TL: Hua
If you were to ask the imperial officials what was different about the Emperor since his grand wedding, they could only say that too little time had passed to notice any changes.
After all, the Emperor and Empress had only been married for a few days before the annual New Year’s Day arrived.
On New Year’s Eve, the Emperor hosted a banquet at the Jiying Palace. This was also Young Master Xu’s first New Year’s Eve after entering the palace. Before, he had always appeared as an “unknown noble person,” but this time, he entered the grand hall alongside the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.
Marquis Wu’an, now the emperor’s father-in-law, naturally saw his status rise sharply and received much flattery from his colleagues. However, the clearly astute Marquis Wu’an was not swayed by their tactics, remaining elusive and offering no opportunity for them to curry favor.
Below the high platform, songs and dances flourished, but the salted fish Empress on the platform raised a sleeve and yawned, the corners of his eyes slightly red as if glistening with tears.
Yin Yanjun turned his head to look, and there was his lethargic salted fish with endless yawns and reddened eyes, a pitiable sight. If one looked closely at the back of the lazy fish Empress’s neck, one could still see a clear bite mark.
Seeing the Taoist master look over, Xu Yanqing showed no shame. After all, some people appear pure and desireless, but once they indulge, they become uncontrollable. It seemed even the serene and unblemished Taoist master was no exception, causing him to be confined to bed like the little cub for the past few days.
However, it was clear that the Taoist master was only unrestrained in bed; once he was off the dragon bed, he transformed back into a dignified and immortal emperor.
And so, the salted fish Empress, feeling greatly wronged, contentedly accepted the Taoist master’s thoughtful feeding and ordered him to serve his dishes throughout the subsequent palace banquet. This scene, in the eyes of the officials, seemed somewhat like spoiled favoritism.
However, it was clear that the Emperor did not mind the Empress’s spoiled behavior; in fact, he was extremely pleased with it.
The officials quickly understood after a brief thought: the harmonious and amiable relationship between the Emperor and Empress was their private matter and had nothing to do with them, the ministers. So, they all obediently lowered their heads and continued to drink.
By the time the banquet ended, the salted fish Empress was entirely leaning against the emperor, eyes closed and drowsy. In the end, the Emperor carried him horizontally back to the sleeping chambers.
The young master’s heat cycle had not yet receded, and combined with the alcohol consumed, he appeared even more vibrant and delicate than usual.
Because of the extremely dangerous situation when Qingqing first gave birth to the little cub, Yin Yanjun had no intention of having a second child. One Yuanchen was enough. For him, continuing the bloodline would never be as important as Qingqing’s health.
Considering this, Yin Yanjun ordered Imperial Physician Han and young Medical Officer Qi to concoct a contraceptive formula specifically for men. Of course, the formula was eventually sent to his desk, not for Qingqing to take.
Xu Yanqing was unaware of this. His life seemed to have not changed much from before. Although he was now the Taoist master’s Empress and had to take on the responsibility of managing the imperial harem, there were only him and the Empress Dowager in the harem now, and the palace attendants were naturally managed by the chief eunuch.
Thus, the lethargic salted fish spent a few days in the palace, leading a life as leisurely as before… only the nights seemed much busier.
One day, Yin Yanjun returned to Hanliang Palace after morning court and did not see the salted fish young master. The entire Hanliang Palace was quiet, and even the little cub was absent.
Yin Yanjun looked at Wen Jing, who quickly called for a palace attendant to inquire, only then learning that the Empress Dowager had called the Empress and the little Crown Prince to Yunhe Palace for breakfast early that morning.
After a simple, solitary breakfast, Yin Yanjun headed towards Yunhe Palace. Upon entering the hall, he saw his salted fish Empress busily working on the ground, pinching a handful of small green seedlings.
The one-and-a-half-year-old little Crown Prince kicked his chubby legs, bouncing up and down in the baby walker made by his father. The baby walker slid forward section after section, about to reach the ground, when in the next second, he was quickly scooped up by Hong Luan.
Despite this, the little Crown Prince persistently waved at his father, babbling for a long time before suddenly uttering “d-dad” causing the Empress Dowager, who was sitting in a chair nearby, to stand up directly.
The little cub’s development was not considered early. It might have been due to Xu Yanqing’s intentional reduction of meals during his pregnancy, which caused the cub to be slightly weaker than ordinary infants from birth.
This weakness was not a superficial physical weakness. After all, the little cub was well-nourished, and his chubby cheeks could melt anyone’s heart. This weakness seemed to be deep within his bones, so the cub’s development was slightly slower than that of ordinary children.
