Chapter 62

The child’s crying was sharp and loud. Tang Yun instinctively frowned and gently rocked him in an attempt to soothe him, but it was completely useless. The more the baby cried, the more energetic he became, until sweat beaded on Tang Yun’s forehead from anxiety.

The old nursemaid could no longer bear to watch and took the child from him.

Strangely enough, the moment the little one was in the nursemaid’s arms, his crying immediately stopped. He sniffled, his eyes still shut, looking utterly pitiful.

“Madam, this child is far too noisy. Staying here will only hinder your recovery. Why don’t I take him to the front courtyard and have the wet nurse look after him?”

If it hadn’t been for what the old nursemaid told her earlier, Liu Nüluo might have believed he was doing it for her sake. But now, seeing the wet nurse kneeling nearby—clearly not young—she hesitated for a moment before saying:

“Husband, I can’t bear to part with him. After all, I went through hell and high water to bring him into the world.”

“And, I want to see my mother and father. They must be terribly worried.”

The Duke of Liu had always doted on Liu Nüluo—not only because she was born late in their lives, but also because her health was so fragile. If it hadn’t been for the Duke’s immense wealth and the Crown Princess’s care, the doctors had said she wouldn’t have survived to adulthood.

Childbirth takes a great toll on a woman’s body. Even for healthy women, it’s like passing through the gates of hell—let alone someone like her.

Since the news of her pregnancy reached the duke’s residence, her parents hadn’t come to see her once. Now that she was in her confinement month, a deep unease began to settle in Liu Nüluo’s heart.

She didn’t even realize it herself, but in such a state of anxiety, the people she most wanted to see were her parents and brother—not the man she was supposed to rely on.

“If you really want to keep him with you, then keep him. But… about informing your father and mother, shouldn’t we think it through a bit more? Perhaps it’s best to wait until you’ve finished your confinement.”

Tang Yun moved his lips a few times after saying this, seemingly wanting to say more, but ultimately said nothing. This behavior only deepened Liu Nüluo’s suspicion. Her tone turned slightly stern as she demanded:

“What else is there?”

“I didn’t want to tell you while you were heavily pregnant, but… a while ago, your mother slipped and fell in the back courtyard. Even the imperial physician was called from the palace. He said she needs to rest and recover carefully.”

“If she were to learn you’ve given birth, she’d probably insist on coming to see you. Madam, I’m worried her health might not be able to bear it.”

When it came to her mother’s health, Liu Nüluo wasn’t as resolute as before and was just about to compromise—when the baby beside her started crying again.

“Is he hungry?”

She asked instinctively, then recalled the issue with the wet nurse. She had fought tooth and nail to give birth to this child—how could she not care for him?

She had heard her elder sister mention before that the milk a child drank in infancy was critical. That was why they were so particular when choosing a wet nurse.

“Forget it. Let’s not trouble Mother. Nanny, take my token and go inform Elder Sister.”

Liu Nüluo was actually two months younger than the current Crown Prince. When the Duchess came to visit, she didn’t know she was pregnant, and was startled when the imperial physician took her pulse.

Whether back when she was the Crown Prince’s consort, or now as the Empress, her elder sister had always treated her like a daughter—always eager to send over anything good.

“The Empress is busy managing the inner palace. It’s not appropriate to disturb her over such a small matter…”

That one sentence from Tang Yun made Liu Nüluo even more suspicious. She frowned and asked:

“Why do you keep stopping me again and again? What of the Empress? She is my full-blooded elder sister!”

“Don’t be upset, my lady. I’ll have someone send the message immediately.”

“Nanny, you go. The palace is heavily guarded. The people he sends may not be able to get in.”

Although Liu Nüluo had been raised sheltered and naive, she had one virtue: she listened. Before she got married, her mother had advised her—unless absolutely necessary, never hand over the token her elder sister had given her. She had always remembered that.

When Tang Yun heard her say this, a flash of anger passed through his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. He forced a smile and gently replied:

“Alright, as you wish.”

The nanny gave instructions to the two maids remaining to take special care of the young mistress and little master, then got into a carriage headed to the palace.

