Chapter 473: With a wife like this, what else could a husband ask for?
The lights in the palace were kept on all night.
The mournful music of the Empress Dowager's funeral was still ringing in my ears, and the harem was hit by the sad news of the Empress Dowager's new death.
The whole country was in mourning, and the heavy white once again covered the palace.
"According to the Queen Mother's last wishes."
Yan Shixu's voice was hoarse as he issued an order to the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Clan Court:
"The mausoleum will be built in a quiet location, beside the mausoleum of the Grand Empress Dowager, nestled between mountains and water. The regulations...according to the etiquette for the Empress Dowager, it must be clean and elegant, and away from the mausoleum of the previous emperor."
"His Majesty!"
Several old clan members and officials from the Ministry of Rites stepped out tremblingly under tremendous pressure.
"The Empress Dowager and the late Emperor were married from the beginning. Sharing the same bed in life and death is a law established by our ancestors and serves as a model for marital ethics across the world."
"If the Empress Dowager is buried alone next to the Grand Empress Dowager's tomb, it will probably cause public outcry and also damage the late emperor's posthumous honor..."
"Criticism?"
Yan Shixu's face was pale, with a thick dark shadow under his eyes, but when his bloodshot eyes glanced over, they were filled with unquestionable pressure and grief.
"Here is my mother's suicide note, every word is filled with tears."
"She was trapped in love all her life, depressed and unhappy. Her only wish before her death was to be away from that man and seek peace and quiet."
"Do you think that I should go against my biological mother's final wish to die to prove her integrity, just for the sake of the illusory notion of 'being a role model of morality' and 'being honored after death'?"
"Let her still have no peace in death, sleeping in the same bed with the person she despised in life?"
His voice was not loud, and was even a little hoarse, but it made those who were trying to persuade him not dare to say another word.
"If the late emperor knew..." Yan Shixu's eyes slowly swept over the crowd and said calmly:
"I believe he is happy to be left alone, without his mother getting in his way and damaging his 'honour'."
These words are really heartbreaking.
The hall suddenly became dead silent, and you could hear a pin drop.
The clan members and officials who tried to persuade him broke out in cold sweat and dared not say another word.
The Empress Dowager swallowed gold and committed suicide, leaving a will stating her will. Your Majesty has made up his mind and has taken such a tough stance.
Who would dare to go against a son's efforts to uphold his mother's last wish?
"Your Highness... obeys your order."
The Minister of Rites took the lead and bowed deeply.
The construction of the Empress Dowager's mausoleum began in full swing not far from the foot of the Grand Empress Dowager's mausoleum.
It lacks the grandeur of an imperial mausoleum, but is built against the mountain, quiet and elegant, just as she wished in her last wish, a peaceful resting place.
…
Autumn goes and winter comes.
The fierce wind blew up the fine snow foam, knocking against the glazed windows of the palace.
As the New Year approaches, red lanterns have been hung up inside and outside the palace, spreading out in clusters of warm colors under the leaden sky.
In the western warm room of the Zichen Palace, the charcoal fire was burning brightly, and the warm air was filled with the faint fragrance of medicine and frankincense.
Two days before New Year's Eve, Wen Li'er finally gave birth to a healthy prince after going through many hardships.
The baby's loud cry broke the silence of the palace, bringing the joy of new life.
Yan Shixu had been waiting for a long time. Upon hearing the sound, he rushed in almost immediately, regardless of the palace servants' dissuasion.
His Majesty named the newly-acquired little prince Yan Xingmao, nicknamed "Niannian".
It is to celebrate the New Year and also to hope that he will be healthy every year.
On the day the little prince was born, an urgent military report rushed to the capital from 800 miles away - a great victory at Xitong Pass!
The iron cavalry of Dayan crushed the last resistance of Xiyu. From then on, the entire territory of Xiyu belonged to Dayan!
The whole country rejoiced when the good news came.
