Reminiscence

Despite it being summer, the child in bed was tightly curled up in a thin blanket, looking fragile as if a gust of wind could break him.

In the game of imperial power, human life was the least important.

But this child, his life had just begun.

As the emperor’s health deteriorated and Lu Li was at a critical juncture, although this child’s biological mother had a poor background, he was still Lu Li’s eldest son.

In the future, if Lu Li ascended to the throne, even if he couldn’t inherit the throne, he would surely live a life of glory and wealth.

Even if the Xie family temporarily took care of him, in a few years, when Lu Li stabilized his foundation, he could still choose to go back.

Staying in the Xie family would be troublesome.

Sang Yao asked softly, “How old is he?”

Xie Yun replied, “He’s a month older than Jiujie.”

Sang Yao glanced at the child on the bed again. He didn’t look like a child of the same age as Jiujie. Sang Yao even doubted if he could walk yet.

If Jiujie stood next to him, she could probably push him over with one slap.

Sang Yao sighed softly and said, “He’s so young.”

Whether to secretly send him away or not, none of these options would securely nurture this child under their watchful eyes.

The problem was how to explain the two years that had passed and the sudden appearance of another child.

After pondering for a moment, she said, “Why not keep him at home for a while, slowly release some information, and say that he was originally a twin. According to the fortune-teller, there was a calamity before the age of two, so he was secretly sent away to avoid it.”

“As for the later part, say that he survived the calamity but was injured, so he was sent to a branch in the north to recuperate.”

“In the next few days, you can pretend to send someone to fetch him, saying that you’re going to bring him back.”

Sang Yao didn’t intend to hide this child’s background.

Whether he wanted to enter the palace to vie for power or stay in the Xie family, it was up to him.

Xie Yun had been quietly listening to Sang Yao, and after she finished speaking, he smiled and said, “I’ll arrange it according to your words.”

For the past two years, Sang Yao had been involved in many affairs of the Xie family and could handle most matters, big or small, on her own without relying on others.

Sang Yao didn’t hear any indulgence or praise in Xie Yun’s tone. After he finished speaking, she sighed again as she looked at the child, saying, “Let him rest well, poor little one.”

As Xie Yun held her hand and they were about to leave, they heard the sound of footsteps behind them.

“Daddy, Mommy!”

Jiujie’s voice was childish but energetic as she ran towards Sang Yao.

The child on the bed seemed startled by the sound, his body trembling slightly as he suddenly opened his eyes.

Before Sang Yao could stop her, Jiujie had already run up to her, saying, “You came here to play secretly without me—”

At that moment, Jiujie and the child on the bed made eye contact.
She tilted her head and exclaimed, “What’s that?”

The thin and weak child slowly sat up, his gaze showing a hint of caution and timidity.

He shifted backward slightly, and when his gaze met Xie Yun’s, he softly exclaimed, “Thank you, sir.”

Jiujie didn’t understand.

She grabbed Xie Yun’s hand and said, “Why are you calling my daddy?”

She tilted her head and asked, “What’s your name, where are you from, and why are you in my house?”

The child was confused by Jiujie’s series of questions.

He hugged his knees silently, his voice very low, and explained, “My grandpa called me Yunting. It’s a name given to me by a village priest.”

“My home is in Fenshui Village, but my grandpa passed away, and our house collapsed.”

He looked at Jiujie cautiously and said, “I’m sorry.”

Jiujie was even more puzzled.

She asked, “Why are you apologizing?”

Yunting said, “…I slept in your house.”

Xie Yun shook Jiujie’s hand, lowered his gaze, and said, “He’s just staying here temporarily. Why did you come here? Have you finished reading your book?”

He didn’t explain much about the child to Jiujie.

Although they would spread rumors outside that he was Sang Yao and Xie Yun’s child, it didn’t mean they would really treat this child as their son.

He was just temporarily hiding here.

When his father gained power, they would find an excuse to declare him dead, change his name, and make him a prince.

Jiujie had many playmates, and the brothers and sisters in the house liked to tease her because she was the youngest, but this was the first time she had seen someone younger than herself, so she paid more attention to him.

