Chapter 77: Warm Heart
“No.”
Yan Hong Tian’s voice was calm and low as usual which gave a shock to Lou Su Xin and Xin Yue Ning. Over the years, the Emperor’s heirs were scarce and he did not take it seriously and even to Jing-er, his only Prince, Yan Hong Tian would also be indifferent. But today he actually took interest in a newborn baby.
Xin Yu Ning’s heart was shocked and angry but Lou Su Xin’s was much more calmer and she asked, “Why not to bring back to the Palace?”
Yan Hong Tian’s cold brows slightly p.r.i.c.ked and did not have any intention to explain it. Seeing that the Empress Dowager’s expression was getting unhappier, w.a.n.g Zhi Yang quickly stepped forward and said, “Replying the Empress Dowager, a premature child’s body is very frail and cannot endure even the slightest wind, much less the fatigue of travel. It is better to let the Little Prince to recuperate in this residence for a few days before heading back to the Palace.”
Seeing the small and thin baby in her arms, Lou Su Xin’s heart ached and she exclaimed, “Then Aijia will stay here so that it would be easier to take care.”
The Empress Dowager would actually stay back for the child? It was indeed different for a Prince. That year when Concubine Ru gave birth to a Princess, the Empress Dowager did not treasure the baby to this extent! After loosening her tight fist hidden in her sleeves, Xin Yue Ning pretended to be worried and said, “Imperial Mother, how can one let you toil? Let Chenqie stay behind to take care, after all Jing-er was brought up single-handedly by Chenqie so Chenqie have some experience in childcare.”
“Aijia know that you have the heart but Jing-er still need your care and guidance so you should head back to the Palace earlier.” Even though she was speaking, Lou Su Xin’s thoughts were all on the Little Precious and her eyes did not accommodate anyone else.
“But…” Xin Yue Ning wanted to say something but Yan Hong Tian could not tolerate, “Enough. Zhen will make arrangements here and you all can go back. Xiao Yu, send the Empress Dowager and Empress out.”
“Yes. Your Ladyship the Empress, please.” Xiao Yu walked to Xin Yue Ning’s side and gave a bow before making a requesting gesture. It seems to be polite and respectful but was blocking Xin Yue Ning that she could not even say another word to the Emperor! Xin Yue Ning glared at Xiao Yu harshly. This lowly servant relied on the backing of the Emperor and did not put anyone in her eyes. She would one day get rid of her! There was not one thing that was to her liking today and she unfortunately cannot get angry now. Xin Yue Ning was filled with anger as she coldly scoffed and pushed Xiao Yu before walking out in a fury.
Lou Su Xin slowly raised her head and looked at Yan Hong Tian’s cold face when she suddenly laughed. She did not think that he actually started to chase people away. If she don’t leave then she would also be “invited” out. It was rare that he had a little initiative of a father so she did not make things difficult for him. Pa.s.sing the child to the midwife, Lou Su Xin softly said, “Alright, then Aijia will go back first. Make early arrangement for Imperial Concubine Qing and the Prince to go back to the Palace. It’s not necessarily safer here.”
Lou Su Xin returned to the Palace after leaving a profound sentence but Xiao Yu found that the Emperor’s expression was still cold and that dark cloudy air around him was much heavier.
*****
“En…” Qing Feng slowly woke up and felt her entire body fatigue with her head feeling dizzy. After finally opening her eyes, the lights were so dim that she was unable to see anything clearly. Feeling that someone was approaching, Qing Feng wanted to open her lips to inquire when she heard Ru Yi’s joyous voice, “Your Ladyship, you are awake!”
Ru Yi parted open the curtain and lit two lanterns and the chambers was much brighter. Qing Feng half propped herself and looked out, it was already dark outside the window, “What is the time now? How long have I slept for?”
“It is just after Xushi (modern timing: 7 – 9 pm). You had been sleeping from the afternoon till now. The Imperial Physician had brought over two rounds of medicine but you did not woke.” Picking up the bowl on the table, Ru Yi walk to Qing Feng’s side and gently said, “You must be hungry. Drink some bird’s nest porridge. The medicine will be send over soon.”
Medicine? Yes, she and Yan Hong Tian went up the mountain to view the bamboo scenery, then after she fell down the mountain trail… The child! Everything that happened today flashed in her mind and Qing Feng looked around in a flurry and did not see her child or anything that was related to a child. There was no baby cot, no baby quilt or coat. There was nothing at all. This room was so clean that it was like the condition it was when she came yesterday. Could it be that the child was not able to be saved in the end? Qing Feng heart pained as she tried to supress her fears and asked difficultly, “Where is… My child?”
