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After all that has happened, the Fourth Prince remains unwavering in marrying Sun Ruoxue. Xiao Yao wonders if this is what they call true love. He Yu, hearing Xiao Yao's theory, scoffs and says, "If it weren't for the Sun Family's military power, do you think Yang Yunzhe would be so devoted?"
"Really?" Xiao Yao shows surprise. "General Wei Zheng is just a third-rank official; there are still the Zhenguo General and the Yun Family above him!"
"That's true," He Yu explains to Xiao Yao, "but the position of First-Rank General has been vacant for a long time. If General Wei Zheng leads his troops into battle and returns victorious, he might be promoted to second-rank general, which would bring him closer to First-Rank General..."
In just a few years, Xiao Yao silently connects the dots. At this moment, she understands why Yang Yunzhe is so determined to marry Sun Ruoxue. For a general who spends most of his time on the battlefield, no matter how much chaos there is in the capital, nothing is more important than a victory in battle. After all, winning protects the nation's territory and deters border tribes, while the events in the capital are merely distractions in the emperor's eyes. As long as there is a victory, all these matters can be easily dismissed.
This is also why, despite all the commotion, the emperor has never said a word—neither defending He Yu nor speaking well of Sun Ping. When it comes time for battle, He Yu is just a wealthy young man making noise in the capital; it is General Wei Zheng who truly goes out to fight.
When the good news arrives, ministers and citizens alike will naturally regard General Wei Zheng with greater respect; there will be no need for me, Qidi, to intervene.
With that thought in mind, Xiao Yao caresses He Yu's cheek and says, "You've worked hard."
"What's so hard about it?" He Yu smiles broadly. "Isn't it nice to enjoy life in the capital? The days outside Yanmen Pass were tough; your husband has been pampered beyond measure and can't bear that kind of hardship anymore."
Xiao Yao doesn't say a word but simply smiles at He Yu. She knows that what He Yu says doesn't reflect his true feelings; she just feels there's no need to bring it up now.
He takes Xiao Yao's hand and kisses each finger gently, smiling as he says, "Now you don't have to worry about anything; all you need to focus on is giving birth to our child safely. Your safety and that of our child are my greatest wishes."
"Mm." Xiao Yao nods vigorously.
The Fourth Prince's wedding ceremony is grand. Although it doesn't have the same sacrificial rites as the Crown Prince's Wedding, the emperor gives this son plenty of face—not only writing the marriage certificate himself but also sending gifts through the Crown Prince as his representative.
Moreover, all the gifts are rare treasures from within the palace, many of which are unique items. This shows how much Qidi values the Fourth Prince. Ministers from court also come to congratulate him; after all, since the emperor personally wrote the marriage certificate and expressed his importance by sending the Crown Prince to visit the Fourth Prince's residence, they naturally cannot miss out on offering their congratulations.
As the banquet progresses and guests begin mingling and visiting each other, He Yu quietly approaches the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince smiles and asks, "So you've brought your parents-in-law to stay at your residence?"
"Yes," He Yu pauses before smiling again. "After all, there's no one at home. If I were to suddenly look for someone from outside, it wouldn't be easy to find someone suitable right away. So I thought it would be better to have my parents-in-law stay for a while; it's quite nice."
"That's true; when you marry far away like this, it's something to worry about," sighs the Crown Prince.
"Who isn't?" He Yu responds but then adds softly, "But it's still better than never seeing your parents." His voice drops low enough that at first the Crown Prince doesn't catch what he said. Once he realizes it, he stands there stunned. He opens his mouth to say something but finds himself unable to utter a word; instead, he gently pats He Yu's shoulder with empathy.
He Yu nods in understanding and then continues, "However, I feel that having two elders at home is quite nice; that kind of concern from elders really is different."
Although it was a bit rambling, every time I returned home, there was always hot food and someone who talked to me like a father. My wife and mother discussed the styles of clothes for the future child, and in that moment, it felt as if this was no longer the cold Xuanping Prince's Mansion, but just an ordinary household.
Warm and flavorful.
Upon hearing He Yu's description, the Crown Prince naturally felt envy, but the responsibilities on his shoulders forced him to give up certain things. In this life, having such a virtuous Consort was already enough for him; he didn't dare to ask for too much in terms of feelings. Still, he teased He Yu, saying, "Since that's the case, why not just let your in-laws move to the capital? After all, your residence is quite spacious. Or if that's not suitable, let Lord Xiao buy another house; you can just pay for it."
"This suggestion is not bad," He Yu seriously considered it for a moment. "It seems I need to discuss this with my Daughter-in-law when I get home."
