Yu Changxuan walked to the bedside and sat down, examining her complexion under the lamplight. Seeing that she looked quite well, he felt somewhat relieved. Noticing she held a small white jade tiger in her hand—ferocious in appearance and gleaming with a translucent, icy luster—he remarked, "This little thing is quite amusing. Where did you get it?"
Pingjun pursed her lips into a smile and said, "Sister Jin Xuan gave it to me just now. I said I didn’t want it, but she insisted. In the end, I felt too embarrassed to refuse. One of these days, I must buy something to give her in return."
The nightgown she wore was slightly oversized, with sleeves so long they enveloped her hands, revealing only her delicate fingertips. Yu Changxuan reached out and clasped her hand holding the Little Jade Tiger, lowering his head to gaze into her eyes as he chuckled, "Silly, don’t you understand Second Sister’s intention? Think about it—our son is born in the Year of the Tiger, isn’t he? Just wait until next year, and I’ll have her send a Jade Rabbit over." Her face instantly flushed crimson, and she gave him a playful, reproachful shove. Yet he reached out to touch her abdomen, asking unexpectedly, "It’s been over two months already—why isn’t your belly bigger?"
Pingjun couldn’t help laughing at his words. "What’s the rush? My mother said it usually takes four or five months to show."
He feigned sudden understanding, then abruptly stood up, scooping her up—along with the quilt—into his arms. Startled, she let out a cry as her body was lifted into the air. Tilting her head, she leaned against his chest and exclaimed in alarm, "What are you doing? Are you going crazy again?"
Holding her steadily in his embrace, Yu Changxuan looked down and smiled, "I want to hold our son."
Pingjun laughed and scolded, "Is this any way to hold a son? Put me down now."
Yu Changxuan grinned, "Don’t worry, my hands are steady—I won’t drop you." He spun around swiftly with her in his arms, and Pingjun cried out anxiously, "Put me down, I’m dizzy!" Only then did he bend down and carefully lay her back on the bed, tucking the quilt around her. He took off his military jacket and tossed it, along with his Military Cap, onto the nearby sofa. Then he settled beside her on the bed, drawing her into his arms and whispering tenderly, "Pingjun, this is our first child. I promise you, everything I have in the future will be his."
Pingjun smiled, "Just now you said you were holding our son—how do you know it’s a boy?"
Yu Changxuan reached out again to stroke her soft abdomen, chuckling, "He told me so." She quickly pushed his hand away, glaring at him with a laugh. "Speak properly—no touching! Why should it be a son just because you say so? I prefer a daughter. I insist on having a girl."
Yu Changxuan hesitated slightly, not wanting to disappoint her. After a moment, he said, "A daughter... a daughter would be nice too, but she’d have to be as beautiful as you..." He paused, then leaned close to her ear as if to console her, "But after all, this is our first child. A son would be better—then in the future, he can play with his younger brothers and sisters. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?"She gave another faint smile, quietly listening to him speak. Unconsciously, she placed her hand in his palm. His hands bore the Gun Calluses hardened from years of firearm practice—firm to the touch yet imparting a profound sense of steadiness. To her, this familiarity was absolute; she had grown accustomed to such intimate moments with him. Suddenly, he said, "Pingjun, you must remember well who I am."
She replied with a soft laugh, "You are Yu Changxuan."
Upon hearing this, Yu Changxuan gently turned and pressed her beneath him. Careful not to hurt her, he supported himself slightly on his arms, gazing down at her delicate features—her eyes, clear as autumn water beneath dark lashes. With a tender smile, he said, "Wrong. I am the child's father, your husband."
Lying against the pillow, her heart warmed, though she felt too shy to meet his dark eyes. She turned her head slightly to the side, a soft smile curling at the corners of her lips. But he persisted, "Isn't that right? Tell me, isn't it?"
