Chapter 156 Title: Runaway
Qiaoyun knew that the Empress disliked wet nurses. If it weren't for the rules, the Empress would have breastfed her own children. Unfortunately, the ancestral rules were in place, and the Empress, being the highest-ranking woman, dared not break the rules.
“That’s excellent. I remember that new fabrics have arrived in the storeroom. When you have time, make some new clothes for them.”
"Your Majesty is merciful. This servant thanks Your Majesty on behalf of Xiangshan and the others." Qiaoyun happily stepped forward to express her gratitude.
Youthful beauty remains silent.
"It's not like it's a reward for you, why are you so happy?" It's good to have them around, at least she's happy. "Alright, you'll get yours too, go pick one yourself."
"Then this servant must kowtow to Your Highness properly. This servant has had her eye on Qingyun Sha for a long time and was planning to save it for my younger sister's dowry in the future."
Fanghua was amused by her words.
"Aren't you afraid it'll spoil if you leave it for so long?"
After exchanging a few playful words with her servant, Fanghua went to the backyard to see Chenghu.
She's going to the study tomorrow, and she has some things to tell her.
In the rear hall of Kunning Palace, Chenghu's residence, Fanghua saw Chenghu holding a book and reading it aloud with his head swaying. He looked really cute.
"How many times have you read it today?" Fanghua asked with a smile as she entered.
Her voice interrupted Chenghu, who had been reading all morning, "Empress Mother." Chenghu was overjoyed to see his Empress Mother and put down his book to run to her.
"Your Majesty, are you done with your work? Why are you here so early today?"
Fanghua squatted down, looking Chenghu straight in the eye, her face full of affection. "There's not much to do today, Your Majesty is done." She pinched his little cheek, her eyes full of doting affection.
"As soon as I finished my work, I came to see my mother's son, Chenghu. I haven't even seen my younger brother yet."
Upon hearing this, Chenghu's little face lit up with a bright smile, his little eyes sparkling, and it was clear that he was very happy.
Even among brothers, parental favoritism can sometimes make children feel differently.
"Then son, go with Empress Dowager to see your younger brother later. He's still small and sleeps a lot. He was sleeping when I visited him last time."
Chenghu also loved his younger brother very much. Even though his brother surpassed him to become the crown prince, he was not angry. Instead, he was happy for his brother.
That way, my younger brother won't be bullied when he grows up.
"Okay, then your mother will go with you to see your brother in a little while, alright?"
"good."
The mother and son chatted happily. After Fanghua accompanied Chenghu to read for a while, she took him to see Yinreng.
Since the emperor decided to bestow titles upon the imperial harem, the names of the princes and princesses have been decided.
Chenghu's name remains unchanged. The second prince is Chengdao, the third prince is Chengti, the fourth prince is Chengzhen, the fifth prince is Chengqi, the sixth prince is Chengzhi, the seventh prince is Chengyou, the eighth prince is Chengsi, the ninth prince is Chengtang, the tenth prince is Chengzhi, the eleventh prince is Chengreng, the twelfth prince is Chengfu, and the thirteenth prince is Chengxiang.
Princesses all begin with the character "Jing": First Princess Jinghua, Second Princess Jingwan, Third Princess Jingyu, Fourth Princess Jingshu, Fifth Princess Jingbei, Sixth Princess Jinghui, Seventh Princess Jingyu, Eighth Princess Jingyi, and Ninth Princess Jingle.
The male-to-female ratio is not significantly different.
This change was within Fanghua's tolerance, so she didn't correct the Emperor's idea of changing the princes' names to the character "胤".
The character "承" is quite good.
Inheritance—what a wonderful meaning!
Upon arriving at Yinreng's residence, they could hear him crying from outside the door, and the two quickened their pace.
When I went in to ask, I learned that the child had just woken up, had soiled himself, and was upset.
Fanghua told Chenghu to wait outside while she went in to take a look.
Well, the wet nurses were quite efficient in getting ready. They changed into clean clothes in no time and started breastfeeding the baby.
She came in and saw Yinreng eating heartily.
Stopping the wet nurses from bowing, she went up to look at her youngest son, who was eating heartily. His chubby little face and bright eyes waved his little hands when he saw her.
If I weren't so hungry, I probably would have wanted my mother to hold me right now.
Fanghua waited patiently until the child released the wet nurse on his own before taking the child from her.
"Are you full? No wonder your older brother said that all you do every day is eat and sleep. Look at all this fat on you, you can't get this kind of body without eating and sleeping."
Fanghua took out her handkerchief to wipe the milk stains from his mouth, and then pinched his little face.
Yinreng thought it was his mother playing with him, and he waved his little hands and laughed.
Seeing her youngest son's adorable appearance, Fanghua's heart melted.
"Alright, let me take you to find your elder brother, okay?"
Regardless of whether he agreed or not, she picked him up and walked out.
Chenghu had been waiting impatiently for a long time. He had already heard the conversation between his mother and younger brother, as well as his brother's giggling laughter.
