Chapter 164: (End of Main Story)

Through the watery mist on her eyelashes, Bao Ning saw Pei Yuan’s blurry face.

Immersed in her own thoughts, she did not react immediately, though her crying stopped out of sheer surprise.

Nanny Liu was practically dancing with joy. Tugging at Bao Ning’s sleeve, she said, “Look, Princess! It’s the Prince, the Prince is back!”

“You’re about to be a mother, yet you’re still crying like a child. Aren’t you embarrassed?” Pei Yuan’s voice was incredibly soft as he gently flicked the tip of her nose. “Did you miss me?”

Bao Ning’s heart skipped a beat.

She raised her arm, clumsily wiped her eyes, and stared intently at the man before her.

They hadn’t seen each other for so long. He had changed a bit—he seemed fairer and thinner than before, his features more deeply defined, but his eyes were as gentle as a quiet pool of water.

Reflected in that pool was her own disheveled state—her damp, messy hair clinging to her forehead, and her nose and eyes bright red.

The bridge of Bao Ning’s nose grew even more sore, and a tidal wave of bottled-up grievance rushed over her.

“Talk to me.” Pei Yuan wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her into his embrace, while his other hand gently stroked the back of her head. “Did you miss me?”

Bao Ning’s lower lip began to pucker. Pei Yuan could tell at a single glance that she was about to cry again; she always made this exact face, looking just like a little duck.

Sure enough, in the next instant, Bao Ning burst into a loud wail: “Where on earth have you been all this time? Where did you run off to, coming back so late? Do you have any idea how worried I was… I thought you were dead, that your belly had been slit open and your head chopped off!”

“Where did you hear such nonsense?” Pei Yuan let out a helpless sigh, taking her hand and placing it on his abdomen and then his neck. “See? I’m perfectly fine.”

“Then what were you doing all day today!” Filled with a mix of anger and resentment, Bao Ning punched his shoulder and choked out, “Didn’t you know I was waiting for you? Did you do it on purpose, just to make me wait and watch me make a fool of myself?!”

As her hand accidentally brushed against his not-yet-fully-healed wound, Pei Yuan’s face turned pale for a brief second. Suppressing the sharp pain, he held her close, patting her back as he coaxed her in a low voice: “I know, I know. It’s my fault. There won’t be a next time…”

Pei Yuan noticed that Bao Ning had lost a significant amount of weight—she was even thinner than when he had left, her shoulder blades pressing sharply against his hands. Looking closely at her face, it was barely the size of his palm, her chin sharp and pointed; all the soft cheek-fat he had worked so hard to feed her had vanished. Her arms and legs were painfully thin, with only her belly protruding, looking like she had a small watermelon tucked under her robes.

His heart broke. Cupping her face, he asked, “What happened? Have you not been eating well these past weeks?”

“How could I eat? There wasn’t even food to be had!” Bao Ning sobbed, leaning helplessly against his chest. “The town was locked down for so many days, and the grain supply in the city wasn’t nearly enough. So many commoners and soldiers had nothing to eat. I transported all the grain from our estate to the city. I’ve been rationing and scrimping every day. On the Laba Festival, I only had a single sip of Laba porridge…”

Before Pei Yuan’s return, Bao Ning had never thought these hardships were a bitter pill to swallow; she viewed them simply as her duty and responsibility. But now that he was back, she could not help but release the immense pressure she had carried for so long, airing out every single struggle and grievance like a child who had scraped her knee and wanted a sweet from her mother, yearning for his comfort and care.

Pei Yuan was stunned for a moment, but understanding quickly dawned on him. He had long suspected that Feng County would face a severe food shortage, but he had never expected Bao Ning to possess such capability and resolve to share his burdens.

Closing his eyes, he squeezed her tighter against him, whispering, “It’s my fault. I let my precious girl suffer like this.”

“And I haven’t slept well in ages,” Bao Ning sniffled. “I didn’t sleep at all last night, and this morning I went to the city wall on an empty stomach to look for you, but I couldn’t find you. I still haven’t eaten a single thing today.”

“I was wrong,” Pei Yuan apologized repeatedly. “What do you want to eat? I’ll cook it for you, alright?”

“Stop bragging. Is the food you make even edible?” Bao Ning burst into a wet laugh. “Eating your cooking—is that a reward or a punishment?”

Pei Yuan looked at her smile, unable to tear his eyes away. In a trance, he asked, “Sweetheart, won’t you smile for me again?”

“No.” Bao Ning huffed, turning her face away to ignore him.

Pei Yuan’s heart completely melted. His Bao Ning was finally back in his arms, acting like a spoiled child just as she had countless times before. He was alive, and he had not lost her.

Holding her soft body close, he buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her familiar, sweet scent.

