Chapter 128 (None)
Qionghua Pavilion was filled with joy. Huang Liang was the first to kowtow and congratulate Jiang Ling. Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang surrounded Jiang Ling with smiles, clamoring for a reward. Wen Juan and the others were not to be outdone, offering their congratulations incessantly.
Jiang Ling gave the order: "You have all worked hard these past few days. On the occasion of this joyous occasion, each of you will receive an additional month's salary..."
Emperor Yuanming then replied, "I will pay for this reward!"
Everyone paid their respects to Emperor Yuanming, and after a noisy commotion, they had lunch. Emperor Yuanming was tired and returned to his dragon bed to lie down. He dismissed the servants and told Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang to go back to their studies, leaving Jiang Ling alone to speak with him.
"When I promoted you in the past, I didn't have a proper celebration. But the process of establishing an empress is different. Once I am feeling better, I will have the Imperial Astronomical Bureau choose an auspicious day for my investiture ceremony."
Emperor Yuanming said apologetically, gazing at Jiang Ling with tender affection in his eyes, "I know you've had a hard time these past few days, and I appreciate it."
After all, Emperor Yuanming only had two princes, both of whom were under Jiang Ling's name. She knew perfectly well that the position of Empress or Empress Dowager was rightfully his; it was only a matter of time.
The suddenness of the empress's arrival caught Jiang Ling off guard, leaving her momentarily stunned. She carefully examined Emperor Yuanming, thinking to herself that he was probably quite ill and his mind was completely muddled.
As the saying goes, "No filial son stays by the bedside of a chronically ill parent." Emperor Yuanming had been watching Jiang Ling's every move since he fell ill.
Especially last night, when Emperor Yuanming was terrified, it was she who woke him and comforted him. He used to be able to hear her thoughts; in this palace, her purity was astonishing.
Even after he could no longer hear her true feelings, Emperor Yuanming still subconsciously trusted her and relied on her. However, he always harbored some hesitation, which was the reason why he had never made her his empress.
After last night, Emperor Yuanming knew that she hadn't changed; she was still the same person.
Born into the royal family, Emperor Yuanming was accustomed to the scheming, infighting, and killing among relatives. He was also keenly aware that she had countless opportunities to become Empress Dowager directly, without even needing to become Empress.
He was able to survive peacefully because of her compassion and kindness.
Emperor Yuanming said, "I have already instructed Prime Minister Zheng to submit an imperial edict requesting that Azan be made Crown Prince. Azan is mischievous, which I have been quite dissatisfied with in the past, fearing that he will not amount to anything. Azan's temperament is like yours; with your guidance, he is worthy of being the Crown Prince of Dayin."
Seeing that Emperor Yuanming seemed to be giving his last words, Jiang Ling felt a mix of emotions and said, "Your Majesty is tired, please rest for a while."
Emperor Yuanming sighed, "I am either awake or asleep. If I rest long enough, I am not tired."
Even so, Emperor Yuanming said a few words and then closed his eyes and fell asleep. Jiang Ling didn't have time to feel sentimental; she was so sleepy that she could barely keep her eyelids open, so she quickly went back to the outer room to sleep.
After sleeping for about half an hour, Jiang Ling finally woke up. Emperor Yuanming was still fast asleep, so she washed up. Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang had finished paying their respects to Consort Liu at Rouyi Palace. The two walked along, whispering to each other, preparing to go to study with their teacher.
Upon seeing Jiang Ling standing under the eaves, the two stopped to greet her and called out, "Mother."
Jiang Ling beckoned them forward. Seeing that Xiao Yunzan was covered in sweat, while Xiao Yunlang was thinner but his undergarments were still dry, he said, "A-Zan, go change your undergarments."
Xiao Yunzan shifted her body and said, "I feel unwell all over and have been wanting to go back and change for a while. A-Lang said that Mr. Zeng is strict and I'll be punished if I'm late. I was arguing with A-Lang, saying that my health is more important, and that Mr. Zeng is reasonable and not rigid, so he won't punish me. Mother, who wins between me and A-Lang?"
Jiang Ling said irresponsibly, "Why don't you try and see if Mr. Zeng will punish you? Then you'll know."
Xiao Yunzan's eyes darted around, and he protested, "Mother, really! If I get punished by Mr. Zeng, you won't take the blame for me. A wise man doesn't stand under a dangerous wall. How could you encourage me to put myself in such a risk?"
Jiang Ling chuckled, "Stop your sophistry. Don't expect me to explain to Mr. Zeng and avoid punishment. If you want to be absolutely sure, you'd better figure something out yourself."
