FBC -Chapter 283 Warmth

Gu Hua hurried forward and looked him up and down.

Mu Junyan let her examine him as much as she wished, smiling without speaking.

Gu Hua touched him everywhere. Only after confirming nothing was wrong did she let out a breath.

“You’re really not injured?”

“Rest assured.” Mu Junyan held her hand and walked to the Eight Immortals table.

The maids had already filled the table with a lavish breakfast.

Gu Hua and Mu Junyan bowed to the Old Madam. “Mother, please.”

The Old Madam sat at the head seat. “No need for such formality. Sit.”

Gu Hua had a stomach full of questions but held them in until Mu Junyan had eaten and drunk his fill, the maids cleared the table, and the room grew quiet again.

With one child’s hand held in each of their own, they listened as Mu Junyan recounted everything that had happened in Bianjing during this time.

It turned out the crown prince had originally been assigned to accompany the marriage delegation. Mu Junyan had privately conspired with the court ministers and came up with a reason to recall the crown prince midway.

“No wonder. I found it strange that I hadn’t seen the crown prince in the envoy… so you brought him back halfway.”

“If the crown prince hadn’t returned to Bianjing—and with Jiang Ruoxi’s failed marriage alliance—the Jiang family wouldn’t have been so desperate as to attempt rebellion.”

Mu Junyan reached out and stroked Gu Hua’s cheek. “All thanks to my wife.”

Gu Hua blushed. “Mother is still here…”

The Old Madam laughed. “Pretend I’m not.”

Gu Hua’s face grew even redder. She glared at Mu Junyan. “Speak.”

Mu Junyan, inwardly sweet, continued his story in detail.

Gu Hua listened so tensely her palms grew damp with sweat.

Though Mu Junyan spoke lightly, the situation had been extremely dangerous.

The Jiang family had secretly raised over ten thousand death warriors and had forces hidden all over the capital. They surrounded the palace until not even water could pass.

To create chaos, Consort Jiang poisoned His Majesty’s tea, but fortunately, Mu Junyan and the others had prepared for it.

The Jiang Empress Dowager set her own palace ablaze. The Jiang clan set fires throughout Bianjing, throwing the entire city into panic.

To ensure the Jiang clan’s crimes were undeniable, Mu Junyan and his men allowed the Jiang family to storm the palace, trapping the emperor, the crown prince, and the empress inside Funing Palace.

Just as the palace gates were about to be breached, Mu Junyan’s Black Armor Guards suddenly appeared, surrounding the Jiang family’s death warriors. Ten thousand arrows were released, killing them all on the spot and staining the palace in blood.

Gu Hua was frightened. “You deployed the Black Armor Guards to Bianjing?”

“Yes. When you held the envoy stable here, General Fang personally led fifty thousand elite Black Armor Guards back to Bianjing in secret.”

“What happened to the Jiang family?”

“Eradicated. All nine clans.”

Gu Hua nodded, relieved.

“The Jiang Empress Dowager and Consort Jiang—because they are imperial concubines—had their hair shaved and were sent to become nuns, to spend their lives by the lantern. All the others have already been executed publicly.”

Gu Hua clapped lightly. “At last, they’re gone. The capital must be chaotic now?”

“Chaotic or not, I don’t care anymore.” Mu Junyan brushed her cheek.

“I’ve already reported to His Majesty—I will never return to Bianjing. I will guard Nanjiang for Great Liang. From now on, I will remain with Mother, with you, and with our children.”

Gu Hua was overjoyed. “Really? You won’t return to the capital anymore? We’ll stay here forever?”

Mu Junyan smiled at his bright-eyed wife. “Do you like it here?”

Gu Hua nodded. “I do. The people are simple, the sky wide and clouds high—I love it.”

“Yi-yi-ya-ya.”

Their little daughter kicked her limbs excitedly, her chubby arms reaching out to tightly grip Mu Junyan’s fingers, her big eyes sparkling.

Mu Junyan was utterly fascinated. He picked her up, and the little girl giggled.

She was so small and soft that Mu Junyan froze, holding her by the armpits.

“How do I hold her? She’s so soft…”

The swaddling cloth slipped, revealing a pair of lotus-root-like legs.

Gu Hua hurried to wrap her again, took the baby, and placed her horizontally into Mu Junyan’s arms.

“Like this.”

Mu Junyan held her as if she were a rare treasure, carefully settling her into his arm without daring to move.

“Mother, look—the girl looks exactly like her mother. She’ll be a great beauty when she grows up.”

The Old Madam laughed. “Of course. How could a child born of our Hua’er not be beautiful?”

Gu Hua blushed. “You need to name them. Have you decided anything?”

Mu Junyan looked up. “Please let Mother choose… I never expected to have children, so I haven’t thought of names.”

Gu Hua also looked to the Old Madam. “Then please grant them names.”

The Old Madam smiled. “I had Master Min calculate their fortunes and chose a few characters. I think they should be named Mu Chen and Mu Xi.

