She couldn't learn everything from Zhang Xin, but Song Shuhao still understood Zhang Yu's various thoughts. She knew in her heart, she knew many things...
For example, all the things Zhang Yu did for her, such as making her empress, living with her at Jingyun Nunnery, including those things she didn't even approve of before, or the many things that happened afterward, were all hard-won.
If these things were not a major concern for the ministers, there was one thing that was destined to be the most difficult to overcome—Zhao Jian had kidnapped her for several days.
People at that time valued innocence above all else and were utterly intolerant of impurity; otherwise, her mother wouldn't have been driven insane overnight. Regardless of her own thoughts or Zhang Yu's perspective, that incident was, in the eyes of outsiders, a stain on her reputation.
Zhang Yu wanted to clear her name, even disregarding the truth, even though she didn't care what others thought, and didn't want her to suffer any criticism.
Song Shuhao felt as if she saw someone laying bare their entire sincerity before her, with such care and concern, wanting to protect her completely and not wanting her to suffer even the slightest harm.
Zhang Yu had said long ago that he would protect her and keep her safe. But even after he said that, many unexpected things still happened. Their relationship became increasingly entangled between laughter and pain, and step by step, they arrived at where they are today.
When she secretly thought of those words, she often laughed at Zhang Yu for making the promise too early, never anticipating so many things that would happen later. But Zhang Yu was still trying his best to fulfill his promise, doing his utmost and giving his all.
Love is a bond, a constraint, yet Zhang Yu willingly allows himself to be entangled within it, entrusting his heart to her hands as if she could mold and manipulate him at will, without resentment or bitterness. Therefore, he shields her from all harm, ensuring that no hurtful words ever reach her ears.
He has done too many impossible things for her.
Song Shuhao's heart was in turmoil. She lowered her head, afraid that she wouldn't be able to bear looking at him any longer. How could she say that she was happy for Zhang Yu to do these things for her? But, ah, the feeling of being genuinely loved and cared for was so wonderful, so irresistible.
However, it's okay not to protect her so well... Song Shuhao thought, she was willing to share the burden with him, without fear or apprehension. She looked at Zhang Yu without blinking and softly called out, "Your Majesty."
Zhang Yu responded, and then said, "Rumors won't hurt me, because I don't live for others, nor do I live to be recognized by anyone. Others' opinions aren't that important; I only ask that I have a clear conscience."
She reached out and hugged Zhang Yu, pressing her entire body against him. "Only those I care about can hurt me—Your Majesty, or A-Yuan, or Ling Xiao and the others. But Your Majesty won't hurt me, right?"
Zhang Yu lowered his eyes, raised his hand and stroked Song Shuhao's back, saying, "Yes." Song Shuhao smiled and softly replied, "I know." Zhang Yu smiled as well, but his hand on Song Shuhao's back trembled slightly, because he understood the meaning behind her words—
As long as he believed in her, she had nothing to fear.
That experience of losing and then regaining her made him constantly cautious, unwilling and unable to bear seeing her suffer even the slightest grievance. But when she said that, she was telling him that she harbored no resentment whatsoever and had already let go. She wouldn't be hurt, as long as he believed her.
Zhang Yu closed his eyes, holding Song Shuhao tightly to his chest. He let out a long sigh, and when he opened his eyes again, all his worries were gone. Sometimes, he worried that it would become her nightmare, even though she slept soundly at night. But he had done it before, making her toss and turn, unable to sleep, as if she were in a nightmare whether her eyes were open or closed.
But she made it clear to him that it didn't matter.
Zhang Yu embraced Song Shuhao and whispered in response, "I know too."
Author's Note: My new story, "The General Sees Me as Sick," has started! Would you like to water it, fertilize it, and sprinkle some flowers on it? =3=
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Copywriting:
Following love at first sight and falling in love at second sight,
The seventh young lady of the Shen family became General Han's number one "fangirl".
He always expresses his love in a very subtle way.
Chenluo: General Han, you may not believe it, but my future husband looks exactly like you.
Han Xuan: ...
Chapter 110 The Grand Finale (Part 2)
On the 24th day of the fifth month of the sixteenth year of the Yanjia era.
Even though the vibrant colors of spring are gone from the imperial gardens of the Daqi Palace, the verdant trees and red blossoms still create a picturesque scene. A gentle breeze drifts from the lake to the waterside pavilion, dispelling the heat of the air and carrying the delicate fragrance of blooming lotus flowers. In the distance, the cicadas chirp in waves, their calls incessant and incessant.
In the elegant pavilion, Song Shuhao, Ling Xiao, and Zhang Xin sat around a carved black chicken-wing wood square table, sipping tea and chatting idly, waiting for Zhang Yu, Zhang Ye, and Xia Mingzhe to finish their discussion of court affairs. In a corner of the pavilion, Xia Yucheng and Zhang Wan, two little ones, were huddled together, heads touching, studying a Kongming lock.
Xia Yucheng and Zhang Wan were still too young to successfully assemble the Kongming Lock, but they were both willing to try and didn't make a fuss, so no one stopped them. It was said they were studying it together, but in reality, Xia Yucheng was just fiddling with it while Zhang Wan watched eagerly from the sidelines.
