Xie Si'an knelt right below the memorial tablets in his little blue robe and kowtowed.
"All the ancestors of the Xie family are here. I, Si'an, have come to visit you."
He took out a few sheets of the "Sutra of Rebirth" he had copied from the small bundle beside him. Although he didn't recognize many characters, his mother had said that as long as he was sincere, it would be enough.
Du Gu Jingshu also knelt beside him and kowtowed. "Grandfather, grandmother, Shu'er has come to see you again.
This year, Shu'er has learned some more characters in the palace. I heard that grandfather was a brave and battle - hardened general in the past, so I specially copied a few pages of military strategies to burn for grandfather, hoping to make him happy."
The pages were all signed by the two children.
The writing was crooked, but it was the result of rewriting many times in the palace before they brought it here as a sign of their sincerity.
Since childhood, Du Gu Luanyue had told them that their father's surname was Xie and that he was from Danyang City in Northern Yan.
It was just that their father was very busy and couldn't see them for the time being, so they came to visit their grandfather and grandmother first.
They had come once last year, and this was the second time.
Du Gu Luanyue lit an incense stick and inserted it into the incense burner herself. Looking at the memorial tablets, her eyes were calm.
Aunt Mei Jiang, who naturally understood this affection, couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat.
"Your Majesty's affection has been criticized by the court of Southern Chu for several years. The eldest prince has the surname Xie, not Du Gu, and the royal clan is not satisfied either.
The Emperor of Northern Yan naturally doesn't know that you've had a hard time dealing with the issues of surname and marriage alliance these years."
Du Gu Luanyue smiled. "There's no need for him to know. What I want to do, I do willingly.
Huo Wei could never be himself again or recognize his relatives in this lifetime. Then let his descendants do it.
Si'an must have the surname Xie."
As early as five years ago when she returned to Southern Chu, she had felt that both she and Huo Wei had been deceived by that secret letter. Later, Prime Minister Shen of Northern Yan had even sent over complete evidence, explaining the whole matter clearly.
However, at that time, the court of Southern Chu was extremely unstable, and she had returned pregnant, which had greatly dissatisfied the Sheng family, the number one noble family.
Therefore, in the early days of her ascension to the throne, things hadn't gone smoothly, and she had had a rather difficult time.
After that, there was the birth of her children, and she had to go to court every day. She had been really stretched thin.
The Sheng family had brought up the marriage alliance again, saying it would help stabilize her throne. They proposed sending the two children away to be raised in the royal clan.
Du Gu Luanyue flatly refused, completely giving up the support of the Sheng family for her throne. She raised the children by herself and fought against the court alone. It wasn't until three years ago that she had slowly recovered.
She bent down to pick up the small bundle at Xie Si'an's feet. A piece of paper fell out of the bundle.
A gust of wind blew, and the paper unfolded, but she didn't notice this.
Then, she led the two children out of the Xie family ancestral temple.
Su Rou and Aunt Mei Jiang followed behind. The Fengling Guards around them were carefully protecting the safety of these three masters.
Xie Si'an bounced along. "Mother, can we play in Danyang City for three days? It shouldn't delay Grandmother's birthday banquet."
Du Gu Jingshu immediately said, "Yes, mother. Can we choose gifts for Grandmother in Danyang City?"
Du Gu Luanyue smiled. "Okay, then I'll ask Aunt Su Rou to book the best inn here. Let's play for five days."
When she looked at the children, her eyes were gentle.
Especially when she looked at her daughter's face, she would think of Huo Wei countless times. Her appearance was really exactly the same as Huo Wei's.
Su Rou helped the two children into the carriage, and Du Gu Luanyue also bent down and got into the carriage.
Aunt Mei Jiang was always vigilant, looking around all the time, afraid of any danger.
In the bustling crowd, she seemed to see a person.
He looked a bit like the Emperor of Northern Yan. But when she took a closer look, Su Rou lifted the curtain of the carriage. "Aunt, what are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and get in the carriage."
