During the New Year period, while others were busy visiting relatives and friends, Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui stayed cooped up in Prince Li's residence because Xie Chen had not yet returned to the capital. Since Xie Zhui enjoyed eating food made by Xiao Shan himself, Xiao Shan had been trying to cook for him these past few days.

 

He couldn't make any fancy dishes, but he managed to cook simple things like noodles, pan-fried dumplings, or warm soups and stews. The servants at Prince Li's residence always knew that Xiao Shan treated Xie Zhui well, but they never expected it to be to this extent.

 

Xiao Shan didn't call the kitchen staff the night he cooked wontons for Xie Zhui. So, when the kitchen staff first saw him enter the kitchen to make a bowl of noodles for Xie Zhui, they thought they were seeing things and were left in a state of shock.

 

Xiao Shan couldn't roll out the noodles himself, so the task was completed by the cook. He also made a beautifully fried egg for Xie Zhui. Of course, the first one got burnt because he hadn't fried an egg in a long time, but after a few tries, he managed to make it perfectly.

 

Every time Xie Zhui ate something made by Xiao Shan, he felt it had a special flavor, and he could always eat a bit more. Seeing this, Xiao Shan became even more enthusiastic about cooking for him. The servants at the residence went from being shocked to becoming accustomed to seeing Xiao Shan in the kitchen.

 

While they didn't dare say anything openly, they privately discussed how genuinely well Xiao Shan treated Xie Zhui.

 

Xie Zhui was aware that having Xiao Shan frequently enter the kitchen would certainly spark gossip if word got out. But honestly, every time he saw how much effort Xiao Shan put in for him, he couldn't help but want more.

 

Xiao Shan broke many conventions for him, and Xie Zhui was acutely aware of how special he was in Xiao Shan's heart.

 

However, Xie Zhui didn't intend for Xiao Shan to continue this indefinitely. So, after having a warm pot that evening, feeling warm all over, he looked at the calm-faced Xiao Shan and softly said, "You don't need to go to the kitchen anymore."

 

Xiao Shan didn't even lift his eyes and replied, "You like it, don't you? It's not troublesome." He only handled the cooking; the follow-up tasks didn't require his involvement.

 

"I do like it," Xie Zhui admitted without hiding his thoughts, "but doing it occasionally is enough."

 

He understood and appreciated the sentiment. The key point was that the chefs in the kitchen were very skilled. If Xiao Shan were to be responsible for their meals all the time, those chefs would likely live in constant anxiety.

 

Xiao Shan glanced at him and smiled faintly, "I'll do as you say."

 

His cooking skills were not on par with those of a professional chef, but since Xie Zhui liked it, he was willing to make the effort.

 

Besides, they had the means to hire chefs. If they were born into a farming family, he would certainly have to do it himself.

 

Xie Zhui also smiled. Outside, the cold wind howled, but inside, it was warm and cozy.

 

When he was with Xiao Shan, the stern and cold expression on his face would soften. In the past, even his smiles were stiff, but now, in front of Xiao Shan, he could easily show a gentle smile.

 

Xiao Shan stood up and pulled Xie Zhui to his feet, walking him around the room a few times. It was partly to aid digestion and partly because walking more would be beneficial for the upcoming childbirth.

 

After a few laps, Xie Zhui felt sticky and uncomfortable, so Xiao Shan called for water, and they washed up. Then, they lay down on the bed.

 

Xiao Shan touched Xie Zhui's belly.

 

It used to be firm, with enviable eight-pack abs, but now it had become soft, nurturing the little life that belonged to both of them.

 

Life is a miracle, worthy of reverence.

 

Xie Zhui's breathing grew a bit heavier with Xiao Shan's touch.

 

Ever since their marriage, he and Xiao Shan had often been intimate. When Old Master Gu passed away, Xiao Shan and he observed a period of mourning, but afterward, they no longer held back.

 

Xiao Shan had no other intimate companions besides him. Since Xiao Shan's injury and the discovery of his pregnancy, their nights together had been purely for sleep. But he knew Xiao Shan had been restraining himself...

 

Thinking about this, Xie Zhui's breathing grew heavier. He reached out, his voice trembling slightly, "Let me help you."

 

Xiao Shan initially wanted to refuse, but in the end, he simply responded with a hum. He then guided Xie Zhui's hand downward, while also assisting Xie Zhui in return.

 

They called for water again, changed into clean bedding, and lay down once more.