Having her little scheme exposed, Xiao Yunzan, thick-skinned as ever, wanted to continue pestering Jiang Ling. She poked his forehead with her finger, saying, "The longer you linger, the greater the risk of being punished."
Xiao Yunzan had no choice but to give up and hurriedly ran back to change his clothes. Xiao Yunlang bowed and was about to leave when Jiang Ling stopped him, "Alang, let's go to the study."
Xiao Yunlang followed Jiang Ling into the study, jumped onto a chair, placed his hands on his knees, and sat obediently.
As he grew older, his features became more and more like Zhuang Meiren's. Jiang Ling sat down beside him and exclaimed, "A Lang has grown into a handsome young man."
Holding the fruit, Xiao Yunlang suddenly became nervous: "Is Mother going to arrange a marriage for me?"
Jiang Ling was taken aback, then laughed, "Tell me honestly, did you do anything bad with A-Zan?"
Xiao Yunlang shook his head rapidly, resolutely denying it: "Mother, my third brother and I are very obedient and never do anything bad."
Jiang Ling said "Oh," and added, "You two must have done something bad, otherwise you wouldn't have mentioned marriage."
Xiao Yunlang was more honest after all. He stammered a few times and said, "Third brother said that it's too early to get married, but Mother will arrange marriages for us very soon. We are princes, and marriage is complicated. We have to prepare for one or two years just for the six rites. We have to choose a family with good social standing, so we can't delay."
Jiang Ling knew that these two people, who were so averse to each other that even dogs would dislike them, were definitely not behaving themselves behind her back. To her surprise, they thought quite far ahead and broadly.
"Now that Mother has become Empress, our marriage must be taken even more seriously."
Xiao Yunlang hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Mother, when will Third Brother be made Crown Prince?"
Jiang Ling paused. She had only called Xiao Yunlang over because she was worried about him, intending to have a talk with him. The two were unusually close. She had previously been unwilling to raise him because she didn't want to see her brothers turn against each other.
With the question laid bare before him, Jiang Ling had no way to avoid it. After much deliberation, he asked, "If A-Zan were made crown prince instead of you, how would you feel?"
Xiao Yunlang smiled and said, "Mother, I knew long ago that Third Brother would be the Crown Prince and I would be a Prince. Mother, don't worry, I won't be jealous of Third Brother."
Jiang Ling met his bright and pure eyes, feeling a slight sense of relief, and said, "As you grow up, you will move out of the palace to establish your own residence. From now on, you will be the subject, and A-Zan will be the ruler."
"I know all of that."
Xiao Yunlang's youthful face revealed a maturity beyond his years. "I'm not Mother's biological son, but she treats me like her own. When my third brother was sick, Mother stayed up all night with him. When I was sick, Mother stayed up all night with me too. Whatever my third brother had, I had too. If my third brother was beaten, I would be beaten too. Aunt Wen said that princes and princesses never lacked food, clothing, or necessities. A piece of clothing or a jade pendant wasn't worth much, and food, clothing, and necessities were nothing to them either. They were only polite to outsiders. Mother punished me the same way she punished my third brother, which shows she treated me like her own son. My mother who gave birth to me..."
His gaze darkened, and he said sadly, "She was sick. Although she loved me dearly, she couldn't even protect herself, let alone me. Fortunately, I was adopted by my mother and grew up happily, living a better life than my older brothers."
Indeed, born into royalty and raised in luxury, he had never met anyone truly innocent and carefree.
Jiang Ling felt a lump in her throat, her eyes softening with tenderness as she said lovingly, "A-Lang, you're still young. Just eat well, sleep well, and grow up safely. Don't worry about anything else. You can worry about it when you're older."
Xiao Yunlang's expression shifted, a smile returning to his face as he loudly replied, "Mother, Third Brother told me that we've never even left the palace in all our lives. The Xiao family, though possessing the entire world, is actually confined to this small palace. These days, we can't even freely enter or leave the Chui Gong Hall. Third Brother said it's dangerous outside, and we can't cause you trouble. Mother, I want to go out and see the world, but Third Brother can't. Mother, I'll have a more carefree life than Third Brother in the future, so please don't worry. I won't be jealous of Third Brother; we'll always be the closest of brothers."
Jiang Ling was filled with emotion, nodding repeatedly with a smile, thinking that the two had finally lived up to her hard work in educating them. She didn't know what the future held, but at least now she could rest easy. Just then, Xiao Yunlang reached for the plate and quietly grabbed a handful of pine nut candies. Jiang Ling was speechless, and slapped her hand down, saying, "Put them back."
