Eight years apart, longing had driven them to madness. Naturally, their reunion was one of intimate fusion and entangled limbs.
The ultimate closeness and lingering tenderness, the pounding of hearts against each other, the endless seeking and giving—all served to confirm that they were truly reunited once more.
This was no mere dream born of bone-deep yearning.
…
By the hour of Mao, the young emperor had already been up for two quarters, having dressed properly and finished his meal. He sat upright in the Hall of Diligent Governance, awaiting his tutor for the day’s lesson.
Today, Xiao Junshu was particularly distracted. Xie Yunhuai, noticing his wandering attention several times, set aside the policy discourse in his hand. "If Your Majesty wishes to visit the Empress Dowager, we can grant you leave today."
The joys of family are cherished by all.
Xiao Junshu had never laid eyes on Xiao Huayong since birth. Hearing the rumors, it was only natural that he wanted to see him.
The young emperor was visibly tempted, his body subtly shifting as if to rise, yet he settled back into his seat, his expression already bearing the inscrutable composure expected of a ruler. Only the way his rounded fingertips nervously picked at the edges of his wide sleeves betrayed his unease.
His clear eyes, shimmering with emotion, were strikingly reminiscent of Shen Xihe.
Yet, unlike Shen Xihe’s aloofness that kept others at a distance, his gaze held a steadiness beyond his eight years, fixed on Xie Yunhuai with hopeful intensity. "Master, is it… him? Has he returned?"
He wanted to call out "Father," but fear held him back. Deep down, he knew that, given his mother’s temperament, no one else could ever capture her attention. Yet, he still desperately needed someone to confirm it for him.
Xie Yunhuai smiled gently but did not answer directly. Instead, he said, "Your Majesty rules the realm, never neglecting your duties of paying respects and attending to daily needs. Though young, you have shown little need for guidance in matters of propriety. The Empress Dowager has lived in widowhood all these years, and countless have sought to share her bed. Three years ago, someone even presented a man whose appearance was said to be ninety percent similar to that of Emperor Mingzong.
Upon seeing this man, the Empress Dowager drew her sword and slew him on the spot, his blood splattering three feet across the hall."
Three years ago, Xiao Junshu was only five, and Shen Xihe had kept this incident from him.
"Thank you, Master," Xiao Junshu replied, his expression softening, the smile in his eyes growing brighter.
"Your Majesty does not wish to go see him?" Xie Yunhuai was somewhat surprised. Though Xiao Junshu seemed relieved, he showed no inclination to act on it.
"Master, let us continue the lesson," Xiao Junshu said, pressing his lips into a faint smile. "I am well aware of the loneliness my mother has endured all these years. Since Father has returned, they ought to have their time alone. As for meeting him… there will be plenty of time ahead; there is no need to rush."
Xie Yunhuai felt a stir in his heart. Xiao Junshu had been under their tutelage since he began to babble. Though he retained some childishness before the age of six, he had grown increasingly composed thereafter. They had long known of his exceptional intelligence, but his display of such worldly understanding and his ability to restrain his desires so effortlessly left Xie Yunhuai deeply impressed.
Whether it was Xie Yunhuai, Xiao Changqing, or even Cui Jinbai, each had been a prodigious youth in their time, unrivaled among their peers in their younger days.
Reflecting on his own eight-year-old self, Xie Yunhuai felt he fell far short.
Collecting his thoughts, Xie Yunhuai picked up the scroll again and resumed the lesson at his usual pace.
The young emperor did not let his mind wander again, listening with full concentration.
Understanding and considerate, Xiao Junshu believed that, as a sensible son, he ought to grant his parents ample time alone after their long separation.
Yet, after waiting through the first day, his father did not come for him on the second. He did not go to pay his respects, nor did his mother send anyone to check on him.A faint sense of disappointment settled in his heart. In previous years, if he had ever been late for a meal without sending word, his mother would either personally bring him food or send Aunt Hongyu or Aunt Ziyu to check on him.
Now, it seemed his mother had forgotten him.
On the third day, his father still did not appear, and his mother still had not summoned him.
The young emperor’s feelings about his father’s return had gradually shifted from pleasant surprise and disappointment to outright frustration!
During martial arts practice, the iron sword tailored for him danced through the air, forcing his sparring partners, Bu Zhan and Cui Zhu, into retreat. In just a few moves, their swords were knocked from their hands.
“Get up, again!” Xiao Junshu glared at the two brothers lying on the ground, his expression stern as he issued the command.
The brothers clutched their chests where they had been kicked. Though they wore protective gear, the impact still stung. With the telepathic bond of twins, they exchanged a quick glance and threw themselves at Xiao Junshu’s feet, each clinging to one of his legs.
Cui Zhu pleaded, “Your Majesty, if we have done wrong, punish us as you see fit, but do not let anger harm your imperial health.”
Bu Zhan chimed in, “Your Majesty, it wasn’t me who secretly took the little princess out to play yesterday, nor did I pretend to be a ghost to scare the maid in Hibiscus Garden, and I certainly didn’t put urine in Minister Zhang’s teacup…”
Bu Zhan rattled off a list of his own mischievous deeds, making Cui Zhu roll his eyes beside him: This fool could not possibly be his blood brother!
Xiao Junshu, who had been brooding, watched this childhood friend of his—a living spectacle—sobbing and sniveling while trying to cover up his antics with blatant denials. In an instant, he didn’t know whether to be angry or amused.
“Your Majesty, I know my sins are grave. But I have an almost eighty-year-old grandfather above me, young siblings below me whom my parents are still striving to raise, and in between, a twin brother who constantly makes me take the blame and act pitiful—”
Before Bu Zhan could finish his lament, Cui Zhu clamped a hand over his mouth!
Seeing that the emperor’s expression was no longer as icy as before, Cui Zhu spoke up, “Your Majesty, if you are troubled, why not share your concerns with us? Though we may not match Your Majesty’s brilliance, we are willing to exhaust our thoughts and efforts to ease your worries.”
“Ease my worries?” Xiao Junshu chuckled, a malicious grin spreading across his face. “Ah Zhu, it has been three days since I last saw my mother, and I miss her dearly. Do you have a solution?”
Cui Zhu stiffened. A year older than Xiao Junshu, they had grown up together, studying and training side by side. Thanks to their family’s scholarly background, they were naturally sharper than their peers.
The entire imperial city knew that Prince Xin had sent a handsome man into the palace, and the Empress Dowager had accepted him graciously. With guidance from their parents, they understood exactly who that man was.
The late Crown Prince, posthumously honored as Emperor Mingzong, was the Empress Dowager’s legitimate husband. Just from the glorious tales their father had told them about Emperor Mingzong since childhood, Cui Zhu knew this was a tiger not to be provoked. Even their parents wouldn’t dare, let alone them.
But the words had already been spoken, and the emperor was staring at him with that half-smile, while his foolish brother waited gleefully for him to stumble. Cui Zhu had to save face: “Your Majesty, in the fourth year of Yonghe, when you caught a chill and ran a high fever for two days and nights, the Empress Dowager stayed by your side without rest, personally attending to your medicine and care, refusing to delegate even the smallest task.”
Xiao Junshu’s eyes suddenly lit up. He struck his palm with a fist. “Well done, Ah Zhu! I’ll remember this as a merit!”Thus, Shen Yihe, who was detained in the Eastern Palace by Xiao Huayong and softened every time she tried to break free upon hearing his tales of the eight arduous years spent detoxifying, received Pearl’s report: "His Majesty injured his arm while practicing swordsmanship."
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