“It tickles…” Bao Ning pushed at his shoulders. “I haven’t forgiven you yet. Don’t try to get cozy with me.”

“Sweetheart, what do I have to do to earn your forgiveness?” Pei Yuan lifted his head, gazing into her bright, tender eyes. “How about I get down on the floor and let you ride me like a horse? Or you can hit me a few times. If the rest of my body is too hard, you can hit my face.”

Pei Yuan leaned his face closer to hers. “Don’t be angry anymore. It’s bad for your body, and bad for the baby too. If you keep frowning and pouting while pregnant, the baby might turn out ugly.”

“I wouldn’t waste my energy hitting your face; it’s too dirty.” Bao Ning’s emotions had finally settled. The lingering grief dissipated, leaving only the pure joy of their reunion. Though tears still clung to her cheeks, her teeth showed in a bright smile. “Besides, your face is made of iron—thick-skinned and hard. If I hit it, my hand would only hurt.”

Pei Yuan smiled along with her.

Without even looking in a mirror, he knew he must look incredibly foolish right now.

But so be it. To be able to share such silly smiles with Bao Ning for the rest of his days was the greatest hope of his life.

Su Wei, Qian Feng, and Wei Meng had searched everywhere for Pei Yuan without success. Finally, Wei Meng slapped his own forehead and declared that the Young General must have run off to the Princess’s quarters. Realizing the truth, the group hurriedly made their way toward the inner courtyard.

As expected, they found the right place. However, standing at the courtyard gate was Jixiang, who was majestically guarding the entrance like a proud sentry, and none of them dared to take a step forward.

Qian Feng, having already learned of Pei Yuan’s injuries from Su Wei, said anxiously, “His Highness’s leg injury hasn’t fully healed, yet he rushed back here. He must be exhausted, and you two must be terribly worried. General Su, General Wei, why don’t you two slip inside to check on him while I run and fetch the physician?”

“Cut the crap. If you’re scared of the dog, just say so. Why make up so many excuses?” Wei Meng scolded him. “You are far too dishonest.”

Su Wei shook his head. “I am not afraid of dogs, but this beast is simply too massive. I have never seen one like it, and I dare not force my way in.”

Qian Feng nodded in agreement. “Indeed, we dare not force our way.”

Wei Meng burst into loud laughter. “What is there to be afraid of? It’s just a dog, and I practically watched it grow up.” He patted his chest boastfully. “Watch me chase it away!”

With that, Wei Meng took a step forward. “Jixiang, hear my command! Lie down!”

Jixiang cast a deeply contemptuous glance at him. Wei Meng frowned and took another step forward. “You don’t understand me?”

Provoked, Jixiang let out a thunderous, fierce bark.

Wei Meng jumped back a full step in fright. Su Wei and Qian Feng, who had long since retreated to a safe distance, remained completely unscathed. Qian Feng added fuel to the fire: “General Wei, perhaps you and the dog haven’t seen each other in too long and you’ve become strangers. Why don’t you step closer so it can get a better look at your face? Surely it will recognize you then!”

Wei Meng turned around and cursed, “You little brat, you—”

Inside the room, Pei Yuan was whispering sweet nothings to Bao Ning, asking what she wanted to eat later, when the noisy racket outside interrupted them. Bao Ning nudged him to go out and see.

Deeply displeased, Pei Yuan threw open the door and barked, “What is all this racket? Get lost, all of you!”

Qian Feng and Su Wei turned and fled immediately. Wei Meng, unwilling to give up, tried to say, “Young General, General Qiu is here. He is waiting for you in the study…”

Before he could finish, the door slammed shut with a resounding bang.

“…Suit yourself. It’s not me he’s looking for anyway. See him or don’t.”

Wei Meng had long since grown accustomed to this side of Pei Yuan—the moment he saw the Princess, his feet seemed glued to the floor, like a gambler who couldn’t keep his hands off the tiles. But now, Wei Meng no longer thought of this as a man being blinded by a woman’s charms. Having learned of everything Bao Ning had done for the city, his admiration for her came straight from the bottom of his heart, and he couldn’t help but marvel at what a perfect, heaven-made match they were.

At that thought, Wei Meng felt a sudden pang of loneliness. He was getting up there in years, and his prospects for marriage seemed bleaker by the day.

Perhaps he could only hope that Pei Yuan would father a few more sons so he could adopt one later. Though, knowing Pei Yuan, he would likely refuse and throw a fit.

How could he be so pitiful?

The war had just ended, leaving an overwhelming mountain of affairs to be sorted: arranging for the fallen soldiers and providing pensions for their families, taking inventory of the armaments, and deciding what to do with the two hundred thousand prisoners of war…

Pei Yuan shirked his duties for an entire day, delegating all authority to Wei Meng. He remained by Bao Ning’s side, eating a hearty meal with her and sleeping the day away.