 

Xiao Shan kissed Xie Zhui's forehead and whispered, "Sleep."

 

Xie Zhui's cheeks grew warm, and he closed his eyes.

 

They slept well through the night. The next morning, when Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui woke up, snowflakes were drifting down outside.

 

Xie Zhui wasn't hungry yet, so they stayed snuggled in the warm bed. In cold weather, people could sometimes become a bit lazy, especially someone like Xiao Shan, who preferred not to get involved in too many affairs. On days when there was nothing to worry about, he would remain as still as possible.

 

Xie Zhui watched the snow falling outside and then looked at Xiao Shan beside him, thinking that it would be nice if things could always stay this way.

 

***

 

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, there were supposed to be lantern displays in the capital. However, due to the ice and snow not yet melting and the risk of slipping, the lantern displays were canceled for everyone's safety.

 

Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui originally planned to go out and see the lanterns together, but with the cancellation, they stayed home.

 

Knowing that Xie Zhui liked lanterns, Xiao Shan bought many lanterns and hung them around the residence, creating the atmosphere of a small lantern festival.

 

When night fell, the lanterns were lit, and fireworks blossomed outside. Xiao Shan looked at Xie Zhui and asked with a smile, "Do you like it?"

 

Xie Zhui nodded and said, "When I was young, I also watched the lanterns in the capital. After spending so much time on the border, I had almost forgotten what the lanterns in the capital looked like."

 

"It doesn't matter. From now on, we'll go to the lantern festival together every year," Xiao Shan said with a smile, holding his hand. Xie Zhui acknowledged softly, thinking that as long as they were together, it didn't matter whether they saw the lanterns or not.

 

As Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui were talking, Ji An hurriedly approached, followed by another person.

 

Xie Zhui's eyes lit up when he saw the newcomer. It was none other than Gu Ning, the guard who served Xie Chen.

 

Before Gu Ning could even salute, Xie Zhui asked, "Gu Ning, you've returned to the capital. Does that mean my Elder Brother has also returned?"

 

Gu Ning nodded with a stern expression and said, "The young master has returned to the residence. He sent me to inform the Prince and the Prince Consort."

 

Xie Zhui anxiously said, "Elder Brother hasn't sent any news these past days. Why did he suddenly return without sending someone to inform me in advance? At least we could have tidied up the courtyard."

 

Gu Ning's expression remained unchanged as he replied, "The young master wanted to surprise the Prince Consort. Besides, the Xie residence is always being cleaned, so there's no need to worry."

 

Xie Zhui had many questions but ultimately didn't ask them.

 

Gu Ning followed Xie Chen's orders closely, so any questions should be directed to Xie Chen himself.

 

At this moment, Xiao Shan spoke up, "Since Elder Brother has returned to the capital, we will visit him tomorrow."

 

Gu Ning saluted Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui before leaving.

 

After he left, Xie Zhui said worriedly, "Elder Brother's sudden return to the capital makes me wonder if something has happened."

 

Xiao Shan smiled and said, "If there were really an issue, your brother's guard wouldn't be so calm. We'll visit the Xie residence tomorrow and see for ourselves."

 

Hearing this, Xie Zhui felt somewhat reassured.

 

***

 

That night, the atmosphere in the Eastern Palace was quite serious. The reason was none other than Little Snowball falling ill again, this time with a fever.

 

In these times, it was difficult to treat a fever even in adults, let alone a frail little child.

 

Xiao Jin sat by the bed, his gaze heavy as he watched Little Snowball, who was small and thin, her face flushed and her chest rising and falling slightly. Tear stains from the bitter medicine she had been fed marked her face, while Liu Jingyi stood by, continuously wiping away tears.

 

Xiao Jin reached out to touch Little Snowball's forehead, only to feel her skin burning like fire.

 

He abruptly withdrew his hand and then lowered his eyes in silence.

 

Liu Jingyi dabbed the corners of her eyes with a silk handkerchief, then spoke softly, "Your Highness, you haven't eaten all day. The child is asleep now; please have something to eat."

 

With that, she called for a meal to be brought in.

 

The meal was naturally the finest, with perfect color, aroma, and taste.

 

Xiao Jin finally looked up at her, his gaze peculiar, as if he were scrutinizing or contemplating something. The emotions in his eyes were thin, lacking the usual warmth, and under the lamplight, he appeared particularly distant and unfamiliar.

