Emperor Chongjin was taken aback, his brows furrowed slightly, and he explained vaguely, "The 'humble room' is a small dark room, a small dark room specifically for confining concubines who have made mistakes."
"A dark room?" The little girl blinked, her bright eyes sparkling with curiosity. She continued in her childish voice, "And what is a dark room?"
Emperor Chongjin listened to the little girl's question with a headache, and suddenly thought of her brother Xuandi. He couldn't help but mentally curse the Prince of Hengchang, who was thousands of miles away.
They don't even have a dark room at home, no wonder the brat they raised is so infuriating!
However, Emperor Chongjin patiently explained to the curious little baby in his arms who was tilting his head and looking at him, "The little dark room is where a baby is locked up to reflect on his mistakes. When a concubine makes a mistake, she is locked up in a humble room to reflect on her mistakes."
"Oh~" The little boy nodded his head, looking confused, and then asked, "How long will Auntie be locked up?"
This question surprised Emperor Chongjin.
The "humble abode" is just a euphemism; it actually refers to what palace staff commonly call the "cold palace."
Although the lowest-ranking concubines still seemed to retain the title of imperial concubine, it was customary that only consorts who had committed serious offenses would be demoted to the lowest rank of concubine, thus the lowest-ranking concubines were equivalent to deposed consorts.
Can a deposed concubine who has been banished to the cold palace ever come out?
Emperor Chongjin was in a dilemma.
However, he just said that if a concubine makes a mistake, it's the same as if a baby makes a mistake, but a baby who's locked in a dark room will definitely be released.
Seeing that Emperor Chongjin remained silent, the little boy thought she had misunderstood. He puffed out his cheeks, awkwardly furrowed his brows like an adult, and said in a childish voice:
"Didn't Godfather say that the 'humble room' is a dark room where concubines who make mistakes are made to reflect on their actions? How long will a baby who makes a mistake be locked up? Are concubines the same as babies?"
The little girl was very happy. She really loved the palace. She excitedly hugged Emperor Chongjin's neck and said happily, "Godfather, the palace is so wonderful!"
Uh-huh?
Emperor Chongjin hadn't even figured out how to explain the previous question to the little boy when he was completely baffled by the little boy's words.
He looked at the little girl who had suddenly become excited, puzzled, and then heard her soft, sweet voice echoing in his ears.
"Godfather, you have no idea! In my family, there are many things that only little babies can't do. Little babies can't do this, little babies can't do that, but there's only one little baby, Niannian. They just say these things to Niannian!"
The little boy pouted, looking aggrieved.
Is this... not right? Emperor Chongjin thought for a long time and then just hummed in agreement. There are some things you can't just say to this little thing.
Immediately afterwards, the little dumpling blinked her bright, watery eyes and excitedly kicked her short legs, saying, "But there are so many 'little babies' in the palace! Mommy said that Godfather has three thousand concubines in the palace, so there are three thousand little babies here just like Nian Nian!"
Why are there three thousand babies if there are three thousand concubines?
Emperor Chongjin was utterly bewildered, staring at the giggling little baby in his arms, completely unable to understand what she was saying. How could there be three thousand little treasures…?
Suddenly, in a flash, Emperor Chongjin understood what the little baby meant. If a baby makes a mistake, he has to go to a dark room to reflect on his actions. If a concubine makes a mistake, she also has to go to a humble room to reflect on her actions. So, the concubines are just like the little baby.
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