CHAPTER 48: 48. NEEDED FAMILY INTRODUCTIONS

AT THE SAME TIME

MEI SHEN’S POINT OF VIEW:

I watched them from the bed, my body still weak but my heart strangely... full. Lianwei stood near the foot of the bed, his posture effortlessly regal, though I could see the tension in his shoulders. He wasn’t nervous, Lianwei Voss never got nervous, but there was a strange hesitance in his eyes. Not fear. Respect. And perhaps... the tiniest bit of dread. After all, it wasn’t every day you had to introduce yourself to your wife’s long-lost, very protective father, who just happened to be a war hardened general with a presence that could silence a battlefield. My father, Henry Blackstone, stood beside him, arms crossed and eyes narrowed just slightly as he studied the Emperor of the Realm like he was an unruly soldier on probation.

"I believe formalities are overdue." Lianwei said finally, bowing his head the slightest degree, the kind of bow he gave only to those he respected. "I am Lianwei Voss. Emperor of the Eastern Flame. Mei Shen’s husband. Huan’s father. And, I hope... your son in law."

Henry’s expression didn’t change right away. His silver streaked brows twitched faintly.

"You’re tall." Henry grunted, voice like gravel and iron. "Too clean. Too polite."

Lianwei blinked.

"...I see."He muttered.

"But." Henry stepped forward, eyes briefly softening as they shifted to me. "You gave her a son." Then to Lianwei again, he added. "And from the way he clings to you, you’ve been a damn good father. So I suppose... I won’t break your legs today."

Lianwei exhaled, the closest thing he’d ever show to relief in public.

"Gratitude, General Blackstone."He said.

"Call me Henry."My father said and Lianwei nodded.

I tried not to laugh too hard, which was difficult with my stomach still tender.

"Are you two going to spar or sit down?"I asked.

Henry finally allowed a small smirk.

"Not today. I’ve got something better than war now."He said.

He turned, and with surprising gentleness, bent down beside the bed where Huan had just returned with a stuffed fox tucked under his arm. My little boy blinked up at him.

"Hey there, lad." Henry said. "Do you remember what we talked about? You know who I am now?"

Huan nodded slowly.

"You’re my moma’s daddy."He said.

"That’s right." Henry said, pride swelling in his voice like thunder behind a mountain. "I’m your grandpa. And that means you’re stuck with me now, soldier."

Huan tilted his head.

"Are grandpas like... bonus daddies?"Huan asked.

Henry barked out a surprised laugh.

"Something like that."He said.

I felt the sting of tears behind my eyes again, but they were soft tears this time, not the kind that came from grief or anger or fear. Just... the quiet ache of something lost finally being returned. Lianwei came to sit beside me then, one hand resting protectively on mine. I leaned into him, warm and secure.

My family was strange. Messy. Cross world. Cursed, blessed, stitched together by fate, mistakes, and gods.

But for the first time in my life... It felt whole.

AT THE SAME TIME

EMPEROR LIANWEI’S POINT OF VIEW:

I heard them before I saw them, the quick steps of silk shoes on polished wood, hushed voices outside the chamber door. Then it opened, and my mother swept in first, flanked by my grandmother, the Dowager Empress, and two of my sisters trailing like embroidered shadows.

At first, they said nothing. Their eyes landed on Mei Shen, still propped up on the bed, her skin pale but glowing with something I hadn’t seen in months, peace. Beside her stood Henry Blackstone, the man who had once haunted war maps and legends, now gently holding Huan’s hand like he’d been born to it. My mother blinked. Then blinked again.

"Is that...?"She asked.

"Yes." I said quietly. "That’s her father."

The dowager stepped forward, her fan held frozen in mid air.

"Henry Blackstone? That Henry Blackstone?"She asked.

"Apparently." I muttered.

The old general turned to them, his eyes cool but not unkind.

"I didn’t die." He said dryly. "Just went where I was needed."

There was a stunned silence. And then my youngest sister, bold, nosy, annoyingly sharp, broke it.

"You look like her." She said to him, tilting her head. "Except old. And scary."

Henry grunted, but I saw the corner of his mouth twitch.

My mother recovered first. She stepped toward Mei Shen’s bedside, her gaze scanning my wife with something almost fierce in its tenderness.

"You’ve found your family." She whispered. "You have roots again."

Mei Shen looked up at her, voice soft but clear.

"It feels... strange. But good."She said.

"It suits you." Grandmother said, folding her hands. "You’re stronger with them. As a woman... as empress."

I felt something loosen in my chest. Approval was never handed out easily in this family. But today, they meant it. They saw her. Then Huan wriggled free from Henry’s hand and trotted over to me, face glowing with that mischievous light I’d missed for days.

