AMLFS Chapter 128

Chapter 129: Who Are You?

Song Huaixi wrapped his arms around Prince Zhao Fangye of the Ning district’s neck, his body feeling like a small boat on the sea. With a milk date in his mouth, Song Huaixi was so tired he couldn’t even be bothered to chew, letting the milky flavor spread in his mouth.

Drowsily hearing Zhao Fangye’s words, Song Huaixi closed his eyes and mumbled against his chest in accusation, “You… bullying me….”

Chuckling softly, Zhao Fangye gently stopped his complaining. The fragrant, mellow taste of milk spilled from between their lips. He carried Song Huaixi deeper into the bed. The candlelight in the room flickered until the third watch before it went out.

Recently, Zhao Fangye had been considerate of Song Huaixi’s hard work studying and hadn’t touched him, but tonight he was determined to recover all that he had missed in the past few days.

Early the next morning, Zhao Fangye got up on time to attend court.

The soft rustling sound startled Song Huaixi, who was still in the middle of his dream. Zhao Fangye paused as he was putting on his dragon robe and looked at the person on the bed.

“Mmm…” Song Huaixi’s eyes were blurry with sleep, but when he saw that Zhao Fangye was already dressed, he suddenly reacted and widened his eyes: “Oh no, I’m going to be late for school.”

As he spoke, Song Huaixi hurriedly got up to get dressed, but he didn’t expect that as soon as he sat up, he fell back onto the bedding. The soreness in his waist made him unwilling to get up.

“What am I going to do…” Song Huaixi was a little anxious. Zhang Wenwen would be unhappy if he was late, and he didn’t want Zhang Wenwen to think he was lazy.

“Don’t go to the academy today.” Zhao Fangye put his arm around his waist and tucked him into the quilt: “I’ll ask for leave for you.”

“Hmph, it’s all your fault.” Song Huaixi looked at the culprit in front of him, his eyes full of resentment: “It’s all your fault. The teacher will think I’m being lazy.”

Looking at his worried expression, Zhao Fangye amusedly patted his head. It was just an excuse he had casually made, but Song Huaixi actually took it seriously.

“I’ll go and explain in person, it’s my fault. So Huaixi doesn’t need to worry about the teacher thinking you’re lazy. Okay?”

Hearing this, Song Huaixi felt relieved. He grabbed the brocade quilt and nodded, “Okay.”

“Sleep a little longer.” Zhao Fangye lowered his head and placed a kiss on his forehead. As he got up, he looked at Song Huaixi and whispered ambiguously in his ear, “I tired Huaixi out last night.”

Zhao Fangye’s voice was very soft, but Song Huaixi still blushed at his words. His eyes moved past Zhao Fangye to the shadow of the palace servants reflected on the screen.

The emperor, who was usually stern and dignified in front of his subordinates, was now sitting on the edge of the bed, talking sweet nothings with his wife like an ordinary couple.

If it were in the past, Song Huaixi might not have understood. Perhaps he would have innocently admitted that he was tired. But now, after attending the academy and learning about propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame, Song Huaixi understood the deep meaning and felt his face burning.

He suddenly pulled up the brocade quilt and covered his face, saying in a muffled voice, “You should go to court!”

Teasing the person in the quilt, Zhao Fangye was in a great mood. He put on his court attire and went to court with a refreshed expression.

In the court, the ministers had changed faces. Many of them were young officials who had been recently promoted by Zhao Fangye.

The Minister of Rites reported: “Your Majesty, the Ministry of Rites has prepared the enthronement ceremony and the investiture ceremony. I wonder what Your Majesty’s intentions are?”

When Zhao Fangye took over the entire country, it was in a time of turmoil. Therefore, he was not in a hurry to hold the enthronement ceremony. Now that the situation was stable, the prepared ministers brought up the matter.

“Your Majesty, the mourning period for the late Emperor has passed, and the court and the country are stable. It is time for Your Majesty to hold the enthronement ceremony.” Another minister stood up to advise.

Other officials also echoed.