Xiao Yunlang let out a yelp and reluctantly put the pine nut candy back. Jiang Ling glared at him angrily, "Open your mouth, let me see your teeth."
"Ah!" Xiao Yunlang obediently opened his mouth for Jiang Ling to examine.
Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang are both in the period of losing their baby teeth. If their teeth don't grow properly or they get cavities, there is no chance to repair or treat them, which will seriously affect their health.
Jiang Ling was most concerned about the two boys' teeth, strictly forbidding them from licking them, eating sweets, and urging them to rinse their mouths.
"This one is a little loose; the front tooth is sticking out a bit."
Jiang Ling read it carefully, gave a long lecture, and stroked Xiao Yunlang's bun, "Go study now."
Xiao Yunlang got up to take his leave. As he walked to the door, he turned back and said pitifully, "Mother, please don't arrange a marriage for me so soon. Third Brother said I'm suited to marry a shrew, but I don't want to marry a shrew."
"roll!"
Jiang Ling laughed in anger and cursed, "You two are destined to be bachelors, not even a she-devil like you!"
Xiao Yunlang slipped away, leaving Jiang Ling with no choice but to return to his desk, sit down, and begin reviewing the memorials.
Time passed quickly, and the new year was over in the blink of an eye. Jiang Ling held a investiture ceremony on a warm spring day when flowers were in full bloom, and Xiao Yunzan was subsequently made crown prince.
To celebrate the establishment of the empress and the crown prince, Emperor Yuanming granted a general amnesty to the entire realm, except for those who were pardoned or not.
After enduring the harsh winter and as the weather warmed up, Emperor Yuanming's health deteriorated day by day. He suffered from headaches and dizziness, and was in excruciating pain when he was awake, while falling into a deep sleep was a relief.
The spring planting season coincided with a drought, which affected sowing. A sudden cold snap froze most of the newly sprouted crops to death.
Memorials were sent to the emperor one after another. Jiang Ling took care of Emperor Yuanming while handling state affairs on his behalf. She also had to face impeachments from stubborn court officials who were dissatisfied with her rule. One problem after another arose.
Despite having Consort Lin as her helper, she delegated most of the tasks to the Council of State and the officials of various departments, yet she was still so exhausted that she could fall asleep standing up.
That day, Jiang Ling had a rare moment of free time. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes to rest. Wen Juan brought in gardenias. When she smelled the strong fragrance, she slowly opened her eyes and said in surprise, "It's summer already."
Wenjuan placed the gardenias into the vase and said, "It's already summer, and the gardenias and jasmine in the flower garden are in bloom. Would Your Majesty like to go and admire the flowers?"
Jiang Ling didn't want to move, so she lay back in her chair and said, "I'm not going. Spring comes and goes, and the flowers will bloom again next year."
Seeing that Jiang Ling looked tired, Wen Juan quietly arranged the flowers and then retreated outside.
Huang Liang ran forward, lifting his robe, and whispered, "Wen Juan, the Emperor has woken up. Is the Empress busy?"
Emperor Yuanming had been asleep for a whole day. Wenjuan's heart skipped a beat, and she said, "I'll go in and report to Her Majesty the Empress."
Jiang Ling had a dream. In her dream, she was in a flower garden full of blooming flowers, with gardenias, jasmine, hibiscus, and other flowers from different seasons vying for attention. Brightly colored butterflies fluttered around her, some landing on her shoulders and others in her hair.
Emperor Yuanming stood among the flowers, and the butterflies, seemingly afraid of him, fluttered their wings and flew away in a flurry.
The flowers that were once in full bloom withered one after another. In the blink of an eye, the sea of flowers turned into a wasteland of weeds.
A biting wind howled, swirling withered grass. Emperor Yuanming's imperial robes had been replaced by tattered hemp garments. His once plump and frail body was gone, replaced by emaciated frailty, his eyes cloudy and unclear, as if he had gone blind. He stretched out his hands, tentatively exploring ahead, then cautiously took a step, stumbling and staggering forward.
Wenjuan stepped forward and whispered, "Your Majesty, the Emperor has woken up."
Jiang Ling slowly opened her eyes. Sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains, dappling the room with its soft glow. In the pale blue vase before her, snow-white gardenias bloomed, vibrant and fresh, exuding a delicate fragrance.
In the bedroom, Emperor Yuanming lay there, his face ashen and pale. His eyes were open, and he was breathing slightly, like a living dead man.
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