33. Chapter 33

"none"

Qi You opened the cloth bag and took out a scroll which was a Western painting. He respectfully placed it before the Empress Dowager with both hands.

In the painting, under the blue sky and white clouds, green grass and dotted wild flowers, a round-faced girl with a lively look is riding a horse at full speed. Looking from the side, you can see the girl's eyes curved with laughter.

Behind the girl, there was a servant girl chasing after her on horseback, and in front of her, there was a Saker Falcon flying above her head.

On the other side of the painting, a cluster of yurts stand. Someone bends over to make milk tea, someone walks by holding a lamb, someone pounding butter, and smoke curls from the cooking fires, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

A woman stood at the doorway, looking in the direction the girl was running towards, her face full of smiles, her hand slightly raised. It seemed as if she was telling her to slow down, yet also as if she was asking her to hurry home.

Qi You said shyly, "Ukuma Mama, when I was in Shunyi, I saw Mr. Xu occasionally painting, so I learned a few strokes from him, but I wasn't very good at it. When I saw Shunyi's blue sky and white clouds, the birds flying across the sky, and the farmers returning home in the sunset, I always missed home. I missed Ukuma Mama Mama, Khan, Ama Enie, the Crown Prince, my eldest brother, my third brother, my fourth brother, my fifth brother, my eighth brother..."

After listing a long list of relatives in one breath, Qi You saw that the Empress Dowager's hands were trembling, and she leaned back hard, trying to see more clearly.

Qi You knew that older people would suffer from presbyopia, so he hurriedly helped straighten the scroll and move the painting farther away.

Qi You's mobility issues prevented him from painting much, so his brushwork was a bit immature. Western paintings tend to be more realistic, and his paintings weren't quite realistic, but they had a certain verve.

Especially the large string of turquoise hanging on the girl's chest. The arm holding up the whip revealed a bracelet that was exactly the same as the one the Empress Dowager had worn on her hand for most of her life.

The Empress Dowager stared at the painting, her eyes blurred with turbid tears, and she stretched out her trembling hand as if to touch the painting.

Qi You hurriedly brought the painting closer. The Empress Dowager stretched out her fingers and stroked the girl in the painting bit by bit. Finally, she moved to the woman standing at the door, tears streaming down her face.

Kangxi's expression was moved, his eyes instantly turned red, and he felt sour at the same time.

This little bastard, not only did he not see the gift given to him, but he also found a lot of things for him to do.

The Crown Prince looked at the Empress Dowager and Kangxi, then glanced at Qi You. He then lowered his head to wipe away his tears and whispered, "Ukuma Ma, please take care of yourself. Seventh Brother, you are really sorry. Your gift has made Ukuma Ma so sad."

The Empress Dowager suddenly raised her voice and said, "I'm not sad. I'm just so happy, so happy. I saw my mother. Seventh Brother, give me the painting, give it to me."

The prince was stunned and subconsciously looked at Kangxi. Kangxi's expression did not change, and he watched Qi You put the painting in the hands of the Empress Dowager without blinking.

The Empress Dowager said to Sumala, who was standing solemnly beside her, "Look, you are also in this painting. Please put this painting away carefully. I have read it in my heart. When I am gone, please put it next to me."

Su Mala hurriedly took out a handkerchief to wipe her hands clean before stepping forward to take the painting. The Empress Dowager watched Su Mala's movements closely, reminding her to be more careful from time to time.

Kangxi glanced at Qi You and said to the Grand Empress Dowager, "Ma Ma's love for him is finally not in vain. It's rare that he is willing to put in so much effort."

The Grand Empress Dowager looked at Qi You without blinking, and said lovingly, "Thought is the most valuable thing. Seventh Brother, you have to farm and study regularly, so don't overwork yourself. I see your heart. You are a good child, a thoughtful child. Have you paid your respects to your mother?"

Qi You replied, "Khan Ama said he wanted to come with me to Ukuma Mama, and I have already taken time to go see Enie."

The Grand Empress Dowager nodded. "It was not easy for your mother to give birth to you. You must be filial to her in the future. Your Majesty, I think Dai Jia is not bad either, respectful and docile. Look at my memory. In which year did she enter the palace? Was she with Uya and the others?"

Kangxi frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "A little later than Wu Ya, about the same time as Concubine Yi, Guo Luoluo."

