Since Xiao Shan had extended the invitation, the officials in Yunnan naturally dared not refuse. Not only did they have to attend, but they also had to bring valuable gifts to avoid displeasing Xiao Shan.

 

For instance, the Governor of Yunnan and officials from various prefectures brought antiques and artifacts, but no calligraphy or paintings. Nowadays, everyone knew that Xiao Yi, who loved poetry and calligraphy, had been adopted by Prince Yong.

 

The officials didn't know the specifics of what transpired, but as officials, they had some connections with their counterparts in the capital. Among them, many heard that this matter was related to the Crown Prince and Xiao Shan.

 

As for the extent of the connection, that was something they had to speculate on their own.

 

Of course, there were also those who tried to take a more unscrupulous route, bringing their daughters and gers from their households, hoping to use beauty or talent to test Xiao Shan's character.

 

After all, since Xiao Shan's marriage, he only had Xie Zhui as his consort. Now in Yunnan, his word was law. If someone from their family caught his eye, their entire family could rise to prominence, with an immeasurable future.

 

Those who tried to gain favor this way believed that men, especially nobles like Xiao Shan, would naturally have multiple wives and concubines. Even though Xiao Shan showed no such inclination, they were convinced that the individuals they had chosen would appeal to him.

 

They were mostly driven by a sense of luck, thinking, "What if?"

 

What if Xiao Shan took a liking to the person they brought? What if they happened to seize an opportunity that others missed?

 

In short, everyone came to the banquet with various expectations, but the event turned out to be completely different from what they imagined.

 

There were no performances, not even a single opera singer in the princely residence. Those who had been brought along to dazzle the crowd had no opportunity to showcase their talents.

 

Xiao Shan received the officials in the front hall, while Xie Zhui entertained the ladies in a separate area just a wall away.

 

The first thing Xiao Shan said upon seeing everyone was, "Since you are serving in my fief, introduce yourselves so I can recognize you. It wouldn't do to meet on the street and not know who you are."

 

Thus, starting with the Governor of Yunnan, each official stood up one by one to state their name and position.

 

Xiao Shan nodded to each person as they stood up.

 

After everyone introduced themselves, he smiled and said frankly, "I invited you all here today to get to know each other. Let me be clear from the start. Serving as an official in my fief, you must not lie with your eyes wide open. If anyone tries to embarrass me, don't blame me for not showing mercy. Of course, if you perform well, I will naturally petition my father, the Emperor, to reward you."

 

The implication was that although Yunnan was his fief, he had no intention of creating a state within a state. Yunnan was still part of Da Zhou, and its people were still subjects of Da Zhou.

 

"My temperament is something you may have heard about to some extent. I don't tolerate deceit, and my words can be harsh. Both Father Emperor and the Crown Prince are used to it and have never asked me to change. I hope you can bear with it as well."

 

Hearing this, the officials were somewhat speechless. If the Emperor and the Crown Prince never reprimanded him, how could they, mere officials, have anything to say? They could only respectfully agree, saying, "Yes, yes, yes."

 

While Xiao Shan was having a cordial conversation with the officials, the atmosphere among the ladies was quite different.

 

After paying their respects to Xie Zhui, the eloquent wife of the Governor tried to initiate a conversation. She began by introducing the people around her, including some of the officials' primary consorts.

 

She thought that since Xie Zhui was also a ger, he would have something to talk about with the other gers. However, Xie Zhui merely glanced at them, gave a brief "Mhm," and then fell silent.

 

The Governor's wife tried several topics to spark a conversation, but the atmosphere remained cold and awkward.

 

Seeing that the mood wasn't warming up, the Governor's wife decided to stop talking. It was pointless for her to be the only one chattering away without anyone engaging.

 

So, the group sat there in silence, staring at the floor and sipping their tea.

 

After Xie Zhui drank two cups of tea, Ji An approached with a smile and said, "Consort, the Prince asked me to inquire if you are bored."

 

Xie Zhui replied in a calm voice, "Tell His Highness it's fine."

 

Ji An's smile remained unchanged as he continued, "The Prince said that there are many matters to attend to in the princely residence, but the Consort must not feel aggrieved in his own home. Only when the Consort is happy will the Prince be happy."

 

Xie Zhui nodded, "I understand. Tell His Highness not to worry."

 

Ji An bowed and then respectfully acknowledged the ladies of the officials' households before retreating.

 

His visit was meant to convey Xiao Shan's message: in the Prince of Yunnan's residence, Xie Zhui was in charge. Anyone with ulterior motives needed to restrain themselves. If anyone displeased Xie Zhui, Xiao Shan would ensure they were equally displeased.

 

Everyone had their own thoughts upon witnessing this scene. The Governor's wife, seeing Ji An retreat, smiled and said, "The Prince and the Consort have a very good relationship." Although she didn't want to speak, it would have been inappropriate to remain silent at this moment.

 

She had expected Xie Zhui to respond with a simple "Mhm," but instead, Xie Zhui looked at her and pointed to the fruit platter and pastries beside her, saying, "These are authentic capital pastries made by the servants of the residence. Madam Xu, please try them and see how they differ from Yunnan's pastries."

 

The Governor of Yunnan's name was Xu Hui.

 

Madam Xu was pleasantly surprised by this long response. She had thought she would only be drinking tea at the Prince of Yunnan's residence today.

 

While she had many thoughts running through her mind, she maintained a smiling face and said, "I am fortunate to have this opportunity. I must try them properly." With that, she took a piece of pastry and put it in her mouth. After eating it, she nodded repeatedly, praising it as delicious.

 

She even laughed and said she wanted to take some back with her.

