Only after Chen Wei finished the last mouthful of tangyuan did Yang Chan finally let him off, thoroughly satisfied.
The couple walked side by side toward the Council Hall in the front courtyard. They had barely crossed the threshold when the sight before them left them unsure whether to laugh or cry.
Chen Xiang sat astride Lu Beiwang's neck, tugging his topknot and shouting in his babyish voice, "Giddyup! Faster! I am the Divine Martial General! All troops, charge!"
"All hail the mighty general!"
"This humble servant will clear the way! Watch out for flying swords overhead, General!"
Lu Beiwang wore a thoroughly fawning expression, without a trace of an Immortal Official's dignity. He wriggled forward, shouting at the top of his lungs to play along.
Then they looked toward the seat of honor.
Chen Xiaochan was behaving quite nicely. She sat steadily in the chair from which Chen Wei usually issued his commands, looking utterly composed, the very picture of a commander directing a campaign. All she lacked was a cup of tea to sip.
That's my daughter! Chen Wei felt deeply gratified at the sight.
Yang Chan pressed a hand to her forehead in resignation.
She strode forward, caught the golden light in her left hand, and scooped up the white light with her right. No matter how the two little true spirits twisted and struggled, she pressed them straight into her swollen belly.
"Stop making trouble."
"By my reckoning, you'll be born soon. Until then, I absolutely mustn't let you out to cause mischief again. The wind outside is strong. Don't let it scatter your prenatal light."
"I don't know who you learned this from!"
"Your mother was very well behaved as a child!"
Yang Chan stroked her belly, muttering and grumbling. Chen Wei quietly rolled his