Chapter 128

 

The first day of Sixth Month in the first year of Yuanyou was the anniversary of the death of the late emperor.

Because Tianshou Mountain, where the imperial mausoleum was located, was more than 45 kilometers away from the capital, on the 28^th of Fifth Month, Empress Dowager Qi and Emperor Yuanyou led the civil and military ministers of the capital and a group of imperial relatives to set off for the imperial mausoleum to prepare for the memorial service.

On the morning of the first day of Sixth Month, the memorial ceremony officially began.

The two grand princesses, Hua Yang and Nan Kang, were standing behind Empress Dowager Qi and Emperor Yuanyou.

If it was in the capital, Hua Yang would no longer shed tears when she thought of her father. Standing in front of her father’s mausoleum, the tears was flowing down naturally without any deliberate effort.

But after all, a year had passed, and Hua Yang’s sadness was more like a calm gurgling stream. She just wiped her tears with a handkerchief and did not cry out loud.

The same was true for Empress Dowager Qi and Emperor Yuanyou. On the contrary, Nan Kang cried the most sadly, lying on the ground, crying so hard that she was out of breath, and finally being helped away.

Seeing her back being supported by the palace maid, Emperor Yuanyou glanced at his sister with a complicated mood.

Hua Yang gave her brother a helpless look.

Although Nan Kang’s crying behavior seemed to show that her and her brother’s filial piety was not deep enough, but to deliberately lie on the ground and howl in order to compete with Nan Kang, Hua Yang really couldn’t do it.

Emperor Yuanyou thought so too. He almost choked up just now, but was startled by Nan Kang’s movement.

After returning to the capital in the evening on the third day, Hua Yang stayed in the palace for the night.

The sister and brother had dinner with Empress Dowager Qi. After the meal, Emperor Yuanyou said that he would send his sister back to Qifeng Palace.

When they finally arrived at Qifeng Palace, the sister and brother sent away the palace maids and sat on the couch in the second room, talking affectionately.

There was an ice tripod in the room, which was cool and refreshing. The first thing Emperor Yuanyou complained to his sister was the way Nan Kang cried: “I think she did it on purpose, to embarrass us both!”

Emperor Yuanyou, who had been on the throne for a year, had become accustomed to calling himself “Zhen” outside. It was only in front of his sister that he changed back to the old term.

Hua Yang smiled and said: “I think her crying is genuine. Think about it, since Prince Yu rebelled, her mother has not even been given the title Concubine Dowager Lijia. Although she herself has been given the Grand Princess title, her status in the capital is far worse than before, and she couldn’t even go out. Compared to when Father Emperor was alive, how could she not feel aggrieved?”

Emperor Yuanyou had no sympathy for Nan Kang: “The reason why Prince Yu became like is because he was indulged by Concubine Dowager. Nan Kang and Prince Yu were born in the same mother’s belly. It’s only her bad luck.”

Hua Yang thought to herself that failure to teach was the fault of the father. Prince Yu was incompetent, both Father Emperor and Concubine Dowager Lin were responsible.

But their father was the emperor, and no one in the palace dared to accuse father emperor of laziness. At this time, what happened to the prince and princess could only be counted on the empress and concubine.

Obviously, her mother was not only far smarter than Concubine Dowager Lin, but she also took more care in raising her children than Concubine Dowager Lin.

Of course, there was no need for Hua Yang to explained it clearly to her brother.

“How have you been spending the past six months?” Hua Yang picked up a lychee and peeled it while chatting with her brother. “I stayed in the house to mourn for the past six months, there’s no need to worry about other people, but I’m always thinking about you.”

At the mention of this, Emperor Yuanyou’s whole body seemed to be drained away. He leaned lazily on the window sill next to him, his eyes were unconsciously attracted by his sister’s delicate hands peeling lychee shells, and he said: “I’m so tired. Every day, I have to get up before dawn to study. After breakfast, I go to the court to sit for more than an hour. After that, I listen to the Cabinet Elders discussing official matters, and then I study for an hour. At noon, I have two hours rest time, get up to continue study, practice martial arts, and have dinner with Mother Empress in the evening. You know, Mother Empress used to just check my homework, but now she also asks me to analyze memorials.”

Emperor Yuanyou didn’t even lean against the window sill anymore, the whole person was flattened on the couch, pitifully looking up at his sister who was happily eating lychees: “Sister, I’m so tired!”

If it were Chen Jingzong like this, Hua Yang would definitely not feel sorry for him, but her brother was only fourteen years old and had a thin figure. His handsome face still had a bit of youthfulness and childishness. He was just trying to be brave. Now that he was showing his tired side, how could Hua Yang, as a sister, not have any pity at all?

