Starting in Exile: Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Lucky Little Wife

Chapter 308: Clouds Clear

Under Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing's meticulous care day and night, three days passed in the blink of an eye. In the Jiaofang Palace of the Nanzhao Kingdom, the morning sunlight, like golden threads, filtered through the carved window lattices and gently bathed the young prince's bed. On the carved canopy bed, the young prince's originally pale face was now flushed with a faint blush, his long eyelashes trembled gently in the morning light, and a sweet smile would occasionally appear at the corners of his mouth, as if he were having a beautiful dream.

Lin Wanqing tiptoed into the hall, carrying a bowl of freshly cooked yam porridge. These past few days, she had stayed almost constantly by the young prince's side, her eyes filled with love and concern. Seeing the prince slowly awaken, a smile immediately bloomed on her face, and she quickly went to the bedside.

"Baby, you're awake," Lin Wanqing said softly, her voice filled with barely suppressed joy. "Come, try the yam porridge your mother made for you, it's so delicious."

The little prince blinked his big, watery eyes, curiously looking at the bowl in Lin Wanqing's hands, waving his little hands in the air, seemingly fascinated by the fragrant food. Seeing this, Lin Wanqing was delighted. She sat down by the bed, carefully helped the little prince sit up, scooped up a spoonful of porridge, gently blew on it to cool it, and then brought it to the little prince's lips.

The little prince opened his mouth and began to eat with relish. In no time, he had finished half a bowl of porridge. Lin Wanqing watched the little prince eat so happily, her eyes slightly reddening. The worries and exhaustion of the past few days vanished in that moment.

"Wanqing, how is the child?" Xiao Nanyi hurriedly entered the hall, still carrying the scent of the morning court session. Although he had to deal with state affairs these past few days, he had always been thinking about the young crown prince, and he rushed to Jiaofang Palace as soon as the court session ended.

Lin Wanqing turned her head and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, the child is much better. He just ate half a bowl of yam porridge and has a good appetite."

Xiao Nanyi walked to the bedside and looked at the little prince's energetic appearance, a relieved smile appearing on his face. He reached out and gently patted the little prince's head: "My darling, well done! Now your father and mother can rest assured."

Just then, Physician Li arrived for a follow-up examination. After bowing, Physician Li began to examine the young prince. He carefully listened to the prince's heartbeat and breathing, and examined his tongue coating, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, congratulations! The young prince is much better now, and his digestive system has basically recovered," said Physician Li. "From now on, he only needs to pay attention to a light diet and add some complementary foods as appropriate, and the young prince will soon make a full recovery."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief, finally feeling a huge weight lifted from their hearts. Lin Wanqing said gratefully, "Imperial Physician Li, we owe a great debt to you and all the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital. If it weren't for your superb medical skills and dedication, the child wouldn't have recovered so quickly."

Imperial Physician Li immediately knelt down: "Your Highness, you flatter us. This is all within our duty. We are deeply gratified to see the young prince recover."

Xiao Nanyi slightly raised his hand: "Imperial Physician Li, please rise. The Imperial Hospital has made a great contribution this time, and I will reward you accordingly."

After the imperial physician left, Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing played with the little prince in the palace. The little prince waved his little hands and giggled, his clear laughter echoing like silver bells throughout the palace. Looking at the little prince's lively and adorable appearance, Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing smiled at each other, their eyes filled with happiness.

"Wanqing, you've worked so hard these past few days." Xiao Nanyi held Lin Wanqing's hand and said affectionately, "If it weren't for your meticulous care, the child wouldn't have recovered so quickly."

Lin Wanqing leaned on Xiao Nanyi's shoulder and said softly, "Your Majesty, this is what I should do as a mother. As long as the child is safe and healthy, everything is worth it."

In the afternoon, the sunlight grew even warmer. Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing brought the young prince to the courtyard, letting him breathe fresh air and experience the beauty of nature. In the courtyard, peach blossoms were in full bloom, apricot blossoms were like snow, butterflies danced among the flowers, and birds sang merrily on the branches.

The young prince, his eyes wide with curiosity, gazed around at everything, occasionally letting out a gasp of amazement. Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing, seeing the prince's joyful expression, were filled with happiness. At that moment, the gloom in the Jiaofang Palace completely dissipated, replaced by warmth.

On a spring afternoon in the Nanzhao Kingdom, sunlight filtered through the bronze bells on the eaves of the Jiaofang Palace, casting dappled shadows on the golden bricks. The wind chimes under the eaves swayed gently in the breeze, producing a clear and melodious sound that mingled with the bursts of laughter and chatter emanating from inside the palace, adding a touch of warmth to this solemn palace.

Upon hearing that the young prince had fully recovered, the retired Emperor Xiao Jingchuan and Empress Dowager Gu Liuli came to visit him. As soon as they stepped into the Jiaofang Palace, they saw the young prince waving his lotus-root-like little arms in his cradle, babbling in a language only he could understand, looking incredibly adorable.

