Chapter 441 Training
Huo Lin lowered his eyes and looked down at his father-in-law, whose body was trembling slightly, his brows furrowing.
Here we go again. Every time I see him, it's like seeing a ghost. Is he really that scary?
Besides, he is Jiang Huan's biological father, so how could she possibly eat him?
Although he felt a little disgusted, Huo Lin suppressed his displeasure because he thought that Jiang Huan really needed the care of her family after giving birth.
"Granted, Wang Degui. Arrange for a carriage immediately to bring Lady Jiang to the palace."
Father Jiang was overjoyed and surprised as if he had been granted a pardon. He immediately kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!"
When the news reached the Jiang residence, Madam Jiang was overjoyed and wept tears of joy. She quickly tidied herself up and boarded a sedan chair sent by the palace to enter the palace.
Upon entering Weiyang Palace, Lady Jiang saw her rosy-cheeked daughter and the two children standing side by side with her, and tears instantly streamed down her face.
She disregarded all the rules and quickly stepped forward to take her daughter's hand.
"Huan'er, you've suffered so much..." she choked up, looking her daughter up and down, then couldn't help but reach out and touch the two little ones' faces, her face full of love and excitement.
"These must be the little prince and princess, right? Look at them, what handsome children they are, just like you and the emperor."
Standing to the side, Mr. Jiang's eyes were also red-rimmed, and he was too excited to say anything.
"Okay, okay, it's good that you're safe, it's good that you're safe..."
Seeing her parents like this, Jiang Huan felt a pang of sadness and gently comforted her mother while holding her hand.
"Dad, Mom, I'm fine. Look at me, I'm perfectly alright. The children are all healthy too, so don't worry."
Before the mother and daughter could exchange more than a few intimate words, Huo Lin walked in from outside.
Lady Jiang quickly curtsied and said, "This humble woman greets Your Majesty."
"Mother-in-law, there's no need for such formalities." Huo Linxu offered a slight helping hand, his attitude still relatively gentle, but his gaze shifted to Jiang's father, who was clearly starting to tense up again.
"Minister Jiang, please come with me. There are some matters I need to discuss with you."
Hearing the clearly different way of addressing him, Mr. Jiang's heart skipped a beat, and his calves cramped up a little, but he dared not disobey and quickly bowed.
"Yes, yes, Your Majesty, I obey."
The atmosphere in the Imperial Study was somber.
Huo Lin sat upright in his chair, looking down at Jiang's father, who stood with his hands at his sides, not daring to even breathe loudly, and shook his head.
How can someone so timid and hesitant fulfill the duties of the emperor's father-in-law?
In the future, when she becomes the Empress, her father-in-law will be a model of imperial relatives. In such a state, wouldn't people laugh at her for having no one in her family?
No, we still need to work on it properly.
“Minister Jiang,” Huo Lin began, his voice low but imposing, “do you know that after the Empress’s investiture ceremony, you will become the Emperor’s father-in-law?”
Father Jiang trembled and quickly bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I am terrified. I know that I am of limited talent and learning, and my virtue is unworthy of my position..."
"I'm not asking whether you're worthy or not," Huo Lin interrupted him, his tone turning cold. "I'm telling you that the Empress's father-in-law represents the Empress's dignity. I don't want to see him behaving inappropriately or speaking ill of the Empress at palace banquets or in the court in the future."
Jiang's father broke out in a cold sweat and knelt down with a thud.
"Your Majesty, I deserve to die ten thousand times! I will certainly be careful in my words and deeds, and would never dare to damage the majesty of the Imperial Family or fail the Emperor's grace!"
“Being cautious in speech and action is not enough.” Huo Lin stood up and walked to him. “What you need is composure and calmness! Today I will send someone to teach you etiquette and manners, how to deal with people in court, until you have the demeanor of an imperial father-in-law.”
He called out loudly, "Xie Yunzhi."
Xie Yunzhi had already been summoned to the Imperial Study by Huo Lin, and upon hearing this, he stepped forward.
