Constant maneuvering in the imperial court had made Si Fengwu a remarkably meticulous man.
Lu Qingwan found his cataloging of suspicious points quite odd.
“Where is Meng Fuyao now?”
If the newcomer truly harbored ill intentions, she needed to be watched closely.
Si Fengwu didn't give her the chance to worry further. “Rest assured, this king has arranged for her to stay in Chonghua Palace. It’s far from here and within the palace, so she’s both safe and under our watch. Two birds with one stone.”
Hearing that Si Fengwu had everything handled, Lu Qingwan stopped her fretting.
“You handle these matters. We’re on our own turf, so we’re not afraid of one person with so many of us to guard her. But what about my three little ones? I just gave birth to three children, can you at least give me some semblance of the experience of ten months’ gestation and one birth? My babies have been born for almost a day, and as their mother, I haven't even seen them. Do you hear that? Does that sound right?”
Si Fengwu chuckled, speechless.
Lu Qingwan was a person of immense curiosity. Even if she felt that the current Meng Fuyao posed no threat to her safety, in her typical fashion, she would have investigated the matter thoroughly. Even if she couldn't immediately ascertain Meng Fuyao's purpose for impersonating herself and entering the palace, she would at least find out who was impersonating her.
Her not asking earlier had rather surprised Si Fengwu. He now realized that her attention had been captured by the three little ones, leaving no room for an inconsequential person like Meng Fuyao.
He affectionately pinched Lu Qingwan's cheek and whispered, “The little ones are being cared for by wet nurses. It’s too late tonight; rest now. We’ll have them brought to you tomorrow. I guarantee they’ll make you not want to see them for a while.”
Thinking of the vigorous cries of the three little ones, Si Fengwu felt a mix of happiness and exasperation. While their strong cries proved they were healthy and robust, they certainly could cry a lot. He found it amusing, recalling Lu Qingwan’s words to Yan Ruozhao: "Give me a little one to play with. If it cries, I’ll give it back to you.” Now, Lu Qingwan had three little ones to play with, but if they cried, she’d have to coax them herself. Returning them wouldn't be an option.
Lu Qingwan pouted pitifully. While she desperately wanted to see her babies, waking them up in the middle of the night felt like too much for a loving mother. After a period of difficult internal struggle, Lu Qingwan finally fell asleep.
“Well, good things come to those who wait. I’ll wait one night. I’ve heard newborns are quite ugly, so perhaps seeing them a bit later will improve my first impression.” She tried to convince herself, pouting and begrudgingly drifting off to sleep.
The next morning, Lu Qingwan was startled awake by a soft, wet sensation. The moist, soft touch enveloping her fingers almost sent her back to the early days of her rigorous training. Just as she was about to violently fling it away, she felt Si Fengwu’s familiar presence.
She slowly opened her eyes. Good heavens, there was a baby on each side, and one on her chest. Si Fengwu was carefully holding them. Seeing her wake up, he grinned, “A’wan, you’re awake?”
Frankly, while Si Fengwu was handsome and always met Lu Qingwan’s aesthetic preferences, seeing his face suddenly appear before her eyes upon waking was quite startling.
Lu Qingwan’s expression twisted slightly. “Si Fengwu, your face is quite valuable. Can you please use it properly?” She was careful to keep her voice and movements subdued, fearing she might startle the little ones beside her. Despite scolding him, she sounded as if she were sneaking around.
Si Fengwu chuckled and gently lifted the baby from Lu Qingwan’s chest. “Didn’t you want to see the little ones? I had them brought to you. Look, they just woke up!” With one baby in each hand and another in his, Si Fengwu presented the three newborns. They were red-faced, their eyes open but unfocused.
Lu Qingwan belatedly moved her hand and discovered that her finger was being used as a pacifier by one of the babies. The moment she withdrew her finger, the little one burst into tears. Li Su rushed over, skillfully picking up the baby and cooing, “First Prince, don't cry. Good boy, Mother Empress will soothe you soon…”
However, no matter how skillful she was, the little prince continued to cry. And at this moment, the telepathic connection between the triplets first revealed itself. As the little prince cried, his two sisters joined in, their cries rising and falling like a trio’s performance.
Lu Qingwan, who had been feeling groggy, was now wide awake, thanks to the three little ones. She stared at Si Fengwu, bewildered, and after a long moment, gritted her teeth. “Honestly, tell me, did I do something to displease you, that you’ve brought these three little debt collectors to get revenge on me so early in the morning?”
Si Fengwu felt utterly wronged. He was completely bewildered by Lu Qingwan's sudden accusation. But just as he was trying to explain, Lu Qingwan, to his surprise, took the little prince from him. “Little Yuan, don't cry. Mommy is here! Sister Wuxia and Sister Wuyou are here too, and Daddy is with you. Don’t cry, don’t cry, Mommy will feed you now…” As she spoke, she gestured for Li Su and Su Shang to place the two little girls beside her.
Lu Qingwan’s milk-scented presence soothed the three little ones. Si Fengwu, realizing what was happening, signaled for Li Su and the others to withdraw. Lu Qingwan then unbuttoned her clothes and began to feed the babies.
During the latter half of her pregnancy, Lu Qingwan’s body had become exceptionally full, and now it was at its peak. Seeing her own soft body occupied by the babies, Si Fengwu said with a hint of jealousy, “Didn’t we have wet nurses? Why do you need to feed them yourself? The women in the palace used to have wet nurses feed their children, so these three should be fine being fed by a wet nurse, right?”
After months of abstinence, Si Fengwu was reaching his limit. He had finally managed to get Lu Qingwan to deliver, only for his most prized territory to be claimed by the babies. In that moment, Si Fengwu mentally went through all his learned schemes, both overt and covert, just to find a legitimate reason to have Lu Qingwan agree to let the wet nurses feed the three little ones.
However, Lu Qingwan's entire attention was on the three babies. Hearing Si Fengwu’s words, she replied without looking up, “They’re worried about their figures, aren't they? I’ll take care of my own body, so I don’t have those concerns. Besides, thanks to you, my milk is abundant. If I don’t let them feed, I’ll get engorged, and then I’ll be the one suffering.”