"So it's because I'm a burden to you?" Xingxing said deliberately.
"...No, sister, Your Majesty, don't overthink it. Second brother didn't mean it that way at all. We're perfectly clear-headed. If it weren't for you, our whole family would still be peasants toiling in the fields. We wouldn't dare dream of having such a good life today. Everything we have is because of you. How could we be so heartless as to blame you?" Erfu said hurriedly, looking flustered.
"Alright, I'm not blaming you, I was just teasing you, no need to be so nervous." This time, Xingxing didn't refer to herself as "朕" (zhen, the imperial "I"), but instead used "我" (wo, the "I").
Erfu let out a heavy sigh and said with a bitter face, "Sister, you are the emperor now, your status is completely different from before. Please be less joking in the future, your heart can't take it."
"You're always causing trouble. I don't think you're really scared. You're bolder than a tiger in the mountains. How could I possibly scare you with just a few words?" Xingxing didn't believe him at all.
"We still have to be careful. Now our brothers are under our parents' control all day long. They even hired palace maids and eunuchs to teach us manners. These days of learning manners are truly worse than death." Zhou Erfu exaggerated, making it sound like he had really suffered a great deal.
Xingxing just smiled. Learning the rules was indeed annoying, but it wasn't too much of a torment. At most, she would suffer a little. Alas, there was nothing she could do about it. After all, she was the emperor now.
If even the emperor has no manners, then how much more unruly must the people below him be? She must set an example.
Her parents were also afraid of embarrassing her, so they specially asked her for two experienced palace maids to teach her brothers various rules at the Zhou residence. Her brothers were grown men and had been practicing martial arts, so Xingxing wasn't worried.
She felt a little sorry for her two sisters-in-law. Ruru was better off, as she came from a noble family and had learned some manners. Moreover, she had spent some time in the palace before, so learning manners wouldn't be too difficult for her.
Chun Chun, however, grew up in a farming family and had never learned any rules. She was always very careful and nervous when she entered the palace, afraid that she would make a mistake and lose face. Entering the palace was no different from being tortured for Chun Chun.
The headmistress and the eunuch were really strict; I don't know if my sister-in-law could handle it.
Hearing Xingxing say this, Zhu Lin stepped forward and sat down beside her, his voice low and deep, "You'll get used to it eventually. With time, even the hardest things will be learned. Besides, your sister-in-law is resilient and hardworking. This won't be difficult for her. Don't worry about it. Just take care of yourself. Aren't the affairs of the court enough for you to worry about?"
Xingxing leaned on his shoulder and whispered, "That's true. Everyone has their difficulties. Now that I've become the emperor, the lives of those around me are destined to undergo earth-shattering changes."
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