Li Yang walked out of the empress’s palace, wrapped tightly in his cloak. Beside him suddenly came the sound of someone calling out to him: “Brother.”
He turned his head to look and immediately smiled: “5th brother also came to see mother?”
“I was waiting for you.”
Li Qing walked over and gave him a hand warmer: “Just now I saw big brother enter the palace. He should be going to visit father.”
“How is father’s health?”
“Not very good.”
The two didn’t speak anymore.
Emperor Hong Ren was coughing lightly. In front of him was a pile of paperwork stacked like a small mountain. Dou gonggong thoughtfully brought up some tea to help soothe his throat. After he finished drinking, Dou gonggong said softly: “Ping Wang is here to see you.”
“Let him come in.”
Li Xiao walked in, bringing a snow white porcelain bottle with him. He gave it to Dou gonggong and said: “I had Doctor Ji make some supplement pills from precious medicinal herbs. Father should eat one everyday and see.”
Not only did the imperial physicians look over the emperor’s body. Ji Ying also helped assess him as well. However, no matter who saw him, the diagnosis was the same. He could only go slow and take some supplements. However, as the ruler of a nation, the things that stressed him out daily were really way too much.
Emperor Hong Ren accepted with a smile and let him sit down in front of him: “You don’t need to worry about Zhen’s body. It’s pretty good.”
“Father might as well transfer the throne to me. That way you can retire earlier. Perhaps your health will get much better.”
When Dou gonggong heard this, his heart leapt in trepidation. Emperor Hong Ren, however, laughed out loud: “You rascal, don’t you know how to be more tactful when you speak?”
His expression lacked any sense of scolding though. He even called someone to bring some tea and refreshments for Li Xiao: “These last few days you’ve been working with the crown prince. What do you think of him?”
“The crown prince is very suited for settling down the refugees. He’s very amiable. When the refugees see me, they’re all scared to death. When they see the crown prince, they seem very intimate.”
“His personality is pure and kind. He’s a good child. You’re not allowed to bully him.”
“This son obeys.”
Hong Ren also said: “When’s the last time you brothers all got together?”
“At the end of the year, didn’t we just eat dinner together?”
Emperor Hong Ren was a believer of ‘if the family lives in harmony then all affairs will prosper.’ At the end of every year on the 30th, he would always call everyone together to eat a meal. He heard Li Xiao’s reply and chuckled: “I’m saying with just you brothers. Hasn’t it been a long time since you guys got together alone? When you were younger, didn’t you guys always love to stick together and play?”
“We’re older now, each busy with our own things. It’s been a few years.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Zhen heard that Song-er opened a hot pot shop and the food there is not bad. Why don’t you all go there and have some fun when there’s time?”
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Li Xiao sat across from him. From this position, he could see a flower pot outside the windows. The winter just passed and these plants were already impatiently starting to grow fresh tender green buds.
“We’re father and son first. Then ruler and subordinate next. Between father and son, we don’t need that many rules and customs.”
Li Xiao withdrew his gaze and said: “This son understands.”
“Yang-er, that kid, really likes you.” The emperor smiled, his expression carrying a taste of coaxing and indulgence: “He used to love following you around when you were young, isn’t that right?”
Li Xiao smiled and said: “I remember.”
Emperor Hong Ren pointed at the roses growing in the flower pot: “Those were grown by your mother’s own hands. Remember that year, the capital had a huge snow storm, even bigger than the one we had this year. The flowers that were originally there were crushed under the snow and frozen to death. When your mother found out, she carried over water herself and replanted the seeds. Later after she left, every year *cough cough*… when it’s winter time…” When he talked too long without rest, he began to slightly pant for air, breath rattling: “Zhen would order people to cover the flowers tightly to avoid having them freeze to death. I want to always be able to see the flowers that she planted with her own hands.”
Li Xiao gazed at him and said: “The person is no longer here, what’s the point of keeping the flowers?”
“For remembrance.” The emperor smiled and said: “You’re still young. You don’t understand.”
Li Xiao looked down and took a sip of tea.
