Rebirth of the Duke's Daughter and the Little Imperial Uncle

Chapter 19 Parents and the Emperor and Empress (2)

Upon hearing this, Qin Yaoyao immediately perked up and eagerly asked, "Mother, please tell me! What is it like?" Seeing her daughter so excited, Fan Ningxin lovingly embraced Qin Yaoyao tightly and chuckled softly, "You little rascal, why are you so interested in other people's affairs?"

Qin Yaoyao blinked her bright eyes and replied playfully, "Of course I'm curious about the stories between you, Daddy, Uncle, and Third Uncle!" Fan Ningxin smiled slightly, stroked Qin Yaoyao's hair, and said gently, "Alright, since you want to hear it, then Mommy will satisfy your curiosity."

Then, Fan Ningxin drifted into memories, recounting her youthful love and amusing anecdotes. She said, "Although your father and I were betrothed since childhood, he was quite mischievous as a child and always bullied me. Your eldest uncle, on the other hand, was keen on making money and often brought me treats and toys; as for your third uncle, he was quiet and reserved." Qin Yaoyao asked suspiciously, "Doesn't your third uncle usually talk much? But I feel he's much more talkative than Father!" The person beside her smiled and explained, "There's a reason for that. Ever since your third uncle met your third aunt, he seems to have become much more cheerful and lively, and naturally, he talks a lot more."

Mother sighed softly and continued, "Yes, your father always liked to tease me. I once secretly asked your maternal grandmother why she had betrothed me to such a person. At that time, I always thought that your father didn't love me and was dissatisfied with our engagement, which was why he treated me this way. I even thought he hated me. Because of this, I even suggested to your maternal grandparents that we break off the engagement, but they didn't agree. Helpless, I had to go to your father myself and explain it to him face to face."

Qin Yaoyao asked curiously, "So, how did Father respond back then?" Her mother smiled slightly and slowly replied, "Your father's reaction is still deeply etched in my mind. It was the first time I'd ever seen him so serious. He paused for a moment, then asked me solemnly if I truly wanted to annul the engagement. I nodded without hesitation, indicating my mind was made up. After hearing that, he immediately agreed, and then showed a relieved expression, as if the heavy burden on his shoulders had instantly disappeared. All of this made me even more convinced that he truly hated me to the extreme."

I was overjoyed, thinking that I would no longer have to suffer his bullying and oppression. So as soon as I got home, I couldn't wait to tell my parents about the annulment of the engagement. However, to my surprise, my parents were extremely angry after hearing this and scolded me severely. Helpless, I could only silently return to my courtyard.

I thought the matter was over, but a long time passed, and I still hadn't received any news of a successful annulment. I secretly wondered if it was because your father hadn't mentioned it to the family, which explained the silence. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became, so I decided to go find him and demand an explanation. Unfortunately, despite searching everywhere, I couldn't find him anywhere.

This made me even more convinced that he had deliberately concealed the truth, and I couldn't help but feel indignant. I felt that this man was untrustworthy and utterly disappointing! So, I went to tell my mother about his behavior. Unexpectedly, my father suddenly interrupted, saying, "Actually, he has already spoken to the family, but he was worried that if they were to break off the engagement, it might negatively affect your reputation. Therefore, he specifically told your Uncle Qin and Aunt Qin that if we proposed breaking off the engagement, they would gladly agree; but they would never take the initiative to break it off."

After learning the truth, I suddenly understood. It turns out that even your maternal grandfather didn't try to annul the engagement because of the same concerns. Even though your father is a man, he still couldn't escape criticism and gossip!

At this moment, Qin Yaoyao said with deep emotion, "It's fortunate you didn't break off the engagement, otherwise, how could we have such a happy life today?" She then feigned a look of lingering fear. Her mother smiled slightly, agreeing, "Yes, it would have been such a pity if the engagement had been broken off." She paused, then continued, "Through this incident, I realized he wasn't as bad as I had imagined. At least in this matter, he did protect my reputation. It was then that I learned he hadn't intentionally avoided me when he went to suppress the bandits."

Qin Yaoyao asked curiously, "So what happened next?" Her mother sighed softly and slowly recounted, "Actually, deep down I liked your father back then, but I just didn't realize it. However, this incident really changed my opinion of him. Your maternal grandmother saw through my feelings and told me, 'Zhenhua likes you.' Of course, I couldn't believe it and immediately retorted, 'How could that be? If he liked me, why does he always bully me? I think he just doesn't like me.' Your maternal grandmother then lovingly stroked my hair and smiled, 'Silly girl, he was just teasing you! If he didn't like you, why would he only tease you? Have you ever seen him pay attention to other women? You know, there are many girls who want to marry him!'"

I sat on the edge of the bed, carefully recalling the past. Indeed, as your grandmother said, whenever your father teased me, he never truly put me in danger or harmed me. Even when others tried to bully me, he would always stand up for me without hesitation.

Seeing my bewildered expression, your grandmother seemed to read my mind. She gently patted my hand and said earnestly, "Child, some boys don't know how to interact with the person they like, so they might do something special just to get her attention."

I was quite surprised and found it hard to accept your grandmother's words. But at the same time, a thought quietly sprouted in my heart—when he returns this time, I will definitely confront him and find out his true thoughts before deciding whether to break off the engagement.

However, to my surprise, this opportunity came so quickly. And it was through this chance encounter that I finally realized my feelings for him.

Time flew by, and several days later, news arrived that the Qin family army had triumphantly annihilated the mountain bandits. Intrigued, I went to inquire about the details and went to my mother's courtyard. As soon as I stepped through the gate, I heard a worried voice: "How badly are your injuries?" My mother's voice was filled with anxiety and concern. Then, my father sighed and replied, "Alas, the injuries are quite severe! Whether he survives depends on when he wakes up."

