Feng Yue startled with a shudder, instinctively holding and comforting the baby. Feeling something wasn’t quite right, she raised her head to glare at Yin Gezhi: “Did you bully him?”

Yin Gezhi shook his head with a stern face: “No, he likes me, he just doesn’t like you much.”

What?

“If you don’t believe me, give him here.” A “loving father” expression appeared on his face, and Yin Gezhi reached out to her.

Half-believing, half-doubting, Feng Yue handed over the wailing little bundle, frowning as she watched. Yet when the swaddled infant reached his hands, the child truly gradually stopped crying.

“No way…” her face fell, and she was very hurt: “I’m the one who gave birth to him, why does he treat me so poorly?”

Guanzhi stood to the side, watching his master’s face turn threatening as soon as he turned his head, thinking this was truly unbelievable – how could such a small child be intimidated by him?

“Don’t worry.” Turning back with a kindly face again, Yin Gezhi comforted her: “The child is young and doesn’t understand, when he grows up he’ll be filial to you.”

Pouting, tears welled up in Feng Yue’s eyes as she sobbed: “It hurt so much to give birth to him, if he’s not close to me, how can I not worry?”

Seeing she was truly hurt, Yin Gezhi’s heart sank, immediately glared at the bundle in his arms. The bundle had just cried himself awake, slowly opening his eyes full of confusion, suddenly being glared at by his father, pouted, and “wah” burst into tears again.

“See, his crying is random,” looking at Feng Yue seriously, Yin Gezhi said: “There’s no telling when he’ll cry or not cry.”

Taking the child back sympathetically, Feng Yue gently patted him: “This is a premature baby. They say my mother had me prematurely too. The wet nurse said they worked very hard to help me grow strong back then, putting great effort into milk and food. This little one is unlucky, we’re still at the border with nothing here.”

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty.” Hearing this, Guanzhi immediately stepped forward: “Everything needed has been arranged for preparation, the little prince will not be lacking. The border has ceased fighting, and we’ll be returning to the capital soon.”

“The postpartum period,” Yin Gezhi’s expression grew more serious: “A special carriage has been prepared, they will take the prince ahead first, while I travel slowly with you.”

He had even considered this? Feng Yue raised an eyebrow, smiled radiantly, suddenly pulled his collar, and gave him a deep kiss with her tongue.

His body stiffened, and Yin Gezhi was somewhat surprised.

She hadn’t kissed him so proactively for a very long time. Looking down, whatever had been blocking those fox-like eyes of hers seemed to have dispersed. Clear waters flowed, streaming from her eyes straight into his heart.

As if understanding something, Yin Gezhi’s expression suddenly softened, reaching out to gently hold her waist, taking control and deepening the kiss.

Guanzhi covered his eyes as he took the child from between them, his face bright red as he turned to find the wet nurse. Amitabha Buddha, the little prince is still small! Don’t look at improper things, don’t look at improper things!

But no matter what, the Empress had safely delivered the little prince, and the little prince hadn’t shown any problems so far. That meant mother and child were safe – cause for universal celebration.

Wei had won the victory, the Emperor returning triumphant with the Empress and prince, and all of Wei was rejoicing. Feng Yue sat in the carriage, hearing firecrackers at every city they passed through.

“This is wonderful,” she sighed: “The common people can live good lives from now on.”

Beside her, Emperor Wei Xiaodi heard this, closed his book, and slightly nodded: “Thank you for the praise.”

Only with a wise ruler can the people have good lives – his Empress was praising him as a wise ruler. This was truly pleasing.

Lightly hitting him, Feng Yue narrowed her eyes: “You can’t teach the prince in the future, how can it be good if you teach him to be as shameless as you?”

Yin Gezhi raised an eyebrow: “If not me teaching, then you?”

Her? Feng Yue fell silent, seriously thinking for quite a while before gritting her teeth: “Then you better do it after all. And give him a name while you’re at it – we’re about to reach Lidu and he still doesn’t have a proper name.”

“I’m not good at naming,” continuing to look down at his book, Yin Gezhi said: “My wife is more skilled at such things.”

What was she skilled at? Her face slightly red, Feng Yue pouted: “Even my name isn’t proper, and you want me to name the prince?”

“How is it not proper?”

“Feng Yue (Wind and Moon),” she said somewhat embarrassedly: “Back then I thought I’d be entering a pleasure house, so I took this name of the floating world.”

His gaze circling her face, Yin Gezhi shook his head: “It’s not of the floating world.”

In this world there are those passionate in love, this regret concerns neither wind nor moon.

A very interesting name.

Looking at his smiling lips in confusion, Feng Yue unhappily tugged his sleeve: “You’re making me not understand again.”

“Stop looking, go back and take good care of yourself,” putting down his book and pulling her into his arms, Yin Gezhi chuckled: “You’ve had enough hardship in the first half of your life, wracking your brains and exhausting yourself. In the days ahead, just rest well. I’ll handle everything.”

So good? Feng Yue smiled brightly: “So I’ll rely on you to protect me?”

“Yes.”

“But ministers from court always come to bother me, asking me to plead with you on their behalf. I find it hard to refuse, what should I do?”

“Easy,” reaching out to pat her head, Yin Gezhi’s expression was gentle as he said softly: “When we return, I’ll give you a couplet to hang at the entrance of the Central Palace.”

What kind of couplet could have such an effect? Feng Yue was very puzzled.

The carriage rolled along the road, carrying the leisurely Emperor and Empress slowly toward Lidu.

Peace and prosperity reigned, Lidu grew more flourishing, and officials got drunk at the victory feast. Returning soldiers each received generous rewards. The Empress, out of confinement, drank herself completely drunk in great joy and had to be carried back to the palace by the Emperor when it ended.

“Why aren’t you drunk?” Feng Yue asked thickly.

Yin Gezhi said expressionlessly: “I didn’t drink, I poured it on the ground.”

“So sneaky!” laughing as she poked his face, Feng Yue swayed her head looking ahead: “Where is this?”

“Your Central Palace,” walking step by step, Yin Gezhi looked at the brightly lit palace gates, his eyes warming: “What I promised you, they’ve already hung it up.”

What thing? Adjusting the phoenix crown on her head, Feng Yue jumped down from his arms, pulling his hand forward: “The couplet?”

“Mm, can you still see what characters they are?”

Squinting at the gold-lacquered wood hanging on either side of the palace gates, Feng Yue was somewhat confused.

A warm presence pressed against her back, Yin Gezhi lowered his head to softly say in her ear: “The left reads: ‘Spring and Autumn touch not.’ The right reads: ‘Affairs and dust concern not.'”

Spring and Autumn touch not, Affairs and dust concern not.

His Empress would only be concerned with him – all other matters of state and worldly affairs would be kept outside this threshold.