Although Xia Xia was old enough to build his own mansion, Chu Qing couldn't bear to part with him, and Wei Yutang couldn't bear to see A Qing sad, so the matter was put on hold.
Wei Yutang planned to abdicate early and then settle in Jiangnan with the Empress. Building a Crown Prince's Mansion in the capital would be a waste.
Even after the events of the grassland prince were over, he was unwilling to leave and stayed in the capital, following Wei Xia around like a little tail all day long.
If it weren't for his father's instructions to take good care of him, Wei Xia would have already become impatient.
Chu Qing could vaguely sense something was off about their interactions, but she never confronted them about it and even helped them cover it up.
The little prince was practically ready to say "I like you" aloud, but Wei Xia seemed oblivious, only finding his clinginess and his incessant chatter annoying.
The little prince from the grasslands stayed in the capital for three years, and also stayed by Wei Xia's side for three years. Even when Wei Xia came of age and Wei Yutang planned to pass the throne to him, the little prince still did not leave the capital.
Because of this, he also lost his status as the crown prince.
After becoming emperor, Xia Weixia matured a lot. When his father told him that he would pass the throne to him, he seemed to have shed all his former immaturity and naivety in an instant.
After the abdication ceremony, Wei Yutang instructed people to pack their things and planned to go to Jiangnan. Coincidentally, Chu Qing's parents were also getting old and planned to go with him.
After all the calculations, it turned out that only the new emperor remained in the capital.
Dressed in a dragon robe, Wei Xia sat behind his desk, holding a brush in his hand and reviewing memorials. He had been learning from his father since he was a child, so these memorials were a piece of cake for him.
Just then, the eunuch serving beside him announced that Sa Yu had arrived. Sa Yu, still dressed in a flamboyant red robe, walked in carrying two strings of candied hawthorns, his face still bearing an innocent expression.
So many years have passed, and it seems that nothing has changed at all.
"Xiaxia, I'll share half of the candied hawthorn with you."
Wei Xia closed the memorial and set it aside, saying coldly:
"No need."
He doesn't like eating things that are too sweet. The reason he bought them for Sayu was simply because he thought Sayu was too noisy when he talked incessantly, and he wanted to buy something to shut him up.
Who would have thought that an unintentional act would make candied hawthorn his favorite food?
"Candied hawthorn berries are so delicious, how could anyone not like them?"
Sa Yu frowned, seemingly not quite understanding, and simply ate two skewers by himself, stuffing the hawthorn balls into his mouth, his cheeks bulging out.
Wei Xia turned her head to look at him, her eyes revealing a helpless indulgence that even she herself was unaware of.
...
Chu Qing didn't know if it was because the original owner grew up here, but she felt much more comfortable as soon as she arrived in Jiangnan.
With the affairs of state no longer weighing on his mind, Wei Yutang focused all his energy on Chu Qing.
He still didn't understand those refined things; every time he saw her, he only thought that Ah Qing was really pretty.
He listened as Chu Qing played the zither, and he would accompany her in other matters as well, but to him, these things seemed insignificant.
Even the most boring and tedious things become much more interesting when done with Chu Qing.
When the lotus flowers were in full bloom, Chu Qing loved to go boating on the lake with Wei Yutang. A small boat would float on the lake full of lotus flowers, and Chu Qing would lean her head against Wei Yutang's lap.
As the small boat moved, sunlight filtered through the gaps between the lotus leaves and flowers, falling on Chu Qing's profile, creating a vivid interplay of light and shadow.
Not far away, in a tavern belonging to someone unknown, an actor was humming an incomprehensible tune, which sounded exceptionally pleasant.
Chu Qing reached out his hand, but before he could even touch the lotus leaf, Wei Yutang picked one and handed it to him.
Using lotus leaves to shield the intense sunlight, and with some lotus seeds still tender, Wei Yutang picked one, peeled it open, removed the lotus heart, and it tasted quite good.
"I wonder how Xiaxia is doing all alone in the capital these days?"
Wei Yutang is very satisfied with his current life. It's just him and Chu Qing, and there's not much to worry about. He doesn't want to go back at all.
Xiaxia was raised by him and Chu Qing together, which is why she is very dependent on them, and also for the same reason, he is a bit clingy.
He can handle many things even if I'm not around, but if I am, he always thinks I can help him.
"Why think so much? He is the ruler of a country now."
Upon hearing this, Chu Qing tossed the lotus seedpod she had just picked into Wei Yutang's arms.
"So what if he's the ruler of a country?"
Upon seeing his somewhat angry expression, Wei Yutang immediately lowered his head and began to admit his mistake, his movements unusually practiced.
"I was wrong, I misspoke. Even if he is the king of a country, he is still our son. If we have time later, we can go back to the capital to take a look."
"Um."
Chu Qing was satisfied after hearing his words. There was no reason to completely ignore him after ascending the throne.
Wei Yutang had absolutely no status in the family, but he was quite happy about it and thoroughly enjoyed the days when he had to go out of his way to coax Chu Qing when she was throwing a tantrum.
Wei Yutang spent his first New Year's Eve after his abdication in Jiangnan. The mountains were blocked by heavy snow, and the journey back to the capital was long and arduous. Firstly, it was too cold, and he was afraid that Chu Qing would catch a cold on the way. Secondly, Wei Yutang himself did not want to go through such a long and arduous journey.
The new emperor in the capital had written to inquire long ago, and was not too disappointed after learning that they would not be returning, since he had already made preparations.
