Shen Yuheng looked at them.

For a long moment, he could not reconcile these tiny, indignant creatures with the two heartbeats that had lived beneath his own for months.

Then the elder child moved his hand from the blanket, fingers curling weakly.

Shen Yuheng’s eyes softened completely.

“Yunheng,” he whispered.

The younger one made a small sound, as if unwilling to be ignored.

Shen Yuheng’s lips curved.

“Yunxi.”

The door finally opened after everything was cleaned and made proper.

Xiao Jingyuan entered.

He had faced war, blood, court politics, assassins, and imperial scrutiny. Yet as he crossed the threshold into the delivery room, he looked almost afraid to breathe.

Shen Yuheng lay against the pillows, pale and exhausted. His hair was damp, his lips almost colorless, but his eyes were open.

The moment Xiao Jingyuan saw him, the world narrowed.

He did not look first at the children.

He went to Shen Yuheng.

Kneeling beside the bed, he took Shen Yuheng’s hand with terrifying care.

“Yuheng.”

Shen Yuheng turned his head slightly.

“Jingyuan.”

Xiao Jingyuan’s throat worked.

There were too many things in his eyes.

Fear not yet faded. Joy too large to hold. Pain at seeing Shen Yuheng exhausted. Relief so deep it almost looked like grief.

“Are you in pain?” he asked hoarsely.

“Less now.”

“That means there was pain.”

Shen Yuheng almost laughed, but lacked the strength.

“Birth usually has some.”

Xiao Jingyuan lowered his head and pressed his forehead against Shen Yuheng’s hand.

For a long time, he did not speak.

The midwives, servants, and physician quietly lowered their heads.

Qingmo cried silently in the corner, too moved to care about dignity.

Only after several breaths did Xiao Jingyuan lift his head and look toward the two children.

The elder twin was wrapped in red cloth embroidered with auspicious clouds. The younger twin was wrapped in pale gold. Both had been placed safely near Shen Yuheng’s side.

Xiao Jingyuan stared.

“They are very small,” he said.

The senior midwife smiled. “Twins are often smaller at birth, Your Highness. But both young masters are strong. Their cries are loud, and their breathing is good.”

The younger twin seemed to hear this and gave another dissatisfied little cry.

Xiao Jingyuan froze.

Shen Yuheng said softly, “That is Yunxi.”

Xiao Jingyuan looked at him.

“The elder is Yunheng. The younger is Yunxi.”

Xiao Jingyuan’s eyes reddened again.

He reached out, then stopped halfway, looking at the midwife.

The midwife immediately understood and carefully placed the elder twin into his arms.

Xiao Jingyuan held the child as though receiving a sacred military seal made of snow.

Stiff.

Careful.

Terrified.

Shen Yuheng watched him and finally smiled.

“Jingyuan, he will not break because you breathe.”

Xiao Jingyuan looked at the child in his arms.

The elder twin’s tiny face wrinkled. His fist moved once against the blanket.

Xiao Jingyuan’s expression changed.

Something fierce and tender broke open at the same time.

“Yunheng,” he said, voice low.

The child, naturally, did not answer.

Xiao Jingyuan looked as though he had been answered anyway.

The news entered the palace before noon.

At that time, the emperor was in the middle of court discussion.

The chief eunuch came forward quietly and whispered by his side.

“Your Majesty, the seventh prince’s residence reports: Seventh Wangfei has safely delivered twin sons. Mother and children are safe.”

The emperor’s eyes lit.

He stood at once.

The court fell silent.

“Good!” the emperor said, then laughed aloud. “Good!”

The old ministers looked at one another.

The princes in the hall lowered their eyes, expressions controlled with varying success.

Twin sons.

Born safely.

To the seventh prince’s principal spouse.

Imperial twins had not appeared in many years. Among noble and imperial bloodlines, twins were considered highly auspicious if both survived delivery. Twin sons, born under a clear spring sky after rain, with a rainbow seen above the seventh prince’s residence?

