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"I don't want to learn needlework."
In the first few years after Emperor Xingwu ascended the throne, he would spend the night in Concubine Li's Xianfu Palace, but gradually he began to summon Concubine Li to the Qianyuan Palace.
In fact, according to Emperor Xingwu's wishes, Concubine Li should have lived with him in Qianyuan Palace all the time, but Concubine Li was unwilling to do so. She would rather wait for Emperor Xingwu to send someone to summon her every day. If Emperor Xingwu was busy and forgot, or was too lazy to bother her due to bad weather, or when Concubine Li had her period, Concubine Li could live in Xianfu Palace with peace of mind.
That night, Concubine Li came to Qianyuan Palace to accompany the emperor.
During the meal, Concubine Li felt that the emperor seemed to be in a bad mood. He did not touch the wine on the table and did not pick up the dishes very frequently.
How can an emperor who is in charge of so many state affairs not have enough to eat?
Concubine Li took the initiative to help the emperor pick up the dishes, and the dishes she picked up were all the emperor's favorites.
This action seems very ordinary, but it was seldom done by Concubine Li, because Emperor Xingwu had a poor appetite and it was not often because of anger that he lost his appetite. When he was angry, Concubine Li would be very afraid of him and would not even dare to look at him for another second.
Emperor Xingwu enjoyed Concubine Li's initiative and ate the food cooperatively. As they ate, they started chatting: "Have you seen Lin'er today?"
Concubine Li: "No, she has classes all day today. She was busy in the morning, and she must be tired after the martial arts class in the afternoon."
Emperor Xingwu thought of what Mr. Wu said, saying that his daughter had lost her temper while practicing archery. Because this was too unusual for his daughter, Mr. Wu was a little worried.
Emperor Xingwu thought about it and felt that he was the only one in the palace who could make his daughter unhappy and have to suppress her feelings, because the badge he gave to his daughter had expired.
Although Zhang Su had already comforted his daughter, Emperor Xingwu was still worried about this matter. He said to Concubine Li, "Tomorrow is the eighteenth day. In the past, she would have gone to the front court. Now that the waist badge can't be used, Lin'er might not be used to having an entire afternoon free. You should find a way to keep her company."
Concubine Li agreed. Lin'er was still her daughter, and she wanted her daughter to be happy more than Emperor Xingwu did.
As for how to help her daughter pass the extra time, Concubine Li was already prepared!
.
"Sister, why don't you accompany us to continue our martial arts class this afternoon?"
Near noon, on the way from Chongwen Pavilion to the bedroom, Qin Ren expressed his concern for his sister and said that his sister did not hit the target with an arrow yesterday afternoon, and Qin Ren did not think about the golden waist medal. Today was different, and his sister's depression was written on her face again. Qin Ren could of course guess what his sister was thinking.
Qingyang shook her head with little interest. Thirteen martial arts classes in ten days were enough for her, but she had not yet decided what to do with the extra three afternoons.
Qin Ren looked at Zhang Su who was walking behind him.
Zhang Su avoided the Third Prince's sight. The little princess had her own ideas and he could not help her with this matter.
After turning a corner, Qin Ren's Chengming Palace was next to them, but the first person the three of them saw was Concubine Li standing in front of the gate of Jiuhua Palace further east.
Qingyang asked in surprise: "Mother?"
Concubine Li stood there with a smile on her face, and raised her voice slightly, "Mother misses you. I know you've been studying hard, and I don't want you to travel all the way to my place anymore. So, let me come here to find you instead."
With such a gentle and beautiful mother, Qingyang temporarily put aside his unhappiness and happily ran over to hug his mother, with his face resting on her shoulder.
Concubine Li rubbed her daughter's head, smiled at Zhang Su, and prepared to take her daughter in.
Qin Ren: "...Mother, what about me?"
He lives so close to his sister, doesn't mother want to invite him over to have dinner together?
Concubine Li: "You and Su Ge'er can eat, and then have a rest early. Don't be lazy in the afternoon martial arts class."
