In the days following, Li Xiao would head to the palace every day. Emperor Hong Ren’s health has already deteriorated to the point where he could no longer attend court. Li Xiao was to substitute him and manage the affairs of the state. Although it wasn’t said out loud, everyone all knew that the next emperor was going to be Li Xiao.
After court, Li Xiao would head towards Yangxin palace. Not only him, his other brothers and sisters, and also Song Song would visit there from time to time. While they continued to chat and laugh, emperor Hong Ren would occasionally fall silent.
Every time this happened, the room would immediately quiet down, until Dou gonggong informed them: “His majesty just fell asleep.”
This day, Song Song headed over as usual. He brought some kid’s clothes. The imperial physician told him that if he could give the emperor a little hope, maybe he would be able to hold out a little longer.
He walked into the palace, paid his respect and exchanged greetings with emperor Hong Ren. Emperor Hong Ren asked: “Where’s Xiao-er?”
Song Song said: “You asked him to take over the court these days. He’s still there right now.”
Li Yang asked: “Do you want me to call him back?”
“The official matters are more important.” His voice was soft like a mosquito, only heard clearly by those sitting closeby.
To talk right now seemed to use up all the strength in his body. Everyone accompanied quietly beside him, trying not to disturb him. Song Song also sat next to his bed. An already married princess was appreciating the kid’s clothes that he brought very much: “This was made by the embroidery workshop?”
“That’s right.”
“The design on the embroidery is extremely delicate. Did you draw it yourself?”
Song Song said with a smile: “I was a little bored.”
Several of the women touched it in turn, discussing the materials used and also discussing the needlework. After a while, Song Song looked over and discovered emperor Hong Ren sitting quietly again. He leaned close and found his clothes to be wet and said softly: “Father, let’s change your clothes. How did your clothes get wet from sweat again?”
“He sweated again?” The 2nd princess hurriedly leaned over and called with concern: “Father?”
Emperor Hong Ren nodded his head. Dou gonggong put up the curtain and Li Yang personally went to help him change into dry clothes. The last few days, he’s been sweating a lot. There was nothing the imperial physician could do. They could only change it every time it got wet. The redressed and cleaned emperor sat facing everyone again. His sons and daughters sat around him. Standing to his side, Li Yang held his hand and said: “Big brother should be returning soon.”
They all reached a mutual understanding and didn’t mention what happened before, as if it never happened.
Emperor Hong Ren nodded his head, his voice like a mosquito, almost indiscernible. Li Yang leaned close and barely managed to hear him say: “Don’t hate your big brother.”
His voice was really too small. No one else in the surrounding heard anything. Li Yang made a noise of agreement.
Emperor Hong Ren held the clothes made for a small child, his thumb lightly caressing the material. Then he stopped moving.
Li Yang perceptively noticed this moment and called out: “Father?”
He called out twice more in succession. Dou gonggong hastily stepped forth to support the emperor: “Your majesty?”
He hesitated, then slowly reached out his hand to check the other’s breathing.
Just at this moment, movement came from outside. Li Shu said: “Big brother is back from court!”
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.
As the eldest son, as soon as Li Xiao walked over, everyone in the surrounding made space for him. He walked straight over and held emperor Hong Ren’s hand: “This son has returned.”
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When he said this, everyone in the room all knelt. Li Yang’s tears fell like rain: “Father–!!”
Dou gonggong reminded him from the side: “Careful not to let your tears land on him. Stand back when you cry. Let him go unfettered.”
Li Xiao stood up from the bedside and also knelt.
Inside the empress dowager’s palace. Ever since emperor Hong Ren’s illness got worse, she’s been staying in the Buddhist Hall. Behind her came activity. Her personal momo hastily ran over. The hand that the empress dowager was using to fiddle with the prayer beads stopped when she heard the momo wail: “His majesty passed away.”
Starting from Yangxin palace, the servants, guards, palace maids, all kneeled down. The knell sounded. The entire nation mourned.
On the day to send off emperor Hong Ren into the holy mausoleum, the sky was bright blue and cloudless. The sun was blinding. The rituals for burial of a royal family were extremely complicated. Song Song was also heavy with child, so he didn’t enter the holy mausoleum. He sat outside in the carriage, looking towards the inside of the mausoleum from a distance, and suddenly thought about the once respected empress Qin.
After she died, she was relieved of her title as empress. Therefore, she had no rights to be buried in the holy mausoleum. In the end, the only person that accompanied emperor Hong Ren in the mausoleum was empress Zhao.
