Chapter 221 – I Am The Empress Dowager, Who Am I Afraid Of? (part 14)
"What? A-De is the prince? No way! How is it possible?!" It was Qin Wan'er's eldest brother who spoke. His wife nodded repeatedly next to him. She had also seen that Gentleman A-De, whose words and deeds did not resemble the prince.
"Oh, my little sister is going to be a princess consort. This is incredibly lucky! Dad, hurry up and burn incense for our ancestors!" The one who spoke was Qin Wan'er's second older brother.
"Just be quiet for a while. All of you are so happy, but you haven't thought about Wan'er at all. What's the big deal?" Mother Qin looked at Father Qin.
"He is too rich to be a good match!" Father Qin said quickly.
"That's right. He is too rich to be a good match. That's the prince. Look at our family's background. If A-De, no, if the prince is not good to Wan'er, how can we help Wan'er!" Mrs. Qin said angrily.
"That shouldn't be! A-De, no, the prince… The prince is very friendly and approachable, and treats Wan'er as well as we do," the eldest of the Qin family continued.
"That's right. A-De doesn't look like the prince in a drama at all. Mother, don't worry about this. I think you should worry about Wan'er's dowry!" said the second child of the Qin family.
The Qin family's third son was 6 years old and he had nothing to say in regards to such a big event. He was pulled aside by his second older sister-in-law, given some candy, and was asked to take the younger ones to play in the yard.
Mother Qin had a headache just thinking about it. She looked at her daughter. "Wan'er, what do you want to do? Do you want to marry? If you don't want to marry…" They had accepted the imperial decree. The Qin family did not have the courage to resist.
Qin Wan'er lowered her head and said nothing. Did she want to marry? The answer was yes. She liked A-De, and she was willing to marry A-De. She just didn't expect older brother A-De to be the prince. She was a little scared.
Mother Qin knew what the answer was when she saw Qin Wan'er like this. Since her daughter was willing, she would not say anything. A-De, no, the prince, she had seen him too. He was really good, talented and had a good temperament. He was indeed a good son-in-law. Otherwise, she wouldn't turn a blind eye and let him and Wan'er meet each other.
"Okay, you can go and get married. Don't worry, your parents are here." Mother Qin patted her daughter's hand.
Father Qin and the eldest brother of the Qin family also patted their chests and said that they would let their daughter/sister marry, and they would be there for her.
The two sisters-in-law also nodded in agreement.
Qin Wan'er's eyes turned red with emotion. She knew the situation at home. She originally thought that older brother A-De was the son of an official. She never expected that older brother A-De was actually a prince. She bowed her head and hesitated for a long time before she said, "Mother and father, older brother and sister-in-law, older brother A-De knows our family's situation. Since he came to propose a marriage, he must not dislike our family. So…" With regards to a dowry… It didn't have to be extravagant.
Qin Wan'er just couldn't say it directly, but she believed that her parents, older brothers and older sister-in-laws would definitely understand what she meant.
"Okay, this is not something you should worry about. Be good and obedient when you enter the imperial palace. Xiaochan, help the girl." Father Qin waved.
When Qin Wan'er left, the Qin family gathered together to discuss the matter of the dowry.
"Wan'er is going to be a princess consort in the future. The dowry can't be too little, otherwise it will make people laugh." It was the eldest brother of the Qin family who spoke.
The eldest sister-in-law of the Qin family nodded. "It's not enough. I'll go back to my parents. I remember that my pawnshop had a coral tree that is half a foot tall."
"I can also get some things from my mother's family," The Qin family's second sister-in-law also said.
Mother Qin shook her head. "How can this work?! How can the girl's sister-in-law's family be responsible for preparing her dowry? No, absolutely not."
The two sisters-in-laws of the Qin family were anxious. "Mother, are we not one family? Little sister's affairs are the top priority of our family!"
"Then you can't ask your parents for it. No!" Mother Qin said.
Father Qin also nodded and said, "Yes, your mother is right. You can't ask them. We will find a way for Wan'er's dowry."
Standing next to him, An Hui felt that he had been neglected. He remembered the prince's instructions, cleared his throat, which attracted the attention of all the Qin family, and then said, "Ahem! Master Qin, Madam Qin, the prince asked this servants to come. In addition to sending a letter to the princess, there is one more thing."
An Hui took out a list from his pocket and handed it to Father Qin.
Father Qin opened it and his eyes widened. "What is this?"
An Hui said, "This is the prince's private property. The prince means that this will be handed over to the princess and brought back as a dowry. Although the prince doesn't care about this, he is afraid that the princess will care, so he wants to offer this to add to the dowry. This is also a good thing for the princess. This servant asks that Lord Qin does not refuse. In addition, the prince also said that the empress dowager is very satisfied with the princess and the Qin family, so the princess does not need to worry. Wet Nurse Wen, who came along with the imperial edict, was specially chosen by the prince. She has a gentle temperament and will instruct the princess on etiquette. The wedding date is set for September next year, which should have good weather. The prince was afraid that the princess would miss home, so he bought a house for the lord in the capital and bought a few acres of land. If the lord and the lord's wife are willing to move to the capital, that would be good."
Mother and Father Qin were concerned. "You said that the empress dowager and the emperor also know about our family?"
An Hui smiled. "The prince is the son of the empress dowager and is His Majesty's younger brother. The prince has always been favoured. How could the Empress Dowager and the Emperor not look into his marriage?"
The Qin family didn't think there was anything wrong with it. Ordinary people would inspect their daughter-in-law beforehand, not to mention the imperial family. However, the empress dowager and the emperor both said they were satisfied. Did this mean that their family was fine?!
The eldest and second eldest sons of the Qin family suddenly felt complacent.
Father Qin gave them a blank look and was still hesitating whether to agree or not. Mother Qin looked at the list and immediately said, "Okay, this is the prince's good intentions. It would be disrespectful to refuse. We will shamelessly accept the dowry and the house!"
Father Qin glared at Mother Qin. "Why did you agree without discussing it with me?"
Mother Qin rolled her eyes at him, ignored him, and turned to look at An Hui. "I just forgot. I made clothes for A-De, no, the prince. Please bring them back."
An Hui knew that this outfit must have been made by the future princess, and Mrs. Qin was just saying she made it. He quickly smiled and said, "That's perfect. The prince wanted to come in person this time, but His Majesty would not allow it. Since the prince is about to get married, he has to find something serious to do. Now the prince has been sent to the Ministry of Rites for training."
Mother Qin nodded with a smile. "Cui'er, go get that set of clothes."
An Hui carefully took the clothes and then left. Mother Qin asked for Wet Nurse Wen to settle down again, and the family continued to talk.