For a noblewoman to meet the Empress, she usually had to present her token in advance—except for family members of the Empress, of course. As soon as the nanny arrived at the palace gates, the guards let her in without trouble.

…

Tang Yun still wanted to say a few more words to Liu Nüluo, but her body was too weak after giving birth and she was quickly exhausted. She gave a vague reply and closed her eyes again.

The two maids who had come with her knew well that their mistress didn’t like having attendants around when alone with her husband, so they waited outside.

After Liu Nüluo fell asleep, Tang Yun glanced at the baby lying in the cradle and gently picked him up.

But the little one, who had just fallen asleep, immediately burst into loud wails the moment Tang Yun touched him. Startled, Tang Yun quickly withdrew his hands. A maid rushed in, and the noise even roused Liu Nüluo.

They were in the same room, so with just a turn of her head, Liu Nüluo saw Tang Yun retracting his hands.

When the baby cried, Tang Yun instinctively looked at Liu Nüluo. Their eyes met, and he quickly tried to explain:

“I just wanted to hold him. Maybe I made him uncomfortable. Don’t worry, Madam, I’ll go practice handling him properly.”

“Alright.”

Liu Nüluo softly replied. She had seen her sister-in-law take care of her nephew before—newborns were hard to calm once they started crying. She thought the wailing would continue for a while.

But surprisingly, as soon as Tang Yun left the courtyard, the crying stopped entirely. Liu Nüluo grew uneasy and tried to sit up to check on the baby. After such a difficult birth, she couldn’t help but worry.

“My lady, the little master’s gone back to sleep.”

Even the maid found the scene a bit strange. There were things they, as servants, couldn’t openly say—but it really seemed like the little master didn’t like his father very much.

At noon, a nourishing meal was brought in. After eating, Liu Nüluo felt much better and asked the maids to bring the baby over—she still hadn’t had enough of looking at him.

“Miss, the young master just fell asleep.”

“Then be gentle.”

“Alright.”

The little one was carried over from the room next door. The room was quiet—so quiet that Liu Nüluo could hear his breathing. She stared at him for a while before softly saying:

“He actually moves… but he doesn’t look very nice.”

The maid, hearing her young lady’s tone of disdain, glanced at the young master and chuckled as she replied:

“Miss, most newborns truly aren’t very good-looking. Young Master is already considered a handsome one.”

Liu Nüluo didn’t want to believe she had given birth to such an odd-looking little thing. After watching him for a bit, she had the maid carry him back to rest. Thinking of how Nanny still hadn’t returned, she couldn’t help but feel a little anxious.

She was worried that her elder sister was still upset with her over that incident, and even more worried that her parents might be the same—that even after hearing she had given birth, they hadn’t come to see her.

“Miss, they say one shouldn’t worry too much during confinement.”

The maid closed the window tightly, then turned to see her lady frowning deeply and couldn’t help but gently remind her.

“I know.”

She knew it, yes—but that didn’t make it any easier.

Nanny didn’t return until dusk, and the carriage she arrived in wasn’t the same as the one she had left in. The Empress had sent Nanny back with many things—even items from the Emperor’s private treasury.

Once the carriage reached the gate, Nanny got off first, followed closely by two elderly imperial physicians. Their expressions were tense; it was clear they understood how much importance the Empress placed on this younger sister.

They had treated this lady before—if she avoided childbirth and simply rested, she might barely live to forty. The fact that she had survived giving birth at all was already a miracle, but her health… it was practically ruined.

The two physicians exchanged a look. Both felt the same unease at the thought of having to report back to the Empress, fearing her wrath if the news was bad.

On the other side, Tang Yun had said he had official business and did not stay at the residence. When Nanny heard this from the servants, her dissatisfaction with the young master-in-law deepened.

Fortunately, the small kitchen still retained the old matron’s hand-picked cooks, and the evening meal suited Liu Nüluo’s tastes very well. After she finished eating, her thoughts turned back to the child.

By then, the young master was awake, his eyes already open. When Taohong noticed this, she quickly brought him over for the lady to see.