It was said that even the inscriptions on her memorial tablet, was written by emperor Hong Ren himself.
They brought the honor guards over, then brought the honor guards back. En route, Song Song and Li Xiao separated. One headed towards the king’s estate. The other went to the palace.
The edict for succession was announced to the nation. Although he didn’t formally ascend the throne and didn’t wear the dragon robe yet, that man had already become the ruler of the world.
Inside the carriage, Song Song looked towards Li Xiao’s royal carriage. He couldn’t see Li Xiao, and also didn’t know what Li Xiao was thinking about. However, because of emperor Hong Ren’s death, Li Xiao had to prepare for the funeral, take care of state business, and at the same time, work with the minister of rites to arrange for his coronation ceremony. These last few days, Song Song wasn’t able to speak much to Li Xiao.
Song Song had a ‘suddenly the distance between them grew further apart’ kind of feeling.
Lowering the carriage curtains, he sighed and returned to lay down at home. It was only to lay down. He couldn’t fall asleep. He felt a little dazed and wondered if Li Xiao had already forgotten him. After all, according to customs, after the coronation ceremony, the emperor was supposed to pick concubines for his harem in order to guarantee the continuation of the royal bloodline.
Inevitably, he thought about emperor Hong Ren and empress Zhao. All those years ago, emperor Hong Ren kept insisting he only wanted empress Zhao, in the end, he still touched many others. Not only Qin Qinghe, but also Li Qing’s mother, Li Shu’s mother, as well as Li Yun’s mother…
Song Song furiously shook his head, puffed up his cheeks and rolled up tightly inside his blankets.
He thought ‘what’s wrong with me? I’m not even the empress and yet I’m already thinking about monopolizing the emperor. This isn’t good, not good at all.’
He forced himself to hurry up and fall asleep, but suddenly heard a voice from outside: “Your majesty.”
The previous majesty was Hong Ren. Now, it’s Li Xiao.
Ears instantly shooting up, Song Song heard the man say quietly: “Is he sleeping?”
That voice sounded a little hoarse, probably from busying about continuously the last few days. The previous voice replied: “Wangfei went to bed early.”
Li Xiao was the emperor but he was still wangfei. How strange.
Song Song just finished thinking this when he heard Li Xiao remind the servant: “Need to call him empress in the future.”
That voice hastily agreed: “Understood.”
“Get the water ready. Zhen will bathe.”
Song Song felt happy at hearing his correction, but then felt disappointed to know he was going to bathe. That meant that it’ll be a while longer before Li Xiao could come talk with him.
He was busy criticizing in his heart when the sound of light footsteps walked closer. Song Song instantly closed his eyes. Next to his ears came the sound of rustling. Light breathing puffed over his cheeks. Li Xiao kissed him on the cheek: “Really asleep?”
Song Song pretended he couldn’t hear.
A chuckle. The bed curtains pulled closed again and the man’s footsteps walked away.
Song Song raised his hand and touched his face where he was kissed, the sulky mood just now disappearing in an instant. He patiently waited about half an incense before Li Xiao returned and laid behind him, bringing a light soapy smell on his body.
A pair of hands reached past his waist and pulled him firmly into an embrace.
Light breathing brushed past Song Song’s neck. He couldn’t resist. Acting like he just woke up, Song Song rubbed his eyes and turned over to mumble: “Your high… Your majesty is back.”
“You just found out?”
Song Song watched him through half-lidded eyes. Li Xiao tightened his arms and kissed his lips. That kiss was gentle and soft but also completely unrestrained. Song Song was kissed until he was gasping for air, until he was finally certain that Li Xiao was still Li Xiao and he hadn’t been discarded just because Li Xiao became the emperor.
His entire heart free from anxiety, Song Song complained: “You’ve been so busy these days.”
“Song-er needs to show Zhen some understanding.”
Maybe it’s because he was already used to it in the dream, Li Xiao had no problem changing how he addressed himself. Song Song nudged him with his head and said: “How come you came back here to sleep today?”
“I came back to make some arrangements”
“What kind of arrangements?”
“To move into the palace tomorrow. You as well.”
Stunned for a moment, Song Song said: “This trivial matter, you can leave it for me to do. There’s no need for you to….”
“Family matters aren’t trivial.” Li Xiao squeezed his soft cheeks and said: “I haven’t had the time to talk to Song-er these days. The expression that you used to look at Zhen today, seemed like you were about to cry.”
