Translated by: Tinker
Proofread by: Mary
Song Luan originally thought that she and Ayun were in the same situation. Now it seemed that Ayun was even more pitiful than she was, because she felt that the slag emperor was not so good to Ayun, otherwise this little girl would not be so afraid of him.
Ayun trembled at the sound of her opening the door and even looked for places to hide.
Song Luan held her hand and lowered her voice. “Do you still want to escape?”
Ayun nodded. “Yes, he is frightening. Life is worthless in his eyes…”
Song Luan used to be scared of Zhao Nanyu, but her fear of him did not grow, because she later found that as long as she would not provoke Zhao Nanyu’s bottom line, he would treat her with gentleness.
But the slag emperor was not such a person.
Song Luan looked at her sympathetically and said, “If there is a chance in the future, I will help you.”
Ayun replied gratefully, “Okay, thank you.”
She gazed at Song Luan’s stomach and touched it softly.
Her eyes were filled with envy. “When will she be born?”
Song Luan replied, “There are still several months to go.”
“Oh, oh, do you feel uncomfortable?”
“I felt a little bit of discomfort before, but I’m better now.”
Ayun bowed her head shyly and laughed, “I also want to have a baby.”
She would like it if her child was fat and white. It would also be better if the baby was quiet and sensible.
Ayun said in a low voice, “But not for Li Hansheng, of course! I hate him.”
She always dared to call the new emperor’s name by his real name directly and had even called him more than a thousand times. If Li Hansheng wanted to kill her because of this, she would have died hundreds of times.
Song Luan covered her mouth. “Be careful. The walls have ears.”
“I forgot.”
Song Luan just arrived at Ayun’s residence for less than an incense stick before she was respectfully told by the servants that it was time to leave. Ayun looked at her reluctantly, and her little handheld her sleeve. She said, “You must come and play with me in the future. I’m bored of being alone.”
Song Luan nodded, “Okay.”
Because she did not know whether she would have the opportunity to enter the palace in the future, she went to ask Zhao Nanyu. It shouldn’t be difficult for him to enter.
Zhao Nanyu was waiting for her outside the hall.
She did not know how long he had waited.
She slowly moved to his side with her fluttering skirt and asked, “When did you come here?”
“Just arrived.”
“Are we going back?”
“Yes.” He said, “Do you want to stay in the palace?”
Song Luan shook her head and said, “No, I’m a little sleepy.”
Zhao Nanyu took the initiative to hold her finger and led her outside slowly.
When she passed the Wenhua hall, Song Luan’s eyes were very quick, as she saw a man in a blue robe. His features were clean, and his eyes were quite clear, just like a clear spring.
The man was very fair, with a shallow smile on his face.
He also seemed to notice that there was a gaze closely following him. He raised his eyes and looked at them.
The man was slightly stunned. His eyes stayed on Song Luan’s face for less than a moment, before he immediately moved to Zhao Nanyu, who was beside her. He bowed his hands and said respectfully to him, “Greetings, Lord Zhao.”
Zhao Nanyu looked impatient. He thought about how many ways the man would die. He was very annoyed.
That’s right. This man was Song Luan’s new flower exploration, which she praised for his good looks.
Zhao Nanyu glanced at him coolly and looked at his appearance carefully. It was not better compared to his.
He didn’t know what part of him Song Luan thought was good.
Zhao Nanyu, with an unsmiling and straight face, spewed out a noble word, “Well.”
Song Luan gazed at the man with relish, and the more she looked at him, the more pleased she felt. He had the temperament of a scholar. He was like a gentle breeze and had a graceful demeanor.
Zhao Nanyu squeezed her wrist in silence. His voice was low, “Don’t look.”
Song Luan couldn’t help but look even more. After staring at him, she still felt it wasn’t enough. She sighed amidst her thoughts, “I don’t know which girl in the future will be lucky enough to marry him.”
Song Luan knew that she liked him not because of his appearance, but because of his temperament.
It seemed that many years ago, the kind of man that she liked was exactly like him–as graceful as the wind and snow.
Zhao Nanyu snorted, “Many girls in the capital want to marry him.”
Song Luan of course knew that if she wasn’t married and had no children, she would have liked to as well.
“Those girls are very discerning.”
Zhao Nanyu was about to get angry at her, but her face was quite innocent as if she didn’t realize that there was something wrong with what she said.
Zhao Nanyu was appalled and pinched her face. “It’s useless to look at him. The emperor plans to send him away from the capital. It will take at least two or three years to return.”
Song Luan asked, “Where does the emperor want him to go?”
“Yumen pass.”
Song Luan’s tone was rather pitiful, “It’s far away. His life will be very hard.”
Zhao Nanyu laughed, “So he has no plans to marry now.”
This transfer order was the result of Zhao Nanyu’s contribution. Young people should go out to experience more. What good would happen if they want to stay in the capital?
The farther he goes, the better. Song Luan would never see him again in her life.
