Chapter 79 (None)
Emperor Yuanming's sudden rage caught Jiang Ling completely off guard, leaving her momentarily stunned. However, she quickly recovered, remembering that he was the emperor, the Son of Heaven.
All living beings under heaven are his servants, and must obey him, respect him, and follow his will.
In Emperor Yuanming's heart, his son was of unparalleled nobility, second only to him.
Even outside the imperial family, according to the rules established and passed down by the scholar-officials, male members of the family were superior to all women. The husband was the head of the household, and women in the inner quarters were responsible for raising the children. Regardless of who bore them, they had to obey their husbands' commands.
Otherwise, it would be considered "jealousy," one of the "seven grounds for divorce," which would disrupt the continuation of the family bloodline and is an unforgivable crime!
Emperor Yuanming's accusations sounded mild, but having been emperor for so long, the sense of superiority and aloofness that comes with being the supreme ruler had long been ingrained in his very being.
Jiang Ling couldn't accept it, which was also the root of her deep-seated disgust for him.
The fourth prince is almost a year old, and he doesn't even have a nickname yet. Jiang Ling is unwilling to invest much emotion in him, and he has never mentioned his biological father, Emperor Yuanming.
His concern for his children, like the lustful desires of a eunuch in the imperial harem, was both comical and pathetic.
"Where have I wronged you? You've only gotten more and more demanding!"
The more Emperor Yuanming thought about it, the more aggrieved and angry he became. He paced back and forth in the room, his face turning as red as a pig's liver, and his hand trembled with anger as he pointed at Jiang Ling.
"I have enclosed most of Kunning Palace, and Fanying Pavilion is reserved for you alone. You enjoy unparalleled honor. Who can compare to you? The Fourth Prince was raised under your care, and the Third Prince also has some support. Although he is not born from your womb, do you think he will dare to be unfilial to you in the future? You are not happy about having another person to take care of you. You are truly a foolish woman, utterly stupid!"
Finally, Emperor Yuanming spun around and stopped in front of Jiang Ling, saying sternly, "I am the emperor. If you do not obey, you will be disobeying my imperial decree!"
Jiang Ling gripped the armrests of the armchair tightly, struggling to control herself, the veins on the back of her hands bulging. Though she remained silent, her eyes blazed with fire as she coldly stared back, showing no sign of backing down.
"What? You dare to defy me? You've really gone too far!"
Emperor Yuanming was so enraged by Jiang Ling's reaction that he nearly fell backward. He jumped up, waving his arms wildly and roaring, "Fine, fine, fine! I'll grant your wish! Since you're unwilling to raise them, I'll take the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince with me, leaving you all alone and miserable!"
Jiang Ling never expected Emperor Yuanming to be so shameless. She stood up with a livid face, but Emperor Yuanming had already strode out and shouted, "Huang Liang, take the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince back to the Chuigong Hall!"
Huang Liang hung his head and reluctantly agreed. He glanced at Jiang Ling standing there, his mind racing, and quickly said, "Have Wen Juan and Yun Hui, the wet nurses, pack up the Third Prince and Fourth Prince's personal clothes and food."
Jiang Ling was about to resist, but when she saw Huang Liang, her anger subsided.
Although Emperor Yuanming was utterly incompetent, he did not have many children. The third and fourth princes were not in danger because they were in his hands.
He had a great time, but as a father who had ensured the continuation of his bloodline, he was still extremely dissatisfied.
There's no such thing as a given in this world. Since that's the case, let him experience the hardships of raising a child!
Jiang Ling sneered, then leisurely sat down in the armchair, watching Emperor Yuanming direct Huang Liang and the others as they busied themselves.
The fourth prince had just fallen asleep when Yun Hui picked him up from his cradle. He immediately burst into tears with his eyes closed. Yunxia, Wu, and Hu, the wet nurses, all rushed to comfort him, but the fourth prince, feeling uncomfortable, wouldn't listen and continued to cry.
The third prince was mischievous and playful. With familiar people like Aruo Wenjuan around, he thought he was going out to play and happily strode out with his short legs.
He ran incredibly fast, his body leaning to one side, which made Emperor Yuanming's heart leap into his throat. He quickly said, "Stop him! Be careful he doesn't fall!"
Normally, Wenjuan and Aruo only protected the Third Prince, letting him run around freely on flat ground. Although he would occasionally fall, with them by his side, he would at most scrape his skin.
Emperor Yuanming issued the decree, and no one dared to disobey. Zishan clutched the Third Prince's personal belongings and cups, but Wenjuan and A'ruo stepped forward to stop him: "Third Prince, don't run away."
"No, no!" The Third Prince, who was running excitedly, suddenly stomped his feet and shouted, twisting his fat body and struggling to get out.
"Pick him up!"
The fourth prince cried and screamed incessantly, and the third prince screamed incessantly. Just as they stepped out of Fanying Pavilion, Emperor Yuanming's head began to throb slightly.
Wenjuan squatted down to hug the Third Prince, but he was strong and she didn't dare to use her strength, so she couldn't hold on tightly. The Third Prince slipped away from her arms like an eel and ran forward without looking up.