The Grand Empress Dowager hummed, then nodded, "She can be considered an elder in the palace. She gave birth to the Seventh Prince, which is considered meritorious. You should consider raising her position."

Kangxi was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but look at Qi You who was sitting obediently next to him. He was looking at him quietly with clear and bright eyes.

Originally, Dai Jiashi was to receive the share of a noble lady, but Kangxi considered it for a moment and said, "Promote her to the rank of Chengpin. Instruct the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Observatory to select a concubine and perform the conferment ceremony today. After the ceremony, she will be moved into Jingren Palace."

Qi You thought that although Kangxi was stingy, he only made Dai Jia a concubine.

However, being able to move into the main hall of the First Palace and undergo the canonization ceremony was still quite good compared to other concubines who only verbally enjoyed the enthronement but did not actually receive the imperial edict.

From the West Second Residence to the side hall of Chengqian Palace, and then from the side hall to the main seat of the First Palace, Qi You thought to himself that there was still a long way to go.

He longed for the day when Dai Jia could walk out of the high palace walls and go very far.

Qi You had once come across Nüshu, a type of writing system. Out of curiosity, he went to read more about it.

Nüshu mainly originated in Yongzhou, Hunan, and it is impossible to determine exactly when it appeared.

Nüshu is a form of writing invented by women who were unwilling to be confined to the inner chambers of the harem. Those who knew it would then teach their fellow women.

Write in your own words, use the form of worshiping Buddha to convey, and share your stories and thoughts with each other.

Qi You remembered that after watching it, he couldn't calm down for a long time.

They are all a group of unwilling souls who want to break free from their own constraints, go out, and go to school, study, and work like men.

Qi You's soul in his previous life was trapped in his body, unable to break free, which was very similar to them.

In this life, he had broken free. He hoped to help those who hadn't yet broken free, and take them one step forward. Even a small step would be enough.

Even though she was the Empress Dowager, she was no different from Dai Jia, both of them were women trapped in the harem.

Go home.

On the grassland there are Saker Falcons, galloping horses, a lover waiting for her, and a tiny bit of freedom.

The Empress Dowager looked at Qi You's smiling eyes and couldn't help but feel warm in her heart. She instructed Su Mala, "It's rare for Old Seven to be home. Go make some milk tea and get some of his favorite milk cakes. Later in the evening, Old Seven will stay with me for dinner. Emperor, if you are free tonight, please stay and have dinner with us. Prince... go and call the other students. It's rare for Old Seven to be home tonight. Let's have a lively dinner together. I'll consider it an early New Year's Eve."

Kangxi was overjoyed and said quickly, "It's rare that Mama is so interested. I'll have a meal at your place tonight. Prince, go get a handkerchief and help your Mama wash her face."

This year, the Empress Dowager's health deteriorated. She sometimes refused to see Kangxi when he came to pay his respects. If she did, she would just say a few words and then close her eyes, not to mention staying in the Cining Palace for dinner.

Thinking of this, Kangxi couldn't help but look at Qi You, feeling indescribable in his heart.

Su Mala, accompanied by a maid, carried a food box and a hot towel into the room. Seeing the prince approach and roll up his sleeves, she stepped aside, poured a bowl of milk tea, and offered it to Kangxi first. Then she poured another bowl from another pot and offered it to Qi You, saying with a low laugh, "Seventh Prince, add some extra fried rice in this."

Qi You liked fried rice in milk tea the most. When he came to the Cining Palace to eat, he always liked to ask Su Mala to add more. He took the bowl with both hands, smiled at Su Mala and said, "Thank you, Ma'am."

Su Mala smiled back and stepped aside. After the Crown Prince presented the handkerchief and the Empress Dowager washed her face, she hurried forward to take the dirty handkerchief. The Crown Prince sat aside while the palace maid brought him milk tea.

Qi You held the bowl, took a sip of milk tea and a mouthful of milk cake, eating it with great relish, and soon finished the milk tea in the bowl.

The Empress Dowager looked at Qi You and saw that he was still not satisfied. He turned his head to look at the milk jug and seemed to want to drink more. She smiled and stopped him: "Dinner will be soon, Seventh Brother, save some space."

Qi You said okay, put down the bowl reluctantly, and said regretfully: "The milk tea here at Ukuma Ma is very fragrant. Every time I eat it, I can never get enough."