“Your mother was the type of person who distinguished love and hate clearly. I remember one year, Zhen brought her outside the capital… dressed in commoner’s clothes and we traveled south. I raided a government official’s house. That official committed countless heinous crimes. According to the law, his entire family by 9 generations should have all been guilty by association. He had a young son. The son was really very little… The government officials that accompanied us all said that the son should also repay the father’s debt. He was just born yet already should be executed. However, your mother pleaded mercy for him. She said that the child was innocent. That child didn’t even know how to speak yet. He didn’t know anything.” The emperor asked: “If it were you, what would you have done?”
“If Song-er said something, then I naturally wouldn’t refuse him.”
The father and son crossed gazes. Emperor Hong Ren fell silent for a moment, then abruptly laughed: “Oh you.”
When Li Xiao left the palace, the sky already darkened and the sun had set.
As he walked out of the door, the bodyguard next to him brought over the horse. He didn’t get on however, and continued to walk forward. Occasionally, he looked down at the stone paved road beneath his feet, and other times, his eyes looked up to gaze ahead, as if thinking something.
Today, the tailor sent some baby clothes that they made from the blueprints provided. Song Song touched them all over, loving them so much he couldn’t put them down. He seriously inspected the texture and all of the little thread work in the clothes’ edges. The cloth used to make children’s clothes was considerably softer. The embroidery was also extremely delicate and fine. Song Song already couldn’t wait to see how his little baby would look wearing these, so he grabbed a brush, sat down in front of the table, and started to draw.
First he drew a round tender face, then little hands and feet and the tiny clothes. Song Song dazed away into his creative process.
When Li Xiao came back, he saw Song Song propping his cheek on one hand and smiling happily, who knew what he was envisioning.
Li Xiao slowly walked over. Song Song was completely indulging in his imagination so didn’t notice him, until the area around his waist suddenly tightened. He abruptly jolted and turned his face in alarm. When he saw it was Li Xiao, he glared: “What are you doing! I almost died of fright!”
“What are you thinking about?”
Song Song thought for a moment, then said: “Thinking about a … man.”
Li Xiao’s eyes narrowed. It was easy to sense the cold killing aura that instantly released from his body. He said in a cool tone: “Who?”
Song Song turned around and flopped onto the table, saying deliberately: “Not telling you.”
Li Xiao’s gaze landed the paper under his elbow. He reached out to grab, but Song Song pressed down and refused to let him see. Li Xiao suddenly reached out and pressed a spot on his back.
Song Song: “….. ….”
Cant, can’t move!
Li Xiao casually lifted him up, then picked up the drawing. Song Song remained stuck in the same position, his eyes following the man’s movements. He wanted to say something but he couldn’t open his mouth.
Li Xiao looked at the little kid on the paper. His expression didn’t ease: “So you’re thinking about this little man.”
Song Song: “… ….”
Please give me a chance to say something nice to make you happy!
Li Xiao threw down the picture scroll and picked him up. Unable to resist at all, Song Song was moved from the chair to the bed. Li Xiao climbed on top of him and used a hand to caress his cheek: “What am I really to you?”
Song Song’s expression turned pleading. Li Xiao continued: “If you’re begging for forgiveness, then blink.”
Song Song blinked for his life.
“Am I the most important?”
Song Song blinked again.
Li Xiao laid a kiss on his mouth. Song Song could only helplessly look at the ceiling. Suddenly, Li Xiao chuckled, as if amused by his inability to move. He lowered his head to kiss Song Song again: “Song-er is becoming more and more disobedient.”
Song Song wanted to explain that wasn’t the case, but he couldn’t say anything. Li Xiao was clearly a king, but at this moment, he was brazenly taking advantage of Song Song’s predicament and shamelessly touching him all over. Song Song blinked frantically. Finally Li Xiao’s lips moved from his neck to the corner of his eye: “Song-er looks like you have something to say.”
“… …”
“What do you want to say?”
Song Song thought he was finally going to release him the next second, but Li Xiao continued to say: “How about letting this king take a guess first?”
Song Song rolled his eyes. Pissed off, he almost felt like crying from being unable to respond.
Both arms propped up beside his body, Li Xiao pressed his forehead against Song Song. When he saw Song Song’s eyes turn watery, he finally showed mercy and released his pressure point. As soon as Song Song could move, the first thing he did was take a deep breath. Then he reached his hands out to shove Li Xiao: “How can you bully people like this?”