He reached out to tickle her, and she laughed as she dodged, soon breathless from amusement. Suddenly, her shoulders warmed as he leaned down to embrace her, holding her lightly. Still flustered, she murmured, "Stop... be careful... careful of our child..." Yu Changxuan chuckled, shifting to cradle Pingjun in his arms. "Soon, my fourth sister Ying Xuan will return from abroad. My father dotes most on my sixth sister and listens to my fourth sister. I'll take you to meet my parents, and with my second sister speaking up for us, securing your status won't be a problem. At most, I might get another scolding from my father."
Since becoming pregnant, she often felt drowsy. Now, nestled in his embrace and listening to his voice, her eyes gradually closed. He continued speaking until he looked down and saw her breathing evenly in sleep, her fair, delicate face resting against his chest—a picture of utter tranquility. She had finally accepted him.
Yu Changxuan felt an overwhelming joy. In his arms were the woman he loved most and the child she would bear for him. This happiness felt so tangible that, in comparison, his former days of revelry and indulgence seemed as light and fleeting as dust, leaving no trace behind. He only wished to hold her tighter. The faint scent of her hair drifted into his senses, and he slowly leaned close to her ear, whispering tenderly, "Pingjun, I love you."
Cradled against him, she slept as soundly as a child. He lay on his side, not moving a muscle, afraid to disturb her. The bedroom was silent save for their breathing. Under the soft, warm glow of the green silk-shaded lamp, the scene was like a dream—a golden halflight veiling jade, a subtle musk perfuming embroidered lotus. Gazing at her peaceful slumber, he suddenly felt that nothing in the world could ever surpass this moment.
He wished only for this moment to last forever, through all lifetimes.By mid-June, Golden Mausoleum, located in the southern region, was in the season of blooming flowers. At four in the afternoon, the Ministry of the Army was also quiet. Gu Ruitong walked down the corridor, holding several files in his hand, until he reached the outside of Yu Changxuan's office. Two Guards stood on either side of the door. Seeing Gu Ruitong, they immediately stood at attention and saluted with their rifles. Gu Ruitong nodded, reached out to knock on the door, and after receiving permission, entered.
As soon as he stepped inside, he saw Yu Changxuan sitting upright at his desk, looking quite sternly at a newspaper. Without needing to guess, he knew it must be the "Name Report." Seeing Gu Ruitong enter, Yu Changxuan casually folded the newspaper and tossed it to him. Only then did he pick up a Blue and White Lotus Patterned Teacup, take a sip of tea, and say calmly, "Jiang Xueting is courting death like this, and there's nothing I can do about it."
Gu Ruitong unfolded the newspaper and saw a poem printed in large font on the front page:
In the north of the river, weapons clash and meet,
In the south of the river, songs of prosperity still resound.
The flying general of Dragon City becomes a jest,
Foreigners have already passed the Jade Gate Pass.
The charming lady Yu Ji in beautiful red attire,
The Hegemon King of Western Chu sinks his imperial ambitions.
Alas for the Yue family's "All Red River,"
Scattered wildly with blood and tears in the Xi River.
Yu Changxuan asked, "How did Father handle it?"
Gu Ruitong stepped forward and placed a directive in front of Yu Changxuan, saying, "The Chairman issued the order this morning: the 'Name Report' is to cease publication, and Jiang Xueting is dismissed from his position as South Ming Military Academy Academic Affairs Committee Member. He just called again, saying he suspects there are ill-intentioned individuals among these people attempting to stir up chaos in the current situation. We must guard against and investigate them. He ordered us to deploy the military police to immediately arrest the relevant personnel."
Upon hearing this, Yu Changxuan pondered briefly and said, "When my father gets angry, no one can stop him. But Jiang Xueting is from the Mou family. Now that the Mou and Tao families have aligned, their influence is far greater than before. If Father acts too hastily, he might provoke the Mou family and give them a handle against us."
Gu Ruitong replied, "The Chairman has always despised these impassioned scholars who stir up public sentiment, believing they mislead the country with empty talk!"