However, on New Year's Eve, after the banquet for the officials had ended, he was all alone in the palace except for the servants, and he couldn't help but feel a little lost and lonely.
Wei Xia didn't have anyone serving her follow her. She went to the plum garden to enjoy the snow and would rest when she got sleepy.
I looked up and stared at the moon hanging in the sky, wondering if my father and father, who were far away in Jiangnan, were also staring at the bright moon in a daze, just like me.
Just then, he suddenly heard the sound of snow being trampled. Wei Xia subconsciously turned his head and saw Sa Yu, wearing a red cloak, walking over with a wine jar in his hand.
"Your Majesty, I've been looking for you everywhere."
“I did not send you to find me.”
"Yes, yes, it was my insistence that I come to find you."
Sa Yu sat down next to Wei Xia, picked up two wine bowls, and poured out the wine he had brought with him.
"Try it, this is wine from our grasslands, it will warm you up after drinking it."
After saying that, before Wei Xia could react, Sa Yu grabbed his hand in his palm.
Her icy fingertips were suddenly grasped by a warm palm. Wei Xia was slightly startled, then, regaining her senses, she was filled with anger. Her thin lips parted slightly as she cursed:
"presumptuous."
"Your Majesty, how can this be considered presumptuous between us?"
Sa Yu shrugged slightly, a hint of helplessness in his expression, and mimicked Wei Xia's gaze at the moon, a playful smile playing on his lips.
Wei Xia was unwilling to admit that her heart was beating a little fast because of that simple action.
"Would Your Majesty like to try some?"
Sa Yu held the wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp, then casually wiped the corner of his lips.
"I heard that the Emperor Emeritus also grew up on the grasslands."
Upon hearing this, Wei Xia subconsciously frowned. This was hardly a pleasant memory for him, as he knew very well that his father had no choice but to be brought to the grasslands to grow up.
The relationship between the grasslands and them remains very tense to this day, which gives you an idea of how much suffering his father endured back then.
Although Wei Xia prefers his father to the Emperor, the Emperor also holds a significant place in his heart, and both are equally important to him.
"If you can't speak, then you don't have to speak."
"Your Majesty, we've been together for so many years, why be so fierce? I wouldn't normally drink this wine, but it's because of you..."
Wei Xia was unwilling to continue the conversation with him. He frowned, stood up, and walked out. The guards standing at the door also left after His Majesty came out.
Liu Sayu sat there alone as snowflakes drifted into the untouched bowl of wine. He lowered his eyes, watching the snowflakes melt, and with a slight smile, he murmured, "Boring."
...
Spring came quickly, and in the most comfortable season of March, Chu Qing and Wei Yutang planned to return to the capital to visit Xia Xia.
I felt somewhat guilty for not being able to come back last year and leaving Xiaxia alone in Beijing on New Year's Eve.
Upon arriving at the palace, the palace where Chu Qing had previously resided remained empty, but people would frequently come to clean it, just as it had been before they left.
After ascending the throne, Wei Xia renamed the palace where he had lived.
In the palace, the best place, in terms of location and everything else, was the palace where his father lived. He grew up there and knew very well how comfortable it was to live there.
However, Wei Xia never had any intention of taking over, even now that he is the ruler of a country, these things are entirely his own business.
Chu Qing and Wei Yutang didn't see Wei Xia arrive until evening. Xia Xia was wearing a dragon robe and was followed by several servants as she walked towards them.
Even in front of outsiders, where he was already the ruler of a country, Wei Xia still respectfully bowed to his father and father.
"Your son pays his respects to Father Emperor."
Wei Yutang stepped forward and supported his arm, while Chu Qing also picked up the things they had brought back for Xiaxia.
"Father, how long will you be staying this time?"
"We'll leave in the fall."
Chu Qing intended to spend more time with Xia Xia; if Wei Yutang hadn't been unwilling, he would have stayed until this time next year.
The longer Chu Qing stayed in the palace, the more things she noticed that were not right. Even the slightly slow-witted Wei Yutang noticed something was amiss.
For example, in Xiaxia's study where she reviews memorials, there are always some pastries with a grassland style prepared on the soft couch.
Wei Xia grew up alongside them since childhood, and they knew her favorite foods by heart. It was obvious who the daily changes of pastries were for.
Chu Qing was unwilling to expose the truth and wanted to wait for the two children to develop their relationship gradually, but Wei Yutang did not have such patience.
In his eyes, Xiaxia could like men, or have only one man in her harem. To put it more bluntly, even a kitten or puppy would be better than a person from the grasslands.
He grew up on the grasslands and was well aware of the ambitions of the people there.
After Chu Qing saw through Wei Yutang's thoughts, she stopped him and prevented him from going to Xia Xia to ask for clarification.
"People from the grasslands won't do it."
Wei Yutang didn't say much else, just this simple sentence.
He didn't want to argue with Chu Qing about the child. Wei Yutang wouldn't interfere in Xia Xia's relationship unless the person was from the grasslands.
He believed that this child, whom he and Chu Qing had personally taught and raised, would never be confused about these matters, and he was willing to believe that Xia Xia could handle most things on her own.
But even at his age, Wei Xia is still just a child in Wei Yutang's eyes. He might lose control over matters of the heart and lose his usual sense of control and rationality when he is confused and infatuated.
Chu Qing didn't want to interfere too much in the children's relationships, nor did she want to see Xia Xia regret it later.
"Who knows, maybe that Sa Yu isn't so bad after all?"