She let go of Xie Yun’s hand and ran inside, staring at the skinny boy. “You look…”

Yunting clutched the small blanket on him, looking at the girl who was as white as snow in front of him.

He dared not look at her, afraid of being scolded. Indeed, his appearance was not as good as her hair.

Jiujie racked her brains for a long time and finally said, “You look like a flower.”

“Like the small yellow flower in the yard, thin and yellow.”

Yunting was stunned for a moment.

He instinctively wanted to look out the window, trying to find the small yellow flower she mentioned, but he felt it was not appropriate to move around like that.

So, he blinked and said softly, “Thank you.”

Sang Yao stepped forward, hugged Jiujie, and said, “Jiujie, you can’t say things like that about others.”

Then she turned to Yunting and said gently, “Rest well. If you need anything, just let us know.”

After saying a few more words to Yunting, Sang Yao carried Jiujie out.

Xie Yun took Jiujie from Sang Yao’s arms and whispered, “Why do you still want others to carry you when you’re so big now?”

Jiujie snorted and pressed her cheek against Xie Yun’s neck, hugging him playfully. “I want to be carried, I want to be carried, I want to be carried!”

With one hand supporting Jiujie and the other holding Sang Yao’s hand, Xie Yun said to Jiujie, “When you grow up more, your mother won’t be able to carry you anymore.”

Jiujie snorted again, quickly forgetting about the boy from earlier.

She shook her chubby legs and said, “I don’t want to make my mother tired. I want daddy to carry me.”

---

It was another Mid-Autumn Festival.

After returning from the palace banquet, Sang Yao looked up and saw the huge moon hanging in the sky.

Its clear light bathed everything in a cool glow.

Jiujie was carrying a small flower lantern in front, and Jinglian followed closely behind, holding three lanterns, big and small, playing happily.

Xie Yun quietly held Sang Yao’s hand.

Sang Yao suddenly said, “Four years ago, we became a couple on this day.”

She couldn’t remember the specifics of that day very clearly, but after several years, she could still recall the man who had been supporting her hand in the dark.

Under the heavy and elaborate clothing, his arm was very stable, supporting her from the sedan chair to the bridal chamber.

Even though they were not motivated by love at that time, thinking back now, Sang Yao didn’t feel any regret about their marriage.

After thinking for a while, she said, “But it seems that we didn’t come out to see the moon that day.”

Xie Yun glanced up and said, “We were busy that day.”

Sang Yao looked at him and said, “How could we be busy?”

Xie Yun remembered clearly and said calmly, “Because you were still studying at that time, with a heavy workload. Did you forget?”

Sang Yao, who had returned from her studies for a long time, no longer had the same mentality as before when she heard these things again.

Originally, she was almost like a blank sheet of paper when it came to matters between men and women, and she trusted Xie Yun extremely, believing almost everything he said.

So, at that time, instead of directly consummating their marriage, he taught her step by step, and she thought Xie Yun was really a good person.

Now looking back, what good person? He was full of bad intentions.

“You planned it back then, didn’t you?”

Xie Yun said, “Of course not.”

After a moment of contemplation, he said, “My original plan was on that night…”

He paused, and Sang Yao made a confused sound, “What?”

Xie Yun raised the corner of his lips and whispered the remaining words in Sang Yao’s ear.

Sang Yao’s eyes widened in shock. She glared at him after making sure Jiujie couldn’t hear, saying, “Shameless!”

Thinking back to the past, she added indignantly, “You taught me too. You weren’t that good at it back then, you could only deceive me.”

Xie Yun’s pace was slow, his voice lazy, without a hint of reflection. He continued, “Back then, it was to give you a chance to fall in love with me.”

As they spoke, they had already entered the West Garden.

Jiujie suddenly turned around with her lantern.

The dim light cast a warm glow on her cheeks. She raised her voice, “Daddy, mommy, why are you walking so slowly?”

“Uncle Jing said you’re playing a game that can’t be disturbed. What game is it?”