Chapter 79

Chapter 79

"More hot water, quickly!"

"Towels! Has the Imperial Hospital arrived?"

Eunuchs and palace maids bustled in and out of the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace, each one tense, not daring to show the slightest slack.

The two imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital, who had been attending to You Nan, also rushed over. At the entrance, they bowed to the Emperor, who was personally overseeing the situation. "Your Majesty."

The Emperor's face was grim. "Go in quickly. The Crown Princess's delivery must be safeguarded!"

"Yes!"

The two physicians immediately picked up their medical kits and followed a young palace maid, who had been waiting nearby, into the room.

Since the Crown Prince had not yet returned, the Emperor, fearing that someone might neglect the Crown Princess, had come in person to take charge.

News of this spread throughout the entire inner court, and the various consorts, princes, and princesses all arrived.

"Why is there no sound from the rear courtyard?" asked a consort who was on speaking terms with You Nan, glancing back from time to time.

The door was closed, and aside from the voice of the head maid of the Eastern Palace, not a sound from the Crown Princess could be heard.

Fu Lingtan's second brother curled his lips. Standing beside his mother, he whispered very softly, "Mother, could it be that the Crown Princess didn't make it? After all, he’s a man, not a woman. A man probably endures even more suffering than a woman."

The second prince’s mother remained expressionless. "Don’t talk nonsense."

"Yes," the second prince replied, his gaze toward the Crown Princess’s direction filled with disdain.

The Emperor had been sitting for a while. He stood up, placing his hands behind his back. "Has the Crown Prince returned?"

The chief eunuch nearby lowered his head deferentially. "His Highness has not yet returned."

"And the Crown Princess? How is the situation?" the Emperor asked again.

Just as the chief eunuch was about to speak, a young palace maid came running in from outside, her face beaming with joy. Anyone could tell what had happened at a glance.

"The Crown Princess has given birth! It’s an imperial grandson!" The young palace maid knelt and kowtowed.

"Excellent!" The Emperor laughed heartily. "Wonderful, wonderful!"

"The Crown Princess has fostered the lineage of our Song State—a great achievement! Reward! All the servants of the Eastern Palace shall be granted ten taels of silver each!"

Upon hearing this, the eunuchs and palace maids in the hall immediately knelt to express their gratitude. "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The other consorts, princes, and palace maids in the hall all heard clearly. Their thoughts varied, but on the surface, they all put on expressions of joy.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty/Father, on the joyous arrival of an imperial grandson!"

The Emperor was in high spirits.

However, he also knew that this child was not carried to full term. It was decided by the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess to deliver early in order to celebrate his birthday.

The head maid, unable to hide her smile, carried the child in and presented him to the Emperor and the other highnesses.

"This child looks so much like the Crown Prince."

"Yes, look at those little eyebrows and nose—exactly like the Crown Prince when he was young."

The group of highnesses examined the child, saying whatever sounded pleasant.

What was there to see in a newborn, red and wrinkled all over? How could anyone tell whether he resembled the Crown Prince or the Crown Princess?

The Emperor, however, believed their words and nodded repeatedly. He thought that since the child was born prematurely, his health might not be strong in the future. At this thought, he felt a wave of pity for the child.

He declared directly, "In that case, I confer upon him the title 'Zhao'."

As soon as these words were spoken, even though they were mindful of the Emperor’s presence, many people’s expressions turned extremely unpleasant—especially those princes who did not yet have titles of their own.

Their gazes toward the child in the arms of the Eastern Palace’s head maid grew cold.

Even the princes who already had titles looked displeased.

They had earned their princely titles either through their maternal clan’s status or through their own political achievements. Yet this newborn "nephew," who hadn’t even opened his eyes, was directly granted a title, placing him on equal footing with them.

This was hard for them to accept.

The head maid was both shocked and delighted.

She was delighted that the Crown Prince and the imperial grandson had won the Emperor’s favor.

But she was shocked that the Emperor’s partiality would make life increasingly difficult for the Eastern Palace.

She didn’t even need to look up to see the expressions of the highnesses around her; she could feel their piercing, burning gazes.

