The First Volume: The Great Wind Rises, Clouds Soar Eleven Zhao Wang

  The next day, the weather was slightly overcast with dense clouds, as if it was going to rain. After breakfast, Zhang Yan asked Dangmei "Where is my brother now?" She had never taken a close look before and wanted to take a look now.

  "Xiao Shizi is with the Eldest Princess. After she woke up, she asked about you and then asked about Xiao Shizi. Hearing that he had been crying nonstop, she was heartbroken and had the wet nurse bring him over."

  "Goodness gracious this kid," Zhang Yan muttered, "can't even talk yet and already learning to vie for favor, really can't be loved." She said in a huff, "Let's go take a look at the peonies too."

  Covering her mouth with a sleeve and smiling secretly, she nodded in agreement.

  Not yet entering the Western Temple, I heard the sound of a baby's wailing cry. Lu Yuan was holding his son and singing a soothing lullaby in a gentle voice. Zhang Yan stopped in her tracks at the sight of this scene, and couldn't help but think that these two were truly a family, while she was just an intruder who had rashly entered another's nest.

  "Ah Yan", Lu Yuan saw her and joyfully called out "Come in, let mother take a look."

  "Hmm." She threw away those messy thoughts and walked lightly to Lu Yuan's bedside, saying with a seemingly true yet fake complaint, "Mother will no longer care about me once she has a little brother."

  "How could that be?" Lu Yuan smiled and pulled her hand. "Yesterday, it was Ah Yan who supported his mother to come over. Mother thinks that no matter where we are, as long as there is Ah Yan's father, Ah Yan's mother, and Ah Yan's younger brother, it will be our perfect home."

  The little baby in her arms was slightly struggling, staring at the big round eyes of her sister who was also staring back at her from a close distance.

  "It's really unlovable" After a long time, Zhang Yan turned away and stretched out her hand to poke her brother's delicate face.

  "Waaah—" The baby's wail echoed through the hall once again.

  Lu Yuan hurriedly coaxed, "Why do you always bully your younger brother, Tu Tu?" She turned around and called out, "The young master is probably hungry, call the wet nurse over."

  "How can Xiaoshizi be hungry after just drinking milk?" Because it was Lu Yuan's trusted aide, Tu Tu, who dared to mutter complaints in front of him before turning around and leaving. "A Yan," Lu Yuan asked seriously with his head lowered amidst the sound of his younger brother's crying, "How did you think of those things you said yesterday?"

  "When I first heard those words, I didn't believe them, but after thinking about it, I felt that you were right. So, Ah Yan, why did you think of something that neither Ah Mu nor I thought of?"

  Why?

  Ah Yan, you're only six years old. At six years old, you're still a child, carefree and innocent. Why can you see through the things that are still mysterious and confusing to adults in this world?

  Zhang Yan lowered her head for a while before stuttering, "Yesterday, after you came back, Uncle and Sixth Uncle of the Lyu family came to see Grandma. I heard their conversation and guessed it myself."

  "It was like that, huh." Lu Yuansong let out a sigh and her expression softened. "Your aunt has already given a gag order in the Pepper Chamber regarding your premature birth yesterday, so no one will know what you said." She looked at her daughter with a complex expression. "I thought I was dull and stupid, but I didn't expect to give birth to a daughter like you. Ah Yan, you're clever and quick-witted, beyond my expectations. But I'm afraid your cleverness will be your downfall." Her left hand tightly grasped Zhang Yan's wrist, with a force that made it impossible for Zhang Yan to struggle. "I may not have achieved anything in my life, but there's one thing I want to teach you, Ah Yan: if you want to live a stable life, you must learn to pretend to be stupid."

  "If you can't be truly foolish, at least learn to pretend to be foolish. Because many times not knowing is happier than knowing."

  She smiled sadly, put down her daughter and picked up her son in her arms, kissed his forehead and said: "It's just like this time, if I didn't know the truth, I could still hope that Father Emperor would investigate Ao Ge's injustice and let our family return to Zhao Di. But now, I can only hope that Father Emperor will spare our lives for the sake of our father-daughter relationship."

  The baby in her arms blinked and cooed, making "ya ya" sounds.

  "Ah Yan", Lu Yuan continued "I don't want you to learn the hard way, so I'm telling you this. I know you don't believe me..."

  I believe.

  Zhang Yan said.

  She smiled brightly and said, "Mother, I believe everything you say."

  Being silly and carefree is sometimes happiness.

