Reborn After Widowhood – Chapter 132
Chapter 132
After reaching an agreement with Empress Dowager Qi, Chen Tingjian quickly devised a new daily schedule for Emperor Yuanyou. Henceforth, not only on days without court sessions, Emperor Yuanyou could sleep an extra hour, but also had one and a half hour of free time each day. During this time, he could engage in activities such as reading, painting, self-cultivation, or simply strolling through the imperial garden to relax and enjoy himself. He could also participate in exercises like cuju with the young eunuchs. As long as he adhered to the principles of propriety and did not deviate from the orthodox path, Chen Tingjian and Empress Dowager Qi would refrain from excessive interference or constraint.
Of course, Emperor Yuanyou’s time for studying and learn politics had not been reduced. This was what he should learn and devote energy to as an emperor.
Hua Yang only lived in the palace in early Sixth Month and had not been to the palace recently, but she heard about the changes in the court meeting from Chen Jingzong.
She asked Chen Jingzong: “Do you think this is good?”
Chen Jingzong glanced at her meaningfully: “This question is not easy to answer. I’m afraid you will punish me.”
Hua Yang glared at him.
Everyone in the world might be afraid of her, this grand princess, but Chen Jingzong had never feared her grand princess status, and now he was just pretending to be cautious.
Chen Jingzong sat on the couch and ate slowly.
Hua Yang wanted to hear what he thought, but when she saw that he really didn’t want to speak, she had no choice but to say: “It’s okay for you to say it. No matter what you say, I’ll treat it as if you didn’t say it.”
Chen Jingzong glanced out the window and patted the seat next to him.
Hua Yang didn’t know if he was just pretending, or if he was really afraid that the walls had ears. But thinking that this matter could indeed be big or small, Hua Yang put down the book in her hand, went around the low table, and sat next to him.
Chen Jingzong raised the wine cup and handed it to her.
Hua Yang made a serious face: “If you don’t say anything, I’ll leave.”
Chen Jingzong took a sip himself and then said: “The emperor must attend court every morning. This is stipulated by the founding emperor himself.”
Hua Yang nodded, it was indeed true.
Chen Jingzong: “Your ancestors in front have all followed this rule, never absenting themselves from court without reason. As for those behind… you know it yourself.”
Hua Yang lowered her eyes.
Later, everyone started to get lazy. The laziest was her imperial grandfather, who had not been in court for decades. Then, her father, besides being diligent for a while when he ascended the throne, also became lazy later on, only slightly better than imperial grandfather. At least he went to court twice a month.
Why did mother empress and father-in-law want her brother to persist on attending court early at a young age? Wasn’t it because they were afraid that her brother would imitate the imperial grandfather and father emperor.
The question was……
As soon as she excused her brother in her mind, Chen Jingzong said: “But your brother is still young and has never suffered any hardship since he was a child. He was pushed too hard all of a sudden. If it is me, I also couldn’t bear it.”
In previous dynasties, it was common for young emperors to be three to four, or seven to eight years old, and the age at which Emperor Yuanyou succeeded to the throne was not unusual.
But Emperor Yuanyou was probably the most blessed among these young emperors. He became crown prince not long after he was born, so he did not have to compete with the other princes for the position of the heir. Prince Yu was sent to the vassal early, and with a powerful mother like Empress Dowager Qi in the harem, no one dared to harm the crown prince. The late emperor was just lazy, not stupid. He appointed wise ministers to keep the country in order, so that Emperor Yuanyou did not have to worry about external troubles.
Only in this was could Emperor Yuanyou, who was born in a blessed nest like this, had the opportunity to complain about not getting enough sleep.
After he finished speaking, Hua Yang could only sigh softly.
When she died in the previous life, it was only the Twelfth Month of the third year of Yuanyou, and her brother was only sixteen years old. He still insisted on going to court nine times a month, but Hua Yang didn’t know how long he lasted and what kind of emperor he became.