The Empress Dowager laughed non-stop. Seeing this, the Crown Prince quickly drank the milk tea in the bowl in a few gulps and felt a little full for a moment.

Kangxi watched calmly, glaring at Qi You and saying, "No matter how delicious something is, it must be consumed in moderation. This is the way to maintain health. Don't just indulge in greed and harm your body."

Qi You said yes with a smile. The Empress Dowager glanced at Kangxi and the prince, smiled faintly and said nothing.

Soon, the eldest prince and his friends finished school and arrived at the Cining Palace one after another, paying their respects. The room suddenly became lively and crowded.

Qi You sat aside according to his age.

The Fifth Prince happened to be sitting next to Qi You. It felt like there was a needle on the stool. He moved from time to time while sitting and glanced at Qi You sideways, looking very awkward.

Qi You knew clearly what Concubine Yi had said to him. He smiled and talked to the other brothers, but did not initiate a conversation with him, nor did he show any distancing.

The Fifth Prince was honest and could not hide his inner thoughts. Because of this, Qi You did not want to embarrass him. If he took the initiative to get close to him, he would probably be blamed by Concubine Yi. If he distanced himself from him, he would be sad.

Alas, the adult world is not easy. Even though these brothers are young, it is still not easy.

Qi You soon felt relieved and let everything go with the flow.

The Third Prince was still as impulsive and lively as before. He looked Qi You up and down and asked curiously, "Seventh Brother, when you were in Shunyi, did you really go to the fields? I mean, did you really take off your shoes and socks and go to the muddy fields to plant rice and weed? Your legs are not convenient, but can you walk in there? Will you fall?"

"I really got into the ground." Qi You gestured on his legs, pointing to a point just above his knees, and said with a smile, "The mud can reach here. At first, when I got into the ground, my legs sank in. I tried to pull them out, but they wouldn't budge at all. I didn't know what happened, and I fell down on the ground with a big thud."

The Crown Prince laughed very politely and restrainedly. The Third Prince laughed out loud when he heard it. The Fourth Prince smiled with his lips pursed, the Fifth Prince grinned and laughed foolishly, and the Eighth Prince opened his mouth wide and exclaimed repeatedly.

The eldest brother laughed so hard that he fell forward and backward, and asked, "What happened next?"

Qi You glanced at everyone and said with a smile, "Later, after falling a few times and eating a few mouthfuls of mud, I was able to walk steadily. However, my legs were still inconvenient, and I could never compare to those who were used to working on the land. There was a guy named Zhang Bai, who was a year younger than me and half a head shorter. He started working in the fields with the adults at home at a very young age. Even though he was short, he could still walk steadily on the fields, as if he was on flat ground, and he was faster than me in planting rice."

The Third Prince said unconcernedly, "Boyi slaves have been working in the fields since they were young. It's not surprising that they are faster than you."

His eyes rolled, he glanced at Kangxi, and said, "Seventh brother, how far have you progressed in your studies? Khan Ama often says how well you learn. How about we have a competition?"

The other princes all looked at Qi You.

When Qi You was in school, it was fine for them to be outdone. But when Qi You went to Shunyi, there was only Mr. Xu Risheng.

Kangxi often used Qi You as an example, criticizing them harshly and asking them to emulate Qi You. It was a pity that they almost vomited blood from studying every day.

Seeing is believing. They had heard firsthand how Qi You was farming in Shunyi, and they didn't believe he had the time to learn. It was probably Kangxi telling them this to spur them on.

Seeing his brothers rubbing their hands in anticipation, Qi You turned to Kangxi and said hesitantly, "Khan Ama, should I compete with them?"

The Third Prince immediately refused to comply and shouted, "Seventh Brother, you can't ask Khan Ama for help. This is not fair."

Qi You cried out in his heart, and before he could take the initiative to roll up, they automatically came to him.

First courtesy, then force. Qi You said earnestly with a faint smile, "Third brother, I'm doing this for fairness."

The Third Prince opened his mouth wide, "How can this be considered fair?"

Qi You smiled and said nothing, just looking at Kangxi.

In his previous life, Qi You worked incredibly hard for his health, to the point of being insane. He possessed strong self-control, always following through on his plans, always striving to finish today's work today.

Those who are smarter than him are not as hardworking as him. There are probably not many people in the world who are more hardworking than him. Because not everyone has the same physical conditions as him.

