The Return of the King: A Generation of Prodigies

Chapter 162 Surprise

After returning to Yuxiu Palace, Shen Tianjiao quickly ordered Chunchao to prepare water for bathing and changing clothes. The scene of helping Li Rui just now still made Shen Tianjiao feel disgusted.

If she didn't wash it quickly, Shen Tianjiao would probably feel so nauseous that she wouldn't be able to eat.

"Chunchao, throw away the clothes I'm wearing today, no, burn them." Bathing and changing clothes was not enough. Shen Tianjiao found the clothes she was wearing today an eyesore.

"Master, what happened?" Chunchao looked at Shen Tianjiao nervously. She had been waiting outside just now, and Shen Tianjiao had stayed in the bedroom for a long time.

Chunchao was worried that something bad might have happened during the time Shen Tianjiao and Li Rui were alone together.

"It's okay, nothing happened." Shen Tianjiao quickly interrupted Chunchao's wandering thoughts, "I just helped him up just now, and I feel unlucky."

"When you burn the clothes later, be careful not to be seen by them."

Women have very rich imaginations. If Ruan Yuhu and Qiong Niang saw this, I wonder how many versions of the story they would come up with?

If that was the case, Li Rui's life would really be in danger. He would be killed by them before he could even die.

"I understand." Chunchao quietly retreated and found a suitable place to burn the clothes.

After taking a shower and changing clothes, Shen Tianjiao felt better.

Shen Tianjiao didn't even have time to dry her hair before she hurriedly ran to take out the imperial seal and stamped it on the two imperial edicts. With this, no one dared to question the legitimacy of Li Muyang's identity as the heir.

After doing all this, Shen Tianjiao, who was in a good mood, finally felt hungry. She hadn't had a proper meal for almost the entire day.

"Chunchao, order the meal to be served." Shen Tianjiao now had no doubt that she could eat a whole cow.

Hearing that Shen Tianjiao was going to eat, Chunchao hurried to prepare.

The food hasn't been served yet, but all the people are already gathered here.

As soon as Ruan Yuhu came in, he noticed that Shen Tianjiao was different. Although Shen Tianjiao still looked the same as usual, Ruan Yuhu could feel that she was different.

Even Qiong Niang would glance at Shen Tianjiao curiously from time to time.

Shen Tianjiao was almost unable to hide what was in her heart when they stared at her. "What are you looking at? Is there something dirty on my face?"

"There's nothing dirty, but I just feel like there's something wrong with you." Ruan Yuhu looked at Shen Tianjiao and couldn't understand why she looked so energetic after coming back from a trip to Taihe Palace.

Shen Tianjiao smiled and shook her head, saying, "Aunt, you have a really sharp eye. I was thinking of giving you a surprise, but it seems I can't wait until tomorrow."

"What surprise?" Qiong Niang stared at Shen Tianjiao for a long time. Seeing that she was keeping it a secret, she couldn't help but urge her, "Why don't you tell me quickly?"

"You have to wait until after dinner. I've been starving for almost a whole day. You can't be so cruel as to not even let me eat, right?"

Shen Tianjiao smiled and patted Qiong Niang on the shoulder, saying, "The world is big, but eating is the most important thing. Let me eat first, and then I'll tell you some exciting news that will keep you awake tonight."

Although Qiong Niang was now a little restless with curiosity, she still suppressed her curiosity and waited quietly for Shen Tianjiao to finish her meal.

Soon the food was served on the table, and Li Muyang and Li Muyan also came in from outside.

When Li Muyang came in and saw Ruan Yuhu and Qiong Niang, he greeted them first, and then walked to Shen Tianjiao, sat down obediently, and leaned his head on Shen Tianjiao's arm.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Shen Tianjiao subconsciously reached out and touched Li Muyang's forehead. Seeing that he didn't have a fever, she felt relieved.

"Mu'er, what's wrong with you?" Shen Tianjiao didn't care about eating anymore. She pulled Li Muyang into her arms and asked while hugging him.

"Mother." Li Muyang blinked his eyes, which were too sleepy to open, and said to Shen Tianjiao, "I'm so sleepy. It's really too hard to take my sister out to play. It's harder than studying."

Li Muyang's answer made everyone in the room laugh. It seemed that Li Muyang was really tired today.

"Oh, so that's how it is." Shen Tianjiao smiled and touched Li Muyang's head, saying, "An An, you are such a lucky sister to have such a good brother like us by your side."