"How is the Crown Princess?" the Emperor asked.

The head maid immediately replied, "The Crown Princess is exhausted and has already fallen asleep."

Of the two imperial physicians who had come to attend to the Crown Princess, one remained by his side, while the other hurried over to report.

"Your Majesty, the Crown Princess’s health has improved significantly over this period. His constitution has strengthened considerably, and he has given birth to the imperial grandson smoothly. The Crown Princess is currently in no serious condition and has not suffered any fundamental harm."

"But I didn’t hear the Crown Princess cry out at all outside. Is he really alright?" a consort asked curiously.

The imperial physician bowed to her. "The Crown Princess, being a man, does not feel pain as intensely as a woman would."

Moreover, since the Crown Princess was a man, no matter how weak his constitution, it was still stronger than that of the consorts who spent their days sitting or lying down.

The Emperor, loving the crow for the sake of the rook, had already included You Nan under his protective wing.

He glanced sideways at the consort who had just spoken. "The Crown Princess expanding the lineage is a joyous occasion. Your words, however, pour cold water on it. While everyone is offering congratulations, you alone are clever enough to find fault. Are you doing this intentionally?"

The consort’s face turned pale, and she hurriedly pleaded for forgiveness, saying she had not meant it.

Her young son, panicking, also pleaded on behalf of his mother.

The Emperor considered confining the tactless speaker to the cold palace, but then remembered that today was a day of great celebration. He relented. "Someone, fine her half a year’s salary and confine her to her quarters for six months. She is not to leave without summons."

The imperial consort and her son collapsed to the ground.

The Emperor waved his hand dismissively, ordering them taken away, "Did they have to ruin my mood right when I was happiest?"

The other consorts, princes, and princesses, seeing the "example set by their predecessors," clamped their mouths shut one after another.

They came to understand better the Emperor's affection for the Crown Prince.

After the Emperor dismissed the crowd, several princes returned to their residences, and who knows how many vases and tea sets were replaced in their rooms overnight.

You Nan woke up as usual the next day. The palace maid watching over him immediately cheered, "Your Highness, you're awake! I'll go get the head maid."

Before You Nan could prop himself up to sit, the head maid had already entered the room.

"Your servant pays respects to the Crown Princess!"

You Nan acknowledged her with a nod, his gaze involuntarily falling on the spot beside him.

There lay a small child—his child.

You Nan didn't know why, but at the first sight of this child, his heart swelled with emotion. By the time he calmed down, the head maid was already wiping his tears with a handkerchief.

The head maid looked at him with concern, "What's wrong, Your Highness?"

You Nan shook his head and didn't speak.

He didn't know how to explain the emotions he had just felt.

He felt an instant connection with this child—just one look filled him with immense joy.

You Nan spoke up, "Is the Crown Prince here?"

Now he grew concerned about the head maid.

You Nan was sensitive to others' emotions and immediately caught the brief moment of unease in the head maid's expression.

"He hasn't returned?"

You Nan ventured.

The head maid wanted to say yes, but if the Crown Prince were back, he would certainly have come to see the Crown Princess.

Since he hadn't, the Crown Princess already knew His Highness hadn't returned.

Under You Nan's steady gaze, the head maid slowly shook her head.

"His Highness has not yet returned."

You Nan froze for a moment, "Didn't he promise he would return last night? What about his attendants? Have the others who went out with him returned?"

The head maid shook her head, her expression grim.

It was precisely because the Crown Prince and his attendants had not returned.

Not only them, but the prince who had gone with the Crown Prince on official business yesterday was also missing.

The news had already reached the main hall today, and the front court was buzzing with the news.

The head maid tried to calm You Nan. The Crown Princess had just given birth and shouldn't experience heavy emotional fluctuations. She quickly found an excuse, "The Crown Prince took on several complicated court matters. It will probably take a long time, and he won't be back for a while."

You Nan's heart leaped. He clutched the quilt beneath him, "Where exactly did he go?"

Fu Lingtan had clearly promised him that he would return when the child was born.

You Nan could no longer stay lying down. He pushed back the quilt and tried to get out of bed. The head maid and other palace maids immediately stopped him, some even knelt down to beg.

