Chapter 19: Shou Ta Yi Bing "A Tale of Love and Loyalty"

 FlamingoBees 

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Shou Ta Yi Bing "A Tale of Love and Loyalty"

 Chapter 19: 

Warm Night

In response to such an extreme demand, Xiao Ji'an's final reaction was to glare angrily at Xiao Yuan and shout, "I have my own father! You are not my dad!"

Seeing Xiao Yuan’s expression, which seemed like he was about to hit the child, Pei Qing quickly stepped forward. "Uncle is just joking with you. The food is getting cold. Today we have steamed bass, which you like. Come on."

Pei Qing seated Xiao Ji'an across from Xiao Yuan, keeping the furthest distance, while she took the seat in between. She placed a piece of fish belly meat into Xiao Ji'an’s bowl and smiled, "Ji'an, try this."

Xiao Ji'an, always soft and tender when speaking to Pei Qing, nodded and ate the large piece of fish meat.

Pei Qing turned back to see Xiao Yuan with a cold expression. For some reason, she found the scene a bit amusing. She casually took an empty bowl and filled it with fish soup, placing it next to the man. "Be careful, it might be hot."

Xiao Yuan's expression softened slightly.

As Xiao Ji'an enjoyed the fish meat heartily, he noticed that Xiao Yuan only had soup in his bowl. He pursed his lips and spoke up, "This fish is really good. There’s so much, Mother and I can’t finish it all."

Xiao Yuan slammed the empty bowl onto the table, his expression once again showing irritation. Was it that even the esteemed Prince Nan Chuan had to settle for the leftovers of this noble mother and child?

Pei Qing held Xiao Yuan’s hand under the table and explained to Xiao Ji'an, "Uncle only likes drinking fish soup and doesn't care for the fish meat. Ji'an, if you like it, you can have more."

The warm and soft touch of her hand surprisingly kept the Southern River King from losing his temper. He chose to ignore the bothersome child across from him and enjoyed the thoughtful arrangements of dishes and wine from the person beside him.

However, as they continued eating, Xiao Ji'an spoke again.

"I heard you and my father are brothers, but why are you so different? Father always stops Mother from doing these things and never lets her take on too much. My mother hasn’t had a proper meal in a long time."

Hearing her son speak up for her made Pei Qing’s heart soften.

Unfortunately, the man beside her was a killjoy. Xiao Yuan showed no sign of guilt, "You dare criticize me when you barely understand anything? Your mother spent the afternoon eating pastries and fruits. If she could still eat now, it would be a miracle."

Pei Qing’s face flushed slightly. She had assumed he was too absorbed in his books to notice. In the afternoon, feeling bored, she had made some pastries and had eaten a bit more than usual because she had made too much and didn’t want to waste it. Even though there was a full table of dishes now, she found she couldn’t eat much more.

“Also, don’t compare me to your father. Without me, you’d be burning incense at his grave right now.”

Xiao Ji'an froze for a moment, then his eyes reddened. Although he was young, he understood his father's illness and knew his father wouldn’t be around much longer. The reality of life and death was something a child struggled to accept.

Seeing him so distressed, Pei Qing reached out to gently pat Xiao Ji'an's head, about to offer comfort, but before she could speak, Xiao Yuan continued, “That’s the truth. There’s no use crying. Life and death are not choices we make. What we can choose is how we die and for whom we die. Your father became emperor at fourteen, went through regency, power struggles, and eventually fell ill from overwork. He chose to die for his country. You crying won’t change that.”

Xiao Ji'an, though partially understanding, was deeply affected, while Pei Qing was struck with a mix of grief and anger, tears streaming down her face.

Seeing her cry, Xiao Yuan grew irritated and grabbed Pei Qing’s face roughly, “Are you so unwilling to let him go?”

“Let go of my mother!”

Xiao Ji'an’s shout snapped Pei Qing back to her senses. She quickly wiped away her tears and looked at Xiao Yuan, her eyes filled with gratitude.

At that moment, she understood. He could have killed the Emperor, could have taken control of the palace during the chaos of pacifying the rebellion, and acted as he pleased. Pei Qing knew he harbored resentment towards her and towards Xiao Jing, and he had even had the blade at Xiao Jing's throat, yet he hadn’t struck.

She remembered the reckless youth with his nonchalant, handsome face, declaring he would become a great general, defend the country, and pledge loyalty to the wise ruler, safeguarding the empire.

Xiao Yuan had spoken and done what he promised.

But Pei Qing had broken her promise. At that time, when he casually asked if she wanted to be a general’s wife, she had clearly agreed.

Seeing the tenderness and admiration in her eyes, Xiao Yuan's heart trembled. He released her, though his tone remained harsh, “No more crying.”

Pei Qing nodded, finishing dinner with Xiao Yuan and Xiao Ji'an, and watched as Zhi Lan took Xiao Ji'an back to Xuyang Palace.

Xiao Yuan leaned against the door, watching as Xiao Ji'an disappeared from view, and then sarcastically remarked, “It's not like you gave birth to him. Just because he’s the son of that sickly man, you have to love him as if he’s your own, right?”

Pei Qing, now accustomed to Xiao Yuan’s derogatory terms for Xiao Jing, found his words less jarring and more tinged with bitterness. She replied, “Xiao Ji'an is the Emperor’s son and also my sister’s son. My sister treated me so well, and I’ve told you before.”

Xiao Yuan naturally knew that in the past, Pei Qing had spoken endlessly about her elder sister—how beautiful and good Pei Wan was. Xiao Yuan was well aware of that. But as a man, he would never do something like Xiao Jing, who married the younger sister after losing the elder.

Pei Qing, unaware of his current thoughts, gently advised, “Ji’an is still young. We can explain things to him gradually. If you always speak so harshly, it will only frighten him.”

“Why should he call me father when he doesn’t even want to?”

Pei Qing, who had just felt that Xiao Yuan was acting nobly, found herself puzzled as he began to argue with a child under five. She shook her head and said softly, “I’ll go prepare the bathing things.”

As she entered the bedroom, Xiao Yuan turned his gaze toward the shadow at the entrance of Han Ning Palace. “You, a grown man, spying on what’s happening? Come over here.”

Chu Li, who had come to report an important matter to Xiao Yuan, was startled by his master's words and hesitated at the door.

Even Chu Li, as a subordinate, found it absurd that the prince was quarreling with a child about the Empress. Was it not enough that he competed for women with the Emperor? Now he was even contending with the Emperor's son?

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