Chapter 131 A Virtuous Husband and Loving Father Uses All His Skills
Yuan Yan interrupted the old minister.
"Since there is no precedent, I will set one."
“All imperial heirs, regardless of who their fathers are, are my own flesh and blood, and their nobility lies in my bloodline. Therefore, what difference does it make if one never knows who their father is?”
Yuan Yan's tone was resolute, leaving no room for change.
The ministers were taken aback by what they heard and looked at each other in bewilderment.
“But that’s an old system that’s been in place for so many years! Emperor Xuanzong, Emperor Ruizong, the late emperor… it’s been passed down from generation to generation. How can it be abolished so easily?”
The old minister wanted to continue his objection, but Yuan Yan's words left him speechless, his face turning red and then pale. He could only resort to the old system as an excuse.
Yuan Yan chuckled.
Hasn't she broken enough old rules? Isn't it a bit too late for these ministers to bring this up now?
Yuan Yan had no intention of continuing the argument with these people. The matter concerned the succession of the imperial heir, and on this point, she would not yield an inch.
This decision was made only to inform the civil and military officials, not to consult with them.
"My mind is made up. If you have nothing to report, then you may leave the court."
As an emperor with real power and a stable position, Yuan Yan directly and forcefully suppressed other voices this time.
...
When the men in the harem learned that His Majesty intended to entrust the princes to the Imperial Household Department and the court ladies for joint upbringing, some of the more cunning court ladies immediately began to have their own ideas.
Raising a prince is a highly coveted opportunity; who wouldn't want it?
Leaving aside the symbolic significance of raising a prince and the benefits the prince would bring when he grew up.
Just consider that during the process of raising the prince, His Majesty will surely visit him from time to time. Over time, this will create many more opportunities for the prince to see His Majesty. Wouldn't that bring him favor?
Even Shen Lianzhou and the others were tempted by the news.
Having a child is like having a bond with His Majesty that distinguishes him from others... Just imagining this possibility warms one's heart.
Now all the men in the palace were busy.
They did everything in their power to present themselves as virtuous, gentle, and considerate to His Majesty, hoping to show Yuan Yan that they were the most suitable people to raise the prince.
Everyone used their unique skills in turn, creating a scene reminiscent of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each displaying their own extraordinary abilities.
In this situation, simply offering words of concern and care is no longer enough.
Someone painstakingly embroidered a small garment by hand, saying it was to be given to the future prince.
There were also understanding young men who spoke softly about how hard His Majesty had worked to conceive, and they even learned techniques from a physician to massage Yuan Yan's shoulders and back to relieve his fatigue.
Tuoba Yu'er is troubled by this.
It is said that men are the best at vying for favor.
These past few days, Yu'er has witnessed all the ways the palace ladies-in-waiting have tried to curry favor with Yuan Yan, which has made her anxious.
These people are all incredibly charming, using every trick in the book. How can he stand out from the crowd and make Yuan Yan realize that his thoughtfulness is in no way inferior to the others...?
Yu'er racked her brains but still had no clue. Frustrated, she rubbed the flower in her hand, crushing the pink juice all over her hand. She looked up and asked the palace servant beside her.
A palace maid suggested, "Why don't you prepare some nourishing soups for His Majesty during his pregnancy? I'm sure His Majesty will be very pleased if you make them yourself."
"Really? It's that simple?" Yu'er wondered if Yuan Yan would really be happy with just making a bowl of soup.
“That was no ordinary meal; it was a token of your appreciation. Your Majesty is naturally grateful for the thoughtfulness of your meal,” the palace attendant said with conviction.
Yu'er thought it made sense, and under the guidance of the palace servants, she hurriedly made a bowl of soup.
When the soup was served to Yuan Yan, he looked at the color of the soup and Yu'er's proud expression as if she had won a battle. His lips twitched slightly. He picked up a spoon, stirred the soup, and then didn't take a bite.
"Your Majesty, please drink! This soup was made by my own hands. I went through a lot of hardship to make it! Look, even my fingertips are burned..."
Yu'er stretched out her beautiful, slender fingers and showed them to Yuan Yan with an air of elegance.
The fingers were tender and delicate, slender and beautiful like water onions, without even a red mark, so there was no burn.
Yuan Yan knew all along.
Of all the men in the harem, Yu'er was the most spoiled. She couldn't endure the slightest hardship and would complain about even the smallest effort. If she were truly injured, she would probably have already snuggled into her arms and started whining.
"Put it down first, the soup is a bit hot, I'll drink it later." Yuan Yan agreed verbally, but he had no intention of drinking it at all.
Even if Yu'er dared to make this soup, she wouldn't dare to drink it.
Fortunately, Yu'er's purpose in coming here was not to let Yuan Yan drink the soup, but to show Yuan Yan her "virtuous husband and good father" side.
Therefore, seeing that Yuan Yan had agreed, he happily put down his soup bowl and pestered Yuan Yan for a long time, tentatively asking Yuan Yan about his choice of someone to raise the prince.
Yuan Yan was not so easily tricked into revealing anything, and he dealt with Yu'er in just a few words.
Yu'er forgot everything else because of what Yuan Yan said. Before leaving, she was overjoyed and didn't forget to turn back and remind him, "Your Majesty, don't forget to drink the soup later."
The way he kept reminding him was as if he was afraid Yuan Yan would forget.
...
When Lu Lingyue arrived outside the palace, she saw an eunuch leading some palace servants carrying out many things.
"What are these?" Lu Lingyue asked, looking at the soup bowls.
When the eunuch saw that it was Lu Shaoqing who asked the question, he bowed and replied with a smile, "Lu Shaoqing, these are all soups and dishes sent by the masters of the various palaces."