"We beg Your Highness for mercy. If you leave, all the eunuchs and palace maids in this palace would surely lose their lives."

The Crown Prince was the apple of the Emperor's eye, held in the palm of his hand, raised since childhood as the successor.

Now, with the Crown Prince's fate unknown, leaving behind a newborn child and a weary spouse, the Emperor was ready to kill those who had taken the Crown Prince away.

Now, the Emperor held the Crown Princess and the Crown Grandson in particularly high regard.

Just last night, a favored consort made a mildly critical remark and was directly punished by the Emperor, with her son banished to the pleasure garden.

If they let any harm come to the Crown Princess, none of them would survive.

You Nan gritted his teeth in frustration.

But looking at these pitiful palace maids and eunuchs cowering on the ground, he had no choice but to retreat to the bed.

"Fine, since I can't go out, I won't go."

You Nan turned his face to look at the child beside him and felt a wave of relief.

He'd felt drawn to this child from the first moment, a joy that came from the heart. If Fu Lingtan had taken the child away, he would have been heartbroken.

Since Fu Lingtan hadn't returned, the child could stay by his side.

.

You Nan recovered quickly, able to get up and about within two days. He was completely focused on the child. He wanted to hold his own child, but the head maid stopped him.

She said holding a child during the confinement period could cause lasting health problems and that he needed to rest properly.

This was probably the first time You Nan had heard this, yet it sounded faintly familiar, as if someone had told him this before as if in a dream.

While You Nan couldn't hold the child, others could.

The Emperor came twice in three days. The first time was to check on You Nan and his eldest grandson's condition, showering them with gifts.

The second time he came was to contain his fury.

Only by seeing You Nan and his eldest grandson safe and sound in front of him could he suppress the urge to kill.

The Emperor had held children before. They didn't follow the same strict rules as the emperors of the Central Plains in the past, who said fathers shouldn't hold children to foster independence.

"Among my children, only the Crown Prince, the second prince, and the third prince have been held by me."

The Emperor hadn't held a child in years and was a bit out of practice, but he quickly got the hang of it, even rocking his arm to help the child sleep comfortably. "And only the Crown Prince was frequently cared for by me."

The second and third princes were much older than the Crown Prince, by about five years.

Fu Lingtan's mother was the Emperor's first wife before he rose to power. She later fell ill and passed away. The Emperor acted as both father and mother raising young Fu Lingtan.

Later, as he gained fame and prowess in battle, more women came into his life.

Thus, the second prince, third prince, and others were born.

But all the children that came after combined couldn't hold a candle to the eldest, the Crown Prince, in his heart.

The Emperor spoke as You Nan listened quietly.

The Emperor seemed to be nostalgically reminiscing about the past, but he was also implying to You Nan that once he boarded the Crown Prince's ship, there was no getting off—he would not allow You Nan to betray the Crown Prince.

Everyone outside who had harmed the Crown Prince, he would kill them all.

The Emperor finished speaking and paused.

You Nan raised his eyes and declared, "Your Majesty’s devotion for the Crown Prince is engraved in my heart. It’s just that the Crown Prince has been away for so long, and I am utterly devastated."

As he spoke, You Nan’s eyes reddened, his voice choked with emotion. The next moment, tears were about to fall.

"Why are you crying? Am I not back now?"

A light laugh suddenly came from outside the hall. The Emperor inside the hall chuckled heartily, clearly already in the know. Only You Nan remained sitting on the bed, stunned, staring toward the doorway.

A tear had already rolled down.

"Ah," Fu Lingtan sighed, strode over. He reached out and wiped the tear from You Nan’s face.

Fu Lingtan stood in the flesh before You Nan, dressed elegantly, as handsome and tall as before.

Only his usually cold, aloof eyes softened noticeably when they met You Nan’s.

"Alright, Your father is here, and you’re still crying."

Fu Lingtan sat beside You Nan and, in front of the Emperor, pulled him into an embrace.

You Nan did not resist.

He had become used to Fu Lingtan’s presence during this time and no longer froze up like before when held by him.