She helped her brother pretend to be sick to win the idea of reducing the court meeting, all because she knew that her brother would really get sick, and her father-in-law would compromise anyway, so why not use this as an opportunity to ease the relationship between the monarch and his ministers?
Forget it, just take it one step at a time. As a sister, she could only try her best to guide her brother on the path of becoming a wise monarch. But whether he can become a wise monarch or not depend on her brother himself.
.
It was the Seventh Month and the weather was still hot.
Hua Yang went to the palace and stayed for two nights. After leaving the palace on the third day, she went to the Chen Mansion.
At night, Chen Jingzong asked her: “How long do you plan to stay here this time?”
Hua Yang: “How about until .”
Chen Jingzong: “Qixi Festival is not a serious festival, so why should we celebrate it here?”
Hua Yang sensed something was wrong: “Why are you so anxious to go back? With you acting like this, no wonder Mother always makes fun of you.”
Chen Jingzong half suppressed her, looked at her and said, “It’s been a long time since we go out. There is no curfew in the city on Qixi Festival. I want to take you for a stroll on the street.”
Living in the Grand Princess Mansion, the couple could go out for as long as they wanted. Living here, the old man and mother would know when they go out and when they come back.
It was rare for a rough guy like him to still has such a romantic interest, but on this year’s Qixi Festival, her father-in-law would encounter an “unexpected disaster”, and Hua Yang must stay in the Chen family to help resolve it.
“There are too many people in the city, I don’t like the crowd. Why don’t we go to Hongfu Temple to stay for one night on the ninth day? You can take a break the next day and just play outside for a whole day.”
Hua Yang suggested.
Chen Jingzong: “Ninth day is ninth day, seventh day is seventh day.”
On the Qixi Festival, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl meet, and lovers in the world also often make appointments to meet after dusk. Chen Jingzong wanted to have a “private meeting” with her outside.
Hua Yang understood: “Do you want to be a Cowherd?”
Chen Jingzong said nothing and just looked at her.
Hua Yang: “You don’t think it’s unlucky? The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl can only meet once a year. You might as well continue to be the rabbit in the Moon Palace.”
After all, the Jade Rabbit could always be with Chang’e.
Chen Jingzong:……
Hua Yang: “Besides, I promised Wan Yi and Wan Qing that I will accompany them celebrate Qixi Festival.”
How could Chen Jingzong let the grand princess to be a villain who breaks her promise?
He had no choice but to give up going out on the night of Qixi Festival.
.
On the night of the sixth day of Seventh Month, after Sun shi and Chen Tingjian lay down, she said to her husband: “Tomorrow is Qixi Festival, and our two granddaughters want to celebrate it. Will you come back early to accompany them?”
Chen Tingjian: “Celebrating Qixi Festival is for women, you should take care of it.”
If he had more time, he might as well read a few more memorials and write a few more documents.
Sun shi sneered: “Didn’t know who it was back then who said that he would accompany me every Qixi Festival in the future.”
Chen Tingjian:……
It turned out that asking him to accompany his granddaughter was fake, but staying with her was true.
But the age of two of them combined was more than a hundred years, what’s the point of celebrating Qixi Festival? It’ll just be a laughing matter for the children if they find out.
Sun shi lay with her back to him and continued to mutter: “Came back so late every day, saying he’s busy with official duties. Who knows if he raised a concubine outside.”
Chen Tingjian was angry but also found it laughable: “Our granddaughter is already at the age of talking about marriage, and I still raise a concubine outside?”
Sun shi: “Who knows, men’s heart never grew old. It’s not unusual for seventy or eighty years old to hold a baby in his arms.”
Chen Tingjian was silent for a moment, and then hugged his wife quietly.
Sun shi:……
The next morning, Chen Tingjian still went to the cabinet early. He also wanted to go home early, but there were so many things in the court, and sometimes he forgot when he was busy.
When he arrived at the cabinet, Chen Tingjian found that Cabinet Elder Zeng had handed over another letter of resignation.
