234 Zhen Ai Yong Yuan


    Bai Yu organized a grand ceremony for Ouyang Feilong’s funeral by herself. She refused to heal the scar on her face, intending for it to mar her beauty until her death. And so half of her face was obscured by a thin silk veil at all times.


    Da Yang had cried once again at the loss of two emperors in rapid session. Still, the court was held stable by Ouyang Feilong’sst decree. Bai Yu, who was currently the person with the highest status, would announce its contents after the funeral ended.


    In hisst royal decree, Ouyang Feilong appointed Taizi Ouyang Mingxian as the next emperor, along with Taizi Fei Chu Jiaoxin as his empress consort. At the same time, he had ordered Empress Dowager Wei to stay at the Ping An Temple on the Ping An Mountain, which was the royal family’s ancestral temple. He reasoned that, with his mother’s old age, he wished for her to live peacefully. Furthermore, her praying at the temple would create good karma and fortune for the Ouyang dynasty, which had seen many losses in a short period of time.


    After the day the new emperor ascended the throne, Ouyang Mingxian appointed Bai Yu as Empress Dowager and Bai Hua as Huang Gui Fei. At the same time, Empress Dowager Wei could not ept Ouyang Feilong’sstmand. But no matter how long she tried to dy her departure from the royal pce, she could not deny the word of the former son of heaven. Emperor Ouyang Mingxian himself apanied her to the Ping An Temple to see her off, disying admirable filial piety.


    Shortly after bing the emperor, Ouyang Mingxian assigned many men from the Wei family as courtiers in order to bnce the old and new power within the court. Bai Yu said nothing about his action, even though she held the title of Empress Dowager of Da Yang.


    She kept to herself in her pce, always wearing her veil. She raised the prince and princess by herself. Ouyang Mingxian did not object to her, as he knew how deeply she and Ouyang Feilong loved each other, as proved by their children.


    Ouyang Mingxian announced that the day Ouyang Feilong died, which was the same day that the prince and princess were born, would be called ‘Zhen Ai Yong Yuan Day.’ It was named after the prince and princess and held the same meaning: ‘True eternal love.’ The citizens celebrated the day of love from dawn to dusk. Lovers were allowed a space of intimacy allowed by Da Yang’s tradition.


    The two little buns grew up under Bai Yu’s care. They were well-liked by those within the inner court, especially by Chu Jiaoxin, who remained chaste, and Bai Hua, whose body had greatly weakened and was unable to have a child. Ouyang Mingxian devoted himself to maintaining the nation after what Ouyang Hongxian and Ouyang Feilong had left behind. He had no interest in epting more consorts. It was as if the prince and the princess were the heart of Da Yang.


    On the third anniversary of Ouyang Feilong’s death, which was also the prince and princess’ birthday, Ouyang Mingxian appointed Ouyang Yongyuan as Taizi, discarding voices of objection from the Wei family’s courtiers.


    .....


    Da Yang’s royal court was stable, but Empress Dowager Bai’s heart could no longer return to its former state…


    “Do you know the reason why Da Yang has a day of love like this?” A traveler wearing white schr attire asked a man in green beside him.


    Today was Zhen Ai Yong Yuan Day and the day Taizi of Da Yang was appointed. Citizens celebrated during the day and releasednterns at night. All day, merchants and travelers poured into the capital. Da Yang’s Day of love had be a festival that attracted foreigners both for trade and to try their luck in love.


    “It’s the birthday of the emperor’s favorite consort?”


    “Wrong.”


    “How did ite to be, then?”


    “It’s quite a bit of a legend…” The man in white straightened his back in his seat, putting on the air of a sage. “…They say that Da Yang’s former emperor and the current empress dowager were deeply in love, despite being married for only a short time before being parted by death…”


    The love story between Bai Yu and Ouyang Feilong had been retold in this way ever since the day he passed away, and she had shed her own face to make her life a living hell. This story had been retold for over three years until it became a legend that was slightly embellished in some details but still had the same heartwarming effect on the listener, no matter how sorrowful its end was.


    “Ever since the day the former emperor passed away,nterns had been seen from Empress Dowager Bai’s pce every night. Those who collected the fallennterns would find gold tied to them. It seems her majesty wishes to reward anyone who keeps thentern…”


    “Empress Dowager Bai is indeed generous. So releasingnterns bes an activity for lovers on the day of love?”


    “No.” The man in white shook his head. “…More important than the gold is thentern. Empress Dowager Bai draws two butterflies on everyntern she releases. One red, one silver…”


    “Everyntern?” The man in green repeated.


    “Yes. It’s meant to represent her and the former emperor. Everyone in Da Yang knows this, so releasingnterns painted with red and silver butterflies has quite a superstitious meaning. They say that lovers who release thisntern will never part, and they will be blessed with eternal love.”


    “A wonderful story.” The man in green nodded in admiration. Such a way of love showed that the people of Da Yang truly had tender hearts.


    “There’s more. When releasing antern in Da Yang, you must tie a valuable object to it as well, so that the lover can create good karma together. Those valuables will be of help to a person in need who finds thentern.”


