Chapter 28 The Existence of Consort De and the First Prince
The almost tangible sweetness and intimacy between the Emperor and Empress acted as an invisible barrier, shutting out all outside prying eyes and speculations. Those noble ladies and concubines who had previously harbored some illusions, hoping to make a name for themselves at this banquet and change their fate by even gaining a little favor from His Majesty, now completely gave up on those hopes.
How could they possibly have a chance to interfere? Didn't they see that His Majesty's eyes and heart belonged only to Consort Chen? Feeding her, wiping her hands, shielding her from the wind, even... catching the grape seeds she spat out? These were the kinds of trivial things that even husbands in ordinary wealthy families might not be willing to do for their wives, yet His Majesty did them so naturally and skillfully, as if it were his due. Not to mention his undisguised care and possessiveness. At this moment, anyone who dared to foolishly approach would be courting death, and would probably be "invited" away by the Dragon Guards before even getting close.
As a result, the young ladies all kept their eyes down, either focusing on enjoying the songs and dances or sipping their food, not daring to glance at the throne again for fear of causing unnecessary trouble.
Yuwen Che paid no heed to the thoughts swirling among his subordinates; his entire attention was focused on the little troublemaker in his arms. Su Luoxue had clearly seen his earlier jealousy and grievance, and now, taking advantage of his affection, she haughtily raised her face, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a sly smile, deliberately drawing out her words:
"Ah Che~ You weren't... jealous just now, were you?"
Yuwen Che wasn't annoyed by her direct criticism; instead, he found her smug expression incredibly endearing. He first reached out and pulled the thin fabric over her shoulders up a bit more, only to find it offered no protection against the cold or conceal her alluring figure. He then tightened his grip, pulling her even closer to his chest, and wrapped her completely in the wide, thick sleeves of his dark dragon robe, leaving only her delicate face exposed.
He lowered his head, his nose almost touching hers, his deep eyes reflecting her smiling face. He readily admitted it, his voice low and possessive.
"Yes, I am jealous."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over her exposed skin, his tone becoming somewhat deep, even carrying a hint of unrealistic fantasy: "I wish I could... create a secluded paradise, hide you away, so that you could enjoy flowers and play without a care in the world every day, never seeing these annoying songs and dances again, never seeing these insignificant people again... so that your world would only contain me from now on."
This idea, bordering on obsession, was a stark reflection of his deepest love for Su Luoxue—a love so intense it bordered on possessiveness. He loved her so much that he wanted to monopolize everything about her, including her gaze and her world.
Hearing his almost childlike complaints and domineering declaration, Su Luoxue felt not fear, but rather a sweet warmth in her heart. She reached out her small hands, wrapped them around his waist, pressed her face against his firm chest, listened to his strong heartbeat, and softly responded:
"Fool... You've been the only one in my world for a long time."
I only love you.
In her heart, from the moment she decided to stay by his side, no matter how vast the palace or how wide the world, her gaze and her heart belonged only to Yuwen Che. His love was both a cage and a harbor, and she willingly allowed herself to be imprisoned within it.
Yuwen Che's subtle jealousy at being seen by others was instantly replaced by a great sense of satisfaction because of her words.
"I love you too, so much," he said, pulling her closer into his embrace, as if trying to meld her into his very bones. A paradise on earth might be just a fantasy, but the warmth and love in his arms were a real, tangible, and eternal feeling.
The banquet was held in a warm atmosphere, with the charcoal fire glowing and the fragrance of plum blossoms wafting in the air. The young Prince An, Yuwen Hao, being a child at heart, grew somewhat bored after sitting for a while. He noticed the red plum blossoms displayed in the hall were in full bloom, so he broke free from Consort De's hand, wobbled over, and, standing on tiptoe, painstakingly plucked a small sprig of the most vibrant red plum.
Then, before Consort De could stop him in her astonished gaze, Yuwen Hao, holding the plum blossom, toddled over to the throne, his little legs clattering. He looked up, handed the plum blossom to Su Luoxue, and said in his childish voice, "Your Majesty... flower... for you..."
