96 096
“I will treat them as they treat me.”
The first three days when the emperor and his ministers first arrived at the Western Garden were a period of rest.
When Qingyang came to Xiyuan as a child, she preferred to stick with her father and ministers to feast and enjoy the scenery, or play with her third brother Zhang Su, Meng Yao, Yan Zhenzhen and other playmates. Now that she has grown up, she spends nine days every ten days dealing with her father and officials from the Ministry of Personnel. When she has this kind of free time, Qingyang likes to spend more time with her mother and the imperial concubine, and chooses only the early morning and evening to go to the grassland for horseback riding to her heart's content.
On the evening of the third day of the sixth lunar month, Qingyang returned from a horse race and saw several children playing in the distance on the grasslands not far from the palace. They were none other than his three older siblings. The tallest was his nephew Fu Ming, who was ten years old this year. Next was his niece Fu Xi, who was also seven. His nephew Zheng Ge'er, who had truly grown up under Qingyang's watch, was only four years old. The youngest was his second brother's niece Ying'er, who had just celebrated her first birthday.
The three older ones were running and making noises. Ying'er couldn't keep up with them because of her short legs, but she still staggered and persevered in chasing them. Even if her brothers and sisters ignored her, the little one was very happy running by herself.
In these children, Qingyang seemed to see his brothers and sisters when they were young.
She dismounted and walked towards the little ones with a smile.
The first person to see the little princess was Fu Ming. The child inherited his father Fu Kui's dark skin and physique, and grew up to be very strong. Seeing the little princess coming towards them, Fu Ming shouted "female monster" and took the lead to run towards the lake in the north. Fu Xi thought that this was his brother's new idea of hiding from monsters, and followed excitedly. Although Zheng Ge'er also wanted to follow, he grew up in the East Palace after all, and knew the hierarchy at a young age. Looking at his little aunt, Zheng Ge'er stopped after running a few steps.
When Qingyang was a child, he used to ride on his father, three royal brothers, and even Yuan Chongli, Zhang Su and others as horses. His nephew really just made up the identity of a "female monster" for her out of play, and Qingyang didn't take it seriously at all. But Fu Ming was already ten years old, and Qingyang could see the disgust that Fu Ming was not good at concealing in his eyes when he called her a female monster.
Whether as a princess or as an aunt, this is something Qingyang cannot tolerate.
"Huai Zhong, Huai An, go and bring Fu Ming back." Qingyang looked at the Fan brothers behind Jie Yu.
The emperor's father was still worried about her riding alone. The eldest and second brothers had already started families with wives and children to take care of, so it was inconvenient for them to accompany their younger sister. The third brother had not yet gotten married, but his riding skills were not as good as hers, and if he came, he would only become a burden to her.
Her former companion Zhang Su was already an adult and too handsome. If he stayed with her alone, gossip would easily spread. If the marriage was not granted, she should observe the etiquette for one more day. So her father chose Fan Zhong and his two sons to accompany her. Although they were young, they were strong, had superb horsemanship and majestic looks, which hardly reminded people of romance.
"yes!"
The Fan brothers immediately split up and chased after the ten-year-old naughty boy. Like a tiger pouncing on a sheep, they soon blocked Fu Ming. Trying to persuade Fu Ming to pay his respects to the little princess didn't work, so Fan Huaizhong had to grab Fu Ming's wrist. Fu Ming lowered his head and was about to bite him, but Fan Huaizhong let go of his hand in time, then suddenly picked up Fu Ming and carried him on his shoulders, striding towards the little princess.
Fu Ming patted his back and flapped his legs, yelling, "Put me down! My mother is the eldest princess, and she, a little princess, can't control me!"
Fan Huaizhong thought, the eldest princess is the eldest princess, and you are just the eldest princess's son. As a junior, you have to listen to your elders.
Amidst Fu Ming's cursing and calling for his mother to save him, Fan Huaizhong suddenly put Fu Ming down, clasped his hands on his shoulders, and made him face the little princess.
Although the little princess did not show any anger on her face, Zheng Ge'er, who had been with the little princess, was so frightened by the momentum of his aunt sending people to capture his cousin that he dared not move.
There was a felt mat brought by the wet nurses. Qingyang sat on it and calmly asked Fu Ming, who was glaring at her, "Why are you calling me a monster?"
