Chapter 79 "Perfect in this life".
==Chapter 79: Daily Life Extra==
"His Majesty has arrived, and so has Her Majesty the Empress." The Emperor and Empress's trip to the south of the Yangtze River took place in the third month of spring. By the time they returned to the capital, it was already May. The Duke of Xie and other important officials had made preparations to greet the Emperor at the city gate on the day of his return. However, Xiao Yu and Su Wanyue returned to the capital a few days earlier, and the two went straight to Cining Palace upon entering the palace.
Qin Ruofu was talking to the palace maids when she heard the eunuchs chanting in response. She was quite surprised. She remembered that the official document from the nearest post station to the capital said that the emperor and empress should arrive at the city gate in three days. She did not expect them to return ahead of schedule. However, Xixi was still in the palace, which made her feel uneasy.
Qin Ruofu, having been a mother herself, understood their thoughts perfectly. With a smile in her eyes, she looked towards the outside of the palace. Xiao Yu and Su Wanyue entered together, both still wearing ordinary clothes made of brocade, indicating they had come as soon as they entered the city gate. Su Wanyue said to Qin Ruofu with bright eyes, "These days, Mother Empress has worked hard taking care of Xixi."
"Wanwan, what are you saying? Xixi is my granddaughter. It's only right that I take care of her and dote on her. But Yu'er, as her father, has abandoned his responsibilities after inviting a tutor for Xixi." Qin Ruofu looked at Su Wanyue with a smile in her eyes, then gave her son a displeased look.
Qin Ruofu didn't even need to think; this trip to Jiangnan was definitely her son's idea. He just wanted no one to disturb his love affair with Wanwan. Xiao Yu put down his glass teacup and said unhurriedly, "It's my fault."
Just as Qin Ruofu was about to say a few more words, she heard the emperor's gentle and deep voice continue, "However, Xixi carries the future of Beili on her shoulders. If I spoil her too much, I'm afraid it won't work. I hope Your Majesty will be more understanding."
No matter what, he's always right...
Ironically, his actions were indeed for Xixi's good, and as her mother, she had no grounds for argument. Qin Ruofu simply stopped nagging her son. She took Su Wanyue's hand and asked if her trip had gone smoothly and if she had encountered any trouble. Su Wanyue had been married to Beili for five years, and this was probably her first time leaving the capital. Su Wanyue, with her bright eyes and gentle voice, spoke of the customs and culture of Jiangnan and the achievements of Prefect Wen of Jiangnan, which were beneficial to the court. Qin Ruofu listened and nodded. With one more good official in the court, the world would only become more prosperous.
Upon learning of the Emperor and Empress's return, the little girl, without even packing her things, ran towards the Jiaofang Palace after finishing school. Zhou Heng, who was answering Xie Wuchen's questions, looked surprised upon seeing this and called out to one of the palace maids who was chasing after the little princess, "What's wrong with the princess?"
The palace maid hurriedly curtsied to Zhou Heng, "Reporting to Lord Zhou, His Majesty and the Empress have returned."
Zhou Heng suddenly realized and laughed, "So that's how it is."
The grass was lush and the birds were singing. The Imperial Garden was a picturesque scene. The little girl ran to the Hall of Mental Cultivation like a beautiful butterfly. Before she even entered, her sweet and soft voice had already reached inside, "Father, Mother."
She was still little, and she darted through the curtain. The palace servants waited outside the hall, and the little girl blinked her round eyes. Finally, she saw her father and mother in the hall. Su Wanyue smiled and picked up her daughter, who was like a ball of cotton, "Xixi, did you miss your mother?"
The little girl's beautiful big eyes were as bright as grapes. She leaned against Su Wanyue's chest and said, "Xixi misses her mother very much."
She snuggled closer to Su Wanyue, just then Xiao Yuchao walked over. The little girl peeked out from Su Wanyue's arms and said softly, "Xixi misses Father Emperor too."
Xiao Yu gently touched the little girl's little pigtails. The three-year-old girl was extremely clever and particularly good at reading people's expressions. Seeing that her father seemed to be in a good mood, the little girl blinked her eyes and asked, "Can I sleep with Mommy tonight?"
The mother and daughter looked at Xiao Yu at the same time, and Xiao Yu nodded slightly, "Of course."
The little girl was immediately delighted. She snuggled in Su Wanyue's arms for a while before hopping and skipping out a sheet of Xuan paper from the treasure box. She said excitedly, "Father, Mother, look at my writing! The Grand Tutor said my writing is the best."
The Xuan paper was spread out on the imperial table. Although the little girl was still young, her writing was extremely vigorous and powerful. Every stroke was solid, and her character was faintly visible.
"Xixi's handwriting is excellent. Is there anything you want, or any wish you have? Your mother will grant it." Su Wanyue looked at the characters on the Xuan paper and did not hold back her praise for her daughter.
The little girl was a bit shy after being praised. She grabbed Su Wanyue's wrist, blinked, and asked, "Can I ask for anything?"
Because she doesn't seem to lack anything.
Su Wanyue nodded gently, "Of course."
The little girl's eyes sparkled: "I want to go out and release lanterns with my mother."
