Chapter 63, "Su Wanyue Returns to Nanqiong." (Part 1...)
Chapter Sixty-Three: Returning to Nanqiong ==
It was the first month of the lunar calendar, and gusts of cold wind felt like knives. Qin Jue had already left, leaving only Xiao Yu and his wife, Su Wanyue, on the pavilion. Su Wanyue's dark hair was whipped about by the wind, obscuring her expression, but Xiao Yu, who knew his wife intimately, didn't need to look into her eyes to guess what she was thinking. Xiao Yu raised his phoenix eyes slightly, and like his wife, looked towards the clusters of red plum blossoms in the distance. "What do you think?"
Su Wanyue's expression was serene. She looked at Xiao Yu but remained silent for a moment.
Such a wife was still a bit too much for Xiao Yu to handle. Xiao Yu's lips curled up slightly, and his voice was deep and tolerant, "We are husband and wife, Wanwan, you don't need to keep your words to yourself."
Su Wanyue smiled gently, her almond-shaped eyes looking at him with a clear and cool gaze. "Your Highness, I would like to return to Nanqiong."
On one side was her husband, and on the other was her family. She guessed that he might not want her to go back, but her father was seriously ill, and she had to go back this time. Su Wanyue had a premonition that if she didn't go back this time, it might be difficult to go back next time.
Her father was a prince of Nanqiong, so he couldn't come to Beili at will, and she couldn't be so lucky to find an opportunity to return to Nanqiong every time.
Xiao Yu had already guessed this, so there was nothing surprising about it. However, once she returned, she was bound to see Lu Qingchen and her cousin. Xiao Yu lowered his phoenix eyes slightly and picked her up in his arms. "I promise you."
He agreed so readily. Su Wanyue was stunned. Xiao Yu saw her surprise and shock. Xiao Yu's gaze was slightly cold as he said slowly, "Wanwan, I am not a tyrant."
“It was I who judged you by my own petty standards [1].
Xiao Yu glanced at her and slowly commented, "I am naturally not like the Second Young Master Lu, a gentleman as refined as jade, whose fame shines throughout the capital."
Su Wanyue's face flushed red; she was annoyed.
He placed her on the canopy bed, and she pretended to ignore him. Xiao Yu resumed his serious demeanor, looking unapproachable. He pressed his fingertips against her slender wrist and felt her pulse. "Your family is my family. I should visit my father-in-law."
"Thank you, my husband."
She truly considered him her husband. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu chuckled, "I'll go to the palace now. You stay here and wait for me to return."
"Your Highness, will His Highness be alright?" Qin'er asked with concern as she knelt down in front of Su Wanyue. As a member of the Southern Prince's household, she was naturally worried about His Highness's condition.
Su Wanyue didn't know either, but her father had always been in good health, so she was sure that this time he would turn misfortune into good fortune.
Qin Jue arrived in Beili Capital City first, while the Prince of Xiang and his entourage were still behind. Qin Jue then stayed temporarily at the Beili Post Station.
Zhou Heng also visited the Crown Prince immediately. Originally, Zhou Heng couldn't let go of his feelings, but today, he has let go of them. Because no matter in Nanqiong or Beili, the girl never belonged to him. From now on, he will lead those two thousand soldiers to protect her in this world.
Xiao Yu did not go to Qianqing Palace immediately, but went to Chengqian Palace to find Consort Qin. Consort Qin did not object much after hearing this. "Nanqiong Prince is your father-in-law. You and Wanwan have been married for so long, so you should pay him a visit. However, your father has been ill since the beginning of the year and his spirits have not been very good. I think he may only agree to Wanwan going back to visit her family."
His Majesty is now past forty, and there are some things he is clearly no longer able to do.
Xiao Yu lifted his eyelids slightly and calmly put down the carved covered bowl in his hand. "Then I will go and pay my respects to my father."
The palace maids curtsied and said, "Your Highness, please take care."
"Only when it comes to Wanwan's affairs will Yu'er be this anxious." Seeing this, Consort Qin smiled and shook her head, her fox-like eyes squinting upwards.
"Isn't Her Majesty hoping that the Crown Prince and Crown Princess will have a harmonious relationship?" Granny Gui added with a smile. Unlike the Empress, Consort Qin does everything genuinely for her two children. She herself doesn't care about the positions of Empress or Empress Dowager. The Emperor has always been willing to dote on Consort Qin because he knows that she has no ambition.
As Consort Qin had predicted, the Emperor agreed to give Su Wanyue a month to return to Nanqiong to visit her family, but not a second time. As for Xiao Yu, the Emperor did not agree, not for any other reason than that his son had been completely devoted to a woman lately, except for attending court and handling state affairs on behalf of the Emperor. As the future ruler of Beili, how could the Emperor feel at ease with such a woman's infatuation?