The System was once again troubled watching the mother and son getting along so well. It wasn’t sure if the newborn in such a peaceful environment might mistake it for a ghost. If it startled the child, that really would be a loss.

Right now, the little one only had fragmented memories of the original host from his past life. In his mind, it was more like a rebirth than a mission.

250’s mindset had always been positive. After some thought, it didn’t see anything wrong with the current situation.

Letting the little one experience growing up in a mission world—with ordinary happiness—was still worthwhile.

Though the baby’s vision was still blurry, there were vague memories in his mind. He couldn’t see what was in front of him, but his tiny hand waved softly in the air. When he caught a familiar and comforting scent, he instinctively reached out and grasped her.

Liu Nüluo felt the strength in An’an’s grip on her finger and a trace of surprise flickered in her eyes.

“He’s so small… and already so strong?”

She gently tried to pull her finger away, testing his grip. But it seemed to upset the little one. He stopped smiling like before and, expressionless, pulled her finger right back.

Liu Nüluo hadn’t played with An’an long before she heard footsteps outside. Nanny pushed the door open and came in, instructing a maid to carry the young master back to the next room.

“Miss, Her Majesty said to have the imperial physicians give you a thorough examination.”

“Alright.”

Hearing that it was her elder sister’s instruction, Liu Nüluo had no objections. She extended her wrist, and Nanny placed a handkerchief beneath it before offering a stool to the physician.

The other imperial physician had gone to the next room. In the Imperial Medical Bureau, Doctor Li was best at pediatrics, and the Empress had also instructed him not to return to the palace immediately, but to stay at the Tang residence and properly care for the child.

The physician taking Liu Nüluo’s pulse had already mentally prepared himself to apologize. But as soon as he placed his hand on her wrist, his expression changed repeatedly, which made Nanny beside him nervous.

“What is it? Is the young lady’s condition not good?”

“Not exactly.”

The physician shook his head slightly, then checked the pulse again carefully. Once he confirmed it matched the last result exactly, he couldn’t hide the astonishment on his face.

“This… The lady’s condition seems better than before childbirth. If she rests well during her confinement and avoids strain, it may not even affect her lifespan.”

If he hadn’t taken the pulse himself, he wouldn’t have believed it!

Back when the lady was pregnant, the Empress had sent him over a few times to check on her. Each time, the result was the same—high risk of both mother and child perishing during childbirth. Even if the child survived, the mother was surely doomed.

To put it harshly, with a body like that, giving birth safely would mean the child had drained her dry.

Yet this lady not only gave birth safely—both mother and child were healthy—and now her condition had even improved.

“Dare I ask, Lady, have you taken anything recently?”

Liu Nüluo hadn’t eaten anything different from usual. She instinctively looked at Nanny, who thought seriously for a moment and then shook her head.

“Just the usual. Though some time ago, the old madam did send over a hundred-year-old ginseng.”

The physician wasn’t entirely satisfied with this answer. After all, as the daughter of a noble house, the lady had surely consumed countless ginsengs since childhood. Just a few years back, even a thousand-year-old ginseng had reportedly entered the household.

“Best not to overthink. Just focus on recovering. Aside from some weakness, there shouldn’t be any major issues.”

The physician who had examined the young master now returned to report. The child was a little underweight, but otherwise fine. As long as they found a few wet nurses with ample milk, he would grow well.

As he spoke, the physician glanced at the wet nurse kneeling nearby and instinctively frowned.

“Lady, perhaps it would be best to change to two new wet nurses?”

The imperial physician could tell that both of the wet nurses were over thirty-five, which made them truly unsuitable to continue nursing—especially considering that this young master required careful and meticulous care, with no room for error.

“Nanny, did you tell Elder Sister about this matter?”

Upon hearing this question, Nanny knocked herself on the head. The Empress had an imposing presence and had thrown out a series of questions at her one after another. She had been completely overwhelmed and, by the time she’d finished answering, had already forgotten.

“Go tell Father tomorrow. Ask him to find a few younger wet nurses and send them over.”

“Yes.”

Nanny personally escorted the imperial physician to the front gates. When she turned around, she saw the young master’s carriage arriving. After the carriage came to a stop, the son-in-law stepped down and carried the eldest young master out in his arms. At a glance, the father and son clearly had a close bond.

