After coaxing the two children to sleep, Ye Luan was forcefully carried to another inner hall by Xiao Chi Zhan.
"You spend all day doting on them, do you even acknowledge me?"
Ye Luan, drowsy, rolled herself into the covers, wanting to sleep and too lazy to bother with him.
Xiao Chi Zhan felt that her entire focus was on the children, and he was displeased.
"In a couple of days, send them to the palace for upbringing."
Ye Luan's eyes snapped open, and she glared at him, "They are so young, stop coming up with such terrible ideas."
"They are more important than me."
Hearing his deep, cold tone, she turned and kicked him.
"Behave yourself."
Since Xiao Chi Zhan had disciplined A Jing last time, he had become much more obedient, but he was still very curious about the outside world. Ge'er was fierce and always grabbed Xue Qiu to bully.
Ye Luan didn't want to keep them confined all the time, so she opened the mechanism and took the two children out.
It was cold now, but every part of the Northern Palace had mechanisms and heated passages, so it wasn't that cold walking in the garden.
Ge'er was very mischievous, her beautiful red eyes darting everywhere, occasionally plucking flowers to give to her.
Although A Jing didn't show it, he was also very happy.
Ye Luan held Xue Qiu and stood under the corridor, watching them play. Having come out more often, she wasn't as watchful.
But who knew, as these two children grew, their energy seemed inexhaustible, and they actually started bullying Xue Sha.
That day, she saw it and, afraid Xue Sha would bite them, she quickly ran over and caught Ge'er, who was riding on Xue Sha.
"Who allowed you to come here?"
"We came to play," Ge'er chirped.
Afraid of being punished, Ge'er wriggled her little bottom and hid behind Xue Sha, shifting the blame to A Jing.
A Jing's little face was serious, his two hands clasped together, fidgeting. His dark eyes looked at Ye Luan.
"Mother Consort, the fur is pretty."
His chubby little hands suddenly reached out to her, filled with wolf fur.
Ye Luan's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but press her forehead. She glanced at the now-bald Xue Lang and was speechless.
Xue Sha slumped under the tree, his pair of deep green eyes looking at her dejectedly, as if saying, "Hurry and take these two little ancestors away."
Xiao Chi Zhan was usually busy, but when he had free time, he would take the two children to the hunting grounds to play.
"Go, whoever brings back prey for your mother first will receive this dagger."
These two children were naturally warlike. As they grew older, they always liked to go to the borderlands to learn martial arts from the soldiers.
"Father, I don't want a dagger, I want a cannon."
Upon hearing A Jing's words, Ye Luan chuckled.
Xiao Chi Zhan said, "When you catch some prey, we can negotiate."
"Father, Father, I want a dagger—"
Ge'er clung to his leg, wanting to snatch it.
Xiao Chi Zhan's expression was calm, "Stand properly."
The two children were afraid of their father, so they quickly stood obediently.
Father was very fierce. Once, they secretly went to the Blood Domain; it was very terrifying and thrilling. They snuck in and were almost injured by a mechanism, which angered Mother Consort. Father locked them on the Sky Tower, forcing them to watch the scenery all night.
No matter how much they cried, he didn't let them down.
Knowing that this tactic was useless against their father, they stopped crying and proceeded to bully the fierce beasts guarding the Sky Tower.
Ye Luan squatted down, touched the faces of the two children, and smiled, "You don't need to hunt, just play nearby. Don't run around."
Xiao Chi Zhan grabbed her and pulled her up, looking at the two children with a calm expression.
"Go."
The two children were not afraid at all, and they ran inside with their legs kicking.
Ye Luan knew this fellow had deliberately sent the children away and said angrily, "The little princes enter the Imperial Study at six and go on royal hunts at eight. How old are they? You bully them every day."
Xiao Chi Zhan was unconcerned, putting his arm around her waist as they walked inside.
"Since they were born so fierce, they must be disciplined properly."
"It's not like you. I was very obedient when I was little."
Ye Luan said, glancing at him.
"When I was dressing A Jing yesterday, I noticed a faint image of the Qiong Qi on his back, similar to yours. It's not very prominent, is it normal?"
'It wasn't very prominent for me either when I was young.'
Hearing this, Ye Luan was reassured and looked at the scenery around her with contentment.
This area had been specially cleared, with no fierce beasts, allowing the children to play freely.
There were no prey animals around, and Ge'er became anxious, starting to loudly complain that Father was lying.
Xiao Chi Zhan casually pointed to a spot, "There, behind that cave, there are rabbits."
Although the children were afraid of their father, their filial affection for him was not diminished, and they very much wanted his approval. Without a doubt, they scurried off to catch them, their little bottoms sticking out.
Ye Luan glared at him, "Is this how you bully your own daughter?"
Xiao Chi Zhan ignored the two noisy children, embracing her as he flew up into a tree.
He wrapped one arm around her waist, pressing her against the trunk behind him, and lowered his head to kiss her.
Ye Luan turned her head to dodge, asking, "Has Liu Rongruo really left?"
Xiao Chi Zhan was annoyed when this was brought up.
That fellow Tantai Ye was a devoted husband and doting father, giving his wife and daughter whatever they wanted, never staying in the palace.
Li Qiongyu, who already didn't manage affairs, went around playing with his wife and son.
Finally, Liu Rongruo woke up, but she left for the Western Regions without a word.
He was so busy he didn't even have time to accompany her.
Thinking this, Xiao Chi Zhan's gaze shifted to Xiao Jingheng, who was tinkering with something not far away.
Well, he needed to cultivate this little one quickly.
"I'm asking you a question."
Ye Luan saw his ill-intentioned gaze and hit him.
Xiao Chi Zhan turned back, embraced her, and kissed her, "Yes, she went to the Western Regions."
Ye Luan sighed in her heart, unable to help but recall the scenes of her first meeting with A Wu, feeling a slight pang of sadness.
"Right, have the people from Xue Shi found out the whereabouts of Xuan Qing and Xia Yun yet?"
"Li Qiongyu hasn't reported any news, so they probably haven't found them yet."
Xiao Chi Zhan said, wrapping her legs around his waist, kissing her ferociously.
Ye Luan was too flustered by his actions to ask further questions. She hooked her arms around his neck and responded.
Their bodies pressed together, their kisses growing more passionate. Then, his hand slipped under her dress and began to caress her.
Ye Luan's gaze inadvertently flickered downwards, and she saw a small figure riding on Xue Lang, its small body held straight. Its tender little hands were unconsciously fidgeting, and its two alluring red eyes were fixed on the couple embracing, full of curiosity, as if asking, "What are you doing?"
Ye Luan's face instantly flushed, and she fumbled to push him away.
Xiao Chi Zhan lowered his gaze, seeing the two small figures, and frowned in annoyance.
"Did you catch the rabbit?"
Ge'er kicked her legs, buried her face in Xue Sha's fur, and muttered something unintelligible.
"Father lied, there are no prey animals."
A Jing said with a serious little face, then patted Xue Sha's behind and led his sister away.
Ye Luan impatiently pushed Xiao Chi Zhan away, leaped down, and went to hug the two children.
"Father, you lied, I want a cannon."
Xiao Chi Zhan lowered his eyes to look at the miniature version of himself. He casually pulled out a hidden weapon, and a bird in the tree was instantly shot down.
"Isn't this prey?"
A Jing, "------"