Ch87.2 - Extra 2

Translator: ChiFu

Before they knew it, the north wind began blowing, heralding the arrival of winter.

Little Chilli and Little Rice Cake were going out to play today. To stay warm, they were both bundled up warmly and wore brightly-colored tiger-head hats. A pair of ears stood erect on the crown of it, the brims trimmed with fur, and snow-white pom-poms bouncing playfully with every movement. Set against their fair, rosy cheeks, they looked just like two little fairies.

In the snow, the chubby dumplings crouched on the ground, curled up like balls.

Both of them loved the snow, feeling the coldness in their cupped palms, and they could mould it into all sorts of shapes. Even Little Rice Cake, who seldom plays outside, found the snow irresistible.

The two children secretly scooped a bit of snow and popped it into their mouths. It brought the same delight as eating ice cream in winter, but if Father Emperor caught them, they would surely be scolded.

Sure enough, Mu Zhan’s cold, authoritative voice echoed through the air moments later.

“What are you doing?”

The two immediately froze, then quickly patted their hands to brush the snow off their gloves, trying to destroy the evidence. They also instinctively tucked their hands away, hiding them from their Father Emperor’s gaze, then wearing an innocent face that said they hadn’t done anything.

In fact, Mu Zhan, looking down upon them from above, could see every detail clearly. The obvious bits of snow clinging to their gloves and the traces of moisture on their lips.

Today, Mu Zhan was keeping an eye on the two dumplings, while Wen Mingyu caught up on some sleep, having been rather rowdy last night.

Mu Zhan was not as easy-going as Wen Mingyu. Sneaking a bite of snow certainly warranted some punishment.

Thus, just as Little Chilli and Little Rice Cake had finished building their snowman, Mu Zhan deliberately gave it a whack with his hand. The snowman collapsed in an instant, crumbling into a pile of snow.

Their eyes widened in disbelief. They had probably never encountered such shameless behavior before. At such a tender age, their worldviews were already being shattered, witnessing the treacherous nature of adults.

Alas, they were no match for their Father Emperor. Pouting, they reluctantly began rebuilding the shattered snowman, all the while nervously keeping an eye on Mu Zhan, fearing he might sabotage their efforts again. Fortunately, the snowman stood intact at last. The two little dumplings breathed a sigh of relief, their faces breaking into smiles.

“Will you eat snow again?” Mu Zhan asked.

They shook their heads decisively and obediently, promising earnestly.

Having had their fill of playing, Mu Zhan didn’t want them lingering outside in the wind any longer. He said, “Let’s go.”

The dumplings nodded, then retraced his steps along the trail of footprints he had made, walking backwards step by step as if scratching the itch of making everything perfect.

Just as they were halfway back, Mu Zhan seemed to recall something and remarked offhandedly, “It seems today’s lunch is hot pot.”

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Moreover, when Wen Mingyu was jostled by them, his expression shifted and he nearly collapsed to the floor. Fortunately, Mu Zhan swiftly caught him, pulling him into his arms. He then told Little Chilli and Little Rice Cake to take their seats at the table and get ready for the hotpot.

Mu Zhan and Wen Mingyu were not quite so quick to join them. Mu Zhan was massaging Wen Mingyu’s aching waist and stomach. After a small chat, a few words later, Wen Mingyu’s ear, hidden in his hair, flushed crimson, while Mu Zhan’s smile grew even broader.

Steam rose in white wisps from the bubbling hotpot, while the table was laden with fresh meat and vegetables that were constantly being added to the pot. With a combination of numbing, spicy and savory clear broth, they couldn’t stop slurping away, thoroughly engrossed in the food.

After the meal, they chatted and played together until it was time for an afternoon nap.

Wen Mingyu’s eyes were already half-closed, weariness heavy upon his face, and before long, he had fallen asleep with his head resting on the table.

Mu Zhan and the two dumplings saw this scene and instinctively lowered their voices, the room growing quiet.

“Not a sound, understand?” Mu Zhan whispered to them.

Little Chilli and Little Rice Cake hastily covered their mouths and nodded earnestly. Then, they watched as their father lifted their daddy’s legs with one arm while supporting his back with the other, carrying him horizontally with effortless ease yet with great care, clearly fearful of rousing him.

As Wen Mingyu settled into the familiar embrace, breathing in the faint scent of wine, he felt a sense of peace wash over him. He was free of discomfort and instead drifted into an ever deeper slumber.

Mu Zhan carried him gently to the dragon bed, tucking him beneath the brocade quilt. When Wen Mingyu’s eyes fluttered open in drowsiness, Mu Zhan stroked his hair and back soothingly, kneeling by the bedside as he leaned in close and murmured sweet nothings until Wen Mingyu drifted back to sleep.

Behind the screen, two little dumplings crawled over, peeking out furtively and whispering to each other in a live commentary. “Father Emperor is putting Daddy to sleep. Daddy’s woken up. Father leaned down and gave Daddy a kiss, then Daddy fell asleep again.Boo-hoo-hoo, I want a kiss too. “

The commentary was heavily laced with personal sentiment and strayed from the main topic. One might say it was rather unprofessional.

Before long, a pair of jet-black booths appeared before their eyes. Looking up, they saw a pair of long legs. In their eagerness to catch Father’s gaze and see his face, they kept craning their necks back until they could hold it no longer. They topped backwards onto the carpets with a thud, flattening out like a pancake. Their small tummies bulged out, a reminder of how full they had eaten just moments before.

Mu Zhan sent them back to bed, reminding them not to disturb Wen Mingyu for a while, as he was exhausted.

