Chapter 224: Extra 2: The Bond Between Past and Present Lives

Extra 2: The Bond Between Past and Present Lives

Extra 2: The Bond Between Past and Present Lives

As the lanterns were first lit, the imperial palace was silent, save for one place that was brightly lit and bustling with activity: the palace where Jun Zijin was awaiting labor.

The carved doors and windows were tightly shut, isolating the tension inside from the anxiety outside.

Outside the delivery room, Quan Aoyu was like a trapped beast, his brows tightly furrowed, his face full of anxiety as he paced back and forth, his hands unconsciously clenching and unclenching.

He would stop from time to time, pressing his ear against the door in an attempt to catch a sound from within, but aside from faint, indistinct voices, he could hear nothing clearly.

At this moment, a contraction struck, and Jun Zijin’s cry of pain reached Quan Aoyu’s ears.

Burning with anxiety, he pressed his hands against the closed door and muttered to himself:

"Dandan, you must be safe and sound..."

The Empress, dressed in her phoenix robes, sat in charge of the delivery room; though her expression was calm, she could not hide the concern in her eyes.

She gently patted Quan Aoyu on the shoulder and comforted him in a gentle voice:

"Yu'er, set your heart at ease. Jin'er is a fortunate soul and will surely be safe, mother and child alike."

Quan Aoyu managed a strained smile and nodded at the Empress, but the unease in his heart did not diminish in the slightest.

Inside the room, the midwife's voice rose repeatedly:

"Your Highness, push! It's almost out."

Jun Zijin’s face was as pale as paper, and beads of sweat the size of peas rolled down her forehead, dampening the hair at her temples.

She bit her lower lip hard, her hands gripping the bedsheets tightly, her body trembling with every wave of intense pain.

Yet, her eyes shone with resilience—the strength that erupts from a mother to welcome a new life.

A loud cry, like the bell at dawn, instantly shattered the tension in the room.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, it is a healthy Imperial Grandson!"

The midwife’s excited voice came through, and Quan Aoyu and the Empress outside wore expressions of joyful surprise at the same time.

However, before anyone could recover, the midwife cried out in alarm:

"Wait, there is another! There is another!"

The atmosphere inside the room tightened once more.

Although Jun Zijin was exhausted, an inexplicable sense of anticipation and strength surged from the bottom of her heart.

She braced her body and pushed again, as if using every ounce of her remaining strength.

Finally, another crisp cry rang out, like the music of the heavens.

"Your Highness, it is a healthy little Princess! She is gnawing on her little hand the moment she was born; what a greedy little Princess, she is just too adorable."

Another midwife also said excitedly:

"Your Highness, you have given birth to a pair of twins! This is truly a blessing for our Tianqi."

The midwife’s face was flushed red, her hands trembling with excitement as she carefully carried the swaddled little Imperial Grandson and little Princess to Jun Zijin’s side.

In Tianqi, there had always been an unwritten tradition that twins were seen as a sign of great fortune, symbolizing prosperity, peace, and security for the nation.

When Quan Aoyu heard that Jun Zijin had safely given birth, his eyes instantly turned red; he could not wait to rush in, but was stopped by the equally concerned Empress:

"Yu'er, do not be impulsive. Let the mother and her two children rest for a moment."

The Empress smiled, her eyes full of relief, and immediately ordered the eunuchs to rush to the Jun residence to report the good news.

The birth of twins was a monumental joy for the imperial family and the nation alike.

Jun Zijin turned her head slightly, her gaze falling on the little Princess's face.

In an instant, her breath hitched, and tears spilled from her eyes uncontrollably.

The daughter before her—her brows, her features, her silhouette—was exactly the same as that small figure in her memories of her past life.

Memories of that past life surged like a tide; those laughs and tears felt as if they had happened only yesterday.

Her daughter’s black-grape-like eyes were staring at Jun Zijin without blinking, babbling while happily gnawing on her little fist, blowing little bubbles from her mouth.

It was exactly the same as the situation when she first saw her daughter in her past life.

It was the same in her past life; a loud cry, and the doctor said:

"It's a girl. The little one is so greedy; she's eating her little hand the moment she's born. She's just too adorable."

