95 Chapter 95
◎Brothers in Heaven◎
In the center of Huizhen Hall, a group of dancers from Shengping Office were dancing. They spun and jumped, raised their arches, and had beautiful postures. The music of stringed instruments never ceased. This was Li Cheng's reception for envoys from various countries. It was the first time for Huiyin to see so many people of different races. The envoys from Goryeo and Nanfan performed the same etiquette as the Han people, and they looked no different from them. However, people from Zhenla, Srivijaya and other places had slightly darker skin, thick eyebrows and big eyes.
On such an occasion, the Grand Empress Dowager, Xun Jiying, and some duchesses were all present. Some people present couldn't help but murmur in their hearts that the Emperor only had the Empress in his harem, so it looked deserted, but they didn't dare to say these words out loud.
Of course, even if it was said out loud, Huiyin wouldn't care too much.
The most tiring thing for a person is to live up to other people's expectations. She whispered to Li Cheng, "This dance is so well choreographed."
Li Cheng smiled: "As long as it looks good."
Although Li Cheng looks calm and composed now, he actually learned Korean and Zhenhua secretly. Huiyin was very proud to see him speak a few words casually.
"My Lord is extremely wise."
Li Cheng shook his head and said, "These are just small matters. We should govern our country well, and then the foreign vassals will be truly satisfied and loyal in the future."
Huiyin nodded in agreement. The couple seemed very energetic at the banquet, but when they returned to the Linde Palace, they both collapsed on the bed and didn't want to get up at all.
"You don't know how much my waist hurts. I can't even stand up. I've been sitting for too long." Huiyin leaned on the pillow in pain. She didn't like to apply those plasters because she always felt a smell.
Li Cheng was actually in a similar situation. He had been fighting in wars since he was very young, and now he was working very hard to govern the country. He often sat for a whole day, and his old injuries recurred, which made him uncomfortable. But he only showed this discomfort in front of Huiyin.
Seeing Huiyin grimacing in pain, he couldn't help but ask, "Do you want me to give you a massage with the medicated oil?"
"No need. The more you massage, the worse it gets. Just rest for two days and it will be fine. But I can still rest. What about you?" Huiyin looked at her husband worriedly.
Li Cheng grinned: "It's okay, I'll be fine if you worry about me like this."
"Fool." Huiyin asked someone to wrap a hot towel and apply it to his body. She felt uncomfortable when she thought about how Li Cheng had not enjoyed anything since he became emperor but had been working very hard.
But if they said they were tired, outsiders would certainly say they were complaining without reason. Li Cheng also knew this truth, so he worked even harder in order to govern the country well, leave a legacy for his sons, and prevent the people of the time from suffering from war and displacement.
When these envoys arrived, Shangjing was also very lively, and even the ladies who had always stayed in the inner court came out to walk around. Xian Jie'er and Shi Jie'er from the Guo family also traveled together. The relationship between the two of them has always been good. Xian Jie'er is two or three years older than Shi Jie'er, and Jiang Bibo often goes to the Zheng family, so the two of them are almost close friends.
"Sister Pei, look, there is someone spitting fire. I heard that people from Khotan gave the Empress many beautiful jades. The jade seeds from Khotan are of the best quality. They are accompanied by merchants this time, and they are near the Kaiguo Temple. Why don't we go and take a look?" Sister Shi is quite old and speaks very well.
Xian Jie'er was also a young girl, so she immediately agreed and asked the driver to go to Kaiguo Temple.
It's just that the two people have different financial resources. Jiang Bibo grew up in a wealthy family. Her family was rich and she had money to play with. After she married Guo Zhao, Guo Zhao was conferred a title. She raised her daughter with a combination of the teachings of a lady from a wealthy family and a daughter of a merchant family.
If you want to make friends, you have to be generous, especially since Shijie was a rich girl in her childhood, so you can't let her value money as much as you do. So Shijie usually carries a thousand taels of silver in her hand, and her purse is filled with gold beans and pearls.
Sister Xian only received her monthly allowance of two taels of silver. She usually had her mother Xin take her to make hairpins, and she seldom bought anything on her own.
