But after their initial excitement, fear set in. After all, they weren't exactly filial to their parents, and they didn't know if their parents would even want to take them.
Soon, in less than an hour, the news had spread throughout the surrounding villages. Relatives from all over the country came to the door, all trying to establish a connection. Not to mention the three sons of the family, and their various in-laws. It was incredibly lively.
There were some local gentry and landlords living in the area where Old Tang and his wife lived. They actually brought gifts and came to visit in person. They wanted to build a relationship with them. Although they might not necessarily ask the old couple for favors, they wanted to become familiar with them. In case they needed to come to their door someday, it's always good to be polite.
Old Tang really didn't understand these things, and he didn't know whether he should accept them or not, or what would happen if he didn't. It was the more knowledgeable elder of the clan who helped him figure out which ones to accept and which ones not to accept, and things got a little better after that.
The next day, the elderly couple told their three sons to pack their things and prepare to go to the capital together.
For the three sons, it was a wonderful surprise. They never expected that their parents would still care about them in such a critical moment. It seems that they were really too unfilial in the past, and they should treat their parents better in the future.
Perhaps because they were so pleasantly surprised, the three sons got a little carried away. The elderly couple had three sons, and the three sons had about seven or eight grandsons. Except for the two youngest grandsons who were not yet married, the others all had wives.
Now, wives are being sent to people all over the surrounding villages, and they don't even spare the six grandsons who are already married. They don't even mind if the grandsons become concubines, causing chaos in the family. The key issue is that the families of the six granddaughters-in-law are also being sent away, and the grandsons can't control themselves and get carried away.
When the elderly couple found out, they immediately said that if they continued to drift around like this, they should stop going. It would only cause trouble for their sister. They should just stay in the small mountain village for the rest of their lives.
It's utterly shameful! You don't even have an official position, you can't read a few characters, and instead of staying quietly at home in the capital, what do you want to do? Any random high-ranking official is more powerful than a county magistrate. Let me tell you, if you offend someone and something happens, don't even think about coming to your little sister. Just let her exile you to save you the trouble.
After being reprimanded by Old Man Tang, the three families finally behaved themselves. As for what they were really thinking, no one knows, but for the time being, they were quiet and all the girls who had been sent over were driven away.
Three days later, when Xiaodouzi came to pick them up, he saw the three families standing neatly behind Old Man Tang and Tang Li Shi, huddled up and silent, all with their heads down. They were all wearing new clothes, so they weren't disgracing the Empress, and no one said much.
Xiao Douzi entered the palace at a young age and became incredibly shrewd there. He could tell at a glance that something was definitely going on inside. On the surface, he remained calm, but once he entered the palace, he would definitely inform the Empress.
Fortunately, knowing that Consort Bao's family had a lot of people, they rented more than ten carriages separately, which was just right so that everyone could sit more comfortably.
After getting into the carriage, they gradually moved further and further away from the village. This was the second time that Old Man Tang and Mrs. Tang had left this small mountain village. Unlike the first time when they left with their little girl, when they were reluctant to part, this time they were about to see their little girl again, and their hearts were filled with anticipation.
After the villagers saw off Old Man Tang and his family, they gradually dispersed. Only one woman, holding a baby, watched the carriage drive away in the distance with resentment in her eyes. She always felt that her life should not be like this. She should live a life of wealth and luxury, not a life of daily chores and living like a shrew.
This woman was the so-called female protagonist in the previous life. Because the drought was resolved ahead of schedule, the villagers did not have to flee the famine. Everyone lived peacefully in the village. The female protagonist did not meet the so-called male protagonist. Her fate was just like that of an ordinary person: to get married and have children.
There might also be some influence from the female protagonist's halo; she often has images of her wealthy past life in her mind, so she always feels that her life shouldn't be like this, her mind is full of fantasies, and she makes a complete mess of her own life.
If it weren't for the fact that her father was the village chief and had some power, her husband would have stopped indulging her long ago. After all, she wasn't wholeheartedly devoted to him; she spent all day holding the baby, spacing out, and doing nothing. Sooner or later, things would explode. When would that day come? It all depends on how long her father can live.
Tang Baozhu lived a leisurely life in the palace every day. No one in the palace made a move on her pregnancy. After all, for people in ancient times, an emperor who was almost 30 years old was really not young. Who knew how much longer he could live?
For everyone's future well-being, it's best if the baby is born safely. Of course, the schemes outside the palace have never stopped. During this period, many of the meals sent from the Imperial Kitchen have problems, not to mention those that were blocked outside and not sent into Changchun Palace.
This infuriated Situ Rui, who launched a thorough investigation of the entire palace. He uncovered numerous spies planted by ministers, not to mention those from collateral branches. Had it not been for this investigation, he would never have known that nearly a third of the palace maids and eunuchs had changed their surnames and betrayed him, the emperor, by joining the democratic movement!
Under the pretext of praying for Consort An's unborn child, anyone confirmed to have problems or suspected but not yet proven was released from the palace, resulting in a massive purge of the entire palace.
Of course, it's possible that some deeply buried problems went undetected, but since the thorough investigation, the meals delivered have been fine, and the other concubines have had a much better life.
The remaining palace maids and eunuchs were all conscientious and diligent, fearing that the knife would fall on their heads next time. They dared not cheat or slack off again, because those who cheated and slack off had also been removed from office.
Although there are fewer people in the palace, there are still enough servants since there are only a few masters with names and titles to begin with, so it is a little busier than usual.
Situ Rui planned to hold a preliminary selection to expand the number of palace maids and eunuchs after Consort An gave birth. He was worried that having too many people in the palace would be bad for the baby, so he could only wait for the time being.
Tang Baozhu was very satisfied with the emperor's actions. She was the only one in the entire palace who was pregnant, and her belly was already more than five months along. None of the concubines the emperor had favored had gotten pregnant. It seemed that if she hadn't taken the fertility pill back then, it would have been very difficult for her to get pregnant.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