Implementing reforms had never been an easy task. As the saying went, “You cannot build something new without first breaking down the old.” Naturally, this would affect the interests of many, leading to considerable resistance. Not only do the conservative noble factions stir up trouble and delay progress, but even the common folks who stood to benefit from the legislation might not fully comprehend it. They may fear the unknown brought by change. When things went awry, some would blame the proponents themselves, resorting to irrational and extreme actions.

One day, Wen Mingyu returned with a wound on his head, sustained when he was struck by a mob while conducting an on-site inspection and reassuring the people.

Blood trickled down his face, making him look quite dreadful.

In truth, it was merely a gash on his forehead, causing slight dizziness that would pass with bandaging and some rest. Yet everyone else was horrified, especially the palace servants, whose faces turned pale at the sight. They scrambled to summon the imperial physicians, nearly bumping into one another in their haste.

Wen Mingyu pressed his hand to his forehead, suddenly realizing the children must not witness this, lest they be frightened.

He turned to give the order, but just then, Little Chilli and Little Rice came scampering over as soon as class ended, eager to show their daddy the results of their calligraphy practice.

Before he could speak, they had already stepped through the palace gates and seen the bloodstains on Wen Mingyu’s face.

They stopped dead in their tracks, their smiles vanishing swiftly. They stared blankly at Wen Mingyu, then their eyes reddened. Tears welled up so quickly that their eyelids could not contain them, streaming down unceasingly. They wept until their small faces turned red and they could barely catch their breath.

“Daddy, Daddy…”

Wen Mingyu tried to comfort them, but the slight movement made him wince in pain. He clutched his wound as palace servants wiped the blood from his face.

Little Chilli and Little Rice Cake stopped crying in shock, flinging the paper from their hands as they rushed towards Wen Mingyu, though their tears continued to flow silently, a sight that tugged at the heartstrings.

They scrambled onto the stool, pressing close to Wen Mingyu. With reddened eyes and voices thick with sobs, they blew gently on his wound, asking. “Does it hurt, Daddy?”

Wen Mingyu’s heart melted instantly. He comforted them, “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

They blew on his wound again and offered him candied fruit, hoping to cheer him up. But tears streamed down their faces unceasingly, as if the floodgates had burst, their pitiful sobs echoing around them.

That night, they both developed fevers. After taking their pulses, the imperial physicians diagnosed it as shock. Children, being frail, struggle to withstand such emotional turmoil. Their bodies couldn’t handle it, and they got a fever.

Fortunately, it was only a low-grade fever. After taking medicine, it gradually subsided.

Nevertheless, the incident sent Mu Zhan into a furious rage, stirring murderous intent within him. He was consumed by a desire to kill every soul who had harmed Wen Mingyu.

During the court session in Taiji Hall, the atmosphere was oppressively heavy. The ministers below dared not even draw a breath. Ever since Mu Zhan had married and fathered an heir, his temperament had changed considerably. Everyone had gradually forgotten the title “Tyrant”, mistakenly believing him to be a benevolent ruler with a gentle and reasonable disposition.

This time, Mu Zhan showed no mercy. He issued an edict to purge the conservatives, making an example of them to intimidate others. He also took harsh measures against those obstructing the reforms, leaving them trembling in a cold sweat.

It was eventually Wen Mingyu who managed to calm Mu Zhan down. He did the stick-and-carrot method, combining firmness with a reward. He ensured that the court officials and common people came to accept the situation under this blend of intimidation and incentive.

Although he had been wounded, at least the final outcome had been favorable.

Wen Mingyu breathed a sigh of relief.

After the court session, the ministers filed out of the hall one by one, yet Mu Zhan remained seated on the dragon throne, his expression grim.

Wen Mingyu ascended the jade steps, approaching Mu Zhan step by step. When he came to a halt before the throne, Mu Zhan reached out and pulled him into his arms, holding him tightly, his grip betraying a panic as if he had nearly lost him.

Wen Mingyu remained still, allowing the embrace. He returned it, his hand resting on Mu Zhan’s back as he released pheromones to soothe him.

Following his promotion, Wen Mingyu’s official uniform had changed to a crimson robe adorned with a silver fish-shaped pouch. Against his handsome features, he was quite a striking sight.

But at the same time, the scar on his forehead was all the more glaring, causing Mu Zhan’s expression to darken as he said coldly, “They should all be put to death.”

Wen Mingyu kissed him soothingly on the corner of his mouth. “I’m fine. It’s just a minor wound; it’s already healed.”

But Mu Zhan couldn’t help but imagine what might have happened if those fanatical mobs, in their fury, had hurled a sharp stone that struck a vital spot, leaving him…

His eyes reddened as he bent down to place a gentle kiss beside the wound. His careful movements stood in stark contrast to his gloomy and violent aura.

The faint tingle of that touch, as if he were a precious treasure, sent a pang through Wen Mingyu’s heart.

He tilted his head and pressed his lips to Mu Zhan’s.

In the center of the grand and magnificent hall, upon the dragon throne.

The two embraced, with zero distance between them.

ChiFu: long rant ahead TT

Days seem to pass so quickly since ChiFu is studying every day. I didn’t pass two subjects for my second phase of exams two weeks ago, and we just completed my third this week. I’m also struggling financially because of the expenses accumulating with graduation coming. And the way things are, topping up the internet is pretty costly, so I always edit in offline mode. If you find any spelling mistakes, do tell ~

I apologize if I’m putting everyone last in the list of things I’m worrying about. It feels so stressful to think about my financial situation aside from studying. That’s why doing this feels like a breather with all the numbers I’m seeing in a daily basis

Sorry for the rant, I don’t have anyone close to me that I can confess this to. Hope you don’t mind, and I hope you enjoyed today’s chapter!