Seeing that Sister Shi spent two hundred taels to buy the jade in an instant, she couldn't take out the money and just said she wouldn't buy it for the time being.
After returning, Xian Jie'er was still a little unhappy when she saw Xin.
Xin couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with you? You're not happy when you're out having fun."
"It's nothing, there are a lot of people here today, and my daughter is having trouble breathing in a crowded place." Sister Xian didn't want to tell Xin about this.
But it was easy for Xin to find out. After she returned to her room, she quietly called the servants around her to ask them about this matter. She couldn't help but complain, "You guys are really rude. You didn't even ask me for some money when you went out. You just lost face in front of others."
Xianjie's nanny said, "Our family is a noble family, and the rules are like this. How can a young lady from a noble family want to have the temperament of a nouveau riche? This is not our girl's fault."
Xin lowered her eyes and said, "In my opinion, the Guo family is worried about the Yuwen family's affairs. I see that Mrs. Guo is the Empress's adopted sister, so I allow them to live together. We should say goodbye in the future. I will give her two famous paintings later. At her age, it is better for her to read more books and appreciate paintings."
Being a mistress and managing the money is something that will happen in the future. My daughter is most free when she is at home. When she becomes a mistress, she will have to worry about everything every day. Now she can have fun for as long as she can.
The nanny said, "But our girl and Miss Guo have made an appointment to play polo together in the future."
"Just postpone it when the time comes. Never mind. One visit out of three will be enough." Xin said.
After she said this, the nanny felt relieved.
Sister Shi, on the other hand, had no idea about this and even shared with Jiang Bibo, "I like those jades, but Sister Xian doesn't seem to like them very much. I bought a few pieces and will have them carved and given to my parents."
Jiang Bibo felt bad when she heard this. She thought that Xian Jie'er was the niece of the Empress, and now that she had run away from marriage, it would be difficult for her to become a Crown Princess or a Prince's Consort. She had no such intention at first. With her status, she was already very satisfied to be able to successfully become a Lady of the Earl, but Guo Zhao mentioned it every day, and she felt it was a pity.
Shi Jie'er is a young lady from the Bo family. She is beautiful and talented. She also has a nanny to serve her. She also teaches her how to manage the household. Is she more than qualified to be a prince's consort? If she marries someone casually, it would be a waste of her talent.
Therefore, she thought that the Pei family was definitely not as financially capable as her own family, and since her daughter was making lavish purchases there, it was inevitable that others would think that she was showing off.
"Sister Shi, if you go out and spend money lavishly in the future, your mother won't say anything, but when you are with your sisters, don't show it in front of others."
Shi Jie'er didn't understand: "Mom, why do you have to do this?"
Jiang Bibo laughed. Yes, children’s interactions should not be restricted by adults. She was the one who became more left-wing.
"I'm just telling you something, you don't have to obey me. By the way, last time the queen went on a boat trip, we went to the palace together, and you also went in. What do you think?"
As she asked this, she heard Sister Shi say, "Let's not talk about other things. There are so many rules in the palace. The Queen Mother saw that we all changed three sets of clothes. If she didn't say anything, the curtains would be tied. No one dared to make a fuss. My daughter was really depressed. And -"
"Anything else?" Jiang Bibo asked in disbelief.
Shi Jieer nodded: "Yes, and the banquet we had looked plentiful and exquisite, but in reality the sweet cakes had no sweetness at all. We didn't dare eat the dishes with bones in them, for fear of making noise."
Jiang Bibo has never looked at the life in the palace from the perspective of a daughter. Perhaps because she was born into a merchant family and her parents died when she was young, she became like a floating duckweed. She always felt that only those with power and influence could live a good life, otherwise no matter how much money she had, it would be plundered by others.
Therefore, she always had a sense of psychological dependence on the Queen. Moreover, the Queen acted in an orderly manner and her two sons were smart. So she agreed not because of her status like her husband did, but because she felt that the Queen must be a very good mother-in-law.
But she didn't expect that her daughter actually didn't want a life in the palace.
"So you suffered so much in the palace."
