The robe

Half a month later...

New Year's Eve was just three days away, and everyone at the Prince of Anbei's residence was busy with preparations. So that the servants could all return home and enjoy the New Year with their families, Yan Wanning had the accounting office give them two months' wages.

Having received such generous wages, the servants worked even more diligently, their faces aglow with joyful smiles.

At that moment, Nanny Cheng was showing Yan Wanning the list of New Year's purchases. "Does the Princess Consort think anything still needs changing?"

Yan Wanning finished looking through the list. "You've done very well, Nanny. Let's do as the list says."

"It is this old servant's duty." Nanny Cheng bowed and withdrew.

Xiao He then had several maids bring in trays bearing exquisite, lavish clothes and jewelry.

"Princess Consort, the Prince personally ordered all of these to be made in a hurry. Have a look and see which you like. You can wear it on New Year's Eve."

A banquet would be held in the palace on New Year's Eve, both to celebrate with the emperor and his ministers drinking together and to discuss and choose a suitable candidate for a marriage alliance.

The emperor had already announced that a choice would be made from among the sons of the imperial clan and the legitimate sons of the ministers.

Yan Wanning picked and chose until she finally settled on a peach-pink outfit. She placed both hands on her slightly rounded belly, her eyes brimming with tenderness. The baby had now reached three months, and Si Yunqi had immediately sent word back to the Northern Borderlands to inform the Elder Princess Consort.

Everyone in the Prince's Residence, as well as the empress and emperor, now knew she was pregnant. The imperial couple had been so delighted that they had bestowed many gifts, while Ye Muchen, who had once said he would take a Crown Princess before Si Yunqi had a child, had once again been pressed hard by the empress to marry.

The three days passed in the blink of an eye. After breakfast with Yan Wanning, Si Yunqi had to go to the palace and probably would not return to the residence until after the evening banquet.

Yan Wanning had gotten up unusually early. While Si Yunqi was washing in the bathing room, she mysteriously pulled a bundle from the very back of the cabinet. Opening it, she revealed a neatly folded moon-white outer robe.

When Si Yunqi came out, he saw his little wife holding an outer robe out to him, her eyes sparkling. She said shyly, "Husband, come and try it on. See if it fits."

"Did you make this yourself, my lady?" Joy lit Si Yunqi's ink-black eyes, and he obediently put on the robe.

The moon-white robe was embroidered with exquisite patterns outlined in gold thread. A tiny chicken drumstick was embroidered on the front, with another on each sleeve and one on the back of the collar.

He stroked the fabric of the robe carefully. It was made of the finest gold-woven brocade. When his hand reached the fabric over his chest, he suddenly felt an uneven patch and looked at it in puzzlement,

There, he saw the three tiny characters for "Yan Wanning" embroidered in gold thread.

Warmth flooded Si Yunqi's heart. He lifted the woman before him and captured her cherry-red lips, nibbling at them for a long while before letting her go.

Yan Wanning was a little shy that he had discovered her little secret. She buried her head against his chest and refused to look up. Si Yunqi rested his chin on her head, his voice full of unmistakable joy. "How long did it take you to make, my lady? It fits perfectly."

"Two or three months," Yan Wanning said softly.

The two of them were often glued together, and she had wanted to surprise him, so she had only worked on it when he was out. That was why it had taken a little longer.

"Do you like it, Husband?"

"I love it, just as I love you, my lady. Thank you for all your hard work."

Yan Wanning raised her face and looked at him. "I'm glad you like it, Husband."

"Why did you embroider your name there, my lady?"

He knew what his little wife was thinking, but he wanted to hear her say it herself.

"You know perfectly well, Husband." She raised a hand and gave his chest a gentle thump. "I want you to think of me every moment of the day," she said softly.

"Rest assured, my lady, I will think of you every moment of the day." Si Yunqi was becoming increasingly adept at teasing her. "Will you think of me, my lady?"

"I will." Yan Wanning's bright eyes were filled with affection for him.

After spending a little time being intimate with her, Si Yunqi had to leave the residence. Yan Wanning walked him to the gate and watched him in the robe she had made with her own hands, looking full of spirit. Her heart felt sweet and warm.

"Come home early, Husband. I'll wait for you to come back so we can have our New Year's Eve dinner together."

"It's cold outside. You might catch a chill if you stay out too long, so hurry back in. I'll be back soon. I won't make you wait too long."

Somewhere along the way, the usually taciturn man had begun to nag, especially when it came to Yan Wanning. Sometimes, even if he said nothing, he would take care of things himself.

"Hurry along, Husband, or you'll be late for your important business."

Yan Wanning obediently let Xiao He help her back inside. Seeing this, Si Yunqi turned, mounted his horse, and rode away.

That morning, Ye Muchen kept feeling that Si Yunqi was acting a little strangely. He would raise a hand to gently touch his robe, then suddenly break into a smile.

Really... he looked like a fool.

After seeing him do it several times, Ye Muchen could no longer contain his curiosity. What magic did Si Yunqi's robe possess, to make the usually taciturn, cold-faced man grin foolishly all morning?

"Ahem, ahem!"

Ye Muchen leaned closer to Si Yunqi and coughed twice. When the man looked over, a rare trace of awkwardness appeared on his face, but he asked anyway, "Has something happy happened at the Prince's Residence so early this morning?"

Could it be the Princess Consort of Anbei's pregnancy?

But... that was quite a while ago. Surely there was no need to stay happy about it for so long?

When Si Yunqi saw the Crown Prince leaning close, he strangely gave him a smile as well. With a solemn expression, he said in all seriousness, "What did you say, Your Highness? You think my robe looks good too? I also think it looks very good."

Ye Muchen was speechless at the reply, which had nothing to do with his question.

"It... it looks good, but I was asking..."

"Oh, you wanted to ask who made the robe." Si Yunqi put on an act and sighed. "The Princess Consort made it for me herself. She's still pregnant, and I wouldn't let her make it, so she did it in secret. She gave me quite a surprise."