Rolling them is a piece of cake.

Kangxi didn't show it on his face, but he was actually very happy. He really wanted to see the Third Prince and his other sons being humiliated in front of Qi You. After a moment's hesitation, he said reluctantly, "Okay, just don't make too much noise."

The Empress Dowager said, "That's fine. Watching you brothers compete and learn from each other is a good opportunity for me to broaden my horizons."

The Third Prince cheered and jumped out to set the rules impatiently: "Seventh Prince, you can't ride horses or use bows in the house. How about we compete in reciting books and writing big characters?"

Qi You knew that the Third Prince, including the Crown Prince, usually studied the Four Books and Five Classics, with some Confucian classics. He deliberately teased the Third Prince and asked, "Forget about Latin. How about Mongolian and mathematics?"

When Kangxi heard about mathematics, his throat felt itchy and he coughed involuntarily.

The Third Prince was stunned, the smugness on his face gradually disappeared, his face turned blue and red, and he looked to his other brothers for help.

The eldest prince turned his head away, pretending not to see. The fourth prince was fine, but he didn't like mathematics either, so he really couldn't help the third prince. The fifth and eighth princes were still students in the preschool class, so they couldn't join the battle at all.

Kangxi couldn't stand it any longer and took the initiative to help the poor Third Prince out: "Let's just compete in memorizing and writing big characters. It's getting late and dinner will be served soon."

The Third Prince became cheerful again and said, "Since Khan Ama has given the order, let's compete in reciting and writing large characters. I'll recite a line first, and you, Seventh Brother, will take over. If you can't, you lose. If you do, you start the next line, and I'll take over."

Qi You smiled and said okay.

The Third Prince cleared his throat and suppressed the pride in his heart.

Normally, in the study room, the teacher was still teaching the Great Learning. Under Kangxi's urging, he had already read the Doctrine of the Mean and picked out a sentence to recite: "I know that the Way is not practiced; the wise go beyond it, and the foolish fall short of it."

Qi You quickly continued reciting fluently: "I know that the Tao is unclear; the virtuous go beyond it, and the unworthy fall short of it. It means that everyone eats and drinks, but few can appreciate the taste. Stupid people cannot understand this. I know very well why the doctrine of the mean doesn't work. Capable people can't go too far, and incompetent people can't do it either. It's like we eat and drink every day, but how many of us can truly appreciate the flavor of our food? You don't need to add the meaning, just recite it."

The Third Prince widened his eyes, his initial momentum diminished a lot, and he held his breath, waiting for Qi You to ask a question.

Qi You smiled and said, "Restrain yourself and return to propriety, to serve the beginning and the end, and be truly respectful to Emperor Xiaowen."

Kangxi was stunned when he heard this. When he was teaching Qi You about "self-discipline and restoration of propriety", he mentioned that this sentence came from two books: one from "Ode to the Eastern Capital" and the other from "The Analects of Confucius. Yan Yuan asked about benevolence".

Qi You even finished reading "Ode to the Eastern Capital"?

The Third Prince was stunned for a moment, then his brows lit up with joy. He laughed heartily at Qi You, "Seventh brother, you lose! The correct verse is 'To restrain oneself and return to propriety is benevolence. If one day restrains oneself and returns to propriety, the world will return to benevolence.' It's from the Analects of Confucius, and you even got the Analects wrong."

The eldest prince was not as good at studying as the third prince, and he was very happy when he heard the third prince say that Qi You was wrong. The fourth prince was more cautious and racked his brains to think whether Qi You was right or wrong.

Qi You looked at Kangxi, and Kangxi looked up at the caisson and just wanted to sigh heavily.

well!

It really proves the saying "the unworthy will not be able to achieve anything".

Kangxi brooded for a while, then, seeing the Third and First Princes laughing so hard that it was truly unpleasant, he finally said with a stern face, "'Restrain yourself and return to propriety, to serve the end and the beginning, truly respectful to Emperor Xiaowen.' This is Ban Gu's 'Ode to the Eastern Capital.'"

The smiles on the Third Prince and the Eldest Prince's faces quickly froze.

Kangxi looked at Qi You's calligraphy. It used to be sharp, but now it has become rounded and gentle, with a sense of simplicity.

"You lost. You can't win." Kangxi simply concluded.

