Chapter Ten
Mom fans?
Girlfriend fans?
Crown Prince Yinreng didn't understand the meaning of the first few words, but he could understand the last sentence, "How can he be so charming? If he weren't the Crown Prince, I would have taken him home."
This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!
She inwardly scolded herself, her ears turning slightly red, but she concealed it with a hat, her expression aloof and dignified. "No need to be polite."
"Your Highness, you look much thinner than before. Please take good care of yourself." I wonder if you're sick. There are imperial physicians here, so it shouldn't be anything serious, right?
Out of genuine concern, after all, he was still a bright and promising young man with a bright future, and she was quite soft-hearted.
"Hmm." Yinreng wasn't used to talking to women, well... he was referring to a young lady from a prominent family of the same age. Uku's mother's meaning was clear: she wanted to match him up with Princess Fucha.
Moreover, Princess Fucha seemed excessively enthusiastic in her 'close and affectionate' banter. Even though she didn't say it out loud, Yinreng could still hear the surging, fiery confession coming from her.
His reddened ears were hidden by his hat, and besides Xiao Shunzi, there were only strangers around him, so they naturally couldn't understand the meaning behind the expression hidden beneath his cool and aloof appearance.
In Chen Jialuo's view, it's normal for His Highness the Crown Prince to be arrogant, given his noble birth, upbringing, and position at the pinnacle of power, second only to the emperor.
"That's good. Your Highness is the heir apparent of the country, and your health is of paramount importance. You must take good care of yourself so that you can better lead the future people of the Qing Dynasty to a brighter future."
The bright and cheerful young girl smiled like a blooming magnolia, her eyes sparkling with a gentle tenderness, a touch of sweetness and charm.
It wasn't the first time Yinreng had heard others talk about how he, as the Crown Prince of the Qing Dynasty, should be, but he had never heard anyone speak to him as sweetly as Chen Jialuo and look at him with such adoring and loving eyes.
With his eyes slightly lowered, his upturned eyelashes concealed all the color in his eyes. The noble and aloof Crown Prince still concealed his emotions without any ripples, a trait he had learned from his imperial father.
She was taught several times from a young age to be able to do it so perfectly.
"Thank you, Gu Wuai." The handsome young man smiled slightly, a faint yet alluring smile that made him even more captivating... and tempted her heart.
She has no resistance to this type of person.
Chen Jialuo: Aww, so beautiful! I love you to death, baby!
Yinreng's slightly upturned lips were pink and moist, and with a touch of boyish innocence, how could he possibly remain unmoved by these straightforward and passionate confessions?
However, since others didn't say it outright, he couldn't respond directly. He also couldn't let others know about this monstrous ability to 'hear other people's thoughts'.
The rest of the journey was relatively calm. One person was embarrassed, and the other thought the other was unapproachable. When they arrived at the place where they got off the carriage, someone said, "Your Highness, it's cold in winter, please keep warm."
With a gentle smile and a hint of concern, she finished speaking and, without waiting for Yinreng's reply, bowed and got into the carriage.
Xiaoqing followed them into the carriage. Inside, she was a little worried and lowered her voice, "Princess, will it be a problem if we leave His Highness the Crown Prince alone?"
No matter what, he is the Crown Prince. Shouldn't they wait for the Crown Prince to leave before they leave themselves?
Reminded by Xiaoqing, the adorable Chen Jialuo suddenly opened her round eyes and looked at her. Three seconds later, the little yellow fish, captivated by the beauty, smiled sweetly and said, "His Highness the Crown Prince is a dragon among men, with both talent and looks. He wouldn't bother with such trivial matters."
She wondered if the Crown Prince outside the carriage had heard her so loyal praise. It was always better to flatter him than to make him angry, even though she found the handsome young man's angry face quite charming. But anger was bad for his health.
Oh, I am such a devoted and selfless woman!
praise!
