Daddy Boy and Wolf Shadow in the Deep Palace
The afternoon sun lazily shone on the bluestone slabs. Under the corridor outside the Cining Palace, Little Bull was carrying a tray, his short legs kicking as he ran quickly. Fine beads of sweat glistened on his nose, but his round face was full of excitement.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!" Before the person even arrived, a clear child's voice pierced the hall.
Empress Dowager Huo had just put down her book, a hint of weariness in her eyes, and the exquisite pastries on the table remained untouched.
Hearing the sound, she looked up and saw the chubby boy raising the tray high as if presenting a treasure, carefully placing it in front of her.
"Studying is hard on the brain, have something sweet to soothe it!"
The little bull tilted its head back, its eyes shining brightly, and proudly lifted the lid of the stew pot—a sweet and mellow aroma of snow pear mixed with white fungus instantly filled the air. Next to it were several small and exquisite steamed dumplings, their skins so thin that the emerald green filling was almost visible through them.
"I made it! The uncles in the imperial kitchen were so kind, they even lent me their special stove!"
Empress Dowager Huo was somewhat surprised. She picked up a small silver spoon, scooped up a spoonful of the crystal-clear, soft soup, and put it into her mouth.
Sweet and refreshing without being cloying, cooked to perfection. She picked up another steamed dumpling, bit into it, and the delicious vegetarian filling burst in her mouth. The weariness between her brows unconsciously eased, and looking at the little guy in front of her, his head covered in fine sweat and his face full of anticipation, she couldn't help but reach out and rub his fluffy head.
"Hmm, good boy, your skills are really good."
The female official standing nearby chimed in with a smile, "Your Highness, the young master's filial piety is more precious than any delicacy."
Inside the Imperial Study.
The Master stroked his beard, speaking with measured intonation: "At birth, human nature is inherently good..."
"Master!"
A round little head suddenly lifted up, the little bull's eyes widened, its little hand held straight up, its face full of seriousness, "That Frostblade is a wolf, was it good or evil when it was born? It's very good now, except that it makes a lot of noise gnawing on bones!"
"Pfft—"
"Hahaha..." The members of the royal family could no longer hold back and burst into laughter.
The teacher was so angry that his beard stood on end. He pointed at the little bull and raised his voice, "You! You... Children speak without thinking! Children speak without thinking! Sit down now! Copy that passage from 'The Beginning of Man' three more times!"
The little bull shrank its neck and muttered, "That's how it is..." which only elicited an even louder cough from the teacher.
The Imperial Garden was bathed in perfect sunlight.
"Sinking Ox! Sinking Ox!"
The young emperor Wei Heng took the piece of paper covered in crooked ink from the little bull and shook it with disdain. "This name doesn't sound good! I'll give you a more formal name!" He put his hands behind his back, took a couple of steps like an adult, and his eyes lit up. "Hmm... you're honest and cute, how about Wei Dunshi? From now on, you'll be my study companion, and you'll take my surname, Wei!"
The young emperor waited smugly for the little bull to kowtow and express his gratitude for the imperial favor. But who knew—
"No, no!" The chubby face instantly scrunched up like a bun with eighteen pleats, and he shook his head like a rattle drum. "Your Majesty! The name is Father's business! Father has to choose both Little Bull's formal and informal names!"
His tone was resolute, as if declaring a universal truth, "Father's choice sounds better! His Majesty's choice..." He hesitated, struggling to find words that wouldn't offend the emperor but would still express his firm stance, "Hmm... it's also very good, but Little Bull wants Father's choice!"
The young emperor was stunned.
Then an even louder laugh erupted: "Hahaha! You, Chen Niu! You don't even want the imperial surname? You just want the one your father gave you?"
He laughed so hard he almost fell over.
Empress Dowager Huo, who happened to be passing by, witnessed the entire scene. Far from being angry, the smile in her eyes deepened. Looking at the little bull's stubborn "Daddy is the greatest" attitude, she gently shook her head and whispered to her trusted nanny beside her, "This little fat boy has a heart as pure as crystal. This sincerity is more precious than anything else."
A few days later, the weather was fine and sunny.
An eerie silence hung in the air beneath the trees in the courtyard in front of the Cining Palace. Palace servants stood at a distance, whispering amongst themselves, a mixture of surprise, fear, and curiosity.
A giant wolf, pure white and as large as a calf, was lying there lazily.
Its icy blue eyes were half-closed, occasionally sweeping over the carved beams and painted rafters around it. Its massive body shimmered with silver light in the sunlight, a strange blend of wildness and elegance. The little bull sat beside it, teasing it with a piece of jerky, while Frostblade merely sniffed lazily, its tail tip swaying slightly.
