Chapter 167 - 145: Warm Love Wine

The moment Xie Che woke the next morning, he recalled the contents of his dream from the night before and found it utterly incredible.

He wasn’t one to dream often. His days were so packed that he usually fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. Yet, last night’s dream had been exceptionally vivid. Missing the weight and milky scent of the little one in his arms, he instinctively wanted to shake the person beside his pillow awake to share it with her.

But when he turned his head, Jiang Xian was already looking at him, her bright eyes clear and sparkling.

’That’s right,’ he thought. ’When Xian’er is with me, she always wakes up first.’

Every time he awoke, the woman beside him had already washed up and dressed, then laid back down in the covers, looking beautiful. She was a dutiful concubine; whenever she was to appear before the Emperor, she had to be flawless.

"You seem so excited, Your Majesty. Did you have a dream?"

Jiang Xian raised a hand and used her sleeve to dab at the nervous sweat on his temple, her expression a mixture of concern and anxiety. Her worry was genuine. If the Emperor had another dream about a bloody embryo, or if he started suspecting their baby was some spirit child from the underworld, she would be at her wit’s end.

But then Xie Che grasped her by the shoulders and said with utmost seriousness, "Xian’er, what I’m about to say might be hard for you to believe, but I need you to trust my words."

Jiang Xian suppressed a smile and met the Emperor’s intense gaze directly. "When have I ever doubted Your Majesty’s words?" she asked in return.

’That’s true.’

Xie Che collected himself and said, "Last night, I dreamed of our child. He was a little over three years old and raised exceptionally well. When I picked him up, he felt so heavy in my arms. And yes, he’s a boy. While I would love a Prince or Princess all the same, having a boy for our first will spare us both a lot of gossip."

One couldn’t think of things outside the objective limitations of the era.

In Xie Che’s eyes, anyone who carried his blood was inherently noble. Imperial authority trumped a husband’s authority; even if his Princess were to marry, her prince consort and his entire family would have to bow to her, not daring to show the slightest defiance.

However, they both needed a son to solidify their positions.

Understanding this, Jiang Xian felt just as overjoyed as he was, but she said deliberately, "It’s only a dream. How can you be so sure? Perhaps it’s because I’m always chattering about our ’prince’ in front of Your Majesty and having you teach him the classics through my belly, that you’ve unconsciously come to think of him as a boy. I’m afraid that if the child is born and turns out to be a Princess, Your Majesty will be disappointed."

At the same time, she was testing him to see if he would look down on a daughter.

’If he’s the type to see a Princess as worthless, a mere tool for political marriages, then the next time I conceive, I’ll use my system’s Golden Finger to choose the gender. It would be too cruel to let a daughter be born into a world where she isn’t wanted.’

"Xian’er, you’re speaking nonsense again. I wouldn’t be disappointed if it’s a Princess. She would surely be as beautiful as you."

Xie Che cupped her face, studying it for a moment. "The Prince I saw last night looked exactly like me, though. If I had to choose, I’d rather have a child who looks like you. But a boy who looks like me will surely please the Empress Dowager."

"If he looks like Your Majesty, then that’s perfect. He’s destined to become a dashing young man of Unrivaled grace. I can already picture all the Madams bringing mountains of gold and silver to curry favor with me, hoping their daughters can become the First Prince Consort. It’s all thanks to Your Majesty’s good fortune. With a handsome son, we won’t have to worry about him finding a girl who likes him."

’You can never skimp on the flattery for the boss.’

"A man’s true beauty is his talent; mere looks are useless. How could my Prince ever have to worry about marriage? Xian’er, just you wait—our threshold will be worn down by visitors," Xie Che said with a wry smile. "Still, I suppose looking like me does mean he’s got good taste."

’Cheesy compliments. Just what the boss likes to hear.’

Xie Che rose to change his clothes, still feeling a bit dazed.

’My son is so adorable,’ he thought. ’A bit of a handful, though. His chubby little arms wouldn’t let go of me. He’s just as clingy as Xian’er.’ Having gotten a taste of his "little sweet pea," Xie Che was already hooked. He couldn’t help but blurt out, "If our son were here now, he’d probably be pushing past the palace maids and his nanny, fussing for me to come find him. He’d demand I pick him up and play for a while before letting me leave for the morning court."

’He wouldn’t even be looking for his mother.’

After being bathed in the little one’s adoring gaze all night, Xie Che’s confidence had swelled to an unbelievable new height.

Jiang Xian nodded with a smile. "You’re right, Your Majesty."

’An heir is a brand-new project.’

’The boss is willing to allocate more funds and attention; that’s a godsend.’ Jiang Xian didn’t need her child to put her first; she just wanted him to be well. The first word she would teach her son would be "daddy." ’If you have a problem, go find your daddy.’ That would cultivate the Emperor’s sense of paternal responsibility.

"Sigh. The thought of having to wait another half a year to see my son makes me a bit anxious."

As he thought this, he couldn’t help but reach out and touch her belly.

This was the first time he had ever touched her belly on his own because of the baby.

