In the end, they persuaded Gu Wei to let them leave just short of two weeks after the twins' birth.
Despite all the visits, Gu Wei's constant hovering and Jin Luan's silent watching, Chu Yun felt like it had been an overall positive thing that he'd ended up in the Second Prince's estate instead of the Palace for the delivery.
The royal physicians had examined him and the babies and confirmed everything was well, but they didn't overstay their welcome.
Away from the palace, Chu Yun could almost forget everything that remained to be done; from Ru Long's presence, to Hui Lang's haphazard conspiracy.
They weren't in the clear yet, but Chu Yun appreciated the reprieve, however brief.
Gu Wei reminded him to rest well when they arrived at the palace while they stood outside the carriage. "The month is still not up," he advised sternly, pulling the two halves of Chu Yun's outer robe together over his chest despite the summer heat. "You need to eat well, don't overextend yourself, and don't worry about things that haven't yet come to pass."
Xiao Zai kissed his dam on the forehead and whispered, "We'll be good, papa," against his silky hair.
Gu Wei was so startled by the casual intimacy that he forgot about all his advice, and let the two of them go with only a 'en' of acknowledgement.
On the way to the palace, each of them carrying a sleeping baby in their arms, Chu Yun shot Xiao Zai a knowing look.
"So you've decided to forgive Gu Wei..."
Xiao Zai shrugged and looked out the window between a gap in the blinds. "Over these past few days, I came to realise that he won't ever change." His expression went dark. "If he can imagine something awful, all the little small evils done to prevent it from ever coming to pass are worth it in his mind."
Chu Yun agreed with him, and part of him thought there was no point in expecting any different from Gu Wei.
But unlike him, Xiao Zai never had to see his dam in anything but a positive light.
"It hurt me to think that he didn't treasure your life, and could so recklessly risk it but...over the week, and seeing how he was," he shrugged with a pensive sigh, "he kept worrying about you after the babies were born. I think the possibility that something could have gone wrong, either during the pregnancy or the delivery never crossed his mind."
"Do I have to?" he groaned, not stopping his practice with the throwing knives even as Chu Yun kept talking with him from inside the room, while Chu Hean remained outside in the courtyard.
"Yes, unless you want to get married without their blessing."
Chu Hean shrugged and squinted one eye. Aiming at the knot on the trunk of the plum tree he was using as a target.
"Maybe we could elope, run away to the grassy plains without no one being the wiser."
Just then, the baby boy started crying in his crib.
Chu Yun laid back down on the bed, raising a trembling hand to his forehead. "Please go check on your nephew, I'm not feeling well."
From outside, he heard the sharp twack of the throwing knife hitting its mark. Chu Hean's head popped over the windowsill to glare accusingly at Chu Yun. "You were fine just moments ago."
Chu Yun closed his eyes and heaved a laboured breath. "Please, maybe he needs a change, and my vision is swimming, I'm seeing all kinds of odd shapes."
Chu Hean cursed him and all his ancestors, ignoring that they shared them, but he did still went to dutifully check on his nephew. Who, it turned out, had made quite a mess of his crib.
---
Not a week after Chu Yun and Xiao Zai had returned to the palace, the King of Su arrived, with a large entourage and several chests of treasure as a testament of his gratitude to the King of Zui in helping put an end to his torment.
Chu Yun had been really diligent at sitting the month up until then, resting plenty and eating all kinds of mild foods, but that was a spectacle he was not willing to miss.
The scar on his lower abdomen no longer felt tender to the touch, and he could mostly move around without pain.
Three weeks was almost a month. Gu Wei and the physicians could cope.
"If you're sure," Xiao Zai said pleasantly, taking Chu Yun's arm as the two of them left the King's quarters together to meet the King of Su in the throne room.