  Lu Yuan smiled with relief "That's good."

  "I'm worried about how your father, who has always been proud of his youthful success, will bear this setback. Unfortunately, I've just given birth and can't move around to comfort him. Ayuan, he's always doted on you as his daughter, so why don't you go see your father in my place?"

  "It's only half a mile from the north gate of Changle Palace to here." Liu Ying said with a smile to Zhang Yan in the bumpy carriage. "Do you see how lively it is outside? If we were in Dongshi, it would be even more lively. Next time when I'm free, Uncle will take you out to play."

  "Hmm" Zhang Yan looked out from the opened car curtain at the bustling Chang'an citizens, reluctant to part with them "Uncle, why do you want to set up an outer residence outside the palace? Don't you like living in the palace?"

  Liu Yingxu's hand gesture paused slightly, and she smiled, "The Chang Le Palace is certainly very good. - It's just that I couldn't forget the fun times in Feng Pei village, playing and fighting with neighbors."

  "Uncle" Zhang Yan put down the curtain and sat back in front of Liu Ying, smiling and saying "You're very nostalgic."

  Liu Ying smiled and peeled an orange segment, putting it in her mouth. "What does a kid like you know about nostalgia?"

  As they spoke, the carriage stopped in front of a three-room house with a creak. Liu Yan got out first and helped Zhang Yan down. "Your father is in the east wing, Ah Yan, you go visit him yourself. Your uncle is waiting for you in the main hall."

  Zhang Yan nodded and walked towards the east wing with a bitter face. In her heart, Zhang Jue was not as close to her as Lu Yuan, she had no choice but to come here, but didn't know how to face this unfamiliar father.

  She pushed open the door of the east wing with a creak.

  Unexpectedly, the house was filled with many bamboo slips. Standing behind the numerous bamboo slips, Zhang Ao's slender back cast a lonely and proud shadow, like a crane that had been banished, its mournful cry also a kind of lofty and otherworldly demeanor.

  "Father King" Zhang Yan knelt down in front of him.

  "Don't call me Father King." Zhang Ao put down the bamboo slips in his hand, and the corners of his mouth curled up with a hint of bitterness. "Soon I won't be your Father King anymore."

  "Dad." She said smoothly.

  Zhang Ao looked up at her and saw that her eyes had a hint of endurance, warmth, and loving pain. "Did you suffer on the way to Chang'an?"

  "Never. Grandmother took good care of Yan'er."

  "Are you still getting used to life in the palace these days?"

  "Yan's aunt and uncle are very fond of her."

  "What have you been up to these days?"

  Zhang Yan thought for a moment and counted on her fingers: "studying characters, reading books, playing with Yizijie, Daddy, and Zhang Yan wants to start learning the piano again."

  "Very good." Zhang Ao's thin face broke into a smile. "After this great calamity, you've indeed become much more sensible. Once the dust settles, I'll invite another tutor for you again."

  No, wait! Zhang Yan thought to herself, shouldn't she be comforting her father instead? How did it become the other way around, with her father asking about her studies? She mustered up the strength to gather her scattered thoughts and counterattack: "Mother is worried, Father. She asked me to tell you that everything at home is fine, so please don't worry about us. Just take care of yourself."

  "Manhua" Zhang Kou's bitter smile recited the name and his wife's pale face in the account "It is fortunate for your father to have married your mother in this life." It is also a calamity for your father. "Your father has his own destiny, you go back and tell your mother not to worry, after this matter, I will pick up the three of you, mother and son, and take you home."

  "Go back."

  After saying this sentence, Zhang Ao turned around and didn't look at her again.

  Zhang Yan reluctantly pulled up her sleeves and bowed before exiting. Under the eaves, the fresh air was filled with the chirping of unknown birds on the roof, lively and cheerful. Zhang Yan let out a breath, feeling that towards the man in the house whom she had to call father, although it was difficult for her to get close to him at first, he was absolutely not hateful. This realization made her feel much better.

  The final hours of the monthly PK rankings have been decided, with a thrilling battle that has left everyone in awe.

  Kan de mou jiang shi xin jing dan sheng jia xiao sheng pa pa.

  Translation:

  The certain river is frightening and the little life is afraid.

  Tomorrow at 12 noon is when I go into battle.

  PKU disease is annoying.

  Save your pink ballot for me, everyone!

  Another reader group: 79863877 Verification code: yan ran

  Today's second update will be around 11:30 PM, please vote for pink tickets.