At another time, Fu Ming might have cleverly argued that he was just playing around, but he was hurt and humiliated by Fan Huaizhong's grab. And the one who really humiliated him was the little princess. How could a ten-year-old child maintain his sanity? The angrier he got, the more he spoke without restraint. He glared at the little princess and said, "You're a woman, but you insist on being an official. What are you if not a monster?"
Qingyang lowered his eyes.
Fu Xi came closer with a nervous look on his face. Seeing that his brother was actually insulting his aunt, he said anxiously, "Brother, what are you talking about? Mother also wants to be an official. Is she also a female monster?"
Fu Ming: "Shut up, you idiot! The reason why my mother can't become an official is because she only thinks about herself and refuses to help her."
If his mother had become an official, he would naturally not scold the little princess like this. But not only did his mother not become an official, she was also unable to enter the palace to visit her uncle the prince for several days in a row. This was all the little princess's fault!
"Insulting your elders is inappropriate. Since you are young, I will only punish you with a slap on the face."
Ignoring Fu Ming's shock, Qingyang signaled Jie Yu to take action.
Xie Yu stepped forward and gave Fu Ming a slap in the face, neither too hard nor too light.
Qingyang then asked Fu Ming's attendants to send his nephew to the eldest princess to explain the whole story.
The attendant of the Grand Princess's Mansion took away the young man who was still cursing and the young lady who was crying in fear with a complicated look on her face.
The only ones left by Qingyang's side are his pale-faced nephew Zheng'er and his ignorant niece Ying'er.
Qingyang asked the wet nurse to take Ying'er away, and asked his nephew alone: "Fu Ming said that I shouldn't serve as an official in the court. Does Zhengge'er think the same as him?"
Zheng Ge'er first lowered his head and then shook his head.
Qingyang touched the boy's head, and when he looked up, Qingyang changed the question: "Does Zhengge still like his aunt?"
She and Fu Ming were only five years apart in age. One lived in the palace and the other lived outside. They only saw each other a few times a year and had almost no affection for each other except for their blood relationship. Qingyang didn't care too much whether Fu Ming liked her or resented her, but Zheng'er was different. This was her little nephew whom she would run to Chongyuan Palace to tease every time after school. It was also her little nephew who made her worry and unable to sleep because of his illness.
"Does Zheng Ge'er miss his aunt?", "Does Zheng Ge'er like his aunt?" In previous years, when Qingyang asked this question, Zheng Ge'er, who was two or three years old, would nod without hesitation, and even throw himself into his aunt's arms with a smile. But this time, Zheng Ge'er first looked to the side, and then nodded nervously.
The four-year-old boy no longer showed any affection for his aunt on his face. All that was left was the worry that his aunt would find out that he was lying.
Qingyang thought that if she asked Zhang Su if he wanted to be her consort, and Zhang Su showed this expression, Qingyang would probably never have any personal relationship with him again. But Zheng'er was only four years old, and Qingyang didn't want to change her expression immediately and scare the child, nor did she want to let her eldest brother and sister-in-law know and trigger more wild speculation.
So, Qingyang pretended to believe it, hugged Zheng Ge'er with a smile, and let Zheng Ge'er go to play with Ying'er.
Mounting his horse again, Qingyang said to the Fan brothers, "Once the Grand Princess learns of this, she might come after you. You should be smart in your words and deal with it. But if the Grand Princess insists on punishing you, you don't have to suffer in vain. Just come to me and I will take care of it for you."
Fan Huaizhong said with a smile: "Your Highness, just rest assured. We brothers are tough and sturdy. It won't hurt to take a couple of lashes to calm the princess down."
Qingyang: "You dare to accept the punishment without any fault. I will never use you again in the future, so that others will not think that I, Princess Qingyang, am weak and incompetent, who can only use people but not protect them."
Fan Huaizhong immediately stopped smiling and promised his brother that he would follow the princess's instructions.
The four of them separated outside Xijing Gate.
After returning to his palace, Qingyang asked Jieyu, "Tell me, why doesn't Zhengge like me anymore?"
Was it because her entry into the court indirectly caused her eldest brother to fall ill, or was it because her eldest sister was scolded by the emperor for seeking an official position, coupled with Fu Ming's intentional or unintentional instigation, that made Zheng Ge'er also regard her as a bad aunt?
Xie Yu was silent for a moment, then looked at the little princess whose eyes were filled with loss and said, "One cannot judge a child's mind with common sense. I am more concerned about how long Your Highness will be sad about this. If it's just a day or two, that's human nature. But if it lasts much longer, Your Highness, please take care of your own health and don't worry about a child."