"Mu'er, you've worked hard today. If you're tired, let Chunchao take you to wash up, and then go to sleep for a while. When you wake up, if you're hungry, let Dongyang prepare a midnight snack for you."

"You and your sister will stay with Mother tonight. She will take you to sleep."

"Okay." Although he was very sleepy, Li Muyang was still very happy to hear that he could sleep at his mother's place tonight and smiled at Shen Tianjiao.

"Okay, let Chunchao take you to wash up." Looking at Li Muyang who was extremely sleepy, Shen Tianjiao felt distressed and wanted to laugh. She was going to make things difficult for the child today.

"Okay, son, I'll take my leave." Li Muyang was so sleepy that he could hardly stand, but he did not forget to salute Shen Tianjiao.

"Got it. Let's go." Shen Tianjiao felt sorry for Li Muyang. She looked at Chunchao and ordered, "Chunchao, carry the little prince and don't let him fall."

"Yes, I understand." Chunchao bent down and picked up Li Muyang.

The culprit who made Li Muyang so tired that he didn't even have dinner was eating his fingers, blowing bubbles, staring with his big round eyes, looking at his mother exuding her cuteness.

Shen Tianjiao looked at her little daughter who was looking at her eagerly, waiting for a kiss and a hug, and smiled and said, "An An, wait a moment, I will hug you after mother has finished her meal, okay?"

Hearing Shen Tianjiao's strange words, the little girl in Xia He's arms waved at Shen Tianjiao, babbling in incomprehensible baby language, and responded to Shen Tianjiao actively and enthusiastically.

"This little girl is really going to become a spirit." Ruan Yuhu put down the chopsticks in his hand and scolded with a smile as he looked at Li Muyan who was twisting her body.

"What do you mean by 'becoming a spirit'? This girl is already a spirit." Qiong Niang also put down her chopsticks, looked at Li Muyan and said with a smile: "This little girl really knows who her backer is. When she cries, no matter how others hold her, she stops crying immediately in her mother's arms. She is so well-behaved."

"If someone who doesn't know the truth hears us say this, they will definitely think we are lying."

Then everyone in the room joined in the discussion.

In the end, only Shen Tianjiao was left, sitting there concentrating on eating.

After eating and drinking her fill, Shen Tianjiao took her baby daughter in her arms. Li Muyan, who was so sleepy that she was about to fall asleep, became energetic in Shen Tianjiao's arms.

He raised his head and smiled foolishly at Shen Tianjiao.

This was now completely confirmed, and everyone immediately burst into laughter again about what they had just said.

After everyone had laughed and joked enough, Chunchao placed the fruit plate and tea on the table. Shen Tianjiao then said, "Today is a happy day."

"A happy day? Whose happy day?" Qiong Niang looked at Shen Tianjiao in confusion and asked.

"Whose big day is it? Of course it's our Mu'er's big day." Shen Tianjiao looked at her little daughter in her arms and said with a smile, "Of course it's also our An'an's big day."

Before Qiong Niang understood what was going on, Ruan Yuhu became excited. "Has the decree been issued to appoint Mu'er as the Crown Prince?"

"Yes, I'm in my room now, just waiting to be announced at the court tomorrow morning. Now no one can shake Mu'er's position."

The biggest stone in her heart fell to the ground, and Shen Tianjiao's tense nerves also relaxed.

"And our An An, starting tomorrow, will no longer be a nameless little girl."

"Starting tomorrow, our An An will be Princess Pingyang."

Ruan Yuhu and Qiong Niang both looked up at Shen Tianjiao and Li Muyan in her arms, with unconcealable joy on their faces.

According to the custom of Yunli Kingdom, only the eldest daughter of the emperor and empress is eligible to be named Princess Pingyang.

The title of Pingyang is extremely honorable. Even Li Chaohui, who was once in the limelight, did not have the honor of being named Princess Pingyang although she was the eldest princess.

Since the founding of Yunli Kingdom, only two princesses have been given the title of Pingyang. One is the eldest princess of Emperor Taizu, the founding emperor of Yunli Kingdom, and the other is Emperor Taizu's adopted daughter.

Both princesses were brave, warlike and resourceful. They followed Emperor Taizu in his campaigns and made great contributions to the establishment of the Yunli Kingdom.

Therefore, after the founding of the country, Taizu bestowed the title Pingyang, which symbolizes noble status, on both of them at the same time, but one was Princess Pingyang the Great and the other was Princess Pingyang the Little.

