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Time flies like an arrow; in the blink of an eye, Zhan Nianchen has turned one year old.
The traditional first birthday celebration that everyone arranged for him was simple yet heartwarming. On the long table covered with red cloth were seals, Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist scriptures, pens, ink, paper, inkstones, abacuses, coins, account books, jewelry, flowers, rouge, food, toys, and even a small wooden sword and a tiny official seal that Wang Chao and others had secretly placed there.
Little Nianchen was held in Zhan Zhao's arms, dressed in a festive red jacket that made his skin appear even whiter and his features even more defined. He stared curiously at the dazzling array of items on the table, showing no signs of shyness.
"Nianchen, go and pick one you like." Zhan Zhao gently placed him on the front of the red cloth, his voice gentle and encouraging.
Nianchen tilted his little head and looked at it, then crawled forward on his hands and feet. He first touched the small official seal, then grabbed the calligraphy brush, and finally his gaze was drawn to a copy of the Tao Te Ching with an ancient cover. He stretched out his little hand, grabbed it tightly, and babbled as he tucked it into his arms.
"Good! With the scriptures in hand, he will surely become a wise and sensible person in the future!" Gongsun Ce stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes full of satisfaction.
Everyone offered their congratulations, and the atmosphere became lively. Zhan Zhao looked at his son clutching the scriptures, unwilling to let go, and a faint smile appeared in his eyes. However, deep within that smile, there was a hint of imperceptible loneliness. If she were here, seeing this scene, one wonders how delighted she would be.
After his first birthday celebration, Zhan Zhao's life became increasingly regular. He continued to practice swordsmanship every morning, and the Giant Sword in his hands became more and more controlled, its sword intent restrained yet profound. Although his internal energy had not fully recovered to its peak, it was almost there.
During the day, he was either handling official business at Kaifeng Prefecture or investigating cases outside the city. Seeing that his health had improved significantly, Bao Zheng gradually entrusted him with some important cases. Zhan Zhao's case-solving became increasingly steady and skillful, his mind meticulous, and coupled with his superb martial arts skills, he solved several difficult cases in succession, further enhancing his reputation in Bianjing City.
No matter how busy he was, he would always make time to be with Nianchen every day. He would hold him in his arms and let him bask in the sun in the yard, pointing to the birds in the sky and the flowers and plants on the ground, patiently telling him what they were; he would read simple poems and nursery rhymes to him under the lamp, even though the child couldn't understand them yet, he still read them attentively; when Nianchen was learning to walk, he would open his arms and protect him from a distance, watching him wobble and fall into his arms, then lift him up high and listen to his silvery laughter.
These moments were the most precious warm colors in his gloomy life.
Nianchen grew up day by day, becoming increasingly intelligent and adorable. He seemed particularly attached to Zhan Zhao; whenever he saw the red official robe, he would open his little arms and babble for a hug. The first clear syllable he learned was "Dad." Although the word was unclear, it left Zhan Zhao stunned for a long time, his heart filled with a bittersweet mix of emotions, which ultimately culminated in a tight embrace.
On this day, after finishing his task of handling a murder case, Zhan Zhao took leave and went to Xiaoyao Tower with Xiao Nianchen.
The Xiaoyao Tower remained as it always had, standing serenely under the moonlight, seemingly isolated from the world. The guards, upon seeing him, silently bowed and quietly withdrew.
Carrying the already sleeping Nianchen, Zhan Zhao skillfully navigated through the courtyards and arrived at the entrance leading to the underground spiritual vein. The heavy stone door slowly opened, and a pure and cool spiritual energy rushed out.
The scene inside the cave remained unchanged. On the ancient jade bed, Xuan Yuan Tianyi lay quietly, his appearance unchanged, as if he had simply fallen into a deep sleep. The vermilion dot on his forehead, under the misty spiritual energy, was breathtakingly red. Before the jade bed, the true form of the ice-blue Qilin lay there, its body flowing with a gentle aura of divine power, mingling with the aura of the spiritual veins, together guarding its sleeping master.
Zhan Zhao tiptoed to the side of the cold jade bed. Looking at his wife's peaceful sleeping face, a thousand words choked in his throat, ultimately turning into a barely audible sigh. He carefully placed Nianchen, whom he held in his arms, gently beside Xuan Yuan Tianyi.
The child seemed to sense the familiar and reassuring aura emanating from his mother. In his sleep, he smacked his lips and unconsciously grasped a strand of Xuan Yuan Tian Yi's hair, falling into an even sweeter sleep.
Zhan Zhao watched this scene quietly, looking at his sleeping wife and the child nestled beside her, a warm current mixed with happiness and a pang of pain welling up in his heart. How wonderful it would be if she could wake up and see this.
He sat down by the bed and, as he had done countless times before, began to speak in a low voice. His voice echoed softly in the empty cave.
"Nianchen can walk by himself today, although he's still a bit unsteady and fell several times, but he didn't cry and got up by himself..."
"We cracked that canal smuggling case the other day. The main culprit was a minor official in the Ministry of Revenue. It's quite a case, and Lord Bao is digging deeper..."
"News has come from the border that General Di Qing has won another victory, and Yelü Zongzhen seems to have calmed down a bit..."
"Bai Yutang returned to Trap Island a few days ago, saying he was going to see his sister-in-law. I guess he wanted some peace and quiet..."
He spoke of everything in great detail, from the child's growth to the court's affairs, from his friends' recent situations to the interesting tales of Bianjing. It was as if she were merely asleep, and he was simply sharing the minutiae of life with her while waiting for her to wake up.
As he finished speaking, his voice gradually faded, leaving only endless longing spreading in the silence.
“Tianyi…” He reached out, his fingertips hovering in mid-air, but ultimately did not touch her cold cheek. He simply gently brushed her hair, which was scattered on the jade pillow. “Nianchen looks a lot like you… and he looks a lot like me too. Please wake up and look at him, okay?”
The only response he received was the faint murmur of spiritual energy flowing within the cave and the steady breathing of the sleeping Qilin.
After an unknown amount of time, Nianchen stirred restlessly in his sleep, seemingly feeling a bit cold. Zhan Zhao then woke up with a start, carefully taking the child back into his arms and warming him with his own body heat.
He stood up, took one last deep look at the figure on the cold jade bed who occupied his entire mind, turned around, picked up the child, and walked out of the cave step by step.
The stone gate slowly closed behind them, shutting out that eternal stillness.
Under the moonlight, he carried his sleeping son on the road back to Kaifeng Prefecture. His shadow stretched long, carrying a hint of loneliness, yet also an indomitable resilience.
He knew that the wait might be long, but there was always hope.
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