Fireworks were rare. Shen Guiyan remembered—the last time she had seen fireworks was when the foreign kingdoms came to pay tribute. Unable to attend the banquet to watch, she had only glimpsed through the windows of Yonghe Palace a bit of light showing above the palace walls.
At that time, to preserve her unborn child and protect herself, she had remained silent and forbearing throughout. Even though she loved fireworks, she couldn’t watch them openly and honestly.
But now, with everything settled, she could finally stand openly atop this high tower and see each of these luminous blooms clearly. In the days ahead, supporting her husband and teaching her children, could she live a peaceful life?
“Beautiful?” the person behind her asked.
Nodding slightly, Shen Guiyan turned to look at Gu Chaobei. “Why did Your Majesty suddenly develop an interest in watching fireworks?”
Wasn’t it all to make you happy? Gu Chaobei grumbled inwardly but didn’t say it aloud, only holding her tighter. “I am pleased.”
Duanwen and Baoshan had told him everything that had happened around Yan’er these years. Although Yan’er said it was nothing, he still felt somewhat guilty listening to it, so if possible, he should compensate her well.
He owed it all to her.
“Fire trees and silver flowers join, the star bridge’s iron locks open.” Eyes reflecting flowing fire, Shen Guiyan recited softly and slowly.
Gu Chaobei smiled, embracing her as he continued the next line: “Hidden dust follows horses departing, bright moon pursues people arriving.”
Back in the day, rogue though he was, mingling in the entertainment quarters still required culture. If his wife wanted to recite poetry, he would accompany her; if she wanted to play the zither, he would compose lyrics; if she wanted to see the vast rivers and mountains, he would conquer the realm for her. Where else could she find someone so perfectly matched to her?
So her waiting for him all these years wasn’t in vain.
The night was brilliant, the fireworks endless. Atop the Star-Plucking Tower, the Emperor and Empress were deeply in love, but it was hard on Zhuiyun below, running back and forth to set off the fireworks.
When he had free time, he absolutely must request leave, marry a wife, then continue his duties—otherwise, these days were unbearable!
The morning sun rose, all officials attended court. Shen Guiyan no longer needed to worry about such matters and stayed peacefully in the rear palace to accompany her son.
The First Prince, who had never been given a name, finally had his own: Ming Sigu. It was said to have been calculated according to his birth date and time by the Imperial Preceptor, then personally and arbitrarily chosen by the current Emperor Gu Chaobei.
The court officials had considerable criticism about this, because according to the family genealogy naming convention, the First Prince should have been called Ming Bi, but the Emperor said this name was inauspicious and Sigu was better—it had artistic conception and sounded pleasant.
You’re the boss, you have the final say. Even if this name was neither fish nor fowl, the First Prince could only accept it.
“How is it?” Shen Guiyan looked at Imperial Physician Liu as he withdrew his hand and hurriedly asked.
Imperial Physician Liu was silent for a moment before saying, “Let’s wait until His Highness the Prince grows a few years older.”
Deformed leg bones wanting to grow back on their own was simply a wild fantasy. He could only comfort the Empress this way.
Shen Guiyan’s eyes showed some disappointment. She sat by the First Prince’s bedside, holding his small hand and sighing.
“Mother Empress, can this son-subject still not come down and walk?” Ming Sigu looked at her, asking softly. “This son-subject has been taking medicine properly recently. Aunt Baoshan said that if I take medicine properly, next year perhaps I can run around in the imperial garden like other people.”
Her eyes reddening slightly, Shen Guiyan pressed her lips together. “You’re still small, so you can’t come down yet. When you grow up, it will be fine.”
Children couldn’t walk—only adults could, right? Ming Sigu nodded obediently. He truly hadn’t seen other children either, so he didn’t think he was disabled, only thinking that all children must be the same—they had to grow up before they could walk.
However, that afternoon when Shen Guiyan was pushing the Prince through the gardens for a walk, they ran into a little girl.
A three or four-year-old girl child, wearing a palace maid’s uniform in miniature size, running and jumping very happily in the imperial garden.
“Where did this little palace maid come from?” Shen Guiyan’s face darkened. She hurriedly turned the First Prince’s wheelchair in another direction, for the first time speaking so severely in a low rebuke. “Take her away!”
She had long since decreed in the rear palace that children under ten years old could not appear in the rear palace. Where had this little girl come from?
Baoshan rushed over to catch the little palace maid. The little maid screamed in fright and scurried around, suddenly darting right in front of the First Prince again.
“Why are you trying to catch me?” With a tender pink face flushed red, the little palace maid had no idea she had committed a capital offense and clung to Sigu’s wheelchair, refusing to let go.
The First Prince stared at her blankly, watching her constantly kicking legs, and reached out to hold her.
“Mother Empress, Aunt Baoshan, let her go.” The First Prince said dazedly. “I want to play with her…”
“Nonsense.” Shen Guiyan’s expression was very ugly. “Mother Empress will take you back to Yonghe Palace to play, all right?”
The First Prince looked up, his watery eyes glancing at Shen Guiyan once, then looking at the little girl’s legs.
It couldn’t be hidden anymore. Shen Guiyan’s lips trembled slightly. She reached out to cover her son’s eyes, but the First Prince suddenly raised his head and pushed her hand away.
He had always been most fond of his mother empress. This was the first time he had rejected her.
“Your Majesty.” Baoshan supported Shen Guiyan, frowning. “Please calm down first. The Prince has probably never seen someone his age—it’s momentary excitement.”
Was it? Shen Guiyan stared blankly at her son.