‘Chen’ represents hope and new beginnings. ‘Xi’ represents the gentle glow of dusk and peaceful nights. Mu Chen and Mu Xi—one vibrant like the morning sun, the other soft and warm.”

Gu Hua clapped. “Lovely.”

Mu Junyan looked down at the excited little girl babbling in his arms, then at the baby boy in the cradle with his clear, quiet eyes.

“Originally, ‘Chen’ fits the boy and ‘Xi’ fits the girl… but it feels like their personalities are switched.”

The Old Madam said, “It doesn’t matter. The girl is the elder—she should be Mu Chen. The boy shall be Mu Xi.”

Gu Hua nodded. “The younger brother is quieter anyway, so Mu Xi suits him.”

Mu Junyan kissed little Mu Chen on the cheek. “Very well. We’ll follow Mother’s decision. Little Mu Chen, when you grow up you’ll be as breathtaking as your mother.”

Gu Hua glared at him. “A girl needs only beauty?”

“Waaah—”

Mu Chen suddenly cried, startling Mu Junyan. “What do I do? What do I do? She’s crying—what do I do?”

Gu Hua took Mu Chen into her arms, gently rocking her. “Good Chen’er, you must be upset that your father only cares about your beauty. You’re going to be a general like your grandmother.”

Strangely, Mu Chen instantly stopped crying. Her watery eyes still held tears, but she smiled.

Mu Junyan was amazed. “She’s only one month old—how does she understand?”

Gu Hua snorted. “My daughter is brilliant.”

Mu Junyan laughed heartily. “Indeed—just like her mother.”

“Waaah—”

Both turned. The quiet little Mu Xi had suddenly burst into tears, face flushed red, arms waving.

“What’s wrong with him?” Mu Junyan panicked, gently patting him with his big rough hand.

Gu Hua laughed. “Pick him up. He’s unhappy from being ignored.”

“Really? But I’m afraid of hurting him… he’s too soft.”

The nanny patiently guided him.

Mu Junyan carefully slid one hand under the baby’s head and neck, the other under his bottom and waist.

The moment little Mu Xi was lifted, he stopped crying.

His tiny face returned to calm, though teardrops still hung from his lashes.

It melted everyone’s hearts.

Zhou Zhilan pushed the door open. Seeing the warm family scene, her eyes reddened slightly. She bowed with a smile.

“My lord, His Majesty’s decree has arrived. You are requested to receive it.”

Gu Hua blinked. “So soon?”

Mu Junyan handed Mu Chen to the nanny. “Very well, I’ll go.”

Gu Hua also gave Mu Xi to the nanny. “I’m coming with you.”

The imperial messenger turned out to be Wang Heng.

Gu Hua frowned.

Just what role was Wang Heng playing?

Did he carry several different edicts and choose which one to present depending on Nanjiang’s situation?

Mu Junyan led everyone to kneel and receive the decree. After reading it, Wang Heng handed the decree to Mu Junyan.

In summary, the edict promoted Mu Junyan to a First-Rank Prince, granting him Nanjiang as his fief. The court would no longer fund the Mu family army. From now on, the Prince of Yong—Mu Junyan—would be an independent vassal king.

Wang Heng bowed deeply. “This humble official congratulates the Prince of Yong.”

Gu Hua was stunned, a faint unease rising in her heart.

The only non-royal prince of Great Liang—the Prince of Ping’an—had just been exterminated with his entire clan. And now His Majesty was immediately creating another non-royal prince… just what was he plotting?

“Thank you for your efforts,” Mu Junyan said with a smile.

Wang Heng bowed respectfully. “Now that Nanjiang is your fief, His Majesty’s meaning is that there is no need for you to return to the capital unless summoned. After I finish transferring control of the mines, I will return to the capital to report.”

“Very well. My men will assist you with the handover.”

“Thank you, Prince of Yong.”

Gu Hua understood—this was the court reclaiming the mines.

After Wang Heng left, Mu Junyan saw Gu Hua’s uneasy expression and pulled her into his arms.

“It’s fine.”

“But the mines are Nanjiang’s most valuable resource. With the court taking them back, how will you forge weapons in the future?”

“Don’t worry.” Mu Junyan gently smoothed her furrowed brow.

He hooked her chin and kissed her rosy lips.

“From today on, we won’t think about anything else. We’ll simply focus on giving Mu Chen and Mu Xi a few more little brothers and sisters.”

Gu Hua, who had been busy analyzing the emperor’s motives, froze.

When she realized what he meant, she almost choked.

Face burning, she glared at him. “What nonsense—there are people watching.”

Seeing his beloved wife’s shy, flushed face, Mu Junyan grew excited and suddenly swept her off her feet.

Everyone quickly turned away, silently laughing.

“Yesterday was your birthday. I didn’t have time to prepare a gift. So… how about I give you myself?”

Gu Hua buried her face into his arms in embarrassment…