It was only when Tang Yun reached the gates of the estate that he saw this Nanny. The smile on his face faded considerably.

“How is Madam today?”

“All is well.”

Hearing this, Tang Yun felt relieved and smiled as he took his son’s hand.

“Jun’er, I haven’t had time to tell you the good news—you have a little brother now. Are you happy?”

Tang Jun was stunned upon hearing this. He felt his father tighten his grip slightly around his hand. He gave a soft “Mm” in reply, but it was clear that he wasn’t very excited.

“The young miss cannot be left unattended. This old servant will take my leave now.”

“Go ahead. Madam is the priority.”

Only after Nanny had walked away did Tang Jun dare to show his true expression. Tears welled up in his eyes as he stared at his father and asked:

“Father… didn’t you say it was going to be a little sister?”

Tang Yun looked troubled upon hearing that. He reached out and rubbed Jun’er’s head, but before he could reply, he noticed someone seemed to be hiding in the bushes nearby. The words at his lips changed at once.

“Daddy knows Jun’er wanted a little sister, but a little brother is still someone your mother gave birth to, right?”

As he spoke, he placed his hand on his son’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

…

It wasn’t until the following day that Nanny instructed the servant to send word back to the Duke’s estate that both mother and child were safe after the delivery. By chance, the Duke was off-duty and at home that day. Around mid-morning, he hurried over, heading straight to Liu Nüluo’s courtyard.

Tang Yun had also stayed in the estate that day. Seeing his father-in-law arrive, he greeted him with a smile. The Duke gave him a single glance, then quickly looked away, walking forward with a stern face, clearly unwilling to engage.

In the past, Duke Liu had actually thought fairly well of this son-in-law. He had even specifically instructed his eldest son to support him at court. But ever since his daughter became pregnant, everything about the young man had started to irk him.

Even now, with mother and child safe after the birth, that still did not stop Duke Liu from resenting Tang Yun over the matter.

Liu Nüluo was already awake, having just finished her breakfast. Nanny wouldn’t even let her read, instead having two young maidservants read aloud to her for entertainment.

“Daughter.”

The Duke’s voice came from outside. For a moment, Liu Nüluo thought she had misheard. She sat up instinctively and said, with a hint of doubt in her voice:

“Father?”

“How is your health? Your mother couldn’t come to see you, so she sent me instead. She said she wouldn’t be at ease until I saw with my own eyes that you were well. Has anyone here been neglecting you? If things aren’t going well, why not come back to the Duke’s estate?”

He stopped just outside the bead curtain. Through the gaps in the curtain, he could see that Liu Nüluo’s complexion wasn’t bad, which finally allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief.

“The imperial physician examined me and said everything is fine. There’s nothing really troubling me. Father… could you perhaps help find a few wet nurses?”

Duke Liu had just started to feel relieved, but that request made his heart tighten again.

“There are no wet nurses in the estate?”

“There are… but my husband isn’t very adept at handling such matters, and the ones he found are a bit too old.”

Liu Nüluo didn’t want to put her father and husband at odds, so she kept her explanation vague. She had wanted to protect Tang Yun, but Duke Liu still picked up on the implication behind her words.

“If he’s not good at handling it, why not give the task to someone who is? Are all the estate’s Nannys dead?”

A maid brought over the little young master. Seeing this tiny bundle softened Duke Liu’s heart before he could stop it. He wanted to reach out and hold him but was afraid of hurting him. Just moments ago, he had been suppressing his anger, but now his voice dropped noticeably.

“My husband has been busy with official duties…”

Liu Nüluo offered Tang Yun an excuse. She had heard that His Majesty had given him a great deal of work recently and didn’t want to get in the way.

“So it’s my fault now? I shouldn’t have told your elder brother to support him. I should’ve left him as a low-ranking idle official. That way, all his thoughts would be on you!”

No matter how much he lowered his voice, it still woke the child. The baby opened his eyes, rubbed them with his little fists, and made a few cooing sounds.

