Chapter 69: Conversations on the Night of the Full Moon

Chapter 69: Midnight Conversation Under the Full Moon

As night fell, Liang Zhen helped Rong'er tie his tortoise to the door, finally calming the child down.

In the spacious main room, there was only one bed. After their evening routines, the trio lay down, with Rong'er in the middle. He turned his head to look at his father on one side and then his father on the other, filled with excitement. Zhu Yunxuan held him still, saying, "Stop moving. Time for sleep."

The child replied cheerfully, "From now on, I'll sleep with Father and Papa every night."

For Rong'er, this was a first. With too many children in the General's residence, Zhu Yunjing would only share a bed with him and Ming'er when He Huailing was away. The possibility of monopolizing both fathers was nonexistent.

Zhu Yunxuan patted him gently. "Sleep now."

Liang Zhen chuckled softly, feeling for the first time that this son might be somewhat redundant.

Meeting Liang Zhen's smiling eyes, Zhu Yunxuan's gaze flickered. He mumbled something about sleeping before closing his eyes, holding his son tightly.

The breathing of the two beside him gradually evened out. Liang Zhen tucked them in, gently scratching the child's face, then leaned over to kiss Zhu Yunxuan's lips. Zhu Yunxuan's eyelashes fluttered slightly in his sleep.

The next morning, Rong'er woke up crying, having had an accident during the night. Zhu Yunxuan hurriedly got up to change the child's clothes.

Liang Zhen sat up and leaned lazily against the headboard, teasing his son without a care in the world, "Embarrassed or not? You're already so big and you still wet the bed?"

The child had just been calmed down by Zhu Yunxuan, ceasing his sobs. But with Liang Zhen's teasing, he burst into wails again. Zhu Yunxuan glared at Liang Zhen irritably, "If you cause any more trouble, get out."

Liang Zhen chuckled, "Alright, alright, I'll be quiet."

From then on, until they left, the child clung to Zhu Yunxuan's shoulder, completely dejected. He didn't even care about the giant turtle anymore. Liang Zhen took the child in his arms and pinched his little nose, "Your father was just joking with you. Are you still angry? Rong'er, why are you so sensitive?"

"I'm not ashamed, it wasn't on purpose. Father is mean," the child protested, feeling deeply wronged.

Liang Zhen couldn't help but laugh, "Father caught a turtle for you yesterday. How could I be mean?"

Only then did Rong'er look around for his turtle, wanting to take it out for a walk. The two adults took the child to the seaside to set the turtle free. With a pitiful expression, the child asked Zhu Yunxuan, "Do we have to let the turtle go?"

Zhu Yunxuan comforted him, "The turtle needs to go home too. It wants to find its own father. Be a good boy and let the turtle go back."

The child had no retort. He squatted down and bid an affectionate farewell to his turtle, muttering a string of words before personally undoing the rope tied to it.

Watching the clumsy sea turtle slowly crawl into the water, Zhu Yunxuan sighed in relief. Finally, they had resolved the issue. Otherwise, having to walk around with a giant turtle would have been quite a hassle.

Liang Zhen chuckled softly. "Your Majesty has truly gone to great lengths."

Zhu Yunxuan couldn't be bothered to respond. Liang Zhen picked up his weeping son and consoled him. "Don't cry. When we get back, Father will make you a turtle out of bamboo."

Tears still in his eyes, the child looked at him. "Really?"

"Of course it's real."

Zhu Yunxuan scoffed. "You're certainly going all out to win over this little one."

"Who else would I go all out for?" Liang Zhen said proudly.

As they were joking around, a man approached them from a distance. He was a dark-skinned young man with an open, cheerful demeanor. Upon seeing Liang Zhen, he was overjoyed. "Xiao Brother! It really is you. I thought I must have been mistaken just now. When did you arrive on the island? Why didn't you tell us? Father had no idea you were here."

Liang Zhen smiled. "We arrived yesterday evening. Knowing your family was busy preparing for your older brother's wedding, I didn't want to disturb you. We planned on visiting today."

The newcomer was eager. "Come, come. Father has been thinking about you. He'll be thrilled to see you."

"No rush," Liang Zhen said, calming him down. He then introduced Zhu Yunxuan and their child. "This is my wife and child. They've never been here before. I brought them along to play. I hope it won't be an inconvenience for you."

"Nonsense, Madam is a honored guest the moment she arrives." The man greeted Zhu Yunxuan warmly. "Greetings, Madam. I am Qin Liang. My father is the island lord, and Brother Xiao is our savior. We apologize for not greeting you properly upon your first visit to our island; please forgive us, Madam."

Zhu Yunxuan smiled amiably and nodded. "You're too kind, Mister Qin."

Qin Liang led them to his home. Upon receiving word from his servant, the island lord, Elder Qin, personally came out to greet them. A man of great wealth and many descendants, he also had his eldest son, who was about to be married the next day, by his side. Happiness radiated from every member of the family.

After settling in the main hall, Rong'er obediently called out to each person and received several red envelopes. Finally, the little one's face lit up with joy as he sat in Zhu Yunxuan's arms, curiously looking around.

Elder Qin stroked his beard, watching the child with fondness. He chuckled at Liang Zhen and said, "I didn't expect that you were already married and have such a big child. Previously, I was considering marrying my eldest daughter to you. It's fortunate that I didn't propose such a thing, or it would've been awkward."

