.
Rather than restraining the personal connections in the court, the ruler of a country would rather grant his subjects high positions and generous titles. Therefore, Xie Pushe did not blindly form cliques like the Yang family did.
He kept waiting, waiting for Xie Shao to return with his achievements.
The day Xie Shao returned was also the day he resigned. A senior official who had influenced two generations of emperors took off his layers of connections and returned to the court. As a new emperor with a good reputation, he was naturally happy to see it.
But the new emperor also gave the Xie family another way. He appointed Xie Shao as Shangshu Ling, a first-rank official, and granted him the title of Duke of the State, with the highest honor of being a pillar of the country.
It's a win-win situation, and both the new emperor and the Xie family are satisfied.
These rewards were issued last night, and the new emperor will present them after Xie Pushe resigns at the morning court today.
As for the imperial edict in his hand, it was something he and the new emperor requested separately.
Once the young lady had pulled him out of the swamp, and now her share of his glory would always be hers.
He would give her a lifetime of wealth and honor, and he kept his word.
Although Wen Shuse could understand what he said, but...
My husband is twenty-two years old.
She is only eighteen.
A lady of the first rank... isn't that a little too ostentatious?
But this is something that you risked your life for, so what’s wrong with showing it off?
Seeing her in a daze, Xie Shao reached out and gently touched the tip of her nose, pretending to be helpless, and teased her, "What's wrong, it's not enough? Then your husband should go and usurp the throne."
Wen Shuse turned around and covered his mouth with his hands, "Enough, enough."
How many first-rank imperial wives can one have in one day? Even the second wife didn't have one, but she had one. Why should she be dissatisfied?
The soft palm covered her lips, and the distance between them shortened. Each other's figures were reflected in their eyes. The longing that had been suppressed in her heart finally couldn't be held back anymore. Xie Shao looked at her deeply, "Then can your husband hug you for a while?"
"Yeah." God knows how long she has been waiting for this hug.
When I was pregnant, I thought about how we would hug each other if he came back. I looked forward to it day and night, until spring came and flowers bloomed and summer cicadas chirped, and finally my lover came.
Why wouldn't he hug me?
Wen Shuse took the initiative to lean over to him, put her arms around his waist, and laid her face on his strong chest. It was no longer as vague as in a dream, but very real. She could clearly hear the beating of his heart.
"Xianxian."
"Um."
"I missed you so much."
That was a confession from the heart.
Wen Shuse's nose felt sore, and she buried her head in his arms. She finally found the warmth that she could rely on, and said in a humming voice, "I know."
"Did you miss me?"
"I thought about it." No less than him.
Xie Shao retracted his arms, held her tightly in his arms, lowered his head to smell her scent, and after a long while he said, "Can I kiss you?"
"Um."
《End of the article》
My dears, it's finally over! ! Gaoxian and his lover Xie will continue to love each other in another dimension. Yueyue would like to thank my dears for their company and support. I bow to them. If you have subscribed to the full version, please help me rate it.
The next book, "Broken Engagement", will be published in mid-October. If you like it, you can save it first. Here is the copy:
On the day when Xie Yan, the eldest son of the Xie family, came to the Shen family, Shen Mingsu quietly hid behind the screen and glimpsed the handsome big brother in the room. She blushed and her heart was moved.
Four years later, my father passed away. She took their marriage certificate and traveled across mountains and rivers to find the Xie family.
When she saw Xie Yan again, he was already the handsome and elegant prince of the Duke's Mansion, dressed in the uniform of a third-rank official, looking very heroic. Shen Mingsu happily walked up to him and nervously called him, "Master Xie."
Xie Yan, who was standing opposite her, had a cold expression on his face and walked past her in a hurry.
The footsteps behind her were getting farther and farther away. Shen Mingsu stood there, her hands unconsciously clutching her dress tightly.
After a year of living under someone else's roof, Shen Mingsu suffered all kinds of cold stares, just like the first day she arrived. She finally realized that a forced melon is not sweet, and she could no longer repay a favor.
When Xie Yan was down and out, the Shen family helped him, and it was only natural that they should repay their kindness with marriage.
Xie Yan had no complaints about this.
The good thing is that the young lady from the Shen family is well-behaved, never causes him trouble, and never cries to him, so she is very worry-free.
On the day of the wedding, she suddenly stood up from beside me, straightened her body, and said with a smile, "Marriage is originally decided by parents. Now that my father has passed away, it doesn't count."
He thought she was crazy.
Later he realized that he was the one who was crazy.
1v1
The document is saved on 2022/6/16 and any removal or processing is prohibited.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