The eldest prince was fine, as he didn't like reading anyway. The fourth prince suddenly realized that there were two other sources for "self-discipline and restoration of propriety" and he also wanted to find "Ode to the Eastern Capital" to read.

The Third Prince's face turned pale, and he almost cried. Seeing this, Qi You smiled and bowed to him: "Third Brother, thank you for letting me win. Fortunately, we are in the house. If we were to compete in archery outside..."

The Third Prince uttered a "hmm" and pressed on, "What will happen then?"

Qi You said with a smile: "I may not lose to you."

The Third Prince's tears dried up, and he was so angry that he laughed. He ran over, hugged Qi You's neck as before, and shouted, "Seventh Prince, you are really a jerk. I will teach you a lesson."

Qi You and the Third Prince rolled around in a ball, laughing and joking.

Seeing the Empress Dowager laughing, Kangxi did not stop them and laughed along, only reminding them from time to time not to play too much.

Kangxi subconsciously looked at Qi You's left leg, and glanced at the prince who was laughing with his brothers beside him. His expression was complicated, with regret and relief.

After having a lively meal with the Empress Dowager, Kangxi saw that she looked tired. She sat down and took a few sips of tea before taking her sons to leave.

It was getting a little chilly at night, and the sky was dotted with stars, shining brightly against the lights in the Cining Palace.

Kangxi walked in front, the crown prince was one step behind, the eldest prince followed closely behind, and then the third prince and the fourth prince.

The Fifth Prince was staying at the Empress Dowager's residence, and seeing Qi You about to leave with the Eighth Prince, he scratched his head and finally called out to his Seventh Brother, "After school tomorrow, I'll come play with you, okay?"

Qi You sighed inwardly, breathed a sigh of relief, and said with a smile, "Okay."

The Fifth Prince heaved a long sigh, then skipped away with a smile.

The Eighth Prince, who was following behind, slowed down his pace and looked back suspiciously from time to time. Qi You smiled and asked him, "Eighth brother, have you finished the homework that the teacher left for you?"

The Eighth Prince's face suddenly fell, and he said bitterly: "Seventh Brother, you are really me. I will not tell you anything."

Qi You watched the Eighth Prince leave angrily, and followed him slowly, keeping his achievements and fame hidden.

You little brat, you still dare to watch the fun. I'll see if he doesn't use the magic weapon of homework to intimidate this elementary school student in the Montessori class.

Kangxi walked for a while in front, then looked back and saw Qi You lagging behind, still walking slowly, so he slowed down his pace.

As he slowed down, the others followed suit. Kangxi pondered for a moment and said, "The Crown Prince stay. You all should go back quickly and finish your homework and rest early."

Several princes responded in unison, and after paying their respects, the eldest prince left with his younger brothers.

After walking for a while, the eldest prince turned around and saw the prince accompanying Kangxi, waiting for Qi You who was walking quickly.

Qi You walked faster, and the shaking of his body became more obvious. The eldest prince's eyes quickly passed him and stopped at the prince.

The lantern light cast a dim shadow, and he was hidden in the shadows, so his expression could not be seen clearly. After a while, the eldest brother saw that the other brothers had walked away and hurried to catch up.

Kangxi waited until Qi You came up and asked, "Seventh Brother, why are you so far behind? Will you not do your homework when you go back?"

The Crown Prince and the eldest prince definitely knew about Shunyi's affairs, but Qi You was not aware of the other younger princes.

Since Kangxi had been with the crown prince, Qi You hesitated for a moment and said, "The homework must be completed, and then the details discussed with Khan Ama must be sorted out."

Kangxi was surprised. He didn't expect Qi You to work so quickly. He thought for a moment and said, "You go to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to write it. The Crown Prince should go too. You two can discuss it with each other."

Qi You understood, especially when he saw the Crown Prince seemed to relax instantly. He smiled and answered readily, "Okay."

The author has something to say:

Note: The quoted part is from "The Analects of Confucius", "Ode to the Eastern Capital" and "The Doctrine of the Mean".

Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided me with nutrient solution between 2022-10-03 23:00:01 and 2022-10-04 19:30:57~

Thanks to the little angels who threw the rocket launchers: Aurora 1;

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Thanks to the little angel who irrigated the nutrient solution: 4 bottles of Aurora;

Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!