Chapter 274

Chapter 274

Tong Sui had actually finished eating. She could take or leave the soup. Glancing at the few remaining dishes on the table, she told Xiao Zhen, "Why don't you go bathe first? I'll have the royal kitchen prepare a few more dishes for you."

Xiao Zhen was still holding a tiger-head shoe belonging to Chengzu. Hearing her words, he glanced at the table.

This was his first lunchtime meal in the palace since his ascension. The royal kitchen had served forty-eight dishes, more than Xiao Zhen could finish even if he invited all his royal brothers over. So, he gave the kitchen an order that unless there was a banquet with special instructions, he only wanted two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and one soup for regular meals. As for staple food, two types per meal would suffice.

On the night he brought Tong Sui into the palace, he had the kitchen prepare forty-eight dishes again, wanting her to experience the kind of life the previous emperor and empress had.

Tong Sui gave him a few glares.

The couple disliked extravagance, so when the emperor and empress dined together, it was set at four meat dishes, four vegetable dishes, and two soups. Even so, there were always leftovers.

Today, Tong Sui didn’t know he would return, so there were only two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and one soup on the table, along with a portion of food for Chengzu.

In a village, this would still be considered a feast, and the high-quality white rice was enough to fill one’s stomach.

"After three months, Empress seems to have become more particular. You’re willing to throw away such good food and have it remade?" Xiao Zhen teased.

Tong Sui glared at him. "You've been working hard outside and just returned. Would you be happy eating leftovers after all your hard work?"

Xiao Zhen replied, "I would be happy. I’ve eaten your leftovers before, right?"

With that, he directly picked up the white porcelain rice container that was keeping the food warm on the table, removed the lid, casually grabbed a pair of serving chopsticks, and started eating. He also urged Tong Sui, "Sit down too. Didn’t you want to drink the soup?"

Tong Sui looked at the chicken soup that had already been served in her bowl, then sat down next to him. She slowly sipped the soup while watching Xiao Zhen devour the remaining rice and dishes with great speed.

He had been riding back to the capital all morning; it was a task that required energy.

Tong Sui asked, "Should I have more food brought in?"

Xiao Zhen replied, "No need. I’ll be taking a bath soon, and it’s not good to eat too much before that."

Tong Sui scooped some soup for him.

Xiao Zhen looked her over again and said, looking at her rosy cheeks, "I’ve been away from the capital for so long, yet you haven’t lost any weight. It seems you haven’t been missing me."

Tong Sui replied, "Alright. The next time you go out, I’ll eat only one meal a day and guarantee I’ll lose some weight."

Xiao Zhen chuckled. "No need. It took a lot of effort to get you to gain some weight. It’s better to be a bit plumper."

Tong Sui thought his words had a slightly suggestive tone. When she looked at him again, she saw the desire in his eyes that he was struggling to hide.

While the palace servants were preparing the bath, Xiao Zhen took Chengzu to the warm bed in the side room to play. It wasn’t clear whether Chengzu actually remembered his father or was just being friendly with everyone. He allowed Xiao Zhen to hold him and even touched his father’s wind-roughened face, including his newly grown stubble on his chin.

Xiao Zhen deliberately sat at the opposite end of the warm bed and beckoned Chengzu to come over.

Chengzu, being a bit lazy, crawled over. Xiao Zhen moved again, and after a few rounds, Chengzu finally stood up and wobbled his way to his father, laughing as he threw himself forward.

Xiao Zhen caught the little one and said to Tong Sui, "When he turns one, I’ll make him Crown Prince."

On the day Chengzu was born, Xiao Zhen had wanted to make him the crown prince, but he held back, fearing that the little boy couldn’t bear such immense fortune.

Tong Sui knew he was serious, but she had some concerns. Was Chengzu smart enough? Was his temperament suitable to be a crown prince? "Should we wait a few more years to make sure he's ready?"

Tong Sui’s face darkened, and her eyes filled with tears, like an unexpected rainstorm. Seeing this, Xiao Zhen swallowed the ominous but necessary thoughts he had been about to voice and said hoarsely, "Don't cry. The more you cry, the more I miss you."

