Chapter 54: Reaping What One Sows

Chapter 54: Reaping What One Sows

During dinner, all the children gathered around the table. Rong'er and Ming'er sat on either side of Zhu Yunjing, waiting obediently for the meal to begin.

Zhu Yunxuan's gaze never left Rong'er. Seeing this, Zhu Yunjing gently held Rong'er's hand and whispered, "Rong'er, would you like to sit with Little Uncle?"

Rong'er looked up at Zhu Yunjing, his eyes brimming with sadness as he shook his head without a word.

"Never mind, let him stay there. He must have missed you after not seeing you for a month," Zhu Yunxuan said, not insisting and unwilling to make the child uncomfortable. "Let's eat."

Sitting beside Zhu Yunxuan, Zhu Yunqiong glanced at Rong'er and then at Zhu Yunjing. Though curious, he tactfully refrained from asking questions. He was no longer an innocent child who knew nothing; years of hardship had matured his disposition. From the way Yuan Bao and the others addressed Zhu Yunxuan, he had already guessed Zhu Yunjing's identity but chose to feign ignorance.

Yuan Bao wrinkled his nose and made a silly face at Rong'er. "Little fool."

Rong'er blinked, looking puzzled.

Zhu Yunjing served food to the two children. Rong'er ate very politely, using his small spoon to feed himself bit by bit, savoring each bite slowly and not being picky about the food. However, it was evident that he favored scrambled eggs and a dish of crystal shrimp. Zhu Yunxuan also added some food to his plate, selecting extra shrimp for him. Rong'er's eyes lit up with a smile, and he thanked his uncle politely, "Thank you, Little Uncle."

"You're welcome," Zhu Yunxuan replied warmly, though a sour feeling welled up in his heart.

After dinner, Zhu Yunxuan and the others continued to chat over tea. Yuan Bao took Zhu Yunqiong out to play, but the two younger ones refused to leave, sticking close to Zhu Yunjing in case he vanished in the blink of an eye.

Fortunately, they were well-behaved. While the adults conversed, the children quietly played a game of checkers nearby, making no noise.

He Huailing shared with Zhu Yunxuan the origins of the pirates in detail. He knew more than Zhu Yunjing did. Although he couldn't pinpoint their hideout, he could estimate that there were nearly ten thousand pirates with over thirty ships. They were indeed descendants of the remnants from the previous dynasty, who had, over the past two hundred years, captured more people from Great Yan and the Southern Seas to populate their island.

"We've captured quite a number of pirates over the years and interrogated them rigorously. However, no matter how we asked, we couldn't pry the location of their hideout from them. It seems that even the lower-ranking pirates aren't too clear about where their base is located. Each time they enter or exit that haunted region, they have to stay hidden in the ship's hold for almost two hours, unable to discern directions."

Zhu Yunxuan listened absentmindedly, his gaze fixed on Rong'er. After He Huailing finished speaking, there was a momentary pause before Zhu Yunxuan seemed to come back to reality, diverting his gaze and asking thoughtfully, "So what's your plan now?"

He Huailing replied, "The pirates we captured this time have been imprisoned. I plan to personally interrogate them tomorrow."

Zhu Yunxuan nodded. Seeing that Zhu Yunxuan still seemed distracted, Zhu Yunjing changed the subject to talk about family matters. "Rong'er has been studying with his tutor for a few months now. He's doing very well in reading and writing, showing great progress. He's quite intelligent, a promising child."

Zhu Yunxuan looked at Rong'er again. The little boy was staring intently at the board, pondering his next move with great seriousness. After watching for a while, a smile spread across Zhu Yunxuan's eyes. "That's good."

Actually, it didn't matter if his Rong'er wasn't smart. He had all the patience in the world and could teach him slowly.

"Rong'er's personality is just a bit soft, and he cries too easily, but it's no big deal. He's only three. He'll grow out of it," Zhu Yunjing chuckled and sighed. "He's actually quite like Your Majesty. If Your Majesty can do it, there's no reason he won't be able to do it in the future."

Seemingly aware that the adults were discussing him, Rong'er lifted his head, looking around blankly before protesting softly, "Rong'er isn't crying."

They all laughed. Ming'er rubbed his eyes and jumped off his chair, cuddling up to Zhu Yunjing for affection. "Daddy, I'm tired. I want to sleep with you."

Rong'er also tottered over, gazing eagerly at Zhu Yunjing. "Rong'er wants to as well..."

He Huailing held their shoulders, reminding them, "Daddy just got back and is tired. Don't cling to him, be good children."

The two youngsters refused to listen, each holding tightly onto the hem of Zhu Yunjing's robe. Zhu Yunjing was helpless. Zhu Yunxuan stepped forward, his eyes filled with anticipation as he looked at Rong'er. "Rong'er, would Little Uncle tuck you in?"

Bending down, he stretched out both hands. The little one instinctively retreated behind Zhu Yunjing, lowering his head, and whispered softly, "I want Daddy..."

Zhu Yunxuan froze, his gaze dimming slightly. He forced a smile, saying, "Okay..."