Liang Zhen quickly responded, "Uncle Qin, please don't jest with your nephew. My wife and child were in Great Yan until recently. We reunited only half a month ago, which was truly a hard-won reunion. I hadn't mentioned my family matters before because I didn't know where to begin."

Elder Qin waved his hand and sighed. "You don't need to explain further; I understand. Now that your family is reunited, I hope you'll live happily ever after. It's a blessing amidst misfortune."

Zhu Yunxuan lowered his gaze, gently holding the child's hand and pressing his lips together.

To the Qin family, Liang Zhen suddenly having a wife and child wasn't surprising. Those who left Great Yan for the South Seas either couldn't survive there or were fleeing life-threatening situations, just like their ancestors over a hundred years ago. Though they didn't know the specifics of Liang Zhen's troubles in Great Yan, they assumed it must have been desperate, leading to his separation from his family. For them to reunite now was a great fortune; there was no need to dig deeper and reopen old wounds.

Little did they know that the person sitting before them was none other than the Emperor of Great Yan himself...

Liang Zhen naturally didn't offer any explanations and instead engaged them in casual conversation. Qin Liang began by recounting the recent events in Quanzhou, which he had visited for business. He knew more than the unreliable rumors circulating outside: "The Great Yan emperor is indeed missing. The entire city of Quanzhou is under martial law, and we barely managed to leave. It seems like chaos is about to ensue in the imperial court."

Someone inquired curiously, "Is it really connected to those Ghost Domain pirates?"

Qin Liang continued, "Who knows for sure? But I'd say there's a high chance. Weren't those pirates said to be remnants of the previous dynasty? I've also heard that they have ties with the foreign tribes on Java Island. If they really kidnapped the Great Yan emperor... well, I suggest we keep a low profile for now and avoid sailing out to sea to prevent trouble."

Liang Zhen chuckled. "Rumors often exaggerate the truth, so they might not be reliable. Nevertheless, being cautious is always wise. If war breaks out between Great Yan and those foreign tribes, we should stay far away to avoid getting caught in the crossfire."

Old Master Qin nodded in agreement. "You're right. After news of the emperor's disappearance spread, I ordered my business operations to scale back and recalled all the ships that were out at sea. It's best to be extra careful these days."

Liang Zhen concurred, "Uncle Qin has thought this through thoroughly."

Zhu Yunxuan, who was casually sipping his tea, glanced at Liang Zhen. A fleeting emotion flickered in his eyes.

The Qin family arranged accommodations for them. The outer perimeter of their residence, like the rest of the island, was enclosed by colorful stones, exuding an exotic charm. However, inside was a typical Jiangnan-style garden residence, revealing the owner's nostalgia for their homeland. With the recent festive decorations and hanging lanterns for the celebration, as well as numerous guests coming and going, the Qin family treated them as honored guests and assigned them to live in the courtyard nearest to the main residence.

Rong'er kept looking around in wonder, finding everything fascinating. Zhu Yunxuan also enjoyed the scenery with enthusiasm. Seeing this, Liang Zhen whispered, "Your Majesty, aren't you worried about the situation in Quanzhou?"

Zhu Yunxuan gave him a faint look. "Would worry change anything? Yet, you deliberately advised the Qin family to lie low. Are you certain that Great Yan will engage in a battle with those foreign tribes?"

Liang Zhen's eyes narrowed slightly, pausing for a moment before he curved his lips into a smile, saying, "It's always better to be cautious."

That day, they settled in the Qin family's residence. The Qin family treated them as a married couple, thus their accommodations were naturally arranged together, still sharing one room. Zhu Yunxuan did not object, seemingly accustomed to it.

In the middle of the night, Zhu Yunxuan woke up due to thirst. Not wanting to disturb his son or his bedmate, he quietly got out of bed and went to the table to pour water. He noticed the moon hanging in the night sky was exceptionally full, losing his sleepiness in the process. He pushed open the door and stepped outside.

Standing silently under the eaves for a while, he gazed blankly at the bright, luminous moon. Zhu Yunxuan's mind became somewhat unfocused until someone draped a cloak over his shoulders from behind.

Liang Zhen embraced him from behind, lowering his head to nuzzle against his face softly. He asked in a hoarse voice, "Why has His Majesty risen in the middle of the night to admire the moon alone?"

Zhu Yunxuan gently closed his eyes, murmuring after a while, "I'm just bored."

Liang Zhen chuckled softly. "Did I bore you, Your Majesty?"

"Li-ang Zhen..."

"Mmm?"

Zhu Yunxuan called out his name but then stopped, many words on the tip of his tongue yet seemingly unspeakable.

"Your Majesty, don't dwell on it too much. Everything will be alright," Liang Zhen whispered against him, his words laced with a mesmerizing charm.

"Someday, perhaps."

Liang Zhen chuckled softly. "Your Majesty, if only we could have interacted like this back then, would there have been so many complications afterward?"

"…Isn't that a question you should answer yourself?"

Liang Zhen held him even closer, as if speaking in a trance. "Yes, it's all my fault."

Zhu Yunxuan slowly closed his eyes. After a long while, he sighed softly. "Let's go inside."