 

Liu Jingyi had never seen such an expression on Xiao Jin's face before. Her heart panicked, and she couldn't help but call out to him again, "Your Highness."

 

Xiao Jin stared at her steadily and calmly said, "These past days, I have been investigating the matter of your premature labor."

 

Liu Jingyi looked at him without speaking.

 

Xiao Jin continued calmly, "I have thoroughly investigated the entire Eastern Palace and uncovered many things. I discovered some matters related to Lady Xu. A maidservant by Lady Xu's side privately mentioned that you, the Crown Princess, have no powerful family backing, are powerless, and narrow-minded. She said that their Lady Xu, being talented and beautiful, would eventually replace you."

 

Liu Jingyi averted her eyes, tears welling up. Her chest heaved with emotion, and she seemed somewhat agitated. "I didn't expect Your Highness to uncover these things... People around me have mentioned such words before, but there was no concrete evidence. Moreover, Lady Xu was pregnant, and Your Highness was out of the capital on a hunting trip. I couldn't question her based on unverified rumors. If someone deliberately framed Lady Xu's maidservant, and if anything happened to Lady Xu because of it, I couldn't bear the responsibility."

 

Xiao Jin said indifferently, "In the end, this is all my fault. I always thought that even if I wasn't as wise as Father Emperor, there wouldn't be too much filth in the inner court. You are my Crown Princess, and I have always respected you, giving you control over the inner court. Even when favoring concubines, I never bypassed you. I feared that someone might disrupt the order and try to usurp your position, making your words as the Crown Princess ineffective. We have been married for a long time without children, and I always thought that the first child should be born of the legitimate wife to avoid any awkwardness in the future."

 

The Emperor's harem was filled with beauties, each with their own ambitions, but none ever overstepped the Empress. The only issue was that the Empress had not given birth to a legitimate son, leading to the birth of Xiao Rong. Before Xiao Rong, the Empress had no children, and even after Xiao Rong, she remained childless for a long time, bearing immense pressure.

 

This led to the entry of Consort Lan into the palace.

 

In the harem, it was common for sisters to turn against each other and for brothers to stab each other in the back.

 

Xiao Jin thought that as long as Liu Jingyi had a child first, even if other children were born later, no one would think that Liu Jingyi was incapable of bearing children. This would prevent anyone from considering sending their clan's daughters into the Eastern Palace to secure favor.

 

Liu Jingyi hurriedly said, "It is my failure in management that has disappointed Your Highness."

 

"You have indeed disappointed me," Xiao Jin's tone remained calm. "After you were four or five months pregnant, it was Imperial Physician Zhang who attended to you."

 

Liu Jingyi's heart tightened, and she said, "Yes, at that time, I wanted to invite Imperial Physician Su, but he was unavailable, so I called for Imperial Physician Zhang. Later, I found that Imperial Physician Zhang's skills were quite exceptional, so I kept him. I mentioned this to Your Highness..."

 

"You did mention it to me, and it was I who personally agreed to keep Imperial Physician Zhang," Xiao Jin said with a light laugh. "But you didn't tell me at the time about the connection between your Liu family and Imperial Physician Zhang. Your father once saved his life, didn't he?"

 

Liu Jingyi's face changed, but she remained silent.

 

Xiao Jin continued nonchalantly, "I have already verified this with Imperial Physician Zhang. Due to the matters concerning the Liu family, you were often anxious and worried, with pent-up anger affecting your health, frequently showing signs of fetal distress. You couldn't eat properly, so as the pregnancy progressed, the pulse of the fetus was not good. Imperial Physician Zhang warned you that the child could not be carried to full term and would certainly be born prematurely."

 

"I'm curious about one thing now," Xiao Jin said. "Did you know the child would be born prematurely and deliberately frame Lady Xu, or did Lady Xu truly say something that provoked you into early labor? At this point, tell me the truth."

 

Liu Jingyi's lips trembled slightly, and she felt that the Xiao Jin before her was a complete stranger.

 

Xiao Jin noticed her thoughts and curled his lips slightly. Something flickered in his eyes as he said, "Is there really someone in this world who would harm their own child for power?"

 

It was as if he were asking someone, or perhaps just muttering to himself.

 

Tears streamed down Liu Jingyi's face as she said, "I didn't..."

 

TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars for the translation - I'd really like to see how far Leon goes and how far we can increase the number of chapters. Thanks~!

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