She asked: “Do you have to hold a court meeting every day now?”

Emperor Yuanyou snorted and nodded.

In the past, father emperor only held court meetings on the first and fifteenth day of every month, and Cabinet Elder Chen and mother empress had nothing to say. When it was his turn, Cabinet Elder Chen and mother empress bullied him and demanded that he attend court every day.

Hua Yang looked at the faint blue bag under her brother’s eyes and smiled, she came up with an idea: “It’s too exhausting to go to court every day, the ministers also won’t have something to report every day. Why don’t you pretend to be sick for a while, then talk to Cabinet Elder, coax him to agree to reduce the number of court meetings, let Cabinet Elder persuade Mother Empress, and this matter will be done.”

Emperor Yuanyou: “The two of them always have the same mind. Can Cabinet Elder help me?”

Hua Yang: “Didn’t you tell me before that Cabinet Elder is more lenient to you now?”

Emperor Yuanyou said: “He’s lenient in small things, but he will definitely not listen to me in big things like reducing the number of court meetings.”

Hua Yang: “How will you know if you don’t try? Cabinet Elder and Mother Empress are strict with you because they hope you can grow into a wise monarch, but they will also put your body first. As long as you tell then you’re too exhausted, they will never destroy the seedling to encourage its growthspoil things by excessive enthusiasm.”

In the previous life, her mother empress and father-in-law had a strict temper. Her brother was strictly disciplined by them since he was a child. Even if he had any troubles and grievances in his heart, he did not dare to speak out. It was not until this autumn that he really fell ill, and her father-in-law took the lead in compromising and changed holding the court meeting only on the third, sixth and ninth day of each month.

Because of this, Hua Yang dared to suggest her brother to pretend to be sick. If it came true, her brother would probably be moved by her father-in-law’s compromise.

Emperor Yuanyou blinked and said, “Okay, I’ll try later.”

Hua Yang asked him to sit up, then stuffed the freshly peeled and shelled lychee meat into her brother’s mouth, and said softly: “Don’t let the cat out of the bag, and if you do, don’t you dare mention me, or else I won’t visit you in the palace again.”

Emperor Yuanyou quickly promised.

He also peeled the lychees himself and continued chatting with his sister: “Cabinet Elder’s reform has offended many ministers, both in the capital and in the local governments. There have been numerous memorials submitted against him. I rejected all of them, and I have also punished a wave of people.”

Hua Yang still had lychees in her mouth. After eating, she asked thoughtfully: “What those ministers said against Cabinet Elder? If what they say is reasonable, you can’t blindly favor Cabinet Elder. You have to ask him to make corrections. After all, he is now the Chief Minister of the cabinet, and you’re the only that can warn him from time to time.”

Emperor Yuanyou was a little surprised: “Sister, you actually think that Cabinet Elder can also make mistakes?”

Hua Yang smiled: “No one is perfect, and Cabinet Elder is certainly no exception, but he must be a role model in front of you. You may not know, I have been the daughter-in-law of the Chen family for several years, and I often hear Prince Consort and Old Madam complain about him.”

Emperor Yuanyou became interested: “Why are they complaining about Cabinet Elder?”

Hua Yang: “The most common complaint is harshness. You should also know this very well. When Prince Consort and his brothers moved to the capital, the two older brothers had already very sensible and only Prince Consort was just three years old. So Cabinet Elder put more attention on Prince Consort. But more attention equivalent to being more strict, and as the result Prince Consort was so angry that he ran away. Now he would rather live with me in the Grand Princess Mansion than go home.”

Emperor Yuanyou: “Then you will live in the Grand Princess Mansion from now on?”

Hua Yang: “Yeah, I also like Grand Princess Mansion better. It’s big and majestic. Where can the Chen family’s small courtyard compare.”

Emperor Yuanyou: “Will Mother Empress be unhappy?”

He knew very well that his mother valued etiquette and hoped that his sister would be a filial daughter-in-law in the Chen family.

Hua Yang smiled and said, “I already know how to soften Mother Empress.”

Emperor Yuanyou: “How?”

Hua Yang pointed to her eyes: “Last time I wanted to join the army, Mother Empress didn’t agree at first, but as soon as I cried, she agreed.”

Emperor Yuanyou:…

Although he also wanted his mother to be soft-hearted, he really couldn’t do this trick.

He teased his sister: “You really have deep affection for Prince Consort.”

Hua Yang showed a gentle face and did not hide the affection of their husband and wife, and talked openly to her brother, “Because he treats me well first, so I will treat him the same way.”