"Why did you suddenly want to release lanterns?" Su Wanyue asked with a slight smile, still somewhat surprised.
Because Master Taibao said before that Mother likes to release lanterns, and if Mother likes them, then she likes them too.
Hearing the little girl's childish voice, Su Wanyue smiled and nodded, "Then when does Xixi want to go?"
"Can we go today?" the little girl pouted, thought for a moment, and asked in a soft, sticky voice.
Su Wanyue looked at Xiao Yu, who pondered for a moment, "I will have someone prepare."
The little girl clapped her hands excitedly and kissed Su Wanyue on the cheek, saying, "Mother and Father are the best."
Because they were going out to release lanterns that evening, Su Wanyue first went back to Jiaofang Palace to bathe and change, while the little girl practiced calligraphy in Yangxin Palace. She sat very upright and was very engrossed in practicing calligraphy, doing a very good job.
After finishing her writing, the little girl climbed off the kang (a heated brick bed). She held the newly written calligraphy in her arms and showed it to her father, the Emperor. Xiao Yu looked at the calligraphy, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes, "Does Xixi want to be the Crown Princess?"
"What is a Crown Princess?" the little girl asked, somewhat puzzled, her grape-like eyes filled with a hint of confusion.
The little girl was only three years old, and she couldn't understand much if he talked to her in too much detail. Xiao Yu spoke concisely, saying two sentences. The little girl looked confused, but she understood. She repeated her father's words in a sweet voice, "So after becoming the Crown Princess, you will be able to help many people in the future, and you can also control what Xi Xi wants."
"Xixi can think of it this way," the emperor said calmly and gently.
The little girl thought about it seriously for a moment, then frowned and asked, "If I become the Crown Princess, will I no longer be able to live in the palace?"
Xiao Yu: "But then there will be more people with Xixi. Does Xixi want to protect her mother?"
The little girl blinked her bright eyes. She was too young to understand anything, but she could sense that her gentle mother loved her and doted on her. Of course, she wanted to protect her mother.
At this moment, the little girl clenched her tiny hands into a fist, her round eyes filled with unprecedented determination and fearless courage, "Xi Xi wants to protect her mother and also wants to be the Crown Princess."
That afternoon, the emperor personally drafted an imperial edict. Eunuch Zhou was the first to know about it. His Majesty and the Empress only had one child, the little princess, whom they doted on. Given the little princess's intelligence, it was only a matter of time before His Majesty would make her the Crown Princess. However, upon seeing this imperial edict establishing the heir, Eunuch Zhou was still deeply shocked. The situation in the capital was sure to change again.
That evening, the servants prepared a carriage in advance. His Majesty, the Empress, and the little princess boarded the carriage together. The carriage stopped in the bustling street. Su Wanyue was about to hold the little girl, but the little girl felt that her mother would get tired if she held her for too long. So the Emperor held the little girl in one arm and held his wife's hand in the other.
They walked to a vendor selling lotus lanterns. Xi Xi asked for a rabbit lantern. Qin'er was about to pay when the Emperor took out a carp lantern and gave it to Su Wanyue. He looked at his wife with a smile in his eyes and said in a calm and unhurried voice, "Wanwan, make a wish later."
The little girl looked at the rabbit lantern in her hand, then at the carp lantern in her mother's hand, and then hugged the rabbit lantern to her chest.
The vendor selling lotus lanterns had never seen such an outstanding young man and woman before. The little girl in their arms was also very beautiful, and his heart melted at the sight of them. He couldn't help but think to himself, "They are truly blessed."
In just over a month, the little girl has already been able to write quite a few characters quite well. The vendor handed her a red brush, and the little girl wrote on the paper stroke by stroke, "Father, Mother, and I will be together forever."
The vendor glanced at the little girl in surprise. She was probably only three or four years old at most, yet she could write so many characters so early in her education—could she be a child prodigy? Su Wanyue helped her daughter slip the note into the rabbit lantern and said, "When we get back, Mother will teach Xixi to write her name, okay?"
The little girl nodded vigorously, and she was very happy at the thought of sleeping with her mother when she got home that night.
They arrived at the place where the lanterns were released. Many young men and women had already gathered by the lotus pond. Because of the large number of people, the rabbit lanterns and carp lanterns were released by the emperor. Su Wanyue held the little girl's hand and stood by the lotus pond. Xiao Yu turned around and saw his wife and daughter waiting for him. His phoenix eyes were somewhat deep as he strode towards them.
At that moment, in a private room on the second floor of Pinweiju, Zhou Heng watched the departing figures of the Emperor, Empress, and the little princess. In a daze, he seemed to see the girl from his youth. Seeing that she was doing well, Zhou Heng was already very satisfied. He lowered his head and smiled.
The servant beside him whispered a reminder, "Sir."
Their master had originally planned to go out for a drink tonight, but unexpectedly saw His Majesty, the Empress, and the little princess. He thought the master would go up and greet them, but the master clearly did not want to disturb them.
Seeing that the Emperor, Empress, and little princess had boarded the carriage, Zhou Heng opened his folding fan and said, "Let's go."
"Year after year, but not as today."
"To stay with you, year after year."
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