Chapter 87: Departure for the Imperial Capital

Chapter 87: Departure for the Capital

The following morning, before dawn, the entourage was already assembled and ready to depart.

Rong'er, being a child who disliked waking up early, rubbed his eyes relentlessly, refusing to step down from his bed as he was pulled awake by his nanny. It wasn't until he was drowsily carried onto the imperial litter and saw Zhu Yunjing and He Huailing waving goodbye to him with his two elder brothers that he finally realized what was happening. At that instant, he burst into tears.

His cries were so loud that officials in the trailing carriages all craned their necks to look ahead. Zhu Yunxuan was at a loss, so he asked someone to take the child down and let Zhu Yunjing and company comfort him again.

Zhu Yunjing and He Huailing took turns holding the baby, eventually managing to soothe his tears. Yuan Bao tapped the child's forehead playfully, "Silly little one, you cried for your papa before, and now that your papa has come to fetch you home, you're still crying."

Upon hearing this, Rong'er's just-stopped tears threatened to flow once more. Ming'er promptly stuffed all his candies into the child's hand, "They're all yours, don't cry anymore, okay?"

Looking down at the bag of sweets in his hands, the child swallowed his sobs and sniffled pitifully, "Please come visit Rong'er, I'm a good boy, don't abandon Rong'er."

Both fathers, along with their elder brothers, laughed and nodded in agreement. The child finally managed a smile through his tears, waving his tiny hand, "Goodbye, Papa, Father, goodbye, Elder Brother Yuan Bao, Elder Brother Ming, Rong'er will miss you all. You must miss Rong'er too."

Zhu Yunxuan personally got out of the carriage to pick up the child, wiping away the remaining tears on his face, "Good baby, don't cry. We're going home now."

Before the procession started moving, Yuan Bao turned and ran to the back, stopping beside another carriage positioned behind the imperial litter. He tapped on the carriage door, and Zhu Yunqiong, who was inside, pushed open the window, looking at him with a conflicted expression.

Yuan Bao chuckled and took off the short sword at his waist, handing it to him. "Here, I got this sword from the Northern Yi. It's very sharp. It'll protect you. Farewell for now."

Zhu Yunqiong rubbed the ruby-encrusted scabbard in his hand, then smiled back at Yuan Bao after a moment. He took off a jade pendant around his neck and gave it to him. "I don't have anything else valuable. This is all I have. It's for you. Farewell."

Yuan Bao accepted the gift with a cheerful nod. "Alright, safe travels."

As the sun began to rise, the convoy finally set off. Rong'er watched the retreating figures from the carriage window, tears starting to fall again. Liang Zhen pulled the child into his arms and squeezed his hand. "If Little Treasure keeps crying, you'll become a crying mess. People will laugh at you."

Rong'er blinked away his tears. "Who would laugh at Rong'er?"

Liang Zhen chuckled. "Those old fellows you've met—some are fierce, some are sly, and others are flattering. Now that you're the Crown Prince, many people are watching our Little Treasure, waiting to see your mistakes. Don't let them have their way."

Zhu Yunxuan, who was sipping tea, couldn't help but frown at these words. "Rong'er is just a child. Why are you telling him such things? He won't understand."

Liang Zhen disagreed. "He has to listen even if he doesn't understand now. He'll get it eventually."

Indeed, the child didn't understand. He asked blankly, "What are 'old fellows'? Does Father mean lots of uncles?"

Liang Zhen smiled, teaching his son, "They aren't qualified to be called uncles by our esteemed Crown Prince. Be good, and if you ever dislike someone, tell Father. I'll teach them a lesson for you."

Rong'er nodded, not quite understanding but still delighted, clapping his hands cheerfully. "Great!"

Zhu Yunxuan: "…" Was there such a way to teach one's son?

After departing from Quanzhou, the royal entourage returned to the southern palace after over ten days of travel. They would stay for two more days before heading northward back to the capital.

Zhu Yunxuan had already issued an imperial edict, conferring a title on Zhu Yunqiong as a prince. He chose a territory in a county under Jingzhou for his fief, allowing him to remain there instead of returning to the capital.

Princess Shu He's residence in the south had also begun construction. Zhu Yunxuan was initially worried that she would be uncomfortable with the climate and food in the south. Surprisingly, she adapted to everything within a few short months and decided to stay put, dedicating her old age to cherishing the memories with her late husband here.

Meeting his great-aunt for the first time, Rong'er, with his sweet tongue, quickly won the princess's affection with a few flattering words, making her beam with joy as she hugged and kissed him endlessly.

Princess Shu He treated Liang Zhen similarly to how Zhu Yunjing did – cool and distant on the surface, but not giving him a cold shoulder. She merely nodded calmly when Liang Zhen greeted her respectfully, softly reminding him, "Live well with His Majesty and the Crown Prince from now on."

Liang Zhen naturally agreed, omitting the need to reiterate his loyalty to Zhu Yunxuan's family again.

After dinner, sensing that Princess Shu He wanted to speak privately with Zhu Yunxuan, Liang Zhen tactfully took Rong'er and retreated to their quarters.

Once they were alone, the princess held Zhu Yunxuan's hand and sighed softly. "I never imagined you'd end up together after all the twists and turns, and that you already have a child. Yet, you kept it from me all this while… you…"

Zhu Yunxuan was well aware that he had been in the wrong. He indeed had never mentioned Rong'er to the Grand Princess. He hurriedly apologized and took full responsibility for his mistake. The Grand Princess shook her head. "Forget it, I won't dwell on that. From my perspective, that Liang... Xiao Nian, right? He seems to have changed significantly. Perhaps he truly is a suitable match."

