Chapter Ninety: Liu Yao and Diao Chan

After Empress Dowager Dong saw Liu Xin leave, she turned around and looked at Liu Yao with a broad smile that made his skin crawl.

“My dear grandson, why are you looking at me like that? Has a flower grown on my face?” Liu Yao asked weakly.

“My grandson, tell me honestly, what is the story with that young lady?” the empress dowager said with a smile.

Liu Yao blushed when he heard this, and after some hesitation, explained Diao Chan’s situation.

“So that is how it is,” Empress Dowager Dong murmured. Then she said to Liu Yao, “My grandson, you do like that young lady, don’t you?” She had cared for him for so many years; how could she not understand what his manner meant?

“Um...” Liu Yao, whose thoughts had been seen through, froze for a moment, then said in a low voice, “I only have some affection for her. It is not yet love.”

The empress dowager’s smile deepened. “That is no problem. Though Diao Chan is of humble birth, her appearance is beyond criticism. If her character proves acceptable, it would not be impossible to make her your secondary wife.”

Of course, Diao Chan had been born too lowly; in Empress Dowager Dong’s eyes, even a secondary wife was already very good. As for a principal wife, there was no need even to think of it.

Liu Yao was delighted at this. Diao Chan’s character, of course, needed no discussion. A woman who could repay Wang Yun’s kindness by offering herself to the wolves, all in order to save the realm—what flaw could there possibly be in her? If he could obtain the empress dowager’s support, then he would feel even more at ease. Moreover, the woman he had chosen in his heart as his principal wife was naturally Cai Yan, and that would never change. Of course, even that was only a title. Liu Yao had no real concept of principal wife, equal wife, or concubine. In his heart, if they were his women, then he would treat them all with complete fairness.

“My empress dowager, I can assure you that Diao Chan’s character is absolutely beyond question,” Liu Yao declared, beating his chest.

“Hmm?!” Empress Dowager Dong suddenly frowned. “My grandson, today is your first time meeting Diao Chan, is it not? How can you be so certain?”

She was likely worried that Liu Yao would be dazzled by Diao Chan’s beauty and become like Emperor Ling of Han. In her eyes, Liu Hong had always been a lecherous drunkard. Of course, this was all thanks to Emperor Ling’s remarkable acting; even now, only Liu Yao knew the man’s other side.

“Ah... In time, the empress dowager will naturally understand,” Liu Yao said evasively. He could hardly say that he had long known such a person as Diao Chan existed.

Empress Dowager Dong looked at him somewhat displeased, and Liu Yao hurriedly said with a smile, “There is another matter today that I would like to bring good news about to the empress dowager.”

“Good news? What good news?” Her attention was indeed drawn away at once, and she asked curiously.

“Reporting to the empress dowager, Father Emperor will grant me a marriage tomorrow. Would you not call that a joyful matter?” Liu Yao said with a smile.

Empress Dowager Dong was overjoyed. She had long been troubled that although Liu Yao was grown now, he still had no marriage that satisfied her. To have two arrive at once was beyond her expectations. “My grandson, quickly tell me, whose daughter is it?”

“It is the daughter of my teacher, Cai Yong: Cai Yan.”

Empress Dowager Dong nodded in satisfaction and praised him, saying, “Your teacher Cai Yong was a renowned scholar of the age. His daughter will surely be a well-educated, sensible, and virtuous woman as well. My grandson, you truly have good judgment.”

“Of course,” Liu Yao said proudly, wearing the look of someone most accomplished.

Beside them, Shi A’s eyes nearly fell out of his head as he looked at Liu Yao, who seemed almost childlike. In his eyes, Liu Yao had always been calm and wise. When had he ever looked like this? Yet perhaps only in the presence of Empress Dowager Dong and the other true members of his family would Liu Yao show such an expression.

“You...” Empress Dowager Dong looked at him with fatherly kindness.

Just then, Diao Chan and Liu Xin came out from the inner hall, with a layer of gauze wrapped around their hands. “My empress dowager!” Liu Xin rushed into Empress Dowager Dong’s arms in a single bound.

“Greetings, Your Highness, Empress Dowager,” Diao Chan said, still somewhat timidly, as she bowed to the two of them.

Empress Dowager Dong looked very pleased with Diao Chan’s manners. She set Liu Xin down from her arms and said somewhat solemnly, “My grandson, take Xin’er outside and stroll around with her. I have something to say to Diao Chan.”

“All right, all right!” Liu Xin cried happily at once. She had long been eager to go out and play with the telescope. She had only looked at it for a short while earlier, and still felt she had not had enough.

Liu Yao could not help but laugh wryly. He naturally knew that Empress Dowager Dong intended to test Diao Chan and see whether she was fit to enter the Liu family. But Liu Yao had confidence in Diao Chan as well, so he answered and then led the impatient Liu Xin out of the palace.

When Diao Chan saw that Liu Yao and Liu Xin had actually left, leaving only herself and Empress Dowager Dong behind, she became completely flustered, not knowing where to put her hands.

Empress Dowager Dong, however, kept smiling at her. What happened next, naturally, Liu Yao could no longer know.

After Liu Yao and Liu Xin left the palace, although Liu Yao had faith in Diao Chan, he could not help but feel a trace of worry.

“Brother Emperor, Brother Emperor, look over there,” Liu Xin called softly while examining the telescope, but Liu Yao only stood there dazed, not hearing a word.

Liu Xin grew angry and stomped hard on Liu Yao’s foot.

“Agh!” Liu Yao cried out in pain and snapped back to himself. Only then did he see Liu Xin with hands on her hips, glaring at him in fury. “Xin’er, why did you step on me?”

“Hmph, who told Brother Emperor to ignore me just now? A single step on your foot is already letting you off lightly,” Liu Xin said coquettishly.

Liu Yao only then realized he had been too absorbed in his thoughts and neglected the little girl. He immediately apologized. “That was my fault. I was thinking about something just now and did not notice you, Xin’er. Let me apologize to you here, all right?”

Who would have thought that instead of forgiving him, Liu Xin would smile slyly and say, “Brother Emperor, were you thinking about Sister Diao Chan?”

“How do you know that!!!” Liu Yao was astonished and blurted it out at once, then looked at Liu Xin as though he had seen a ghost.

“Hee hee,” Liu Xin said with a sweet smile. “I also know that Brother Emperor likes Sister Diao Chan, and Sister Diao Chan likes Brother Emperor too.”

Liu Yao could only slap his forehead in frustration. He had thought only children in his past life were precocious and knew everything. He never imagined children now were no less formidable. Still, when he thought about it, people in ancient times often married at fourteen or fifteen. In that case, it was not so strange.

“You little girl, what do you know about liking or not liking? Don’t speak nonsense,” Liu Yao rebuked her, pretending to be calm.

“Hmph, Brother Emperor, you’re lying. Your face is all red, and you still say it isn’t so,” Liu Xin snorted.

Liu Yao unconsciously touched his own face, then immediately thought something was wrong. Hadn’t he just confessed without being asked? He looked at Liu Xin, and sure enough, the little girl was grinning mischievously at him.

“Ah, so you dare lie to your Brother Emperor? Take this!” With that, Liu Yao spread his fingers like claws and pounced on Liu Xin.

“Help!” Liu Xin laughed, then feigned fear and ran backward.

The two chased and fled after one another, and in that moment they could not help but feel as though they had returned to childhood—so warm, so peaceful. Liu Yao, too, very much enjoyed that gentle feeling.