Father Qin was still a little dissatisfied. "How can you take control of this and accept those things!" Father Qin still had the arrogance of a scholar, so he couldn't bear to accept this.
Mother Qin rolled her eyes at him. "Our future son-in-law will give us face for our daughter and support the dowry. What right do you have to refuse?! That house is also future son-in-law showing his filial piety. What's wrong with accepting it? If you don't want it, then you can stay here. I'll live by myself! Anyway, I'm reluctant to leave Wan'er. I will move to the capital permanently."
The eldest and second sons of the Qin family and their wives said, "We can't bear to leave Wan'er! We will also go to the capital."
Father Qin stared. "What do you know? Is the capital somewhere we can go? There are noble people everywhere. If we accidentally offend someone, wouldn't it be a hindrance to Wan'er?" He didn't care. He was mainly afraid that the children would be fascinated by the rich and powerful, and then would do stupid things which would affect his daughter.
Mother Qin said, "Don't you know who our sons are? How could they cause trouble? Our family has always gotten along well and we will continue to get along well. Even if we can't meet every day when we are in the capital, we should get closer."
The eldest and second eldest sons of the Qin family also expressed that they would be careful and would never cause trouble or embarrass their younger sister.
Father Qin was still worried. He frowned, looked at the children, and said solemnly, "Listen to me, you guys, if you dare to cause trouble in the future, I will break your legs!"
The eldest and the second sons of the Qin family looked at each other. "Dad, don't worry. We will never hold back younger sister."
The two daughters-in-law of the Qin family also nodded and said, "Don't worry, father and mother. Our family has gotten along well and will continue to get along."
Only then did Father Qin feel satisfied. "Not only you, but also a few children should be taught well. You can't embarrass Wan'er."
The others nodded in agreement.
The Qin family made up their minds and began to prepare for the marriage. Qin Wan'er also began to formally learn etiquette with Wet Nurse Wen.
Wet Nurse Wen, as her name suggested, was very gentle. Qin Wan'er studied with her for a few days. She was anxious at the beginning, but she gradually grew to love Wet Nurse Wen and even ended up not being able to live without Wet Nurse Wen.
Wet Nurse Wen knew that if nothing else happened, she would probably be inseparable from Miss Wan'er for the rest of her life. She knew the reason why the prince asked her to come. It was not to teach Young Miss Wan'er well. Wan'er had a simple temperament. The prince asked her to come so that she would be considerate of Wan'er.
Therefore, Wet Nurse Wen naturally wouldn't put on a show.
Not long after, not only did Qin Wan'er fall in love with Wet Nurse Wen, but the entire Qin family was very happy with her.
Time passed slowly. Three months later, the Qin family moved to the capital.
When Li Su heard that the Qin family had entered the capital, she immediately wanted someone to bring Qin Wan'er into the palace so she could take a look, but she was stopped by Zhao Defang. "Empress mother, the Qin family only just moved here. It's exhausting, so please wait a few days!"
Li Su thought about it and agreed. She would wait a few days.
As a result, Zhao Defang ran to the Qin family's house that night. After Li Su found out, she rolled her eyes. "Didn't he say that the Qin family is exhausted?"
Wet Nurse Xu held back her smile. "Empress Dowager, please be sympathetic to the prince. The prince has been working so hard this time. His sweetheart has arrived, so why would you stop him from seeing her?"
Li Su laughed. "The emperor still has a method. Defang has grown a lot recently."
Chapter 222 – I Am The Empress Dowager, Who Am I Afraid Of? (part 15)
Li Su didn't know if Zhao Defang had seen Qin Wan'er. After Zhao Defang came back, he was in a good mood. He was smiling for several days, and even more energetic when he went to the Ministry of Rites.
Li Su didn't feel anything at all. Emperor Long'an felt a little uncomfortable. It felt like the flower he had raised for many years was being taken away. Emperor Long'an also felt that his mentality was very strange. Defang was his younger brother, not his daughter.
Emperor Long'an was in a bad mood. Without thinking about it, he went to Peaceful Age Palace.
In Peaceful Age Palace, Li Su was listening to some musicians. When Emperor Long'an came, she stretched out her head and looked at the sky. "How come you have enough free time to come here?"
Seeing that Emperor Long'an's expression was not good, Wet Nurse Xu signalled to the musicians to stop.
But Emperor Long'a' waved his hand. "Don't stop. Just keep singing!" In order not to bother him, empress mother gave up other hobbies and ended up listening to music. How could he make empress mother feel wronged because of him?
"What's the matter? Is there anything bothering you?" Li Su asked after seeing Emperor Long'an's face.
Emperor Long'an thought about it for a while. There was nothing to be ashamed of in front of empress mother. Besides, there was no one else here. "Empress mother, don't you feel unhappy that Defang is so enthusiastic about that girl from the Qin family?"
Li Su was stunned for a while, then looked at Emperor Long'an. When Emperor Long'an saw her, he felt a little embarrassed. "Empress mother!"
Li Su held back her smile. "What? Feeling uncomfortable?"
Emperor Long'an was a little embarrassed. He lowered his head in acquiescence.
Li Su smiled and said, "Defang will get married. You are so reluctant to give him up. What about your children? They will get married in the future. What will you do then?"
Emperor Long'an smiled awkwardly. He thought about it seriously, and then said, "Defang is different from them!" Defang was his younger brother, but in his heart, he was no different from his son. The hard work he put into Defang was incomparable to the others.
Li Su patted his hand. She actually understood Emperor Long'an's feelings for Zhao Defang very well. When he was a child, Zhao Defang was raised by Emperor Long'an. He was his younger brother, but he was more like his son. Therefore, when the original owner and Zhao Defang united to betray Emperor Long'an, it really hit Emperor Long'an hard. It was evident that Emperor Long'an continued to be tolerant towards them.
"The child is getting older and sooner or later, this day would have come." Li Su patted Emperor Long'an's hand. "Do you have a good candidate for Yuanqi?"
The corners of Emperor Long'an's mouth twitched. Empress mother, your method of changing the subject was too bad! How old was Yuanqi?! However, as a filial son, Emperor Long'an habitually took Li Su's words to heart and considered them seriously. Yuanqi was the crown prince, and his wife would be the crown princess. The future empress must be considered carefully in order to avoid marrying another idiot like Empress Jiang.
"Empress mother is thoughtful. Your son will seriously consider it," Emperor Long'an said seriously.
Li Su blinked. She said it casually. She didn't expect him to be so serious.