Duke Liu stared at the child for a while. Seeing that he didn’t cry, he cautiously reached out to take him.

Liu Nüluo immediately moved to stop him, but to her surprise, perhaps because the baby recognized people, just as he had done with Tang Yun, but he started smiling the moment Duke Liu touched him.

“Oh—he smiled at me!”

Duke Liu was somewhat delighted. The child’s delicate little features faintly resembled his daughter’s when she had just been born, which made him like the boy even more.

“Has a name been decided?”

“His nickname is An’an… As for his formal name, that will be up to my husband.”

Hearing this made Duke Liu unhappy. His expression darkened at once, and he spoke softly:

“When he came to propose marriage, he promised—even if he had no children for the rest of his life, he would be willing to adopt. And now? What is this supposed to be? If you hadn’t been lucky, I might not even have seen you one last time!”

Just the thought of it made Duke Liu break out in a cold sweat.

“This child… according to our agreement back then, he should bear the surname Liu and have nothing to do with the Tang family.”

Liu Nüluo had originally planned to discuss this with her husband later, but seeing her father’s current state, she could only agree in order to avoid upsetting him further.

“And the child’s name…”

“Should also be chosen by me.”

No matter how he looked at that boy outside, Duke Liu found him displeasing. Back then, the man had knelt before him and made solemn vows. If it hadn’t been for Nüluo’s pleading, Tang Yun would’ve had to marry into their family instead.

“How about the name Shi’an (Peace for a lifetime)?”

Liu Nüluo thought it over carefully. Peace for a lifetime—what a beautiful meaning.

Having brushed past the gates of the underworld, she no longer held onto things as tightly as before. She now felt that for the whole family to simply be safe and sound was already the greatest luxury.

“I’ll listen to you, Father. Just now, you were saying—what happened to Mother?”

“A while ago, Tang Yun sent word to the estate, informing your mother that you might give birth early. She was worried and wanted to come see you, but she accidentally fell in the garden. The physician said she must rest and recover properly.”

“And now? Is she doing better?”

“It’ll take another two months of recuperation before she can leave the house. If it weren’t for that, she would have insisted on coming with me today to see you.”

At that moment, Liu Nüluo noticed the stark white hairs at her father’s temples and the aged lines now visible on his face. A pang of guilt suddenly rose in her chest.

Her insistence on giving birth to the child after all had clearly worried her father deeply.

“I’ll have someone send over a wet nurse this afternoon. Take good care of both the child and yourself. Also… don’t place too much trust in Tang Yun.”

“I understand, Father.”

Though she answered obediently, Liu Nüluo didn’t actually take the words to heart. She knew her father was only being this cautious out of concern for her, and his dissatisfaction with Tang Yun came from that.

But what happened wasn’t solely Tang Yun’s fault. She bore responsibility as well.

If she had known earlier how dangerous and life-threatening childbirth could be, she might not have been so firm in her decision back then.

Duke Liu could tell at a glance that his daughter hadn’t truly taken his words to heart. He glanced at the old maid beside them, who gave an almost imperceptible nod.

“Enough. It never hurts to be more careful.”

“Yes.”

Newborns spent most of their time sleeping, and when Duke Liu cradled the baby and prepared to return to the adjacent room for some rest, he noticed the two wet nurses waiting nearby.

“When the new wet nurse arrives, take these twenty taels of silver and return.”

“Yes…”

Duke Liu said it casually, but for a household like theirs, youth was the bare minimum requirement for selecting a wet nurse. One look at these two—both around his wife’s age—and they were clearly unsuitable.

He also spotted the imperial physician lingering nearby and could guess that his eldest daughter already knew about the situation. When he visited Liu Nüluo again, he brought it up.

“Her Majesty the Empress sent someone here?”

“Mm.”

“Nüluo, there are some things a father doesn’t need to say out loud. You should know—if Tang Yun truly cared about this child, that woman would never have been allowed into the estate.”

The moment Liu Nüluo became pregnant, Duke Liu had already thought about urging the two to separate. He just never figured out how to bring it up.