    “If I’m not rich, then I won’t be able to find any valuables to tie to thentern…” The man in green joked.


    “As for the man, he will bring jewelry. That piece of jewelry will be a promise of a betrothal…” The man in white produced a ring and put it on the table. “…I’ve prepared one.”


    “And with whom will you release thentern?” The man in green was watching the other person. He only had one travelingpanion here, yet he brought something to release: antern with a lover.


    The man in white did not answer. He stood up and put the ring on the man in green’s hand before pulling him out of the inn. The voice of the man in white could be vaguely heard before they left. “That’s because I’m going to ask you.”


    Pffffff


    “Yuan-er!” A clear voice called out to the child in front of her with a scolding tone. He suddenly spat out warm tea, spattering her face with it because of thest words said by the man who asked another man to release antern together.


    “M…Mother.” The son, who was the cause of the stain on the thin veil, spoke in a t tone. Nevertheless, his eyes clearly reflected guilt.


    Bai Yu sighed before taking off the veil to change to another one, not caring how she had surprised the people around her with her beauty.


    Three years had passed, and everyone knew that the former Meihua Lady had destroyed her own beauty and limited herself to the inner court. Bai Yu had no fear of anyone realizing that she and Ouyang Yongyuan had gotten out of the pce and were sitting in the Zhaocaijinbao inn, waiting to see the famous performance of Da Yang’s Day of Love.


    “Mother.” It was rare to see the new Taizi be so talkative. Her son had inherited quite a lot from his father. Yet today, he called her twice after spitting tea in her face. His small face, already having a trace of beauty more notable than any man, was full of doubt. “Men can release antern together too?”


    She and her children would not use formal speech when it was not necessary. Although Ouyang Yongyuan was only three years old, he was smarter than his age. This time, they were under disguise outside the pce, so he was more careful with his words than usual.


    “If your heart says yes, then you can.”


    “Really?!” A high-pitched voice came before the chubby little legs of the younger steamed bun brought herself to the table. Ouyang Zhenai ran toward Bai Yu with a surprised look. It seemed that she had both heard her brother’s question and her mother’s answer… The twins were indeed too clever for their age.


    Bai Yu sighed. If it was the older steamed bun, then she would be able to exin it to him again. Her first answer was intended to tease him before giving another, more serious reply. Unfortunately, the younger bun had heard it too. Now Bai Yu was starting to want to turn back the time to start again from the beginning without joking…


    “What are you teaching our children, hm?”


    Bai Yu sighed. Not only did the two steamed buns hear her, but their beautiful father had also heard…


    “I’m only joking, dear.”


    “Furen, the kids are in the copycat phase.”


    “I’m only joking.” Bai Yu grimaced under the new veil. The man who pretended to scold his wife had a smile on the corner of his mouth for a brief moment before returning to normal.


    “It seems Father will give your mother a harsh punishment tonight.” He turned to speak to his son.


    “I’ll take Sister to stay at the pce.” Ouyang Yongyuan nodded with an expressionless face. He seemed unconcerned by anything, including his mother’s pleading gaze… This boy was good at ignoring others ever since he was a baby.


    “I’ll stay with biaoge!” Ouyang Zhenai clung to Ouyang Mingxian more than anyone else. She felt nothing even when she could not sleep with her father or mother.


    Her daughter loved beautiful men, with her father as the only exception. He was too beautiful, especially when he was with her mother. Ouyang Zhenai’s eyes felt as if they could be blinded by the sight of her parents together… She and her brother would surely look like this too when they grew up!


    “Don’t you want to be with your mother and father on your birthday?” Bai Yu sent a pleading look to her two children again, even though what she received was disregard from the older one and confusion from the younger. She could not receive any more punishment from this man… The lustful ck Dragon!


    No matter how hard she tried to beg them with her eyes, the older steamed bun still let his father do as he pleased. These father and son were almost telepathic. They had the same personality, even. As for the younger steamed bun, she readily followed her brother to stay at the pce. Nothing could make Ouyang Zhenai let go of her older brother. Nothing but beautiful men.


    “Father and Mother must want to be together more.” Ouyang Yongyuan raised his teacup, sipping it in a dignified manner unusual for a child of his age. The boy tried not to think about the two men who had left. He told himself that his mother’s answer was a mere jest. “Also, there are royal affairs that I have to help his majesty handle.”


    Someone tell me that he’s only three years old!


    “That’s great! Brother helps biaoge with work, and so biaoge will be able to y chess with me. I’m going to win this time!”


    Someone tell me that she’s only three years old!


    “Heh.” A chuckle came from next to her as he put hisrge hand on her head and lightly rocked it. “It seems Furen will have to sleep alone with me tonight.”


    “I’m going out to buy antern for Father and Mother.” Ouyang Yongyuan knowingly stood up.


    “My beautiful brother! Let me go with you too,” Ouyang Zhenai innocently ran after her brother.


    As soon as her children went out of her sight, Bai Yu immediately pped the man who used her head as a hand rest. She called out the name of the man who had such courage as she scowled at him. “Ouyang Feilong!”


    That’s right.


    This evil man was Ouyang Feilong!


    The damned person who should now be truly damned!