Even siblings from the same mother may become alienated due to conflicts of interest after they have their own families and careers, let alone aunts, nephews, uncles and nieces?
However, although this statement is very true, it seems to be intended to instigate the princes, so Xie Yu cannot say it directly.
The image of Fu Ming's disgusted face appeared in front of Qingyang again.
She smiled and said, "I will treat them the same way they treat me. There is no need to feel sad."
After all, what difference did they make between nephews and nieces? If they treated her like an elder, Qingyang would respond with care and affection. If they were distant or fearful of her, Qingyang would not actively approach them. If they insulted or hated her, don't blame Qingyang for giving them the lesson they deserved.
Zheng Ge'er is indeed different, but it can only make her feel disappointed for a while.
Qingyang wanted to know what was going on in Zheng Ge'er's little head.
.
Not long after returning from Qingyang, Zheng Ge'er also returned to the palace where he lived with his father, mother and concubine in panic. It was almost time for dinner, and Qin Hong and Lu Wenrong sat side by side in the main hall chatting.
"Mother!" Zheng Ge'er cried and threw himself into his mother's arms.
Lü Wenrong was shocked and anxious. She checked her son and then looked at the wet nurse who had arrived. "What happened?"
The wet nurse was panicked and knelt on the ground to tell the whole story, because it was Fu Ming who was beaten and he didn't need her help to cover up the fault.
Upon hearing this, Qin Hong ordered the wet nurse to leave, slammed the teacup in his hand onto the table, and said angrily, "Someone must be gossiping around Ming'er. He's usually spoiled and lawless, and how dare he insult my sister in person!"
Lü Wenrong was afraid that her husband would have another headache because of the eldest princess, so she said impartially, "It's definitely not what my eldest sister said. Although my eldest sister was disappointed that she couldn't enter the court, she never blamed my younger sister. Xi'er's words can also prove it."
Qin Hong understood that there were few men in the world who did not regard the princess's visit to the court as a ridiculous joke. As long as there were a few gossipy servants around Fu Ming who thought so, Fu Ming would join in the fun.
"I'll go find my eldest sister and ask her to investigate the people in her house." Qin Hong said as he stood up.
Lu Wenrong quickly advised, "It's almost dark. Your Highness should rest for a night. Perhaps the eldest sister is also very angry and has already started investigating. If Your Highness goes now, wouldn't it be questioning the eldest sister's management skills?"
Qin Hong was finally persuaded, but he still went out to comfort his aggrieved sister who lived in the palace next door.
After her husband left, Lü Wenrong took her son to the side room, wet a handkerchief and wiped his tear-stained face. After coaxing him softly, Lü Wenrong thought of the question the little princess had specifically asked her son. Out of uneasiness, Lü Wenrong asked it again.
Zheng Ge'er lowered his head.
Lu Wenrong's blood ran cold instantly. She was worried that her son might be influenced by Fu Ming or even the eldest princess, but she was also puzzled. She hugged her son and said, "Zheng'er, tell me the truth. Why don't you like your aunt anymore?"
She coaxed him for a long time before Zheng Ge'er muffled his words and said, "Because my aunt went to study at Chongwen Pavilion when she was three years old, and my grandfather wanted me to go there too when I was three years old. I don't want to sit in the lecture hall for so long."
Lu Wenrong: "...Grandfather loves you so much and hopes that you will be as smart as your aunt."
Zheng Ge'er: "But I'm not as smart as my aunt. My great grandfather said that my aunt could recite half of a Thousand Characters Essay when she was three years old, but I could never memorize it. My great grandfather didn't ask me to go over later. He must think I'm stupid."
Lu Wenrong felt sorry for her son and explained, "Little Aunt is a genius, one who only appears once every hundred years. Most of us aren't as smart as her, but this isn't Little Aunt's fault, nor is it our fault. Even Grandfather didn't force you to memorize it. Zheng'er shouldn't be angry with Little Aunt for this. Remember that?"
Zheng Ge'er remembered it, but still defended himself: "But if there was no little aunt, the eldest aunt would not have come to ask father for help, and father would not have fallen ill."
The color completely drained from Lu Wenrong's face.
【Author’s words】
I woke up this morning with a fever gone, feeling okay, so I wrote one chapter. I'll see how things go this afternoon, and I'll let you know if I can post a second chapter in the evening.
100 red envelopes, [three-color cat head]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com