The storytellers of Tianjing would need no help embellishing it.

The emperor immediately issued rewards.

Gold.

Silk.

Medicinal herbs.

A pair of jade locks for the children.

A ceremonial name plaque written in his own hand for the main courtyard.

And an imperial message praising Shen Yuheng for safely continuing the imperial bloodline.

The court listened.

Some smiled sincerely.

Some smiled until their teeth hurt.

The second prince’s hands tightened inside his sleeves.

The third prince lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable.

The Crown Prince smiled gently and offered congratulations first.

“Seventh Brother is blessed. Imperial Father has gained two imperial grandsons. This is great joy.”

The emperor nodded, clearly pleased.

Xiao Jingyuan, who was not in court because he remained at the residence, escaped the first wave of congratulations.

He did not escape the politics.

By afternoon, Tianjing was already boiling.

“Twin sons!”

“Born safely!”

“They say the elder cried like a young general.”

“How can a newborn cry like a general?”

“You understand nothing. It means he has strong lungs.”

“I heard a rainbow appeared above the residence.”

“I heard two cranes circled the roof.”

“There were cranes?”

“Maybe geese.”

“Geese are also auspicious if you explain them properly.”

Commoners liked auspicious stories.

They liked twins. They liked princes blessed by Heaven. They especially liked hearing that the seventh prince, who had guarded the northern border, now had two sons born safely after his beautiful Wangfei survived danger and rumor.

By evening, the story had already changed shape in the streets.

Seventh Wangfei had been protected by Empress Ji.

The seventh prince had refused concubines because Heaven had already chosen to bless his principal spouse.

The twin sons were born after rain washed the capital clean.

Some said the seventh prince’s household was favored by the northern stars.

Some said Shen Yuheng truly looked like an immortal because he had brought auspicious heirs with him.

In the prince residences, the mood was far less festive.

The second prince threw a memorial into the brazier.

“Auspicious heirs,” he said coldly. “Now every old minister fond of omens will mention Seventh Brother in the same breath as Heaven’s favor.”

His adviser said carefully, “Your Highness, they are only infants.”

“Infants grow.”

“If they survive.”

The second prince looked up.

The adviser immediately lowered his head. “This subordinate spoke carelessly.”

“Yes,” the second prince said. “You did.”

Across the capital, the third prince listened to the news and smiled faintly.

“Twin sons. Seventh Brother is more fortunate than expected.”

His principal wife said softly, “The court will not pressure his household to accept people for the time being.”

“For the time being,” the third prince repeated.

His smile did not reach his eyes.

“Then they will have to find another way.”

In the Crown Prince’s household, Bai Ruoyao stood by the window and listened as Lianxin reported the city’s reaction.

“Commoners are saying the seventh prince has been blessed by Heaven. Many market women are especially fond of the story. They say Seventh Wangfei suffered rumors and still gave birth safely to twin sons, so his fortune is strong.”

Bai Ruoyao looked toward the distant palace roofs.

Twin sons.

The change in the timeline was now undeniable.

This was not a small ripple.

It was a stone dropped into the center of the river.

“What of Lin Qing’an?” she asked.

Lianxin lowered her voice. “The people watching the bean merchants say someone became anxious after news of the twins spread. They tried to increase purchases yesterday, but several suppliers had already signed agreements with our side.”

Bai Ruoyao’s fingers rested on the window frame.

Good.

The stage was shifting before Lin Qing’an could step onto it.

In the seventh prince’s residence, Empress Ji’s rewards arrived shortly after the emperor’s.

They were more practical than showy.

Medicinal herbs suited for postpartum recovery.

Two palace wet nurses vetted through Fengyi Palace.

Soft infant cloth from the imperial storehouse.

A protective jade pendant for each child.

And a personal message.

“Wangfei has worked hard. Rest well. During the confinement month, no unnecessary visitor from any household is to disturb the seventh prince’s residence. Those who wish to send congratulations may send gifts and keep their mouths outside the gate.”