This means that after years of conquest, Dayan has finally eliminated the last powerful enemy that can compete with it and truly unified the world!
Envoys from small countries who heard the news from all directions set out for Yandu with respect and awe, preparing to present their loyalty at the New Year's celebration.
Emperor Yan Shixu was overjoyed and immediately issued an imperial decree: "A general amnesty! Except for the ten unforgivable crimes, all other prisoners will have their sentences commuted. The whole world will celebrate."
For a time, everyone from the highest positions in government to the most remote corners of society was immersed in the immense joy that symbolized rebirth and unification.
In the warm room.
The charcoal brazier dispels the chill of deep winter, and the warm room is warm and peaceful.
"Niannian", who was just a few days old, was wrapped in a soft quilt and lying beside Wen Lier.
Led by Xiaoxiao, the other children tiptoed around the small cradle.
"Mother, mother, my brother is so small!"
Miaomiao stood on tiptoe, her big black eyes staring at the rosy little face in the cradle without blinking.
"His hands are so small and soft."
Zhao Zhao carefully extended his index finger and lightly touched his brother's curled fist.
He immediately shrank back as if burned, but with an excited smile on his face: "Like a little bun!"
Yan Shixu sat beside the couch and gently held Wen Li'er, who was still weak after giving birth, in his arms.
He used a warm, wet handkerchief to carefully wipe away the fine beads of sweat from her temples due to the lingering pain of childbirth and the heat of the warm room.
His movements were focused and gentle, as if he was handling a rare treasure.
Looking at his tired wife in his arms, and glancing at the lively group of children beside the cradle, Yan Shixu's heart was filled with a great sense of satisfaction.
He lowered his head and whispered in Wen Li'er's ear in a serious voice:
"Li'er, thank you for your hard work. Now, Li'er and I have six children, which is enough."
"There is no greater joy than having children around you. From now on, we will not have any more children. I cannot bear to see you suffer the pain of childbirth again."
Upon hearing this, Wen Li'er immediately opened her eyes wide from her weakness, raised her head, and glared at him in reproach.
She is already so old, if he dares to ask her to give birth again, she will fight him!
Seeing her cute appearance of being weak but trying hard to be "fierce", Yan Shixu's chest vibrated and he couldn't help laughing softly.
He lowered his head lovingly, ignoring her "threat", and placed a gentle kiss on her slightly sweaty cheek.
Wen Li'er's face flushed, half out of shame and half out of anger.
The kids are still here!
She subconsciously raised her hand and gently pushed his face, her voice filled with embarrassment and helplessness.
"Your Majesty, please stay away! I smell like sweat and medicine, it stinks. I don't want to stink you up."
These familiar words instantly brought Yan Shixu's memory back to ten years ago.
At that time, she had just become a mother, and her hair was wet with sweat when she gave birth to Xiaoxiao. She also rejected his closeness with a little awkwardness, saying that she was afraid of "defiled" him.
Light and shadow flow, and ten years have passed in a flash.
The snow outside the window fell and melted, and the flowers inside the palace walls bloomed and faded.
She gave birth to children for him, and her appearance may have shown some signs of aging, but her character has not changed at all.
Yan Shixu's heart seemed to be soaked in the warmest spring water, and it was soft as a mess.
Instead of pulling away, he hugged her even tighter, his chin resting lightly on the top of her head.
In the warm room, the children's whispers, the occasional soft humming of the baby, the crackling sound of the burning charcoal, mixed with the familiar fragrance of pear blossoms on his wife, together weave the most realistic picture of fireworks in the world.
With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?
He hugged her, and felt that the vast territory and the great achievements of the past centuries could not compare to the real warmth and weight in his arms at this moment.
With their fingers intertwined, he silently conveyed the affection that had grown stronger with the passage of time.
The cold wind outside the window is still howling, but it can no longer blow into this world filled with love and warmth.
…
(My dear children, the story of the emperor and empress has come to an end. The following story will mainly focus on the children.)
…
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