The bluestone floor of the passageway was smooth, and there were brick walls on both sides. Wenjuan was afraid that the Third Prince would bump his head, so she and Aruo quickly caught up.
In the blink of an eye, the Third Prince collapsed to the ground with a thud. Hearing the noise, they turned pale with fright and rushed forward, one on each side, carefully helping the Third Prince to his feet under his armpits.
The third prince initially showed no reaction, but after a moment, he burst into tears. Emperor Yuanming's heart tightened, and he strode forward, anxiously asking, "How could you be so careless? Where did you fall?"
Jiang Ling had taught Wen Juan and Aruo before. The Third Prince had only fallen to the ground. The two of them gently touched his arms and legs and breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that only his knees were scraped.
Emperor Yuanming looked the third prince up and down, and seeing his knee, he felt relieved. Seeing the third prince crying and calling for his mother, he sternly said, "It's just a few scrapes. What's a man's fear of bleeding? You are my son; you must have manly spirit. Stop crying!"
While scolding the Third Prince, he bent down to hug him himself. The Third Prince was crying so hard that he refused to be hugged by Emperor Yuanming. He raised his arm and waved it wildly, his fingernails scratching Emperor Yuanming's face, leaving a clear red mark.
Emperor Yuanming was enraged and forcibly pulled the third prince into his arms. The prince cried even louder, twisting his body and calling for his mother. Unable to break free, the prince swiftly reached out and scratched at Emperor Yuanming's face.
Now Emperor Yuanming's face became quite a sight; his sideburns were torn and disheveled, and a bloody scratch appeared on his forehead.
"You damned brat, you've really gone too far! I'll teach you a lesson today!" Emperor Yuanming winced in pain, fearing that the Third Prince would catch him again, and quickly put him down.
The third prince cried and ran forward. This time, he went in the opposite direction, heading back to Fanying Pavilion.
Wenjuan and Aruo felt sorry for him, worried that the Third Prince would hurt himself by crying, and afraid that he would fall. As before, they tied their hands to protect him.
On the other side, the Fourth Prince was crying so hard he almost passed out. Yun Hui patted his back and said anxiously, "Huang Daban, it's hard to soothe the Fourth Prince once he starts crying. If he keeps crying like this, how will his throat take it?"
Huang Liang was also anxious. He approached Emperor Yuanming with trepidation and said, "Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince was woken up from his sleep earlier. I'm afraid he was frightened. Children who are frightened will cry incessantly at night. The Fourth Prince is weak. Your Majesty, please let the Fourth Prince sleep peacefully."
The two men could barely speak, so Emperor Yuanming couldn't punish them even if he wanted to. His expression kept changing, his dignity completely gone, yet he couldn't bring himself to be ruthless, causing both of his young sons to fall ill.
"It's all Jiang's fault for spoiling her son; a doting mother often spoils her child!"
Emperor Yuanming was furious. He reluctantly cursed and could only grit his teeth and send the two back to Fanying Pavilion.
He initially turned and went back to the Chuigong Hall, but then, unwilling to give up, he turned around and followed them towards the Fanying Pavilion.
He wanted to see what Jiang Ling was capable of that could stop the two of them from crying!
Jiang Ling, finally finding some peace and quiet, happily returned to this place, lay down on the couch, and prepared to get a good night's sleep.
No sooner had she closed her eyes than Qingtan rushed in to report, "Your Majesty, the Third Prince has returned crying!"
Jiang Ling sat up with a start, asking in a daze, "How long have I been asleep?"
"Her Majesty has just lain down," Qingtan replied.
Jiang Ling cursed, grabbed his outer robe and put it on, then shuffled out in his shoes, asking, "What exactly happened?"
“This servant doesn’t know either, the Fourth Prince was crying too,” Qingtan said.
Jiang Ling rubbed her temples, stepped out of the house, and saw the Third Prince, his chubby face flushed from crying, staggering as he ran out from behind the screen wall. She quickly went down the steps, crossed the courtyard, and went to greet him, asking, "What happened? Why are you crying so sadly?"
"Mother!" The Third Prince threw himself into Jiang Ling's arms, crying out repeatedly.
"Alright, alright, your mother is here, stop crying." Jiang Ling hugged the Third Prince, took out a handkerchief to wipe his face, and gently coaxed him.
The third prince, lifting his leg, sobbed, "It hurts, it hurts."
Jiang Ling glanced over and Wen Juan stepped forward, saying, "Your Majesty, the Third Prince has fallen and injured his knee."
Jiang Ling guessed that the Third Prince wasn't seriously injured since he could still run. She pulled up his trouser leg and saw that he only had a scrape and a bruise.
Even so, Jiang Ling still felt sorry for her, "Mother, blow on it."
The Third Prince lifted his left leg with effort, and Jiang Ling gently blew on it. After she finished, the Third Prince lowered his leg with satisfaction and then lifted his right leg for her to blow on.
After blowing the whistles all over the place, the Third Prince finally stopped crying. He yawned and started rubbing his eyes.