Tong Sui climbed onto the bed. In front of her was Chengzu, and she leaned against Xiao Zhen's back, pinching his flesh as she irritably said, "If you say things like that again, I'll move to the Western Palace."

He had only brought three thousand cavalry for this southern inspection tour, and Tong Sui had been harboring worries, fearing that he might encounter some rebellious local gentry forces lying in wait to ambush him.

Xiao Zhen sucked in his breath until she lightened her grip, then said, "Not to mention the big principles of establishing the heir, just look at our family. Grandfather did the same. While I'm out and about, he's at home cultivating you. It's called being prepared for any eventuality."

Tong Sui said, "Grandfather was seventy at the time. How old are you to be thinking of such things?"

Xiao Zhen, looking at Chengzu bouncing on his calf, a milk-fed child who understood nothing, laughed and said, "I do think about it, but don’t worry. I want to spend decades of peaceful days with you and our son before I’ll be satisfied."

"Your Majesty, the hot water is ready."

Xiao Zhen handed Chengzu to Tong Sui and said, "I'll go clean up. Have the wet nurse take Chengzu to bed."

Tong Sui looked down at her son, her ears flushed with color.

Each time they were reunited after a short absence, Tong Sui couldn’t resist Xiao Zhen. She couldn’t push him away or hold him close—she was lost in his embrace.

When they finally stopped, Tong Sui's temples were drenched in sweat, her face pressed against his broad chest, neither knowing who was hotter.

"This afternoon, I have a meeting with the Minister of Personnel to discuss official matters."

Xiao Zhen said, "I've just returned. They should have the sense not to bother me with that right now."

Tong Sui considered that the Minister of Personnel's matters weren't particularly urgent and decided to stay nestled in the bed with him, asking, "How did the journey go?"

Xiao Zhen said, "It was fine during the day, but at night, I couldn't help but miss you."

Tong Sui said, "...Be serious!"

Xiao Zhen laughed, running his fingers through her loose hair and began to recount some noteworthy events.

With twenty-four prefectures, each had its own story that could take a long time to tell, and before he finished, he became aroused again.

Tong Sui dared not indulge him further. "Go to the Imperial Study first and finish your work. We can talk later."

Wasting half an hour was fine, but staying in the rear palace all afternoon would cause a scandal.

Xiao Zhen said, "...I have the energy to spend time with you. But if you talk about going to handle state affairs, I feel sleepy."

Tong Sui said, "You still have to go."

Her legs were still weak, and the flush on her face was hard to conceal.

The young and robust emperor, seemingly full of infinite strength, was chased out of the canopy bed, donning his imperial robes to meet his ministers.

Tong Sui, on the other hand, basked in the joy and rested comfortably for a morning. Managing state affairs was mentally exhausting, and with Xiao Zhen back, she could relax for a while.

As dusk fell, they stole another moment together, and by night, they held each other and talked for hours.

Tong Sui said, "Fifth Younger Brother didn’t complain, but I know he felt left out when you took everyone else on this trip. He was obedient and didn’t make a fuss, but the look of slight grievance on his face tugged at my heart."

Xiao Zhen sighed, resigned. "I brought Third Younger Brother and the others because I wanted them to see the local governance, observe the cunning tactics of those officials and gentry, and understand the geography of Qingzhou and the southern regions. With broader experience, they'll be less likely to be deceived by enemies or civil officials in the future, whether they're leading troops or governing a region. Longshun has already been tested and proven himself. Fifth Younger Brother is best suited to serve as a vanguard general under our command."

Tong Sui said, "I understand. I explained to him that because you're not here, you're worried about me being alone in the palace and that only he can protect me, which puts your mind at ease. He pushed his grievance aside after that."

Xiao Zhen squeezed her hand and sighed, "Among these brothers of ours, the Fourth Brother is quite clever and quick-witted, and he won't be easily deceived. But he lacks a bit in terms of the bigger picture, and sometimes his foresight isn't far-reaching. The Third Brother, apart from being better in martial skills, falls short in everything else compared to the Fourth Brother. As for the Fifth Brother, he can only be of use by your side or on the battlefield."