After praising herself a few times in her mind, the shameless Chen Jialuo happily forgot about the matter. Winter was coming, and it was time to eat hot pot.
Nowadays, nobody knows how to use chili peppers. Like tomatoes, they are only used as ornamental plants. They can be used for seasoning, but they can't be too spicy.
"Xiaoqing, remember to slice the mutton thinly for lunch." In this cold weather, one should stay at home, eat hot pot, and listen to some music. Hmm... I'm afraid the latter is a bit difficult to manage. Nowadays, people consider actors to be lowly, and the Fucha family is afraid of being led astray at this crucial moment.
"Xiaoqing, can you tell stories?" Singing opera might be difficult to learn, but telling stories is definitely easier. She looked at the maid beside her with bright eyes.
Xiaoqing, who was given high hopes, only knew how to serve the princess well. Most of her tasks involved dressing up, obeying the princess's orders, and other difficult tasks like telling stories...
She shook her head hesitantly, a hint of guilt in her voice, "I'm sorry, Princess, this servant... I won't..."
"It's alright. Our Xiaoqing is beautiful, skillful, gentle, and caring. She has many good qualities. By the way, does anyone know anyone who can read? Move her over to my side."
Chen Jialu praised Xiaoqing highly, and her words hit the nail on the head regarding what Xiaoqing cared about most. Immediately, the disappointment and guilt turned into a bright smile. "Don't worry, Princess, this servant will definitely search carefully."
Telling stories... Princess must be bored. That makes sense. She's never studied palace rules and etiquette so rigorously before, and she wasn't allowed to go out and have fun or shop. So she had to find some enjoyment, right?
Two days later.
Looking at the maid brought by Xiaoqing, well... she was a bit short, round and plump, and looked very auspicious. "This servant is Xu Ya, greetings, Princess."
His voice was a little hoarse, as if he had been burned before. It wasn't pleasant to listen to, but it wasn't particularly unpleasant either. It had a kind of smoky quality to it.
"Xu Ya? She can read and write?" Chen Jialuo looked at the round-faced girl and sized her up. She probably wouldn't be willing to be a maidservant.
Then, I heard a tragic story: a rich girl married a poor scholar, who then became a court official's daughter after passing the imperial examination. His first wife died, and the child she left behind was burned and abandoned. Later, the poor scholar was exiled for accepting bribes.
Yes, it was this round-faced Xu Ya who reported it. She reported it to the Fucha family, saying that she had signed a death contract and sold herself into servitude, meaning she would be a slave to the Fucha family for life, the kind that cannot be redeemed.
In fact, her father's matter had nothing to do with her report; it was simply that the Fucha family's investigation led them to him.
However, knowing her father's fate, Xu Ya was extremely grateful to the Fucha family and insisted on selling herself into servitude.
Because of the burns to her throat, she used to work as a kitchen helper. It was only with great difficulty that Xiaoqing managed to dig it out.
Knowing that Xu Ya can write is good. She can also learn how to create storybooks. Chen Jialuo really finds the storybooks on the market to be an eyesore; they make her heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys ache just looking at them.
A poor scholar, with the help of a wealthy heiress, a courtesan, and a mountain spirit, passed the imperial examination with top honors. The daughter of a high-ranking official and a princess both fell for him and insisted on marrying him, while the wealthy heiress, the courtesan, and the mountain spirit who sponsored him preferred to be his concubines...
Without time travel, one wouldn't know the difference between a principal wife and a concubine in ancient times. With a principal wife, the children of a concubine are considered inferior, and they have a greater advantage in inheriting their father's power and property. Only when the principal wife has no sons can she be considered a true legitimate son, but she is still considered superior to the sons born to concubines.
Are those rich heiresses really stupid? That's just wishful thinking on the part of those scholars who failed the exams. Of course, the high sales are because most of those who learn to read and write are men, so they certainly wouldn't think there's anything wrong with it. Plus, there are some erotic descriptions in it.