From then on, the title of Pingyang became the title that all princesses in Yunli Kingdom dreamed of.

Today, Li Muyan received this title, which means that as long as she does not surrender to the enemy or betray her country when she grows up, no one can shake her position, and she will be the most honorable princess of Yunli Kingdom.

"Okay, okay." Ruan Yuhu looked at Li Muyan with mixed feelings for a moment. Li Rui finally did a good thing.

"Jiaojiao, Mu'er is also going to Zhenghe Hall with us tomorrow. Shouldn't we prepare in advance?"

Qiong Niang was very happy that the future of her two children was secured, but she was also a little worried because Li Muyang was still a child and was a little shy and introverted.

She was afraid that Li Muyang would not be able to cope with tomorrow's situation. After all, Li Muyang was going to the front court tomorrow, which was different from the harem. If he behaved abnormally tomorrow, it would inevitably cause criticism from the ministers.

"It's okay, he can handle it." Compared to Qiong Niang's nervousness, Shen Tianjiao, the mother, was very calm.

"If you teach him how to deal with tomorrow's situation now, he will become overly nervous and make mistakes frequently."

"Don't worry, he's a very smart child. He'll have to experience this kind of thing sooner or later. He's still young now, so even if he makes a mistake tomorrow, it won't be a big deal."

Shen Tianjiao was not afraid that Li Muyang would make mistakes. Compared to those external things, Shen Tianjiao hoped that Li Muyang could adapt to the environment as soon as possible.

"Children should be allowed to practice more and get beaten up more."

"Don't always think about how to protect him, but think about how to train him."

"After all, he will shoulder the responsibility of a country in the future. Without a heart of steel, he cannot be a good emperor."

"Well, Jiaojiao is right." Ruan Yuhu looked at Qiong Niang and said, "A loving mother often spoils her child. You, after all, dote on this child too much."

"If he were just an ordinary prince, and would be a carefree prince in the future, you would just pamper him."

"But he's not an ordinary prince, he's an emperor. Since ancient times, hasn't every emperor gone through countless trials and tribulations to become one?"

"It's hard to be a human being in this world, let alone be an emperor."

"Yes, Qiong Niang has noted it." Qiong Niang was not displeased by Ruan Yuhu's preaching. She also knew that she was too soft-hearted towards Li Muyang.

As an emperor, the thing he fears most in the future is being weak and soft-hearted.

"Jiaojiao, Xue Changxing has come to the palace to apologize." Ruan Yuhu changed the subject in time to avoid an awkward atmosphere.

"He is a man who knows how to deal with current affairs." Shen Tianjiao fed Li Muyan some milk cake. Looking at her little daughter eating it so sweetly, her heart melted.

"That's right. If he didn't know how to adapt to the times, how could he have sat on the position of the head of the Xue family until now?"

At this point, Ruan Yuhu couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, "The Empress Dowager is such a blessed person, but why are all the descendants of the Xue family so disappointing?"

"She had planned everything for the Xue family back then, but in the end, things didn't go as planned. The Xue family is now in decline, and it's unlikely that the Xue clan will ever be able to replicate its former prosperity."

“If a person lacks virtue, even if you spend a lot of time and effort on them, it will be in vain.”

"The fact that Xue Changxing could raise a daughter like Xue Yuqin, who is so vicious, vain and lacks substance, shows that the Xue family's decline is not without reason."

When Shen Tianjiao thought about how Xue Yuqin abused her precious daughter, she couldn't help but feel hatred in her heart. If it weren't for the reputation of the Empress Dowager, not to mention Xue Yuqin, even eight or ten of them would have been beheaded.

If a country wants to maintain long-term stability, the king must first have virtue, and then wisdom and ability.

The same is true for managing a family. If the head of the family is a person without moral integrity, then the family is bound to become a mess. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Xue family declined rapidly after the death of the Empress Dowager.

"Well, if one's own conduct is not upright, how can one correct others? This Xue Changxing only appears to be a refined and easy-going person on the surface, but in reality, he is a person with a splendid appearance but a rotten heart."

"Even the Grand Empress Dowager, who has seen countless people throughout her life, can sometimes make mistakes. If she hadn't chosen Xue Changxing to be the head of the Xue family, the Xue family wouldn't have fallen so quickly."

Speaking of the decline of the Xue family, Ruan Yuhu couldn't help but feel a lot of emotion and thought of his own relatives.