Chapter 112: The Resentful Husband
Yan Bei held this little meatball, his heart already melting into water. That night while sleeping, he was kicked several times by the little guy in his dreams, but he only found it cute.
However, when he got up in the morning, he still asked uneasily: “In a bit, when going to eat breakfast with Mother, do you still remember what to say?”
“I remember,” A Li, who was having Yun Niang comb his hair, looked at him in the mirror and said, “Father King endured hardships to raise A Li. A Li cannot be ungrateful or abandon Father King.”
Yan Bei nodded in satisfaction and asked again: “Then if Mother says she suffered enough hardships giving birth to A Li, and A Li cannot abandon Mother, what then?”
“A Li will say, after repaying Father King’s nurturing grace, he will definitely go repay Mother’s birthing grace.”
“Such a good boy!”
Yan Bei pinched his little cheek, then picked up a few brocade boxes nearby with his left hand and picked him up with his right: “Let’s go find Mother right now!”
Of course he didn’t need A Li to repay anything, but at the critical moment, as long as he could shut the child’s mother up, whether it was right or not was no longer important. What mattered was that A Li could stay, and A Li’s mother would still become a frequent guest at Prince Jingyang’s Mansion.
……
Hua Qing Garden was bustling with packing luggage. Although they had only stayed for a short while, plus the things brought from staying temporarily at Xu Family, and the various items bestowed by the Emperor in the past couple of days, there were quite a lot big and small.
Lan Qin set breakfast on the table and, lifting her eyes, saw A Li rushing over with his little legs.
“Aunt Lan!” A Li crashed into her arms.
Lan Qin smiled and steadied him, then came to pay respects to Yan Bei.
Yan Bei nodded, then gave A Li a look.
A Li then got down from the chair and walked to Yue Tang: “Mother.”
Yue Tang smiled and squatted down: “What’s wrong?”
A Li grabbed Yan Bei’s sleeve with one hand, his voice a bit weak: “A Li, A Li…”
He started but couldn’t continue.
Yan Bei looked at him nervously: “Didn’t you have words to say to Mother before coming? Why not say them now?”
Tears welled up in A Li’s eyes, but he was even less able to make a sound.
Yue Tang smiled and lightly stroked his collar: “If A Li can’t say it, then let Father King say it, okay?”
The child then looked up at his father.
Yan Bei thought to himself that this nursing kid was unreliable. He cleared his throat and said stiffly: “Son says he can’t bear to part from me.”
After saying it and seeing Yue Tang’s cool gaze, he quickly added: “This isn’t me saying it; it’s his own idea. He grew up in Prince Jingyang’s Mansion since young; suddenly going to live in an unfamiliar place definitely won’t suit him. He thought about it all night and decided not to go.”
Yue Tang glanced at him, had Lan Qin take A Li to eat first, then walked back behind the desk and continued packing her books, ignoring him.
Yan Bei walked up and helped her pack books: “As parents, if the child is unwilling, we can’t force him, right? If you still argue with me, I’m afraid A Li will resent you.
“You are his mother; I’m not stopping you from seeing him. With the child as heir apparent of Prince Jingyang’s Mansion, the gates of my Prince Jingyang’s Mansion are open to you at all times!
“Even if you can’t sleep at midnight and want to see him, I’ll be the first to run out and open the door for you!”
If they went to Prince Duan’s Mansion, Yan Bei was certain Yue Tang wouldn’t let him visit every few days.
But with A Li in Prince Jingyang’s Mansion, it was different. He, Yan Bei, was so magnanimous, not petty like her. If she wanted to see the child, she absolutely wouldn’t be stopped.
Yue Tang hugged a bundle of scroll paintings and passed him, handing them to Xiao Huo who had just walked in, as if she didn’t see the person beside her at all.
Seeing her like this, Yan Bei followed and blocked her path: “Say something. Do you want to disregard the child’s wishes?”
Yue Tang stopped: “You talk too much.”
Yan Bei was choked.
Yue Tang crossed her arms and sat on the desk behind her, eyeing him obliquely: “You won’t even let me argue, so what do you want me to say? Listen well: as you wish, I won’t take A Li.”
Yan Bei was speechless for a moment.
Glancing at the child seriously eating not far away, he frowned: “Not taking him?”
“Yeah,” Yue Tang said, “Isn’t this exactly what you hoped for? You persuaded him all night just to tell me this, right? Now can you relax?”
Yan Bei was at a loss for words.
Relax? He should relax!
This was his heir!
But this reaction wasn’t what she should have!
Last night she had sworn she must take the child, and now after just one night, she changed her mind?
Giving up the fight so readily—was that normal?
“You mean it?” Yan Bei looked her up and down. “Not digging a pit for me, right?”
Yue Tang raised her chin toward the pile of packed luggage: “Didn’t you see that in this pile I’ve packed, there’s not a single thing for A Li?”
All the things were stacked by the door—indeed just the luggage she brought when she came, plus later added books and scroll paintings. None of A Li’s little duck or little wooden horse that he never let go of were included.
Yan Bei felt gloomy inside: “Then what do you mean? You don’t want our son anymore?”
Yue Tang couldn’t help rolling her eyes: “Then would you let me take him if I did?”
Yan Bei shut his mouth.
Yue Tang left him and walked to A Li’s side, using a silk handkerchief to wipe the sauce from his mouth: “Mother is leaving in a bit. You be good. Grandpa Hua will stay; he’ll supervise you. So eat well, exercise well, and soon get your body strong and healthy.”
Yan Bei behind couldn’t help coming over, still looking at her in disbelief.
“Mother!” A Li grabbed Yue Tang’s hand, his face full of conflict. He turned back to Yan Bei for help: “Father King…”
She’d even said it to the child, so it must be real!
Thus, Yan Bei’s burst of pride at perfectly stopping Yue Tang from taking the child punched into cotton.
He didn’t understand: as the birth mother, facing her lost-and-found flesh and blood, even if she couldn’t win, shouldn’t she fight until exhausted before letting go?
Her mind changed so readily—say no and it’s no?
This was the child she bore with him, Yan Bei—their respective first child!
Did this woman have a heart at all?
“Princess, the horse carriage is all arranged!”
As she spoke, Huo Yun and Wei Zhang both walked in, with Hua Lin following behind them.
Yue Tang set down her bowl and chopsticks: “Load the things onto the carriage.”
After saying that, she instructed Hua Lin: “Stay to continue nursing the child’s body. When he’s regulated well, then return to Prince Duan’s Mansion.”
Finally, she walked to Yan Bei: “I’ve imposed for many days, so now I take my leave. If there are things to request in the future, please help out more.”
Yan Bei had fire pent up in his chest but couldn’t vent it. He ground his teeth, looked at her for a moment with a taut face, and said: “Rest assured, I’m not like you. I know gratitude and righteousness!”
After saying that, he turned and stepped over the threshold.
Lan Qin walked puzzled to Yue Tang’s back: “Didn’t Princess agree not to take A Li? Why is the Prince angry?”
“How would I know?” Yue Tang shrugged. “A man’s heart is like a needle at the sea bottom.”