“How old is he this year?” Song Luan couldn’t help but be curious. Even knowing that Zhao Nanyu would be angry, she still asked.
“Twenty.”
“Won’t his family urge him to wake up early and get married?”
Zhao Nanyu stopped, pressed her shoulder, and pushed her to the red wall. He looked at her with a smile. “Are you so worried about his marriage that you want to introduce your sisters to him?”
Song Luan quickly waved her hand, “My sisters are not strong enough to wait for him.”
Song Luan thought that Zhao Nanyu should not care about these things with her. He was stingy.
He was also a penny pincher. His heart was indeed very small.
“Don’t talk about him. I won’t see him again anyway. There’s nothing to say about irrelevant people.”
Song Luan also had good eyes for not touching his bottom line, “Okay.”
Her eyes were round and bright, as she shrank in his arms obediently. Zhao Nanyu couldn’t help but raise her chin and pecked her.
He only wanted to lightly taste her, but she was so sweet and attractive that he indulged himself several times.
Song Luan’s lips were red and moist. Zhao Nanyu’s bite was a little bit painful. Just as she was about to push away the man in front of her, there was a uniform footstep sound not far away.
The person was heading in their direction, and it immediately saw them.
Zhao Nanyu had quick eyes, and he swiftly wrapped Song Luan in his arms.
The person heading their way was Gu Yan, the commander of Jin Wuwei.
He didn’t expect to meet Zhao Nanyu, his face was shocked, but he briskly recovered, “Lord Zhao.”
“Commander Gu.”
Song Luan showed half of her head, and her round eyes stared at Gu Yan. She didn’t like the man who helped Zhao Nanyu find her.
She heard that this commander Gu was not young, but still hadn’t negotiated marriage proposals with daughters of other families. She didn’t know why.
However, for a fierce man like Gu Yan, she felt that it was normal that no woman would marry him.
When Song Luan thought about it, on that day that he called her a shrew, she had already held a grudge against him.
Gu Yan’s eyes only glanced at her momentarily, before he hastily took it back. She had made a deep impression on him because she was the most aggressive and petty woman he had ever seen in his life.
“Commander Gu is really powerful.”
“No.” Gu Yan knew that she still hated him, but he didn’t care.
He looked at Song Luan’s slightly protruding stomach and congratulated them.
Song Luan wanted to say something, but Zhao Nanyu pressed her back.
He smiled at Gu Yan, and said politely, “Thank you very much.”
“I’m going to report to the emperor first. Goodbye.” Gu Yan felt the annoyance that Song Luan was radiating. He endured the disgust in her eyes.
“Take your time.”
After he left, Zhao Nanyu caressed Song Luan’s hair twice and said with a smile, “I didn’t know that you hate Gu Yan so much.”
Song Luan said silently in her heart: If not for him, she would still be living a happy life with Ayun now!!!
She didn’t talk and was just lost in her thoughts. She followed Zhao Nanyu for another two steps before she refused to go further.
“My legs are so sore that I can’t walk.”
The carriage was not allowed to enter the palace hall, and ordinary people were not allowed to use a sedan chair. Song Luan was deliberately making trouble with Zhao Nanyu.
From the Wenhua palace to the palace gate, there were more than a little step.
Zhao Nanyu did not say a word and directly picked her up. His strength was strong as he easily wrapped her arms around her waist. Song Luan was distracted and looked at his side face blankly.
Zhao Nanyu carried her to the carriage. After Song Luan got pregnant, her body was heavier than before. She found that he was sweating on his forehead.
Song Luan quietly took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it to him, “Wipe your face.”
Zhao Nanyu took the handkerchief, wiped off the sweat on his forehead, and immediately put away her handkerchief without giving it back to her.
It’s just a handkerchief. Song Luan was not petty enough to demand it back. If he liked it, he could take it.
The pregnant woman was sleepy. Soon after she sat down, her eyelids couldn’t hold on and her head was dizzy. Finally, her small head leaned against his chest, and when she smelled the familiar smell on his body, she soon fell asleep.
When she woke up again, she saw the ceiling of her bed.
Song Luan’s outer clothes had been taken off, and her socks had long been kicked to the corner. However, the quilt was warm, so she didn’t feel cold.
Little Zhao sat in front of the desk by the window while doing his homework. When he heard her getting up, he put down his pen and went to his mother’s bed.
His eyes were like two grapes, as he looked at her seriously, “You woke up.”
Song Luan raised her hand and touched his head. Her mouth was still yawning. “Well, when did you come?”
He thought about it carefully and then replied, “I was there when you came back.”
His mother slept soundly as she was brought back by his father. His father also told him not to wake up his mother.
Little Zhao kept it in mind. He barely made any sound when doing his homework, for fear of waking up his mother.
Song Luan looked out of the window and said, “It’s getting dark. Did you have dinner?”
He shook his head.
Song Luan said, “Have dinner in my room.”
