Transcending the Nine Heavens

What Tie Butian saw after she had adjourned court assembly was a heartwarming scene between a kind father and a filial son.

Chu Yang was carrying his son and walking about in the Imperial Garden. The two of them looked like they were engaged in conversation constantly…

“This is really tough on him… A big man like him actually chatting so happily with such a young child…” A sense of warmth arose within Tie Butian’s heart as she walked over quickly.

Suddenly, she felt like something was a little off.

Because Chu Yang’s almost indiscernible voice drifted over from afar; he was actually urging non-stop, “…And then? And then? …”

When they saw Tie Butian, both father and son kept quiet immediately.

“What ‘and then’?” asked a puzzled Tie Butian.

“And then… haha…” Chu Yang forced an awkward laugh as he rubbed his nose. “I told the little fellow a story and deliberately left the ending hanging so that he can make a guess. Turns out he’s too dumb and can’t guess it…”

Tie Butian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “You… You’re testing such a young child?” She was really rather speechless.

Chu Yang let out a few coughs. “We start him young, right… It’s said that education should start the moment kids can start grabbing things…”

The little fellow in Chu Yang’s arms turned away, unable to watch this any further.

Tie Butian rolled her eyes at him and took the child over from him. At once, she flew into a rage. “You didn’t give him any water? Look at how chapped his lips are!”

Chu Yang was covered in perspiration. He was so caught up in the story that he had forgotten all about that.

But this story about Journey to the West was really very entertaining…

At night, under the wholehearted request of the little fellow, he and Chu Yang shared a room. Tie Butian ended up being all alone in her own room.

However, Tie Butian was still very happy at how fast the relationship between father and son was improving. It had only been an afternoon and they had already developed to a stage where they couldn’t bear to leave each other.

Naturally, what she was the happiest about was the fact that Chu Yang had gotten their son’s approval in such a short time.

For the next three days, everything was peaceful.

During these three days, sometimes Chu Yang would play with the child and sometimes he would go to the golden hall to observe political discussions. The feeling in his heart got stronger and stronger with each passing day.

During these few days, he discovered that Tie Butian practically had too many merits.

When they were together in the past, Tie Butian’s merits were already innumerous. However, at that time, he was ultimately still looking at her like how he would observe a man. It was only now when he was looking at her from a different angle that Chu Yang discovered what an arduous task it was for Tie Butian to achieve all these as a woman!

Tie Butian was very open-minded. She was able to find a solution for everything; issues which she could solve on the day itself would never be left to the next day. As for tougher issues, she would also try her best to overcome them.

Some of the problems which court officials couldn’t agree on despite extended discussions would be directly given an outcome by Tie Butian, while she would give orders to investigate in detail some of the issues that were more complex and solve them in another day at best.

She meted out rewards and punishment fairly, displaying both kindness and dominance.

Her consideration ingeniously reached everyone, such that the few groups in politics were neither able to form nor separate, and had to co-exist interdependently.

In front of her son, she was even more of an integrated existence. When Chu Yang was around, she was a kind mother. When Chu Yang wasn’t, she was the combination of a strict father and a kind mother.

In front of Chu Yang, she was a woman who was deeply in love with him —’I love you but I will not abandon my own character because of my love for you; I am devoted to you but it does not mean that I cannot survive when I am away from you.’

‘I am lenient toward you. I won’t compel you or force you to do things against your will; everything is your choice.’

‘No matter what the conclusion is, I will neither regret nor lament it.’

But in front of court officials, she was a sovereign who ruled the world with her imposing might and awed all within the palace with her dominance. Her noble character was undoubted!

She had a pure heart and spirit, as well as guts of steel and lofty sentiments. She was able to run the world, as well as reasonably handle her own feelings, and even dared to face her own heart honestly.

She was adorable, clever, independent, generous, liberal, broad-minded and upright; not to mention beautiful, tall and slender, with an elegant aura and acted on good grounds. She had unparalleled presence and deportment and was an unsurpassed beauty!

Such a woman should be the most ideal wife any man could dream of!

One of the very best.

As he came into contact with her these past few days, Chu Yang discovered that he had already grown deeply fond of this lovable woman.

Her constrained emotions, her pain, her happiness, her bliss, her contentment, her regrets, her achievements…

All of these made Chu Yang’s heart throb uncontrollably.

Chu Yang’s change in emotions and mood these few days naturally did not escape Tie Butian, considering her delicate and nimble thoughts and her quick-witted intelligence. Therefore, His Majesty’s mood these past few days had been very good.

Even when she was seated in the imposing grand hall, His Majesty’s affable mood was apparent to all. It was a kind of blissful feeling…

When the love that one had been longing for was slowly approaching, no one, no matter who, would be able to act like nothing was happening.

These past few days, the Lan Clan members in hiding did not appear at all, nor did they take any action.

But Chu Yang knew that they were all in hiding and using all sorts of ways to observe him.

After all, these people might not have seen him before and might not know that he was Chu Yang. His sudden appearance in the royal palace could only be said to be an accident and was the most suspicious target. But they still didn’t dare make any hasty move before they got hold of absolute evidence.

This was a plan which they had been in preparation for over a year; should they alarm the parties involved because of this and bring about strong aversion toward them from Tie Butian, even if the real Nine Tribulations Sword Master came in the future, they would also have lost a certain degree of hope.

