Remarried to a top-tier playboy, her reborn ex-husband is filled with regret.

The Empress Dowager quickly raised her hand.

Get up.

"You've been carrying the child the whole way, what's the point of all this formality?"

Xiao Fang ignored him and finished the ceremony before standing up.

He looked up at the Empress Dowager.

He recognized that face.

He looks much older than when I saw him when I was a child.

Xiao Fang lost his mother at a young age.

My father lives far away in the north and is not in the capital most of the year.

The vast Zhenbei Prince's Mansion was often empty except for him.

At that time, the Empress Dowager was still the Empress.

She always had someone bring him to the palace.

It wasn't using any legitimate reason.

Sometimes it's "The Crown Prince should have someone to accompany him in his studies," and sometimes it's "The household has acquired some new trinkets."

Actually, it was just that I felt sorry for him because I saw him, a little kid, living alone.

One year on New Year's Eve, the palace held a family banquet.

The Empress had someone reserve a seat for Long Yuanqi below him.

"You will sit next to Yuan Qi. There are no outsiders here today."

At that time, he didn't know how to use the silver chopsticks from the palace very well.

I tried to pick up a dumpling, but it slipped every time.

Long Yuanqi laughed at him.

The Empress then lightly tapped Long Yuanqi.

"He doesn't come to the palace often, so keep an eye on him."

She turned to him and smiled.

"No rush, eat slowly."

He remembered that on New Year's Eve, the Empress stuffed a red envelope into his pocket.

After returning home, I opened it and found a piece of extremely warm and smooth jade inside.

He later learned that those were items from the Empress's dowry.

She even gave him clothes.

It wasn't the standard style from the palace; it was made by the Imperial Wardrobe according to his measurements.

When it gets cold, they'll send someone to deliver hand warmers and winter boots.

He fell ill once.

The Empress herself left the palace to visit Prince Zhenbei at his residence.

That day, she only sat for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, gave a few instructions, and then returned to the palace.

But that one stick of incense stayed with him for many years.

Throughout his life, he received little care from his elders.

The Empress and Long Yuanqi were among the few people who made him feel that someone cared about him.

Xiao Fang knelt on the ground, suppressing these thoughts, but then felt a swelling in his heart.

Get up.

The Empress Dowager said another thing.

Xiao Fangcai stood up, holding the little prince.

"Empress Dowager, would you like to see your grandson?"

A smile finally appeared on the Empress Dowager's face.

"Quickly, bring him here."

A palace maid stepped forward, carefully took the young prince, and placed him in the Empress Dowager's arms.

The Empress Dowager looked down.

The child is still asleep.

Her little face was wrapped in a swaddle, pink and chubby.

Her face was chubby with baby fat, and her little mouth was slightly open.

Her eyelashes are long and black.

Looking at him, he really does resemble Long Yuanqi when he was a child.

The Empress Dowager's eyes welled up with tears.

She gently patted the child's back.

"Good, good. He looks like a lucky person."

As they were talking, the young prince suddenly stirred.

Her little face scrunched up.

Before long, his dark, bright eyes opened a crack.

He woke up, but he didn't cry.

With its eyes open, it slowly looked around.

The Empress Dowager exclaimed, "Ouch!"

"You're awake! Quickly bring up all the little trinkets I prepared a couple of days ago."

A palace maid hurriedly brought over a tray of things.

There were rattles, sachets, and several small wood carvings that were polished to a very smooth finish.

The Empress Dowager picked up the rattle drum and shook it gently twice.

"Sweetie, look here."

The little prince's eyes followed the drumhead.

She looked at the wood carving again, her little hands moving slightly in the swaddling clothes.

Several palace maids nearby laughed.

"Your Majesty, look! The little prince's eyes are so bright!"

"He looks just like the late emperor when he was young. Even his nose is similar."

"These eyelashes are exactly the same as the late emperor's."

The Empress Dowager smiled but did not speak.

She watched for a while before having the palace maid bring the sachet to amuse her again.

Xiao Fang stood to the side without saying a word.

He saw the light in the Empress Dowager's eyes.

That was the first time she had been so happy since Long Yuanqi left.

He stood there, waiting quietly.

After a long while, the Empress Dowager slowly stopped.

She wrapped the child up again.

The little prince was a bit sleepy again, and he yawned.

The Empress Dowager looked at him, her eyes filled with reluctance.

"Let's leave it to the Prince of Zhenbei."

she says.

The voice had already softened.

The palace maid carried the young prince back into Xiao Fang's arms.

Xiao Fang took it.

Neither of them said "where the crown prince will be raised in the future".

Some things don't need to be said.

The Empress Dowager understood.