“Clearly you were the one who first started bullying me.” Li Xiao grabbed his hands in response and pushed them above his head. Avoiding Song Song’s abdomen, Li Xiao started to grope him again: “Song-er is terrible.”
Song Song’s face turned a little red.
Li Xiao’s voice was very pleasant to hear. Whenever he used that deep charming tone to call him terrible, Song Song always felt as if he was bitten by something. His entire body felt numb and tingly. He didn’t dare to meet Li Xiao’s gaze, thus, tried to change the topic: “Today your highness went to visit father. How’s his health?”
Upon mentioning emperor Hong Ren, Li Xiao slightly loosened his grip. Song Song hastily pushed Li Xiao so he could sit up. He raised his hands to fix his messy hair, while Li Xiao reached out and hooked an arm around his waist again: “Father said that in the past, mother once pleaded mercy for an infant. That child’s father commited all sorts of crimes, but mother believed that child was innocent.”
Song Song instantly understood and said smiling: “Congratulations your highness.”
“Song-er didn’t hear the meaning between his words?”
“The emperor wants…. you to not take your anger out on the crown prince.”
“Since you understand, then why do you think this is good news?”
“The emperor said this, that means that he already has plans to pass you the throne. This is naturally good news.”
Chuckling, Li Xiao hugged his slender body and rested his chin on top of Song Song’s soft hair. He sighed and said: “What you said is pretty reasonable.”
“What do you mean, pretty reasonable? It’s clearly extremely reasonable!”
Song Song declared in a confident and optimistic tone. Then he hugged Li Xiao around the neck with both arms, and intimately rubbed against Li Xiao’s nose.
In the previous life, Li Xiao was very duplicitous. He agreed to emperor Hong Ren’s request to support the crown prince, but as soon as the emperor died, he immediately kicked the crown prince out. At that time, he probably only wanted emperor Hong Ren to pass away peacefully. But in this life, Song Song felt like Li Xiao would probably listen to Hong Ren’s wishes if he could legitimately claim the throne.
Li Xiao’s gloomy mood became pleased again by his lively words. He embraced Song Song tighter and said: “Everything you said is correct.”
“Of all virtues, filial piety is the most important.” Song Song became a bragging demon: “My king is the most most most kindhearted person in this world!”
The corner of Li Xiao’s mouth rose: “And?”
“En… My king is also very handsome, so handsome that it’s illegal!”
“And?”
“…. ….” Did he really like to be praised this much?
Song Song continues to say: “You’re the most wonderful person I’ve ever met. The kind that’s like… my god! How could anyone be so wonderful!”
“My god?”
“That’s right. Just like my god!– kind of wonderful.”
The wangfei, who was lacking in descriptions, said it like this.
Thank You for the chapter (´,,•ω•,,)♡
so cute lol
ooohhh, so interesting to see the hidden meanings behind those simple words that would probably just be taken as a story in passing about how children who know nothing should not be involved in the crimes of their parents.
dang, it really takes a lot of brainpower and reading between the lines hahhahah, i’ve read so many historical novels that i feel like i overthink every line i read in stories and find hidden meanings hahah
Love your pfp, soooooo cute. I’m seriously too lazy to read between the lines so I just let the people involved explain it for me.
+1
Li Xiao is back to his Zhen persona 😄. I don’t know how Song Song is going to manage to make him feel like he’s still number one when the prince is born! Jealous daddy lol
Assim, eu acho ruim e injusto culpar as crianças pelos erros dos pais, tipo, só se os filhos fizessem coisas ruins também, tipo os filhos da Madame Song, já Yang é inocente aí. Tô amando o Song Song e o Li Xiao juntos♥️♥️🛐🛐
Extremamente boiola com esse casal ♥️🛐
It’s fine to free the crown prince but does that mean until the end the crown prince won’t know about the crimes his mother did for him? I just hope the crown prince can live well and still have a good brotherhood with Li Xiao. And I can’t hahaha Li Xiao really likes to be praised hahaha wait until the baby is born, will he still always be jealous of his child