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Song Feiwan was overjoyed, despite her exhaustion; she simply couldn't bear to sleep and stared at him dreamily.
The servants had just finished attending to Song Feiwan and the young master when Xiao Yu strode in.
"Your Highness, the room is messy," one of the servants began, but Xiao Yu raised his hand, signaling her to be silent.
"Continue with your work."
"Yes."
He approached the bedside of Song Feiwan, looking at her earnestly. Their eyes met, and she noticed the red veins in his eyes, indicating he hadn't slept all night either. While she was in pain inside, he must have been suffering outside as well.
She was quite strong; upon seeing him, she felt a wave of grievance and called out with a choked voice, "Husband."
Xiao Yu sat down and gently held her fingers, speaking softly yet seriously, "I'm here. You've worked hard, Feiwan."
A tear slipped from her eye and was tenderly wiped away by Xiao Yu's finger.
He continued in a warm voice, "Thank you."
Song Feiwan smiled through her tears.
"By the way, you haven't seen our baby yet, have you? Come quickly and take a look; he looks just like you!"
Xiao Yu actually only wanted to look at Song Feiwan, but since she had said that, he didn't want to dampen her spirits. He shifted his gaze to the swaddled child, a hint of disdain flickering in his eyes.
"Why is he so ugly?"
"Isn't he adorable?" Song Feiwan pressed on.
Xiao Yu reluctantly replied, "Yes."
It was said that boys looked like their fathers at birth to signal to their fathers that they were their children and needed care. As they grew older, they would start resembling their mothers more.
Listening to her slightly hoarse voice made Xiao Yu's heart soften completely. "As long as he resembles you, that's best," he thought, deciding not to mention that the child was unattractive.
"I think I would love him no matter who he looks like," Song Feiwan said as she leaned forward and gently kissed the baby in the swaddle.
Her gentle demeanor radiated maternal warmth, making it hard for Xiao Yu to tear his gaze away. In that moment, the void in his life that had once been filled with a lack of paternal love was completely filled.
He sincerely thanked the heavens and especially this woman named Song Feiwan.
The two didn't linger for long before the child closed his eyes and began to cry.
The newborn's cries were endearingly innocent and sweet.
Song Feiwan flustered, "What's wrong?"
The midwife stepped forward to take the child and smiled as she said, "He might be hungry. Your Highness, Your Grace, please don't worry; I will take him to find a wet nurse and ensure he's well taken care of. Your Grace has just given birth and needs to rest well to regain your strength."
Song Feiwan knew she needed to take good care of herself during this month of confinement to avoid any lingering ailments. So even though she was reluctant to part with the baby, she nodded and watched as the midwife left.
Xiao Yu personally fed her half a bowl of light porridge and even helped her to the restroom before carrying her back to bed, tucking her in snugly and kissing her eyelids gently.
"Sleep now," he whispered softly.
Song Feiwan smiled slightly at the corners of her mouth and murmured an agreement before slowly closing her eyes.
From then on, she peacefully settled into her month of confinement at home.
As the seasons changed, many people outside fell ill, and fearing that she might catch something, Xiao Yu did not allow anyone to visit her during her confinement. Dozens of servants brought various nourishing supplements, restoring her complexion to a healthy rosy glow.
Feeding and soothing the baby did not require her direct involvement. All she needed to do was spend some time with the child each day when she felt comfortable, learning to hold him gently. As for the baby's name, it had been decided long ago during her pregnancy: "Jia Yi," wishing for him to always be smooth-sailing, safe, and content.
During her confinement, they often discussed their child. Xiao Yu firmly told her that they would not have any more children in the future. Song Feiwan was taken aback. "Though I don't want many either, don't you want to have more heirs?"
"It's not about wanting or not wanting," he replied honestly. "For me, offspring aren't that significant."
Song Feiwan believed his words but was concerned about others. "Even if you don't care, there are still elders and court officials."
"They can't do anything to me."
He truly had a throne to inherit; if this child turned out to be mediocre, handing over the kingdom to him wouldn't be wise. She understood the reasoning behind selecting the best from a group of children to become a ruler. To be honest, if she had to bear a dozen children, she certainly wouldn't want that.