With one hand holding the bowl of porridge and the other hand supporting Qing Feng to sit up, Ru Yi comforted, “Your Ladyship need not worry, you gave birth to a Little Prince for the Emperor and the Empress Dowager specially chosen two wet nurses and a few experience old mamas to take care of the Prince. Your Ladyship can rest a.s.sure.”
Was it indeed a boy? Qing Feng struggled to sit up and anxiously said, “Pa.s.s the porridge to me and go and carry the baby for me to see.” When the baby was delivered, she fainted thus she did not even see the face of her child and was currently anxious to see him.
“Yes.” After handing the bowl to Qing Feng, Ru Yi attentively took a few cushions to support Qing Feng’s waist and made her lean more comfortably before leaving the chambers.
Holding the bowl of porridge, Qing Feng felt a little numb as at this moment her brain was still a little mixed up. After a short while, a few footsteps were heard coming nearer. Qing Feng looked up and saw Ru Yi leading two persons in, one a pretty female around twenty plus of age, carrying a red brocade swaddling wrap cloth, and behind her stood an old mama. Both of them walked to the side of the bed and slightly bend to greet, “These servants greets your Ladyship. May your Ladyship have innumerable fortune and safety.”
The baby in the swaddling clothes should be her child. Seeing that female firmly carrying the child in her arms, Qing Feng’s heart inexplicably uncomfortable and loudly spoke, “Ru Yi.”
Ru Yi was intuitive and carefully carried Little Prince over. When she reached the bed, she squatted down and lifted the baby higher so that Qing Feng can see clearer.
Under the candle light, the little baby red face looked even more rosy with a touch of pink. His eyes were closed like he was asleep and that two little hands were balled up to a fist and on his chest. He was really very small. This was her child… Qing Feng wanted to reach out to hug him but he was so small and so frail and she was so afraid that she would hurt him.
Looking unblinkingly at that little guy, she thought about him being in her belly and tortured her so much that she was unable to eat or sleep well and also kick her frequently. Qing Feng could not tell how her heart was feeling. It was warm and full. Qing Feng was looking so entranced and Ru Yi was carrying the baby vertically. Perhaps he was a little uncomfortable and gently turned. That pretty female saw it and wanted to go forward to carry the baby but Qing Feng slightly frowned, “You all can withdraw.”
“This…” The pretty female looked at the old mama beside her perplexedly and the old mama took a step forward and spoke softly, “Your Ladyship’s body is frail and must rest well. The servants were brought over by the Empress Dowager’s orders and would definitely be dedicated in taking care of the Little Prince. May your Ladyship rest a.s.sure.”
Qing Feng look at that seemingly respectful, but actually not, old mama and laughed coldly, “Is it that Bengong’s words are not clear enough or is there a change in master here and now it is you all who are the masters?”
Both of them got scared and quickly knelt down, the crime of going against a master is a big one and they cannot bear it! They had long heard that this Imperial Concubine Qing had lots of tricks up her sleeves but did not know that she was this powerful. She just woke up and could give them a show of strength. This was unlike the Palace and the Empress Dowager was not here thus they had to adapt to the circ.u.mstances since the Emperor favoured her.
“This servant don’t dare. This servant will retire.” Both persons respectfully bowed and hurried out.
Ru Yi was secretly pleased. That old mama took the advantage that she belonged to the Empress Dowager and was yelling and shouting at her just now. It was a good thing that her own mistress’s presence was getting more awe-inspiring. When Ru Yi’s heart was in the midst of rejoicing, the Little Prince in her arms was no longer happy. Unsure if it was because of Ru Yi’s young age thus she did not know how to carry or was it that the child was hungry, the previous sounding sleeping little guy started to writhing his neck and making crying noises. Ru Yi panicked and did not know what to do. Qing Feng place the bowl of porridge down by her side table and said, “Let me carry.”
After placing the Little Prince onto Qing Feng’s arms, Ru Yi was relieved as she squatted in front of the bed and praised with a smile, “The Little Prince is so adorable and look just like the Emperor.”
The soft feeling in her arms made Qing Feng’s heart soften and her lips unconsciously hooked up. She coax the child as she listened to Ru Yi. Look like him? Qing Feng carefully look at the little guy in her arms, a small little face which was still not even awake. Still considered adorable but how to see if he looks like who?
When she did not see Yan Hong Tian when she woke up, even though Qing Feng did not say it, her heart felt some disappointment. So when Ru Yi mention it, Qing Feng pretended to casually ask, “Where’s the Emperor?”
“In the afternoon, the Empress Dowager and Empress came over to visit you and it seems that they… Had a dispute with the Emperor. After they left, the Emperor also went out and was not back till now.”
