Chapter 173 The Only True Love
Li Dehai immediately agreed and went to arrange the meal.
Su Luoxue walked back to the inner palace, looked at the three children huddled in Yuwen Che's arms, and smiled as she reached out to take out her youngest daughter: "Ning'er, be good, come here, let your mother hug you, okay?"
Ning'er obediently let go of her father's clothes, turned around and rushed into Su Luoxue's arms, responding in a childish voice, "Okay~ Mother Empress hug me!"
Su Luoxue, holding her daughter, said to Yuwen Che, "Alright, stop crowding around. Wipe Hao'er and Cheng'an's faces and prepare their meal. Hao'er is just recovering and must be hungry."
Yuwen Che then released his two sons from his arms. He picked up a warm, damp cloth and first wiped Cheng'an's face, who was closer. "Cheng'an, come here and wipe your little face and hands."
Cheng'an was already used to his father's service, so he immediately raised his little face, closed his eyes obediently, and urged, "Father! Quickly wipe Cheng'an clean!"
Yuwen Che looked at his son, whom he had cherished since childhood, his eyes full of doting affection. He gently wiped his son's face clean, saying, "Good, wipe your father's face clean."
He gently wiped Cheng'an's little hands clean, washed the handkerchief again, and looked at Yuwen Hao, who was standing to the side looking somewhat reserved, and softened his voice: "Hao'er, come here."
Yuwen Hao hesitated for a moment, then slowly walked up to his father, closing his eyes nervously, his long eyelashes trembling slightly.
Seeing his cautious demeanor, Yuwen Che gently wiped away the undried tears and sweat from his face.
Ning'er, held in Su Luoxue's arms, watched her father wipe her two older brothers' faces, pouted, and complained unhappily, "Father is biased! He only wipes my brothers' faces, not Ning'er's!"
Yuwen Che was amused by his daughter and quickly said, "Alright, alright, how could Father forget our little princess? After wiping Brother Hao'er, you can wipe Ning'er, okay?"
Ning'er then gave a satisfied hum and buried her face in Su Luoxue's neck. The hall was filled with the sounds of children playing and the gentle whispers of the Emperor and Empress, a warm and ordinary atmosphere.
As soon as Yuwen Che finished wiping Ning'er's face, Ning'er immediately rushed to him, hugged his neck, and said sweetly, "Father...give me a kiss!"
Su Luoxue was both amused and exasperated by her daughter's pleading. "Ning'er, quickly let go of your father!"
Yuwen Che first turned his head and gently kissed Su Luoxue's cheek, then lowered his head and gave Ning'er a loud kiss on her rosy cheeks: "Good girl, let your father kiss our little princess."
Ning'er was finally satisfied and giggled.
Yuwen Hao had already quietly straightened his robes, which he had just messed up.
When Yuwen Che caught a glimpse of this, he couldn't help but pause in surprise. This child... seemed much more independent than Cheng'an and Ning'er.
But he didn't say much. He just bent down and picked up Cheng'an, who was still wriggling, and then naturally reached out his hand to Yuwen Hao: "Hao'er, let's go."
Yuwen Hao looked at his father's outstretched hand, hesitated for a moment, and then placed his little hand on it.
Yuwen Che carried Cheng'an in one arm and held Yuwen Hao's hand with the other, while Su Luoxue carried Ning'er. The family walked out of the inner hall together.
Outside, Li Dehai had already directed the palace servants to arrange the meal properly. The exquisite dishes exuded an enticing aroma, and among them were several dishes that looked refreshing and delicious, clearly prepared especially for Yuwen Hao.
During the meal, Ning'er habitually snuggled in Yuwen Che's arms, her little mouth open, waiting to be fed. Yuwen Che scooped up a spoonful of smooth egg custard, carefully blew on it to cool it down, and then brought it to his daughter's lips, coaxing her softly, "Come on, Ning'er, have another bite... Yes, chew slowly and swallow."
Cheng'an was already able to hold his own spoon and eat his meal properly, sitting right next to Yuwen Hao.
He didn't forget to use his unsteady spoon to carefully scoop up a piece of cherry meat that he thought was the most delicious, and tremblingly put it into Yuwen Hao's bowl, enthusiastically recommending: "Brother Hao'er, eat this! This is so delicious!"
He swallowed the food in his mouth and then enthusiastically suggested, "After we finish eating, how about we go outside and play hide-and-seek? I'll hide, and you come find me!"
Looking at the food his younger brother had put in his bowl and hearing his invitation, Yuwen Hao felt a warm glow in his heart. He nodded obediently, his voice becoming lighter: "Okay."
Seeing the children getting along so well, Su Luoxue felt very gratified. She carefully prepared some easily digestible dishes for Yuwen Hao and said softly, "Hao'er, eat more so you can recover quickly."
Although Yuwen Che was mostly focused on feeding his daughter, his gaze would occasionally sweep over this side.