 

Such a small request was naturally granted by Xie Zhui.

 

The others, seeing Madam Xu conversing with Xie Zhui, felt very conflicted. Neither the Consort nor the Governor's wife were people they could afford to offend, so they could only sit there with forced smiles.

 

The banquet at the Prince of Yunnan's residence was quite unique. The ladies couldn't figure out Xie Zhui, while the officials got a clear sense of Xiao Shan's character.

 

But what could they do with this understanding? They didn't dare to truly cross Xiao Shan. Didn't they see the 3,000 imperial guards stationed inside and outside the residence? If they angered Xiao Shan, they would surely face severe consequences.

 

After the banquet, the officials reunited with their wives and exchanged information. They all had one thought in mind: both Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui were not to be trifled with.

 

Madam Xu, the Governor's wife, came to a conclusion: Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui had a very good relationship. Xiao Shan valued Xie Zhui, and Xie Zhui appreciated genuine compliments about their relationship. Therefore, as long as Xie Zhui was kept happy, Xiao Shan would be easy to deal with.

 

To keep Xie Zhui happy, one must avoid using typical inner-court tactics in his presence, such as trying to place people in the prince's harem. Doing such things would be courting disaster.

 

Governor Xu Hui remarked, "Given the Prince's temperament, the officials in Yunnan will have to tread carefully in their duties."

 

They had no choice but to be cautious, considering Xiao Shan had an Emperor for a father and a Crown Prince for a brother.

 

Madam Xu smiled and said, "Such a temperament is actually good. We just need to do our own duties well."

 

Governor Xu nodded, "Time will tell. Let's take it one step at a time."

 

Regardless, everyone now understood that the Prince of Yunnan and his consort were not to be trifled with.

 

No one dared to approach them casually.

 

As a result, when Xie Zhui went into labor, the princely residence was peaceful, free from the typical intrigues of wealthy households.

 

Before Xie Zhui gave birth, Xiao Shan had already made arrangements for his 3,000 imperial guards.

 

He left a portion of the guards to protect the princely residence, while the majority were sent to cultivate wasteland. When they weren't farming, they trained at the Southern Border Army's camp.

 

Although the Emperor granted Yunnan to Xiao Shan as his fief, the Southern Border Army remained under the Emperor's control.

 

This was to prevent any potential issues related to military power shifts.

 

Therefore, Xiao Shan did not integrate his guards into the Southern Border Army but merely used their training facilities.

 

This way, no one could find fault with his actions, and he could effectively manage the placement of his men.

 

After settling his men, Xiao Shan devoted all his attention to Xie Zhui. The imperial physician, Shi Yan, advised that walking more before childbirth would help Xie Zhui have the strength for labor and reduce the pain.

 

Every day, Xiao Shan would spend a significant amount of time accompanying Xie Zhui on walks. As the pregnancy progressed, walking became more difficult, so Xiao Shan would support Xie Zhui as they walked slowly. They would walk a bit, rest a bit, and quietly chat, leading a simple yet extraordinarily warm life.

 

On the day Xie Zhui went into labor, it was the sixth day of the sixth month, an otherwise ordinary day.

 

Xiao Shan was talking to the baby in Xie Zhui's belly, telling him not to trouble his father and to make an effort to be born when the time came.

 

He spoke earnestly, and Xie Zhui, feeling a bit helpless, said, "You say so much, but he can't understand you."

 

Xiao Shan confidently said, "It's important to communicate with the child. The more you talk to him, over time, he will naturally understand." He was speaking the truth, as in modern society, many children start receiving prenatal education even before they were born.

 

Xie Zhui was taken aback by this. Just as he was about to say something, a sharp pain suddenly struck his abdomen.

 

His expression changed, and he gripped Xiao Shan's hand tightly, saying, "I think I'm about to give birth."

 

Hearing this, Xiao Shan's face also changed. He had imagined countless times what it would be like when Xie Zhui went into labor. He thought he would be calm and have everything under control. But at this moment, his mind went blank, and he had no idea what to do.

 

At that moment, his heart was filled with boundless fear and anxiety.

 

Everyone said that giving birth was like walking through the gates of hell, and he was terrified.

 

Xiao Shan's hands began to tremble uncontrollably. However, upon seeing Xie Zhui's pale face and the cold sweat on his forehead, he took several deep breaths and said, "Don't be afraid. We have everything prepared. Let's go and give birth now."

 

He then helped Xie Zhui up and called for the necessary items for childbirth. In his previous imaginings, he thought he would carry Xie Zhui to the delivery room. But now, he didn't dare to; he was afraid his unsteady hands might cause Xie Zhui to fall.

 

Xie Zhui looked at him and said, "I'm not afraid, and you shouldn't be either."

 

"I’m not afraid," Xiao Shan said in a deep voice.

 

Xie Zhui responded with a soft "Mm."

 

After getting Xie Zhui to the delivery room, Xiao Shan wanted very much to stay with him.

 

But Xie Zhui insisted he shouldn't, so Xiao Shan, not wanting to upset him, said, "I'll be right outside the door. If the pain becomes unbearable, just curse at me, curse me hard. That way, you'll have the strength."

 

That was how it was portrayed on TV—wives cursing their husbands in the delivery room during childbirth.

 

Now, he was willing to be that kind of husband.

 

Hearing this, Xie Zhui smiled at him.

 

The midwives and Shi Yan exchanged glances upon hearing Xiao Shan's words. They knew Xiao Shan doted on Xie Zhui, but they hadn't realized it was to this extent.

 

Shi Yan suddenly felt immense pressure. He had a strong feeling that if anything went wrong with Xie Zhui, Xiao Shan would surely hold him accountable.