After saying this, she didn't look at her son again. The mother and daughter talked and laughed as they entered Jiuhua Palace.
Qin Ren sighed and said to Zhang Su, "Now that I'm still living in the palace, Mother still doesn't care about me. When I leave the palace next year, Mother might not even remember that she has a son."
Zhang Su: "...Your Highness can come to the palace often to pay respects to the Empress."
Qin Ren: "Of course I will. Even if Mother doesn't miss me, I still have my sister. Sigh, my sister cried when my second brother left the palace. When we leave, my sister will definitely cry even harder."
Zhang Su was silent.
Over at the Jiuhua Palace next door, Concubine Li was dining with her daughter while they chatted about a dance she had recently learned. Ever since the Emperor knew she loved dancing, he had arranged for a female official from the Yichun Pavilion, who specialized in teaching dancing, to teach her. Since the Imperial Concubine also enjoyed watching her dance, Concubine Li readily accepted the opportunity to learn.
Qingyang: “I want to see it.”
Concubine Li smiled and said, "I'll dance for you after we have a rest."
Qingyang asked Qinfang to take people to move the tables, chairs and screens in the inner room to the side in advance so that his mother would not be unable to move freely.
After resting for two quarters of an hour, Qingyang sat on the bed and watched his mother humming a tune while dancing for a long time. The tune was beautiful and his mother's dancing was even more moving. After watching the whole dance, Qingyang felt that he was still not satisfied, but he was reluctant to let his mother dance again for fear of tiring her out.
The autumn weather was cool, and Concubine Li did not sweat. She lay down on the bed and prepared to take a rest with her daughter.
The little princess soon fell asleep beside her mother.
After sleeping for about half an hour, Qingyang was awakened by the sound of his mother getting up, so he asked Qinfang to bring people in to serve him.
Concubine Li dressed up first and sat beside Qinfang to watch her daughter combing her hair. Since her daughter didn't need to move, Concubine Li took out her handkerchief and handed it to her daughter to see.
The silk handkerchief has a light yellow background, embroidered with peonies and two lively butterflies.
Concubine Li said softly, "This was given to me by Meng Yao. Look how well she embroidered it."
Qingyang nodded in appreciation. Because of mourning, Meng Yao spent most of her time in the Imperial Concubine's Changchun Palace after entering the palace. The Imperial Concubine hired several female teachers to teach her in turn, including one who specialized in teaching needlework.
Qingyang once secretly asked Meng Yao if she really wanted to learn. Meng Yao said that she didn't like musical instruments or calligraphy, and she felt that she couldn't go out for the past two years, so it would be good to learn something to pass the time. Needlework was Meng Yao's favorite because she often watched her mother make clothes, shoes and socks for her father, so when she sewed, she would feel a sense of peace as if her mother was by her side.
Meng Yao often gave her handkerchiefs.
Concubine Li: "Does Lin'er want to learn?"
Qingyang looked at his mother in confusion.
Concubine Li smiled and said, "Girls, you still have to learn needlework. Your elder sister and the famous ladies in the capital all started learning when they were seven or eight years old. You studied hard before, and your mother never found a chance to talk to you."
Qingyang understood her mother's true intention in coming this time. She wasn't happy, but she knew her mother cared about her, so she simply asked earnestly, "Why do girls have to learn needlework?"
Concubine Li explained, "Because women always have to marry, and once married, they have to take care of household chores. The clothes of the whole family, young and old, are made by the daughter-in-law. If a daughter-in-law can't sew well, she will be ridiculed by her in-laws. Of course, this is the daughter-in-law of ordinary people. Ladies of noble families and princesses like you can all afford embroiderers, but needlework is also a woman's virtue, just like playing the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. Having more talents is always a good thing."
Qingyang put down the handkerchief in his hand and said to his mother, "I learn the four arts of music, chess, calligraphy and painting because these four arts can improve one's character and I enjoy learning them. As for needlework, I have no interest in it at all and don't want to learn it."