Zhao Fangye sat upright on the dragon throne, looking at the ministers: “The Ministry of Rites should take charge of the preparations.”

Song Huaixi slept until the sun was high in the sky. Chun Hua came to wake him up, and he woke up slowly. It had been a long time since he had slept in.

It was very warm in the quilt. He didn’t have to get up early before dawn, and he didn’t have to endure the cold wind. It was so comfortable. Song Huaixi stretched in the quilt before finally getting up.

When Zhao Fangye returned from court, Song Huaixi was already sitting at a table full of food, waiting.

Zhao Fangye entered the door and handed his cloak to the palace servant next to him, looking at Song Huaixi: “Why didn’t you eat first?”

“Waiting for you!” Song Huaixi looked at him with a smile: “Chun Hua said that you would be back from court soon.”

Zhao Fangye looked at his well-behaved appearance, his eyes full of smiles. He walked over and sat down beside him: “You don’t have to wait for me next time.”

“I want to wait.” Song Huaixi refused to agree when he heard this, stubbornly saying: “Food is only fragrant when eaten together, that’s what my father told me.”

Seeing his serious face, Zhao Fangye deliberately teased him: “Is that so? No wonder I always feel that eating with Huaixi is more fragrant.”

“So, I want to wait.” Song Huaixi was very happy to hear this and came to a conclusion.

Today was the Beginning of Winter, and the table was set with many nourishing dishes. There was mutton and angelica soup, dried vegetable duck, shredded chicken and mushroom, and roasted venison.

Because Song Huaixi didn’t like to eat greasy meat dishes, each dish was cooked just right, neither too greasy nor too dry. The freshness of the meat and the side dishes were perfectly combined, and the fragrance was rich.

In addition to the meat dishes, there were also several vegetarian dishes that Song Huaixi loved to eat. Chestnut vegetable hearts, steamed white jade Buddha hands, and stir-fried seasonal vegetables, etc.

Zhao Fangye put a few pieces of mutton in his bowl: “Winter is here, you’ve always been cold, eat some mutton to nourish your body.”

“Mmm!” Song Huaixi obediently accepted it.

Zhao Fangye watched him eat, remembering that Song Huaixi had married into the Ning Wang Mansion on the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month. Now that the seasons had changed, Song Huaixi had been by his side for almost a year.

Looking at Song Huaixi eating, Zhao Fangye remembered that when he was in the Ning Wang Mansion, Song Huaixi would also wait for him to eat together with anticipation. At that time, he only felt impatient, but now all that remained in his heart was comfort and tenderness.

Heaven had treated him kindly, not allowing him to be lonely in this life.

After the meal, Song Huaixi couldn’t stay idle and wanted to go out for a walk. Zhao Fangye instructed the servants to add more clothes for him and let him go to play.

Song Huaixi, accompanied by Chun Hua and Zhao Lu, strolled aimlessly in the palace until they reached a palace. Song Huaixi looked up at the plaque above: Kun Ning Palace.

He vaguely remembered that he had been here before. At this moment, the gate of Kun Ning Palace was ajar. Song Huaixi put his face close to the gap and looked into the courtyard. The courtyard was quiet and didn’t look like anyone lived there.

Chun Hua and Zhao Lu stood behind him, looking at the somewhat desolate palace in front of them, and advised: “Your Highness, let’s not go in.”

They were not from the palace, so they naturally didn’t know who lived here. Song Huaixi vaguely remembered that he had been here, but he had never entered.

He was very curious for a moment: “I’ll just go in and take a look, it’ll be fine.”

Turning his head to Chun Hua and Zhao Lu, Song Huaixi reached out and pushed open the half-closed door and walked in.

“Your Highness!” Seeing that they couldn’t stop him, Chun Hua and Zhao Lu also walked in.

The huge palace was quiet, but it was still clean. It looked like someone was cleaning it. The doors of the side hall were tightly closed, and only the door of the main hall was open.

As the group was looking around, a woman in a Taoist robe suddenly appeared in front of the main hall, looking at them calmly.

“Who are you?”