The child cannot remain in the palace.

None of Long Yuanqi's younger brothers were easy to deal with.

As long as the young prince remains in the palace, there will be people who want him dead.

Only Xiao Fang protected him.

That's the only way for the child to survive.

This was the decision she, as a grandmother, was both the one she was most reluctant to make and the one that was most correct.

Xiao Fang looked at the Empress Dowager with great respect.

She is sensible and can endure it.

He was never questioned because of the rumors circulating outside.

"I have ordered the Ministry of Rites to make preparations for the Crown Prince's enthronement ceremony in five days."

"I wonder if the Empress Dowager has anything else to instruct?"

The Empress Dowager shook her head.

"Go ahead and do it."

I don't believe a single word that's said outside.

Yuan Qi believes in you, and so does I.

Xiao Fang's throat moved slightly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

He said in a low voice.

"Your subject will risk his life to protect the Crown Prince."

The Empress Dowager nodded.

"I often bring him to visit me."

If it's convenient for you, bring her over to sit with you after court."

"Your subject obeys."

Xiao Fang responded very quickly.

He bowed respectfully to the Empress Dowager.

"Your subject will take his leave now."

The Empress Dowager did not stay any longer.

He just waved his hand.

"Go."

Xiao Fang, holding the little prince, turned and left the palace.

The sunlight outside was just right.

He walked step by step along the palace path.

The little prince in her arms had fallen asleep again.

A breeze blew from under the palace eaves, lifting a corner of the swaddling clothes.

He looked down and tucked the child in.

When Xiao Fang returned to the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion, it was already dusk.

Yun Shuyao came out to greet him and first took the little prince from his arms.

She looked down at the child, and seeing that he was sleeping peacefully, she handed him over to the wet nurse beside her.

"Take him down there, and be more vigilant at night."

The wet nurse quickly agreed and tiptoed out.

Yun Shuyao followed Xiao Fang back to the inner room.

She took off his outer robe and then removed the jade pendant from his waist.

"Today in court must be quite challenging."

Her movements were gentle, but her voice carried an overwhelming heartache.

"The Crown Prince is still so young; who knows how many years he will have to walk this road ahead."

If you protect him for a day, people outside will criticize you for a day.

The label of "traitorous minister" is unlikely to be removed anytime soon.

Xiao Fang let her undress as she pleased, his face expressionless.

"It's alright."

His tone was calm, yet extremely steady.

"A true man stands between heaven and earth, seeking only to have a clear conscience before his eyes and head."

"I have lived up to my elder brother Yuan Qi's entrustment and to my own conscience; that is enough."

Yun Shuyao didn't speak.

She knew better than anyone how open and honest Xiao was.

But a gloomy feeling still lingered in her heart.

Throughout history, few powerful ministers who held sway over the court had a good ending.

Xiao Fang is now protecting the Crown Prince, which is naturally a sign of loyalty.

But the prince will eventually grow up.

Will he still believe Xiao Fang then?

If someone were to whisper in his ear day and night, saying that Xiao Fang was seizing power and that Xiao Fang harbored rebellious intentions.

Will he still remember how Xiao Fang cleared the obstacles for him today?

Yun Shuyao didn't say any of this out loud.

She simply straightened Xiao Fang's clothes and then lowered her eyes.

Xiao Fang, however, saw through it.

He reached out and pulled the person into his arms.

"He's overthinking again."

He said in a low voice.

Don't think that far ahead.

Let's take it one step at a time and focus on doing the things at hand well first.

Yun Shuyao leaned against his chest and softly hummed in agreement.

"understood."

After dinner, the two went for a walk in the garden.

It was already completely dark.

A few lamps were lit under the eaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground when the wind blew.

Xiao Fang suddenly spoke.

"Gu Jinghuai will be executed at Caishikou tomorrow."

Do you want to go see it?

Yun Shuyao paused slightly.

"want."

She answered very quickly, without the slightest hesitation.

Xiao Fang turned his head to look at her and smiled.

"Okay, whatever you say."

He raised his hand and ruffled Yun Shuyao's hair.

"But he committed the grave crime of treason and would be executed by slow slicing."

That scene probably won't be very pleasant.

Yun Shuyao shook her head.

"I want to go."

Xiao Fang looked at her for a moment, but ultimately didn't try to persuade her anymore.

"Alright, let's go then."

He knew that this was Yun Shuyao's heartache.

She would carry this burden for the rest of her life if she didn't see it with her own eyes.

A breeze began to stir in the garden.

Xiao Fang pulled Yun Shuyao closer.

Neither of them mentioned tomorrow's plans again.

We simply walked slowly down this corridor together.