Song Song’s face turned red: “Who…. Who said I was bothered by this.”
“Then why are you bitter?”
“Who’s bitter?” Angry, Song Song tried to cover up: “I would never be bitter about your future harem!”
“So this is what you were thinking about.” Li Xiao grabbed his hand and kissed it: “Even if I had a harem in the future, Song-er would definitely be the head. It’s okay. You don’t need to be jealous.”
“I’m not….” Song Song got angry again, but because of Li Xiao’s identity, he couldn’t release his ire directly: “Who wants to be the head of your harem.”
“Then what do you want to be? A little concubine?”
Song Song instantly shot a look at him, his expression filled with dissatisfaction.
But Li Xiao didn’t try to cheer him up. He said: “Do you have something you want to say?”
Song Song looked down and said: “No.”
“Then you really want to be a little concubine?” Li Xiao said deliberately: “Looks like Zhen will have to marry another to be the empress. Otherwise there’d be no one to manage the harem since Song-er has ambitions elsewhere.”
Song Song didn’t make a sound, only slowly pursed his lips: “What does it have to do with me? You’re already the emperor. You’re in charge of deciding who gets to be head. What qualifications do I have to butt in?”
Li Xiao stared at his wet eyelashes, slowly raised his hand and poked his face. The softness felt very good, just like his well behaved, and resigned good temper.
Clearly when facing others, he was like a little hedgehog, but in Li Xiao’s embrace, he suddenly became a round dough, enticing Li Xiao to squeeze him flat and knead him round.
Suddenly, Li Xiao couldn’t resist laughing.
Song Song lifted his eyes to glance at him, then ducked his head sulkily again.
To be honest, he kind of knew that Li Xiao doesn’t like it when he suppresses his reactions. To Li Xiao, if Song Song didn’t follow his expectations to throw a tantrum and act unreasonable, that meant he didn’t like Li Xiao enough. But the truth was exactly the opposite. Song Song can be indifferent to other people because he doesn’t care about what others think about him. But he cared too much about Li Xiao, therefore he couldn’t help but suppress his reactions. He was even afraid to say anything too severe.
Li Xiao said softly: “So pitiful.”
This sentence seemed to carry a pampering tone. Song Song immediately complained: “I’m not pitiful.”
“So pitiful that you’re too afraid to say the words in your heart. If you continue to be like this, then Zhen won’t dote on you anymore.”
“I… …”
“I’m asking you again. Do you want to be the head of the harem or a little concubine?”
“… …” Li Xiao’s expression was indifferent, making it hard to discern what he’s thinking. Song Song looked at him for a while. Blinking his reddened eyes, he gathered the courage to say: “I want to be the only one.”
Li Xiao looked at him for a while.
Song Song looked down again, his fingers gripping his clothes tightly. He was even holding his breath, until Li Xiao leaned over to kiss him again, carrying with it an enduring restraint, as if holding back the feelings he had no where to unburden. He said without losing any of his previous gentleness: “All according to Song-er’s wishes.”
“As long as you’re willing to ask, Zhen will always listen and comply.”
We all know he’ll definitely have a concubine (if irl) the ministers wouldn’t let it fly lest Songsong gives birth twice a year
Yeah, because Emperor Hong Ren didn’t want any either so there’s probably no way around it without serious consequences. But maybe they can blindfold them and send the other princes in 😄. Let’s call it bonding, like the emperor asked Li Xiao to do.
Sheesh. Y’all be cute or sumthn
I doubt anyone would dare tell the “mad” emperor what he has to do or not lol and Li Xiao only does what Song Song wants so they definitely just keep having babies by themselves indefinitely, no need for concubines 😆
Thank You for the chapter (๑°꒵°๑)･*♡
The previous emperor really won.
To die surrounded by ur children that actually cared.
frfr
He raised them well. It’s just that he picked the wrong woman to replace the first empress.
He doesn’t like women, so will it be a harem of boys then? They can’t get pregnant like Song-er !!
Crying 😭 Why did the good emperor have to die so quickly, I really wish he lived longer to see his children living in harmony and holding his grandson while enjoying peace. Whereas other evil emperors in different novels really made me angry and berate them but they seemed to have 9 lives. It’s good that Song song finally expressed his heart that she is the only one! I think they will have many children in the future hahaha Song-er will bear many children for the emperor
Man, this chapter’s too bitttersweet. 🫠🫠
Hong Ren’s a rare species among the emperors i’ve read. Be it with regards to his love or child raising, i wish there was more of father figures like him.