Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?

Chapter 1146 - 829: I’ll Leave All This to You

Yu Wenqian was not someone who had never held an infant in swaddling clothes; on the contrary, during these years away from home, wandering and cultivating, he had gone to many places steeped in suffering, places where the common people could scarcely eke out a living, to practice austerities. He recited the Rebirth Mantra for nameless corpses lying by the roadside, administered medicine to the sick, and had also cradled newborns like this one, bodies reeking of blood, tiny and wriggling like small animals.Those children, once they sensed his presence upon them, would all quiet down, sinking into a tranquil sleep.

Only this little baby before him was different—the midwife had just soaked a soft cloth in warm water, wrung it until it was moist, and carefully wiped away the last traces of blood from the child’s face, making him look cleaner, his skin rosy and tender. Yet in Yu Wenqian’s almost deliberately gentle embrace, he still writhed restlessly, squirming so much he nearly kicked himself out of his swaddling, and he kept on wailing without pause. He had cried so long that he was already somewhat spent, but that soft, whimpering cry never stopped echoing in their ears.

Yu Wenqian still could not quite bear to let go.

He loosened his arms, hoping to make the child more comfortable, but the boy remained ill at ease, still struggling and twisting in his hold.

Yu Wenye could only cradle him even more gently, fix him with an even softer gaze. Yet that gaze held not only gentleness; within the gentleness there seemed also a touch of bewilderment. In that dazed bewilderment, he spoke without thinking, murmuring, "This, this was originally—"

The rest of the words never had the chance to leave his lips; a pair of hands reached over.

Compared to the joy and haste with which Yu Wenqian had just taken the swaddled infant from the midwife, this time his movements were much slower. Yet slow as they were, they were also firm. Yu Wenqian instinctively tightened his arms, but it was of no use; he could only watch helplessly as the baby in his arms was taken away.

"...!"

He was momentarily stunned, feeling only a sudden lightness in his hands, that familiar, hollow emptiness surging up in his chest once more. He did not even lift his head at once, but lowered his gaze to his now empty hands, silent for a long while before slowly raising his head. His face had already regained that faint, placid smile, so calm it was as if not the slightest ripple had stirred. He looked at Yu Wenye standing before him, the child held firmly in his arms.

He smiled and said, "Second Brother."

"Thank you, Imperial Brother, for helping me look after my son."

Yu Wenye had never held a child before, let alone such a soft little infant, so his movements appeared somewhat stiff. Yet this baby who had been crying for half the day suddenly fell silent. Whether he had cried himself too tired to make another sound or for some other reason, he only let out two milky little grumbles and then grew quiet.

Yu Wenye lowered his head to glance at him. The baby’s tiny mouth was slightly pursed, betraying a hint of grievance. After a moment, he blew a little bubble of drool.

He smacked his lips and drifted off to sleep.

The corners of Yu Wenye’s mouth lifted slightly, revealing a trace of paternal affection, but that smile flashed and was gone. When he raised his head again to look at Yu Wenqian, he had already returned to his usual cold composure, and said, "But Ru Yi wants to see this child, so I must take him inside."

Yu Wenqian smiled and asked, "How is Younger Sister-in-law?"

"She is fine."

"That’s good. Second Brother, you must take good care of her."

"She is my wife and child; of course I will take good care of them."

"...Yes."

As the two brothers were speaking, Yu Wenquan slowly walked over again. When Yu Wenqian had been holding the swaddled infant just now, he had stood silently to the side. Beyond the delight on his face, there seemed to be a faint undercurrent of worry as well, only that at this moment he had no way of letting it show.

Now, coming to stand before them, he gave Yu Wenqian a long, searching look, still saying nothing more, and only asked Yu Wenye, "How is Ru Yi’s condition now?"

"In reply to Father Emperor, Ru Yi is still well, only a bit drained."

"She is exhausted; this time she has suffered much."

"Yes."

"I have already sent people to summon everyone from the Imperial Medical Bureau back. They will be here shortly to feel Ru Yi’s pulse and examine her again; nothing must be allowed to remain amiss. Ru Yi has given birth to My Imperial Grandson—she is a meritorious servant of our Dasheng Dynasty."

"With these words from Father Emperor, Ru Yi will surely come through safe and sound."

"Mm."

Yu Wenquan nodded, then turned once more to look at his eldest son, who had remained silent all this time. His brows knitted slightly, as though he were hesitating over something else he wished to say. Before he could speak, Yu Wenye said, "By the way, Father Emperor, this son has a small, perhaps improper request to make of Imperial Brother."

"Oh?"

At this, Yu Wenquan raised his brows slightly and cast another glance at Yu Wenqian. Yu Wenqian immediately lifted his head, a calm smile on his lips, and said, "Second Brother, you and I are brothers. Speak freely."

Yu Wenye said, "It is like this: Doctor Su just said that Ru Yi has only just given birth; her body is extremely weak now and she must not be moved. Also, for the next two days she must not be exposed to drafts, or she could easily be left with an illness. So for the time being she cannot return to Qianqiu Palace. These next few days, she will likely need to remain here in Chengqian Hall to recuperate."

"Oh..."

Hearing this, Yu Wenqian did not answer at once. Instead he raised his head to look toward the inner hall, bright with lamplight. The earlier flurry of shadows and motion had vanished; now it was gradually settling into stillness, much like his own composure at this moment. Then he withdrew his gaze, those near-transparent eyes resting calmly on Yu Wenye as he said, "Of course."

At these words, before Yu Wenye could respond, Yu Wenquan, standing to the side, had already furrowed his brows.

He said, "Qian’er, weren’t you planning to leave the Imperial Palace tomorrow and formally move into your residence?"

At this moment, Yu Wencheng, who had been standing off to the side and had not even stepped forward for a look when the swaddled infant was brought out, also walked over. His brows were clearly drawn together as he looked at Yu Wenqian and said, "Yes, Imperial Brother, you chose the day carefully, and even consulted the exact hour. Bringing it forward by a night like this—are you sure it’s truly all right?"

Yu Wenqian fell silent for a moment.

In that instant, it was as if all their questions had turned into unseen threads, winding and looping a hundred times around his body, and more tightly still around his heart.

When the great hall once more grew quiet—so quiet that even breathing and heartbeats could be heard—he let out a long breath and slowly raised his head. On that peerlessly handsome face there emerged a faint smile, like a wisp of clear, drifting cloud: plainly before their eyes, yet impossible to touch, impossible to grasp.

He said to Yu Wenquan, whose gaze had grown grave, "It’s of no consequence."

"..."

"Since this son has already decided, it no longer matters whether it is a night earlier or a night later."

This time, it was Yu Wenquan who fell silent.

But he did not remain silent for long. After only a brief moment, he, too, exhaled a deep breath. The expression on his face was now stripped of joy and anger alike; only a heavier layer of hidden worry, like gathering clouds, settled over his eyes. He said to Yu Wenye, "You two will stay here, then."

Yu Wenye said, "My thanks, Father Emperor. My thanks, Imperial Brother."

With that, he turned and carried the swaddled infant back into the inner hall.

After a long sigh, Yu Wenquan also turned and took his leave.

Yu Wenqian remained standing beneath the blazing lights of the great hall, quietly watching the inner hall. No one knew how much time had passed before he seemed to speak to himself, and yet seemed not to have voiced the words at all. Still, that sentence lingered silently within this Chengqian Hall—

"All of this, I’ll leave to you."