You Nan grasped Fu Lingtan’s hand and clutched it against his chest. "Since Your Highness is unharmed, why didn’t you return these past few days?"

Fu Lingtan lowered his head to meet You Nan’s reddened eyes. When he saw the tears glistening there, his breath caught, and his heart pounded heavily for a moment.

Fu Lingtan was unusually fidgety.

"There were some matters that needed tying up loose ends. I couldn’t risk alerting the enemy and had to wait a little longer. I went back on my word."

"I apologize to you."

Fu Lingtan said.

You Nan said it wasn’t necessary. "I only ask that Your Highness keep You Nan in your thoughts."

You Nan lowered his eyes.

How could he ever ask Fu Lingtan for affection?

Fu Lingtan was royalty, and a man.

The royal family was known for its coldness—what kind of beauty couldn’t he have?

Now he was the Crown Princess, but once Fu Lingtan became Emperor, the rear palace would be filled with many beautiful concubines. Who knew if he would still have peaceful days ahead?

Fu Lingtan smiled.

He didn’t know You Nan’s thoughts; he only felt that his Crown Princess had a gentle nature and cared for him.

Meanwhile, the Emperor nodded approvingly at You Nan.

Dignified, not spoiled by privilege, and utterly loyal to his son.

His son’s Crown Princess was truly exceptional.

The Emperor stood up, and the chief eunuch beside him took the little imperial grandson from his arms and placed him on the bed.

You Nan’s fingers trembled slightly, but he did not actively reach for the child. He wanted to see Fu Lingtan’s current attitude.

Out of the corner of his eye, Fu Lingtan caught sight of the child and felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, snapping him back to reality. The smile on his lips faded.

He already knew that his father, because of him, had directly bestowed a title to this child.

The child’s imperial registry had already been submitted. It was no longer possible to have the child taken away as originally agreed.

Fu Lingtan feigned ignorance of the little thing.

And You Nan watched Fu Lingtan’s every move closely.

The other’s apathy and distaste toward the child were all noticed by him.

You Nan’s eyelids twitched. Without the slightest hesitation, he naturally gathered the child into his arms in front of the Emperor, cradling him tenderly.

The Emperor, oblivious to the reality, was even more satisfied with his behavior.

"Crown Prince, come, take a walk with me. Let the Crown Princess get some proper rest."

Fu Lingtan responded, "Yes."

You Nan waited until both of them had left and the hall door was closed before laying the child next to his pillow.

This was his child. No one would take him from me.

You Nan’s expression was determined yet soft as he looked at the child.

The royal father and son left the Eastern Palace and arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Fu Lingtan, who had been poised in front of You Nan moments earlier, now grew pale.

The Emperor quickly ordered the chief eunuch to offer the Crown Prince a seat and dismissed all attendants.

The Emperor’s face showed concern. "You, I told you to return and rest properly, but you refused. You had to go see the Crown Princess and the imperial grandson."

"They’re in your Eastern Palace; they’re not going anywhere. Why wouldn’t you listen to me!"

The Emperor knew exactly how the Crown Prince had returned today.

The Crown Prince’s clothes were soaked with blood. As time had passed, the blood had dried, becoming stiff stains soaked into the fabric, beyond removing.

"Father, I already have leads," Fu Lingtan said, leaning back in his chair to steady himself.

During this time, he had gradually identified all those lurking in the shadows.

Fu Lingtan was indeed an effective weapon in this regard.

He had destroyed two of the enemy’s hideouts, killing everyone inside—sparing no one. He had nearly wiped out most of the enemy’s core operatives.

The enemy reacted quickly, immediately evacuating their remaining agents to preserve their strength.

The struggle between Fu Lingtan and these rebels was at an impasse.

That day, he was rushing back from outside the city when a hidden arrow shot toward him. Having faced many assassinations, he was always alert to his surroundings. The moment the arrow came at him, he swiftly cut it in half with his sword.

The ambushers had come prepared; when the first strike failed, more arrows followed.

Fu Lingtan had hurried back with only a small retinue.

All his men who accompanied him were killed, and he was hit by several arrows himself. Still, he managed to leap into a river, using the swift current to throw off his pursuers.