Xiao Yu walked slowly. A maid at the entrance of Zixia Palace curtsied to him, "This servant greets Your Highness. The Crown Princess is resting."
Xiao Yu nodded slightly and went inside. Just then, his wife woke up and called out softly, "Qin'er."
"Your Highness." Xiao Yu knew his wife's habits, so he poured her a glass of water and fed it to her lips. He then helped her sit up, and Su Wanyue finally came to her senses.
Xiao Yu responded gently, "After your elder brother leaves the capital, you should go back with him first."
Su Wanyue blinked gently, her mind clearing instantly. She understood the implication behind his words: he probably wouldn't go. She pursed her lips slightly and asked, "Isn't Your Highness going?"
For some reason, she felt a pang of reluctance. Su Wanyue could sense her dependence on him, a feeling that was unfamiliar to her, but she did not reject it.
"There are still matters to attend to in the court. You and your siblings should go back first, and I will go later." Seeing the reluctance in her eyes, Xiao Yu's heart warmed a little. It seemed that the words "I am in love with him" were not a lie. He looked at her gently and told her his arrangements, "I have already asked Mo Yu to tell my elder brother about this. After the Prince of Xiang enters the capital, he will come to pick you up."
"Be good, okay?"
She's not a child anymore...
Su Wanyue gently pushed his tall figure, her voice soft and gentle, "Then I will wait for Your Highness in Nanqiong."
Xiao Yu chuckled and ordered, "Serve the meal."
The meal was as exquisite as ever, with fifteen out of the twenty dishes being dishes that Su Wanyue liked. However, perhaps because she was pregnant, her tastes had become more discerning. She might have liked a dish yesterday, but not today. The man noticed her reaction and asked her if she wanted to go out.
That evening, Su Wanyue, wearing a light green fox fur cloak and holding a hot water bottle, went to stroll through the market with a tall, slender man. Since the Lantern Festival was three days later, their timing was also convenient. There were hardly any people in the market at that time, and the girl was in high spirits. The two even ate a bowl of wontons in a simple little thatched hut.
When they returned, it was already curfew, and there were very few people on the streets. When the patrolling Imperial Guards saw that it was Su Wanyue and Xiao Yu, they quickly bowed.
The next day, the Prince of Xiang arrived in the capital.
That night, the moonlight was bright, casting a soft shadow on the ground. The shadows of the trees swayed gently, and inside the palace, pink beaded curtains hung on the precious carpet.
Behind the beaded curtain, a beautiful woman with delicate features kept her eyes tightly closed. The man holding her in his arms had his Adam's apple bobbing, and his narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes were tinged with a scarlet light. He was gently licking her chest, then gestured with his hand and whispered, "Is it a little fuller?"
Su Wanyue closed her eyes, pretending not to hear, but her slightly rapid breathing betrayed her.
Xiao Yu became more and more excited as he spoke, his voice low and deep, "Once the child is born, the feeding can be left to the wet nurse. I am willing to serve Wanwan."
Su Wanyue suddenly opened her eyes and glared at him fiercely, "You are not allowed to bully the child."
Xiao Yu kissed her chest reassuringly. The closer the date got, the more reluctant he felt to part. He and his wife had only recently confessed their feelings for each other, and now they would be separated for more than a month. The more he thought about it, the more Xiao Yu tightened his arms. He thought that he should not be too lenient with his wife leaving at will in the future. Even if she had to leave, she should go with him.
The day before yesterday, it was the man who comforted Su Wanyue, but tonight it was Su Wanyue's turn to comfort the man. She said she would wait for him in Nanqiong. Xiao Yu seemed worried that his wife would catch a cold, so he buried his head in her chest and gave a deep "hmm".
The next day, Qin Jue and Prince Xiang arrived at Prince Cheng's residence early to pick up Su Wanyue. The steward greeted them with a smile, "Crown Prince Qin, Prince Xiang, please have a seat."
Qin Jue and Prince Xiang sat down politely. After a little over half an hour, Xiao Yu and Su Wanyue appeared together. One was tall and slender with an elegant demeanor, while the other was beautiful and poised. Qin Jue and Prince Xiang stood up at the same time, "Your Highness, sister."
"Eldest brother and second brother haven't eaten yet, have they? Why don't we have breakfast at Prince Cheng's residence before we set off?" Xiao Yu helped his wife sit down, his narrow phoenix eyes looking at the two of them as he asked unhurriedly.
