Chapter 178 Extra 2 Daily Life + Raising a Cub
The Qinhuai River is always very lively, with shops lining both sides and hawkers selling groceries walking the streets at night.
Although Jiang Rao is quiet, she is not the type to be restrained. Having stayed in the palace for so long, she is somewhat tired of the red walls and green willows. Tonight, she takes the opportunity of sending her aunt out of Jinling to stroll along the Qinhuai River, a rare opportunity. She looks at everything around her with greedy eyes.
Even though they were not wearing the ceremonial formal wear, they did not dare go to crowded places for fear of being recognized.
After buying some candied haws from a vendor, he turned out of the alley.
Jiang Rao shared the candied haws with Rong Ting, who slowly shook his head.
Jiang Rao remembered that he didn't like sweet food, so she didn't force him to eat the candied haws. She took a bite herself and exclaimed, "So sweet!" She held it up and asked Rong Ting, "You really don't want to try it?"
She knew he didn't like things that were too sweet, but he didn't seem to like anything else. This string of candied haws is covered with a thin layer of sugar, and tastes sweet and sour. Perhaps he will like it.
There was no one in the alley. The moonlight illuminated half of the road, and the remaining half was suppressed by the shadow cast by the wall. It was pitch black. Rong Ting looked at Jiang Rao, suddenly lowered his head and kissed Jiang Rao.
Looking up again, he smiled faintly, "Sweet."
Jiang Rao's face turned red, and she suddenly didn't know where to put the hand holding the candied haws. Just as she was about to say something, she heard a child's voice behind her.
A child of five or six years old was chasing another girl of about his age and ran past Jiang Rao in a hurry.
The girl kept looking back and shouting, "Hurry up, slow down, or the fireworks will be gone!"
Jiang Rao quickly made way for the two children. She always liked children. Each of the little ones was so soft and cute. Her eyes were glued to their backs, unable to move away.
Rong Ting coughed and drew her attention back, "That's the son of Tian Shaoqing and the daughter of the Fu family."
Jiang Rao was a little surprised, "How do you recognize him?"
Rong Ting pointed to the other side of the road.
Several servants came running from the alley, shouting "Young Master" and "Miss".
Jiang Rao was afraid of being recognized, so she quickly covered her face with her sleeves. She didn't put her sleeves down until the sound of footsteps had passed.
Rong Ting smiled faintly, "These two families live next to each other, and the young master of the Tian family and the daughter of the Fu family have always had a good relationship."
Jiang Rao held the candied haws in her mouth and felt a little thirsty.
She wanted those two children to become like her and Rong Ting.
If there was one thing she regretted most, it was that she didn't meet him once when she was a child.
…
After returning to the palace, the two children who had hurriedly run by in the alley kept lingering in front of Jiang Rao. She thought that she had nothing to do, so she kept thinking about all sorts of things in her head. She went to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to ask for this year's accounts for verification.
An old female official in the Ministry of Internal Affairs said to Jiang Rao, "Your Majesty, when His Majesty was a child, he was kidnapped while going to the hunting grounds. When he was thirteen, he was injured while going to the hunting grounds. Your Highness, are you still willing to go to the hunting grounds? If you don't go for the autumn hunt this year, we won't prepare for it."
"I'll make the decision after I ask His Majesty." Jiang Rao said, and suddenly frowned, "You just said that His Majesty was kidnapped once when he was a child?"
The female official nodded. "It happened many years ago. Your Highness was only six or seven years old at that time. He came back covered in blood."
Jiang Rao felt something strange in her heart and asked hurriedly, "Then you may remember exactly what year it happened?"
The female official paused for a moment and said, "The twelfth year of Yuande."
Jiang Rao bit her lower lip.
The twelfth year of Yuande was exactly the same year she was kidnapped by traffickers at the Lantern Festival.
Jiang Rao didn't ask which day it was.
She herself couldn't remember the day she was abducted.
She found Rong Ting. When Rong Ting saw her coming, he felt her hands were cold and took the initiative to put her hands in his arms.
