Chapter 112 An Lingrong 53
"I'm the boss at home now, so those guys can't cause any trouble."
"Brother Bo has finally gotten over his childhood, and the teachers at home all praise him. He memorizes books quickly and well, and his handwriting is also beautiful."
"The doctor your majesty found is very skilled. My eye disease is almost healed now."
"I have Aunt Xiao accompanying me, and Zhu Jin and Jiang Huang helping me. In the past two years, I have opened two embroidery workshops and a gouache shop, and last year I bought some land."
Lin Xiu told Lingrong every detail of her family life, from the daily lives of her two children to her business, telling her how good her life was.
Lingrong didn't mind her trivial talk; she smiled and nodded repeatedly. She waited until her mother grew tired before offering her a cup of tea.
Seeing her mother only reporting good news and not bad news, Lingrong felt a pang of guilt. In her past life, she had been dependent on Zhen Huan, and her family had suffered the wrath of the Nian family. Now that she was a favored concubine, she feared her family would be targeted even more.
"Don't lie to me, mother. If there's anything going on at home, you must tell me. If you just keep saying good things, it will only make your daughter feel uneasy."
Lin Xiu was stunned for a moment, then realized what her daughter meant. She felt both distressed and touched. She quickly took her daughter's hand across the table and said, "Don't worry, my lady. Someone has been causing trouble for our shop in the past six months, but it's been cold this year, and many places have been hit by epidemics, so business hasn't been good to begin with."
"Besides, the Empress is pregnant with the Dragon Heir. While they don't want to offend the higher-ups, they won't kill us all. Your father... he's always remembered your words and never interfered with food and fodder matters. He's been solely focused on taxation and agricultural science, and has endured the oppression and ostracism of his colleagues."
"Things may seem difficult at home now, but they're actually much better than they were in previous years. Three years' salary is up this year, and from what he said, maybe he can even get a promotion to the next level."
Lingrong looked at her mother, who spoke so confidently and brightly, and who spoke with such confidence about her husband's affairs outside the home, and who had a clear view of the gains and losses in business. Lingrong knew that her mother had completely changed.
"If the family can't help the Empress, then we must not hold her back." Lin Xiu said this simply and decisively, "The Empress, please don't worry about the family. Put yourself first."
Lingrong looked at her mother's domineering and decisive look with a smile, and felt completely relieved.
Seeing that time was almost up, she was about to take her mother for a short rest. She and the Emperor had agreed two days ago that the family would have a simple meal today, marking his birthday. She was afraid the Emperor would send for them soon.
[Bao'er, look at the map!] System N1 suddenly crowed in her mind, frightening Lingrong so much that her hand holding the tea trembled.
[Tsk, what a nervous wreck… Shit!] Ling Rong opened the map. The dot representing the emperor was moving at a steady pace towards Chengqian Palace, and was expected to arrive in five minutes.
[I never thought I'd be this prestigious now? The emperor himself is inviting me to dinner?]
[The birthday boy is the biggest~] The system said as a matter of course in her mind.
Although I doubt whether the emperor is so emotionally intelligent, I must seize the opportunity when it comes.
Ling Rong immediately sat back down and started chatting with her mother again. "I've been pregnant lately, and I've been thinking back to my childhood. I understand how it feels as a mother. By the way, are my two brothers still behaving well?"
"I know my eldest brother. He's calm and able to endure hardships. Just make sure he doesn't get hurt by studying. And Bai'er, I'm always worried that he's too smart and might change his personality."
When talking about children, Lin Xiu became more interested. She had an obvious look of satisfaction on her face, but she complained:
"That's right. Ke'er studies day and night. Even his aunt's advice is useless. I have to force him to take a break. He has a mature personality. The teacher at the school said he could take a chance, but he felt he wasn't ready yet, so he studied hard for another year and now he's a scholar."
Ling Rong was very satisfied to hear how hard he worked: "It shows that hard work pays off. His years of studying have been well spent."
"Yes, I originally wanted him to stay home and study hard for the provincial examination in August, but this child has become stubborn again. He said he couldn't trust me and Aunt Xiao and insisted on following us, taking care of us all the way."
"This is truly a filial act from my younger brother. Even I feel more at ease when I hear he's with me."
Glancing at Xiaodian who was already outside the door, Lingrong became even more interested: "Where's Bai'er? Is that child still naughty?"
"Bai'er is a young boy with big ideas. Now that he's learned, even Ke'er can't argue with him." Lin Xiu shook her head as she spoke, but the corners of her mouth were raised high. "But he has been close to the Empress since he was a child. The Empress has been in the palace for two years. As long as she mentions the title of eldest sister, the child will immediately become obedient."
"He also came with us this time." Lin Xiu said this with a helpless expression, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "After three or five days of persuasion at home, his father was about to take action, but the child was adamant and insisted on coming. He also said that it's not the lack of wealth that is worrying, but the inequality. Usually it's brothers. If his elder brother can come to visit the empress, why can't he?"
"I coaxed him by saying that your brother can't see the queen either. He's an outsider and can't enter the palace."
"But Bai'er said that he should go even more. He was only six years old and not yet an adult. He might even be able to enter the palace and see the Empress. His explanation gave the whole family a headache, so we had no choice but to take him along."
Everyone in the room didn't feel bored listening to these family gossips. When the story got interesting, one could even hear the less experienced palace maids laughing.
Yinzhen, who was outside the room, listened to this and felt an inappropriate envy. He always envied a gentle mother and a loving family, things he had longed for in his childhood but never had.
"Your Majesty...it's getting late." Su Peisheng gritted his teeth and quietly reminded him. His bones ached from Yinzhen's glare, but he had to remind him that if it was any later, he would not have time to eat the meal.
As luck would have it, the topic in the inner chamber had almost come to an end. Yinzhen then gave Su Peisheng a look.
"The Emperor has arrived—"
"There was a slight noise in the room, and Yinzhen walked in at the right time, just in time to see Lingrong coming out with her mother."
"Your Highness, I pay my respects to His Majesty."
Before Lingrong could finish her formalities with her belly bulging, Yinzhen pulled her up and said to Lin Xiu behind her with a friendly expression, "We are all family, no need to be so polite."
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