"A Gui learns quickly when it comes to leading troops, but he falls short in civil governance. At most, he can become a border general."

"Zhao Jin gets terribly seasick. When we launch campaigns against Liang and Ling, we’ll leave him to guard the capital."

"Sun Dian is smarter than the third son, but he has a lot of reckless energy that’s hard to shake. He tends to have conflicts with his colleagues."

"Qi Yun, Wen Gong, and Luo Xiao are all talents who can be pillars of the state, but they are still young and need more experience."

After speaking about the peers in the military, Xiao Zhen mentioned Tong Shan and Zhang Chao.

"Tong Shan isn’t quite as quick-witted as you, but the imperial examination shouldn’t be too difficult for him. He doesn’t have a talent for military strategy or martial arts, so let him be a civil official. I’ll guide him more; being able to do practical things for the people is also a merit."

Tong Sui said, "He's only eighteen. Let him try to pass the imperial examination first. If he can't even pass that, there's no need to give him an official position."

Xiao Zhen smiled. "He’s not quite as quick-witted as you, but the imperial examination shouldn’t be too difficult for him."

Tong Sui asked, "What about young Xiao?"

Xiao Zhen couldn’t hide his admiration. "He’s talented in both civil and military affairs, not inferior to Wen Gong. It’s unlikely that the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Brothers can change. I wonder if a good child like Xiao will appear in the next generation of Huai Zu and Cheng Zu."

Tong Sui reflected on Zhang Chao’s experiences over the years and said, "Whether a child turns out to be talented depends sometimes on their innate ability, sometimes on their upbringing, and sometimes on their experiences and temperament. The night when Pine Village almost got wiped out, only Zhang Chao and Wen Gong escaped to seek help. He was only ten years old then—he must have been terrified."

Xiao Zhen said, "Yao Ge Er and the eldest son have never experienced hardship. They’re always thinking about playing."

Tong Sui smiled. "Enduring hardship doesn’t guarantee success. Take Zhao Jin and Luo Xiao, for instance—they were raised in privilege, yet their success depends on personal fortune."

Xiao Zhen nodded. "Yes, Zhao Jin and Luo Xiao are quite... destined."

Tong Sui stared at his face, which looked solemn when not smiling. "When it comes to the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Brothers, and even those brothers from other clans, all their destinies combined can’t compare to yours, alright?"

Xiao Zhen chuckled. "We’re all martial men. Perhaps a scholar with a refined appearance might surpass me in destiny."

Tong Sui said, "Among the young men I’ve met, you’re the most learned scholar."

The classical texts and historical works he had explained to her were more profound and beneficial than what Song Zhishi had taught her during their six years of childhood friendship.

Of course, Xiao Zhen was undeniably more handsome than Song Zhishi.

As she thought this, her gaze lingered on the contours of his face—his brows, nose, and lips.

A hint of amusement leaked from Xiao Zhen’s eyes, which were trying to appear solemn.

On the seventh day of the eleventh month in the second year of Yongan, the emperor and empress held a banquet for the first birthday of the imperial eldest son, inviting all civil and military officials.

At the auspicious time of the Zhuazhou ceremony, where the child chooses objects that predict his future, young Chengzu grabbed a brush in one hand and a small wooden spear in the other.

Seeing this, Wei Qi, stroking his beard, was about to praise him when Lu Gong loudly proclaimed, "Grabbing the brush to pacify the world, holding the spear to stabilize the heavens! The prince will surely be a master of both civil and military talents when he grows up!"

Wei Qi, caught off guard by stroking his beard, was left speechless.

Both the royal family and the officials joined in with their agreement.

Only Tong Sui knew that over the past two days, Xiao Zhen had been holding Chengzu while reviewing official documents and practicing with his spear, deliberately sparking the child’s interest in the ceremonial brush and the spear.

With this auspicious sign, Xiao Zhen’s announcement of the edict to name the crown prince felt like a natural and fitting conclusion.