They had no other thoughts, content to simply hold each other in the quiet room, wrapped snugly under the quilt, sleeping from before sunset until the sun was high in the sky the next day.

When they finally woke, they felt entirely refreshed, as if reborn.

Later, Pei Yuan met Qiu Mingshan in the study. Qiu Mingshan had sustained some light injuries, his arm wrapped in clean white linen. Pei Yuan invited him to sit, asking with genuine care, “Are your wounds serious?”

Flattered by the concern, Qiu Mingshan shook his head repeatedly. “It’s nothing, nothing at all.”

Pei Yuan said, “That is good. Stay here for a few days and recover well.”

Perhaps because he had gone through such monumental upheavals and stared death in the face, or perhaps because his desire to live a peaceful, simple life with Bao Ning was now so powerful, meeting Qiu Mingshan again no longer stirred up the complex emotions of the past. He felt neither anger nor disappointment; he simply saw an elder, an old friend who had left a deep, indelible mark on his past.

They shared half a pot of tea and conversed quietly for a while.

Qiu Mingshan asked, “Would you like some wine?”

“Bao Ning is pregnant, and she dislikes the smell of alcohol. If I drink, she won’t be happy. Besides, my current physical state isn’t suited for drinking anyway; I plan to give it up entirely,” Pei Yuan replied. “You should take care as well. You’re getting older; it’s best to drink less.”

Qiu Mingshan smiled warmly. “Alright, alright. I’ll drink less from now on.”

Pei Yuan looked at him deeply, then stood up and walked over to the desk. Pulling a letter from a tall stack of books, he handed it to Qiu Mingshan. “My mother wrote this for you, but unfortunately, she never had the chance to deliver it into your hands. More than ten years have passed; you should read it now.”

Confused, Qiu Mingshan took the letter. As his eyes skimmed the first few lines, his expression shifted drastically, growing heavier and more solemn with every word. By the end, a bitter smile touched his lips. “Did you come all the way from the capital because of this letter, wanting to ask me for the truth?”

“I used to think that way. Back then, I couldn’t sleep at night, and I even dreamed about this letter,” Pei Yuan smiled faintly. “But I don’t feel that torment anymore. Whatever the truth is doesn’t matter as much now, though I would still like a clear answer.”

Qiu Mingshan said solemnly, “You are his son, the Fourth Prince of the Great Zhou, beyond any shadow of a doubt.”

Pei Yuan raised an eyebrow. “You’re that certain?”

“Your mother… everyone said she was foolish and naive when she was young, but she actually had her own little clever ways,” Qiu Mingshan sighed. “We were only together once, the night before she entered the imperial palace. The next morning, she secretly drank a contraceptive tonic. She thought she had done it discreetly, but I knew. She didn’t want to leave any risks behind, fearing that if the truth were ever exposed, the child would suffer.”

Pei Yuan asked, “Do you know how my mother died?”

“I have some idea,” Qiu Mingshan replied. “If you wish to know, I will tell you.”

Pei Yuan nodded.

He felt like an outsider listening to someone else’s story. He could feel a faint sense of sorrow, but it was incredibly distant. The account Qiu Mingshan gave matched the intelligence he had gathered almost perfectly. What Pei Yuan hadn’t told anyone was that three days ago, he had received a letter sent from the capital by Pei Xiao. The letter detailed the Consort Consort’s cause of death, intended to crush his fighting spirit, make him despise the Emperor, and cause him to abandon his defense against the Xiongnu.

If he were still the Pei Yuan of old, he might have reacted with the hysterical rage Pei Xiao had hoped for. But he was no longer that man. Even though resentment still lingered in his chest, Bao Ning had slowly transformed him into a normal person. He had learned to control his emotions, to look at everything with a calm and peaceful heart, and to do what was right.

And so, he had won.

He looked into Qiu Mingshan’s eyes and listened to his final words: “…So before this, I had always hoped to push you onto that throne, to avenge your mother.”

Pei Yuan said quietly, “He should be dead by now.”

Qiu Mingshan froze. “Who is dead?”

“The Emperor.” Pei Yuan stood up and walked to the window, squinting at the view outside.

It was a beautiful day. Vast, fluffy white clouds drifted across the sky, softening the glaring sunlight. The ground was blanketed in white snow, reflecting the clouds above—a breathtaking sight. Pei Yuan wondered if his little lazy pig of a wife had fallen asleep again after her meal, missing such a wonderful view.

He realized he hadn’t taken Bao Ning out to play in a very long time. He should take her out for a stroll in a few days.

But winter was filled with nothing but snow; there wasn’t much to see.