Upon hearing this, my heart tightened as if struck by a heavy blow. My steps quickened involuntarily as I rushed into the house, urgently asking, "Father, Mother, who is the injured man?" Seeing me suddenly burst into the room, both my parents were startled. My father, misunderstanding that I had come to annul the engagement again, became furious, angrily saying, "Who else could it be but Zhenhua! If you hadn't insisted on annuling the engagement, why would he have risked going to suppress the bandits, and how could he be so seriously injured?" I was utterly astonished and hurriedly asked, "But he is highly skilled in martial arts; how could he be so seriously injured?"

I stared blankly at my mother, my mind a complete void, utterly at a loss for words. Just then, my mother spoke: “Originally, the task of suppressing the bandits was assigned to another general, but unfortunately, his wife was about to give birth, so Zhenhua volunteered to go in his place. Logically speaking, those bandits were mediocre in martial arts and not too numerous; for a seasoned warrior like Zhenhua, they should have been easily dealt with. And indeed, he successfully captured them all. However, it's said that the bandit turned to banditry because he was jilted at the altar. According to his lieutenant, Zhenhua was distracted after hearing this, which gave the bandit an opportunity to harm him.”

My father continued, "Why was he distracted? Wasn't it because he was thinking about you also wanting to break off the engagement?" Hearing this, I froze, as if struck by lightning, too shocked to move. I never expected things to turn out this way… My mother looked at me with deep affection and worry, then said heavily, "Girl, look at him now, he's injured, and the situation is quite serious. Can you think about breaking off the engagement again? If you really don't want to, could you not rush into a decision and wait until he's recovered a bit before discussing it?"

Hearing my mother's words, I felt a sharp pain in my heart. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I held them back. Taking a deep breath, I tried to keep my voice calm and said to my mother, "Mother, I understand what you mean. Actually, I'm also very worried about his injury, so I wanted to go visit him." Without waiting for anyone's response, I turned and ran out.

Not long after, I arrived at your father's door. Standing there, I calmed myself slightly, then gently pushed the door open and went inside. As soon as I entered, I saw him lying on the bed, his face as pale as paper, his eyes tightly closed. Seeing his haggard appearance, my heart tightened, and my nose stung with tears.

When I entered the room, I saw your grandparents, eldest uncle, and third uncle all sitting together with solemn expressions. The whole room was filled with a suffocatingly somber atmosphere. Everyone's face was filled with grief and worry, as if they were carrying a thousand-pound burden on their hearts.

I took a deep breath and mustered my courage to step into the house. After greeting everyone, I eagerly inquired about your father's injuries. Your grandmother frowned and told me, "The imperial physician has already come and said his injuries are very serious, but his life is not in danger." Hearing this, the weight in my heart lifted slightly.

However, just as I was beginning to feel a little relieved, your grandmother then added, "It's just... he doesn't seem willing to wake up." I was immediately stunned, as if struck by lightning, and didn't know what to say. So I quickly asked, "What does that mean?"

At this moment, your uncle interjected, "Actually, before he went to suppress the bandits, he was quite depressed. We asked him many times why, but he remained silent. We all knew that his distress stemmed from the annulment of the engagement. We also advised him that it was not advisable to go to suppress the bandits at this time, lest something unexpected happen. But he insisted on waiting until you had canceled the engagement before returning. Perhaps that's why he chose to remain asleep after being injured."

At that moment, my heart was breaking, and I was in unbearable pain. Seeing your grandmother's worried face, fearing that your father would not wake up, she whispered to me, "Girl, go and see him." So, I walked heavily to the bedside, and when my eyes met your father's haggard face, tears welled up in my eyes like a burst dam.

For the next three days, I took care of your father with all my heart, paying attention to every single detail. Finally, on the morning of the third day, he slowly opened his eyes. At that moment, joy welled up in my heart, and I was so excited that I hugged him tightly and cried uncontrollably. When your grandfather and others heard the good news, they rushed over and were overjoyed to see that your father had indeed woken up.

Your grandfather comforted your father, telling him that I had been taking good care of him all this time. Your father was clearly surprised, as if he hadn't expected me to come. After everyone left, only the two of us remained in the room. Your father suddenly spoke, "If you want to annul the engagement, you can come to me anytime." Hearing this, I remembered that I had some important questions to ask him, so I mustered my courage and asked, "So, do you have feelings for me?"

Your father paused for a moment, then replied helplessly, "What's the point of saying all this now?" His words pierced my heart like a sharp sword, but I forced myself to continue pressing him for answers...

I said it worked, and your father admitted it without hesitation. At that moment, I felt like I'd been struck by lightning, overwhelmed with mixed emotions. It turned out that everything my mother had said was true! This discovery shocked me deeply, and at the same time, made me realize my past ignorance.

Since then, our feelings for each other have deepened, as if we've undergone a baptism, and our trust and understanding have become even stronger. However, the story doesn't end there. So, how did the Empress and the Emperor come together?

It all started with a trip to a horse farm on the outskirts of Beijing. Your father, the Emperor, and I went horseback riding together. It was there that the wheels of fate began to turn, and the Emperor and Empress met by chance. The Emperor was instantly captivated by the Empress, his gaze lingering on her. From then on, whenever the Emperor went out for leisure, he would specifically instruct me to invite the Empress to accompany him. As time passed, we gradually became acquainted.

As they spent time together, the Empress's feelings for the Emperor deepened. Of course, your father and I played a crucial role in this, cleverly creating many opportunities for them to be alone, allowing them to better understand each other. Ultimately, their efforts were rewarded, and the Emperor and Empress successfully entered into marriage, achieving a blissful union.