Now, upon seeing someone come out, they immediately go forward to greet them.
"Empress Mother, let me see my little brother. Has he grown a bit more?"
As he spoke, Chenghu craned his neck to look.
Fanghua didn't want to stop at the door. "Okay, let's go to the tatami mat. Your little brother can play on it."
Spending time with the children is the happiest thing. She waited until Yinreng fell asleep before taking Chenghu back.
Chenghu also had a lot of fun. His younger brother was still the best. Even if he didn't know his own strength and made his brother cry, his mother wouldn't scold him.
Unlike his second brother, even when it was clearly his fault, his father would still lecture him, saying that he didn't care about his younger brother.
This comparison made him dislike his younger brothers, who weren't born to the same mother, even more.
"Empress Mother, can I not study with my second brother?" Back in his residence, Chenghu couldn't help but bring up the matter with his Empress Mother.
Fanghua was taken aback, her eyes flashing with anger. Chenghu rarely made demands of her, so his words today must mean he had suffered some injustice outside.
"Oh, can you tell me why?" Fanghua didn't immediately get angry and ask Chenghu if anyone had bullied him, but instead asked him why.
Seeing that his mother was not angry but instead asked him with a smile, Chenghu could no longer hold back his grievances and told her what had happened in the Qianqing Palace.
After hearing this, Fanghua clenched her teeth. How dare the Emperor?
Hmph, she can't control herself and is planning to take it out on Chenghu.
"Empress Mother can't make a decision on this matter either, but next time your Emperor Father asks you to give in to Cheng Dao, just give in, and we can settle our scores in private, okay?"
There are some things that cannot be done openly, neither Chenghu nor she.
The Emperor wanted his sons to be kind and respectful to each other, but he seemed to have different feelings towards Chenghu for his own reasons.
What if he is the eldest son of the legitimate wife? If he assists the imperial power, even the crown prince can be destroyed.
Not to mention an eldest son.
After hearing what his mother, the Empress Dowager, said, Chenghu's eyes flickered with a dim light, which made Fanghua feel very sorry for him.
That is why she did not want the emperor to stay there for too long.
Hmph, if she can't deal with Cheng Dao, how about she deal with Consort Hui?
Do they really think she's just a figurehead empress?
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Seeing her son so dejected, Fanghua felt nothing but heartache. She had countless ways to get revenge for him, but she couldn't bring herself to do any of them openly.
However, despite his young age, Consort Hui has raised a very good son, showing that he is quite jealous.
"Don't be discouraged. Your father is biased. Since he's jealous of your excellent grades, you should strive to be even better. If your brother criticizes you every time, ask him if you should keep up with Chengdao's pace. That will make your brother happy."
"If your father agrees, then from now on you should keep your skills to yourself and only do things that are slightly better than Cheng Dao."
She still couldn't believe that the emperor was so biased.
They are useless themselves but think others are too good at learning.
Chenghu was still disappointed. "Empress Mother, but your son has already hidden so many." He felt very wronged.
He only dared to say these things to his mother, the Empress Dowager; he wouldn't dare utter a single word to his father, the Emperor.
“Your Majesty knows, knows that my Chenghu has been wronged. Don’t worry, Your Majesty will avenge you.”
Kangxi, well done.
"You're going to school tomorrow, so don't worry about anything else. Just follow Chengfu's schedule. If the teacher asks, just say that if you study too well, your little brother will cry and your father will scold you."
She didn't believe that the court officials would forgive the emperor's favoritism once they found out.
If you want to suppress her as Empress and Crown Prince, you shouldn't joke about the prince's studies.
"What if Father Emperor gets angry?" Chenghu asked somewhat anxiously.
"If you're angry, so be it. At worst, we just won't go to the Qing Palace." Her son, Chenghu, is very lucky. What's so great about teaching an emperor?
Chenghu was comforted by his mother, the Empress Dowager.
"Alright, I'll listen to my mother."
Chenghu was also very obedient.
The next day, when he went to the Imperial Study, he prioritized receiving prayers in everything he did.
The Master was not blind; he had seen Chenghu's changes.
He was also a veteran of two reigns. After consulting with Chenghu, the old man went to see the emperor.
When Emperor Kangxi met with the old man and learned of what had happened that day, he was so angry that his forehead throbbed.
It's obvious that this was the Empress's idea.
It seems she found out about his lecture to Chenghu that day.
Thinking of his success in saving the prince from smallpox, he sighed, "Your Excellency, go and instruct the prince. I know I was wrong, and I will correct it."
He originally thought he would use Chengdao to teach Chenghu a lesson and vent his anger, but to his surprise, the Empress swallowed her anger and even made Chenghu prioritize Chengdao in everything.
How could she bear to do that?
"It's good that Your Majesty has realized your mistake. The eldest prince is extremely intelligent, and we must not let him get hurt at such a young age. Your Majesty should think twice before acting."
Kangxi was quite displeased after being lectured by his elder brother early in the morning.
