"Father, have the names of my brothers been chosen yet?" Yanran suddenly asked.
The Prince of Jin laughed and said, "This is your brother's matter."
"Brother?" Yanran looked at Linlin.
Linlin was prepared and took out a piece of paper from her sleeve. "Father, do you think these two names are suitable?"
Prince of Jin unfolded the paper, Yanran leaned in to look, reading aloud, "Wuji, Wuxian... what does that mean?"
Isn't the word "opportunity" always "no"?
Xiu'er sighed when she mentioned the monkey's name, wondering why her brother would specifically choose this character for his name.
The Prince of Jin's eyes showed approval. "Very good, let's use these two names."
There is no suspicion between brothers, and there is no need to envy anyone.
Linlin smiled and said, "I'll ask Mother if she likes it or not later."
Yanran: "What Father likes, Mother likes too. Like me, hehe."
Looking at her Lovely appearance, the Prince of Jin couldn't help but ruffle her hair and say, "Yanran will be an older sister from now on."
"Don't worry, Father," Yanran said, "I will definitely let my younger brother have his way, I won't fight with them for things, and I'll let Eighth Master, Jiaojiao, and Little Lovely play with them."
Prince of Jin: "..."
Are you sure you're not just trying to scare them?
"It's not about you giving in to them, it's about you teaching them."
Yanran: "Of course! Haha, finally it's my turn to spank others!"
I'm so happy!
Seeing that the Prince of Jin was speechless, Linlin suppressed a smile and said, "Father, these two names are just nicknames for my younger brothers. As for their formal names, I'm afraid we'll have to consult with our Imperial Grandfather before making a decision."
The emperor didn't bestow names upon Zidu, but he had to be informed of the matter first as a sign of respect.
As is customary, the emperor would bestow rewards.
If no name is bestowed upon them, then a decision will be made after the official titles and honors are granted.
Moreover, many royal children do not have formal names before the age of one, because they are already living in extreme wealth and privilege, and there is a fear that they might not be able to control their status.
The Prince of Jin said, "Let's keep shouting like this for now, and we'll discuss it further when the imperial edict arrives."
Yanran stood up and said, "Father, brother, you go first, I'll go see if Xiu'er has given birth yet. Oh dear, this time it must be a little sister."
Those three clueless kids are so annoying.
She wants a Ruanruan and cuddly little sister so that when she leads her two older, burly brothers into battle, she'll also need an audience member to applaud.
"Go ahead," Prince of Jin instructed, not wanting to go himself. "When the Crown Princess says she needs something, just open the storeroom and have someone fetch it. If it's not available, have someone take the silver to buy it."
He began to regret not notifying Song Jingyang to come back sooner.
I always thought that I should save the time for later, so he could spend more time with the baby; I never expected that Xiu'er would go into labor early.
Yanran agreed and went out with a smile.
Only the father and son remained in the house—no, the father and his four sons.
Linlin smiled and said, "Father, now that Wuji and Wuxian are here, I'm afraid some people will use our brotherly relationship to their advantage."
The Prince of Jin had originally intended to talk to him, but he hadn't expected him to bring it up today.
"Linlin, you are the eldest son of your father and mother," said Prince of Jin. "Although you were not our expectation, thanks to the careful upbringing you received from your maternal grandfather and uncle, and your own hard work..."
"So your father and mother mentioned long ago that after they pass away, the burden will fall on your shoulders."
"You just need to do what you're supposed to do; leave the rest to your father."
If he remains a prince until his death, then Linlin will also be a prince; if he ascends the throne as emperor, then Linlin will be the crown prince.
"Father," Linlin looked at him with clear, bright eyes, a deep longing in them, "Since I was little, what I envied most were children with loving parents and happy families..."
Later, he got pregnant.
"... I've always tried so hard because I'm afraid that one day in the future, when you and Mother need me, I won't be able to help."
"My nature is more like my maternal grandfather's; I have no ambition for power, I just want to do something meaningful."
If self-discipline is a talent, then he might indeed be slightly better at it than others.
But hard work and self-discipline are not for the sake of sibling rivalry.
He has always understood this.
"Father, rest assured," Linlin said, "I will help you teach Wuji and Wuxian in the future, and I will also assist the one among them who is truly suitable."
They are neither competitive nor greedy, but open and honest.
My father's path is already difficult enough; to further defy the world and support someone whose position is illegitimate and without legitimacy would be...
This kind of expenditure is completely unnecessary.
"Wuji and Wuxian are like two blank sheets of paper," Linlin said with a smile. "They will become what we teach them. So Father, you don't need to worry about the brothers turning against each other in the future."
He will do what he should do; he will not overstep his boundaries.
"That's not what you're saying," the Prince of Jin said, his expression serious but also deeply gratified. "Your father believes you are the most suitable person. Your succession to the throne doesn't mean you don't need to educate your younger siblings well."
Linlin's excellence is already that of a dragon among men.
He had the best teachers, had endured hardship, and was both intelligent and hardworking... Even in his wildest dreams, the Prince of Jin would never have dared to dream of such an outstanding son.
With a son like this, what more could a husband ask for?
The Prince of Jin never believed that any of his sons, not just the twins in front of him, but all his future children, could be more outstanding than Linlin.
Identity should not be a Linlin obstacle.
"Father knows you have a humble heart, but pushing a mediocre younger brother into that position is irresponsible to the entire royal family and even the entire kingdom."
"Linlin, not everything can be given up."
"Your father knows you are a good child, though you may not have thought of it; but today your father tells you that whether it is your father and mother, your maternal grandfather and uncles, or your teacher, we all have high hopes for you."
He reached out and patted Linlin on the shoulder. "The capable should take the place. There are some things Father may not always mention, but once he has said them, they will not change."
Only if he explains things clearly will Linlin not feel lost.
Linlin so smart; once she figured out her place, she knew what she should do.
From the moment he handed over his two sons' names to Linlin, he was telling her that in the end, everything would depend on Linlin.
Linlin nodded Linlin and said, "Father, I understand."
There's no need for further words between father and son.
Everything is understood without words.
The Prince of Jin smiled and nodded, then asked, "What else is in your sleeve?"
Linlin was stunned for a moment, not quite reacting.
The Prince of Jin laughed and said, "You couldn't have known beforehand that there were two younger brothers, could you?"
Linlin said embarrassedly, "Father saw right through me."
He had already chosen names for all the possible combinations: two boys, two girls, one boy and one girl, and placed them in his left and right sleeves and in his waist pouch, respectively.
The Prince of Jin laughed heartily.
Qu Nian got out of the basin, shook off the water, and heard his laughter. She barked angrily!
--The Prince of Jin is riding high on his success, even making fun of himself. Just wait and see!