Yu Changxuan nodded but remained silent, sitting there with his thick, sharply arched eyebrows tightly furrowed. He held a lighter, tapping it intermittently on the desk. Seeing the hesitation on his face, Gu Ruitong naturally understood what Yu Changxuan was worried about and said, "Fifth Master, perhaps..."
Yu Changxuan flicked the lighter aside and said calmly, "Do as Father says. Arrest them!" He picked up a pen and quickly signed his name on the right side of the directive, then twisted the cap back onto the pen. The cap spun swiftly between his fingers and was soon securely fastened.
Bright clouds scatter easily; how can such fine scenes endure?
After eight o'clock in the evening, the floor lamp beside the Carved Partition, shaded by an apricot-red pleated silk lampshade, was brightly lit. Pingjun, wearing a loose, plain Cheongsam of brocade satin and soft slippers, sat quietly on the living room sofa, arranging a few stems of bellflower in a Yongzheng Imperial Kiln gold-painted vase. After adjusting them slightly, she was about to take a sip of tea when she heard a voice from outside, "Miss Ye, you shouldn't drink tea right now."Ye Pingjun turned her head and saw Qiu Luo bustling over to replace the tea cup before her with a glass of Rose Dew Honey Water, smiling as she said, "Miss Ye is with child now. If anything were to happen, Fifth Master would surely take it out on us servants first."
Ye Pingjun laughed, "It's only been three months. How could anything go wrong so easily? With all of you fussing like this, I might as well just stay in bed and never get up."
Qiu Luo chuckled, "I'd actually be quite happy if Miss Ye would obediently lie still and not move. Earlier, you were sleeping so soundly I didn't want to wake you for dinner. Now that you're sitting up, let me help you to the dining room for a bite to eat."
Reminded by Qiu Luo, Ye Pingjun realized she was somewhat hungry. She stood up without needing assistance and walked to the dining room herself. There, she saw several dishes already laid out on the table: a Clear Stewed Yunnan Ham, a plate of Fragrant Crisps shaped like a pagoda, a platter of sliced Osmanthus Duck, and a side dish of cold tossed cucumber.
As soon as Ye Pingjun sat down, Qiu Luo brought over a bowl of Red Rice Porridge that she had just cooled, placing it before her and saying, "At noon, I heard Miss Ye mention wanting porridge. This red rice is good for replenishing blood and energy—have some more." Ye Pingjun accepted it with a smile but only ate it with the cold cucumber side dish. After finishing half a bowl, she felt full and somewhat uncomfortable. Just then, footsteps and faint voices came from beyond the Western-style arched doorway of the dining room. Pingjun knew it must be Yu Changxuan returning home. Though she couldn't make out what he was saying, she heard a young maid reply clearly, "Miss Ye is in the dining room."
Holding the bowl of porridge, Pingjun lowered her head and smiled, small dimples appearing on her cheeks. The familiar footsteps approached, and sure enough, Yu Changxuan walked in. Seeing her eating, he laughed, "Well, well, while I'm not home, you're here enjoying good food."
Pingjun retorted with a smile, "Do you think I'm a child, sneaking treats behind your back?Yu Changxuan took off his coat, and Qiu Luo came over to take it along with his military belt. Another young maid handed him a hot towel. As he wiped his hands with it, she caught a faint scent of alcohol on him and asked, "Where have you been drinking?"
Yu Changxuan replied, "Went to Li Boren's house for Chrysanthemum Hot Pot and had a few glasses."
Pingjun smiled slightly, lowered her head to scoop a spoonful of porridge, but didn't eat it, instead putting the spoon back into the bowl. Yu Changxuan sat down beside her and, seeing this, chuckled, "I know you don't like his family, so I'll go less often from now on, alright?"
Pingjun pushed the porridge bowl forward a bit. "If you have official matters to discuss, then you should go. Do you think I'd stop you from doing your duties?" Yu Changxuan smiled and changed the subject, asking, "You've only eaten half a bowl—why stop?" Pingjun replied, "I don't feel like eating anymore. The porridge is well-made; since you've been drinking, have some to warm your stomach."
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