Chen Tingjian shook his head when he saw the words that he had already memorize by heart.
There were currently four cabinet elders in the cabinet. Apart from him and Cabinet Elder Lu, who were still working conscientiously, there were two others. Cabinet Elder Yin, who was already old at seventy-five, only entered the palace two to three times a month, and that was a lot. The other one was Cabinet Elder Zeng, who was sixty-one years old this year. He used to be quite robust, but over the past couple of years, out of fear of him, he developed a habit of getting sick frequently. He kept pleading with the emperor to let him retire and return to his hometown.
Chen Tingjian did not like Cabinet Elder Zeng because he was on the same boat as the former chief minister Cabinet Elder Gao, who had left the capital. He also often opposing him in the court until his saliva was flying out. But now that Chen Tingjian had the final say in the cabinet, as long as Cabinet Elder Zeng support his reforms, or at least did not cause trouble, it was not worthwhile for Chen Tingjian to deal with him.
Now Cabinet Elder Zeng acted like he was worried about being persecuted by him every day, and simply judging the heart of a gentleman with the heart of a villain.
He handed the memorial to Emperor Yuanyou and Empress Dowager Qi.
Emperor Yuanyou didn’t care. Old man Zeng could leave if he wanted to. There was no use keeping him anyway.
Empress Dowager Qi knew that the matter was not that simple. Cabinet Elder Zen’s departure from the capital would only cause other ministers who opposed the reform to criticize Chen Tingjian for being intolerant.
“Cabinet Elder Zeng is a minister of the late emperor’s dynasty. Now that he is ill, Cabinet Elder will go and visit him on behalf of me and His Majesty, and tell him to recuperate with peace of mind and not worry too much.”
Putting down the memorial, Empress Dowager Qi said to Chen Tingjian.
Chen Tingjian nodded: “This minister also has this intention.”
The visit was necessary, but after going off duty, Chen Tingjian still stayed in the cabinet for three quarters of an hour more before leaving the palace with his close attendant.
As soon as he left the imperial city, Chen Tingjian saw a steward of his family standing next to the carriage, looking anxiously waiting for him.
Chen Tingjian: “Is there something wrong at home?”
The steward said worriedly: “It’s the eldest miss. She was playing in the garden just now and accidentally sprained her foot. She cried so much from the pain. Only the Grand Princess was with her at that time, so the Grand Princess felt very guilty for this.”
Chen Tingjian was surprised: “What did the doctor say?”
Steward: “This servant doesn’t know. When Madam asked me to come over, the doctor hadn’t arrived yet.”
Chen Tingjian immediately got into the carriage and ordered the coachman to rush home as soon as possible.
Whether it was his granddaughter’s foot injury or the grand princess’s self-blame, they were more important than Cabinet Elder Zeng’s illness. Chen Tingjian had always suspected that Cabinet Elder Zeng’s illness was fake, so it wouldn’t matter if he visited him tomorrow.
Chen family.
The masters of each house gathered in Wan Yi’s room in Guanhe Hall, watching the doctor who had just been invited gently lift Wan Yi’s ankle.
Wan Yi didn’t scream, she just bit her lips tightly, looking like she was holding back the pain, with two unshed tears in her eyes.
Yu Xiu was heartbroken, but she knew that the grand princess was blaming herself, so she didn’t dare to show it at all.
Hua Yang held the handkerchief in her hand and sat beside Wan Yi’s bed, looking at the doctor with self-blame and concern.
This doctor was Doctor Wang from Deyuan Hall. That year, Hua Yang pretended to be ill by jumping through the ice hole to prevent her father from having a palace draft, but then she really had nightmares after leaving the palace. Chen Jingzong who was worried about her but didn’t want to alarm the whole family, pretended to twist his foot and asked Doctor Wang to come over.
As soon as Doctor Wang pinched Wan Yi’s slender ankle, he began to mutter in his heart, are all the Chen family so delicate? It’s obviously nothing serious, but they make so much fuss?