She also likes to watch it, but it's a different style, hehe.
"Xiaoya, do you know why I brought you here?" She doesn't judge people by their appearance or their voice. Isn't it a kind of happiness to be able to relax a little amidst the daily, rigorous 'lessons'?
"I know, Princess, don't worry. This servant has read books to my late mother before..." Xu Ya was truly grateful to the Fucha family. Even though she knew why the Fucha family hadn't avenged her, what they had done made her devoted to them for life. Making the Princess happy was her honor.
I swear on my heart, the book is absolutely perfect! You definitely won't make the wrong choice in choosing me, Princess.
Seeing how confident she was, I laughed and told her to go back and think about a new story. She wanted to read a melodramatic story called "The Domineering Young Master Falls in Love with Me." I gave her a story outline and then let her develop it as she pleased. I told her to think about it carefully tonight and start tomorrow.
Hmm, she needs to go find her mother and ask if this girl's background is clean. She knows she's a naive and innocent girl, and can't compete with her mother who has controlled the Fucha family for over ten years when it comes to palace intrigue. She can't afford to be caught off guard from the start. She's really great.
When he went to see Consort Fucha, he proudly praised himself a couple more times, saying that someone with such a sense of crisis would surely live a long life.
Upon learning the purpose of her daughter's visit, Consort Fucha realized that her daughter had been wronged recently, so she changed her daughter's dowry shop to one that sold clothes and jewelry, which was just right.
Chen Jialuo, who was being dragged along to learn how to manage the shop: I just want to rest for two days, is that okay?
However, it was clear that Fucha Fujin did not take Chen Jialuo's despair to heart. She even took out stacks of account books and grabbed her, saying, "You are not allowed to go anywhere today."
After seeing Princess Fucha off, Yinreng didn't think much of it at first. However, when he returned to Yuqing Palace and was about to order his meal, he remembered something.
The noisy sounds around me became somewhat faint, as if I couldn't hear them, but if I focused, I could hear Xiao Shunzi muttering something beside me...
His eyes flickered for a few seconds, but he spoke in the same calm and elegant tone as before, telling him to have his meal. After eating, it was time for him to go to school. His illness a while ago had delayed his studies, and his father had almost thought he was possessed or was just trying to skip school.
A few days later, the Empress Dowager caught a cold and fell ill, which frightened Emperor Kangxi so much that he rushed to Cining Palace. It is said that few people live to seventy, and the Empress Dowager was already seventy-five.
The worst fear was that the Empress Dowager would fall seriously ill. Emperor Kangxi practically spent all his time by her bedside to take care of her, but he was busy with state affairs, so most of the time it was the concubines and princes from the harem who came to show their filial piety.
Yes, the concubines are ill, and the imperial princes have come to visit them.
The Empress Dowager never expected that she would catch a cold simply because she glanced at the snow outside and remarked that it must be snowing heavily in Khorchin by now. She was also afraid that this cold would be the last she would ever live.
He held onto Kangxi, not mentioning Khorchin or Sumalagu, his expression filled with worry, emotion, and reluctance:
“Xuan Ye, back then, the Qing Dynasty was entrusted to you. Your grandmother did the right thing. Only you could have done it well. Your father is sorry to you…”
As she spoke, tears welled up in the Empress Dowager's eyes. She lost her husband in middle age and her son in her later years, and she raised her great-grandson to stand firm amidst many wolves and tigers. She had been sad and argued, but in the end, she let go.
“Grandma, I, I…” Kangxi still felt uneasy when he mentioned his late father. He still remembered how his father had happily told all the ministers and relatives that this was his first son when Consort Dong’e gave birth to his fourth son.
In his eyes, there was only Consort Dong'e and the fourth prince.
He studied diligently 120 times, even to the point of vomiting blood, all in an attempt to impress the Emperor and earn just a word of praise. But…
It never had its own existence...
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