"Chen Zhiyao's, the Minister of Civil Personnel, eldest daughter is one year older than Yuanqi. The Chen family's teachings are still good. However, we still need to send someone to examine them. There is also the daughter of General Li's family, who is one year younger than Yuanqi. There is also Zhang Yuanzhi from the Board of Public Work who has several granddaughters of school age who have had a strict upbringing. They can be included. Yuanqi is still young. We need to carefully choose a good one." Emperor Long'an quickly listed a few people they could choose from.
Li Su was dumbfounded. "No, no. I'm talking nonsense. Yuanqi is not old enough."
"Your son doesn't plan to get him married right away. The question of who should be chosen for the position of crown princess is very important and needs to be carefully considered. Your son thanks empress mother for the reminder! Empress mother is still very quick and thinks far into the future. Your son can't beat empress mother!" Emperor Long'an said with a smile.
If it weren't for Emperor Long'an's sincere eyes, sincere attitude, and filial piety, Li Su would have thought that he was mocking her.
When Emperor Long'an left Peaceful Age Palace, his expression was relaxed and his steps were brisk.
Li Su, however, had lost interest. She waved away the musicians and leaned on the couch alone in a daze.
"Empress Dowager, this servant guesses that the Qin family should have settled down by now. Why doesn't Empress Dowager announce that Madam Qin and Young Miss Qin will enter the palace tomorrow?" Seeing Li Su's lack of interest, Wet Nurse Xu tried to divert Li Su's attention.
Li Su thought for a while. "Okay, A-Xu, make arrangements!"
Seeing that Li Su's interest was still low, Wet Nurse Xu thought about it for a while, and then talked about what to prepare for tomorrow. Did they need to pay attention to the list of food? Was there anything they should ask the prince?
Li Su knew what Wet Nurse Xu's intentions were and smiled. "A-Xu, I'm fine. I just remembered the past."
Wet Nurse Xu thought that Li Su remembered the late emperor. "Was the empress dowager thinking of the late emperor? This servant remembered that when the empress dowager received the decree to enter the palace, the empress dowager cried in fear in the middle of the night. It turned out that the empress dowager was His Majesty's favourite. This servant will remember the expression on the empress dowager's face at that time for the rest of this servant's life."
When Li Su heard Wet Nurse Xu mention these past events, she knew what she meant and laughed. She was just thinking of Emperor Long'an, Yuanqi, and Zhao Defang. When she thought of Li Yuanqi again… Everyone in the world wanted to be the emperor, but they didn't know that once one takes that seat, they would be truly alone. After all, there were not many situations like the previous emperor and the original owner.
Now Li Su understood it and felt that she was thinking too much. She felt that the person sitting in that seat was a loner, and maybe people liked that kind of life. She had been rich and stable for a long time, so she began to think wildly.
In other words, the task in this life was too simple! Was it possible to just eat, drink, and enjoy the entire time? This was too ****!
However, she liked it!
Prince Bao was about to get married and the palace was full of joy. The only one who was uncomfortable was Zhao Yuanqi.
On this day, as soon as Zhao Yuanqi came back, he lay on Li Su's lap without saying a word as he appeared unhappy.
Li Su smiled and didn't ask. She just gently stroked Zhao Yuanqi's hair, smoothing it out. This kid and his father were indeed father and son. Some of their habits were exactly the same.
Sure enough, under the gentle touch of imperial grandmother, Zhao Yuanqi said, "Imperial grandmother, why can imperial uncle choose the person he likes, but my marriage can only be arranged by father emperor?!"
Li Su almost choked. "No, what did your emperor father tell you?" Zhao Guangzhe wouldn't be so stupid, would he? How old was Yuanqi?
Zhao Yuanqi shook his head. "It wasn't emperor father who said it, it was imperial uncle."
He met imperial uncle this morning. Seeing that imperial uncle was very happy, he asked imperial uncle why he was so happy. Imperial uncle said that he was going to marry a wife soon, so of course he was happy.
Zhao Yuanqi looked envious. He said that when he married a wife, he would also be happy.
Imperial uncle laughed, saying that his wife was chosen by imperial uncle himself, and she was someone imperial uncle liked. But, that would not happen with Zhao Yuanqi.
Zhao Yuanqi immediately asked why.
Imperial uncle said that it was because he was the crown prince, and the wife of the crown prince would be the princess consort. The choice of the princess consort was very important, and it must be decided by emperor father.
Zhao Yuanqi was suddenly unhappy. Why should imperial uncle get to choose his own wife, but he could not?! But he didn't dare to say this to emperor father, so he could only come back and talk to imperial grandmother. Imperial grandmother would not get angry.
"Imperial grandmother, can I choose someone I like to be the crown princess in the future?" Zhao Yuanqi asked with wide eyes.
The corners of Li Su's mouth twitched a little. She didn't know whether it was because the four-year-old child was shocked by the thought of marriage, or because she couldn't answer the questions raised by Zhao Yuanqi. Maybe it was both!
Seeing this, Wet Nurse Xu smiled.
Li Su waved her hand. No matter who the other party was, she didn't want to fool the other party just because they were young. This was showing the minimum amount of respect. She thought about it seriously. "This matter is something imperial grandmother can't answer for the time being. You are the crown prince. Do you know what being the crown prince means?"
Zhao Yuanqi nodded. "I know, the masters taught me that the crown prince is the crown prince!"
"Have the masters ever told you what about the crown princess? What the duties of the crown princess are?" Li Su continued.
Zhao Yuanqi shook his head.
Li Su smiled slightly. "The crown princess is the future empress, and she is the one who is the mother of the world. The responsibility of the empress is obvious. Not just anyone can be empress. Do you understand? "
"But isn't imperial grandmother also the empress dowager?" Zhao Yuanqi asked ignorantly. He heard from his mother that imperial grandmother had also been the empress, but when imperial grandmother was the empress, she didn't care about anything.
Wet Nurse Xu couldn't help but laugh while Li Su was a little embarrassed. How did a child know that she was an incompetent empress?
Although she was embarrassed, Li Su still had to rack her brains to explain things to Zhao Yuanqi. "Imperial grandmother was indeed not a competent empress, but your imperial grandmother did not want to be empress. It was your imperial grandfather who asked me to be the empress. I told your imperial grandfather at the time that I was not smart or generous, and I couldn't be a good empress, but your imperial grandfather said that he wanted to live and die with me. Only when I became the empress, could I be buried with him after I die. It didn't matter if I didn't become empress since he would help me. That's why imperial grandmother finally became the empress. But Yuanqi, you are not your imperial grandfather, and others will not be like your imperial grandmother. This is not comparable. And, you know what? Because your imperial grandmother was not a good empress, your imperial grandfather had to work very hard!"