"Oh my, our little prince looks so much more energetic!" Gu Liuli hurried to the cradle, her smile as bright as spring blossoms, her eyes brimming with love. She carefully cradled the little prince in her arms, gently rocking him. "Let your grandmother take a good look, has he gotten even fatter?"

The young prince seemed to recognize Gu Liuli, his eyes narrowing into slits with laughter. He reached out to grab the pearl on her phoenix crown, giggling as he did so. Gu Liuli, seeing this, couldn't stop smiling and turned to Xiao Jingchuan, saying, "Jingchuan, come and see, this child is so adorable."

Xiao Jingchuan walked over with a smile, gently pinching the little prince's cheek. The soft touch stirred a ripple in his heart: "Indeed, the little prince has become even more lively and adorable these past few days." The little prince was not angry at having his cheek pinched. Instead, he reached out his little hand, grabbed Xiao Jingchuan's finger, and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Look at this little guy, he's quite strong!" Xiao Jingchuan said with a smile, letting the little prince play with his fingers.

At this moment, Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing walked in from outside the palace. Seeing Xiao Jingchuan and Gu Liuli playing with the little prince, they quickly bowed and said, "Your subject (daughter-in-law) greets Father Emperor and Mother Empress."

Xiao Jingchuan waved his hand: "Get up, everyone. There's no need for formalities among family. We heard that the young prince has recovered, so we came to see him."

Lin Wanqing stepped forward and said with a smile, "Thank you for your concern, Father and Mother. The child is fully recovered. He has been eating and sleeping well these past few days and has become much more lively."

Gu Liuli, holding the little prince, sat on the carved chair and said, "That's good. These past few days of the child's illness must have been exhausting for both of you."

Xiao Nanyi smiled helplessly: "Indeed, but as long as the child is safe and sound, it's all worth it."

As they were talking, the little prince suddenly cried out "Ah ah!" and kept pointing at the rattle drum on the table with his little hand. Gu Liuli looked in the direction he was pointing and said with a smile, "Oh, the little guy wants that rattle drum!" She gestured for the maid to bring the rattle drum, and then gently shook it, making a "dong dong" sound.

The little prince stared intently at the rattle drum, waving his arms and legs excitedly. Seeing this, Xiao Jingchuan took the little prince from Gu Liuli's hands, and while shaking the rattle drum, he sang an old nursery rhyme: "The moon is bright, the wind is still, the leaves cover the window..." As the little prince listened to the nursery rhyme, his eyes grew smaller and smaller, and before long, he fell asleep in Xiao Jingchuan's arms.

Looking at the sleeping little prince, Gu Liuli said softly, "Jingchuan, your nursery rhyme makes me feel at ease. No wonder the child fell asleep so quickly."

Xiao Jingchuan smiled and placed the little prince back in the cradle, saying, "This nursery rhyme was sung to me by my mother when I was a child. I never thought that I would sing it to my grandson now."

Lin Wanqing walked to the cradle, covered the little prince with a small blanket, and sighed, "Time flies so fast. It seems like just yesterday the child was crying in his swaddling clothes, and today he's already so big."

Xiao Nanyi walked to Lin Wanqing's side and gently put his arm around her shoulder: "Yes, watching the child grow up day by day fills me with both joy and emotion."

Everyone sat around the cradle, quietly chatting about the little prince's amusing stories, their faces beaming with happiness. Sunlight bathed them, casting a golden glow on this heartwarming scene.

After a while, the little prince woke up. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw everyone gathered around him and smiled happily again. Gu Liuli picked up the little prince and said to Lin Wanqing, "Wanqing, I heard that the child can eat complementary food now. Why don't we prepare some for him together?"

Lin Wanqing nodded in agreement: "Mother's idea is good. I was just thinking of making some fresh complementary foods for the baby."

So, everyone went to the imperial kitchen. Inside, the chefs had already prepared all sorts of ingredients. Gu Liuli personally selected fresh vegetables and fruits, preparing to make a vegetable puree and fruit soup for the young prince.

"Making baby food is quite particular. The ingredients must be fresh, and the cooking time must be just right to ensure that the nutrients are not lost." Gu Liuli said as she skillfully chopped vegetables.

Xiao Jingchuan assisted by handing over the seasonings. Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing, on the other hand, studied attentively, occasionally asking questions.

With everyone's concerted efforts, a delicious vegetable puree and fruit soup were ready. Gu Liuli scooped up a little vegetable puree with a small spoon, blew on it to cool it down, and then fed it to the little prince. The little prince opened his mouth and ate with relish, and in no time, he had finished half a bowl of vegetable puree.

"It seems the little prince really enjoys it!" Gu Liuli said with a smile, her smile even brighter than the sunshine.

On a summer morning in the Nanzhao Kingdom, sunlight, like a golden veil, filtered through the layers of palaces, gently illuminating the glazed tiles of the Jiaofang Palace. The bronze incense burner in front of the palace emitted wisps of ambergris, mingling with the birdsong outside, creating a peaceful and serene scene. Today, Mu Zetian, the maternal uncle of the young crown prince Xiao Nanyi, accompanied by his wife Lin Ruoxue, entered the palace to visit the newly recovered prince.