When the doctor held her daughter up before her, it was also like this: the daughter was babbling while eating her little fist, staring at her with black-grape-like eyes.

It was this very look that was deeply carved into Jun Zijin’s heart.

She reached out with a trembling hand and gently touched her daughter’s cheek, her fingertips brushing against that delicate, soft skin.

There was the joy of being a new mother, the reflections on her past life, and, even more, an indescribable sense of relief and peace of mind.

She finally believed that all of this was real.

Her gaze was so soft it seemed as if it could drip water, and she whispered:

"My baby, you have finally arrived. Across past and present lives, we have finally met again."

Outside the delivery room, Quan Aoyu, who had been pacing back and forth at the entrance with joy and anxiety intertwined, could no longer hold back.

He strode into the room, his steps so urgent they stirred a breeze that made the bed curtains sway gently.

His gaze was instantly locked onto the small figure in the swaddling clothes, and he stood there as if frozen in place.

That was his daughter, no different from the child who had appeared in his dreams countless times.

The curved brows, the petite nose, the slightly parted pink lips—it was as if she had walked straight out of his dreams.

Quan Aoyu’s eyes instantly burned, and tears blurred his vision uncontrollably; he walked toward the bed step by step, moving with extreme caution, fearing he might disturb this hard-won dream.

"Dandan, look, she is exactly the same as the one I dreamed of. Our daughter has returned!"

Quan Aoyu’s voice trembled, choked with emotion, as he turned to look at Jun Zijin, his eyes full of shock and joy.

He gently reached out, his fingertips touching the daughter’s little hand; the soft sensation sent ripples through his heart, and an unprecedented sense of tenderness and responsibility welled up from within.

Beside them, the little Imperial Grandson also waved his little fists, his dissatisfied crying echoing throughout the palace.

It was as if he were declaring his existence, unhappy that he had been neglected by his parents the moment he arrived in this world.

The Empress laughed helplessly and picked up the little Imperial Grandson:

"You little clever ghost, you’re actually jealous of your sister. Come, Grandmother will hold you."

Jun Zijin looked at her daughter, then at her son, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly, her eyes full of maternal love:

"You are the most precious gifts heaven has bestowed upon me. From this day forward, Mother will surely protect you both and accompany you as you grow."

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In the thirty-seventh year of Tianqi, the Lantern Festival had just passed, and the festive spirit had not yet fully dissipated.

The imperial palace was bustling once again, decorated with lanterns and colorful silks; the entire court was immersed in a joyous atmosphere.

The Crown Prince’s residence was even more lively.

On this day, Crown Princess Jun Zijin gave birth to a pair of twins for the imperial family.

When the good news spread, the entire city of Tianqi was in an uproar.

The Emperor, Quan Wuji, was overjoyed and ordered a general amnesty, with all the people celebrating together.

Once the decree was issued, the entire capital became busy.

In the imperial kitchen of the palace, the imperial chefs worked day and night, meticulously preparing a sumptuous banquet.

The streets and alleys of the capital were also decorated with lanterns, and banquets were set up in every corner of the city; the common people sat together, raising their glasses in celebration, and the entire city of Tianqi was immersed in an ocean of joy.

Inside the palace, a grand banquet was held, and imperial relatives and court officials came one after another to offer their congratulations, expressing their most sincere blessings to Quan Aoyu and Jun Zijin.

The boy of the twins was named Quan Qingyu, implying that he would be able to control the world and rule over all directions in the future;

The girl was named Quan Qingcheng, implying that she would possess beauty that could topple cities and states, and be gentle and kind. Her nickname was Little Shumi, implying happiness and fulfillment.

Their birth not only brought hope to the imperial family but also brought auspiciousness and prosperity to the entire nation of Tianqi.

Inside the palace, the lingering echoes of the banquet’s liveliness had not yet faded, and the air was still filled with the fragrance of festive wine and the echoes of laughter.

Although the magnificent banquet had ended, the smiles on everyone’s faces had not yet faded.

Yet at this moment, a "confrontation" regarding the succession of the throne was unfolding in the side hall, with the father and son once again acting like rascals toward each other.