"I'm not afraid of hard work!" Zhao Yuanqi said seriously. "I also want to be buried in the same place as the person I like."
Li Su's eyes widened. "Yuanqi, how old are you? Do you know what it means to like someone?"
"Imperial grandmother, although I don't know what it is to like someone, but I know what joy is. When imperial uncle mentioned imperial aunt, his eyes were smiling. I knew that at that moment, imperial uncle must be very happy. Although empress mother is emperor father's wife, emperor father is not happy when he mentions empress mother. I want to live a happy life."
Zhao Yuanqi's remarks successfully left Li Su stunned.
Did all children nowadays mature so early?
Chapter 223 – I Am The Empress Dowager, Who Am I Afraid Of? (part 16)
Zhao Yuanqi was still waiting eagerly for Li Su's answer, but Li Su didn't know what to say.
Seeing this, Wet Nurse Xu held back her smile. "Your Highness, for this matter, the empress dowager said that you have to discuss it with His Majesty."
"But emperor father has always listened to imperial grandmother's words the most. If imperial grandmother agrees, then emperor father would definitely not object. Wasn't imperial uncle's marriage something imperial grandmother decided?" Zhao Yuanqi asked.
However, Li Su shook her head. "That isn't true. Your emperor father is filial, but he is not stupid. If it involves the country, your emperor father will not blindly follow the words of imperial grandmother. Look at your imperial grandmother who eats and drinks all day. When has imperial grandmother ever intervened in the political affairs of the previous dynasty? This is the reason why your emperor father listened to the words of imperial grandmother so much. You are not the same as your imperial uncle."
Although Zhao Yuanqi was young, he also understood these truths. He was still a little disappointed. "Is it really not possible?"
Li Su couldn't help feeling distressed when she looked at him. After thinking about it, she said, "You are still young now. When you grow up, if you have someone you like, and if the other person has a good character, is smart and stable, then you will be a good match. Even if her family background is a little lower, it won't matter. When the time comes, imperial grandmother will intercede for you. However, whether your emperor father and court officials will agree is something imperial grandmother can't guarantee!"
Zhao Yuanqi immediately cheered. In Zhao Yuanqi's heart, emperor father was an omnipotent person. Imperial grandmother, who could suppress emperor father, was even more remarkable. Imperial grandmother agreed, so that was that!
Wet Nurse Xu looked at Zhao Yuanqi, and then at Li Su, who looked annoyed, and sighed helplessly.
Li Su actually regretted it after speaking, but when she saw Zhao Yuanqi's happy expression, she figured it would be fine to let him be happy first. He was still young. When he gets older, he will probably realise how ridiculous it was to think like this.
But many years later, when Zhao Yuanqi held a girl's hand and walked to her, knelt down, and begged her to call the shots, Li Su realized how wrong she was. She underestimated the obsession of a child.
But these were stories that happened later.
Now, Li Su did not know.
After, Zhao Yuanqi was overjoyed. "Imperial grandmother, I heard from Wet Nurse Xu that you are going to invite imperial aunt's family as guests tomorrow. Can I come and have a look?"
"Don't you have to go to school? What? Do you want to be lazy?" Li Su asked with a smile.
"I won't be lazy. My homework is very good and the masters praise me. I'm just curious as to what kind of girl can make imperial uncle so happy!" Zhao Yuanqi said with a wink.
Li Su smiled, "Okay, when they come tomorrow, I will have someone call you."
Zhao Yuanqi was happy, and Li Su looked at the time. "Okay, it's time for you to go pay respects to your empress mother, go on, imperial grandmother will wait for you to come back for dinner."
Wet Nurse Xu also said with a smile, "Tonight, the kitchen has prepared His Highness's favorite fried chicken!"
Zhao Yuanqi's eyes lit up. Fried chicken was his favourite food. Imperial grandmother said that fried chicken is high in calories. If he ate too much, he would gain weight easily. He was only allowed to eat it once every 10 days.
"Imperial grandmother, I'm going right now. Imperial grandmother, wait for me!" Zhao Yuanqi got off the bed in a hurry and ran out quickly.
Li Su smiled and watched Zhao Yuanqi leave. She then glared at Wet Nurse Xu. "Who said that we're going to eat fried chicken today?"
Wet Nurse Xu glanced at her helplessly. "It is this servant who wants to eat it, okay?"
Only then did Li Su nod with satisfaction. "Let's have two types, one sprinkled with cumin powder and the other with black pepper powder. Make some sour plum soup." Fried chicken and cola were a good match. It was a shame that there was no cola here. She could only have sour plum soup.
When she went back, she must buy a few boxes of Coke and store them in the space.
Sometimes people were so strange. The things that usually didn't matter, suddenly became relevant, like the Coke. She suddenly wanted to drink it. If she couldn't have it, she would end up thinking about it, and it would eventually become an obsession.
For Li Su right now, Coke was her obsession.
Wet Nurse Xu smiled proudly and said, "I have already ordered that. Empress dowager can rest assured!" Who was she? She was the person who understood the empress dowager's thoughts the most in the entire world!
Zhao Yuanqi hurriedly went to the Empress' Palace, ready to pay his respects, then leave.
He did not expect that, besides Empress Jiang, his maternal grandmother, Madam Qin, was also there today.
After Zhao Yuanqi paid his respects, he was ready to leave. He didn't expect for Empress Jiang to stop him. "Yuanqi, sit down. Your empress mother has something to tell you."
Zhao Yuanqi frowned slightly. He did not sit down, but said, "What is it, empress mother?"
"Your empress mother is sick now, and only cares about you. We know that everything is fine for you in Peaceful Age Palace, and the people around you are courteous and thoughtful, but the empress mother still can't rest assured. Your grandmother picked a little girl from home who is smart and clever. Empress mother wants her to follow and serve you. Just accept her and take it as reassurance from empress mother, okay?" said Empress Jiang looking at Zhao Yuanqi.
Madam Qin frowned slightly. She had been teaching for a long time before. Empress Jiang should move people with affection, and impress on His Royal Highness with the affection of a mother to her son. What happened? The empress changed her mind again.
Madam Qin thoughts were fine, but she had ignored the Empress Jiang and was arrogant. In her opinion, Zhao Yuanqi was Empress Jiang's son, and he should be close to Empress Jiang. Even if he didn't get close to Empress Jiang now, Empress Jiang was his mother. He should obey Empress Jiang's words. She couldn't weep pitifully.
Zhao Yuanqi knew what was going on, but it was just a palace maid. "It's just a palace maid, your son can accept her."