The whispers of a lover… were the most powerful whispers in this world.

Especially the whispers of someone the level of Tie Butian; that was something that could change the world.

Thus, they were still waiting for an opportunity.

And so was Chu Yang.

After hugging his son to sleep for the past few nights, both father and son felt extremely miserable.

The young one felt that his old dad’s body was too stiff and didn’t provide warmth. Sleeping in his old dad’s arms wasn’t even as comfortable as sleeping on his own.

The older one felt that the little fellow was too fragile and delicate, and didn’t even dare to turn about while hugging him in his sleep, for fear of crushing him. Such a delicate little thing definitely would not be able to withstand his weight of 50-odd kilograms…

Especially when there were some folk stories describing how some newborns were accidentally crushed to death by their parents during their sleep at night, or even those who choked to death while feeding… or death by suffocation… etc.

All the more Chu Yang didn’t dare to move.

Sleeping the whole night in such a straight position really made his entire body stiff and cracking sounds from all over his body. This was even more tiring than a great battle!

…

On this night, Tie Butian was in her nightgown and reading official documents by the light. She sometimes frowned in deep contemplation before relaxing her willowy eyebrows and making notes furiously and going on to the next document…

There was nothing that Tie Butian was worried about with Chu Yang looking after their son, so she made use of the time to do some work.

The night was already late. Seeing that she was about to finish, there was a small smile on Tie Butian’s face. Even though it was late at night, Tie Butian did not remove the piece of jade nonetheless. She still looked like a handsome and dashing young sovereign hard at work handling official affairs.

Right at this moment, she suddenly heard the sound of knocking coming from the doors.

“What is it?” asked Tie Butian imposingly.

“Your Majesty, your subordinate Chu Yang requests an audience.” A strange voice came from outside.

Tie Butian was surprised.

Chu Yang? Why is he here at such a time? Isn’t he with our son? Could it be…

When she thought of that, she hurried over to open the doors, only to see Chu Yang standing there alone. She couldn’t help but be taken aback. “What’s wrong?”

“That little fellow chased me out…” Chu Yang rubbed his nose and gave her a wry smile. “I don’t have anywhere to sleep…”

Tie Butian was stunned.

Since a very long time ago, the little fellow had been whining for his own room. Tie Butian had never agreed to it. How could such a young child be left alone in his own room? She couldn’t put her heart at ease at all.

But… Minister Chu being chased out this time was still somewhat out of her expectations.

“I’ll go over and take a look.” Tie Butian walked out.

Before long, Tie Butian came back shaking her head in resignation. “As expected, he said that he couldn’t sleep well with someone next to him…”

“Then shall we give it a try?” suggested Chu Yang. “Let him try sleeping alone?”

Tie Butian’s brows were knitted for quite some time before she finally replied, “Alright. But we’ll have to go over and check on him every once in a while during the night.” She then took a seat as she spoke.

“What’s Your Majesty busy with?” Chu Yang leaned over with a cheeky look.

Tie Butian suddenly blushed. She had only just realized that there was a huge problem in her room.

Late at night.

Dim lights.

A lone man and woman.

Together in a room.

This… was rather inappropriate.

“Why don’t you make do with the guards’ room for a night?” Tie Butian tried to suppress her panic and said in a calm voice, “Or make do with the royal study for a night?”

Chu Yang laughed sneakily. “It’s alright. I’m worried about Your Majesty being all alone too. Tonight, I shall stay here and wait upon Your Majesty.”

There was a meaningful lilt in Chu Yang’s voice that went a few rounds when he uttered the words ‘wait upon’.

“You can’t!” Tie Butian rejected him flat-out, her whole face red.

However, Chu Yang had already leaned over to her. He reached out and grasped her hand as he said, “But Your Majesty said that as long as this subordinate manages to change his mindset, he would be able to do anything he wants to Your Majesty…”

“I didn’t say that!” Tie Butian glared at him.

“But I did…” Chu Yang had already pulled the Emperor into his arms. Shudders suddenly went through Tie Butian; Chu Yang’s hand was already on her neck and gently removing that Secret Unfathomable Phantom Jade. Right at once, the dashing young Emperor turned into a ravishing beauty.

Chu Yang’s eyes stayed on her face for a long time before he murmured, “So beautiful.”

Tie Butian bit on her lip and said, “You, you, you… Don’t you be so audacious… Hurry up and go out…”

Chu Yang had already leaned over to her ear and was cheekily blowing a hot breath of air at her. He said softly, “Little Tian Tian… I’ve realized that I have fallen in love with you.”

Shivers went through Tie Butian’s body and in that instant, even her ears were as red as rubies.

“Maybe it’s rather fast… but I believe that you can feel it.” Chu Yang leaned over to her petite earlobes and blew gently. His warm breath made Tie Butian’s entire body limp and numb. Chu Yang said, “Because… we have a very, very steady foundation…”

“What… foundation?” Tie Butian’s head was stubbornly lowered and she spoke weakly.

“The foundation… is right here…” Chu Yang raised his head. “Lift your head and look.”

“Here?” A confused Tie Butian involuntarily raised her head and looked up. But this lift of her head only caused the view in front of her to dim at once; a handsome face came down toward her and a domineering mouth covered her own immediately…