Perhaps they could go to the lakeside and catch a couple of fish.

But she was so lazy, only thinking of eating and sleeping—would she even want to go fishing?

Speaking of fish, he really ought to learn how to cook.

When Bao Ning was recovering during her postpartum month, he wanted to brew fresh fish soup for her himself.

He would guard her, never leaving her side.

Once the child grew a bit older and could travel long distances with them, he would take them both back to the capital to burn a stick of incense at his mother’s grave.

After Qiu Mingshan left unnoticed, Pei Yuan went to the kitchen, grabbed a plate of roasted chestnuts, held them against his chest to keep them warm, and brought them back to the room for Bao Ning.

She was playing with a bamboo dragonfly with Yuan’zi, her laughter ringing so loud it could be heard from far away.

Yuan’zi said, “Auntie, let me fly it for you! I can fly it so high!”

Bao Ning chimed in, “Go on, show me!”

Pushing the door open with one hand, Pei Yuan hadn’t even had the chance to turn around and close it when a bamboo dragonfly came barreling straight toward him, nearly hitting him in the face.

Yuan’zi gasped in fright. Before Pei Yuan could even speak, Bao Ning cut in: “It’s all your fault, barging in without knocking and scaring Yuan’zi. Be more careful next time.”

“How can you be so unreasonable…” Pei Yuan glared at her, ready to argue, but Bao Ning simply crossed her arms and puffed out her round belly. Looking at her protruding stomach, Pei Yuan’s temper vanished instantly. “Fine, you’re the boss, whatever you say is right. Next time, I’ll have someone announce my arrival and pay my respects before stepping inside, alright?”

He asked, “Do you two want some chestnuts?”

Yuan’zi said yes, and Bao Ning did too. She pinched her fingers together, saying in a feigned, pitiful tone, “I want to eat them, but peeling them makes my fingers hurt. What should I do? Maybe I shouldn’t eat them after all…”

Pei Yuan grumbled, “I’ll peel them. Go on and play.”

Bao Ning smiled sweetly. “You’re the best.” She promptly ignored him, directing Yuan’zi to bring over her treasure chest, claiming it was filled with all sorts of wonderful things far more fun than bamboo dragonflies.

Just wait, I’ll throw all of them out eventually, Pei Yuan glared at her, not daring to say it out loud, only making empty threats in his head.

Since he still couldn’t stand for long periods, he found a low stool near the charcoal brazier and sat down to peel the chestnuts. Bao Ning and Yuan’zi’s cheerful laughter filled the room, contrasting sharply with his quiet corner.

Both dogs sat beside him, their mouths watering the moment a chestnut was peeled. Pei Yuan didn’t want to share, but thinking of how they hadn’t seen each other in so long, he decided there was no need to be stingy. He began to peel them in a steady rotation: one for Bao Ning, one for Yuan’zi, one for Ah Huang, and one for Jixiang. Before he knew it, the peeled chestnuts had formed four neat little piles.

Seeing that the two had grown tired of playing, Pei Yuan called them over, only to realize he had completely forgotten to peel any for himself.

The two dogs quickly licked up their piles, leaving him with absolutely nothing.

Pei Yuan muttered in annoyance, “Ungrateful beasts, the lot of you!”

Bao Ning laughed, resting her face against his arm to coax him. “Alright, don’t be angry. I’ll share mine with you.”

Pei Yuan countered, “What do you mean ‘yours and mine’? I peeled all of them.”

Bao Ning pouted, displeased. “What do you mean by that? Trying to draw such a clear line between us? Tell me then—is the baby in my belly yours or mine? By your logic, since I’m the one giving birth, the baby is entirely mine and has nothing to do with you. Keep your chestnuts, I don’t want them. Get out.”

“How did we even get onto this topic…” Fuming, Pei Yuan wrapped his arm around her waist, threatening, “Keep talking like that and I’ll spank you.”

Bao Ning huffed. “With a temper like yours, no wonder even the dogs ignore you.”

Pei Yuan froze, and before he could react, a soft warmth pressed against his cheek, accompanied by a soft muah sound.

Bao Ning hugged him tightly, saying sweetly, “The dogs might ignore you, but I won’t. In my heart, you’re far more important than any dog.”

She spoke with such sincerity and affection that Pei Yuan was touched for a brief second. But then he realized what she had actually said and grumbled in mock despair, “Ji Bao Ning, you are not allowed to compare me to a dog ever again!”

Author’s Note:

The sweet and happy final chapter of the main story is finally here!

Some unresolved matters and the wedding will be featured in the upcoming extra chapters. The Tuesday update will mark the start of the extras! Thank you all so much for your companionship throughout this journey!

Sansukini: More extras to come, including their baby.

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