Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

As soon as the three-year mourning period was over, Xinran began to make frequent small moves. She dressed up beautifully every day and deliberately waited for Shen Yuanzhang on his way home from court. Whenever she encountered Shen Yuanzhang, she would try her best to create "chance encounters" and use them as an opportunity to showcase her charm and talent. Sometimes, she would suddenly appear before Shen Yuanzhang and tell him in a coquettish voice, "Husband, our son has learned to call you father!" Or she would proudly boast, "Husband, our son recently memorized another poem!" She would also use various excuses and pretexts to approach Shen Yuanzhang, trying to attract his attention and interest.

As usual, Qiao Xinran came to the road that Shen Yuanzhang had to pass every day early and waited quietly for his arrival. Her heart was full of anticipation and joy, because this was the moment they met every day.

From afar, Qiao Xinran spotted a man in a bright yellow robe and a golden crown approaching. He was tall and handsome, and every step carried a sense of dignity and confidence. Qiao Xinran's heartbeat quickened, and a blush crept into her face.

When Shen Yuanzhang approached, Qiao Xinran stepped forward with a smile, her eyes gleaming with tenderness. She said softly, "Your Majesty, I have been waiting here for a long time."

Shen Yuanzhang looked at Qiao Xinran's delicate appearance, and a wave of pity and love welled up in his heart. He smiled and nodded, saying, "My beloved, you have worked hard. Let's go back to the palace together today." As he spoke, he reached out and gently held Qiao Xinran's hand.

Qiao Xinran felt Shen Yuanzhang's warm hand, her heart filled with happiness and satisfaction. She nodded slightly in agreement, and together with Shen Yuanzhang, they embarked on the road back to the palace. Along the way, they confided in each other their thoughts and care for each other, enjoying this rare time together.

After returning to the palace, Qiao Xinran personally prepared tea and snacks for Shen Yuanzhang, and then sat beside him to chat with him to relieve his boredom. Shen Yuanzhang looked at Qiao Xinran's smile and felt particularly happy. He felt that it was a great blessing in his life to have such a beautiful and kind woman.

As night fell, Shen Yuanzhang and Qiao Xinran enjoyed a delicious dinner together. Afterward, they strolled through the garden, admiring the moonlit beauty and feeling each other's warmth and love. For Qiao Xinran, this evening was a beautiful memory and a hope for her future life.

Qiao Xinran and Shen Yuanzhang walked in the garden for a while, feeling a little tired, so they sat down by the pavilion. Not long after they sat down, they saw a porcelain doll with red lips, white teeth and exquisite clothes walking towards them from a distance. The little guy was taking small steps at this time, murmuring: "Mother, Father, Mother, Father..." as if looking for something. As he got closer and closer, one could clearly hear the longing in the childish voice. Looking at the two short legs tossing around, Shen Yuanzhang and Qiao Xinran both showed kind smiles on their faces. Qiao Xinran said dotingly: "My son, go slower, don't be anxious."

Qiao Xinran smiled gently and said: She walked forward, picked up the child and said softly, "My prince, are you tired?"

The little one in Qiao Xinran's arms burrowed in her arms and said in a milky voice, "Mother, I miss you so much. Where have you been? I've been looking for you for a long time. Don't you want me anymore?"

Listening to the child's tender voice and his attachment to himself, my heart seemed to melt. His face was full of tenderness. How could my mother not love you? My mother loves you the most. You are my little baby. How could my mother not like you?

The little baby in my arms said dissatisfiedly, "Mother, why didn't you wait for me? I looked for you for a long time but couldn't find you. It turned out that you and father secretly ran out to play without taking me with you." The little baby in my arms complained dissatisfiedly.

Hearing this, Shen Yuanzhang lovingly took his son from Qiao Xinran to his own arms, gently pinched his chubby cheeks, and then gently scratched the little boy's nose with his index finger, his tone full of pampering: "Little clever boy, how do you know that father doesn't like you anymore?"

The little girl pouted and said with dissatisfaction, "If my father likes me, why doesn't he take me with him?"

Shen Yuanzhang smiled helplessly and explained: "Weren't you sleeping at that time? How could I take care of you? Besides, why didn't you go to bed without waiting for us?"

The little boy thought about it seriously, his nose wrinkled and his eyebrows drooped. He thought seriously, it seems to be my fault, so I will forgive my father.

Qiao Xinran and Shen Yuanzhang couldn't help laughing when they heard this. This cute and clever child was unlike his eldest prince, who was like a piece of wood, always wearing a serious smile on his face, and didn't look that cute.