Zhu Yunjing shot a look at He Huailing, who then took one child while Zhu Yunjing took the other, carrying them away. Before leaving, Zhu Yunjing advised Zhu Yunxuan, "You should go rest early too. Don't rush it, take your time. It'll get better after a while."

Zhu Yunxuan nodded absentmindedly, watching the quartet disappear into the distance with a wooden expression. Gao An stepped forward and whispered, "Your Majesty, shall this servant attend to you and help you rest?"

Zhu Yunxuan closed his eyes for a moment before saying, "...Let's go."

In the still of the night.

When Zhu Yunjing arrived, Zhu Yunxuan was still reading by the lamp, draped in a thin outer robe. His slender figure cast a lonely silhouette on the wall.

Upon seeing Zhu Yunjing enter, Zhu Yunxuan put down his book. "Didn't you put Ming'er and Rong'er to bed? Why are you here now?"

"I came to check on you after putting the two little ones to sleep. I knew you wouldn't be asleep yet," Zhu Yunjing sat cross-legged on the couch, smiling at him. "Can't sleep?"

"It's still early."

"It's almost the ninth hour of the night. Still early? You're just overthinking. You must be upset that Ah Rong refused to get close to you today, right?"

Zhu Yunxuan forced a bitter smile. "I suppose I brought it upon myself. It's my fault he doesn't want me."

Zhu Yunjing sighed. "To be honest, I had my doubts at first about how Ah Rong should address He Huailing and me. But Ah Rong is the same age as Ming'er, and they've grown up together. Not long after Ming'er learned to call me 'Father,' Ah Rong started doing the same, mimicking Ming'er. I didn't have the heart to correct him, so I let him continue."

"Brother... there's no need to explain this specifically. I understand."

"A Xuan, do you remember when you were first brought to the Eastern Palace as a child?"

Zhu Yunxuan was momentarily stunned before nodding. "I remember."

Of course he remembered. Back then, he had been both terrified and lost, but his elder brother's smile had comforted him, giving him a sense of reliance ever since.

"Rong'er is actually very much like you. He's the type who will remember your kindness and repay it a hundredfold. He never bears grudges. You just need to be more patient with him, give him more time, and things will improve gradually."

"I... I understand. It was my mistake for overthinking."

"Also, don't underestimate Rong'er's age. He understands more than you think. Earlier, it was my oversight for not managing the servants properly. They've been gossiping in front of Rong'er, causing a thorn in his heart. That's why he never competes with Ming'er. Whenever Ming'er wants something, Rong'er would simply agree. For a child barely three years old to comprehend such things, I have no idea how he learned it. It's heart-wrenching. I'm also hesitant to firmly tell him that I am his real father. Otherwise, it'll be even harder to explain when you decide to take him back."

A bitter taste rose in Zhu Yunxuan's throat. After a long moment, he murmured, "It's all my fault..."

Zhu Yunjing shook his head. "Blaming yourself won't change anything now. You were forced into that situation, and I understand. But don't worry too much. Rong'er's gentle nature has its advantages. When I carried him back, he secretly asked if Little Uncle was angry at him. Such a thoughtful child is hard to come by. Just be grateful."

Zhu Yunxuan's heart tightened, and he quickly said, "Tell him I won't be angry at him."

Zhu Yunjing smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, I've made it clear to him. Stay here longer, spend more time playing with him. In a few days, he'll surely warm up to you. Relax and don't dwell on unnecessary thoughts."

"....Okay."

Zhu Yunjing's gaze fell on his wrist, where a set of faded Buddhist beads lay almost invisible. He paused and asked, "When did you start wearing these beads?"

Zhu Yunxuan subconsciously pulled down his sleeve, feeling awkward. "Nothing much, just seeking peace of mind."

Zhu Yunjing didn't press the matter. After a moment of hesitation, he brought up another topic. "Last month, while Yuan Bao and He Huailing were away, he sneaked out with the two younger ones to play at a nearby estate. Later, when the nanny returned, she told me that Rong'er had suddenly disappeared during his afternoon nap. They searched everywhere and found him in the backyard, wrapped in a man's outer robe. He said a very handsome uncle carried him outside."

Zhu Yunxuan's hand, hidden in his sleeve, clenched. "What happened after that?"

"The child couldn't give many details. He just mentioned that the uncle asked his name and helped retrieve his kite that had flown away. Since then, I haven't allowed any of the children to leave the mansion without supervision. We've even doubled the number of guards. During our trip to Jiangnan this past month, I asked the steward if he noticed any suspicious individuals. He said there were none, and Rong'er hasn't seen that mysterious uncle again."

Though Zhu Yunjing didn't explicitly say it, both he and Zhu Yunxuan understood who was most likely behind the incident.

Seeing the gloom on Zhu Yunxuan's face, Zhu Yunjing tried to reassure him. "Don't dwell too much on it. In a fortnight or a month, when you take Rong'er back to the palace, everything will be fine."

Zhu Yunxuan absentmindedly rubbed the hidden beads in his sleeve and nodded. "Mm."