Qing Feng was slightly stunned, “The Empress Dowager and Empress came over to see me?”
“En.”
Qing Feng wanted to ask about what dispute was there with the Empress Dowager and Yan Hong Tian when she heard the doors open and a familiar figure strode in.
Ru Yi quickly knelt down and bowed, “May the Emperor have innumerable fortune.”
The baby in her arms finally stopped crying and Qing Feng was secretly relieved. She looked up at Yan Hong Tian and saw him standing in front of the screen, taking off his outer robes. His clothes were actually wet. Qing Feng looked out the wind and found out that it had begun to drizzle.
Ru Yi quickly got up to serve. She took the outer robes and got some clean clothes for the Emperor to change.
Seeing Ru Yi helping him to tidy up, Qing Feng did not say anything more and softly cajoling the baby as she asked softly, “Had your meal?”
It was an ordinary sentence that any wife in an ordinary family would ask but it made Yan Hong Tian freeze for a moment. He felt a different and fresh feeling in his heart. Since his accession to the throne, there was no one who dared to speak to him like that.
Yan Hong Tian looked in and that light orange candlelight through the thin drapes and onto her, like a halo around her. Her loose hair was not tied together, revealing a lazy style as it hung behind her. The colour on her face was much better than during the day and as she was gently rocking the child in her arms, her face was filled with contentment and joy of pampering. Yan Hong Tian was sucked into this warm and beautiful scene that he forgot to respond.
After no one answered for a long time, Qing Feng looked up and met with a pair of blank and dazed eyes. Qing Feng laughed, “Have not eaten yet?”
After recovering himself, Yan Hong Tian lightly coughed and faintly replied, “Taken already.” When he walked to the front of the bed he saw a bowl of still steaming porridge on the side table with only a few mouthfuls eaten. Yan Hong Tian frowned, “Why only eat so little?”
After he said that, Qing Feng felt that her stomach was indeed hungry and gently waved towards him, “Come over here.”
Yan Hong Tian just went beside her to sit down when Qing Feng placed the child she was carrying to his arms and said, “Let you carry for a while. I will drink the porridge.”
Qing Feng had only just ate two mouthful when she heard Yan Hong Tian deep voice calling out, “Ru Yi.”
“Yes.”
“Carry the child away.”
“Wait.” Qing Feng got anxious, “Why should the child be carried away?”
“It is no longer early and you should rest so naturally the child have to be taken care by the wet nurse.” Yan Hong Tian’s expression was weird and his brows were knitted tightly together. She know that there were such regulations in the Palace and the princes or princess would usually not live with the mother. After birth, the child would be taken care by the wet nurses and old mamas. The mothers could only see the child when they come over in the morning and evening greetings. This was perhaps their norms but she did not want it to be like this. If she cannot take care or be with her own child, what kind of mother was that? She was born in a normal family, with a mother’s devotion, father’s warm and generosity and harmonious sisters. She wished that her child would be like her.
Yan Hong Tian’s expression was not good from the beginning and Qing Feng did not want to argue with him this time. She put on a soft voice and said, “I just saw the child and could not bear to be separated with him. Let him accompany me tonight, alright?”
Yan Hong Tian had always been stubborn and Qing Feng thought that she would need to use a lot of effort to convince him but who knew that he did not talk to her about any rules or regulation and instead raise the child hurriedly and coldly said, “Then you carry yourself.”
The child was obedient and did not cry or make a fuss and this was his son so why did he have that look of avoidance! Qing Feng asked curiously, “What’s with you?”
Yan Hong Tian remained silent and his face had gotten much darker. When the little baby moved his neck, Yan Hong Tian immediately stiffen and his voice had traces of panic, “He’s… Too soft. Quickly carry him away.” He did not have many heirs and also did not carry a child before thus he naturally did not know what to do. The little baby was so soft like there were no bones at all!
As it turns out he put on a dark expression and wanted the child to be carried away because he did not know how to carry a child? Qing Feng found it ridiculous and funny. After knowing the reason, she took her outstretched hands back and snappily humph, “You think that it is that easy to be a father! Continue carrying.” Finishing, she happily continue to pick up the bowl of porridge and just kept on eating.
Ru Yi looked up slightly and saw the Emperor holding the Little Prince with both hands, neither letting go nor carrying properly and could not help but giggled. Yan Hong Tian shot a cold look to her and she was so scared that her neck shrank back. The Emperor could not bear to be angry with her Ladyship and the Little Prince but would absolutely be willing to take it out on her.
“This servant will retire.” Ru Yi hurriedly bowed and quickly ran out.
The rain was falling outside the house but in the house the Emperor of Qiong Yue and master of six nations had an indescribable feeling. Or was this a so called feeling of a father?