“Father, maybe it’s because his rank is too low, so…”

Liu Nüluo couldn’t bring herself to believe that the man she slept beside each night would do such a thing. She tried to offer an excuse for him—but under her father’s half-smiling, half-knowing gaze, she found herself unable to finish the sentence.

“If his rank is low, his wife’s family certainly is not.”

As soon as word spread that their estate was looking for a wet nurse, women like the two next door wouldn’t even have gotten past the front gate.

“Forget it. You’re still in confinement and shouldn’t dwell too much on these things. I won’t mention it further. In a few days, I’ll have someone send over some medicinal herbs. You must restore your health properly.”

“Yes, Father.”

Even after her father left, Liu Nüluo couldn’t stop thinking about it. In the past, she would never have doubted it. But hearing the words from her father’s own mouth had planted a seed of uncertainty.

Though she felt physically weak, she wasn’t sleepy. When the old maid returned after seeing off her father, Liu Nüluo asked in a quiet voice,

“Nanny… do you think the matter with the wet nurse… could it have been intentional on my husband’s part?”

“From what I’ve seen, young master doesn’t seem like that sort of person,” the old maid replied, bringing over a steaming bowl of chicken soup and urging her to drink a little.

Liu Nüluo had always been gentle by nature, but her thoughts had never been quite like others’ since she was young.

Had the old maid answered yes, Liu Nüluo would have immediately found countless excuses to defend Tang Yun in her heart. But now that the maid had said no, she couldn’t help but recall the details of the past.

Her husband had not seemed pleased about her pregnancy. For the first three months, he said nothing under the pretense of caring for her health. Later on, he would bring her medicine every few days, urging her to get rid of the child.

But by then, she could already feel the baby moving inside her from time to time—how could she bear to give it up?

Thinking that, her heart softened again. She still didn’t want to believe it had been intentional. After finishing the soup, she lay down to rest. When Tang Yun came to visit, the old maid turned him away, saying the young lady was already asleep.

Due to her frail health, the imperial physician had recommended an extended postpartum confinement. It was a full month and a half before Liu Nüluo finally completed her recovery. At that point, Duke Liu sent someone over to ask about the baby’s one-month banquet.

If it had just been based on Tang Yun’s official rank, then a modest banquet would have sufficed. But Liu Nüluo was a noble daughter of the Duke’s household.

The estate’s steward had already sent out invitations, and even the Empress had sent a personal attendant with a message—she had specially requested the Emperor’s approval and would personally attend the banquet. She also urged Liu Nüluo to take good care of her health.

Soon enough, the day of the full-month banquet arrived. Liu Nüluo changed into a brand new outfit, a vibrant red that looked especially festive. In her arms, little An’an was also

There were many guests. If not for the fact that this courtyard had been specially purchased by the Duke himself out of fear that his daughter might be wronged, it might not have been able to hold them all!

Although the imperial physicians had repeatedly instructed that the Duchess’s injuries needed proper rest and care, she still insisted on coming. Holding her daughter’s hand, her eyes welled with tears.

“As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters. You gave us such a fright. And this must be An’an? He looks like such a well-behaved child.”

The Duchess, distressed for her daughter, also genuinely liked her grandson. After all, her daughter had risked her life to bring him into the world. She teased him with a small rattle, and when he reached out to grab it, he burst into giggles.

“Look at this little one.”

“Ya~ Yi ya~”

An’an kept reaching for the rattle persistently. The more eager he was, the more others enjoyed teasing him. Eventually, he grew frustrated, pulled his hands back, and refused to engage any further.

“Look at that, the little fellow’s got a temper!”

The Duchess joked with a smile. Perhaps it was simply because this was her own grandchild, but she found him extraordinarily clever no matter how she looked at him.

At this moment, Tang Yun arrived hurriedly and greeted the Duchess with a cupped-fist salute. Her attitude toward him was somewhat cold—nowhere near as arrogant as Duke Liu, but not exactly warm either.

“No need for formalities.”

She replied offhandedly, but her peripheral vision caught the nervous look in her daughter’s eyes.

From the moment Tang Yun appeared, Liu Nüluo instinctively looked at An’an. At first, the little one would only cry when her husband tried to hold him. But now, just laying eyes on him was enough to make An’an wail loudly.