She was only a little over a year old, far from being old enough to understand things. At this moment, she had a pink and slightly chubby little face, and stared at the thing in Xia Yucheng's hand with her wet, bright black eyes, occasionally stretching out her little paws to cause him some trouble.
"Little sister..." Xia Yucheng called out slowly to Zhang Wan, not angry or annoyed by her mischief. He tilted his head to look at Zhang Wan and said in a gentle voice, "You can't rush things..." Zhang Wan imitated him and tilted her head, saying "Oh".
Ling Xiao rested her chin on her hand, watching Xia Yucheng and Zhang Wan speak so seriously, and chuckled, "Two little brats..." She reached out and touched her swollen belly; soon she and Zhang Ye would also have a little brat. Ling Xiao was now nearly six months pregnant, with only four months left until she gave birth.
Unlike Song Shuhao and Zhang Xin, who went through a lot of trouble during their pregnancies, Ling Xiao has hardly suffered since discovering she was pregnant, except for slight changes in her food preferences. She eats well, sleeps soundly, and has handed over all her work without any worries, so she has gained a lot of weight, with a round face and a large body.
“My Cheng’er is so well-behaved. He’s so young and already takes care of his little sister.” Zhang Xin was not satisfied with Ling Xiao’s comments and took the initiative to defend her son. Xia Yucheng had been exceptionally well-behaved since birth, and Zhang Xin even hoped that he could be more lively, but she couldn’t force it.
Song Shu listened with amusement to Zhang Xin and Ling Xiao's banter, then suddenly sensed something and turned to look outside the waterside pavilion. In the distance, Zhang Yu, Prince Ning, and Xia Mingzhe were striding towards them. She smiled broadly and turned to Zhang Wan, saying, "Wan'er, Father has come to pick us up."
Zhang Wan toddled over to Song Shuhao's side, pressed her face against Song's thigh through her skirt, and muttered softly, "Daddy stinks, I don't want Daddy." Her little mouth even pouted, looking rather unhappy.
Xia Yucheng walked to Zhang Xin's side, took her soft little hand and held it, looked up at her and said earnestly, "Mom, let's go pick up Dad." Zhang Xin smiled, "No need, Dad will come to find us himself." Xia Yucheng nodded, seemingly understanding.
Ling Xiao remained seated, while Ling Xiao, with her large pregnant belly, found it inconvenient to sit or stand. Since Zhang Ye would come running to her anyway, there was no need for her to go through all that trouble.
Since the farce orchestrated by Empress Dowager Feng the previous year, the previously unspoken tensions between Ling Xiao and Song Shuhao have ceased to escalate. This is undoubtedly thanks to Zhang Yu, who put in a great deal of effort to resolve those potential threats.
Nie Shaoguang was ultimately not punished, but she felt guilty and had no desire for worldly affairs. In the end, she decided to shave her head and become a nun, spending the rest of her life with the ancient lamp and Buddhist scriptures. Now, she lives a simple but peaceful life in the nunnery. The fierceness that she used to be unable to hide has completely disappeared.
Her brother, Nie Zhiyuan, perhaps out of gratitude for Zhang Yu's mercy on the Nie family, or perhaps for other reasons, volunteered to guard the border, far from Lin'an City. Later, Song Shuhao heard Fang Rong mention that Nie Zhiyuan had gotten married at the border, marrying Zhang Xiuying, the daughter of Zhang Wenzhou, the prefect of Tongcheng.
Zhang Yu, Prince Ning, and Xia Mingzhe arrived at the waterside pavilion in no time. Prince Ning helped Ling Xiao to her feet and led her back to the Prince Ning's residence. Xia Mingzhe carried Xia Yucheng in one arm and held Zhang Xin's hand in the other, also returning to the Little Princess's residence. In the blink of an eye, only Zhang Yu, Song Shuhao, and Zhang Wan remained in the waterside pavilion.
As for his daughter Zhang Wan, Zhang Yu, as her biological father, felt nothing but love, affection, and doting; perhaps the only word to describe it was spoiling her. However, Zhang Wan, for some reason, didn't seem to appreciate his affection.
For example, at this moment, Zhang Yu picked up Zhang Wan and let her sit in the crook of his arm. Zhang Wan used her little hands to push his face, pouting and shouting, "I don't want Daddy, I don't want Daddy..." Tears immediately welled up in her eyes, making her look very pitiful.
Seeing that she was about to cry, Zhang Yu raised his eyebrows and asked innocently, "Why don't you want Daddy? Isn't Daddy good enough to you?" Then he began to coax Zhang Wan, "Daddy will buy you a little sugar figurine, and a big phoenix-shaped one. Wan'er, do you want one?"
Song Shuhao stood up and, upon hearing Zhang Yu's words, said, "Even if we buy it, she won't look at it for more than fifteen minutes before throwing it away. It's always a waste." She didn't quite agree with Zhang Yu's approach; it would only spoil their daughter. Zhang Yu raised an eyebrow, glanced at Zhang Wan, and said, "So what? As long as Wan'er likes it, she can do whatever she wants."