Although he was very happy, his face did not change much. He hesitated for a moment and asked, “Mom, can I touch my sister?”
Song Luan said with a smile, “Of course.”
In the past few days, the child was very troublesome. She often kicked her at night, but the strange thing was, every time Zhao Nanyu’s hand touched it, the baby would not move.
After thinking about it, Song Luan thought that the child may dislike her father.
Little Zhao rubbed and warmed his hands before softly placing it on his mother’s stomach. He touched it carefully two times, and suddenly laughed, “Mother, my sister just kicked me.”
Song Luan thought that this baby would be a daughter. Zhao Nanyu and little Zhao also thought so.
“She’s saying hello to you. Don’t dislike your younger sister and play with her, okay?” Song Luan teased.
“Don’t worry, I will take care of my sister.”
Song Luan was very pleased that her son had this kind of consciousness. At least her two children would get along peacefully.
***
Two months had passed in a blink of an eye, Song Luan’s stomach grew bigger and bigger, which made her even more petite. Her face looked smaller, and it was the size of a palm.
Song Luan did not sleep well at night. Her legs were cramped and her waist was sour. She was a little delicate.
Whenever she slept badly, she would always be in a bad temper.
She would cry most of the time. Pregnant women are always more sentimental, so Song Luan’s tears fell like a river.
Zhao Nanyu was hard-working, with full patience in coaxing her.
When Song Luan heard his voice, she would be even more annoyed. She kicked him mercilessly, “When will this baby be born?”
She didn’t feel good after she got pregnant.
Zhao Nanyu rubbed her wrists. “Almost there. Give it a few months.”
Song Luan seemed to be addicted to kicking him. She took the opportunity to kick him gently and turned her back to him. She looked a little cute after she had done bad things to him.
Just kicking him.
Zhao Nanyu didn’t feel any pain. He took her leg, rolled up her inner-pants, and pressed his finger on her calf.
Song Luan thought he was going to settle accounts with her, so she turned her head angrily and glared at him. She tried to break his handoff.
Zhao Nanyu squeezed her wrist bone and said, “Don’t move.”
Song Luan was a bully but was also afraid of him. She immediately obeyed.
If he says don’t move, then she wouldn’t move!
But Zhao Nanyu massage technique was also very soothing, Song Luan’s cramped legs were carefully pressed.
She hummed and went back to sleep.
***
In the ninth month of Song Luan’s pregnancy, there was already a midwife living in the house.
Zhao Nanyu prepared everything in advance for fear of an accident. He often had nightmares in the past half month.
Always dreaming of Song Luan holding the bow and arrow, and standing in front of him with a smile. She would then stab the sharp tip of the arrow into his heart.
He was covered with blood, but her smile became deeper and deeper. She walked farther and farther away from him. When she was far away, she said with a smile that she would leave him forever.
Zhao Nanyu was awakened by this sentence. When he woke up, he looked at the woman who was sleeping on his side, and only half of her face was covered with the quilt.
She kicked the quilt away again.
Zhao Nanyu skillfully helped her put her bare feet back into the quilt, and he put his arm around her waist. He was about to close her eyes and continue sleeping when he suddenly found that the person in his arms was crying.
Glittering and translucent tears covered her whole cheek, as she murmured to herself.
Zhao Nanyu’s heartfelt like falling, his voice was shaking as he called to her, “Luan Bao, Luan Bao, wake up.”
After a long time, Song Luan opened her eyes and looked at him.
Zhao Nanyu’s face was pale and almost morbid. His smile was ugly and dubious. He asked, “What’s wrong?”
Song Luan raised her hand and found her face wet. She said, “I dreamed of something strange.”
Swords, spears, and corpses were everywhere.
[“Little princess, someone can finally take you down.”]
[“Brother has seen him. He looks very handsome. You can rest assured.”]
[“My princess is so beautiful that no one can stand against you.”]
[“How fierce the princess is.”]
[“Go! Go! The southwest king has rebelled! Princess, let’s go! Your brother has been cut down by the prince himself!”]
There were many sharp and harsh voices echoing in her ears.
Song Luan’s eyes were blank. She only remembered a little, and couldn’t remember most of it.
Zhao Nanyu held her tightly, as she cried out in pain. “Loosen your hold a little bit…it’s painful.”
When she looked at him, she found that his face was very strange. “You look so pale. Did you have a nightmare?”
“No. It’s nothing.” He said word by word.
Song Luan frowned.
She gently put her hand on her heart. She thought it would hurt. After all, it hurt so much in her dream that she couldn’t breathe.
But when she woke up, nothing happened.
She said, “I don’t want to sleep.”
“Then don’t sleep.”
Song Luan pushed him away. “I want you to relax. I feel so painful when you hold me.”
His hands were like tongs, and she was miserable.
Zhao Nanyu wouldn’t let her go for a while. He was flustered.
He laughed hard and coaxed in a low voice, “Kiss me, and I’ll let you go.”
