Chapter 656: The Main Story Ends

Chapter 656: Chapter 656: The Main Story Ends

The death of the late Empress had once made Mo Lingwei hate his uncle’s family to the core. But time had passed, and now that he was about to become a father, his grudge against the mad scholar had all but vanished like smoke.

The mad scholar was hesitating, wondering if he should leave. To his surprise, Mo Lingwei beckoned, signaling for him to approach.

He scrambled over, his face a mask of caution. "Your Highness... Er, it was the Crown Princess Consort who invited me into the palace. I didn’t just trespass. Please, don’t be angry."

"There’s no need to be so formal, Cousin."

Mo Lingwei’s warmth was so unexpected that even the mad scholar himself was caught off guard.

Mo Lingwei said mildly, "I’m not blaming you. I called you over because there’s no seat for you over there. Come into the hall in a moment and have a drink with us."

With that, he strode toward Shen Ningning.

The mad scholar stood frozen in place. A storm of emotion raged within him, and his eyes began to well with hot tears.

After so many years, he had finally been forgiven by Mo Lingwei. The conflicts of their parents’ generation were now like fallen autumn leaves, swept away by the wind as a new page turned.

Amid the dazzling bursts of fireworks, no one noticed two dark figures perched on the roof.

Hei Diao’s sharp eyes were fixed on the fireworks overhead. Its voice was a low rumble. "Exactly how long are you going to sit here next to me? You’re a human. Can’t you go down there and join the festivities?"

Lu Shaoyuan said, "I’m not going. I’m afraid that if I go down there and see her happy smile, I’ll be the one to start crying."

Hei Diao’s feathers bristled as it flapped its wings. "Then don’t tie our feet together! I want to go down and sample the fine wine."

Lu Shaoyuan quickly pressed it back down. "Easy there, little brother..."

"Hmm?" Hei Diao shot him a piercing glare.

"I mean, *big* brother," Lu Shaoyuan immediately corrected himself. "Just sit with me for a little while. We can watch the fireworks, look at the moon, and... Sigh. It’s been a year. Seeing her so well, I can finally be at ease."

Hei Diao snorted. "Coward. If you like her, why are you hiding? Are you scared to see her?"

"What would you know? Love is about quietly watching over someone from a distance." Lu Shaoyuan said, before adding, "Besides, it was a real struggle to climb up here. It would be a total waste to go down after just a little while."

Hei Diao shot him a look of utter contempt.

’Humans are so weak. Not like me. I can just flap my wings and fly up here in an instant.’

Suddenly, Lu Shaoyuan spoke again. "Big brother, do you ever bathe? Your feathers are a little smelly."

Enraged, Hei Diao flapped its wings, raised a talon, and kicked. The cord tied around their feet snapped, and Lu Shaoyuan went tumbling down the roof.

"Get lost!" Hei Diao squawked in fury.

’How dare he lean on my feathers and then complain that they stink?’

Lu Shaoyuan tumbled down the roof tiles, but fortunately, his reflexes were quick. He managed to right himself and land safely on his feet.

All eyes turned toward him. Lu Shaoyuan made to leave in a hurry, but Shen Ningning’s voice called out, "Lu Shaoyuan?"

He froze. When he looked back, Shen Ningning was giving him a gentle, beautiful smile.

"You’re finally back in the capital."

Seeing her again, Lu Shaoyuan grew flustered. His face flushed, and he looked just as earnest as he had as a boy.

"Yes! I just got back to the capital. I... I was on the roof watching the fireworks. The view is better from up there. I just lost my balance and accidentally fell."

Shen Ningning glanced at the roof, then looked away with a smile. "It’s just good to have you back. It must have been difficult for you while you were away."

They shared a smile, and Lu Shaoyuan’s awkwardness finally faded. Then, he remembered something.

"Oh, right! I brought a gift for the baby." He started fumbling inside his sleeve but couldn’t find it no matter how he searched. "That’s odd, where did it go? Oh no! It must be in my carriage. Wait here, I’ll go get it right now!"

As he spoke, Lu Shaoyuan rushed down the steps. His mother, Mrs. Meng, laughed. "That boy. He’s one of the four wealthiest merchants in the world now, and he’s still as scatterbrained as ever."

The crowd roared with laughter, and the air was filled with joy.

...

One year later, Empress Shen Ningning gave birth to a young crown prince for the new dynasty of Cangyun Country.

And the splendor of that year’s Mid-Autumn full moon seemed to reflect the perfect happiness everyone had found. From that day forward, year after year, the lanterns burned ever bright, and blessings filled the world.

*

Author’s Note: And with that, the main story is officially complete. To wrap things up, I’ll be writing a short side story about Shen Siyi and Xie Suzhi next. If you dears are interested, you can keep reading for a few more days. If you’re not interested, you can follow my Weibo [Fubao’s White-Peach Sweet Congee] and look out for the completion event for Ningning’s book. Thank you for all your support and for joining me on this journey.