Empress Jiang and Madam Qin breathed a sigh of relief. Madam Qin said with a smile, "Ruyi, why don't you come to see His Imperial Highness, the crown prince?"
A girl wearing the uniform of a palace maid came out from behind Madam Qin and walked to Zhao Yuanqi's side. "This servant, Ruyi, greets His Imperial Highness, the crown prince!" Her voice was like a song, sweet and agile.
Madam Qin looked at Ruyi, who was kneeling on the ground, with satisfaction. She was one of the girls with the best aptitude, looked good, had a good figure, and could learn everything quickly among the girls in the courtyard. She didn't want to send someone in so early, but she heard that His Majesty intended to choose a concubine for the crown prince. Although he couldn't get married immediately, if she was a childhood sweetheart and was close to the crown prince, then her plan would not be in vain.
Therefore, Madam Qin would plan ahead.
Zhao Yuanqi was obsessed with fried chicken, so he didn't bother to listen to her. "Ruyi, Peaceful Age Palace already has a Ruyi, so you can change your name…"
Zhao Yuanqi almost blurted out the words 'fried chicken', but managed to prevent himself from doing so. He also remembered that imperial grandmother often said that the official match for fried chicken was Cola. Although he didn't know what Cola was, he would definitely find the thing that imperial grandmother wanted to eat in the future.
"Let's call her Cola!" Zhao Yuanqi said. He chose the name just to remind himself to not forget to find Cola for imperial grandmother.
Empress Jiang, Madam Qin, and Ruyi were stunned by the name Cola. Ruyi was a nice name. What the hell was Cola?
Empress Jiang still wanted to say something, but Madam Qin tugged her sleeves secretly. "Cola is a good name. Let's call her Cola! Cola, please thank His Imperial Highness for the name."
Cola was a smart woman. She immediately fell to the ground again after hearing those words. "Cola thanks Your Highness for the name." The name was just a code name. She knew what was important.
"It seems that you have not been taught very well? You should call yourself a servant," Zhao Yuanqi said.
"Yes, this servant understands." Cola changed her tune in a kind-hearted manner.
"Empress mother, if there is nothing else, then your son will go back first. Your son will go back to accompany imperial grandmother to eat." Zhao Yuanqi got up.
Empress Jiang stared and wanted to speak again. Madam Qin glanced at her, and then smiled. "Your Imperial Highness should go! Don't keep the empress dowager waiting."
After Zhao Yuanqi paid his respects, he turned and left.
Cola looked back at Madam Qin, got up quickly, and followed.
Behind her, Madam Qin racked her brains to comfort Empress Jiang, who was heartbroken.
Zhao Yuanqi came and went in a hurry. He soon returned to Peaceful Age Palace. As soon as he entered the door, he washed his hands and changed his clothes.
Cola was abandoned there and ignored. She didn't panic, she just stood there quietly.
"Who is she?" a palace maid asked.
"Older sister Ruyi, she is a maid from the empress mother's family, and the empress mother gave her to His Imperial Highness," said one of the attendants.
"Oh, that's it." The palace maid looked at Cola with a look of understanding. "What's your name?"
"This one used to be called Ruyi, but His Imperial Highness said that Peaceful Age Palace already had Ruyi, so he changed this one's name. Now this one is called Cola," the little palace maid said in a flattering manner.
Cola? Ruyi burst out laughing. This name…
"Did His Highness say how to deal with her?" Ruyi asked.
"No."
"Forget it, I'll ask His Highness later. You take her to find Wet Nurse Fang first, and do it according to the rules." Ruyi thought about it. Even if it was just adding a parrot to Peaceful Age Palace, their details had to be checked.
"Yes, older sister Ruyi." The little attendant said with a smile. She then turned to Cola and said, "Come with me!"
Cola followed obediently. She was very satisfied with her performance today. From the beginning to the end, her performance was perfect. This was what masters liked in a servant.
But Ruyi shook her head. "No, there is something wrong with this little palace maid. I order for someone to go down and watch her. She is not allowed to be alone. She is not allowed to approach the empress dowager or His Imperial Highness. She is not allowed to approach the dining room."
"Older sister Ruyi, how can you see that something is wrong with her?" The little palace maid next to her looked curious.
"It's not that easy. Do you remember what it was like when you first came to Peaceful Age Palace?" Ruyi asked.
The little palace maid next to her remembered, and then blushed. When she first came to Peaceful Age Palace, she thought that she had entered a fairyland, and she looked at everything. She completely forgot all the wet nurses' warnings and instructions. She looked around, did not pay attention to the path, and ended up falling. It was an ugly sight.
It wasn't until a month later that she slowly got used to it.
"Think about what it was like when you came to Peaceful Age Palace, and then look at her. How old is she this year? She is still a child, but she can be so calm and self-contained. Isn't there a problem with this? In my opinion, she is either very scheming or has other plans! You should be careful," said Ruyi.
"I know, older sister Ruyi!"
Chapter 224 – I Am The Empress Dowager, Who Am I Afraid Of? (part 17)
Just as Zhao Yuanqi came out after changing his clothes, he happened to hear Ruyi's words. He was lost in thought, but before he could think clearly, he smelled fried chicken and his eyes suddenly lit up. He couldn't care about anything else now.
"Imperial grandmother, your grandson is here."
The eldest maid glanced over there and instructed, "Keep an eye on that Cola. Don't allow her to get close to His Highness." Then, she hurriedly escorted Zhao Yuanqi.
"Yes."
Li Su also knew that Empress Jiang had sent a palace maid to Zhao Yuanqi, but she didn't take it to heart. She only told Wet Nurse Xu that she was optimistic about the maid, and she was not allowed to go to Zhao Yuanqi's side for anything. That was all.
The grandmother and grandchild had fried chicken, their faces and hands covered in oil.
When Emperor Long'an came in, this was what he saw. He was a little speechless. Although there were no outsiders in the hall, they still had to pay attention to their appearance.
"The emperor is here. Come here and sit down. Get another pair of bowls and chopsticks for the emperor. There is still a chicken leg that empress mother hasn't touched. Would you like to try it?" Li Su asked while holding up the remaining chicken leg.
Emperor Long'an had eaten so-called fried chicken, and it tasted good, but he was not very interested in this. He also didn't understand why empress mother and Yuanqi liked fried chicken so much. The table was full of dishes, and the two of them barely ate the rest. They just ate fried chicken.
"Your son greets father emperor!" Zhao Yuanqi stood up and paid his respects.
"There's no need for ceremony. Sit down!" said Emperor Long'an.
