Over the years, the exterior of Rostislav Palace hasn't changed much; it still maintains its original appearance.
However, several brick and tile houses have been expanded and attached to the side of this building, serving as servant quarters and warehouses, all built around the Moscow Prince's garden, which now faintly resembles a palace complex.
Rostislav is also currently planning to build a guesthouse to accommodate visiting guests, as a renowned Prince must always have rooms and meals prepared for visitors.
And as per custom, people refer to Rostislav's palace as Rostislav Palace.
The Moscow Prince had no objections to this; he had never settled on a name for the palace, and over time, he simply put the matter aside. Now that everyone suggested Rostislav Palace, then Rostislav Palace it would be.
Rostislav is now navigating the palace with ease; although the exterior hasn't changed much, the interior has changed significantly.
The walls of the corridor he is currently walking through are adorned with several exquisite landscape paintings, created by painters the Prince invited from the Imperial Capital. They depict scenes of Moscow and its surroundings, a testament to the Moscow Prince's achievements.
It's a pity that the painter wasn't skilled at landscapes, though he was excellent at portraits. Nevertheless, these are still presentable; at least they aren't the kind of medieval abstract paintings the Moscow Prince had in mind.
Below those paintings are various ornamental plants kept in pots, as well as weapons and armor displayed on weapon stands. These weapons and armor are diverse, originating from Rus', the Imperial Capital, Bulgar… Armor from Rus' and surrounding nations is all stored here.
Servants are constantly and carefully cleaning the armor, and upon seeing the Prince arrive, they instinctively bow in respect, while the Prince waves his hand, signaling them to continue their work.
Soon, Rostislav arrived at his destination, and standing before that room, the Prince broke into a wide smile, for behind that wooden door were his wife and child.
Opening the wooden door, Rostislav saw his son, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the floor playing with wooden toys—exquisitely carved and painted brown bears and warriors.
These were the works of the Carpenter's Guild masters, their gift to young Rurik.
The Guild masters have always been humble towards the Moscow Prince; they know who granted them power, and thus, their efforts to please Rostislav have never ceased. These small gifts are merely a small manifestation of that.
Five-year-old Rurik is very adorable. Seeing his father arrive, he put down his toys and walked to his father's side, raising his small hand to Rostislav, his face filled with excitement.
"Papa."
The little boy looked at his father with his blue eyes, his voice tender and melodious, full of reliance on his father.
Rostislav immediately picked up his son, affectionately rubbing his rough, large face against his son's small face. His beard pricked his son, who complained repeatedly; he disliked his father doing this but could do nothing about it.
"Rurik, where is your mother?"
Rostislav looked around the room but did not see his wife. His son merely pointed to the balcony with his small hand.
Holding his son, the Moscow Prince walked to the balcony, where he saw Zoe reading under the sun.
After these five years, the Imperial Capital Princess had fully blossomed. If Zoe five years ago was a shy young girl, she was now a captivating young woman.
Under the sunlight, Zoe's soft, black hair appeared so beautiful, and her figure captivated Rostislav.
"The Iliad? You're actually reading this book? Haven't you read it many times already?"
Setting his son down, he pulled up a chair and sat in front of his wife. A stack of parchment books lay on the table, and with just a glance, the Prince saw what his wife was reading.
Although the book was in Greek, Rostislav had mastered Greek as if it were his native tongue, so reading it was naturally no problem.
"Just passing the time. After all, you haven't let me do anything since I got pregnant last week, and I can finish reviewing your manuscripts in no time, so I can only flip through these lengthy tomes."
Zoe's tone held a hint of resentment. Ever since Ibn confirmed that the Prince's wife was pregnant again, she, who had been assisting the Moscow Prince with state affairs, had been relieved of all duties, only able to care for the child, recuperate, and help her husband correct some documents.
"Pregnancy is a serious matter, Zoe. Moscow doesn't have many reliable doctors, and Ibn isn't an expert in women's health either. We must avoid any possible accidents as much as we can."
Rostislav's words were very serious. The Moscow Prince knew well that medical skills in this era were unreliable. In such a large Northeast Rus', the only trustworthy doctors were Ibn al-Hain, that Persian, and his students, as well as a small number of herbalists.
Therefore, he was strict regarding his wife's pregnancy, avoiding any possibility of problems.
Zoe also understood her husband's concerns and knew that everything was for her own good, so she said nothing more, merely shaking her head.
And just as the atmosphere between them grew a little awkward, young Rurik walked to his mother's side, wanting to be held.
Zoe, always full of maternal love, naturally picked up her son, then, just like her husband, rubbed her face against her son's small face. This time, her son did not complain, as his mother's smooth cheeks did not have as many prickly whiskers as his father's, and he was quite happy.
"Hey, this kid, he wasn't so obedient when I just held him, but he's like this with his mom."
Seeing his son's happy expression, the Moscow Prince felt a little annoyed; this kid had completely different attitudes towards him and his mom.
"Feel your rough face, how could little Rurik not complain?"
Zoe then boastfully rubbed her face against her son's again, her affection evident.
Rostislav felt as if his wife had subtly criticized him, but he merely smiled it off.
His son's arrival immediately dispelled the awkwardness between them, and they began to tease their son together.
This was also the family's daily moment of warmth. Rostislav always ensured several hours each day to bond with his wife and child.
"Oh, right, Adam is being baptized today. Aren't you going to see it?"
Amidst their play, Zoe suddenly remembered something and said to her husband.
Adam Dulü is now 17 years old, and on his 17th birthday, he made the decision to convert to Christian, and his baptism is today.
The Moscow Prince and his wife have a very good relationship with this young man, primarily because of Zoe. When Adam first came to Northeast Rus', he was only 12, but he was already very beautiful and adorable. In his wife's words, many girls weren't as cute as him, and this beauty stirred his wife's maternal instincts, so she took great care of him, just like caring for a younger brother.
The result of this care was that Adam became very close to Zoe, and consequently, his relationship with Rostislav also became close. However, this boy never forgot his awkward status, so he never took advantage of this relationship to make demands or requests; his actions were always modest and cautious.
"Of course, I'm going. You should come too. This is already on the schedule. Such a significant event as a baptism, we certainly must attend."
Rostislav said.