The First Prince lowered his head, holding the little palace maid’s hand, and asked softly, “Are your legs good?”
The little palace maid, unaware of her predicament, smiled and looked up to answer. “They’re good! I can run and jump. What about you? Why are you sitting in a chair and not coming down to walk?”
The First Prince’s face suddenly turned deathly pale. He slowly raised his head to look at Shen Guiyan. His mouth moved, and without another word, he tried to get down from the wheelchair.
“You can’t!” Shen Guiyan stopped him. “You still cannot…”
“Didn’t Mother Empress say that all children have to sit in wheelchairs for ten years and can only walk when they grow up? Mother Empress lied. She can run and jump—why can’t I?”
Shen Guiyan was speechless, her gaze sharply turning toward the little palace maid at the side.
Only then did the little palace maid feel afraid. She trembled as she knelt down, saying, “Empress, spare my life.”
In a childish voice, the little girl who hadn’t yet grown up shrank into a ball in fright. The First Prince struggled to reach out to pull her up, his eyes already red, saying with a tearful voice, “Get up. From now on, stay by my side—at least you won’t lie to me.”
“Your Highness.” Baoshan frowned. “Her Majesty and we servants are all for your sake. How can you speak this way…”
She had raised the First Prince since childhood, treating him like her own son. Words sharp as knives could hurt her and naturally could hurt her mistress even more.
The First Prince ignored Baoshan, only with reddened eyes pulling the little palace maid close, making her follow beside his wheelchair, then ordering the palace servants, “Take me back to the palace.”
“Imperial son.” Shen Guiyan called to him.
The First Prince didn’t look back, only ordering the palace servants to walk faster.
Sighing deeply, Shen Guiyan rubbed her temples. Baoshan stood beside her, saying softly, “Your Majesty need not worry too much. Children don’t hold grudges for long. The Prince is still young after all…”
Young he might be, but the First Prince was precocious and sensitive. Having been able to say to his father emperor things like “excessive matters can only be done once,” could he still be regarded as a child who wouldn’t hold anything against anyone?
“Your Majesty, the Second Madam Gu has arrived,” a palace servant reported.
Shen Guiyan came back to herself, arranged her appearance, and said softly, “Please have her go to Falling Leaves Pavilion.”
“Yes.”
Xu Mengdie was someone who had always wholeheartedly cared for her. Even though she was now an official’s wife of rank, she was still willing to work tirelessly for her affairs. She had asked her some days ago to inquire about divine physicians among the common people—perhaps there was news.
Arriving at Falling Leaves Pavilion, Xu Mengdie was already waiting. She smiled and rose to greet her. Seeing her face still full of worry, her expression shifted slightly. “Has the Prince made Your Majesty worry again?”
“You, this half-immortal, knew again.” Shen Guiyan smiled bitterly.
“Now there are no other matters that could trouble Your Majesty so.” Xu Mengdie said in a low voice. “What happened today?”
Seeing Xu Mengdie, Shen Guiyan always had especially much to say. She directly recounted from beginning to end what had happened just now in the imperial garden.
After listening, Xu Mengdie frowned slightly. “Your Majesty has already decreed that young children cannot come and go in the rear palace, yet that little palace maid could still happen to go to the imperial garden. Won’t Your Majesty investigate? And you’ve actually kept that child by the First Prince’s side?”
“He wanted to keep her.” Shen Guiyan said helplessly. “That child has never had playmates. This palace thought that since it’s already been exposed, why not keep that little palace maid by his side for companionship, so he won’t be lonely.”
“Your Majesty is too merciful.” Xu Mengdie shook her head. “In this wife’s view, to protect my own son, I would certainly eliminate that girl of unknown origins.”
Eliminate her? Shen Guiyan shook her head inwardly. That was still a human life—how could it be as simple as wiping away soot?
Xu Mengdie continued, “The matter Your Majesty asked this wife to help inquire about—this wife has asked everywhere. At West Mountain, there’s said to be an old immortal who might be able to help. But West Mountain is too far from the capital. By carriage, round trip would take four months. This…”
West Mountain? Shen Guiyan frowned. “That truly is too far.”
She wasn’t comfortable with her imperial son going alone. No matter how many guards there were, no one could care for him completely. But if she accompanied him, four months—having finally reunited with Chaobei, would they have to separate again?
“That old immortal has the best reputation. It’s said he’s cured quite a few people’s leg ailments, which is why this wife came to tell Your Majesty. Whether to go or not, Your Majesty can decide for herself.”
Pausing, Xu Mengdie said, “In any case, the Prince is still young.”
Hesitant in her heart, Shen Guiyan closed her eyes. “Allow this palace to think for a few days. If it can be cured, naturally going early would be better, while this child is still small and his bones haven’t fully grown.”
Xu Mengdie nodded.
When Gu Chaobei finished court and pushed open the main hall doors of Yonghe Palace, he was met with Shen Guiyan’s bitter melon face.
“What’s wrong?” The Emperor looked at her with amusement, went behind the screen to change clothes and came out, grasped her chin and kissed her. “Who made Empress displeased?”
Baoshan pressed her lips together, saying quietly, “Who else could it be? If not you, it could only be His Highness the Prince.”
Imperial son? Gu Chaobei raised his eyebrows. “Usually Yan’er loves him so devotedly—wouldn’t even go with me to see the moat, saying she had to accompany the imperial son. How dare that little brat offend his mother empress?”
Shen Guiyan raised her eyes, looking at the Emperor. “This subject-wife has matters to discuss with you.”