Regardless of how chaotic things were at the Jia family mansion, Lin Yun had been quite busy these days.
In addition to preparing a dowry for Daiyu, he also had to personally teach the four children.
Hongyao and Zhaohua grew up, and at the age of eleven, they already looked like teenagers.
Especially Zhao Hua, she's practically a carbon copy of Lin Yun, cute and cuddly.
Emperor Yongzheng practically doted on her, and even boasted that...
Even if Zhaohua never marries, it doesn't matter, he'll support her... This made Lin Yun laugh out loud.
Hongxi and Hongsheng are eight years old now, a time when they are very mischievous. They run in and out of Kunning Palace all day long, like two happy little deer.
Although Lin Yun was the Empress, she never neglected the education of her children.
Every day when they returned from the study, she would take the time to study with them, especially English. Based on her memories from her previous life and some manuscripts from missionaries, she compiled an English book suitable for learning in this era.
In her view, foreign languages might come in very handy in the future.
That evening, as the afterglow of the setting sun spilled into the courtyard of Kunning Palace, Lin Yun sat in a wicker chair, holding an English book in her hands, and read aloud softly.
Hongyao and Zhaohua sat on either side of her, reading attentively.
Hongxi and Hongsheng lay on the stone table, listening and tracing the letters on the table with their fingers.
“Empress Mother,” Hongxi suddenly raised her head and blinked her big eyes as she asked, “Why do we have to learn such strange words? The Grand Tutor said that the Great Qing is a celestial empire, rich in resources and possessing everything, and has no need to deal with foreigners at all.”
Lin Yun smiled slightly, put down her book, and patted his head: "The world is vast, Hongxi. Although Westerners are thousands of miles away, there are many things we can learn from their skills. For example, their firearms, medical skills, and even shipbuilding. If we close our eyes and ears, we will fall behind them sooner or later."
Zhao Hua nodded thoughtfully: "Just like Father often says, 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.'"
Hongyao picked up the conversation, his eyes gleaming with excitement: "The blueprints that Uncle Ba brought back from the West are still being studied by the craftsmen of the Ministry of Works! If we could directly understand the foreigners' books, wouldn't that be twice as efficient?"
Lin Yun looked at them with satisfaction. The children were more intelligent and more receptive to new things than she had imagined.
She said softly, "That's right. So you must study hard, so that you may be able to help Father Emperor in the future."
As they were talking, Yongzheng returned from the Hall of Mental Cultivation and heard the children reading aloud from afar.
He walked quietly to the palace entrance and watched the scene unfold.
Yun'er was gentle and patient, the children were focused and attentive, and the afterglow of the setting sun cast a warm glow over the whole scene.
His lips unconsciously curled up, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.
Although he was the emperor, whether in his previous life or this one, he spent every day in scheming and intrigue.
If it weren't for Yun'er, how could he have experienced the joy of family life in this ordinary family?
Since Yun'er came into his life, she has been gentle and considerate, devoted to her husband and children. Her simple and unassuming nature gradually dissolved the anger and anxiety in his heart, making him more and more peaceful, and he was often praised by the court and the public.
Hongsheng, with his sharp eyes, was the first to spot Yongzheng and exclaimed, "Father Emperor!"
He immediately jumped off the stone bench and ran towards him.
The other children also stood up and bowed.
Yongzheng patted Hongsheng's head and asked with a smile, "What did you learn today?"
"I learned a foreign language!" Hongsheng proudly raised his little face. "I can say 'apple' now!"
Emperor Yongzheng feigned surprise: "Oh? What does that mean?"
Hongxi eagerly answered, "I know! It means apple!"
Lin Yun stepped forward and said softly, "His Majesty has returned early today."
Yongzheng nodded, his gaze softening: "I've finished dealing with most of the government affairs, so I wanted to come and see you all."
He paused, then added, "Yun'er taught very well."
Lin Yun smiled, her eyes full of tenderness.
Yongzheng felt that Yun'er was like a young wife waiting for her husband to return home, while he was like a strong man who had fought his way through hardships outside. No matter how tired he was outside, everything would be alright when he returned home.
Although Yun'er is now twenty-seven years old, thanks to the nourishment of the spiritual spring water, she still looks like an eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl, with radiant skin and eyes as clear as autumn water.
And under her care, his appearance remained almost unchanged, not even a single gray hair grew.
The court officials were privately astonished by the emperor's youth, and some even speculated that there might be some secret to immortality hidden in the palace.
One morning after court, Zhang Tingyu couldn't help but whisper to Ortai, "Lord Ortai, have you noticed that His Majesty doesn't seem to have aged at all these years?"
Ortai stroked his beard and pondered, "Indeed. His Majesty's diligence in governing and love for the people is perhaps a blessing from Heaven for our Great Qing."
Emperor Yongzheng was fully aware of this, but never revealed it to the emperor.
All of this is thanks to Yun'er's "miracle water".
Whenever he thought of his previous life, in which he fell ill at the age of fifty-eight due to overwork and passed away peacefully, he couldn't help but feel emotional.
In this life, he paid extra attention to maintaining his health, and with the help of Yun'er's spiritual spring water, his body was much stronger than before. Even when he stayed up all night reviewing memorials, he rarely felt tired.
However, when the night was quiet, Yongzheng would occasionally feel a sense of unease.
Today, he stood by the window, gazing at the starry sky, and murmured to himself, "In this life, can I break free from fate?"
Lin Yun entered carrying a cup of ginseng tea. Seeing his solemn expression, she asked softly, "What is Your Majesty thinking about?"
Yongzheng took the tea and held her hand: "Yun'er, sometimes I think, what if I died young..."
Lin Yun interrupted him, shaking her head firmly: "No, His Majesty is now focused on recuperation and has the divine water to regulate his body, so he will surely live to be a hundred years old."
She paused, a sly glint in her eyes, "Besides, I'm still waiting to grow old with Your Majesty."
Emperor Yongzheng was amused by her description of the future, and the gloom in his heart was swept away.
He put his arm around her shoulder and said gently, "You're right, we'll grow old together."
Two years passed in the blink of an eye, and the Qing Dynasty's mighty naval forces finally returned in triumph.
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