Shen Youran waited anxiously outside the hall for quite some time before finally seeing Pei Huai’an emerge from the main chamber.
In his arms was Yuanyuan, and Yuanyuan was clutching a Zisha tea pet. The eunuch beside Shen Youran immediately recognized it—the little girl was playing with one of the rare auspicious beast tea pets that His Majesty had kept on his imperial desk for a long time.
The eunuch gave the little girl a slightly higher appraisal: “Not only did this little girl escape from His Majesty’s presence unscathed, she even took one of His Majesty’s tea pets…”
Shen Youran took her daughter from Pei Huai’an’s hands and gave her little bottom a light smack. “Why are you running around like this?”
Although her voice was clear and bright, the smack actually stung. The little girl hugged her mother’s neck obediently and admitted her mistake, “Mother, I was wrong. I originally wanted to come inside to find you and my cousin…”
Fortunately, no disaster had occurred, and Shen Youran was still shaken. She took the two children and left the Qianqing Palace.
Pei Huai’an was also leaving the palace, traveling the same way with them. The two little ones played with the tea pets together in the sedan chair while Shen Youran walked quietly beside Pei Huai’an and asked softly, “Seventh Brother, when you entered the hall, what was Yuanyuan doing inside?”
“She was sitting in His Majesty’s arms, listening to a story…”
Shen Youran: “…Ah?”
Sitting in His Majesty’s arms?
Listening to a story?
Seeing Shen Youran’s incredulous expression, Pei Huai’an smiled reassuringly, “Sister-in-law, don’t worry. Yuanyuan is a very likable child…”
They wouldn’t dare to speak ill of the Son of Heaven, so they could only subtly tell Shen Youran that Yuanyuan had won His Majesty’s favor, which meant the Pei family had not caused any trouble.
Once outside the palace, Pei Huai’an was heading back to the Hanlin Academy, while Shen Youran took the two children back to the Pei household.
They had just returned when the palace’s rewards were sent over.
And these rewards were all for Yuanyuan.
Xie Mingche had received his rewards when he had the audience with His Majesty, but Yuanyuan’s rewards were clearly prepared later at His Majesty’s instruction.
The eunuch who had escorted them into the palace was the one delivering the gifts. Lingying congratulated Shen Youran, saying that His Majesty was very fond of the two children and praised her for raising them well…
From then on, whenever they were summoned to the palace, both children were brought inside.
With Yuanyuan accompanying him, Xie Mingche was no longer afraid of their great-grandfather. Yuanyuan remained as familiar and at ease as ever, always pestering the old man to tell her a story.
Each time the two little ones visited the palace, the carriage home would be stuffed full with various rewards.
Thanks to His Majesty’s favor towards Yuanyuan, the Pei family, who had suffered from political exclusion after Xie Heng’s fall from power, gradually regained their footing. Those eager to curry favor began to flock back.
The Pei and Shen families were Xie Heng’s greatest support after his downfall. His Majesty, while suspicious of Xie Heng, was unwilling to see the Pei and Shen clans fall. This was clearly a contradictory stance.
But His Majesty had his reasons for acting this way. It was only much later that Shen Youran slowly realized: His Majesty’s fondness for Yuanyuan wasn’t just because the little girl was adorable.
Another reason was that His Majesty knew the difficult position the Pei and Shen families were in at court, and since Yuanyuan carried their blood, His Majesty’s favor toward her was essentially backing the Pei and Shen families.
Moreover, His Majesty’s willingness to continue supporting the Pei and Shen families was because they were Xie Heng’s left and right arms. Preserving these two “arms” was His Majesty’s way of waiting for the day Xie Heng would return to achieve great deeds…
In the third month after Xie Mingche entered the Pei family, Shen Youran discovered she had been pregnant for over a month.
It wasn’t a surprise—ever since that time in the study, she and Pei Huaijin had stopped using birth control, so pregnancy was only a matter of time.
This pregnancy was just as comfortable as before. The two little ones knew there was a new baby growing in her belly and thus dared to act even bolder in front of her.
When Xie Mingche learned that she was going to have a little brother or sister, he was puzzled: “Auntie, are babies grown in flowerpots? How did they get into your belly?”
Yuanyuan, being a year older, understood better: “Babies grow in their own mother’s belly, not in flowerpots.”