Li Su noticed Emperor Long'an's gaze, put down the chicken leg, signalled to the palace maid to get some green vegetables, and then ate them under Emperor Long'an's gaze. She then gestured to the palace maid to give Zhao Yuanqi some green vegetables.
Emperor Long'an felt a little helpless. "Empress mother, you are getting old. You should eat more vegetables and less fried meat and fishy things. It is good for your health. The imperial doctor also said the same thing." Then, he personally served Li Su a bowl of three delicacies soup.
"You think I'm getting old!" Li Su said quietly.
Wet Nurse Xu couldn't help but roll her eyes. Why did this sound so wrong?
Emperor Long'an quickly smiled and said, "That's not what your son meant. Empress mother will always be young and in your prime. No matter how old you are, you are not old at all."
Then, he cast a glance at Zhao Yuanqi. Extensive preparation eventually paid off!
Zhao Yuanqi immediately jumped off the stool, threw himself on Li Su, and stretched out his two small oily hands to hug Li Su. "Imperial grandmother is not old at all! Imperial grandmother is the most beautiful!"
Li Su smiled and wanted to avoid Zhao Yuanqi, but she couldn't do it. She watched his two little oily hands touch her new dress, and finally touched Zhao Yuanqi's forehead helplessly. "I really don't know what to do with you! Imperial grandmother is not angry anymore. Let's eat quickly!"
Zhao Yuanqi leaned forward with a grin and kissed Li Su on the face.
Li Su looked at Zhao Yuanqi's oily mouth, felt the grease on her face, and wanted to cry without tears.
Wet Nurse Xu held back her smile and wiped Li Su's face with a handkerchief soaked in warm water.
Emperor Long'an couldn't help but laugh. He patted Zhao Yuanqi's butt, and scolded with a smile, "Naughty!"
There were bursts of laughter from time to time in the hall, and the palace people who were serving outside also had smiles on their faces. Cola was standing in the corridor.
The mother and son in the room were the most honorable mother and son in the world, but they were also the most ruthless. How many people's lives had been ruined because of their unintentional words?
She thought of the past events that her mother said with tears and blood that day. A trace of hatred flashed in Cola's eyes. Her older sister whom she had never met, who was smart and kind like a fairy, was killed horribly because of a few passing remarks. Her cruel father, who afraid of imperial power, wanted to kill the mother and daughter to flatter the emperor.
In desperation, her mother took her to escape from home. She was displaced and lonely, and suffered a serious illness on the way. In order to cure her, her mother had to sell her as a slave. She never expected that the person who bought them was actually from the Jiang family, the maternal family of the Empress. What a coincidence.
She didn't know her background at first, but after her serious illness, she somehow lost her memory. Her mother never told her about the past.
After being sold into the Jiang family, she stayed in a courtyard with a bunch of girls and studied together. Because of her good looks, she was especially valued by the wet nurses, and she was willing to endure hardship and work hard, so she gradually came ahead of the other girls.
Later, the Jiang family suddenly said that they would choose a girl to enter the palace to serve His Imperial Highness. After the wet nurses considered it, they chose her.
After her mother heard that she was selected to enter the palace, she was stunned for a while. Her mother then hugged her and cried a lot. After crying, her mother told her about the past.
At that time, she was stupid. She didn't expect her mother to have such a sad past, and that she also had an older sister she had never met.
But after she recovered, her heart was full of hatred. It just so happened that Madam Qin called her away and explained the purpose of sending her into the palace. Madam Qin said that, as long as she was obedient, the empress and the Jiang family would be her biggest support.
At that time, the only thing on her mind was revenge! She wanted revenge! She wanted to avenge her mother and older sister, and herself! She wanted to take revenge on the most honorable mother and son. Although she was just a small weak woman, no one should underestimate her. She even had the support of the empress and the Jiang family. She would turn the imperial family of Daliang upside down herself!
With such ambition, she entered the palace.
On the first day of her entering the palace, she hit a wall. Her original name was Qiao'er, but Madam Qin renamed her as Ruyi. Ruyi, huh, they would never be happy in this life.
She didn't expect that when she met His Imperial Highness, the crown prince changed her name again. What kind of name was Cola?! It was a horrible name!
But she wasn't worried. This was just the beginning. His Imperial Highness was still young, and so was she! Cola's eyes shone brightly.
After eating, rinsing his mouth and washing his hands, Emperor Long'an threw the handkerchief away. "Empress mother, your son still has some business to attend to, so I will leave first. Empress mother, please rest early. Yuanqi, don't pester your grandmother. Finish your homework and rest early."
Zhao Yuanqi was leaning on Li Su, pestering Li Su to chat. He jumped down when he heard those words. "I know, emperor father."
Li Su glanced at Emperor Long'an and pulled Zhao Yuanqi to herself. "Our Yuanqi is obedient. You don't need to say such things."
Emperor Long'an smiled helplessly. "Now that empress mother has a grandson, she has forgotten her son."
Li Su smiled and said, "You know it!"
Emperor Long'an came out with a smile, and Wet Nurse Xu sent him out in person.
Emperor Long'an suddenly stopped. "The empress has awarded a palace maid today?"
Wet Nurse Xu nodded. "Yes."
"Keep an eye on her." Emperor Long'an's tone was cold.
"Yes, don't worry, Your Majesty." Wet Nurse Xu understood.
Cola's career as a palace maid didn't start smoothly. On the first day after she entered the palace, the three giants in the palace ordered people to keep an eye on her.
Wet Nurse Xu said that she was young and did not learn the rules well, so she was not assigned any errands. She was only made to learn and follow the rules first. She couldn't leave Peaceful Age Palace without authorisation, and Cola couldn't pass news to the empress either. She kept calm and learned the rules slowly.
She wondered if Peaceful Age Palace would make her learn the rules for a lifetime. She would see what kind of excuses they would come up with once she finished learning the rules!
As a result, Cola ended up learning the rules of Peaceful Age Palace for five years. In the past five years, there were 7-8 more princes and princesses in the palace. Even Princess Consort Bao gave birth to a daughter last year. The matter of His Imperial Highness moving to the East Palace had been put on the agenda, and Cola still had not made it.
No matter how well she learned, the maids could always pick out her shortcomings and therefore called her back to continue her studies.
Coke did not agree and wanted to create an opportunity to get close to His Imperial Highness. However, every time she tried to get close to the crown prince, she was stopped by someone. She was then locked in a small dark room. After a couple of times, the time spent in the small dark room also changed from half an hour to longer.
Cola was full of confidence from the beginning, but then became very anxious. She also quietly contacted the empress' people, but the other party saw that she was useless and ignored her. Instead, a few more people came in.
Fortunately, the people who were sent in were basically the same as her. They were all stuck learning the rules. These people were not even as good as her.