But he couldn't refute it; he had been narrow-minded. They were all his children, and he shouldn't have shifted the blame for the adults onto the children.
After the old man left, Kangxi smashed everything on the dragon table.
The eunuchs serving them were so frightened that they didn't dare to breathe loudly.
At noon that day, Emperor Kangxi arrived at Kunning Palace.
Fanghua never expected that the Emperor would come and apologize to her.
"I spoke carelessly for a moment. I hope the Empress can help me explain to Chenghu. I really didn't mean anything by it."
His subservient manner made the Empress feel uneasy, and she always felt that he had ill intentions.
But regardless, she knew this matter should be left behind.
"Your Majesty, what are you saying? Chenghu is an obedient boy. He learned that he had hurt his younger brother by being too outstanding, so he started to emulate his brother. What wrong has Your Majesty done?"
Fanghua smiled as she poured him tea. “It is understandable that the Emperor pities his youngest son. It’s just that Chenghu is older than Chengdao and has not been able to take good care of his younger brother.”
The Empress's words were also very hurtful.
Her son felt wronged and wanted her to just let it go, but no way.
We have to vent our anger for Chenghu.
"Empress," Kangxi said, somewhat embarrassed, "I was a bit hasty at the time. This is not Chenghu's fault, but mine. Don't worry, I will never do it again."
He repeatedly assured her, and Fanghua agreed to help him and Chenghu resolve the conflict between father and son.
Fanghua told Chenghu about it when he came home from school in the evening.
Adding to the changes that occurred during his afternoon study session at the Qianqing Palace, Chenghu was overjoyed, feeling that his Empress Mother was truly amazing.
"Your Majesty, you are amazing!" Chenghu said with admiration.
"Are you feeling better now?" Fanghua smiled as she washed his face and hands. "Your imperial father has come to apologize to you personally. Are you willing to forgive him?"
Chenghu's face flushed red, and after thinking seriously for a moment, he said, "I forgive you. I know that Father Emperor belongs to everyone, not just Chenghu. I understand."
Seeing how sensible this little boy was, Fanghua felt a sharp pain in her heart, as if being pricked by needles.
In an ordinary family, the eldest son would never suffer such injustice.
It turns out that the imperial family is cannibalistic.
Fanghua certainly wouldn't let Chengdao off so easily.
That very night, she sent Xiaofeng to do something big.
Regardless of Consort Hui's and the Emperor's intentions, as long as Chenghu has a fatal flaw, he will not pose a threat in the future.
"Master, your request is too difficult." Xiao Feng was speechless. Why did her master always make trouble for no reason?
If you're going to drug someone, you should just do it once. Why let them keep drugging a little kid like that?
The medicine used must be one that doesn't harm the body and doesn't get detected as an infertility drug.
It's too difficult.
That's too much to ask of the little bird.
"If it weren't difficult, I wouldn't have come to you. Some people are too ambitious. In that case, I should grant their request."
That's right.
Fanghua's way of avenging her son was to give Chengdao a drug that would prevent him from having children.
No matter how highly you praise a piece without a heir, it can never amount to anything.
"Go and think of a way, it's okay to use the medicine from the space." She was very generous.
Xiao Feng really rolled her eyes this time.
"Yes, Master, Xiao Feng will go find it right away."
After waiting for three days, Fanghua finally received the pills that Xiaofeng brought.
The medicine was successfully produced, but Xiao Feng had also used a trace of her primordial power, leaving her somewhat weak.
“Master, take one pill a year for three years, and then you will be unable to have children. Even the imperial physicians will not be able to find out if it is caused by human intervention; they will only assume that you did not develop properly from a young age.”
Hearing this, Fanghua was overjoyed and immediately asked Qiaoling to bring over a lot of food, all of which were Xiaofeng's favorites.
Xiao Feng was overjoyed to see so much delicious food.
The bodies outside the space are so fat they can barely fly.
With such a large pile of food, Qiaoling's eyes were full of worry for Xiaofeng when she gave it to her.
I've had Xiaofeng for several years and have long considered this parrot as family. I never wanted anything to happen to it.
"Your Highness, won't Xiao Feng get sick from eating so much?" Qiaoling asked with great concern.
Fanghua glanced at Xiaofeng, who was happily eating with her butt sticking out on the table, and was speechless.
"It's alright, if it dies, we'll just get another one," she said, speaking the truth.
As long as the soul doesn't need to be changed, there are plenty of parrots out there to replace the body.
"Your Majesty."
Qiaoling's eyes welled up with tears when she heard the Empress say such heartless words.
"After spending several years together, Xiaofeng has developed feelings for us. If something really happens, Your Majesty, please don't cry." She knew that Her Majesty was definitely tough on the outside but soft on the inside.
"Don't worry, Xiao Feng is smart, it'll be fine." After reassuring Qiao Ling, he said to Xiao Feng in his mind, "Take it easy, don't scare Qiao Ling and the others."
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