The little Crown Prince could now call out “Daddy.” The Empress Dowager, doting on her precious grandson as if he were her heart and soul, hugged him close, coaxing him to call her “Grandma.”
“Daddy, daddy…” The little Crown Prince, in the Empress Dowager’s arms, kicked his chubby legs, wanting to go to his ‘daddy’s side.
Xu Yanqing, covered in muddy dirt, naturally couldn’t hold the little cub. Yin Yanjun walked over and picked up the squirming cub.
Although the little cub’s development was a bit slow, his chubby frame was not light. The Empress Dowager had just held him for a while, and now that she let go, she felt completely relaxed.
“Your Majesty,” the Empress Dowager said with a beaming smile, “Our Yuanchen can call ‘daddy’ now.”
Qingzhu had started talking at one year old, but the little Crown Prince was half a year late. If Imperial Physician Han hadn’t said this was normal, she would have lost her appetite.
“Daddy!” Hearing the Empress Dowager’s words, the little cub seemed to remember something, patted his chubby hands, and repeatedly said “daddy” with his mouth, as if asking his imperial father to carry him to his salted fish father.
“What are you busy with?” Yin Yanjun didn’t move, just gazed warmly at the young man walking slowly towards him.
Xu Yanqing was now crowned, wearing a light green brocade robe that the Imperial Clothing Department had sent him some time ago. He looked even more handsome and noble. However, because he had just been planting seedlings, the robe was stained with mud and dirt. When he wiped his face, he looked like a dirty salted fish.
“Imperial Mother brought a bunch of watermelon seedlings. If we plant them today, we’ll be able to eat our own watermelons in midsummer,” Xu Yanqing said with a smile as he walked over, raising a hand and leaving a dusty fingerprint on the little cub’s face.
Looking at the mark he had made on the cub’s face, Xu Yanqing said with a laugh, “Little dummy, you can’t even say ‘Grandma’!”
The little cub blinked his round eyes in confusion. When his daddy came over to poke his cheek again, he burst into delighted giggles.
“Our Yuanchen is very smart; there’s no need to rush for the moment,” the Empress Dowager calmly, even with a hint of a smile in her eyes, glanced at her son. Yuanchen hadn’t managed to say “Imperial Father” yet, had he? So she, as a grandmother, wasn’t greedy; as long as she was one step ahead of “Imperial Father,” she would be satisfied.
Yin Yanjun smiled, watching the young man teasing the little cub, a faint smile gracing his face. He held the cub in one arm, and with his other hand, gently brushed away the speckled dirt from the young man’s face.
Seeing this, the Empress Dowager couldn’t help but smile widely. She sat comfortably in her chair, sipping tea, and only after a long while did she speak to dismiss them.
Returning to Hanliang Palace covered in dirt, Xu Yanqing bathed and changed into clean clothes. The little cub finally nestled contentedly in his daddy’s embrace.
The lethargic salted fish swayed back and forth in the lounge chair, and the little cub sat on him, rocking back and forth with him. This delighted the little cub, who continuously called out “daddy, daddy” with his mouth.
In reality, Xu Yanqing didn’t spend much time with the little cub, even less than the busy Taoist master. Yet, the little cub simply loved his daddy. Of course, the cub also loved his grandmother, his imperial father, his maternal grandfather, maternal grandmother, and uncles… but he loved daddy the most.
Yin Yanjun was not angry that he hadn’t heard the little cub say “Imperial Father.” He still looked at the father and son playing on the lounge chair with gentle eyes.
The little cub could now play with some toys by himself, without adults having to shake toys back and forth to entertain him. When Xu Yanqing, who rarely got inspired, felt a whim, he plundered some excellent wood from the Taoist master’s private collection and made several toys for the little cub.
Now that the weather had warmed up, the little cub could sit on the thick carpet and push the toys back and forth. Xu Yanqing, as a father, would simply lounge in the chair reading novels, showing no intention of joining in the play.
When the little cub got tired of playing, he would gruntingly crawl to his daddy, tugging at his daddy’s clothes to stand up from the floor. However, perhaps because the cub was so well-fed, six or seven times out of ten, he would fall on his bottom before even standing up. And once or twice, his daddy would mischievously extend a finger and push him down.
After several failed attempts to stand up, the little cub never got angry with his daddy. Instead, he tirelessly played this “tumbling” game with his daddy until the lethargic salted fish got tired and picked up the cub, placing him on his own body.