So Cola felt a little better. It wasn't that she was useless, it was just that the people from Peaceful Age Palace had their guards up high!
Cola wouldn't stop there. The yellow sand everywhere couldn't hide the light of gold. One day, the crown prince would find her good. She had the patience to wait.
"Cola, sweep the courtyard. What are you doing?!"
Cola frowned slightly, but began to wave the broom in her hand, raising a cloud of dust.
"Oh, why are you so stupid? How many times have I told you that when you sweep the floor, the broom should be close to the ground so as not to raise sand and dust. So stupid!"
Cola had endured everything. This was unreasonable!
Not far away, Zhao Yuanqi saw this scene and was a little puzzled. "How can such a stupid palace maid stay in Peaceful Age Palace? Wet Nurse Xu doesn't care?"
"Your Highness has forgotten that this is the palace maid that the empress gave to you. Wet Nurse Xu must give the empress face. Because she is too rough, she has been learning the rules and doing some rough work. We didn't expect that she couldn't do rough work well," the eldest wet nurse said respectfully.
Zhao Yuanqi nodded when he heard the words, and looked at her with contempt in his eyes.
The eldest wet nurse asked, "Your Highness, in a few days, you will be moved to the East Palace. Are you going to take the palace maids that the Empress gave to you?"
Zhao Yuanqi shook his head. "Forget it, I'm not as rich as imperial grandmother, and I can't afford to support idlers. Wet nurse, you have to take good care of the people who are serving in the East Palace. Such idiots shouldn't be around."
The eldest wet nurse bowed her head respectfully and said, "Yes, this servant knows."
On Empress Jiang's side… When Empress Jiang saw that none of the palace maids sent over the past few years were of any use, she was a little anxious. Madam Qin thought about it. It was obviously too late for the childhood sweetheart idea, so they should get straight to the point! The crown prince was ten years old this year, and he had reached the age to know about human relationships, so why not…
Madam Qin told Empress Jiang about this plan, but Empress Jiang did not agree at first. There was no mother in the world who was happy to see her son addicted to a woman's body, especially when Zhao Yuanqi was so young. Empress Jiang was worried that he would be seduced by sluts and hurt his body.
Madam Qin was helpless. "Let's not do this. When His Imperial Highness is a little older, the palace will arrange things. We will just seize an opportunity. His Imperial Highness is also my grandson and is the hope of the Jiang family. Do you think that I will harm him? Are you worrying about the person chosen by your mother?"
Empress Jiang revealed doubts on her face. The ones who were sent to the palace were chosen by her mother, and what was the end result?
Madam Qin flushed. "Those were accidents. I used to think that the empress dowager did not covet power and was detached from the world, but now it seems like she is just trying to gain fame. But His Imperial Highness is about to move into the East Palace, out of the control of Peaceful Age Palace. Can the empress dowager still extend her reach here? You are the mother of His Imperial Highness, and it is perfectly normal for you to give someone to His Imperial Highness!"
Chapter 225 – I Am The Empress Dowager, Who Am I Afraid Of? (part 18)
The Jiang family's courtyard was lively again.
Mrs. Fang, who went by the pseudonym Li Yuanfang, was now the master in charge of teaching these girls. She did not entrust all her hopes of revenge to only her adopted daughter. Among the remaining girls, she picked a few people with good aptitude to win over and train. Although their loyalty may not be comparable to her adopted daughter, but that was fine.
It turned out that she was right. Her adopted daughter had been in the palace for five years, and she hadn't gotten anywhere. Don't even talk about being the most trusted person around the crown prince, her adopted daughter had never even touched a corner of the crown prince's clothes!
Sure enough, birth decided everything. How smart could a daughter, who was born from such parents, be?
But this feeling was immediately overwhelmed by hatred.
"Yuanfang, have you heard? The madam is coming to choose a candidate again. This time is different from the previous few times. This time the candidate…" The woman said the rest of the words into Mrs. Fang's ear.
Mrs. Fang's eyes lit up. It was obvious that she wanted to pick someone to serve in the crown prince's room. It just so happened that among the people she got, there was such a person. The people in charge of teaching them were all the elderly women from □□, and they were even brought from Yangzhou. They were specifically responsible for teaching young prostitutes.
There was no man who didn't like a girl who had been taught in this way.
In fact, these girls were not prepared for the crown prince, but were raised by the Jiang family to win over other officials. She wasn't sure what happened, now the family wanted to try to win over the crown prince again.
"Yuanfang, what do you think?" the woman asked.
"I think Ziyue is pretty good, charming but not demonic," Mrs. Fang said softly.
The woman thought for a while and nodded. "Yes, the lady also said that. After all, she is here to serve the nobles, and being too seductive is not suitable."
Mrs. Fang only said one sentence and refused to say any more.
The woman also knew that she was cautious, so she stopped asking further and changed the subject. "By the way, is there any news on Ruyi?"
Mrs. Fang showed concern at the right time, shook her head, and sighed softly.
"Don't worry too much. Among these girls, Ruyi's aptitude is one of the best. She is so smart, so she will be fine. With time, she will definitely be able to succeed," the woman said comfortingly.
Mrs. Fang had a worried look on her face. "I don't expect her to stand out either. I just hope that she will be safe." But in fact, Mrs. Fang's true thoughts were that, if they thought Ruyi had great aptitude, then they should have seen her Rong'er! If they had, then they would know what a genius she was! She was extremely smart!
The woman said a few more comforting words before leaving.
A few days later, the person was chosen. It really was Ziyue.
In the dead of night, Ziyue quietly went to Mrs. Fang's house and closed the door. Ziyue knelt down in front of Mrs. Fang. "Thank you godmother! If godmother did not feel sorry for Ziyue, Ziyue would have had to serve those bad old men."
Mrs. Fang quickly got up to help her up. "Get up quickly! This is all the godmother can do for you. For the rest, the godmother is also powerless. In the future, you will have to walk on your own."
Ziyue nodded meekly. "Ziyue understands. Don't worry."
Mrs. Fang hesitated.
Ziyue was a smart one. "After Ziyue enters the palace, if there is a chance, Ziyue will definitely help younger sister Ruyi. Don't worry!" Ziyue was thirteen years old this year. She was a year older than Ruyi, and 3 years older than His Imperial Highness.
Although she was thirteen years old, Ziyue had developed very well. She was a stunner, with large breasts and a thin waist. She was a curvy and beautiful young woman. So, she had always been worried that she would be the next person to be singled out and used as a plaything by those old men. This opportunity was too precious for her. Although this would also be serving a man, the two were as different as day and night.
