The Tale of the Lotus Heart

Chapter 34

Sitting down at the table with the Emperor and Empress, I could practically feel the daggers coming

from the Empress's eyes behind her plastered smile. The table gave us a good amount of distance

between each other, but I could almost physically feel the heat from the Empress's anger. Enya must

have run to report to the Empress our conversation immediately after leaving Yong’s Serenity Palace.

The Emperor was still none the wiser.

"My great-goddaughter. How are you settling into the Crown Prince's Palace? Are the little prince and

princess doing okay after coming to the Heavenly Realm?" The Emperor asked. He honestly just

seemed happy to be a grandfather. I smiled softly and nodded.

"Serenity Palace feels like home already. Tyrian and Amethyst are doing great. They're eating well and

taking in their surroundings," I answered.

"Have you gotten a nanny for them yet? What about a wet nurse? How are they eating right now? What

are you feeding them?" The Empress asked. I had to work hard to keep my pleasant smile.

"We have gotten a nanny for them, and we decided not to use a wet nurse. I'm feeding them myself. I

know my own body and want them to grow up with the best I can offer," I explained.

"You're a noble lady. Breastfeeding your own child is for those in a lower class," the Empress stuck her

nose up at me.

"That may be true, but I trust my product and the food I insert in my body more than choosing and

forcing a random woman to feed my two children," I replied easily.

"Wife, enough. Tyrian and Amethyst are Goddess Princess Aivi's children, not your. Although it's

important for Aivi to be filial, that doesn't grant you the right to determine how she chooses to raise their

children," the Emperor stopped the Empress. I took a delicate bite of the food in front of me. It was

actually delicious.

"Speaking of the children... I wanted to talk about making Goddess Princess Aivi the Crown Prince's

concubine," the Empress said before taking a bite of the vegetables.

"Absolutely not. Aivi deserves better than that. She's distinguished among immortals, and her

accomplishments speak for themselves. She's wise, smart and caring, but strict with her beliefs. Even if

you want to ignore Aivi's good points, the children she birthed for me had a grand auspicious sign and

unique features. They're destined for greatness. It would only be right to follow tradition and make the

mother of my firstborn heir, and the next Crown Prince, my legal wife," Yong argued immediately. Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"You are right, son. Aivi has done a lot for our realm. Her entire clan was wiped out as well. It would

only be right to honor her deceased family, reward her merit, and follow tradition. I'm allowing Aivi to

marry you as your legal wife and the Crown Princess," the Emperor agreed. I almost forgot that the

origin story Tase and Yong made up included me being the only living family member of the Northern

Territory General. The Empress stood quickly as she glared at me.

"Over my dead body!" She snapped. We all froze as we looked to her. It seemed she couldn't bottle up

her anger anymore. She'd finally exploded at the thought of me.

"You can dismiss yourself," the Emperor said to her sternly. She realized her slip up too late before

curtsying to the Emperor and leaving reluctantly while glaring at me still. The Emperor turned his

attention back to us.

"I'll have the Love Immortal start planning your wedding as soon as possible," he promised. Yong

smiled as he stood to bow to the Emperor.

"Thank you, Royal Father," Yong thanked him. The Emperor belly-laughed before waving Yong off. His

attention turned to me.

"Soon you'll have to start calling me Royal Father too," the Emperor said, lightening the mood. I smiled

as my cheeks heated in embarrassment.

"Great-godfather, regardless of the outcome, I should still apologize to you. The Crown Prince and I

went behind your back in order to be together, and it wasn't right to do. I know that marriages in the

Royal Heavenly Palace are mostly political, but I promise to make up for my shortcomings of power

with knowledge and kindness," I apologized. The Emperor waved me off.

"In all honesty, I already knew you two were close. Even before you went to the Heavenly Cloud

Academy, I assumed you would be. My second son is Yong's favorite brother. They're practically stuck

at the hip. With you as the Second Prince's goddaughter, I knew you two would run into each other

often. It was really only a matter of time. And don't worry about the Empress. I won't let her cancel your

wedding," he promised. We continued eating our dinner before we began leaving the Main Palace.

Back at home, I fed Tyrian and Amethyst before putting them to sleep for the night. It would be the first

time I was officially and openly sleeping in Yong's room without any guilt. After we laid down, Yong

wrapped his arms around me.

"Do you feel a little better now?" He asked. I nodded as I placed my head on his chest. Yong pushed

me onto my back quickly before hovering over me.

"Want to make another baby?" He smirked teasingly. I hit his chest playfully as I frowned.

"You can't even wait until we're married first?" I asked. Yong only chuckled before laying down again.

"I'm joking. I just love seeing you blush," he admitted. I shook my head at him before relaxing against

him.

"Sleep. You have work to catch up on tomorrow and I need to start planning our wedding," I said

happily.