Xiao Yu's current statement made her uneasy. "You don't want to have children with anyone else, do you?" Song Feiwan's face turned pale.
"Of course not!" Xiao Yu hurriedly denied it, helplessly pinching her delicate cheek. "I promised that in this lifetime, I only want you."
"What about that child?"
"I have plenty of uncles and brothers; there are many suitable boys in their households. In a few years, we can adopt some to nurture."
Song Feiwan sighed in relief. "So you have thought this far ahead."
Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow. "You think so little of me?"
"I didn't!" Song Feiwan muttered softly, feeling guilty.
He let out a light hum but didn't press the issue further. They discussed the matter of adoption several times afterward.
Song Feiwan asked him if their Jia Yi turned out to be unfit for duty, would he allow an adopted child to inherit his throne?
Xiao Yu replied, "It depends on you. If you want Jia Yi to inherit it, then the other children will only serve as his ministers. If you think Jia Yi is unsuitable, then let the other children inherit."
Song Feiwan pondered for a moment but couldn't make up her mind.
"There's no rush; we have many years ahead of us," Xiao Yu reassured her.
Song Feiwan nodded. Regardless of what happened over time, having him by her side gave her a solid sense of security. No matter how time changed or how storms came crashing down upon them, she felt no fear.
More than ten years passed before the Emperor abdicated and Xiao Yu ascended the throne. Over these years, father and son engaged in both open and covert struggles for power within the court.
From every angle, Xiao Yu proved to be a formidable opponent; it was only natural for the Emperor to harbor suspicions towards him and even attempt covert actions against him. His influence in both Bei Rong and Da Zhou was incredibly solidified; he had support from all levels of society and was favored by the people.
The moment the Emperor handed over control of the Ministry of War to him, he could no longer contain this son of his. After suffering several defeats and being wounded by Xiao Yu himself, the Emperor gradually ceased his efforts against him.
After compromising, he discovered that Xiao Yu didn’t care as much about the throne as he thought. Even if he lived into his old age, Xiao Yu would not force him to abdicate.
So what was there left to fight over?
Slowly, the relationship between father and son grew closer than ever before. One day, the Emperor felt the weight of age pressing upon him and wished to lay down his burdens. He decided to take Rong Shu to see the beautiful landscapes of their realm, and thus he passed the throne to Xiao Yu.
Over the years, there had only been one woman in Xiao Yu's household, Song Fei Wan, and his only child was Xiao Jia Yi. Upon ascending the throne, Song Fei Wan was naturally bestowed the title of Empress, while Xiao Jia Yi was named Crown Prince.
Some court officials took this opportunity to jointly petition Xiao Yu, urging him to hold a selection of candidates for the imperial harem to ensure a continuation of heirs. At that time, Xiao Yu sat on the dragon throne, clad in a bright yellow dragon robe, casually flipping through their petitions.
"You are all quite considerate," he said, tossing the documents aside with a half-smile. Over the years, the officials had increasingly struggled to grasp his thoughts and mistakenly believed he was praising them.
Just as they felt honored and were about to express their gratitude, the strikingly handsome man shifted his tone: "Since you are so concerned about my family affairs, why not exchange your official positions and help guard the imperial tombs? I am sure my ancestors would be very pleased to see you."
The faces of those who had submitted petitions changed drastically as they fell to their knees, repeatedly bowing and pleading for mercy. Xiao Yu showed no signs of compassion; he waved his hand and ordered the guards to drag them away. From that moment on, no one dared to bring up the matter of him taking concubines.
After the morning court session, Xiao Yu went to Kun Ning Palace. Song Fei Wan was in the courtyard drying herbs, accompanied by a handsome young man resembling a white poplar, who was earnestly learning from her.
Hearing footsteps, both mother and son looked up at him. "Your Majesty, you have arrived?" "Your son pays his respects to Father."
In his thirties, Xiao Yu had matured like fine wine through the passage of time, intoxicating those around him. A hint of admiration flickered in Song Fei Wan's eyes, which pleased him greatly.
Xiao Yu smiled gently and walked over to her side, conversing with her as an ordinary couple would do while also inquiring about Jia Yi's studies. The family of three shared laughter and joy in a harmonious atmosphere.
This tangible happiness needed no further description; it would continue on endlessly.
(THE END)
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