"Your subject is present."
"I'm entrusting Minister Jiang to you," Huo Lin instructed. "Teach him well the palace rules and etiquette, court manners, and make sure that the Grand Tutor... undergoes a complete transformation."
"Your subject obeys the decree." Xie Yunzhi responded and then looked at Jiang's father, "Lord Jiang, please follow me."
The next half day was a nightmare for Jiang's father.
Although Xie Yunzhi was young, he was very conscientious in his work.
He started by teaching the most basic posture, walking, and bowing etiquette, requiring each movement to be precise and accurate.
"Lord Jiang, relax your shoulders, straighten your back, and look straight ahead. Yes, just like that, hold it."
"Your stride is too long, shorten it by three-tenths, slow down your pace, yes, go through it again."
...
Mr. Jiang is nearly fifty years old. He has never suffered such military-style torture before.
After repeatedly practicing a set of tedious etiquette procedures, he was drenched in sweat, his back ached, and his hands trembled like leaves in the wind from maintaining a specific posture for a long time and from the tension.
Xie Yunzhi, however, seemed not to notice and meticulously corrected his mistakes.
This is even harder than taking the imperial examination back in the day; the emperor is trying to kill him!
Lord Xie looks so young and is usually quite easy to talk to, so why does he act like a completely different person, so strict?
Father Jiang was inwardly groaning, his face turning green with embarrassment. He could only grit his teeth and bear it, longing for the leisurely days in the study of the mansion.
Meanwhile, inside Weiyang Palace, Madam Jiang spent most of the day with her daughter, personally taking care of her. Seeing that Jiang Huan looked tired, she considerately took her leave and was led out of the palace by a palace maid.
As they reached the bend in the palace road, they happened to encounter Consort Li, who was just coming out of her own palace.
Consort Li was dressed in gorgeous clothes and had exquisite makeup, but her brows could not hide her gloom.
Although she was ordered to appease the six palaces and carry out the dismissal, the resentment that had been forcibly suppressed in her heart resurfaced when she suddenly saw the future empress's mother.
She didn't make way for him; she just stood there, a not-so-enthusiastic smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"Oh, who do we have here? It's Madam Jiang. Have you just come from the Imperial Noble Consort's place? Her Highness has just given birth and needs to rest. Although you are a close relative, Madam, you should be considerate of Her Highness's health and not stay too long to disturb her."
Her words sounded like concern, but they actually implied that Madam Jiang was being inconsiderate and disturbing Jiang Huan's rest.
Madam Jiang's heart skipped a beat. She had spent most of her time in the inner quarters, interacting mainly with the ladies and young women of various families. She had never faced such a high-ranking concubine alone before.
She instinctively wanted to lower her head, but she managed to restrain herself.
No, we can't panic. Huan'er is now an Imperial Noble Consort and will soon be made Empress. If she shows any weakness, how will the people in the palace view her in the future?
There's no hope for the master; he's like a mouse before a cat whenever he sees the emperor. She can't afford to hold her daughter back any longer.
Madam Jiang took a deep breath, suppressing her panic, and gave a respectful but firm bow. Her voice, though not loud, was clear and steady.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to Consort Li. Your Majesty's teachings are correct. Today, I was granted permission by His Majesty to visit the Imperial Noble Consort for a short while. I dared not linger. Now that I have finished my visit, I am about to leave the palace. I would never dare to disturb the Imperial Noble Consort's peaceful rest."
Her reply was neither humble nor arrogant, clearly stating that she was entering the palace by imperial decree while also indicating that she knew her place and would leave immediately.
All of this was witnessed by Huo Lin, who happened to be passing by not far away.
Consort Li dared to put on airs and jeer at her mother-in-law near Weiyang Palace; it seems she's been living too leisurely a life!
His mother-in-law, however, was better than he had imagined. She didn't show any fear at the crucial moment and didn't let Consort Li gain the upper hand.
It seems that the mother-in-law is the one who's really holding this family together.
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