Chapter 39 Life, rebirth...
Time passes silently like a gentle breeze; only the growth of children records the traces it leaves behind.
When the second and third princesses, who were born later, started playing war games with the eldest princess, the eldest prince was already learning men's needlework and male virtues from his mother.
Consort Gan chased after the Second Prince with the "Admonitions for Men," hoping he would learn from the First Prince's dignified elegance. However, the Second Prince hid behind his mother, the Empress, who had just entered the palace.
Consort Gan, who was chasing behind, almost fell on His Majesty, but fortunately she managed to keep her balance: "This servant greets Your Majesty."
"What did Arui do again?" Si Ze picked up the child.
Gan Cao sighed helplessly, "I'm making him learn to read and study the 'Admonitions for Men'."
Arui buried her head in her mother's arms and wouldn't listen.
Si Ze thought of the eldest prince in Changning Palace, who was like a little adult, and his expression became complicated: "It's enough for him to know how to read. He can learn 'Male Virtue' and 'Male Admonitions' when he is twelve years old."
Royal men can disregard many worldly rules, but male promiscuity does indeed need to be restrained. For the sake of their children's future health, some content in "Admonitions for Men" must be learned.
In order not to restrict Rui'er's personality, she decided to let him learn when his body was almost fully grown.
Gan Cao had his doubts, but His Majesty had already made his decision, so he could only obey.
That night, Si Ze stayed at Anping Palace again.
Over the years, the palace attendants have gotten used to it: His Majesty is amorous and treats all the palace attendants well, but he always shows a bit of special treatment to Consort Gan of Anle Palace.
They initially had some reservations, but after being summoned to witness the punishment of a husband, they dared not harbor any more wicked thoughts.
Now, it is said that the previous dynasty has once again submitted a memorial requesting the selection of imperial concubines, and all they want now is to give birth to a princess as soon as possible.
Talent show...
Si Ze recalled the bright young man he had seen when he was traveling incognito and wrote "Approved" on the memorial.
The peaceful imperial harem is once again thrown into turmoil.
However, even with new concubines, the king did not forget the old ones, and before the new concubines entered the palace, he bestowed titles and honors upon the harem.
Those who gave birth to imperial heirs and served the emperor well were rewarded.
Licorice was also promoted to the rank of Zhaoxun, a fourth-rank official.
But that wasn't all; that very night, Zichen Palace sent over another fertile fruit.
Upon seeing the pregnant fruit, he instantly understood His Majesty's sentiments: his humble origins meant that he needed to achieve great merit to be considered for promotion to the Nine Attendants.
Giving birth to a princess was the greatest achievement of the palace maids.
Pregnancy and childbirth are very painful, but he was willing to endure it for His Majesty's sake.
When the new concubine entered the palace, he was diagnosed with pregnancy again.
After October, he gave birth to another prince. He had never hoped for a princess before, but now he cried his heart out.
Si Rui's personality also underwent a tremendous change that year: he witnessed his elder and younger sisters entering the Imperial Academy and being strictly disciplined by their mother, the Empress, and he also saw his father struggling to conceive in order to have a daughter. He truly realized the superiority of women over men.
Even though he had the most noble mother in the world, he was still a man.
Since then, he has become calm and collected.
"Father, please have another sister. I will take good care of her." At this moment, the Second Prince had already understood the importance of having twin sisters.
For the sake of his child, and for his own sake, he once again begged the king for mercy.
"Is Ah Cao really decided?" Si Ze had been hesitant, remembering the difficulty of his last childbirth.
Licorice nodded firmly.
"Alright then." Although she had several new favorites in her heart, she still felt a bit of pity for Xiaocao, who had given birth to the second prince.
At the age of twenty-seven, Gan Zhaoxun, who was ridiculed by the newcomers as an old clam bearing a pearl, finally gave birth to the eleventh princess.
When the princess was one month old, he was finally granted the title of Ganbin for his meritorious service in giving birth to his daughter, and his name was officially recorded in the royal golden book.
Afterwards, he moved into the main hall of Anle Palace and took good care of his daughter with his two sons.
Five years later, the princess moved out of the palace to study.
Two years later, Si Rui grew up and began to study the "Admonitions for Men" to abide by the rules of male virtue. His Majesty and the Eleventh Princess began to choose a wife for him.
Three years later, both of his sons married into other men's families and left the palace.
The days in the palace were long and drawn out. Apart from the occasional visit from His Majesty, he could only wait for his daughter, who had already established her own residence, to pay her respects once a month.
However, life in the palace wasn't too difficult.
He is the head of Anle Palace, and he manages all the affairs of Anle Palace. No matter how high their birth, the palace servants below now have to flatter and fawn over him, and they all know how to say nice things.
However, looking at the fresh-faced newcomers, he always felt a little depressed: His Majesty was still in his prime, but he was already old.
Despite his best efforts to maintain his health, His Majesty only spoke briefly when he visited Anle Palace before going to favor his new concubine.
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