Published: March 8, 2025
After Tie Butian returned from the morning court, what he saw was a heartwarming scene of fatherly love and filial piety.
Chu Yang was seen walking back and forth in the Imperial Garden, holding his son; the two seemed to be engaged in a lively conversation...
"What a hard time for him... This big man is actually chatting so joyfully with such a little kid..." A warm feeling surged in Tie Butian's heart as he hurried over.
Suddenly, he sensed something was off.
Because Chu Yang's voice came from afar, low and barely audible, as he kept asking, "…And then? What happened next?..."
Seeing Tie Butian return, both father and son abruptly fell silent.
"What do you mean 'and then'?" Tie Butian asked in confusion.
"And then... haha..." Chu Yang chuckled awkwardly, rubbing his nose. "I told the little guy a story and purposely left the ending out for him to guess, but this kid is too slow-witted to figure it out..."
Tie Butian was at a loss for words: "You... are quizzing such a big child like this?" He felt somewhat speechless.
Chu Yang coughed a few times and said, "It’s about training him from a young age... As the saying goes, education should start from childhood..."
The little one turned his face away in despair.
Tie Butian shot him a glance, took the child from his arms, and immediately grew angry: "You didn’t even give him water? Look at those dry lips!"
Chu Yang was sweating: He had been so focused on the story that he had forgotten about this.
But this Journey to the West story was indeed captivating...
That evening, under the little one's strong insistence, the child shared a room with Chu Yang, leaving Tie Butian alone in an empty chamber.
However, Tie Butian was still very happy: The bond between the father and son developed so quickly; in just one afternoon, they had grown so inseparable.
Of course, the happiest thing was that Chu Yang had quickly gained his son's approval.
For three consecutive days, everything was calm.
During these three days, sometimes Chu Yang played with the child, and sometimes he went to the Golden Hall to attend to state affairs. His feelings grew more profound each day.
Over these few days, he discovered that Tie Butian had so many admirable qualities.
In the past, while together, Tie Butian's merits were endless; but at that time, he had observed her with the perspective of looking at a man. Now, from a different angle, Chu Yang realized how difficult it was for a woman to reach Tie Butian's current position!
Tie Butian was very open-minded; she could find solutions to any problem. If something could be resolved on the same day, she would never postpone it until tomorrow. Even for more challenging issues, she made every effort to overcome them.
For some contentious matters among the officials, Tie Butian would make decisive decisions, while for more complex ones, she ordered investigations that would be resolved by the next day at the latest.
Rewards and punishments were clearly defined; kindness and authority were applied simultaneously.
She skillfully took care of everyone, ensuring that small factions within the court could neither form nor separate, coexisting in mutual dependency...
In front of her son, she achieved unity. When Chu Yang was present, she was a compassionate mother; when he was absent, she was a blend of a stern father and a nurturing mother.
In front of Chu Yang, she was a woman deeply in love with him; she loved you, but it did not mean she would lose her independence because of that love. Her tenderness toward him did not imply she couldn't survive without him.
"I tolerate you; I won't force you or pressure you; everything is your choice."
"No matter the outcome, I will have no regrets."
But in front of the court officials, she was a ruler who dominated the world and exuded great might. Her authority was unquestionable!
She possessed the grace of the Lan Family and the fortitude of heavy-duty iron. She could manage the world and handle her emotions reasonably, daring to face her own heart directly.