Vol 1 Chapter 10 (2/2)

Fang Mu Chu was a man of few words. He was happy to sit opposite his daughter, but he didn’t know what to say.

Mo Lan usually had a fast tongue. But she didn’t know what to say first to her father.

‘Does the little boy Chen treat you well?’ Fang Mu Chu asked.

Although Fang Mu Chu saw the love between his daughter and son-in-law, he wanted to hear his daughter confirm his thoughts.

‘Yes… general,’ Mo Lan said.

‘You inherited your mother’s beauty and intelligence,’ Fang Mu Chu said.

Mo Lan felt a little shy. She’d never seen her mother but by the faraway look in her father’s eyes whenever he looked at her, made her realise that her father must have loved her mother deeply.

‘Can you call me father?’ Fang Mu Chu asked.

Mo Lan felt awkward but she opened her mouth. ‘Father…’

‘Tomorrow I need to return to Southern Yue,’ Fang Mu Chu said. ‘Whenever you want to see me, you can ask little boy Chen to escort you to see me in Southern Yue.’

Fang Mu Chu turned to look at Chen Quan Ran who was standing at the door. ‘Why are you still weary of me? I’m not taking my daughter away from you.’

‘Father don’t misunderstand… I was pa.s.sing by,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘I didn’t intend to eavesdrop.’

It was obvious to everyone in the room Chen Quan Ran confessed before a confession was forced out of him.

Mo Lan gave Chen Quan Ran an I-don’t-believe-you look.

Fang Mu Chu was happy to see his daughter and son-in-law looked lovingly at each other.

In the past, war between the Northern Empire and Southern Yue separated Fang Mu Chu and Princess Long Xue Sheng. Fang Mu Chu didn’t want his daughter and son-in-law to share the same ill fate as him and Princess Long Xue Sheng.

‘I only have one precious daughter,’ Fang Mu Chu said to Chen Quan Ran. ‘Since the two kingdoms have declared a truce then when you’re free escort my daughter to Southern Yue to see me. All these years I never had the chance to fulfil my duties as her father. My daughter is married to you. But if you treat her badly then I won’t spare you.’

‘Father be rea.s.sured,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘Xiao Lan is treasured by the Chen Household. In her stomach is my child. Even if father wasn’t a formidable general, I would still love Xiao Lan for the rest of my life.’

Mo Lan’s face turned red as the skin of a red apple.

Fang Mu Chu smiled affectionately. ‘My daughter is blessed to have a man like you who truly loves her.’

‘Father you praised me too much,’ Chen Quan Ran said.

Fang Mu Chu reluctantly left the room. Mo Lan’s eyes stung. She didn’t want to be separated from her father too soon after their reunion.

‘Xiao Lan you should be happy to be reunited with your father,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘Besides your father is someone who is admired by both kingdoms. You should be proud to be his daughter.’

‘But my father will be leaving soon…’ Mo Lan said.

‘I promise I’ll take you to see your old father in Southern Yue when we’re free,’ Chen Quan Ran said.

‘My father isn’t an old man,’ Mo Lan protested.

‘Yes, yes,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘Your father is young and handsome. He doesn’t look like an old man.’

Mo Lan smiled and she held Chen Quan Ran’s hand. ‘Do you promise you’ll take me to see my father when we’re free?’

Chen Quan Ran nodded his head. ‘Wherever you want to go, no matter how faraway it is, I’ll take you there.’

‘Quan Ran thank you for standing by me,’ Mo Lan said.

‘What are you thanking me for?’ Chen Quan Ran asked.

‘Thank you for treating me well,’ Mo Lan said. ‘Thank you for not turning your back on me, thank you for opposing the kingdom for me and most importantly thank you for… thank you for loving me and making me feel like the happiest woman in the world.’

Mo Lan felt embarra.s.sed declaring her love. She wanted to run away but Chen Quan Ran hugged her tightly and kissed her lips.

One year later the Chen Household held a one month celebration for the new generation of Chen offspring.

Chen Quan Ran felt blessed the first time he got to be a father, his wife gave him a son and a daughter.