The meal ended in a warm yet slightly noisy atmosphere. As soon as the palace servants cleared away the tableware, Cheng'an couldn't wait to jump off his chair.
She grabbed Yuwen Hao's hand and ran towards the palace gate, saying, "Brother Hao'er, hurry up! Let's go play hide-and-seek!"
Yuwen Hao was also infected by his joy, and a cheerful smile appeared on his face as he ran out after him. "Okay, you hide, I'll find you."
Seeing this, Ning'er also wriggled in Yuwen Che's arms, wanting to get down: "Father, let go! Ning'er wants to play too!"
Yuwen Che smiled and put her down. The little girl immediately took off on her short legs and giggled as she chased after her two older brothers.
Su Luoxue got up and walked to Yuwen Che's side. The two stood side by side at the palace gate, watching the children chasing and playing in the courtyard. The sunlight shone down, creating a peaceful and serene scene.
Yuwen Che held Su Luoxue's hand, his gaze still following the children laughing in the yard, his voice low and sincere: "Xue'er... thank you."
He tightened his grip slightly and continued, "Thank you... for never looking down on Hao'er because of his background and for always treating him so kindly. If something were to happen to Hao'er today, I... would never have peace of mind for the rest of my life."
Su Luoxue turned to the side, reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, gently rested her face against his chest, and said softly, "Ache, in my heart, you have always been a wise and intelligent emperor, and the best father in Cheng'an and Ning'er's eyes."
She looked up into his deep eyes, her tone filled with understanding and heartache: "But... in Hao'er's matter, you are blinded by your own involvement, while I am a clear-headed bystander."
She paused, then reminded him, "Do you remember? The title you gave Hao'er back then was Prince An."
Seeing Yuwen Che's eyes flicker slightly, she continued softly, "This character 'An'... When you named Cheng'an, you told me about it yourself. You said you hoped that the 'An' in our son's name would mean peace and smooth sailing."
She held his hand tightly, her gaze gentle yet firm: "A-Che, deep down, perhaps from the very beginning, you never truly intended to hurt that child. When you bestowed the name An upon him, wasn't that also a way of expressing... your wish for his safety?"
Yuwen Che was stunned. He had never thought about it from this perspective before. The child he once loathed and wanted to ignore, the eldest son he regarded as a symbol of shame, he had unintentionally given him a title that carried the blessing of "peace".
He looked down at his understanding wife in his arms, then at his eldest son in the yard who was finally able to laugh heartily.
Yuwen Che hugged Su Luoxue even tighter: "Xue'er... thank you."
He paused slightly, as if sorting out the surging emotions within him, and continued, "Thank you for... risking your life to give birth to Cheng'an and Ning'er for me. Without you, I wouldn't have such lovely and sensible children, I wouldn't have experienced the warmth and joy of fatherhood, and this cold palace wouldn't be filled with so much laughter..."
He lowered his head, his gaze piercing into her eyes, a hint of realization and relief in his eyes: "Perhaps... there would never have been a day when I could truly accept Hao'er."
Su Luoxue tilted her head back and gently kissed his cheek, her eyes filled with tenderness and equally deep gratitude: "Ache, I'm the one who should be saying thank you."
She nestled against his chest, recounting the memories of the past: "Over the years, you have given me all your love without reservation, and cared for me with meticulous attention. You gave me the title of Imperial Concubine and welcomed me into the palace, but you always treated me as your principal wife. Later, you disregarded the criticism and helped me to the position of Empress, never letting me suffer the slightest grievance."
Her voice was soft yet firm: "You have always been strict and impartial, yet for my sake, you have repeatedly made exceptions to promote my family and give important positions to my brothers. Even the tedious affairs of the inner palace, you always take over, unwilling to let me trouble myself..."
She raised her hand, gently stroking his handsome brows and eyes, finally placing her palm on his heart, feeling its steady beat, each word spoken with utmost sincerity:
"Yuwen Che, meeting you and receiving all your love is the greatest fortune of my life, Su Luoxue."
Yuwen Che lowered his head, his forehead touching hers, their noses lightly brushing, their breaths mingling. He gazed into the depths of her clear, smiling eyes, his voice low and tender, carrying an undeniable vow:
"Xue'er...you are my one and only love, my one and only wife in this life."
Su Luoxue wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on tiptoe, and placed a gentle yet firm kiss on his lips, her eyes sparkling with endless longing and anticipation.
"Ah Che... From now on, let's live a good life as a family."
She buried her face in the crook of his neck, her voice muffled, yet carrying a coquettish possessiveness and utmost seriousness:
"In this life, the next life, and the life after that... I, Su Luoxue, am going to stick with you. You can't get rid of me."
Upon hearing this, Yuwen Che's chest heaved, and he let out a deep, pleasant laugh, his voice filled with doting affection and the same certainty as hers:
"Very well, I grant your permission. For all eternity, you will only ever be my Xue'er."
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