The Han estate had never been so alive. Lanterns burned through the night, servants rushed in and out with water and cloth, and anxious voices filled the halls.
Xue Lian was in labor.
Her cries echoed from the chamber, fierce and unyielding like the warrior she was. Sweat beaded her brow, her hair clinging to her face, yet her eyes remained sharp, blazing with determination.
Han Zhennan stood outside the chamber, pacing endlessly. His hands clenched and unclenched as if he were preparing for battle, yet he could do nothing—no enemy to face, no beast to strike down. Just the cries of his wife behind closed doors.
Lu Zhenhai leaned against a pillar nearby, arms folded, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Relax, Zhennan. You look like you're about to faint."
Zhennan shot him a glare. "Shut up. I've fought beasts as big as mountains, but this—this is different."
Zhenhai chuckled. "If you faint, I'll make sure to tell everyone the mighty Han Zhennan fell in battle against childbirth."
He Ruying sat quietly to the side, her hands clasped tightly, whispering silent prayers. Her emerald eyes were wet, a mixture of joy and sorrow. She wanted to be strong, for Lian, for Zhennan, but her heart ached with longing. Still, she whispered to herself: I will love this child as my own.
The heavy wooden doors finally creaked open, and the midwife stepped out, her face pale with exhaustion but smiling.
"Congratulations. The young mistress has given birth to a healthy boy."
Zhennan froze for a heartbeat, his breath catching. Then, without waiting for permission, he rushed inside.
There lay Xue Lian, pale and drenched in sweat, yet radiant, her arms cradling a small bundle wrapped in white cloth. Her eyes, tired but burning with pride, lifted to meet his.
"Zhennan… come meet your son."
He approached as if in a dream, each step heavy, his hands trembling. When he finally looked down, the tiny face of his child gazed back at him, eyes closed, fists clenched. The boy let out a soft cry, fragile yet powerful enough to shake his father's heart.
Zhennan reached out, his calloused warrior's hands trembling as he touched his son's cheek.
"I… I don't know how," he whispered, voice breaking. "I will learn how to be a father for him."
Xue Lian smiled weakly, her voice gentle. "i know you will."
For the first time in years, tears welled in Zhennan's eyes. He pressed his forehead gently against his son's and whispered, "I swear on my life—I will protect you."
He Ruying entered quietly, her face glowing with happiness despite the tears that streamed down her cheeks. She knelt beside Xue Lian, gently brushing the baby's tiny hand with her fingers. The child's fist closed around her finger, and her lips trembled.
"So small… so strong already," she whispered. "He's perfect."
Xue Lian smiled at her friend, her sister in everything but blood. "Ruying, you'll spoil him too much."
Ruying laughed softly, wiping her tears. "Of course I will. He's ours, after all."
Behind them all, Han Zhenwu entered the chamber, his presence filling the room. His expression was cold, unreadable, though his eyes locked on the child with piercing intensity. For a long moment, silence reigned, as if even the air feared him.
Then, finally, he allowed himself the faintest of smiles—a smile sharp as a blade.
"Well done, Zhennan. This child… will carry the future of our clan."
Though his words were spoken as praise, there was weight in them, a heaviness that made Zhennan glance up uneasily. But his father had already turned, cloak sweeping behind him as he left the chamber.
The night ended not with silence, but with laughter.
Zhennan sat by Xue Lian's side, their newborn cradled in her arms, while Ruying stayed close, humming a lullaby she remembered from her childhood. Lu Zhenhai, never one to let emotions go unchecked, leaned over the cradle and muttered,
"He's got your ugly nose, Zhennan. Poor kid."
The laughter that followed eased the heaviness of the night.
For now, it was joy. For now, the Han estate was filled with hope.
But in the shadows, Han Zhenwu's faint smile lingered, hiding ambitions far darker than any of them yet realized.
Lu Zhenhai leaned back in his chair, folding his arms with a grin.
"So what did you name him, Zhennan?"
Han Zhennan's lips curved into a rare, genuine smile as he gazed at the tiny bundle in Xue Lian's arms.
"Yù. His name will be Hán Yù."
The name seemed to roll through the chamber like a blessing.
Han Zhenwu, who had been standing silently in the background, gave a single approving nod. "A good name. Strong, clear, and filled with promise." His voice carried the weight of finality, as if the name had been etched into stone.
Lu Zhenhai smirked. "It suits him. Though I still think he got your nose, which is unfortunate for him."
Xue Lian puffed her cheeks, ignoring Zhenhai's teasing as she kissed her baby's forehead. "Hán Yù… the most beautiful child in the world. His name is perfect. Just like him." She said it with so much pride that He Ruying couldn't help but laugh softly and lean over to tickle the child's tiny hand.
The moment was filled with warmth—laughter, smiles, and the fragile peace of a new family beginning its journey.
But Han Zhenwu, after a brief moment of watching, turned on his heel. "Congratulations once more," he said calmly, already striding toward the door. "There are matters I must attend to."
Zhennan watched his father's departing back, his smile fading only slightly.
"Your father never stops working, does he?" Lu Zhenhai asked, raising an eyebrow.
Zhennan chuckled softly. "Yeah… that's how he is. That's how I've always known him to be." His eyes softened, filled with memories of long years of grueling training, harsh words, and yet, moments of silent pride. "He is a great patriarch… and a father."
Xue Lian looked at him fondly, and Ruying, though still carrying a shadow in her heart, smiled as well.
---
Days turned into nights, and the Han family was bathed in joy. The estate was filled with the scent of wine and roasted meat as guests, allies, and vassals brought endless gifts to honor the birth of Hán Yù. Banners of crimson and gold hung from the gates, and for a time, the Han clan seemed untouchable.
But when the last guests had departed and the celebrations faded into memory, reality returned swiftly.
Han Zhennan was summoned to his father's chambers.
Inside, Han Zhenwu sat cross-legged, his aura calm yet heavy, as though the air itself bent under his will. He opened his eyes as his son entered.
"Zhennan," he began evenly, "my old friend has answered my request. She will be here in a few months since she's extremely far away to examine your wife. Once she diagnoses her condition, she will see what must be gathered to cure her."
Zhennan's eyes lit up with joy, a smile spreading across his face. "Truly, Father? That's… that's wonderful news. Ruying will be so happy."
Zhenwu's gaze never wavered, his voice steady as still water. "As for the price, you need not concern yourself. It is… a favor she wants to repay me."
Inwardly, Han Zhenwu's thoughts were sharper, colder. There has never been such a thing as choice in most of my dealings. He owes me, and he will pay. One way or another.
But his face remained impassive, betraying nothing.
Zhennan bowed deeply, his heart overflowing with gratitude. He stepped forward, embracing his father tightly, something rare between them. "Thank you, Father. Truly… thank you."
Zhenwu allowed the embrace, his eyes staring past his son into the future he was already shaping.
As Zhennan left the chamber, bowing once more before disappearing into the hall, Han Zhenwu returned to his meditation. His lips did not move, but in his mind, a whisper formed like a blade being drawn from its sheath:
Soon… everything will be in place.