Shi Jieer laughed and said, "We all say that we are lucky, and we only go to the palace a few times a year. But Sister Jiying of the Xun family is miserable. The Empress Dowager is not in good health, and she has to go to the palace, which is like entering a cage."
Jiang Bibo was stunned for a moment.
After the envoys from various countries left, Li Cheng did not go to Duanming Hall, but rested for two days in Linde Hall. During this time, Huiyin served him, and the two of them ate and slept in the same place, and even played with the children in the same place.
Li Cheng couldn't help but say, "Look, I've been resting for a few days and I'm full of energy. But you, who used to love riding horses, have never played polo since you sprained your waist. It's a pity."
"Look at what you said. It's enough to have you in our family. Why do you always want me to ride a horse..." Huiyin pinched his nose. She felt particularly doting when she heard him speak.
In fact, he thought Huiyin should be free and easy, so he was afraid that she would be bored in the palace, but he didn't know that Huiyin loved to lie down. She had already struggled at the age when she should struggle, and she was very satisfied. When she was a little girl, she played polo to make more friends, but now she didn't need it at all, so of course she didn't need it.
The couple rested for a while, then went to see the Empress Dowager together. Before they entered the room, they heard clear voices, as if someone was reciting Buddhist scriptures.
"It should be Miss Xun who is reading it." Huiyin said.
Li Cheng smiled, and the two of them went in. Xun Jiying's voice stopped abruptly, and she stood up and saluted. After the emperor and empress asked her to stand up, Xun Jiying retreated.
"How is the Empress Dowager doing?" Li Cheng asked first.
The Empress Dowager was very happy to see Li Cheng coming. After all, the Emperor only came to pay respects a few times a month, not often, so she quickly said, "I'm fine now. Thank you for your concern."
"It seems that I was right to let Miss Xun enter the palace. The Empress Dowager's complexion looks much rosier." Huiyin said with a smile.
It's really a case of bringing up a pot without a pot. Isn't it for this that the Empress Dowager made such a fuss? But in Huiyin's opinion, these methods of hers have no effect at all. Because Li Cheng has been particularly tolerant of the Xun family for the sake of the Empress Dowager. In the early days of the country, the land and salaries for these people were all allocated from taxes. The country was in a state of disrepair and there was no money for so many places to spend money, but they were given to her family. The Empress Dowager wanted to remain rich forever and was not satisfied.
Li Cheng also looked at Huiyin: "Yes, all the allowances for this child can be the same as those for the county lord and princess. Let her live in the palace as if it were her own home."
The Empress Dowager was of course very happy to hear that he was taking care of her family. However, Li Cheng continued, "I plan to take the Empress and the Crown Prince on a tour around the capital. I may not be in the palace for a month. If the Empress Dowager has any questions, just look for Qin An."
This was something Li Cheng had decided long ago. He was different from the King of Wei. The King of Wei liked to go hunting every year to show off his military strength. However, accidents were very likely to occur during the actual hunting process.
Now the court has a set of military examinations to select people, and the emperor does not need to take risks in person. He thought that his children grew up in luxury and never knew how people below them lived, so he wanted to take them out to see the outside world.
Obviously, the Empress Dowager was nearly 70 years old and was not fit to travel anymore. The Empress Dowager was also very regretful. She had originally wanted Xun Jiying to enter the palace so that he could get the upper hand, but she had no idea that the Emperor was going to travel.
In fact, even Huiyin didn't know. After coming out of the Empress Dowager's palace, she asked, "Are we really going out to play?"
"Why not? When you were a princess, I took you home to visit my parents. Now that you are the empress, do you think we should be trapped in the palace all day? That's why I want you to ride a horse." Now that Li Cheng has become the emperor, he doesn't even have much time to talk to Huiyin, so he has always hoped that the couple can still be as close as before.
When Huiyin heard this, she clapped her hands and laughed, "Why are you keeping me in suspense? I can ride a horse, but we have to ride together."
"Hush, keep your voice down." Li Cheng felt guilty.
Huiyin felt that teasing him was the most fun thing. He was still shy even though he was the emperor.