The young emperor Wei Heng rubbed his hands excitedly, circling around the Frost Blade, wanting to get closer but also a little apprehensive: "Little Bull! It...it really doesn't bite?"
"It won't bite! Frostblade is very obedient!" The little bull patted its chest to assure them, and offered the jerky forward, "Your Majesty, would you like to try some?"
The young emperor cautiously extended a finger, about to touch the snow-white fur, when Frostblade's icy blue eyes suddenly opened, giving him a cold glance. The young emperor quickly withdrew his hand, and Frostblade lazily closed its eyes again, as if to say: Little brat, go play somewhere else.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the deep palace, in the Jiaofang Palace.
With a sharp crack, the fine imperial porcelain cup shattered on the ground, splattering bird's nest juice everywhere.
"Wh...what?!"
Empress Dowager Jiang suddenly stood up from her phoenix bed, her face ashen white, her voice piercing the palace with a sharp edge, "That beast?! How dare it... how dare it step into the inner palace?!" She trembled violently, as if she could feel again the cold touch of the wolf's claws on her neck and its foul breath that night.
The trusted eunuch knelt on the ground, trembling like a leaf: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger! It was...it was the Empress Dowager who personally gave permission, saying that the young master of the Anping Marquis's mansion brought his pet dog...no, his pet wolf...we servants really dared not stop him!"
"Useless! A bunch of useless trash! Where are the Imperial Guards? Are they all dead?! Throw them out of here! No! Beat them to death with clubs! Kill them immediately!"
Empress Dowager Jiang screamed hysterically, sweeping the fruit plates and incense burners off the table and making a loud clattering noise.
The palace maids and eunuchs knelt on the ground, not daring to utter a sound.
Clutching her throbbing chest, she staggered back onto the bed, her fingers digging into the brocade, her eyes filled with overwhelming hatred and uncontrollable fear: "Chen Yan! Ling Zhan! You...you've gone too far! This is a demonstration! This is a slap in my face!"
Only her heavy breathing and impotent rage echoed in the hall.
The snow-white wolf shadow, like an invisible blade, hung on her taut nerves.
The study of the Marquis of Anping's residence.
With Little Bull and Little Stone officially entering different schools, the matter of choosing formal names for them has been put on the agenda.
Shen Yan was buried in a pile of ancient books, his brows furrowed, muttering to himself: "'Jun' is good, 'Yue' is also good... 'Honghu'? The meaning is good, but it sounds like a bird..."
Ling Zhan sat by the window, pruning a potted plant, the cold light reflecting off her calm, expressionless face.
At this moment, Little Stone walked in and stood quietly in front of Shen Yan.
Shen Yan immediately perked up, proudly displaying a piece of paper covered with names: "Little Stone, come quick! Daddy has thought of several impressive names for you! Look at this 'Shen Wenyuan,' so elegant and knowledgeable! And this 'Shen Mingrui,' so clever and wise! And..."
Little Stone listened silently. When Shen Yan finished speaking, he raised his clear eyes, but his gaze went past Shen Yan and went straight to Ling Zhan by the window. His voice was not loud, but it was unusually clear and firm: "Mother, can I have the surname Ling? I want to be called Ling Shi."
The air froze instantly.
Ling Zhan was slightly taken aback.
Shen Yan's smile froze instantly, his heart felt as if it had been lightly squeezed, and a complex and indescribable feeling quietly spread through him. This kid... still wants to take Ling Zhan's surname.
This thought touched upon the deepest and most cherished principles in his heart.
He was Wei Jin, the exiled and hunted imperial grandson, but the imperial surname "Wei" brought him only cold scheming and endless pain. It was Shen Gongfeng, the kind and loving old man, who protected him with his life, gave him the name "Chen Yan," and later provided him with all the care the Shen family could.
He chose to "immerse himself in aversion".
Not only to conceal his identity, but also to engrave the gratitude of the offering and the surname Shen into his very bones.
He made his children all bear the surname Shen, which was his deepest consolation and continuation of the Shen family and the Shen family tradition.
The thought of Xiao Shitou changing his surname, even to the one he wanted to take from Ling Zhan, struck a chord deep within him, stirring up a hidden pain and sense of loss.
He looked at Ling Zhan somewhat helplessly.
Ling Zhan looked up and saw the cautious expectation and the stubbornness hidden deep in Xiao Shitou's eyes.
She stood up, walked to the little stone, squatted down, and looked at him at eye level.
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a heavy, powerful force that struck directly into the child's heart.