When the message was read aloud, Xiao Jingyuan’s expression finally eased for the first time that day.

“Imperial Mother is thoughtful,” Shen Yuheng said softly.

He was lying against the pillows, exhaustion still heavy around his eyes. The twins slept nearby, guarded more closely than some treasury vaults.

Xiao Jingyuan sat beside him and fed him warm soup spoon by spoon.

His movements were careful. Too careful.

Shen Yuheng drank three spoonfuls, then said, “Jingyuan.”

“Yes?”

“At this speed, the soup will become cold before I finish half.”

Xiao Jingyuan looked at the spoon.

“I am afraid it is too hot.”

“You have tested it three times.”

“Your mouth is more delicate than mine.”

Shen Yuheng looked at him.

Xiao Jingyuan said the sentence so seriously that teasing him suddenly felt like bullying.

Shen Yuheng drank another spoonful.

Outside the room, the wet nurses, midwives, Qingmo, and several servants stood in careful silence.

Inside, Xiao Jingyuan’s attention was entirely on Shen Yuheng.

Not the imperial rewards.

Not court reaction.

Not even the children, though every small sound from them made him glance over instantly.

Shen Yuheng noticed.

“You should go see them.”

“I have seen them.”

“You held Yunheng for less than half a quarter-hour.”

“I nearly dropped him.”

“You did not.”

“I felt as if I might.”

Shen Yuheng smiled weakly.

“Then practice.”

Xiao Jingyuan’s eyes lowered to the twins.

The elder slept quietly. The younger’s mouth moved slightly, as though he was dissatisfied even in dreams.

After a moment, Xiao Jingyuan said, “Later. You eat first.”

Shen Yuheng’s heart softened.

“Jingyuan, they are your sons.”

Xiao Jingyuan looked back at him.

“You are my spouse.”

The room quieted.

His voice was low, almost rough.

“They are important because they are ours. But if I must choose where to look first, I will look at you.”

Shen Yuheng’s fingers tightened beneath the quilt.

He had just given birth. His body was exhausted, his strength emptied, his emotions easier to stir than usual. Even so, he remained Shen Yuheng—calm, restrained, unwilling to collapse into softness.

But Xiao Jingyuan’s words entered places restraint could not fully guard.

After a long moment, Shen Yuheng said, “You have become very good at making me unable to answer.”

Xiao Jingyuan’s gaze softened.

“Then eat one more spoonful.”

Shen Yuheng laughed quietly.

He ate.

That evening, after Shen Yuheng fell asleep, the emperor’s chief eunuch arrived with another private message.

The emperor had granted the twins their names.

Xiao Yunheng.

Xiao Yunxi.

The names Shen Yuheng and Xiao Jingyuan had chosen were approved without alteration.

That approval itself was favor.

Xiao Jingyuan stood in the outer hall, holding the imperial name decree, and bowed toward the palace.

“This son thanks Imperial Father.”

The chief eunuch smiled.

“His Majesty was very pleased. He said the names are good. Constancy and dawn light. Very suitable.”

After the chief eunuch left, Xiao Jingyuan stood alone for a long time.

Then he returned to the inner chamber.

Shen Yuheng was still sleeping.

The twins slept in their cradle nearby, each wrapped safely. Yunheng was quieter, his small fist curled near his cheek. Yunxi frowned in his sleep, as if already dissatisfied with the world’s arrangements.

Xiao Jingyuan looked at them.

A strange, almost unbearable tenderness rose in him.

He thought of the dream beneath strange stars. Shen Yuheng standing alone, blood on his hands, buying time with his life.

He thought of the first time he saw him beneath palace lamps.

He thought of the window, the contract, the wedding night, the poisoning evidence, the pregnancy, the birth cries.

If fate had returned Shen Yuheng to this world, then Xiao Jingyuan would spend the rest of his life proving that this world was worthy of keeping him.

Behind him, Shen Yuheng stirred.

Xiao Jingyuan turned immediately.