Mrs. Fang shook her head and said, "Godmother didn't mean that. Your younger sister Ruyi has been in the palace for many years. If she could stand out, she would have long ago… Now, maybe the nobles don't like her. If you are fortunate enough for a noble to take a fancy to you, then take your younger sister Ruyi with you to serve them. She is a smart one. The two of you can support each other, so I can rest assured."
After Ziyue heard Mrs. Fang's words, she also breathed a sigh of relief. The road ahead was unknown, and she didn't know what would happen in the future. Godmother was kind to her and she didn't say anything. Fortunately, godmother was kind and didn't force herself to promise anything.
"Ziyue knows what to do."
Ziyue was selected, but instead of being sent to the crown prince immediately, she stayed in the Empress's Palace, and was taught the rules and etiquette by the wet nurses.
The first reason was that the crown prince had not moved to the East Palace yet, and the other was that Empress Jiang was also afraid that Ziyue was a slut and would seduce the prince.
Emperor Long'an frowned when he received the secret report. The Jiang family's actions were becoming more and more outrageous. He originally thought that the Jiang family kept those girls just for Yuanqi. Unexpectedly, the Jiang family had begun to use those women to make connections with the court officials. This crossed Emperor Long'an's bottom line.
"Deal with them!" Emperor Long'an said softly.
"Yes!"
A few days later, there were rumours that the Jiang family was acting strangely, as if they were raising soldiers in their courtyards and plotting to do something sinister.
The Jiang family was frightened. They did not dare to go out to defend themselves. They didn't know what to do for a while.
Suddenly, one day, they received news that there was an official and the imperial censor who wanted to talk to them. The Jiang family really panicked.
The Jiang family's third young master thought about it. He ordered someone to set a fire in the courtyard in the middle of the night in an attempt to destroy the corpses.
Unfortunately, he was caught by the inspectors.
The Jiang family had no way to deny it. After further investigation, they found a lot of inside information. The case was serious and was handed over to Dali Temple.
Although the Jiang family did not raise soldiers in their courtyards, they raised many girls of different ages. Dali Temple did not explicitly say what these women were for.
But people with brains knew.
After the incident, Empress Jiang and Madam Qin knelt outside the Supreme Palace and took off their hairpins to be punished. His Imperial Highness, Zhao Yuanqi, also personally pleaded with Emperor Long'an.
For the sake of the deceased Jiang Gelao and the crown prince, Emperor Long'an did not pursue the matter of the Jiang family too much. He only ordered to seize the position of the Jiang family's assets, and ordered the women to be sent back. The people who were sent to the palace by the Jiang family were also sent out of the palace.
He comforted the crown prince again. For half a month, he took the crown prince by his side to show his love and trust in the crown prince.
Peaceful Age Palace's empress dowager even said that the Jiang was stupid. It had nothing to do with the crown prince.
Although the crown prince was born by a daughter of the Jiang family, the crown prince was brought up by the empress dowager since he was a child. The education of the Li family was much better than that of the Jiang family. At the very least, they would not stoop so low.
But after this incident, the century-old reputation of the Jiang family was ruined.
Empress Jiang was really sick this time and couldn't go out. Although Emperor Long'an did not directly decree for the abolishment of her position, he took back the phoenix seal, and now she had lost all face. Empress Jiang's heart was full of resentment. Didn't her mother say that those girls should be raised for Yuanqi? How could she use those girls to make connections with court officials?
Madam Qin also had words of her own. These were all stupid things her sons were doing behind her back! She didn't even know about it! But they were all a family, so what difference did it make?
Although there were some twists and turns in the middle, the results were still satisfactory. Emperor Long'an frowned when he saw the depressed crown prince.
It was his fault too. Yuanqi had been raised by his empress mother, and he had forgotten that the Jiang family was Yuanqi's maternal family. The reputation of Yuanqi's maternal family was discredited, and it was not a good thing for Yuanqi.
Emperor Long'an was very experienced in making his empress mother happy. However, he had no idea how to coax a child.
Helpless, Emperor Long'an had no choice but to ask empress mother for help.
Li Su glanced at Emperor Long'an. Since he knew that the Jiang family had ill-intentions for a long time, why didn't he make a decision earlier? Why did he only make a move when things got out of hand?
However, Li Su also knew that this son was a soft-hearted and nostalgic person, and he always remembered everything and everyone who was kind to him. Therefore, even if Empress Jiang had been out of line for many years, for the sake of Jiang Gelao and Yuanqi, he had endured it. Although, she didn't know why he didn't endure it for longer.
"We know. Don't worry!" Li Su said.
"Thanks, empress mother," Emperor Long'an said with a smile.
Li Su called Zhao Defang and gave instructions like this. Zhao Defang left happily. A few days later, Zhao Defang entered the palace and came to take Li Su and Zhao Yuanqi out of the palace.
"Imperial grandmother, imperial uncle, where are we going?" After riding in the carriage for half a day, Zhao Yuanqi finally came out of his thoughts.
"Hey, you've finally recovered? You're not afraid that imperial uncle will sell you?!" Zhao Defang said with a smile.
Zhao Yuanqi looked at imperial uncle's smile, which was like a flower, and knew that he was coaxing him to be happy. Zhao Yuanqi turned his head to see Li Su's worried eyes. Zhao Yuanqi felt emotional.
"Imperial grandmother!" Zhao Yuanqi said coquettishly as he lay on Li Su's lap.
Li Su patted his head. "Today, let's go to your imperial aunt's place and play freely for a day."
Zhao Defang smiled and said, "Your imperial aunt and I have prepared a lot of fun and delicious food!"
Zhao Yuanqi's eyes lit up immediately, and he was full of expectations for this trip. Zhao Yuanqi envied Zhao Defang the most.
Zhao Defang was famous for being able to play in the capital. Before the wedding, Zhao Defang was still doing work for the Ministry of Revenue, but after the wedding, he was let go for various reasons and stopped working for them. He led the princess to walk around and play in the capital. If it wasn't for Emperor Long'an's insistence, he would have gone to a place further away to play.
It wasn't until Qin Wan'er was pregnant that the couple calmed down. However, he was not idle, and he ran to the village every three to five days to play all kinds of things.
"Imperial uncle, what are some fun things to do? Tell me about it first." Zhao Yuanqi got up, sat next to Zhao Defang, and asked as he pulled on Zhao Defang's sleeve.
Zhao Defang held his head proudly. "It was a lot of fun. We can swim in the water, catch fish, and barbecue. At night, we can watch fireflies, catch wild ducks…"
When Li Su saw Zhao Yuanqi's eyes get brighter, she smiled.