Concubine Li coaxed her daughter: "If you don't want to learn now, wait until you are older and have a favorite prince consort. If you can embroider, you can occasionally embroider a handkerchief or make clothes for him. It will be a token of affection. He will definitely be very happy to receive it, just like the first time I made clothes for your father, he couldn't wait to put them on. He smiled like a king."
Qingyang could sense the sweetness of her mother's reminiscing, but she still found it ridiculous: "Father likes Mother, so if Mother gives him clothes, Father will like it. If Mother doesn't give him clothes but gives him a book, Father will like it just the same. When I have a husband, if I want to make him happy, there are countless ways. Why do I have to make clothes for him myself?"
Concubine Li finally realized that her daughter really didn't want to learn needlework.
"Okay, okay, if you don't want to learn, then don't learn. Mother mentioned this to make you happy. If Lin'er doesn't like it, then forget it." Concubine Li put away the handkerchief Meng Yao gave her in time, and looked at her daughter with some caution.
Qingyang: “…”
After Qinfang finished combing her hair, Qingyang hugged his mother and comforted her softly, "I know this is for my own good. Don't worry, I'm fine. It's okay if I don't go to the front court to play."
Concubine Li felt like crying: "Really? Lin'er, don't blame me. If it were any other situation, I would have begged your father to allow you. But you are old enough. The former dynasty is really not a place for a princess to go."
Qingyang smiled and said, "I know. My mother is here. I will draw your portrait. The master praised me for my recent progress."
Concubine Li was dragged by her daughter to choose a place.
Qingyang spent the entire afternoon drawing a simple picture for his mother. The little princess was not satisfied with the finished picture, but Concubine Li praised it endlessly.
Qingyang: "Please wait, mother. When I have learned enough, I will give you a better portrait. I am sure you will like it more than a few clothes."
What's so rare about needlework? Does the royal family need embroiderers?
After sitting for a while, Concubine Li left with the painting, and was taken away by the eunuch sent by Qianyuan Palace halfway.
When she arrived before Emperor Xingwu, Concubine Li could no longer conceal her disappointment and said with her head lowered, "Lin'er doesn't like learning needlework. If I weren't her mother, and another nanny tried to persuade her to learn, she would definitely have been scolded by Lin'er."
Emperor Xingwu looked at his daughter's childish painting, which was not something he could draw. He reached out and pulled Concubine Li onto his lap, hugging her and coaxing her, "If you don't want to learn, then don't learn. My princess, there's no point in learning that anyway."
Concubine Li complained, "It's all the emperor's fault. If the emperor hadn't spoiled Lin'er when she was a child, she wouldn't have developed the habit of going to the former court."
Emperor Xingwu, who was complained to his face by Concubine Li for the first time, said: "..."
Because there was an early court session the next day, Emperor Xingwu did not bully Concubine Li too harshly that night. At noon the next day, he walked out of the tent alone and went to the central hall.
Unexpectedly, his daughter, who always came early to have breakfast with him on court days, was late today.
Emperor Xingwu asked He Yuanjing to leave first while he read the memorials and waited for his daughter.
A quarter of an hour before the court session, He Yuanjing came in and said to the emperor who was looking behind him, "Your Majesty, I sent someone to Jiuhua Palace to check, and the little princess hasn't woken up yet."
Emperor Xingwu frowned. Did his daughter really not want to come, or did she think that after the golden badge expired, he, as her father, would no longer allow her to eavesdrop on court meetings?
It can't be the former. If it's the latter, how aggrieved would my daughter be?
Emperor Xingwu felt distressed just thinking about it and gave He Yuanjing a few instructions.
Not long after, the little princess, who was sulking in her bed, was woken up by Jie Yu: "Your Highness, the Emperor said he had to go to court first, and asked you to come as soon as you wake up. The Emperor also said that he hadn't had breakfast because he was waiting for Your Highness, and asked Your Highness not to be late again."
Qingyang was stunned for a moment, then he stuffed the gold badge in his hand under the pillow and got up.
【Author’s words】
Here I come, 100 little red envelopes, see you tomorrow~
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