The most unsettled one was Yun Wan.
She couldn’t understand how Emperor Jingxuan had suddenly realized that Sui was his child. Was it just because of their similar eyes? And why had his attitude changed overnight, becoming so certain?
She was sure she hadn’t lost her memory, nor did she have the habit of talking in her sleep. Had something happened last night without her knowledge?
Yun Wan pondered.
Pondered without an answer.
The sound of trickling water came from the inner chamber. Yun Wan stood behind the desk, holding a brush to write and calm her mind. But when she set the brush down, she stared blankly at the two characters on the pristine paper.
"Why?"
A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist without warning. The man who had appeared out of nowhere read the words on the paper aloud.
Dressed in plain sleeping robes, his scorching body heat seeped through the thin fabric like a branding iron, making Yun Wan tremble slightly.
A low chuckle sounded behind her ear. Emperor Jingxuan’s free hand covered hers, his long, powerful fingers guiding the brush with light pressure. Under his control, Yun Wan’s strokes flowed swiftly, adding another character.
"Why" became "No why."
The bold, sweeping strokes exuded an undeniable dominance—impossible to ignore in their grandeur.
Emperor Jingxuan smiled in satisfaction. After finishing the last stroke, he took the brush from her hand and tossed it carelessly into the inkstone. Then he wrapped both arms around Yun Wan, pulling her close.
"What troubles you, my lady? Why not share it with me?"
His robe hung open, the deep neckline exposing his sun-kissed chest all the way to his waist.
Well-defined muscles glistened under the candlelight, droplets of water shimmering like golden honey—sensual and enticing.
A single dark sash hung loosely around his narrow waist, so flimsy that the slightest touch would undo it effortlessly.
Yun Wan only glanced once before averting her eyes, much to the man’s disappointment.
After wrestling with her thoughts, what finally escaped her lips was, "Did Your Majesty treat Sui kindly because you already suspected his origins?"
She expected him to nod or hesitate, but instead, he lifted his chin, thick brows arching slightly. "Does my lady also think I’ve been good to that boy?"
Yun Wan froze, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.
Recalling Sui’s transformation over the past few months, she murmured softly, "This concubine can see that Sui has grown much closer to you these days."
Beyond the natural reverence for imperial authority, there was also a child’s admiration and affection for a parental figure.
Like when Sui fell ill, and Emperor Jingxuan took care of him in Yun Wan’s stead. Later, Sui told her, "His Majesty is a bit fierce, but I really like talking to him."
To Yun Wan, Sui’s feelings toward the role of a father weren’t just curiosity or unfamiliarity—there was longing, too.
Perhaps in Sui’s heart, a father should be just like this man before her: towering and mighty, capable of lifting him high without effort.
While she was lost in thought, Emperor Jingxuan had already pulled her onto his lap. His gaze was earnest as he looked at her. "It’s not because of who his father is. It’s because his mother is you."
"I treat him well solely for your sake."
Even if Chang Sui were truly Lu San’s blood, Emperor Jingxuan wouldn’t have harmed him—at most, he’d find the boy irritating.
He wasn’t petty enough to resent an innocent child.
Since the boy was Yun Wan’s heart and soul, Emperor Jingxuan had no qualms about extending his protection—as long as Sui remained filial and didn’t cause her distress.
Now that he knew the boy was his own flesh and blood, their bond had only deepened. He felt a father’s responsibility for Sui’s future.
At the very least, he was willing to be Sui’s pillar, to lift him to greater heights.
His blunt words left Yun Wan dazed.
Because of her, he treated her child well.
Because of her, others could benefit.
Such words had never been spoken to her in her twenty-three years of life. The phrases she’d heard most often were—
Her fate was too harsh, so she’d brought death to her mother and husband. She wasn’t good enough, wasn’t likable enough, so she didn’t deserve the elders’ affection or others’ closeness…
Yun Wan had once doubted herself, but eventually, she learned to shut it all out. She thought she’d grown resilient and clear-minded.
So why did her heart now feel soaked in vinegar—swollen and sour? Even her eyes betrayed her, threatening to spill tears.
She clenched her fists tightly, refusing to lose composure.
A sigh escaped Emperor Jingxuan’s lips. He took her hand and pried open her fingers one by one.
Sure enough, crescent-shaped marks dotted her fair, soft palm.
Like soothing a child, he lowered his head and blew gently. The warm breath turned into feather-light touches, tickling her palm. Yun Wan flushed slightly in embarrassment.
Emperor Jingxuan: "Does my lady wonder how I became so certain the boy is my son?"
Yun Wan sighed. "Because of Sui’s eyes?"
Resting his chin atop her head, Emperor Jingxuan murmured, "That’s only part of it."
"That boy can’t eat peanuts, or he breaks out in rashes, correct?"
Yun Wan nodded, a sense of foreboding creeping in.
He chuckled darkly. "What my lady doesn’t know is… I was the same in my youth."
Under Yun Wan’s stunned gaze, he explained succinctly, "But it only happened once, and no more than three people knew. I’m one. One is dead. The last is the current head of the Imperial Hospital."
"At the time, I thought—what are the odds of such a coincidence?"
Emperor Jingxuan clicked his tongue inwardly, then smirked at her. "Though the evidence isn’t yet sufficient, I suppose I won’t hear my lady admit it outright."
"But in my heart, Chang Sui is already as dear to me as my own son."
Since the boy was his, he couldn’t possibly let him continue bearing Lu San’s name as his son.
Such a rare son—he had to be his.
Yun Wan’s mind was still reeling. She clutched his robe anxiously. "What does Your Majesty intend to do?"
Her eyes were clear as a mirror, reflecting Emperor Jingxuan’s face with unmistakable unease.
Glancing down at his increasingly disheveled robe, Emperor Jingxuan smiled. "My lady, I know your concerns. I won’t act recklessly."
As much as he longed to proclaim to the world—to point at Chang Sui and declare before his officials, "This child is my flesh and blood! Beyond doubt!"—
He still had to consider Yun Wan’s reputation. He couldn’t let her bear the absurd stigma of being an unfaithful widow who betrayed her late husband.
Thus, everything required careful planning. What she had now was far from enough.
"Give me time. Trust me just this once, alright?"
Holding the petite woman in his arms, his tone was softer than ever before.
As if understanding the unspoken meaning in his eyes, Yun Wan fell silent for a moment before nodding faintly.
"Alright."
She would trust him this once.
If he deceived her, she would never believe him again.
……
Even so, Emperor Jingxuan’s favor and indulgence toward Sui were anything but subtle—blatant, in fact.
Whether it was frequently bestowing rare treasures upon the boy or summoning him to the Hall of Diligent Governance to personally oversee his studies—he made no effort to hide it.
For someone like Pei Qian, such situations were nothing short of a nightmare, but for Sui, they were endlessly amusing—because Emperor Jingxuan always managed to handle his barrage of peculiar questions.
For example: the endless "whys"?
Why can't everyone have access to education? Why can't everyone be free from hunger and cold? Why can't all the smaller states beyond Great Qi be absorbed into its territory?
...And so on, ad infinitum.
Once again bombarded by Chang Sui’s relentless "whys," Emperor Jingxuan felt the onset of a headache and hastily summoned his ministers, seeking refuge in their company.
In an instant, the grand hall was empty except for Sui. A small desk had been placed beside the imperial desk, and there he sat cross-legged, engrossed in a book.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over him, followed by an indignant demand: "What are you doing here?!"