Seeing that he was tired, Jiang Ling picked him up and prepared to go back to the house. Yun Hui, carrying the Fourth Prince, also came over. Hearing his heart-wrenching cries, she stepped forward, frowned, and asked, "What exactly happened?"
"Your Highness, the Fourth Prince didn't sleep well, and I can't coax him to sleep," Yun Hui said hurriedly.
“He was picked up while he was asleep, so he was probably frightened.” Jiang Ling frowned and said, “Go back to the room quickly and put him in a familiar place. Don’t let strangers come in and disturb him.”
Yun Hui hurriedly took the Fourth Prince back to the room, while Jiang Ling pretended not to see Emperor Yuanming standing there and carried the sleepy Third Prince back to the side room.
After coaxing the Third Prince to sleep, Jiang Ling noticed that the Fourth Prince was still crying. Unable to put his mind at ease, Jiang Ling went to check on him in the side room.
Emperor Yuanming sat in the main room with a gloomy expression. Jiang Ling lifted the curtain and came out. He raised his eyelids to look at him, but then lowered them again uncomfortably.
Jiang Ling didn't have time to pay attention to him and hurriedly went to the side room. Yun Hui, Yun Xia and others surrounded the rocking horse, coaxing it until their mouths were dry. The fourth prince still kept his eyes closed and cried incessantly.
"Has she ever breastfed?" Jiang Ling asked.
“I fed him, but the Fourth Prince only ate two bites and then refused to eat anymore,” said Wu, the wet nurse, with a worried expression.
Jiang Ling stepped forward, bent down, and touched the Fourth Prince's forehead, feeling only a slight warmth. She breathed a sigh of relief, picked him up, and walked around the room, gently coaxing him.
Whether it was from crying himself to exhaustion or from Jiang Ling's coaxing, the Fourth Prince's sobbing finally subsided, and he drifted off to sleep, sobbing softly.
Jiang Ling was overjoyed and put the fourth prince back in the cradle. Just as he was about to get up, he found that his sleeve was being tightly gripped by the prince's little hand.
After finally coaxing him to sleep, Jiang Ling, afraid of waking him, held his little hand, gently patted him, and carefully pulled out his clothes.
After all that commotion, it was well past lunchtime. Jiang Ling was exhausted and hungry, while Emperor Yuanming ate most of his lunch in the main hall.
With a loud "boom," anger surged to her head. Jiang Ling clenched her fists, preventing herself from overturning the table. She really didn't want to see his face, so she immediately turned and went to the front hall.
Emperor Yuanming caught a glimpse of Jiang Ling's angry departure out of the corner of his eye, and his expression darkened as well. He took a few bites, then threw down his chopsticks, rinsed his mouth, and drank some tea. Finally, unable to control himself, he got up and followed Jiang Ling to the front hall.
Jiang Ling had just eaten half a bowl of rice when she saw Emperor Yuanming enter. She immediately lost her appetite and forcefully stabbed the head of the steamed fish off with her chopsticks.
"I am the Emperor." Emperor Yuanming, unable to save face, put his hands behind his back and said sternly.
Jiang Ling suddenly raised his eyes and glared fiercely at Emperor Yuanming. Emperor Yuanming hesitated, his arrogance immediately diminishing. He coughed lightly, "I am magnanimous and forgiving; I will not hold your treason against you this time."
"Thank you so much for Your Majesty's great mercy!" Jiang Ling replied sarcastically.
Emperor Yuanming's face darkened. He pointed at the prince's forehead and said, "If I were to be scratched by the court officials, the Third Prince would be considered unfilial. As the Third Prince's mother, you have failed in your duty to raise your son. What punishment should you receive?"
"If a child is not taught properly, it is the father's fault. But if you fail to teach your child properly, you can't blame me for it no matter what," Jiang Ling retorted quickly.
Emperor Yuanming was speechless. He stiffened his neck and said, "From now on, you must properly educate and raise the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, and you must not spoil them..."
"I won't raise it!" Jiang Ling refused outright.
"Nonsense!" Emperor Yuanming's face fell, and the words of rebuke circled on the tip of his tongue before he swallowed them back down.
Emperor Yuanming was well aware of her meticulous care for the Third and Fourth Princes. Regardless of whether they were her own sons, even if she favored the Third Prince, she never mistreated the Fourth Prince. Although the infants were too young to understand, their dependence on her was genuine.
It was perfectly reasonable and logical for Consort Zhao to raise the Fourth Prince. Emperor Yuanming's immediate rejection of the idea also demonstrated his trust in her. No other concubine in the harem could inspire the same level of confidence as having her care for the prince.
Emperor Yuanming's tone softened, and he said, "If you place the Fourth Prince under your wing, you will need to put in some effort. I will not treat you unfairly."
Jiang Ling sneered upon hearing this, cursing inwardly, "You dog, who cares about your 'not mistreating'? How do you intend to 'not mistreat' me? By making me Empress Dowager?"
Emperor Yuanming saw Jiang Ling's reaction and knew at a glance that she was cursing again.
At that moment, Emperor Yuanming suddenly froze, as if struck by a sudden realization.
He hadn't heard her thoughts for quite some time!
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