Emperor Yuanyou didn’t quite understand: “How exactly did he treat you well? Isn’t it just a matter of carrying you up the mountain a few times? If it’s about strength, the guards can also do it.”

Hua Yang smiled and said: “It’s not just about climbing mountains. Take the flood incident, for example. I had just stepped out of the hall and hadn’t said anything, but he came over and offered to carry me up the mountain himself. If you’ve ever experienced a heavy rainstorm, if there’s someone who can steadily carry you through the mud, you’d understand that feeling. I’m also afraid of insects, and he will lie on the ground to help me block them without complaint. ”

Emperor Yuanyou was silent for a moment and said: “If it were me, I would definitely be also carrying the woman on my back, and I would ward off the bugs for her.”

Hua Yang: “If you’re willing to treat a girl like this, that girl will be the most blessed person in the world.”

Emperor Yuanyou was still young and had never longed for this, so he continued to ask: “How else Prince Consort treat you well?”

Hua Yang: “I’m not afraid to let you see a joke. When Sister was in Lingzhou, Prince Consort’s third brother and third sister-in-law lived in the courtyard in front of ours. That year when their daughter was born there were screams throughout the night, and I heard them clearly. So I said to Prince Consort that I don’t want to have children now, and even if I do in the future, I will only have one, whether it’s a boy or a girl. Prince Consort agreed. When we returned to the capital, Nan Kang even laughed at me for not being able to have children. Prince Consort never urged me for a day, let alone went outside to provoke other women.”

Emperor Yuanyou thought of prince consort’s respectful and honest appearance in front of his sister.

Even though his sister dared to join the army for the sake of prince consort, but in fact her attitude towards prince consort had always been condescending. And yet, prince consort seemed to never complaints.

At this point, Emperor Yuanyou finally understood the relationship between his sister and prince consort. His sister was cold on the outside but hot on the inside, so prince consort must be felt very stable and trusting!

Emperor Yuanyou turned the topic back to Cabinet Elder Chen: “What Old Madam Chen complained about him?”

Hua Yang: “A lot. Cabinet Elder came from a poor family, and now he has become Cabinet Elder. He has been promoted very quickly, but he left all the family affairs to Old Madam Chen. The Old Madam raised four children with her own hands, and one of them even passing away from illness, how can Old Madam not complain about Cabinet Elder? Besides, Cabinet Elder is old, but he still doesn’t know how to take care of his body when he’s busy, and refuses to follow the doctor’s instructions. Old Madam took care of him, but he still put on a face. Anyway, they are all just trivial things about every day life. Old Madam said that if she had known that he would become like this when he was older, she shouldn’t have married him just because of his appearance and talent.”

Emperor Yuanyou couldn’t agree with this: “I think she live a blissful life without appreciating it. Cabinet Elder became a Zhuangyuan at a young age, and now he’s a first rank minister. How many women can’t wait to change place with her, but she’s still complaining. ”

Hua Yang: “You are the emperor. Of course you’re happy that your ministers serve the court wholeheartedly. What’s wrong with a wife hoping that her husband will spend more time with her? You, you, just wait. In the future, your wife will complain to me about you.”

Emperor Yuanyou understood that this was the difference between men and women’s thoughts, and he and his sister could not agree on the same thing.

At this time, Cao Li, the chief eunuch beside him, reminded from outside the curtain: “Your Majesty, it’s getting late. You and Grand Princess must have been tired after a long day. How about you rest early?”

Emperor Yuanyou looked at his sister unsatisfactory: “Then I’ll come back tomorrow night.” He was definitely not free during the day.

Hua Yang said regretfully: “I will leave the palace tomorrow morning, and has to go to the Chen Mansion to visit the Old Madam. I must fulfill my filial piety as a daughter-in-law.”

Emperor Yuanyou was unhappy: “She is the mother-in-law, and you haven’t fulfilled your filial piety in front of Mother Empress for half a year. How can she go beyond Mother Empress? You should stay for a few more days.”

Hua Yang: “Can’t, no one dared to interfere with me when Father Emperor was alive. But now if I stay in the palace for too long, the censors’ memorials will be handed to you.”

Emperor Yuanyou: “I’m not afraid of them either!”

Hua Yang smiled softly: “But I feel sorry for you. You have to study and learn to govern. It’s so hard already. I don’t want to cause you any more trouble.”

Emperor Yuanyou felt warm in his heart.

The author has something to say:

Emperor Yuanyou: Sister loves me the most!

Old Four: If you think about it carefully, who is she actually praising with all her words?

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