"Aren't you hiding now?" Jiang Rao wanted to reach out and pinch his waist, but his big hand held her firmly, making her unable to move. She muttered, "When I was a child, you didn't let me hold you." ”
Rong Ting understood it immediately.
His face darkened slightly, and his breathing sounded like a sigh. He asked Jiang Rao, "How did you know?"
"Today, Mammy came to ask me if I wanted to go hunting this year. She told me what happened a few years ago." "Then I knew that the child was you."
It’s still a bit of a pity.
She had seen him before, but his face was dirty at that time, and she was unable to see clearly what he looked like from beginning to end.
Jiang Rao lay on Rong Ting's chest, her eyes suddenly sparkling.
She suddenly wanted a child very much.
It would be best if he was like Rong Ting.
Jiang Rao's mind was moved, and she became much more proactive and enthusiastic when making love.
But there are no children.
The imperial physician from the Imperial Hospital came to see her and said that there was nothing wrong with her and Rong Ting's health.
Jiang Rao felt a little lost, Rong Ting comforted her, "Maybe I was destined to be alone. It's hard enough to have you by my side, so I shouldn't ask for a child."
"But as an emperor, you cannot be without an heir." Jiang Rao's brows were almost frowned. If she didn't have a child, not to mention the regret she would feel, all those old ministers of the previous dynasty who tried every means to stuff people into the harem would impeach her for the issue of an heir.
"If that day ever comes, I will make my own arrangements."
Rong Ting downplayed it.
He didn't take seriously those people in the court who had ulterior motives and wanted to force their daughter to him to benefit their family.
As for those who brought up the issue of offspring, he had his own ways to deal with them.
No one can force him to do anything he doesn't want to do.
"Relax a little, there's no rush for this."
The imperial physician agreed, and Jiang Rao put his mind at ease.
But I still feel a little depressed and really want to have a child.
In the third year of Yuanxi, Rong Ting took Jiang Rao out on a secret visit.
Liao Qiubai was the first official in the court who knew about this. When Rong Ting told Liao Qiubai about his plan to visit incognito, he was so angry that he jumped up and down, "You are so considerate of the people, why don't you go three months later? This is a busy time, and I am unable to do it. I am afraid... of causing trouble."
"You must honor your promise. I promised the Queen that I would not break my promise. I must keep my word."
Even if it's Rong Ting, this cunning and treacherous old fox, those who want to deal with him will still suffer losses and be fooled by him even if they try to be on guard against him.
He kept his word, but only to the Queen.
Liao Qiubai could neither be angry nor laugh, so he could only take over the burden.
The incognito visit really made Jiang Rao feel much better, and she no longer worried about the child.
Before leaving, Jiang Rao personally counted her luggage and found an extra package. She opened it and found some medicinal herbs inside.
Jiang Rao thought Rong Ting's old illness had relapsed, and didn't want her to know, so she secretly took the medicine and took out some from it, planning to find a chance to take it to the doctor to ask.
Upon asking, I found out that those medicines, taken together, were a contraceptive soup for men.
Jiang Rao couldn't believe it, and was still in a daze until the evening.
Rong Ting always smells like medicine. She had never thought much about it, either in the past or now. But when she saw the herbs this time, she not only figured out why he smelled like medicine, but also figured out... why she hadn't been able to get pregnant.
She wanted children, he didn't.
When Jiang Rao thought about how hard she had been working recently, she suddenly felt aggrieved.
When Rong Ting came back from court in the evening, he saw the medicine on the table.
Jiang Rao dismissed all the palace maids. The light fell on her, like white porcelain. The corners of her eyes were red. "This medicine..."
Rong Ting paused and stood still, his face sullen. He suddenly walked up to Jiang Rao and half-knelt down, "Niannian..."
Although Jiang Rao's eyes were red, her voice was still gentle and steady, "Rong Ting, tell me, do you want to have a child?"
Rong Ting was silent for a while, then he lowered his head like a drowned dog, "I don't want to."
Jiang Rao suddenly became very sober, "You said before that you wanted a child, but you lied to me."
This time, Rong Ting remained silent for even longer.