The little girl smiled happily, her eyes sparkling like two bright gemstones. Her chubby little hands tightly grasped her parents' hands, as if she was afraid they would suddenly disappear. Her little face was filled with a smile of happiness and satisfaction, which made people feel pity and love.

"Father, Mother, let's go!" Milkball said cheerfully, her tiny body brimming with energy. She took brisk steps, skipping and hopping beside her parents like a lively and adorable little rabbit.

They walked slowly along the palace corridor, the moonlight shining through the windows onto them, forming silver spots of light. Milk Ball looked around curiously, feeling a sense of novelty in everything around him.

"Father, what is that place?" asked Milk Ball, pointing to a building in the distance.

"That's the study, which contains many books and cultural relics." The emperor explained patiently.

"Wow, I really want to go and see it!" said Milk Balloon excitedly.

"When you grow up, your father will take you there." The emperor smiled and touched the little boy's head.

Along the way, Milk Ball kept asking questions, and the Emperor and Qiao Xinran patiently answered her questions, enjoying this rare parent-child time. Before they knew it, they arrived at the gate of the Imperial Garden.

"Wow, this place is so beautiful!" Naituanzi exclaimed. The Imperial Garden before him was filled with all sorts of exotic flowers and plants, each blooming in a dazzling array of colors, emitting bursts of fragrance. The garden's winding paths, dotted with exquisite rockery and ponds, created a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

Milkball ran ahead excitedly, eager to explore this beautiful world. The Emperor and Empress smiled at each other and quickened their pace to catch up. The family strolled through the Imperial Garden, admiring the beautiful scenery and enjoying a warm family time.

When the family of three was happily strolling in the Imperial Garden, a small figure kept staring at them with envy in his eyes, but he did not show much expression. At such a young age, his teacher taught him to be steady, because he was the eldest son and had to set an example for his younger siblings. His mother taught him that his every move should be in accordance with the royal rules, but no one told him that he was also a child and he needed his father's care.

The eldest prince stood there, his small figure gazing for a long time at the three figures as they gradually receded until they disappeared from his sight, his eyes filled with a deep sense of reluctance and longing. He stood there quietly, as if time had stopped, until the very last moment, when he slowly withdrew his gaze.

The maidservant beside him had been quietly accompanying him, waiting for his instructions. When the eldest prince finally turned around, the maidservant immediately bowed her head respectfully, indicating that she was ready to obey his orders at any time.

The eldest prince sighed softly, then calmly said to the palace maid, "Let's go back." Then he walked towards the study, his steps seeming a little heavy.

Arriving in the study, the eldest prince sat at his desk, silently looking at the mountain of homework piled high on the table. He had to complete all of it, but at the moment, he couldn't concentrate on studying. His thoughts were still lingering on the scene just now, and his heart was filled with longing for the three figures.

However, as a member of the royal family, the young Nian Nian Ji was fully aware of his responsibilities and obligations. Despite his emotional turmoil, he managed to calm himself and began to work hard on his studies. He knew that only through continuous learning and growth could he better fulfill his mission and become an outstanding prince.

Wang Yuyan heard every word of what had happened through the maid's mouth. She listened quietly as she knelt on the ground, describing Emperor Qian and Qiao Xinran strolling in the park, interacting with the Second Prince, and the image of the First Prince pausing to gaze at their backs. Every word pierced Wang Yuyan's heart like a knife, but her expression remained calm, as if nothing had happened.

Finally, the maid finished her words. Wang Yuyan took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. She turned to look at Nanny Li beside her and whispered, "Nanny, go get some reward money for her." After hearing the order, Nanny Li immediately turned around, took off a purse from her body, stuffed it into the maid's hand, and sternly warned, "Don't tell anyone else about this, otherwise you will bear the consequences." The maid nodded repeatedly in fear, indicating that she understood and would never tell anyone about it. Nanny Li nodded with satisfaction, and then said to her gently, "Then you can go back first. Come back and report when you have something to report. You will definitely benefit from it." The maid thanked her with tears of gratitude and left the room.

Nanny Li, observing Wang Yuyan's distraught and melancholy expression, knew she must be feeling a heavy weight. So, she stepped forward and soothed her softly, "Your Highness, there's no need to worry too much. That little slut won't be around much longer. After all, our eldest prince is a legitimate son and grandson. With the late emperor's blessing, he will surely grow up safely."

However, before Nanny Li could finish her words, she was ruthlessly interrupted. Wang Yuyan sighed helplessly, her tone filled with bitterness and despair. "Nanny Li, you always talk about the future, but who can predict the future? Look at the Emperor right now. His favor for Qiao Xinran and his preference for the Second Prince far surpass his attention to the First Prince."