※

Xie Che’s world was, in one sense, vast enough to contain the entire realm.

In another, it was small, for an Emperor’s heart could only hold a precious few.

Now, there was one more: a little one.

During the morning court session, a part of his mind was still preoccupied with last night’s "human cub." He kept picturing a miniature version of himself with an innocent expression, looking both adorable and pitiable. It was a feeling he, a man with little affinity for children, had never experienced before. ’Such a tiny baby, trusting and adoring me completely. A little world that contains only his father and mother...’ He could never find that feeling anywhere else. Everyone had their own maternal family, their own past, their own attachments. Only this little one truly had just his parents—just him and Xian’er.

He had been a son, a sovereign, and a husband.

He felt that while he may not have been perfect in those roles, he was more than qualified.

But being a father... this was a first.

"Summon Prince Xie."

After court, Xie Che did something rare: he summoned Prince Xie for a talk.

Since he hadn’t gotten far before being called back, Prince Xie arrived quickly. He was a famously idle prince with no real duties, so he came for his audience with the Emperor with a flute tucked into his belt.

Upon arriving, Prince Xie was surprised to find a small banquet set up in Qiankun Palace.

"Sit. It’s just a drink between brothers. No need to be so formal." As soon as Xie Che spoke, Liang Yuyin discreetly went over to serve the Prince. Prince Xie went through the motions of declining twice before sitting down with an air of great apprehension.

Their relationship wasn’t particularly close, but they had been brothers for many years.

Xie Che could see past his formal etiquette to the indifference that lay beneath.

’Kill me or torture me, do as you please.’

The thought that he was about to become a father, and was therefore a generation ahead of his second brother, put Xie Che in a good mood. Feeling playful, he asked, "Second Brother, care to guess what I’m thinking?"

"I dare not presume to guess Your Majesty’s thoughts."

"Then let me guess what you’re thinking, Second Brother," Xie Che said, setting down his teacup with a smile. "You’re thinking, ’The Emperor has summoned me. He must have finally decided he can’t stand it anymore and is going to offer me a cup of poisoned wine!’"

Prince Xie’s expression remained unchanged. "May I request that Your Majesty make it a white silk sash instead?"

Poisoned wine wasn’t a peaceful death, gone in an instant.

On the contrary, the process of dying from it was anything but.

"I am giving you wine today, but it is not poisoned wine. Liang Yuyin," Xie Che called. As if by magic, Liang Yuyin produced a jug of wine that had been prepared in advance and presented it with both hands at Prince Xie’s table. "This wine is still sealed. Second Brother, take it home with you to enjoy. It is best enjoyed with a beautiful companion. If you don’t have one, I promise to let you choose first from this year’s selection of concubines."

"..."

Prince Xie shot Liang Yuyin a look, a silent question in his eyes. ’Did the Emperor down three bottles of spirits before I got here?’ Otherwise, why was he spouting such nonsense? "I dare not overstep my bounds, nor do I have any designs on the potential concubines," he said. "A man should marry a virtuous woman. I am simply waiting for Your Majesty to arrange a good match for me. It’s just that I have no great ambitions myself. It would be best if my wife could share my simple tastes."

In other words:

’Don’t try to test me by arranging a marriage with some powerful, high-ranking family.’

"I know that you have sacrificed much for the sake of my Dragon Successor over the years."

Prince Xie remained expressionless.

’I’m not one of the concubines in the palace,’ he thought. ’What do I have to do with sacrificing for the Dragon Successor?’

Xie Che quickly continued, "I know that you’ve been making the women in your residence drink birth control soup. You were afraid that if you had a son before I did, officials at court would use it against you and displease me."

’So the Emperor really did know!’

Prince Xie wasn’t surprised. "My lack of children is due to my own incompetence," he said. "I wouldn’t dare use such a matter to claim credit from Your Majesty."

Xie Che shot back, "So, my being without a son all this time is also due to my incompetence?"

Prince Xie: "..."

Forgive him—before the late Emperor’s death, the Second Prince had been a man who could summon the wind and rain at court; he got whatever he wanted. He hadn’t had much practice playing the meek subordinate, so his skills were rusty. Seeing the Emperor pressuring him relentlessly, he couldn’t help but grit his teeth. "I wouldn’t dare. If Your Majesty summoned me only to give me a jug of wine, then I’m afraid I can only have one thought."

"Say it. I guarantee I won’t hold it against you."

"Your Majesty instructed me to wait until I return to my residence to drink... Are you telling me not to die on your doorstep?"

The Palace Attendants serving nearby broke out in a cold sweat hearing this.

Only Xie Che looked delighted.

’Second Brother is finally willing to tell me the truth!’

"Inside this is Warm Love Wine," Xie Che said with a laugh, meeting his brother’s incredulous gaze. "I’m about to have an exceptionally clever son. You should hurry up and have a child too, Second Brother. This feeling of being a father... it’s really not bad."

He could never have said such a thing to a close courtier.

But with his brother, Xie Che felt he had to share his joy.