"Daddy?" He said, tugging on my sleeve. "Did you tell Grandpa the whole surprise yet?"

I blinked.

"Whole surprise?"I asked.

He beamed.

"About the baby!"He said.

I froze. The room collectively inhaled. I looked at Mei Shen. She blushed faintly, one hand drifting to her stomach like a reflex.

"...I was waiting for the right time."She muttered.

There was a ringing in my ears. I heard my mother gasp softly, my sisters squeal with excitement, Grandmother say something about blessings and legacies. But all I could see was her, my Mei Shen and the way her eyes shone with hesitant joy.

"You’re... sure?" I asked hoarsely.

The healer stepped forward from the shadows of the room, clearing her throat.

"Yes, Your Majesty. She’s entering her second trimester. The child is healthy, though the Empress needs rest."She said.

My gaze fell to her stomach again, as if I could will myself to see it, to believe it. Then Mei Shen reached for my hand. I took it, kneeling beside the bed, pressing her fingers to my lips.

"I was scared." She said softly. "Still am. But I want this."

I looked up at her, barely holding back the tide behind my eyes.

"Then I want it too. With all that I am."I said.

My mother wiped her eyes discreetly. My grandmother smiled faintly. Henry muttered something about keeping the entire palace guarded from the sky to the roots of the mountain if it kept his daughter safe. But me? I just knelt there, my forehead resting against Mei Shen’s stomach, whispering a silent vow to the life growing inside her. I had one family. Now I had two. And I would protect them with everything I had.

A few days later the sun was gentle today, a rare kindness from the heavens. I stood at the edge of the garden, arms loosely folded as I watched Henry Blackstone war legend, dread general, ’don’t cross me or I’ll stare you into the grave’ Henry, sitting cross-legged in the grass, listening with absolute seriousness as Huan explained something involving imaginary dragons and a sandwich.

"But then I told the red dragon he couldn’t have Mei Mei’s rice cakes, ’cause those are ours, right Grandpa?"He asked.

Henry’s grizzled brows furrowed.

"Naturally. A dragon with no manners should expect war."He said.

Huan nodded.

"Exactly. So then we made a treaty. I gave him the yucky green beans instead."Huan added.

Henry patted his head.

"Diplomacy. I’m proud of you."He said.

I couldn’t hold the laugh in. It slipped out before I could stop it. The mighty Blackstone turned slowly toward me, raising one pale brow.

"You’re eavesdropping, emperor."Henry said.

"I’m admiring the art of negotiation" I replied, crossing the courtyard to them. Huan jumped up and ran to me, arms wrapping around my waist. I ruffled his hair. "You handling our foreign relations now, general Huan?"

He grinned up at me.

"Me and grandpa are a team!"Huan said.

Henry stood slowly, joints cracking in protest, but his eyes softened as he looked at Mei Shen resting nearby on the shaded couch. Her face was tilted to the sun, eyes closed, one hand over her belly, and peace, real peace, sat on her features for the first time in weeks.

"She’s glowing." Henry said.

"She always does." I murmured. "But I think... this glow has a heartbeat."

He said nothing, just nodded once. And for a while, we stood there in silence, watching the woman we both swore to protect with our lives. A seven months later the glow was completely gone. The moonlight poured across the room like pale silk, washing everything in silver. Mei Shen sat by the window, wrapped in her softest robe, staring out at nothing. Her hands rested on her belly, but she didn’t move. Didn’t hum. Didn’t speak. She looked... empty. Tired didn’t begin to cover it. Her face was thinner. Dark crescents shadowed her eyes. Her breath came slower now, more strained some nights. The healer said she was healthy technically, but not resting enough. Worry, stress, fear. It wore her down like waves over stone. I stepped closer.

"You should be lying down."I said.

"I was." She said, voice barely above a whisper. "I can’t sleep."

I crouched beside her chair.

"Nightmares?"I asked.

She shook her head.

"No. Just... my mind doesn’t stop."She said.

I gently touched her wrist. Her skin felt cool, too cool.

"Mei..."I started.

"I’m scared." She admitted finally, eyes filling. "I thought by now I’d be happy. I want to be. But every time the baby kicks, I panic. What if I’m not strong enough? What if-"

"You’re not alone." I said it firmly. "You’re not. Not anymore. Look at me."

Her tired eyes met mine.

"I love you. Our son loves you. Our second baby-" I pressed a hand gently against her belly. "Is already so lucky to have you. But I need you to believe that too."

She tried to smile. It faltered. I helped her back to bed, settling beside her, keeping a hand on her back while she curled up carefully. The system chimed softly, a worried hum in the background. Even Zeyrith hadn’t appeared in days, as if the god himself wasn’t sure what to say anymore. But I knew one thing. I wasn’t letting her fall alone. Not this time.