Quan Wuji sat in the main seat; although he was over fifty, he was still full of vigor. At this moment, he kept a straight face as he looked at his son, Quan Aoyu.

"Yu'er, you and that Jin girl already have both a son and a daughter; how much longer are you going to wait to take the throne?"

Quan Aoyu stood below, dressed in brocade robes, his posture upright, a fawning smile on his face.

"Father, look, Yu'er and Cheng'er were just born. I have to take care of my wife and children; where would I find the leisure time to be Emperor?"

Quan Aoyu muttered to himself:

"Besides, he still has to help Dandan handle the affairs of the Northern Kingdom. Although the Northern Kingdom has been peaceful and prosperous under Dandan’s governance these past few years, and the affairs are relatively simple.

It is still a country, after all. Dandan has just given birth; how could he let her toil?

You aren't even sixty yet, and thanks to Dandan’s care over these years, you are in good health. Can't you bear a little more?"

In fact, Jun Zijin had mentioned merging the two countries, but Quan Aoyu had said, "Don't worry, just keep it in your hands; we can consider other things once you're tired of playing with it."

He tried to use family reasons to shirk the responsibility, his eyes full of doting love for his wife and children.

When Quan Wuji heard this, his brows furrowed even deeper.

"You brat, we agreed before that you would take the throne once you were married, so your mother and I could travel the world. But look at you—you ran off with that Jin girl before you were even married, and ran off again a few days after you came back to get married. Your mother and I didn't get to travel, but you two have already been to several countries."

He became more agitated as he spoke, standing up and pacing back and forth in the hall.

"I finally waited for you to come back, and you said you had to wait for that Jin girl to finish giving birth. Now that you have both a son and a daughter, what else do you want?"

Quan Aoyu rubbed his nose and accompanied him with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of coquetry as he tried to make his father change his mind.

"Father, you are in your prime, full of energy, and your blade is as sharp as ever... oh no... well... anyway, could you just work hard for a few more years? How about that?"

Quan Wuji puffed out his beard and glared, plopping down into his seat with his arms crossed, his attitude firm.

"It is not 'how'! Your mother and I want to enjoy the happiness of family and play with our grandchildren! I cannot wait until all my teeth have fallen out to start raising my grandchildren, can I? By then, they would despise me."

"They wouldn't dare! Father, how about we wait until Yu'er and Cheng'er are two years old? Oh no, one year old, would one year old be alright?"

Quan Aoyu was still trying to bargain.

Quan Wuji was truly exasperated now.

"You brat, I will wait at most until my grandchildren have finished their hundred-day celebration. Whether you accept or not, you will take the throne!"

His voice rose by an octave, shaking the ornaments in the hall slightly.

Seeing his father's attitude was so firm, Quan Aoyu knew that further evasion was useless; he straightened his expression and said earnestly:

"Father, if you truly must have me take the throne, you must agree to one condition: my inner palace shall have only Zijin. Do not force me to appoint concubines, and I will agree to take the throne."

His gaze was firm and unquestionable; it was a deep affection and promise to Jun Zijin.

Upon hearing this, Quan Wuji was stunned for a moment, then waved his hand.

"I don't care about those things. As long as you can handle the court officials and the gossip of the world, do whatever you want."

He understood in his heart that his son's feelings for that girl were deep; since it could not be changed, it was better to let him be.

After all, his own inner palace now only had the Empress, along with the Virtuous Consort and the Pure Consort; and apart from the Empress, those two other consorts now only held their titles and would spend the rest of their lives in the inner palace.

Quan Aoyu breathed a sigh of relief, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly; with Dandan's status, he feared no short-sighted court official would dare to utter a single word of complaint.

As long as he could spend his life hand-in-hand with Dandan, he had the motivation to guard this throne.

When their son grew up, he would hand it over to him, and he and Dandan would travel the world, play with their grandchildren, and enjoy the happiness of family.

This handover of the throne was settled after this round of debate.

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The End~~ Throwing flowers.

My darlings, this book "Phoenix Returns to Rule the World" has come to an end; thank you all for your support.

Wishing you all:

Harmony in your long songs, and a lamp when you walk alone!

May good fortune be with you, and may all things go well!

See you in our next book!