Su Luoxue was taken aback at first, then a surprised and gentle smile bloomed on her face. She quickly straightened up slightly from Yuwen Che's arms, reached out and took the plum blossom that still held the warmth of a child's body, her voice so soft it could melt water: "Thank you, my dear Hao'er, it's so beautiful, Your Majesty the Empress likes it very much."
Seeing Su Luoxue smile, Yuwen Hao became happy as well, and sweetly added, "Empress Chen... is beautiful too! As beautiful as a flower!"
Children's words are innocent and unfiltered, yet most sincere. Su Luoxue chuckled, amused. "Hao'er, how come your little mouth is so sweet? Even Empress Chen likes Hao'er very much!"
Yuwen Che smiled slightly as he looked at her happy expression.
However, Consort De was terrified. She quickly got up, rushed forward, grabbed her son, and knelt down to beg for forgiveness: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your Highness, please forgive me! Hao'er is young and ignorant and has offended Your Majesty and Your Highness. I will definitely discipline him strictly!"
She was genuinely afraid, terrified that any unintentional action by her son might displease His Majesty. After all, His Majesty's possessiveness towards Consort Chen was so obvious.
Su Luoxue smiled and waved her hand gently, saying, "Please rise, Consort De. Hao'er is very cute, and I like him very much." She looked at Yuwen Hao, who was being held in his mother's arms and seemed a little dazed, and asked with concern, "Hao'er, aren't you cold running over here?"
Yuwen Hao nodded obediently and whispered, "It's a little cold..."
Su Luoxue immediately turned to Yuwen Che and said softly, "Ache, Hao'er is still young and has just recovered. Quickly have someone bring some charcoal over so he doesn't get cold."
Yuwen Che didn't even speak, but merely glanced at Li Dehai. Li Dehai immediately understood and bowed, saying, "This servant obeys the imperial decree of the Noble Consort." He then immediately ordered a eunuch to bring a blazing gold charcoal stove and place it next to Consort Dehai's seat.
Consort De glanced gratefully at Su Luoxue, then quickly pulled her son to express her gratitude: "On behalf of Hao'er, I thank His Majesty for his great kindness! Thank you for your concern, Your Highness!"
Yuwen Hao imitated his mother, saying in a childish voice, "Thank you, Father Emperor, thank you, Empress Chen..."
Looking at the obedient child who didn't share much fatherly affection with him, Yuwen Che felt a complex mix of emotions. He couldn't say he liked him much, but he was, after all, his own flesh and blood. He didn't hate him either, but... there was always a barrier between them. Every time he saw this son, he would think of how he had been tricked into favoring a palace maid... which led to the unexpected birth of this eldest son.
He instinctively tightened his arms around Su Luoxue, holding her even closer in his embrace. His chin rested on the top of her head, and his voice was low, carrying a hint of barely perceptible regret and guilt as he whispered in her ear:
"Xue'er, my children should have all been born from you."
He paused, his tone filled with deep regret and a hint of self-reproach: "But... I'm sorry. If I had known I would meet you in this life, I would have... remained chaste for you. I would have given you my whole self, and been with you for life, with no one else."
This was his deepest regret. He possessed the world, he possessed her, yet he could not give her the pure and flawless love that existed from the very beginning of their encounter. The existence of Consort De and Yuwen Hao was like a mark on his past, reminding him that before meeting her, his life was not a blank sheet of paper.
Su Luoxue sensed the heaviness and apology in his tone, and her heart ached slightly, only to be filled with immense gratitude. She hugged him back, looked up at the rare vulnerability in his deep eyes, and said softly, "Silly boy, don't say sorry anymore. Meeting you is already the greatest luck of my life. Why worry about the past? As long as we're doing well from now on, that's enough."
"You are an emperor, you can't possibly have only one woman, and... actually, I know everything about Hao'er."
For her, his present and future belong to her, and that is enough. That unique and unconditional love has already made up for all the insignificant regrets.
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