When Jing'er and Zhan'er were told the news of the trip, the two little ones were so happy that they almost jumped up. Tong'er didn't understand what the trip meant yet, she just nestled in Huiyin's arms and saw her brothers cheering, and she also clapped her hands, as if this was the only way to fit in.
Jing'er said, "Mother, should my second brother and I go on horseback or in a carriage? I want to ride a horse."
He was ten years old, and he always felt like a big boy. Li Cheng would teach him about politics every day, so he felt that he was different from other teenagers. However, his idea was immediately rejected by Huiyin: "It's still cold, you can't freeze. Since you are going out to play, you should take a good ride in the carriage and enjoy the scenery. Otherwise, if you ride a horse, you will need a lot of people to protect you. What if someone shoots an arrow at you?"
"A hidden arrow? With so many people protecting my son, how could there be a hidden arrow?" Jing'er didn't understand.
Huiyin laughed, "It is said that a son of a rich family should not sit in the hall! If you were just an ordinary commoner, Li Jing, I would not care if you went on like this, and your mother would even be proud of you. But you are the crown prince, a person of a rich family. If something happens to you, it will not be your mother who loses her son, but the world who loses its crown prince. Your father's kingdom will even be lost."
Although Jing'er had learned both literary and military strategies before, his parents respected him very much. He was allowed to choose the eunuchs and maids in the palace. However, sometimes his mother would come out and tell him directly that what he did was wrong.
He was a sensible child, and after hearing what Huiyin said, he admitted his mistake: "Son, I understand. Thank you for reminding me, mother."
"As long as you don't mind my talking too much." Huiyin was very sensible. Her son was grown up, so she couldn't discipline him like a child. Over time, he would be easily taken advantage of by others.
In a blink of an eye, seeing Zhan'er depressed, Huiyin knew that her words that the country would be destroyed without the prince might make him unhappy, but there was nothing she could do about it. Unless Jing'er was too mediocre and Zhan'er was really smart, if the two had similar talents, of course the eldest son would inherit.
There are always many things that are not satisfactory in life. Even Huiyin herself thinks that everything is fine now, but she always has some minor illnesses and pains. Either it is menstrual discomfort or leg pain, but she just won't show these in front of others.
Jing'er didn't know if he and Huiyin had the same idea. He said to Zhan'er, "Second brother, I remember someone gave me a Khitan saddle. It looks like it would suit you better. Mother is right. We can't ride horses on the road, but we can ride them when we get to the palace."
The Khitan saddle is the most expensive saddle in the world. Although they are princes, Huiyin and Li Cheng did not raise them in the way of prodigal sons. They would only reward them with new saddles when any equipment was broken.
As expected, Zhan'er was delighted when he heard this and said, "Thank you, my royal brother."
Jing'er patted her brother's shoulder and said, "What are you thanking me for? I've been thinking about giving it to you for a long time. I was just trying to find a reason. Now it's time to give it to you."
Huiyin was very appreciative of Jing'er's behavior: "You see, whenever your brother has something good, he always thinks of you. Hey, I happen to have some rotten cherries with frosting, and I told Mother Nan this morning that I would save them for you."
She didn't know how to comfort her little son, and she would have to learn to accept it when he grew up.
Zhan'er was more open-minded than she thought. Although he would sometimes be unhappy because of some words, he was in a good mood after eating cherries. He even took Tong'er out to play. Jing'er also followed and played with them.
He said these words to Li Cheng in the evening: "Our second son's happiness is reflected on his face, which is good, but I always feel a little sorry for him."
Of the two sons, only one can have supreme power, and the other will always be a subject. Fortunately, Zhan'er is smart and not one of those fools.
Li Cheng had never thought about this before. He loved both of his children. "You are overthinking it, aren't you?"
"I'm not overthinking it. It's just that even if we are prepared in advance, we cannot predict future developments. What I mean is that if we pamper Zhan'er too much, Jing'er may be dissatisfied after he takes the throne. There is no real harmony among the royal brothers. But if we favor Jing'er and ignore Zhan'er, then he is too pitiful." Huiyin also found it difficult to solve such a problem.
Li Cheng put his hands under his head and felt a little annoyed after listening to her, but when he thought about it, he really had an idea.