Adorable Dumpling

Unable to stay by her mother’s side, the little girl also didn’t make a fuss. Just like the empress had said, she was indeed quite easy to take care of.

The bathing ceremony was presided over by the empress. Jing Wan didn’t interfere, just letting her do as she sees fit, and Li Hong Yuan further didn’t care. For him, having a daughter, really, it was just the same as not having one. Since that’s the case, the empress just held it lively, compared to when her eldest son was born, it was also not the least bit lacking.

And on the same day, Li Tian Lin directly issued a decree, conferring his own little sister as the Grand Elder Princess, her title Ning Guo. This really wasn’t just ordinarily honorable.

(T/N: Ning Guo means ‘bring peace to the country’.)

Back then, how many people wanted to win over Li Tian Lin, right now, was just how many people that wanted to win over Grand Elder Princess Ning Guo. Of course, this might be a bit exaggerated. After all, Li Tian Lin still has two daughters in front ‘sharing the burden’, no? However, in the future, marrying Grand Elder Princess Ning Guo, one really can just scale the heavens in one step. The current emperor, even if mistreating his own daughters, it was still impossible for him to mistreat his own younger sister. Then, towards his younger sister’s husband, he naturally won’t be stingy. Correspondingly, if Ning Guo’s fuma[1] in the future is capable himself, having the resolve, then for the most part, he was just destined rise rapidly.

The princesses in the past were just a bit honorable prior to marrying, and when picking a fuma, it was practically just getting viewed as a flood beast. The unfavored shu born princesses, when encountering those favored daughters of powerful nobles, even need to retreat and give way. After all, for women under a feudalistic society, prior to marrying, it was competing with one’s birth, and after marrying, it was competing with one’s husband and children. For an unfavored princess, when unable to win against the other party in all aspects, naturally can only sullenly avoid. But, the princesses at present were genuinely the most noble among the noble young ladies. Even if unfavored, there will certainly still be outstanding young men willing to marry back home, even if just because of ambition and power. Of course, in the present Li imperial family, there didn’t exist unfavored princesses.

Time passed day by day. Empress Xie for the most part brought Ning Guo to Shouan Palace twice every day. And little Ning Guo also very much gave face the great majority of the times, for the most part always awake during this time, her eyes wide open, glistening black, exceptionally beautiful. Even if knowing that right now she still wasn’t able to see clearly, one still kept feeling that her eyes entirely just had you.

The little dumpling really grew by the day, already shedding away that red and wrinkly skin, appearing fair and tender, exceptionally cute. Jing Wan felt that her heart all melted.

Jing Wan didn’t spare any effort in having her little daughter sent before her father. In any case, Jing Wan could also tell, because their little daughter didn’t make her suffer too much, her father’s dislike towards her wasn’t as serious as towards her imperial brother. Moreover, after this many years, Li Hong Yuan’s temperament ultimately has become reserved. As long as Jing Wan was fine, he easily won’t explode. Seeing Jing Wan’s gaze that was full of anticipation, Li Hong Yuan ultimately reached out, having his little daughter taken into his arms, his movements not the least bit unfamiliar, not letting little Ning Guo be uncomfortable.

Even though this skill was developed in the past life when taking care of Li Tian Lin, and he hasn’t held a child in many years, but that kind of thing was just like having gotten carved into the bones, able to subconsciously do well no matter when.

Speaking of which, in this lifetime, the first child Li Hong Yuan held was actually Luo Jing Bo and Sun Yi Jia’s eldest daughter. Thinking in this way, it really can be considered an enormous honor.

Li Hong Yuan looked down at his young daughter, a tender and soft little dumpling, young and fragile. Her eyes were open, her little fist by her mouth, engrossingly eating.

Being connected by blood, that also wasn’t false. There was simply no fundamental reason to reject, and Jing Wan had also agreed to have her raised at their son and daughter-in-law’s place, already yielding to the greatest degree. In this moment, holding in his arms, he more or less softened a little, reaching out to touch her little face. Afterwards, his finger just got lightly grabbed by the little girl.

Seeing her own husband’s expression soften a little, Jing Wan suddenly felt a bit sour inside. Could it be that the daughter really was the father’s little lover in the past life? How come her son just didn’t have this treatment back then? Back then, when she had their son sent before him, the situation just worsened the more she tried. Sure enough, the daughter was the pearl in the palm, while the son was the wild grass by the roadside?

However, very soon, Jing Wan just knew that she’d thought too much. This man, even if having a bit better attitude towards their daughter, it was also just that, immediately just letting someone have the child carried away. The time he held her also wasn’t long.

Alright, one actually can’t hope for too much. This was already a big improvement.

Once Ning Guo reached a month old, Jing Wan also came out from her confinement period. Truthfully speaking, because during the pregnancy she’d restricted her diet, and during the confinement period, no longer had misgivings, her entire person became even more smooth and round, full of spirit, her skin fair and rosy. Even the originally not that obvious fine wrinkles by the corners of her eyes seemingly all reduced. When those titled madams saw her, quite a few people were envious and jealous inside. Already over fifty, yet did she appeared as such? Did she? Did she?! Sure enough, getting pampered by one’s man was the most important. The Retired Emperor pampered her for a lifetime, thus letting her glow with radiance, ‘staying forever young’.