Mu Zetian, dressed in an indigo brocade robe with a warm jade pendant at his waist, stood tall and imposing. Lin Ruoxue, on the other hand, wore a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with a pale pink gauze overlay. Her cloud-like hair was adorned with pearl and silk flowers, and her every gesture exuded gentle grace and poise. Led by palace maids, the two walked along the winding palace path towards the Jiaofang Palace.

"I wonder how well Yi'er is recovering these days. Your aunt and I have been worried about her day and night." Mu Zetian frowned slightly, his words full of concern.

Lin Ruoxue gently took Mu Zetian's arm and softly comforted him, "Husband, there's no need to worry too much. I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince has recovered. We'll be able to see him with our own eyes today, and that will put our minds at ease."

As they spoke, they arrived at the entrance of Jiaofang Palace. The palace maids guarding outside the palace saw that distinguished guests had arrived and quickly bowed: "Greetings, Lord Mu and Madam Mu. His Highness the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess are waiting for you inside the palace."

Mu Zetian nodded slightly and entered the hall with Lin Ruoxue. Inside, Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing were playing with the little prince. The little prince, wearing a red bib embroidered with a qilin, sat on the carpet, holding a rattle drum and having a great time.

"Yi'er! Wanqing!" Mu Zetian greeted them with a smile, his eyes full of affection.

Hearing the voice, Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing turned around and immediately smiled with delight. Xiao Nanyi stood up to greet them and shook Mu Zetian's hand: "Uncle, Aunt, you've finally arrived! Wanqing and I have been talking about you for so long."

Lin Wanqing also stepped forward and bowed to Mu Zetian and Lin Ruoxue: "Uncle and Aunt, greetings, please have a seat."

After Mu Zetian and Lin Ruoxue sat down, their attention was immediately drawn to the little prince. Lin Ruoxue stood up, walked to the little prince's side, squatted down, and said with a smile, "This must be Yi'er. He's grown so much, he's so adorable." As she spoke, she took out an exquisite gold lock from her sleeve and gently placed it around the little prince's neck. "Auntie brought you a small gift. I hope Yi'er grows up safely and blessed with good fortune."

The little prince opened his round eyes and looked at Lin Ruoxue curiously. He reached out to touch the golden lock and made "ee-ya" sounds, which made everyone laugh.

Mu Zetian walked over to the little prince and gently pinched his cheek: "Little guy, do you still recognize your uncle?"

Xiao Nanyi smiled and said, "Uncle, although Yi'er is still young, he gets very excited every time he mentions you."

At this moment, a palace maid brought tea. Lin Wanqing personally poured tea for Mu Zetian and Lin Ruoxue: "Uncle, Aunt, this is newly tribute Biluochun tea, please try it."

Mu Zetian picked up his teacup and took a small sip: "Hmm, the aroma is wonderful, and the aftertaste is lingering. It truly lives up to its reputation as a fine tribute tea. Wanqing, Yi'er's been sick these past few days, and you must have been exhausted by it all."

Lin Wanqing frowned slightly, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes: "Indeed, Yi'er had a high fever for several days and kept vomiting milk, which worried us terribly. Fortunately, the Imperial Hospital did its best to treat him, and with everyone's careful care, Yi'er slowly recovered."

Lin Ruoxue looked at the little prince with heartache: "Poor child, he suffered so much. But it's all right now. Seeing Yi'er in such good spirits, we can rest assured."

As everyone was talking, the little prince suddenly started crying. Lin Wanqing quickly picked him up and gently rocked him, humming a lullaby. But the little prince continued to cry, his face turning bright red.

Seeing this, Mu Zetian said, "Let me try." He took the little prince from Lin Wanqing's arms, gently patted the prince's back, and began to sing an old nursery rhyme. Miraculously, the little prince gradually stopped crying as he listened to the nursery rhyme, his eyes shrank, and he fell asleep in no time.

Lin Wanqing said in surprise, "Uncle, I didn't expect you to have this trick up your sleeve. Yi'er is usually so hard to coax."

Mu Zetian laughed and said, "When I was little, your grandma used to coax me like this. I never thought it would work on Yi'er now."

Everyone looked at the sleeping prince with smiles of contentment. Then, they chatted about everyday things, sharing anecdotes from their lives. Sunlight streamed through the carved window lattice, bathing everyone in a golden glow, adding to the warm and cozy scene.

Before they knew it, it was noon. Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing invited Mu Zetian and Lin Ruoxue to dine in the palace. The imperial kitchen prepared a sumptuous feast, all specialties of the Nanzhao Kingdom. The group sat together, enjoying the food and chatting in a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

After the meal, Mu Zetian and Lin Ruoxue got up to take their leave. Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing saw them off to the outside of the hall: "Uncle, Aunt, thank you so much for visiting Yi'er today. You must come again next time."

Mu Zetian nodded and said, "We definitely will. Yi'er is still young, so you must take good care of her. If you need anything, just send someone to us."

Lin Ruoxue also reminded her, "Wanqing, you should also take care of your health and not overwork yourself."