Zhu Yunxuan smiled in agreement. "Yes, he will be."

Seeing Zhu Yunxuan's infatuated expression, the Grand Princess saw a reflection of herself decades ago. She couldn't bring herself to spoil the moment and chuckled. "That's good too. Otherwise, being an emperor would be too lonely for you. It's nice to have someone by your side."

Zhu Yunxuan nodded, feeling reassured. "Aunt, please stay here comfortably. If you ever get tired of it, I'll send for you to return to the capital. If you feel bored, you can call Yunqiong over for company. His fief is just below Jingzhou, only half a day's journey away. I've already given him special permission to visit Jingzhou anytime to see you."

"I understand your intentions," the Grand Princess patted his hand. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him for you. Nothing bad will happen."

Zhu Yunxuan chuckled. "There's no need to be too strict with him. That child has a good nature. As long as he doesn't stray from the right path, I don't wish to mistreat him."

"Alright, it's up to you."

In the sleeping chamber, Rong'er lay naked on the bed, engrossed in playing with a bamboo-woven rabbit. Liang Zhen held a warm cloth, wiping his face and body.

This wasn't Liang Zhen's first time personally attending to his son; he had grown accustomed to doing so on the island. He didn't entrust this task to anyone else. The child had gained some weight recently, his arms resembling tender lotus stems, and his body plump with baby fat. It was hard to imagine that when he was born prematurely, he nearly didn't make it.

Liang Zhen found it amusing and intentionally tickled him, causing the child to giggle and squirm, dodging left and right. "Daddy's mean! Stop tickling Rong'er, I'll tell Father!"

"You've even learned to tattle on your father? Impressive, my little one, your tricks are growing more abundant by the day!" Liang Zhen teased his child, tickling until the youngster giggled uncontrollably, tears welling up in their eyes.

Upon entering the grand palace hall, Zhu Yunxuan could hear the mirthful laughter of a father and son. He paused, listening silently for a moment. With a gentle smile gracing his lips, he strode forward resolutely.

Upon seeing Zhu Yunxuan's return, Rong'er felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He struggled free from Liang Zhen's grasp and, with his bottom bare, climbed out of bed, crashing into Zhu Yunxuan's embrace. "Father, Father! Mother is being mean, Mother is tickling Rong'er, it's itchy!"

Zhu Yunxuan scooped up the child, laughing warmly. "Yes, Father is bad. Daddy will help you scratch him later."

With someone supporting him, the child was ecstatic. He wriggled onto Zhu Yunxuan's shoulder and clung to his neck, not forgetting to make a face at Liang Zhen.

Liang Zhen chuckled and pinched Rong'er's nose. "Little one, just you wait."

Zhu Yunxuan sat down by the bed with his son in his arms, gesturing at Liang Zhen with a quirk of his lips. "What are you up to? Having a wrestling match with our son? That's quite ambitious."

Liang Zhen's fingers playfully prodded Rong'er's chubby cheeks as he stretched lazily. "I was just teasing him. This kid is becoming more and more spoiled by the day."

"…You're no different yourself," Zhu Yunxuan murmured with a smile, leaving it at that. He gently patted his son's bottom. "Be good, stop fussing. It's time for bed."

But Rong'er was not ready to comply. He lifted a tiny foot towards Liang Zhen. "Wash, feet."

Liang Zhen playfully pinched his plump little foot, amused yet exasperated. "You're getting more and more disrespectful, huh? You dare to ask your old man to wash your feet?"

Rong'er couldn't break free and, with his ticklish soles scratched, he laughed uncontrollably, tumbling into Zhu Yunxuan's arms.

Zhu Yunxuan helplessly swatted Liang Zhen's hand away. "Enough, teasing our son every day. Don't you feel ashamed?"

Liang Zhen clicked his tongue. "A Xuan, you're playing favorites."

"…Do you still have any sense of shame?"

Rong'er reached up to scratch his own face, giggling. "Daddy is blushing."

Liang Zhen: "…"

In the end, they both helped their son wash his feet, frolicking for almost an hour before finally settling Rong'er down to sleep. Zhu Yunxuan called for hot water to be brought in as he prepared to freshen up.

Liang Zhen leaned against the bedside, silently watching him remove his jade hairpin, his long hair cascading down, and his lithe form clad only in sheer, gauzy robes swaying before him. His gaze gradually darkened.

After a moment, he dismissed all the attendants in the chamber. Zhu Yunxuan was puzzled. "What are you doing? I haven't finished washing yet, and you haven't changed clothes…"

His words were interrupted as Liang Zhen pressed against him, embracing his waist. Zhu Yunxuan gasped softly as their flesh touched at his sensitive side. "What are you doing?"

Liang Zhen's lips brushed against his earlobe, chuckling lowly. "Your Majesty mentioned earlier that you would help Rong'er scratch me?"

"What do you think?"

Liang Zhen held his hand and placed it on a certain part of himself that had already reacted. His voice turned hoarse. "Would you scratch here, please?"

Zhu Yunxuan was speechless. "Is this how you set an example? Rong'er is still here."

Ever since leaving Quanzhou, they had been sleeping with their son at night to ease his adjustment. Their father-son relationship had become more harmonious, but at times... it was indeed quite inconvenient.

Liang Zhen's eyes rolled slightly. "Let's go to the outer couch. We'll come back after we're done."

Zhu Yunxuan: "..."

Why had they, as emperor and empress, descended to the point of having secret trysts?