He acquiesced to Jiang Rao's words.
From beginning to end, he never thought about letting her have a child.
It took him a lot of patience to accept her family, so how could he let her suffer and give birth to a child that would make him impatient?
He was not a person who lived by the rules of propriety, so why should he care about ethical principles? The country did not necessarily have to be passed on to a child with Rong family blood. As for who it should be passed on to... he had already made a plan in his mind - to adopt a child, teach him the imperial career from an early age, and say that the child was Jiang Rao and his.
But he is full of vigor and vitality and always desires her.
Rong Ting's eyes darkened, "You and I are enough, there is no need for one more person."
"Even if the extra person is our child, it won't work."
Rong Ting nodded.
Jiang Rao was about to cry. She tried to understand the differences between him and others, but she couldn't figure out the matter of the child...
She gestured with tears in her eyes, "It's just a child, it's not someone else."
Jiang Rao was a little flustered. After talking for a long time, she didn't know what she was saying. Finally, she just said, "I want it."
Tears fell on the back of Rong Ting's hand. Rong Ting panicked and raised his hand to wipe away the tears on her face. Jiang Rao was still crying, and he had no choice but to say, "I will never drink contraceptive soup again in the future."
"You want a child, we want a child."
"How many?" Jiang Rao asked, fluttering her wet eyelashes.
Rong Ting choked and said with difficulty: "One is enough."
Jiang Rao refused, "Two."
"……one."
"Three."
She actually raised the price. Rong Ting pressed his forehead and insisted, "One."
Jiang Rao thought for a moment and said, "Four."
“…” Rong Ting’s jaw tightened, he took a deep breath, and finally relaxed, “At most two.”
Jiang Rao stopped talking. Rong Ting squatted in front of her and asked cautiously, "Can't you stand me anymore?"
The sound is very soft.
Jiang Rao lowered her eyes, she was just sad, "Why don't you always discuss it with me."
Rong Ting smiled softly with sadness in his eyes, "If I had discussed this with you, I would have listened to you every time."
Jiang Rao's heart softened immediately, and she held Rong Ting's face and said, "It's not that I can't stand you, don't think too much."
Rong Ting promised Jiang Rao to stop taking the contraceptive soup, and he really stopped taking it. They stayed in Nanjing for another half a month, and then, as planned, left the capital and headed south for a secret visit.
Only three months after they left, they arrived at the small town of Yizhou, where glutinous rice was produced in abundance. Jiang Rao stayed in the carriage while Rong Ting got off to buy her glutinous rice balls.
Jiang Rao had been feeling sleepy these past few days, and she could never get enough sleep. She leaned against the car window, waiting for Rong Ting to come back. She looked at the glutinous rice balls he brought back, and frowned, "It looks like you."
"Um?"
"White on the outside, black on the inside."
Rong Ting handed the meatball to Jiang Rao. Jiang Rao took it, looked down at it, but did nothing.
Rong Ting told the coachman to move on, then turned back to look at Jiang Rao, who was motionless, and asked, "Can't bear to eat it?"
Jiang Rao smelled the sweet and sticky fragrance in the air, raised her sleeves to cover her face, and said in a trembling voice, "Take me to the clinic."
Jiang Rao is pregnant.
The child is three months old and is very well behaved, but it makes Jiang Rao sleepy easily and she has no interest in the sweets she used to like.
He was born in March, a day when the spring river water was warm, and was named Rong'an.
Rong An's facial features are very similar to Rong Ting, except for his eyes. His eyes were not Rong Ting's sharp and gorgeous phoenix eyes. Instead, they were rounder than a puppy's eyes, rounder and brighter. The rest of his eyes were exactly the same as Rong Ting's, but his face had the baby fat that only children have. He was so pretty that he didn't look like a real person. He was as lovable as a puppy a few months old. The palace maids and eunuchs couldn't help but take a few more glances at him when they saw him.
Rong An likes to stick to Jiang Rao very much. Jiang Rao fulfilled her wish of having a child like Rong Ting and wanted to look at him all day long.