Looking at Wan Yi’s tear-streaked face, and then looking at concerned yet troubled expression of the grand princess, Doctor Wang couldn’t show it, so he said some words of comfort and prescribed a plaster for Wan Yi to treat bruises.
Chen Bozong personally saw the doctor out.
Wan Yi quietly exchanged glances with her fourth aunt.
Her fourth aunt said that fourth uncle really wanted to go out tonight, but fourth aunt was not interested in the crowded street, and she didn’t want to openly throw cold water on fourth uncle and make him disappointed, so she asked her to pretend to be hurt to cover it up.
Her fourth aunt was so kind to her, so of course Wan Yi was willing to help. As for fourth uncle, just spend the holidays with fourth aunt at home.
To make a show more believable, Wan Yi even smeared chili pepper water on her sleeves!
When there were not enough tears, she would lightly rub her eyes.
When Chen Tingjian came over in a hurry, he saw his eldest granddaughter’s eyes were red from crying, so how could he doubt it?
He first cared for his eldest granddaughter, and then persuaded his daughter-in-law princess not to blame herself.
Hua Yang’s lips agreed, but her eyes looking at Wan Yi was still full of regret.
Until nightfall, Wan Yi suddenly announced that her feet no longer hurt, and happily ran to Siyi Hall to invite her fourth aunt to accompany them to celebrate Qixi Festifal in the garden.
Of course, Hua Yang gave her niece some face and took Chen Jingzong with her.
Not only their husband and wife, but also Chen Bozong, Yu Xiu, Chen Xiaozong, Luo Yuyan, and even Chen Tingjian and Sun shi came to watch the children playing with needlework and laughing happily at the Milky Way in the sky.
Chen Tingjian rarely had the opportunity to relax and enjoy such familial happiness. At this moment, seated on the wicker chair, even the gently swaying long beard couldn’t hide his smile.
Hua Yang saw that her father-in-law was in a good mood, so she was in a good mood too.
In her previous life, her father-in-law was very unlucky. On the evening of Qixi Festival, he went to visit Cabinet Elder Zeng at his mansion. That night, Cabinet Elder Zeng’s condition worsened and he passed away.
The imperial doctors went to see him and found out that Cabinet Elder Zeng was indeed destined to die due to illness.
But when her father-in-law died and the new chief assistant wrote the seven major crimes of her father-in-law, the fourth of the seven crimes was to accuse father-in-law of excluding dissidents!
Her father-in-law had served as the chief minister for many years and had demoted and punished corrupt and mediocre officials. Indeed, in order to implement reforms, he also demoted and punished some officials who refused to cooperate. However, these local officials were numerous in number but not important enough, so Cabinet Elder Zeng was elected and became the great sufferer of her father-in-law’s “deliberate anger” to eliminate dissidents!
Hua Yang couldn’t interfere with her father-in-law’s appointment of officials, and she didn’t know which officials her father-in-law had demoted or punished. The only thing she could do about this crime was to prevent her father-in-law from visiting Cabinet Elder Zeng.
The plan was successful, and Hua Yang was satisfied.
Suddenly, someone coughed lightly in her ear.
Hua Yang tilted her head and looked at Chen Jingzong’s big black face, and it was clearly written in his eyes – “You refuse to celebrate the festival with me, but you stare at the old man so happily. What do you mean?”
Hua Yang:……
In fact, she could completely ignore Chen Jingzong’s blind jealousy, but who made her feel good?
That night, although the bright moon was only half-circle, Hua Yang still let Chen Jingzong carry her to the window and accompany him to pose as culture lover.
The author has something to say:
Sun shi: In the previous life, you refused to spent Qixi Festival with me just to see a sick man and scare him into vomiting blood?
Cabinet Elder: ….
thanks! hahaha hua yang’s plan is so simple yet so effective! chen jingzong getting jealous of her looking at his father though ROFL