Many times, when Yin Yanjun returned from the Imperial Study, he would see his salted fish Empress lounging in a chair, reading a novel, while Crown Prince Yin Yuanchen slept soundly on the young man’s body.
However, sometimes when the lethargic salted fish was lazy, he would directly hand the little cub over to the Taoist master, while he himself comfortably continued to lounge in bed.
At such times, Yin Yanjun’s clear eyes would fill with utter helplessness. He would exchange glances with the cub in his arms, then lower his head to kiss the young man’s forehead on the bed before carrying the cub towards the Imperial Study.
There were even two occasions when Yin Yanjun directly brought the little cub to court. Initially, the ministers would be surprised and astonished, but as time went on and the Empress’s lazy nature was no longer a secret, the officials gradually grew accustomed to seeing the little Crown Prince in the main hall and the Imperial Study.
The screen in the Imperial Study had not been removed, and occasionally, ministers could even vaguely see the Empress’s figure behind the screen.
Or they would directly see the Empress holding the little Crown Prince, swaying in a lounge chair, while the Emperor himself slowly read a book for children’s enlightenment.
The Emperor’s clear voice made his reading exceedingly pleasant, yet the salted fish Empress would listen drowsily. Only the still babbling little Crown Prince seemed to listen with extraordinary attentiveness.
After a few such instances, the news of the little Crown Prince’s exceptional intelligence spread like wildfire throughout the capital.
The exceptionally intelligent little Crown Prince, at this very moment, sat on his Imperial Father’s lap, listening to his Imperial Father speak to a group of bearded old men. He turned his little head and suddenly, with great curiosity, raised a hand to touch his Imperial Father’s chin.
His Imperial Father’s chin was clean, without a single whisker. The young and innocent little Crown Prince, exploring mysteries, had his mischievous little hand caught by his Imperial Father. He had no choice but to sit properly, his big, watery eyes staring intently at the ministers’ beards.
After the little Crown Prince learned to walk, a hint of mischief became apparent. Children from ordinary families often fussed about running around when learning to walk, but once they could walk, they wanted to be carried by their parents every day.
But the little Crown Prince was different. He had developed a bit slower than average children, so he was unhurried and very patient during the period he was learning to walk. Hence, Lady Su, who often visited the palace, joked that in this aspect, the little Crown Prince truly resembled her lazy son.
However, once the little Crown Prince truly learned to walk, he revealed a mischievous and naughty side. Every time he woke up, he would climb out of bed and run around the sleeping chambers. Therefore, the sleeping chambers were entirely padded with thick cotton cloth everywhere to prevent the cub from getting hurt by sharp corners.
The little cub seemed to know the purpose of these cotton cloths, so he became even more unrestrained, constantly darting around Hanliang Palace, often bumping his head into his Imperial Father’s legs.
“What are you doing, Yuanchen?” Yin Yanjun, bumped by his son once again, reached out and pulled the cub up.
The little cub, with his big, round head, pulled his Imperial Father’s hand and stood up from the floor, babbling, “daddy, sleep, sleep.”
“Is daddy sleeping, not playing with you?” Yin Yanjun led the wobbly little cub into the sleeping chambers. Sure enough, his salted fish Empress was nestled in the lounge chair, his fair, delicate face full of exhaustion, with a faint blush around his eyes.
The little Crown Prince shook his Imperial Father’s hand: “Imperial Father, daddy, wake up, play?”
The little cub’s speech was not yet very fluent; his sentences were broken. Yin Yanjun held him and sat down in a chair. Understanding the cub’s meaning, he slowly said, “Daddy is tired. When daddy wakes up, he can play with you.”
Upon hearing this, the little cub became even more confused: “daddy, always sleeping?”
Yin Yanjun naturally knew the reason why the young man was so exhausted, but it was difficult to explain this to his young son. So, Yin Yanjun took a book from under the lounge chair and slowly read to the little cub.
The little cub clearly wasn’t listening very attentively. He watched his daddy constantly, and as soon as his daddy opened his eyes, he would slide off his Imperial Father’s lap, continuously calling out, “daddy, daddy, wake up, play.”
Waking up was impossible, and playing with the child was also impossible, unless… everyone slept together. So, Xu Yanqing raised a hand and pulled the cub, who was lying on him, into his arms.
Yin Yanjun looked at the father and son on the lounge chair, raising a hand to gently rub the young man’s slightly reddened eyes, his own eyes filled with lingering tenderness and deep affection.
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