“That’s right. Daddy and Mommy told me that babies can grow in flowerpots, and they promised to grow me an orange-flavored little sister…”
“Maybe they’re lying to you…”
“They wouldn’t lie to me!”
Seeing the two about to argue, Shen Youran quickly mediated.
Trying not to offend either side, she said, “You’re both right. Mother’s belly has a little flowerpot inside it, and babies do grow inside the flowerpot…”
“Really?” Yuanyuan believed her completely. “Where’s the flowerpot then?”
Shen Youran took her little hand and placed it on her own lower abdomen. “Right here…”
Xie Mingche came over as well, puzzled. “Auntie, then how do you water the flowerpot?”
“I just drink lots of water…”
The three of them laughed heartily.
More than three months later, the fetus settled firmly in Shen Youran’s belly. Pei Huaijin estimated it was time for her to feel interested again.
But perhaps because of the previous exhaustion, Shen Youran wanted to sleep early at night. Pei Huaijin pulled her into his arms.
Though they were husband and wife, it was always by mutual consent.
“Wife…”
“Mm?”
“I want to enter…”
Shen Youran chuckled: He sure knew how to feign innocence. The old-fashioned man was getting more proper by the day.
“Then it’s agreed. Just one time only.”
“Okay.”
Since she had to consider the baby inside her, Pei Huaijin naturally wouldn’t be as forceful as before. He slowed his movements and reduced his strength.
He dared not use too much force, but every thrust reached deep and true. Although some pleasure was lost, the energy consumption was slower. What used to take only two or three quarters of an hour now nearly took half an hour, with several position changes, yet he still seemed to have some strength left unused in his waist.
Shen Youran felt like she was hanging in midair. Each surge brought her almost to the peak but just a breath short of it. She wouldn’t give in, always pinning her hopes on the next time—but it was still a bit off the mark…
So when he helped her up, she took control herself, ignoring his protests, and lifted herself onto the clouds.
At last, she felt satisfied.
She rested softly against him, eyes half-closed and content.
Pei Huaijin, with a serious tone, lectured her not to be so careless next time.
Shen Youran hummed in agreement and was about to get off him.
But he held her back.
“I haven’t watered the flowerpot yet…”
Shen Youran’s eyes widened slightly. “Just now… you didn’t?”
“I held back…” He had said only once, so he was unwilling to finish and controlled himself.
Shen Youran moved slightly, feeling it for a while and couldn’t help but sigh, “Husband, you really aren’t an ordinary man…” How could he control even this?
“You flatter me, wife…”
Pei Huaijin held her close, switching to the safest position, and gently conquered her once again.
The next spring, when the flowers were in full bloom, Shen Youran took the two little ones to the Ziyou Courtyard to enjoy the flowers.
This was the place where her sister and Xie Heng had once lived, and it was also the courtyard that Xie Mingche and Yuanyuan liked best.
Halfway through admiring the blossoms, familiar contractions came from her womb.
“Quick, Danruo,” Shen Youran knew what it meant. “Help me back to the Yunzhi Courtyard. I think it’s time to give birth.”
They barely made it back to their own courtyard before the midwife, who had already been living in the mansion, arrived promptly. She calmly ordered the maids to prepare hot water and cloths.
Pei Huaijin was resting at home that day and paced nervously outside the room.
Yuanyuan and her little world heir cousin sat beneath the corridor, guessing what scent the baby inside their mother’s belly would have.
The little girl loved flowers, especially peonies, so she hoped their mother would give birth to a baby that smelled like peonies.
Xie Mingche loved sweet things—grapes, lychee, and oranges were his favorites—so he hoped Auntie would give birth to a baby with a sweet fruity scent.
They had already had an orange-flavored baby, so if Auntie could give birth to a grape or lychee-flavored one, that would be even better…
But unfortunately, they were both disappointed.
The baby in swaddling clothes was pale and tender, soft and delicate—a boy.
They leaned in to smell him again and again. He was neither fragrant nor sweet.
The two little ones looked at each other, disgusted, then sniffed again…
This time they finally caught it. Holding their noses, their faces turned green. “Ugh! He stinks!”
“Mother! Father!”
“Auntie! Uncle!”
“The little brother stinks!”