The heartbreaking cries always tore at her.

Sure enough, in the next moment, An’an’s little mouth puckered, tears quickly welling up in his eyes, on the verge of spilling.

“Oh dear, what’s wrong?”

It was the Duchess’s first time seeing her little grandson like this. She instinctively assumed he might be hungry, but before she could call for the wet nurse, Liu Nüluo had already taken An’an and headed to another pavilion.

Tang Yun barely got a word in before his face darkened instantly.

An’an’s little fists were clenched, his tiny head trembling slightly, which made Liu Nüluo guess he was trying to sit up and look around—unfortunately, he was still too young to do so.

Her daughter walked off without a word, and the Duchess quickly followed. Seeing little An’an still red-eyed in her daughter’s arms, but no longer crying, she grew even more puzzled.

“What on earth is going on?”

There were some things that couldn’t be said to others, but could be told to the very mother who had raised her by hand. Liu Nüluo sighed and replied,

“I don’t even know why… but An’an cries every time he sees my husband. At first, he just wouldn’t let him hold him, but now even the scent of his clothes makes him break down in tears.”

It was indeed a strange matter—something the Duchess had never heard of despite all her years in the capital. Judging by her daughter’s serious expression, she didn’t seem to be making it up.

“Is that really true?”

“Yes. Every time my husband tries to see An’an, he cries. A few days ago, I thought An’an was just unfamiliar with him, so I pretended he was asleep and had my husband pick him up. He cried until his little voice went hoarse.”

Ever since then, every hoarse little sob made Liu Nüluo feel so guilty that she dared not try again.

“But… back when you were pregnant with An’an, didn’t Tang Yun say something?”

Hearing this, Liu Nüluo’s face turned slightly awkward, and she gave a faint nod.

“Yes.”

“My husband, just like you and Father, disapproved of me keeping the baby. He would often whisper in my ear that it would be better to get rid of it—that my own health mattered more.”

“Could that be the reason?”

While her daughter spoke, the Duchess kept her eyes fixed on An’an. His expression hadn’t changed at all; in fact, he was reaching out to grab the tassels on his mother’s clothes.

Her intuition told her—it wasn’t just that.

“There must be something else.”

“My husband does want to take care of An’an, but the child just won’t let him near. For the past few days, he’s been sleeping in the outer study.”

Liu Nüluo sighed helplessly. The trouble was, the little one was so clingy. If she disappeared for even a moment, he would start crying. He simply couldn’t be apart from her.

“Nüluo, there are so many servants in this household. He doesn’t need to care for the child personally. He doesn’t even know what age group a wet nurse should be! If we actually left An’an in his care, I’d be worried sick!”

The Duchess made no attempt to hide her dissatisfaction with Tang Yun. Liu Nüluo didn’t say anything in response, just lowered her head and looked at An’an.

In just a month, this little one had already filled out quite a bit. He no longer looked all wrinkly like a newborn. His skin was pale and fair, just like his mother’s. You could already see how refined his features were becoming.

And whenever Liu Nüluo was around, he was quiet, cute, and easy to care for. Whether he was hungry or needed something else, he would only let out a few soft hums.

Sometimes Liu Nüluo would tease him deliberately, pretending not to understand, and he would slap the bed in frustration.

The more time she spent with him, the more she liked him. She hadn’t even had a chance to tell her mother about all this when the eunuch’s voice sounded outside.

“His Majesty has arrived! Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!”

Liu Nüluo had thought only her elder sister would come. She hadn’t expected the Emperor himself to show up. As one of the hosts, she naturally had to greet them personally. She handed An’an to a maid, quickly straightened her clothes, and rushed off.

The maid took An’an back to the room where they usually rested. Seeing that the young master had fallen asleep, she placed him gently back in his small crib, then sat beside him and dozed off with her head in her hand.

Not long after, someone outside called her name, saying that the lady needed her. In a hurry, she ran out.

Lying in the small crib, An’an was tucked under an exquisitely embroidered quilt, breathing evenly, sound asleep.

But just then, under the sunlight, a shadow crept closer and closer to him.