Chapter 413 Three Years Later

This was the second time Wen Zhiming had brought up this topic with Meng Lingge. The last time Wen Zhiming said this, he had not yet officially ascended the throne. At that time, he told her with great certainty that the throne was for her and that he would definitely choose her.

But now, almost a year has passed since Wen Zhiming ascended the throne. Meng Lingge has watched as he has transformed the country, bringing prosperity to all industries. She knows his sincerity in serving the country and its people, and witnesses his joy and pride when he achieves success.

At this moment, Wen Zhiming was still willing to give up everything he had, as long as she and her child were together. She was indeed a little surprised and quite tempted.

She did indeed yearn for power and wealth, but she didn't necessarily need to be empress. According to Wen Zhiming, with his abilities, he could ensure that she and her child could live a good life after leaving the palace.

Therefore, there is indeed no need for her to stay in the palace and fight endlessly with a group of old ministers over the issue of having children.

Having a child of your own choosing is vastly different from being forced to have one. Furthermore, the idea that her husband would find another woman to bear the child if she refused also greatly displeased her.

When something you do willingly becomes a task, the fun is greatly diminished.

Meng Lingge blinked and wrapped her arms around Wen Zhiming's neck.

"Are you really willing to do that?"

"What's there to be reluctant about?" Wen Zhiming leaned back, pulled off the bed curtains, and rolled over to pin the other person down. "In this world, the only thing I can't bear to part with is you."

He became emperor out of necessity and to protect his family.

Now that the former emperor is dead and the danger has passed, as long as he makes the proper arrangements, there's nowhere their family can't go.

For him, wherever his wife and children were, that was paradise on earth.

Being able to spend every day with his wife and children was the greatest happiness and fortune. Life is about gains and losses, and he was not greedy. As long as his wife and children were alive, there was nothing he could not give up.

The two looked into each other's eyes, their gazes meeting only for one another.

Wen Zhiming kissed Meng Lingge's forehead.

"As for you, if you don't become empress, I will take you and the children to travel the world. Although we will not lack food and clothing and will not have to work, we will not have a large number of servants and attendants. I don't know if you can adapt."

Meng Lingge didn't actually need many people to take care of her, but since there were only two proper mistresses in the harem—her and the Empress Dowager—and there were many eunuchs and maids in the palace, they had to arrange more people for each palace.

The inner palace was quiet and peaceful, making it easy for her to manage, but she was confined to the capital. Traveling around while she was young was certainly more interesting to her than being an empress who was pushed around by others.

Moreover, her husband had tried so hard to be a benevolent ruler, yet these court officials still wouldn't let go of the matter of the imperial concubine selection, forcing her husband to feign illness and faint. So they refused to serve him anymore.

Seeing Wen Zhiming waiting for her reply with such a serious expression, she couldn't resist teasing him again.

Meng Lingge thought about it with difficulty and said with regret.

"I finally became Empress, and I haven't even had my fill of being Empress yet, and now I'm going to become a commoner? But I can't live without my husband, so wherever you go, my child and I will go."

Upon hearing this, Wen Zhiming's face turned solemn. Just as he was about to say something, he saw her lower her lips, run her fingers across Wen Zhiming's lips, and whisper with a blush on her face.

"If my status and power are diminished, then my husband should strive to improve other aspects, and then I will naturally be able to..."

Before she could finish speaking, Wen Zhiming's eyes darkened, and he leaned down to kiss her.

"I will do my best now to make my wife happy..."

The room was filled with tender affection. Outsiders thought Wen Zhiming had fainted and needed to rest, so no one dared to disturb them, which allowed the two to indulge in their lovemaking.

While the ministers were concerned about the emperor's health, they were unaware that the emperor and empress were enjoying intimate moments together, and even less aware that the emperor and empress were planning to escape the palace together.

As Wen Zhiming had predicted, the emperor's fainting spell kept the ministers quiet for a while.

But it will only last for a while.

Their dedication and seriousness towards the emperor's selection of concubines surpassed all other matters concerning governing the country and benefiting the people.

However, out of concern for Wen Zhiming's health, they changed their strategy and became somewhat more roundabout and tactful.

For example, they would subtly hint at things, spread rumors, and in the most serious cases, even set their sights on the eldest princess.

Wen Zhiming's insistence on this matter exceeded the expectations of the court officials, and no matter what methods they used, they could not get him to compromise.

In addition, with Meng Xingyuan in the court and the Empress Dowager in the harem, these two very important figures were maneuvering among themselves. Although the court and the harem were unhappy because of this matter, it did not reach the point of no return.

Three years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Princess Wen Woyu of Le'an is three years old.

She was more rosy and adorable than other children when she was born, and now she is even more beautiful, with a sweet voice and laughter wherever she goes.

Today is the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the Dragon Boat Festival.

According to custom, the palace needed to ward off evil spirits and poisons by hanging mugwort and calamus, and then have a family banquet at night, drinking realgar wine and eating zongzi (sticky rice dumplings).

Wen Woyu was at the age where she loved to play. Seeing that the palace was different from other days, she became very curious and insisted on going out to play.

Meng Lingge still had to perform an exorcism ceremony with Wen Zhiming, so she had Chunhong bring a few more people to accompany the princess on her tour of the palace.

Of the four personal maids who originally served Meng Lingge, only Chunhong remains.

Lu Shui became the top female doctor in the Imperial Medical Academy. Qiu Lan married Jiang Lin, a top-ranking imperial bodyguard, and lived outside the palace. Xia Zi married her neighbor's older brother, with whom she had been betrothed since childhood, and went to live in another place.

Chunhong is now the head maid of Fengyi Palace. Although she is not old, all the eunuchs and maids in the palace have to respectfully call her Sister Chunhong.

Wen Woyu is mischievous and lively. When she gets into a good time, most people can't handle her. Apart from Meng Lingge and Wen Zhiming, she can only listen to a few words from Chunhong.

Chunhong held Wen Woyu's little hand and bent down to accompany her out of Fengyi Palace. As soon as they were out of Meng Lingge's sight, Wen Woyu broke free from Chunhong's hand and skipped away.

Fortunately, the little one wasn't running too fast, and Chunhong could catch up by slightly increasing her pace.

Wen Woyu touched and pinched everything in her path, thoroughly messing with the flowers and plants along the way. The servants followed behind, cleaning up the mess while calling out, "Slow down, be careful!"

Although she wasn't fast, she was full of energy and ran through several palaces in a row. The servants were all panting as they followed, but the three-year-old girl was still having a great time.

As the weather gets warmer, Chunhong was worried that Wen Woyu would be covered in sweat from running around. Just as she was about to grab her to check on her, she saw Wen Woyu stop and point into the distance.

"Aunt Chunhong, what is that?"