The Crown Prince shook his head with a smile. "Since you have this blessing, cherish it well. There are not many of us who can have such a couple, even if..." The Crown Prince turned to look at the Fourth Prince, who was happily drinking and laughing at the table, and a flicker of ambiguous emotion crossed his eyes before he turned back and said, "In any case, for those of us raised in the palace, finding such a relationship is not easy; we must cherish it."
"Of course." He Yu nodded vigorously.
That evening, Xiao Yao had dinner with her parents. Mrs. Xiao was still very strict about controlling Xiao Yao's food intake; she couldn't gain too much weight. If the child grew too large or if she herself became too heavy, it would be difficult during childbirth.
However, because her belly was so big, she could hardly eat much.
After dinner, Mrs. Xiao knew that besides soup and water, Xiao Yao really couldn't eat much else. So she didn't insist on taking her for a walk in the courtyard; after all, it was nighttime, and if she accidentally fell, it would truly be not worth the loss.
Sitting in the inner room, Xiao Yao leaned against a large pillow and took a few breaths before feeling somewhat comfortable. Mrs. Xiao brought out two sets of clothes and shoes that had been made; since it was a Twin Pregnancy, each item had been made in duplicate. Looking at those clothes and shoes made Xiao Yao feel incredibly fond.
Her mother's hands were indeed skillful; looking at herself, aside from sewing buttons, she seemed to know nothing else, which made her feel somewhat dejected.
However, Mrs. Xiao didn't think so. "You see, it looks like you're destined to be served by others; it doesn't matter if you can't do these things yourself as long as there are seamstresses like Yun Yue and Yun Bi who can help."
"But it's always more meaningful to make things myself," Xiao Yao said while hugging Mrs. Xiao's arm. "Mother, can I learn from you?"
"You know your body isn't well right now; I can't let you learn these things when you're not feeling good," Mrs. Xiao sighed as she put down her needlework. "However, you should learn a little bit; I won't teach you anything too difficult these days—just simple things that you can sew without making them too ugly."
"Okay!" Xiao Yao immediately became excited and asked Yun Zhu to fetch some needles and thread.
When He Yu returned that night, he saw Xiao Yao struggling with her needlework while Mrs. Xiao pointed out mistakes beside her. "Hey, that's wrong! Didn't you see that you've sewn this part incorrectly? And that part isn't secure; it will tear!"
Seeing how flustered Xiao Yao was made He Yu find her adorable. He cleared his throat and stepped forward. "What made you think of doing needlework?"
"I want to make clothes for the baby," Xiao Yao replied with a smile before lowering her head in frustration again. "But I just can't handle this! Look how obedient the needle is in my mother's hands; why is it so difficult for me? It's so annoying!"
He Yu and Mrs. Xiao laughed together. Mrs. Xiao said, "Alright, after all, you are not skilled yet. This needlework is just a process of practice makes perfect; everyone starts off clumsy. With more practice, you'll get better."
"That's right," He Yu also comforted Xiao Yao, sitting beside her. "It doesn't matter; we have a seamstress in the household. If you want something, just let Yun Zhu tell the seamstress, and the Internal Affairs Office can be at your service too. Why should you, the esteemed Princess Xuanping, need to do it yourself?"
"But..."
"I understand; it has a different meaning, doesn't it?" He Yu knew Xiao Yao well and continued, "You are the child's mother, not their seamstress. Why do these things? In my opinion, if you have the time, energy, and skill to do it, then go ahead. If not, there's no need to force it. A mother's greatest influence on her child lies in companionship; being there to watch them grow up is what matters most. As for the rest, they are merely external things—having them is a bonus but certainly not a necessity."
Xiao Yao was stunned by He Yu's words. Mrs. Xiao and Xiao Father, who had entered without anyone noticing, exchanged glances. Mrs. Xiao made a gesture, and the two quietly stepped out to leave the space for the couple.
Walking in the garden, Xiao Guangzheng sighed lightly, "I never expected that the prince could truly have no demands on Yao Yao. There are really not many men who can achieve this."
"Indeed," Mrs. Xiao said softly with a sigh. "I originally thought it was because Yao Yao was pregnant that the prince was particularly patient with her. Now it seems that he genuinely dotes on our daughter."
"Well, since that's the case, I can rest assured," Xiao Guangzheng said with a smile. "If the prince didn't sincerely dote on Yao Yao, he wouldn't have gone through so much trouble to bring us old folks over here."
"That's right," Mrs. Xiao nodded in agreement with a smile.
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