Rong Ting was annoyed by this, but there was nothing he could do. This was Jiang Rao's baby, and he could never hit or scold her, but he could gossip about both sides.
When Rong An was four years old and was clinging to Jiang Rao the most, Rong Ting said to Jiang Rao: "I heard from the palace servants around An An that he has a toothache recently, and he is afraid that you will feel sad, so he doesn't say a word in front of you."
Jiang Rao was checking the menu brought by the palace maid. After hearing what Rong Ting said, she quickly crossed out the dinner dishes that contained a lot of sugar and honey.
Rong An, like Jiang Rao, loves sweets. He hadn't had anything sweet for several days, so he came to Jiang Rao to ask for justice, but was stopped by Rong Ting again.
Rong An has always been a little afraid of his father.
He stood there obediently, his puppy eyes blinking, not daring to breathe.
Rong Ting asked, "Why did An An come to see your mother?"
Rong An replied: "There is no sugar in the porridge, so it is not sweet and not tasty."
Rong Ting smiled gently, "There is no sugar in the porridge. It was arranged by your mother."
Rong An pursed his lips, feeling a little aggrieved.
Rong Ting said, "Your mother doesn't let you use these because she's afraid you'll have a toothache."
Rong An drooped his eyelashes, seeming a little confused, "Not even a little bit?"
Rong Ting stretched out his hand to him, "Your mother is a little strict."
There was a small sugar cube in his palm. "An An, it's okay to eat one."
Rong An took the small piece of sugar as if it was his treasure, laughed, and glanced at Rong Ting secretly.
But he suddenly pursed his lips again, gently put the candy back into Rong Ting's hand, picked it up, put it down again, and shook his head, "An An, don't."
"Why not?"
Rong An shook his head desperately, "Don't worry, mother."
Rong Ting clenched his fingers and laughed.
Although Rong An didn't get the candy, since that day he gradually understood one thing: his father was more generous than his mother.
He was at the age where he admired his father again. He read books and practiced calligraphy, practiced martial arts diligently, and tried to imitate Rong Ting's manners.
Now that he's busy, he doesn't stick to Jiang Rao every day like he did when he was a child.
Jiang Rao was a little uncomfortable with the fact that her child, who used to stick to her, suddenly didn't like to run around her anymore.
Rong Ting knew everything, but said to Jiang Rao: "An An will grow up sooner or later, and will have his own pursuits and ambitions. I am the only one who can always accompany you."
He had to make himself superior to his son in Jiang Rao's heart.
…
At the end of winter again, when Rong Ting took Jiang Rao on a secret visit, it happened to be the New Year's Day, and every household was releasing river lanterns outside.
The bright lanterns on the river were reflected in Jiang Rao's eyes. Jiang Rao bent down, released a lantern, and said unintentionally, "Everyone is praying to the gods, I wonder if anyone has really seen the gods."
The person next to him didn't answer. Jiang Rao talked for a while, then felt that the surroundings were too quiet, so she looked at him sideways.
Rong Ting, who was standing next to her, said, "Me."
Jiang Rao was stunned for a moment, and then connected what she had just said unintentionally with his answer, and laughed, "Have you seen it?"
She smiled, obviously not believing it.
Rong Ting's eyes fell on her calmly, "I've seen you."
There were people walking on the river, lanterns on the river, and amidst the hustle and bustle of the crowd, An An's childish voice could be heard clearly, "Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, three... Mother..."
He squatted by the river like a little frog, counting one, two, three, four, trying to count how many river lanterns there were in the river. However, more and more people released river lanterns, and there were more and more river lanterns in the river. He couldn't count them anymore, and he jumped up and ran over from behind, anxiously looking for his mother.
Jiang Rao picked him up, and An An immediately wanted to kiss Jiang Rao on the cheek, but before she could touch him, Rong Ting pushed her face away.
An An's little face was deformed under Rong Ting's hands. He was still pouting. Jiang Rao took the initiative to move over and let him kiss her. An An was so happy that the hair on his head stood up. He clapped his hands and said loudly, "An An has seen it too. It's mother!"
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