Aunt Mei Jiang came back to her senses, looked far to the left again, and said with a smile, "Alas, I'm old, and my eyes are blurred. I thought I saw the Emperor of Northern Yan. It was just an illusion, just an illusion."
Huo Wei and Shen Guilan were traveling incognito, but no matter how low - key they were, they still looked like noble young masters, with a natural air of royal dignity.
When they walked in front of the ancestral temple, several young girls passed by. They took a look at Huo Wei, their eyes sparkled, and their cheeks turned red.
Huo Wei stood under a carriage, with sword - like eyebrows and starry eyes, his face handsome. "Let's go. First, take care of the important matters."
Du Gu Luanyue was sitting in the carriage and happened to hear this.
This voice seemed familiar, but she thought it was impossible. How could it be Huo Wei?
Xie Si'an suddenly said, "Oh no, mother. The things I wrote in my small bundle are gone. This was my homework that I've been working on for several days. It must have fallen in the ancestral temple. I have to go back and find it."
Du Gu Luanyue said, "If it's lost, it's lost. Just rewrite it when we get back."
Xie Si'an looked embarrassed. "I don't want to. I've been working on this homework for three days so that I can have a good time in Danyang City. Rewriting it would be such a waste of time."
He didn't want to rewrite it at all. It would be so tiring. The little fellow was very agile. In the blink of an eye, he slipped out of the carriage and ran towards the ancestral temple.
Aunt Mei Jiang frowned. "Oh dear, who on earth did the eldest prince inherit this personality from? He just does things as he thinks of them. He's clearly an impatient person."
Du Gu Luanyue leaned against the carriage and smiled.
"It's okay. We'll just park the carriage outside. He'll come back by himself after he finds his things.
Si'an is impatient, but he's still a sensible child."
Xie Si'an's chubby little figure ran into the ancestral temple. The secret guards around Huo Wei saw that it was just a four - or five - year - old child, so they didn't stop him.
Xie Si'an ran under the memorial tablets, looking around anxiously. "I don't want to rewrite it. Homework, please come out quickly!"
Huo Wei's tall figure bent down as he was offering incense. He noticed a little fellow scurrying around at his feet. He said coldly, "Where did this little child come from? Are you here to steal the sacrificial fruits?"
Xie Si'an turned around. Before he had a chance to look up, he saw his homework under Huo Wei's feet. He immediately hugged his leg.
"Uncle, please lift your leg. My treasure is under your foot."
Huo Wei lifted his leg, squatted down, and picked up the paper under his foot. "You say this thing is yours? Well, then tell me, what's written in the signature?"
A child this young in a place like Danyang City hadn't even started school yet, and he was already doing homework? This was clearly a lie. Lying in the ancestral temple was not allowed.
Xie Si'an quickly said, "The signature has my name. My name is Xie Si'an."
Huo Wei glanced at him, then his eyes fell on the paper in his hand. Sure enough, the three characters "Xie Si'an" were written there.
He returned the paper to the child, the corners of his thin lips curving slightly. "You also have the surname Xie. Fine, here you are."
Xie Si'an took the paper. Looking at this extremely good - looking uncle in front of him, he thought of the portrait in his mother's palace. They really did look alike.
Out of curiosity, he asked, "So does uncle also have the surname Xie? What's uncle's full name?"
Huo Wei said, "My name is Xie An."
Shen Guilan walked over after offering incense and said with a smile,
"What a coincidence. You're called Xie An, and this child is called Xie Si'an. People who don't know might think you're father and son. Maybe the child's mother named him like this because she misses his father."
Huo Wei stood up, gave him a cold look, and then remembered the incident when Du Gu Luanyue had taken the abortifacient back then. His voice turned cold.
"If that woman hadn't been so heartless, my child would be exactly this age by now."
Xie Si'an lifted his round chubby face, bowed slightly, and said, "Thank you, Uncle Xie An. I'll take my leave."
He ran a few steps and then inexplicably looked back at Huo Wei. Just as he looked at Huo Wei, Huo Wei also happened to raise his pair of pitch - black eyes and stare at him.
The two of them seemed to know each other. There was an indescribable sense of familiarity.