Madam was proud to hold her great-grandchildren in her arms and show them off to the guests.

Fang Mu Chu delivered to the Chen Manor many rare gifts for his grandchildren.

In the palace after Tu Qing Min was beheaded, the court officials behaved themselves and focused on performing their imperial duties. Because Tu Qing Min was a future mirror of what would happen to them if they dare to pull a tiger’s beard.

After Chen Quan Ran’s children’s one month celebration, he visited the emperor in the palace and resigned his general position.

‘What is this?’ the emperor asked.

‘This is the imperial army seal,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘The Northern Empire and its biggest threat are sharing a peace treaty. There is no need for me to hold onto this. It’s the right time for me to resign.’

The emperor looked unhappily at Chen Quan Ran.

‘Your majesty you don’t need to look at me like I’m abandoning you,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘I’ve trained Xiao Ha for many years. I believe he’ll be a good general. The army will be in safe hands under his guidance.’

The emperor frowned. ‘Are you still angry at me for wanting to arrest your wife a year ago?’

‘I thought your majesty had forgotten,’ Chen Quan Ran said.

‘How can I forget?’ the emperor asked. ‘Each time you visit me, you either look at me like you have no respect left for me or you look at me like you can’t trust me. It pains my heart each time I see the distant look in your eyes.’

‘Nonsense!’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘Your majesty, I can understand if you need to scheme for the good of the kingdom. But you could have confided in me. Did you know how I felt… it doesn’t matter anymore. I understand you have many responsibilities as an emperor but I truly don’t want the general position anymore.’

‘But when you were five you promised me you’ll be my loyal general and that you’ll never betray me,’ the emperor said.

‘Your majesty, I haven’t betrayed you,’ Chen Quan Ran said.

‘You haven’t betrayed me but you want to leave me,’ the emperor said.

‘In the past I neglected my wife for ten years,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘Now I want to spend my time with my wife and take her to see the world to compensate for all the years I wasted.’

‘I won’t force you to stay,’ the emperor said. ‘But I’ll keep this imperial army seal for you. Xiao Ha will be your temporary subst.i.tute. If there comes a day the Northern Empire needs you then I’ll return this imperial army seal to you.’

Chen Quan Ran accepted the emperor’s compromise. Like the emperor, he knew a peaceful period wouldn’t last forever. He was loyal to his kingdom and military blood ran through his veins, he wouldn’t turn his back on the kingdom in their time of need.

Chen Quan Ran returned to the Chen Manor and he informed Mo Lan his decision.

‘Quan Ran, are you truly giving up the army to the emperor?’ Mo Lan asked.

‘Yes,’ Chen Quan Ran said.

‘But… I know you see your men as your blood brothers,’ Mo Lan said. ‘You also love performing the duties of a general whether it’s on the battlefield or taking care of the army.’

‘My bond with my men won’t change if I’m not their general,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘I want to spend this peaceful period with you. The truth is I rather spend time in bed with you to strengthen our bond than being on the battlefield.’

Mo Lan kicked Chen Quan Ran’s leg. ‘Quan Ran, you’re a father. How can you still be a scoundrel?’

‘Wife, I’m only a scoundrel with you,’ Chen Quan Ran said. ‘Xiao Lan don’t run away. Let’s conceive more children. Our home can support a small army of Chen children. When our children grow up, they’ll be proud to be each other’s siblings.’

‘Stay away,’ Mo Lan said. ‘Who wants to conceive more children with you?’

‘Let’s conceive…’ Chen Quan Ran said.

‘Stay away!’ Mo Lan said.

‘Xiao Lan, you’re extremely aggressive,’ Chen Quan Ran teased.

Mo Lan didn’t know how to escape the bed.

Outside the chamber, Madam was holding her great-grandson in her left arm and her great-granddaughter in her right arm. She was happy her grandson and granddaughter-in-law were making more great-grandchildren for her. She took her one-month-old great-grandchildren back to her chamber so that they wouldn’t disturb the conception of their younger siblings.

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