He finally found an isolated spot to recuperate for a day before immediately returning to the imperial city.

Meanwhile, his missing imperial brother had returned the day before, but when questioned, he could only say that he was knocked unconscious while trying to leave and woke up at the city gates.

What the imperial brother said was true. In that case, Fu Lingtan had been their target all along.

The Emperor knew these people were a serious threat to their reign.

These rebels came from various backgrounds.

Some were forces left behind by the former dynasty's general, or even holdouts from earlier dynasties.

Plenty of people wanted them dead.

"They all talk about restoring the old dynasty, yet none dare to face Song State's army head-on. They know they can't defeat our iron cavalry, so they resort to these underhanded assassination attempts. They deserve to die!"

The Emperor was furious. These people were targeting his son, and it enraged him.

With a loud crash, he swept all the ink, brushes, paper, and inkstones off the desk, shattering them into pieces.

"Father, do not worry. This will be over soon. I'll make sure they're wiped out!"

A cold glint shone in Fu Lingtan's eyes, his entire demeanor icy and merciless.

Seeing that his son had a plan, the Emperor felt greatly reassured. "Good! That's my boy! Hahaha! I believe in you!"

.

His child was personally named by the Emperor, but You Nan did not like the name.

He gave the child a nickname: Maomao.

Because his son reacted to the sound "Maomao."

The child, who had only just opened his eyes, already seemed fond of 007.

007 was used to lying next to You Nan, and the child also lay next to You Nan, his gaze always fixed on 007.

007 was mischievous and went to play with the vase that the senior palace maid had arranged with flowers.

With a flick of its paw, a series of crashes echoed in the room. You Nan and the senior palace maid, who rushed in, saw the fragments on the floor.

You Nan saw red and wanted to punish the cat.

These items were incredibly expensive; the vase alone cost hundreds of taels of silver.

You Nan chased after 007, shouting, "You stupid Maomao, stop right there!"

007 did not stop, but the little prince on the bed reacted.

The maid tending to the child immediately reported to the Crown Princess and the senior palace maid, "Just now, when the Crown Princess called out 'Maomao,' the little prince immediately lifted his head and looked toward the Crown Princess."

"Maomao?" You Nan looked at the child and instinctively called out.

The child on the bed immediately lifted his head and looked at him curiously.

Thus, the little prince's name was decided.

You Nan also liked this name very much.

In the Eastern Palace, he had little to do. Back in the Opera Troupe, he had to practice basic skills every day, cook, clean, and do handicrafts.

Now that he was a master of the palace, everything was done for him. He only needed to give orders.

You Nan didn't know what to do, so he spent his time doting on Maomao.

He even took a brush to draw Maomao, but when he finished, he realized he couldn't draw well—it was downright ugly.

Embarrassed, You Nan wanted to tear up the drawing.

He also didn't let the senior palace maid see it. "Step aside, don't stand behind me."

The senior palace maid smiled and complied, not wanting to upset the Crown Princess.

But the room was far from peaceful.

Both 007 and Maomao were causing quite a ruckus. You Nan had no choice but to hide the drawing. He also told the senior palace maid that he wanted to learn how to paint.

The senior palace maid immediately agreed, thinking about which official would be suitable to teach the Crown Princess.

It wasn't until evening, when 007 fell asleep beside Maomao, that You Nan finally relaxed.

He secretly tried to burn the embarrassing drawing while the senior palace maid was away.

But when he opened his small drawer, he found that the drawing had disappeared.

You Nan: "!!!"

"Hey!" You Nan searched for a long time without finding it, sweat beading on his forehead. "Where is my drawing?"

Outside the palace, in a civilian house.

You Nan's drawing appeared in the hands of a man with delicate features.

You Nan's drawing skills were practically nonexistent. He couldn't use a brush properly, had hardly ever written characters, and drawing was simply out of the question.

The drawings of Maomao and 007 were only roughly outlined, vaguely resembling the child and the cat. The rest was mostly a mess of dark ink blots.

Chen Liangren sat under the lamp, the dim candlelight illuminating his face. The man was as gentle as jade.

He gazed at the drawing in his hand for a long time before carefully putting it away.