"Where are you, Miao'er? I just finished reviewing the memorials and came to see you right away!" Xia Zhengqi's deep voice came.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you!"
"Your son pays his respects to the Emperor!"
The Queen and the Crown Prince bowed to Xia Zhengqi at the same time.
"No need to be polite!"
Xia Zhengqi took a few steps forward, gave the Empress a false hand, and then smiled at the Crown Prince, "Chengwan, I guessed that after you left the Imperial Study, you must have come to visit your sister at your mother's place."
"Ruoyu, ask the kitchen to prepare a few more dishes that Chengwan likes. I will have dinner with you tonight." Xia Zhengqi turned to the queen and said.
The queen responded and gave instructions to the palace maids.
Xia Zhengqi picked up the little princess from the crown prince's arms, his lips curled up: "Let father see, has my baby gained weight again?"
"Father, it seems you haven't washed your hands. You should wash your hands before hugging your sister."
Prince: Humph, you're grabbing me right after you get here. My lovely sister, I haven't hugged you enough yet.
"I washed my hands in the imperial study." Xia Zhengqi muttered.
Although Da Guo Guo and the Emperor have similar features, Da Guo Guo has a more heroic air, while the Emperor is more refined.
Xia Zhengqi: Tell me, do you like your elder brother or your father more?
Prince: Yes, my sister praised me! She said I have a heroic spirit.
The father and son carried the little princess into the main hall, entertaining the child while chatting about interesting things outside the palace.
In the main hall of the Cining Palace, a sumptuous family banquet was set out. The empress, the emperor, and the crown prince sat around the table, and the nanny stood beside them holding Xia Miaoyuan.
On the table, sweet and sour pork tenderloin and steamed sea bass were steaming and emitting bursts of fragrance. Several plates of stir-fried seasonal vegetables were brightly colored, and a large bowl of bamboo fungus pigeon soup was milky white and tempting.
Xia Zhengqi picked up his chopsticks first, and the family ate while chatting.
[Wow… I smell sweet and sour pork, so fragrant, and the aroma of steamed fish, and pigeon soup. Help… Even the white rice smells this good, wow… It's coming straight to my nose…]
Xia Miaoyuan kicked his little feet desperately and babbled to express his dissatisfaction.
"Why do you guys get to eat as much as you want while I can only drink milk? I don't want to drink milk! I want to eat fragrant rice and fragrant meat. Rice and sweet and sour pork are a perfect match..."
As a qualified foodie, Xia Miaoyuan felt aggrieved when he thought that he would not be able to eat these delicious meals for at least a year.
Xia Zhengqi, the Queen and the Crown Prince all tried hard to suppress their laughter.
The Queen raised her eyes to look at Xia Miaoyuan and said softly, "Miao'er, do you want to have dinner with your father and mother? You are still too young and don't even have teeth. How can you eat?"
Xia Miaoyuan stopped kicking angrily, tears of unwillingness filling his eyes.
"Hmph, why? Looking at a table full of delicious food but not being able to eat it is such torture."
"Our Miao'er is so smart. She can understand what adults say at such a young age." Xia Zhengqi's eyes were full of doting.
"Yes, my sister is as beautiful as a jade doll and so smart. She is so lovable." The prince agreed.
[When I grow teeth, I'll eat them all. Sweet and sour pork tenderloin, braised chicken legs, steamed fish... I'll eat them all.]
Xia Miaoyuan clenched his two little fists tightly and muttered viciously in his heart.
The emperor, empress and prince pretended nothing had happened and ate in silence.
"Your Majesty, something bad has happened! The urgent document just arrived from 800 miles away!" Eunuch Debao looked panicked and trotted into the main hall, handing the urgent document to Xia Zhengqi.
Xia Zhengqi put down his bowl and chopsticks, took the document and opened it to read.
His expression suddenly darkened, and he clenched his right fist and slammed it hard on the edge of the table.
Upon seeing this, the Queen and the Crown Prince also put down their bowls and chopsticks and looked at Xia Zhengqi with serious expressions.
Xia Zhengqi is a gentle person and he rarely expresses his emotions so intensely.
"What's wrong, Father?"
"A flood broke out in Ganjiang River, and most of the province downstream was flooded..." Xia Zhengqi gritted his teeth.
Xia Miaoyuan had just finished throwing a tantrum and was lying in his wet nurse's arms, just about to drift off to sleep when he heard the words "Ganjiang flood" and was startled and woke up again.
[The Ganjiang River flood? Yes, it was during this time that Crown Prince Daguoguo was framed and lost his power in the court.]
Xia Zhengqi, the Queen, and the Crown Prince all felt a sudden tightness in their hearts.
"Your Majesty, please calm down and don't let yourself get sick from worrying." The Queen tried to cover up her own emotion by comforting the Emperor. While she was speaking, she was paying attention to her daughter's thoughts.
[I remember that after the Ganjiang River flooded, the Emperor convened a meeting of ministers to discuss disaster relief. Grand Tutor Jiang's followers deliberately recommended the Crown Prince to be the chief disaster relief officer.]
As the crown prince, he deserves to be tempered. If he performs this task well, it will be a great achievement. The Emperor readily agreed. Little did he know, however, that Grand Tutor Jiang had already set a trap, waiting for the crown prince to fall into it.
Prince Guoguo was in the disaster area, dedicated to the people and working diligently. However, the governor and governor-general of Jiangxia Province were both under Grand Tutor Jiang's command. While outwardly cooperating with the prince, they secretly embezzled most of the relief funds.
Upon hearing this, Xia Zhengqi, the Queen, and the Crown Prince were so angry that they gritted their teeth.
The victims, deprived of aid and food, naturally grew increasingly resentful. Hundreds of able-bodied victims gathered and began to riot. News of the incident reached the capital, and the Emperor investigated, uncovering evidence of the Crown Prince's embezzlement. The court erupted in outrage, and the Emperor was furious.
When Xia Zhengqi and the Queen heard this, they cursed in their hearts: Master Jiang, you old bastard are such a bad guy!
[Alas, the prince cried out for innocence, but the evidence was irrefutable and there was no room for argument.]
Xia Miaoyuan sighed and continued to recall.
[At that time, the Empress had already passed away, and my maternal grandfather's family was far away in the northern border. The harem was controlled by Empress Dowager Jiang, and the court was controlled by Grand Tutor Jiang. Aside from my third uncle, who was the Junior Minister of the Supreme Court, and the Crown Prince's teacher, Yan Wenjing, no one pleaded for him.]
Although the Emperor was reluctant to dethrone him, he only punished him by forbidding him from attending court for a year and forcing him to reflect on his mistakes. However, his status plummeted from then on, and the voices of support for him were no longer heard in the court.
When Xia Zhengqi, the Queen, and the Crown Prince heard this, they felt like something was stuck in their throats and were so angry that they could hardly speak.
[Strange, why are the three of them not talking or eating anymore? If they don't eat now, the food will get cold and taste bad. What a waste.]
Xia Miaoyuan's thoughts returned to dinner.
"Cheng Wan, have someone find the records of floods in Ganjiang over the years and the flood control and disaster relief, and bring them to your house for review." Xia Zhengqi calmed himself down and looked at the prince.
Crown Prince: No way! Has Father already decided to send me to provide disaster relief and flood control? He doesn't even need a recommendation from Grand Tutor Jiang's people?
"Yes, father." Although he was shocked, the prince still forced himself to remain calm and answered loudly.
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