"Little Stone, I understand your feelings."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over the slightly nervous Shen Yan before returning to Xiao Shitou's face. "But in this family, Shuanzhu, Er Ya, Xiao Man Niu, and you, you are all your father's and mother's children, without distinction. Surnames are just a marker; whether you change them or not, the family ties will not change."
Seeing the hesitation in Little Stone's eyes, she continued, "If you change your surname and become different from your other brothers and sisters, do you think they'll find it strange? Will they think, 'Why is Brother Stone different from us?' Perhaps unintentionally, it will create distance between them. Is that what you want?"
Little Stone pursed his lips, his long eyelashes drooping, clearly deep in thought.
Ling Zhan's tone softened, carrying a transcendent calm: "Mother comes from a very, very far place. There, a person's worth is not determined by their surname, but by the power they possess and the choices they make. Remember, you are Little Stone, our son, their brother. That's enough. Having the surname Shen won't diminish you in the slightest."
As she spoke, she gently placed her hand on Xiao Shitou's slightly thin shoulder, "The name Chen Shi can be just as famous, and everyone will remember you."
Little Stone raised his head and looked into Ling Zhan's deep, dark eyes, which seemed to encompass and see through everything.
The serene strength and composure in her words, transcending worldly concerns, melted away the stubbornness in his heart like warm spring water. He nodded slowly and solemnly, his voice soft yet clear: "Yes, I'll listen to Mother. My name is Chen Shi."
Hearing his son clearly utter the name "Chen Shi," the hidden pain in Shen Yan's heart was instantly washed away by a huge, overwhelming warmth. He loosened his grip almost imperceptibly on the paper covered with names, his gaze falling on Xiao Shitou's lowered but now calm head. Almost subconsciously, he let out a long sigh of relief, his eyes filled with genuine comfort and joy.
The fact that all the children have the surname Shen means a great deal to him.
This was his severing of ties with his dark past, his way of honoring his savior, and the foundation of the new "Shen family" he had built with his own hands. Ling Zhan understood him; her seemingly simple explanation not only comforted Xiao Shitou but also firmly protected this tender, untouchable place in his heart.
Shen Yan let out a long, silent sigh of relief, her heart finally settling down. But Ling Zhan's words, "from a very, very far place," made her heart sink. Wasn't she Ling Da Hua?!
But a thought flashed through his mind: her almost indifferent attitude towards his surname, like a feather, gently tickled his heart, leaving an indescribable itch and a deeper curiosity. Where...did she come from? She didn't care about her surname...then what did she care about? Did she care about...him as a person?
The thought made Chen Yan's heart skip a beat, then race like a trapped rabbit, a strange heat rising to his cheeks. He wanted to ask, but swallowed the words back, afraid of being abrupt, and even more afraid of receiving an answer he didn't want. That unspoken, romantic thought instantly transformed into sticky, hesitant actions.
"Ouch……"
Suddenly, Shen Yan clutched her waist, her features contorted in exaggerated pain, and she collapsed straight at Ling Zhan as if her bones had been removed. "Ling Zhan! Ling Zhan! Quick! Help me up... Ouch... It hurts so much! It must be from being used as a swing by those brats yesterday. My waist... I'm afraid it's going to break!"
Ling Zhan watched his exaggerated performance with a blank expression.
Just before he was about to collapse to the ground, an arm reached out and steadily supported his falling body.
"And my legs! My legs are so sore!"
Shen Yan, taking advantage of the situation, leaned half her weight on Ling Zhan, her chin almost touching her shoulder. She greedily inhaled the cool, crisp scent of her hair, like that of quenched iron, and her little schemes began to flutter even more wildly, her voice growing increasingly "weak."
"It must have been from holding the baby... You have to stay with me tonight. What if I wake up in pain in the middle of the night and no one is there to take care of me? I'm the father of these kids, after all. What if I become paralyzed..."
Ling Zhan let him cling to her like a giant, restless human-shaped pendant, dragging him steadily toward the inner room. Her voice was as cold and calm as ever, without the slightest hint of emotion: "Shut up. If you howl again," she paused, glancing out the window, "Frostblade will be watching over you tonight."
Shen Yan instantly fell silent, her mouth tightly shut, but a smug smile secretly crept up her lips. She wrapped her arms even tighter around Ling Zhan's arm, like a big dog that had stolen a bone.
Who cares where she comes from? Just being able to stay with her and smell her scent right now is the best thing ever.
As for those wild thoughts...
Ahem, there's plenty of time in the future!
He may lack other skills, but the ability to be a tough guy and opportunistic that he honed in the streets is unparalleled!
With my wife by my side, life is indeed getting better and better, and more and more interesting.
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