Qin Jue and Prince Xiang subconsciously looked at Su Wanyue. They both knew perfectly well that she wasn't worried about them not having eaten breakfast, but about her sister not having eaten breakfast.
It was rare for the Prince Cheng's mansion to be so lively. After finishing breakfast, the group went to the mansion gate. The people accompanying them were still from Nanqiong. The Prince Cheng's mansion arranged for a hundred guards to escort Su Wanyue, as well as Imperial Physician Zhang and several maids from Zixia Palace. Qin Jue felt that the arrangement was already quite thoughtful. "Then Wanwan will be left in the care of my elder brother."
Qin Jue's gentle smile reassured Xiao Yu, "Wanwan is my younger sister, and I will take good care of her. Your Highness, please rest assured."
Xiao Yu looked down at his wife, and when no one else was around, he hugged her. He didn't say anything else, only two words, "Wait for me."
Su Wanyue nodded gently.
On the way there, Qin Jue and Prince Xiang rode horses. On the way back to Nanqiong, Prince Xiang rode horses again, while Qin Jue and Su Wanyue rode in a carriage. The carriage belonged to Prince Cheng's residence and was furnished like a pavilion, with everything one could need. The table was covered with snacks. Qin Jue shook his head and smiled, "Your Highness is really thoughtful."
Upon hearing this, Su Wanyue lowered the beaded curtain, her expression light and lively. The last time they met, her younger sister seemed to be preoccupied, always tense no matter what she did or said. This time, she was clearly different, just like in Nanqiong, pretty, lively, and full of vitality.
Qin Jue smiled slightly and said, "If my royal uncle knew that my sister is pregnant, he would be very happy."
"I only hope that my father will be safe and sound." Su Wanyue was only a month pregnant, and her belly was not yet showing. She placed her small hand on her lower abdomen and chuckled softly.
The royal family of Nanqiong has few descendants. Qin Jue only has three royal uncles. The one he admires most is Su Wanyue's father, who became famous at a young age and had a harmonious relationship with his wife. He has never remarried. He said, "Royal uncle is very lucky and will definitely be safe and sound."
Considering Su Wanyue's pregnancy, they traveled slowly, stopping frequently along the way. In the evening, they rested at inns along the route. Su Wanyue inquired about Princess Weiyang's situation. Qin Jue told her that besides the maids in Princess Weiyang's palace who helped her escape, there was also the eunuch Wang Chen. When he mentioned this, Qin Jue's expression clearly showed displeasure. When Wang Chen first entered the palace, he had no status or background and could only be bullied by eunuchs of higher status. It was Princess Weiyang who helped Wang Chen when she passed by and mentioned it to the emperor. The emperor intended to promote Wang Chen, and from then on, Wang Chen rose rapidly in rank to serve in front of the emperor.
It was because of this incident that Wang Chen never forgot Princess Weiyang. Seeing her so distressed about her marriage, crying every time she came to the Emperor's court, he couldn't bear it. He was determined to take her away even at the cost of his life, to prevent her from becoming a pawn. Wang Chen was of humble origins, yet he had served the Emperor for many years, and his actions and schemes were always cunning. He even escorted Princess Weiyang all the way to the northern desert, only to be intercepted halfway by Qin Jue. Princess Weiyang was of high status, and even if the Emperor valued Wang Chen, he would never marry her to him. So for the past two years, Princess Weiyang had been constantly by the Emperor and Empress's side. As for the rest, Qin Jue didn't say much, "You'll know when you arrive in Nanqiong, sister."
At the end of February in the fourth year of Dingyuan, Su Wanyue left Nanqiong. In early February of the sixth year of Dingyuan, she returned to her homeland.
It had rained heavily last night, and dewdrops still clung to the windowsill this morning. Madam Lu, in a leisurely mood, pulled Prime Minister Lu to collect the dewdrops from the windowsill. Just then, a young maidservant rushed in, not caring about the water on her feet, "Master, Madam."
Madam Lu rubbed her ears and chuckled, scolding, "Ping'er, why are you making such a loud noise? Master and I can hear you."
Prime Minister Lu tried to remain calm. With his magnanimous demeanor, he said, "Ping'er, what has made you so agitated? Tell me slowly."
Ping'er was overjoyed. She smiled and said, "I have received news that the Crown Prince and Prince Xiang have returned to the capital, and Princess Zilu has also come back with them. It is said that they have come back to visit Prince Nan. They have already arrived in the capital."
"Ouch!" Madam Lu was so excited she almost twisted the flesh off Prime Minister Lu's arm. The usually stern Prime Minister Lu winced in pain, but Madam Lu was oblivious. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Wanwan's return. That girl—she thought she'd never see her again in this lifetime. "Is that really true?"
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