The third-day celebration was extremely grand. The Emperor and Empress were present, princes and princesses gathered, and even the long-absent Duke of England came.
When the wet nurse brought out the child, the entire hall was filled with astonishment. The Emperor personally bestowed a longevity lock upon him, saying, "This child has clear and bright eyes; he will surely achieve great things in the future."
The Empress sat by the couch and personally fed Qi Mingyue soup: "Good child, take good care of yourself. I have already chosen two wet nurses, who will be sent over tomorrow."
Qi Mingyue hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I wish to feed them myself..."
The Empress was slightly surprised, then smiled and said, "Very well. Royal offspring should be treated with more affection."
The women gathered around to see the child. Ashina Yun exclaimed in surprise, "Such a small child, yet so strong!" Lin Qiuyan presented a small silver bracelet she had made herself, while Qi Yue silently sewed a whole trunk of clothes.
The most special gift came from the border—General Li sent someone on an urgent 800-mile journey to deliver a white fox fur swaddle blanket and a "Ten Thousand People's Umbrella" jointly signed by the people of Xincheng.
“They said…” the messenger choked up, “the young prince is a child of the new city, may he grow up safely.”
Qi Mingyue hugged her child tightly, tears streaming down her face.
The full moon celebration caused a sensation in the capital. The Emperor specially ordered the event to be held, and a continuous feast was laid out along Zhuque Street. All the common people could receive red eggs and longevity noodles, sharing in the joy.
Yao Xiuyan held the baby up for public display, and the infant neither cried nor fussed, but instead gazed at the world with clear eyes. Someone exclaimed, "Look at that bearing! A born general!"
In the midst of the banquet's revelry, a messenger suddenly rushed into the capital: "Urgent report from the border!"
The room fell silent. Yao Xiuyan opened the letter and read it, his face lighting up with joy: "The barbarians have surrendered! They offer ten thousand head of cattle and sheep, and vow to be vassals forever!"
On the day Qi Mingyue gave birth, a strange phenomenon occurred in the sacred land of the barbarians: thousand-year-old snow lotuses bloomed simultaneously, and the moon shone as brightly as day in the night sky. The shaman divined, saying, "The holy maiden has given birth to a child; heaven blesses peace." The barbarian king then resolved to submit.
The Emperor was overjoyed: "This child is truly an auspicious sign!" He immediately bestowed upon him the name "Yao An" and granted him the title of Marquis of Jingbian—an unprecedented honor in the dynasty, as he received a noble title before he was even a month old.
Qi Mingyue, however, was worried: "The tallest tree in the forest..."
Yao Xiuyan held her hand: "I'm here for you."
In the stillness of the night, the couple sat side by side watching their child sleep peacefully. Suddenly, Qi Mingyue said, "Brother Xiuyan, I want to go back to the border."
Yao Xiuyan was slightly taken aback: "An'er is still young..."
“It is precisely because he is young that he should go and see the land his parents protect.” Her eyes were gentle. “Let him feel the wind of the border and see the moon over the new city.”
Yao Xiuyan pondered for a moment: "Wait until you recover, when spring arrives and the flowers bloom."
The child suddenly smacked his lips in his sleep, as if in agreement.
…………
By the beginning of spring, Qi Mingyue had fully recovered. That day, she was teaching her wet nurse to make noodles with a border-style flavor when suddenly a commotion erupted in the front hall.
It turned out to be Lin Qiuyan and her brother requesting an audience—Lin Feng is now a captain in Xincheng and has returned to the capital to report on his duties.
"Madam!" Lin Qiuyan exclaimed excitedly, "The New City School has expanded again! Now it has accepted students from three different clans, and Doctor Hu has even opened a clinic!"
Lin Feng presented the gift list: "The common people pooled their money to make a gold lock to celebrate the young prince's 100th day."
Qi Mingyue stroked the four characters "Border Pass Forever Peace" on the golden lock, her heart surging with emotion: "How is everyone?"
"That's great!" Lin Feng laughed. "I'm just worried about Madam and the young master. Little Ya is working at the school now, saying she wants to save money to come to the capital to see you."
Just then, Yao Xiuyan returned from court. Upon hearing about the recent situation at the border, he immediately said, "His Majesty has approved the request to implement the new city's policies in the spring."
Qi Mingyue asked in surprise, "Really?"
“Of course.” He smiled. “His Majesty also said that when An’er turns one year old, he will personally inspect the border.”
In April, Yao An had already learned to roll over. That day, Qi Mingyue was playing with the child when she suddenly heard familiar laughter—the Third Princess and the Crown Princess had come together.
Xiao Chengyu held Yao An tightly, refusing to let go: "Quickly call her Aunt!"
Su Wanqing then presented new clothes: "These are soft satin pieces sent from Jiangnan by my family, perfect for the baby's skin."
Ashina Yun burst in, carrying a small bow: "Look what I prepared for my nephew! Specially made by the Northern Di craftsmen!"
Yao Xiuyan had a headache: "He's only five months pregnant..."
“We’ll start training from a young age!” Ashina Yun said confidently.
Amidst the laughter and commotion, Yao An suddenly mumbled, "Mother..."
The room fell silent. Qi Mingyue's voice trembled as she asked, "An'er...call me again?"
The little boy waved his hand and clearly called out, "Mother!"
The room erupted in cheers. Yao Xiuyan snatched his son away: "Call me Daddy!"
Yao An turned his head away and spat in his face.
Qi Mingyue laughed and collapsed onto the couch. Outside the window, the spring light was perfect, and crabapple blossoms fluttered like snowflakes.
She suddenly remembered that when she left the border last year, the Gobi Desert was also filled with flying catkins.
It turns out that springtime is equally beautiful in both the capital and the border regions.
And her spring, embracing the most precious gift, is blooming brilliantly amidst the embrace of her beloved family and friends.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