TN: All

Jing Wan didn’t know their thoughts. If she knew, then she’d probably be speechless again. However, although it wasn’t completely because of a certain man, he indeed played an important role within.

During the palace banquet, they also saw the Retired Emperor and his Majesty. How were they like father and son, practically like brothers, and even the kind that didn’t have any age gap.

For a man to have lived to this degree, it also made the men of the world envious and jealous.

Back when he was still an imperial prince and qinwang, he was already willful and brazen. When ascending the throne, the court officials also shielded his reputation in all kinds of ways. As the emperor, he also had a virtuous and capable empress helping him, his in-law family not dragging him down in the slightest. As for children, although not abundant, but just this one son can still beat a dozen of others’. Under his hand, he had capable and talented subjects, able to bring peace and stability to the country, and able to govern and rule. In his forties, he just went out being carefree in all kinds of ways, and in his sixties, that was not the least bit like a sixty year-old, even obtaining a daughter. When comes to being a winner in life, this can also be considered having achieved the pinnacle.

The only place that got denounced by others was probably just not understanding the joy of being surrounded by beauties.

But, carefully think about it, was this really a ‘stain’? If he wasn’t faithful and wholehearted towards the Empress Dowager, can he live this smoothly?

Disregarding the ones too distant in the past, just take Le Cheng Emperor for example. His imperial harem actually wasn’t even considered a lot, yet in the end? He didn’t have any less of messy matters.

That’s why, this was the so-called ‘trade-off’? And the Retired Emperor just lost that tiny bit, seemingly completely unable to compare with what he’d gained.

That’s why, sure enough, as expected of the one that can become a legendary ruler throughout the ages. His insight just wasn’t something that they these ordinary mortals can compare with?

While not knowing these court officials’ twists and turns inside, but ever since Li Hong Yuan ascended the throne, to at present, with Li Tian Lin in power, over thirty years, although the palace banquets still didn’t have any big changes, there nevertheless weren’t any fights and schemes. After all, at the very beginning, Li Hong Yuan, precisely because of someone causing trouble, mutually tripping one another during the palace banquet, ruthlessly sorted them out, causing the people afterwards, no matter how great of a grudge there was between them in private, they all didn’t dare to bring it out during the palace banquet.

In Jing Wan’s original plans, it was just staying in the palace for a year or two before going out again. Once their energy wear out, they will just find a scenic place in the south to settle down, and afterwards, when the end was near, return to the palace. However, clearly, because of little Ning Guo, her plans changed.

Even if unable to have her little daughter placed under her eyelids at all times, they were all in the palace after all, so able to see everyday. As for having their daughter taken with them, this kind of thing, it was better to not think about it.

Little Ning Guo grew up day by day. This child really was quiet and clever. Speaking of which, Jing Wan also for a time suspected whether or not this child was a ‘special case’. However, sure enough, she’d thought too much.

Also, unknown as to whether or not it was because Li Hong Yuan’s mother’s genes were too strong, little Ning Guo still resembled her father more, fair and delicate like carved jade, unbearably cute. Never mind her nieces and nephews always wanting to kiss her little face, even Li Tian Lin and Xie-shi incredibly adored, for a time, very much disdaining their own stinky brat.

——-Sigh, how come Ning Guo wasn’t their daughter? However, it didn’t matter, didn’t one see that in these years, she was all raised in Kunyi Palace? In reality, although she was his younger sister, she was also no different from a daughter. This kind of little daughter, even if having a dozen more, one all won’t disdain.

Li Tian Lin for a time even secretly hoped that his imperial mother can give birth to two more. In any case, even if his imperial mother gives birth at sixty, he all won’t feel it was strange. Of course, it was also just thinking about it. If his imperial father were to know, no, even if his imperial mother were to know, certainly can skin him to death.

Speaking of which, these actually all weren’t anything. The one that little Ning Guo was attached to the most was actually her imperial father. Even if every time her imperial father saw her, he was all very cold, she still persistently went before him, standing in front of Li Hong Yuan just like that, batting her big eyes, spreading her little arms, her voice soft and fluffy, “Imperial father, hug.”

If Li Hong Yuan doesn’t move, then she also won’t move, just raising her head like that, appearing as if exceptionally stubborn.

And for Li Hong Yuan, sometimes, he really did somewhat headache. If it was a stinky brat, then at worst, it was just sorting out, but such a little girl, he really wasn’t able to.

At times like this, Jing Wan would just smilingly watch from the side. This daughter of hers really was impressive.

If Li Hong Yuan didn’t have the patience, preparing to go around her, then her little hand would just grab his clothes, “Imperial father doesn’t like Ning Guo?” Her eyes filled with mist, appearing as if about to cry at any time, seemingly feeling unbearably sad. This kind of scene, even if fearing Li Hong Yuan’s authority, the palace servants would all can’t help but look towards the Retired Emperor in condemnation.

——-Grand Elder Princess Ning Guo was this cute, could it be that the Retired Emperor’s heart really was made of stone?

Li Hong Yuan really did have a heart of stone, but occasionally he would also compromise, having the little girl picked up.

Although very rare, but every time, little Ning Guo would all brightly smile, holding Li Hong Yuan and kissing him on his cheek, “Ning Guo likes imperial father the most.”

That scene, when certain people saw, just made them jealous to the point where their eyes even reddened, for instance, Li Tian Lin.

[1] Fuma (驸马) – Address/title for the husband of a princess.