Chapter 187: The Brave Little Ones

Chapter 187

The Brave Little Ones

As the atmosphere lightened up once again, Kang Wang took the opportunity to speak up.

"Father, there is another matter I wish to present to you."

The Emperor, feeling pleased after Nie Shuang’s flattery, asked in a cheerful tone,

"What is it, Wuqian?"

"I wish to humbly request your permission to marry Nie Ying as my primary consort. Please, grant your royal consent."

The Emperor did not oppose this matter, as he had known from the beginning that Kang Wang intended to wed Nie Ying as his only primary consort. He ordered Eunuch Gao to draft the royal decree, then signed it with his seal. Kang Wang accepted the decree gratefully and kept the scroll with him. Once the formalities were completed, they all prepared to take their leave, but the Emperor turned to Nie Shuang.

"Did you come to the palace alone? What about the children? You haven’t brought them with you? I haven’t seen them in such a long time."

Nie Shuang concealed her surprise. She had intended to return home with the children after assisting with the matter of Nie Ying. She hadn’t expected the Emperor to inquire about them.

"At the moment, they are with Princess An Le and General Song at the Chi Ning Palace, Your Majesty. The princess saw that you were in discussion with Kang Wang, so she took them to visit the Empress Dowager first. They should be coming to pay their respects shortly."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor stood up from his seat.

"Let me go to Chi Ning Palace to see them then. It will also give me a chance to visit the Empress Dowager."

The Emperor eagerly led the way, remembering how endearing the little triplets had been. He wanted to spend some time with them again. When they arrived, they found not only the three little buns but also their three younger siblings. Six children were either sitting or lying on the soft carpet, creating a lively scene. Despite the chaos, the Empress Dowager looked radiant. She held Bei Bei on her lap, gently stroking the boy’s head and back. The second young master leaned comfortably against her chest, playing with a wooden toy that the Empress Dowager had ordered to be brought out for them. Xiao Hua Hua was playing with a cloth doll, chatting with her younger brother, who lay on his stomach nearby, watching her with interest. Li’er was crying and fussing, with Xiao Tong trying to comfort her. Song Qilin was carrying Shang’er while also chasing after Bao Bao, who was running around and screaming excitedly.

"Bao Bao, sit down properly. Don’t be rude,"

The father scolded Da Ge. Princess An Le, who was sitting and chatting with the Empress Dowager, turned to say,

"Bao Bao, come to Auntie. Auntie will have more sweets brought out for you. Would you like that?"

Upon hearing the promise of delicious treats, Da Ge immediately stopped in his tracks. He toddled over to his beautiful aunt with a wide smile, revealing a row of small, neat teeth. An Le, feeling affectionate, gently pinched his cheek and teased,

"Da Ge, you are such a little glutton."

She then instructed the maids to bring out more snacks.

"Da Ge, if you eat more sweets, you must finish all your dinner later. Do you understand?"

The stern voice of his father echoed. Da Ge eagerly nodded his head.

"Finish! Finish!"

The Empress Dowager and An Le couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. As soon as the eunuch announced the Emperor’s arrival, everyone kneeled in respect, except for the Empress Dowager, who remained seated.

The Emperor greeted the Empress Dowager with a bow, then glanced around the room. Seeing the adorable children scattered throughout, he smiled warmly.

“I thought you were only bringing three of them. Did you bring them all?”

Nie Shuang quickly responded,

“Yes, Your Majesty. The Empress Dowager mentioned that she wanted to see the younger siblings of the triplets. Since Princess An Le was visiting the palace today, we took the opportunity to bring all the children along.”

The Emperor sat beside the Empress Dowager. Upon seeing their mother, the children grew excited. The older and younger ones alike ran to her, calling out for her attention, completely ignoring the Emperor. Nie Shuang sat down and opened her arms to embrace Xiao Hua Hua and Bao Bao. Bei Bei, who had been lounging comfortably on the Empress Dowager’s lap, climbed down to join them. Li’er, Min’er, and Shang’er, who couldn’t walk yet, reached their arms out, signaling for their mother to pick them up. Anyone witnessing this scene couldn’t help but smile in affection. The mother was just a small woman, but she was swarmed by six little ones, who tried to surround her. They resembled tiny chicks chasing after their mother hen.

Nie Shuang made sure to give equal attention to the older and younger ones alike, soothing them until their excitement waned. Once satisfied, they returned to their playful antics. She instructed the older children to pay respects to the Emperor. The older triplets obediently tried their best to follow her lead, but they still couldn’t speak clearly, so their words came out a bit incoherent.

“Say after me...Greetings, Your Majesty.”