Yuan Yan only has one mouth, so he doesn't need that much food. The rest was left to the palace servants to handle.
These men went to great lengths to impress Yuan Yan.
Upon hearing the eunuch's explanation, Lu Lingyue's gaze lingered on those items. She paused for a moment before leading the palace maid carrying the zither into the hall.
Yuan Yan was currently reviewing the memorials, pondering without making a move.
Lu Lingyue watched Yuan Yan's focused expression, her steps gradually came to a stop, and she stood quietly in place for a while until Yuan Yan looked up before she stepped forward.
So when Yuan Yan put down the memorial in his hand, he looked up and saw Lu Lingyue.
"Ling Yue".
"Your Majesty must be tired after looking at so many things for so long. Why don't you take a rest?" Lu Lingyue said.
The palace servants behind him put down the zither.
Yuan Yan looked at the zither and raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Oh, you don't mean to play the zither for me today, do you?"
Lu Lingyue once cherished his zither so much that he would never play it unless his mind was clear, his hands were cleansed, and incense was burned.
Unexpectedly, he brought the zither today. Yuan Yan guessed what he wanted to do and felt slightly surprised.
“Your Majesty is busy with state affairs and is also pregnant, so it is inevitable that you will be stressed.” Lu Lingyue dismissed the palace servants and walked to the zither.
"I happened to read in an ancient book that listening to music during pregnancy can soothe the mind and is also beneficial to the fetus. So I practiced some music, hoping to help Your Majesty relieve some of your fatigue."
He looked over as he spoke, his gaze seeming to seek Yuan Yan's approval, "I wonder if Your Majesty would be willing to listen to my performance?"
Yuan Yan thought that he had indeed been sitting for a long time, and it would be good to relax by listening to some music, so he leaned back and said, "Okay, you can play."
Seeing her nod, Lu Lingyue sat down at the front of the zither, her fingertips lightly caressing the strings, but she was in no hurry to begin.
"It's been a while since I've practiced, so please forgive me if I'm a little rusty." He placed his slender fingers on the strings, pursed his lips slightly, and focused his gaze.
"Don't be so reserved, just do whatever you want," Yuan Yan said.
As she finished speaking, the hall fell silent.
Lu Lingyue pressed the strings of the zither, her eyes lowered in concentration. When she looked up again, her aura was as calm as still water.
With a slight movement of his fingertips, a clear and melodious melody flowed from the strings.
Upon first listen, the sound of the zither was soothing, like a quiet spring flowing under the moon, washing away the slightly somber atmosphere in the hall.
Yuan Yan unconsciously closed his eyes, letting the music envelop him, feeling as if the fatigue of the day was being soothed little by little by the gentle zither music.
As the piece progresses to the middle, the music gradually becomes bright and expansive, like a spring breeze sweeping across a verdant wilderness, bringing vibrant life.
Wow, this music is so beautiful. I couldn't find the piece online; it seems Lu Lingyue composed it himself... It seems this former talented man of the capital really does have some skill.
The system clicked its tongue in Yuan Yan's mind and recorded Lu Lingyue's zither music.
Just as Yuan Yan was immersed in the music, the fetus in her womb suddenly moved slightly, as if it had been awakened by the beautiful music and was responding to the sound.
This movement made Yuan Yan subconsciously touch his lower abdomen.
Almost immediately, the music paused slightly.
Lu Lingyue saw Yuan Yan's movements, her fingers paused involuntarily, and she lowered her eyes to look at her abdomen, a hint of worry in her gaze that even she herself did not notice.
"Your Majesty is unwell... Should we summon the imperial physician to take a look?"
"It's nothing, I'm fine." Yuan Yan shook his head. "It's just that the prince in my womb moved slightly just now. Perhaps Ling Yue played so beautifully that the child was so engrossed in listening that he responded to the music."
Lu Lingyue was stunned for a moment by Yuan Yan's praise, and then the tips of her ears unconsciously turned slightly red.
"Since Your Majesty likes it, I will play a few more tunes."
As Lu Lingyue spoke, the melody flowing from her fingertips became increasingly gentle, like the warm sunshine at dawn, or like a gentle rain nourishing all things, each note carrying a carefully cherished sentiment.
Yuan Yan closed his eyes again, enjoying the moment of relaxation and tranquility.
The song ended, but its lingering charm remained.
“This piece of music is very special.” Yuan Yan opened his eyes. “It doesn’t sound like your usual style.”
"The song is titled 'Spring Breeze,' which means the warmth of spring and the growth of all things."
Lu Lingyue gently stroked the strings of the zither, "I think this kind of music might be more suitable for Your Majesty."
He spoke subtly, but Yuan Yan understood the unspoken meaning: this piece was specially written for her and the prince in her womb.
Yuan Yan couldn't help but give Lu Lingyue a deep look, "It's kind of you to have this thought in your heart."
Lu Lingyue simply said, "If Your Majesty is pleased, that's good."
“If Your Majesty does not mind my poor zither skills, I may come and play for Your Majesty often.”
As the light faded outside the palace, the setting sun cast a warm, golden glow upon Lu Lingyue.
At that moment, even Lu Lingyue's usually aloof face softened with a touch of tenderness.
Yuan Yan stared at him.
After playing that song, her mental fatigue did indeed lessen somewhat.
“Alright, then you shall come and keep me company every day from now on,” Yuan Yan said.
Lu Lingyue felt as if her heart had been gently touched.
The two of them were now spending time together peacefully, and he finally felt a sense of wifely care for him, something he had always dreamed of.
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