"Eeting, You Majesty." "Ting, Your Majesty." "Tee, Tee."

Despite the garbled words, their serious little faces showed just how much they wanted to make their mother proud. The three of them bowed deeply, chubby hands clasped together as their round bottoms stuck out, all while standing neatly in a row. It was an adorable sight, and everyone who saw them couldn’t help but fall in love with their charm.

Before anyone could react, the Emperor reached out and scooped all three triplets into his arms, pulling them onto his lap and laughing heartily.

“What well-behaved little ones. So young, and already so clever.”

The soft, round little buns smelled sweet, like milk, and their warm, plump bodies provided a sense of comfort and relaxation. However, the children didn’t share the same sentiment. Bei Bei, trapped in a firm hug, squirmed to escape. Xiao Hua Hua glanced up at this unfamiliar uncle, confused. Seeing him nuzzling his face against Bao Bao’s chubby cheeks, she reached out to gently tug his beard as if to warn him. Bao Bao, coordinating with his sister, began slapping the Son of Heaven’s face with his tiny hands—slap, slap, slap. Song Qilin and Nie Shuang froze, feeling as if the blood in their veins had turned to ice. Only the Empress Dowager and Princess An Le laughed at the commotion. Kang Wang and Nie Ying merely smiled in amusement.

Once they snapped back to reality, both husband and wife immediately knelt and bowed, apologizing in unison without needing to be prompted.

“Forgive us, Your Majesty! They are still young and do not understand. Please, have mercy on them.”

The Emperor burst into laughter, his chest shaking with each hearty laugh. He released the three mischievous ones, letting them scramble off his lap. There was no trace of anger on his face.

“These little rascals are quite brave, daring to assault me right in the open like this.”

The three little turnips scurried behind their parents, clutching onto their father and mother with one hand, while the other found its way into their mouths. They must have done something wrong, judging by the loud voices of their parents and the bowing. The triplets’ expressions were noticeably crestfallen.

Princess An Le smiled and spoke to General Song and Nie Shuang.

"Don’t be so serious. They’re still young. Father isn’t upset with them, right, Father?"

"Mm, children have no guile. They’re just not used to me yet. It’s no surprise they wouldn’t want to be hugged."

The Empress Dowager, having laughed quite a bit earlier, dabbed at her eyes with a silk handkerchief.

"Your Majesty, you hugged them too tightly. I’ve been holding them all day, and they’ve never tried to squirm away like that."

It had been a long time since the Emperor and the Empress Dowager had enjoyed such a warm and cheerful family atmosphere. The conversation flowed easily, and the younger triplets were passed around for everyone to hold. Youngest Shang’er even left a token of love by urinating on the Emperor’s robes, but he showed no sign of anger. As the children grew fussy and began to cry, signaling that it was time for their afternoon nap, Song Qilin took the opportunity to excuse himself, with Kang Wang and Nie Ying following. Princess An Le, however, stayed behind to spend more time with the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, and she would go back later.

Kang Wang and Song Qilin led the way, allowing the two adopted sisters to talk. Behind them trailed the noisy entourage of nannies carrying the six children, whose voices echoed intermittently. Nie Ying held Nie Shuang’s hand and spoke softly.

"Sister Nie, I will never forget the kindness you’ve shown me. As for the tea tax you’ve agreed to pay to the court, please let Kang Wang cover that, as we discussed."

Nie Shuang squeezed her adopted sister’s hand and smiled.

"You and Kang Wang shouldn’t worry about it. Sooner or later, the court would’ve started taxing the tea trade anyway. No one would be happy to see me alone owning such a large share. It’s better if I offer it myself now. This way, everyone will see that the Xiangyun Tea House conducts business with integrity, not just for profit. In fact, it will make the Emperor feel indebted to me. In the future, should I need to ask for help, it will be as easy as flipping my hand. Don’t worry, it might look like I’m paying out, but I’ll never do business at a loss."

Hearing Nie Shuang’s reply, Nie Ying couldn’t help but laugh.

"That’s exactly like you, Sister Nie. Still, Kang Wang and I are committed to handling this matter ourselves."

Nie Shuang shook her head.

"I don’t want your money, Yingying. When you return to Huangjing, just help me manage the business there like before. That’s enough for me. Yes, I’m a merchant, and I seek profit, but no gain is more important than friendship. You and Kang Wang are like family to me. Don’t mention money between us ever again."

Moved by Nie Shuang’s words, Nie Ying swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, her voice choked with emotion when she replied. They had reached the edge of the palace grounds, where the Yong An Hou Manor’s carriage had been waiting. With farewells exchanged, General Song’s small family boarded the carriage and departed.