She couldn't leave the palace because Huan Yi Xiang could no longer bear children. She had also witnessed the emperor's suspicious and cold-hearted nature, and had long since given up on the matter of becoming Consort Zhi.
Rather than serving such a man and being sent to the back courtyard of Shou Kang Palace after his death, she'd rather find a handsome eunuch as her lover, at least he'd be devoted to her.
She didn't need to guess the other person's intentions word by word; instead, the other person tried every means to please her—young, beautiful, and with a pleasant voice!
*
Hall of Mental Cultivation
Big Fat Orange was busy approving basket after basket of folded papers, seemingly never getting tired.
Always so energetic, always so enthusiastic!
Especially the sound of Sun Miaoqing grinding ink was just as good as the music played by the best musicians in the palace. The more unhappy some people were, the more motivated he became.
Especially after seeing Nian Gengyao's memorial, he learned that since he ascended the throne, Nian Gengyao, as his retainer, had rendered meritorious service in supporting the emperor, and he had been richly rewarded.
From then on, Nian Gengyao began to show arrogance, becoming proud of his talents and achievements. Although he remained respectful in front of Nian Gengyao, he began to act domineeringly towards other officials.
However, these did not cross his bottom line. There are countless examples in history of discarding a bow after the birds are all gone. He was a wise ruler, and unless he could no longer tolerate it, he would not want to sever his relationship with Nian Gengyao.
In the past few months, Nian Gengyao's memorials were extremely respectful. Although he was far away in Qinghai, he was given the authority to act as he saw fit. No matter how big or small the matter was, he would always send a memorial to Nian Gengyao to explain the details or inquire about how to handle it.
The chubby orange felt completely at ease, thinking that Nian Gengyao was loyal to the emperor and the country, and knew how to fulfill his duties as a subject.
Since that's the case, Xia Yi's report to Nian Gengyao about his military campaigns in the Northwest, including the burning, killing, and looting of foreign tribes, and his previous acceptance of bribes, is merely a minor matter and does not affect the greater good.
As the land tax reform was implemented, many wealthy households became dissatisfied. They dared not openly defy the imperial decree, but they complained in private, which was exploited by those with ulterior motives.
Rumors circulated among the people that he had seized power illegitimately and was cruel and ungrateful. If Nian Gengyao knew what was good for him, he might as well let the world see whether he was truly cruel and ungrateful!
Just thinking about those rumors reminded Big Fat Orange of Prince Dun, and his mood soured considerably.
And then there are his two defeated rivals, the Eighth and Ninth Princes, who, even in this state, still curse him daily at the Imperial Clan Court.
Aren't they brothers deeply in love? He'll try his best to reunite the three of them as soon as possible!
Sun Miaoqing rubbed and rubbed, her wrists aching and throbbing, feeling extremely uncomfortable. She spent her days being waited on, her body idle and plump.
Grinding ink was already a very difficult task for her!
[You fat, smelly orange! You're already pregnant with Huanhuan, yet you still make me grind ink. It's made my hands, feet, back, everything hurts!]
[Wait, when you get back, send Hongzhou to the Hall of Mental Cultivation and let him piss on your throne!]
Not only will you make him pee on your throne, but you'll also make him pee on your bed, in your closet, and in your arms!
Big Fat Orange couldn't help but recall a day more than two months ago.
While he was handling state affairs in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Sun Miaoqing had someone send Hongzhou over, saying that Hongzhou missed his father, the Emperor, and that she had specially sent him over so that the father and son could cultivate their relationship.
Whenever Sun Miaoqin had something to do or was in a bad mood, she liked to send Hongzhou over to bother him.
She even had a reasoned argument, saying that she was a woman and that Hongzhou, as a prince, should be more influenced by his masculine energy.
Only then can one learn from his imperial father and become a true and upright man.
He's busy every day; where would he find the time to teach a child? Besides, the child is only three years old, not even old enough to start formal education yet. No matter how well he teaches, the child won't understand.
And he was always jumping around, making it hard to keep up. Except for the first two days when he had some patience, afterwards he always had people take Hongzhou to play in the backyard.
If even for a short while, the maids fail to keep an eye on things, or if they do, they are too late to stop it.
His wardrobe and chair were covered in urine from Hongzhou.
This kind of thing had happened before when he was at Prince Zhuang's residence, so he just thought it was because the children were unrestrained and ignorant.
The case is solved now. Hongzhou was just being a child, but someone did it on purpose. They deliberately tried to upset him!
What a terrible prince she's raised!
The chubby orange-haired girl asked casually, "Consort Cheng, how has Hongzhou been these days? Has he been sleeping well? Has he wet the bed?"
Sun Miaoqing wasn't surprised; it was only natural for a father to ask about his son's situation, so she replied without hesitation.
"The imperial physician said that Hongzhou's health has improved a lot, and he is not as easily awakened by noise as he was when he first entered the palace."
"As for bedwetting, of course it happens; sometimes I wet the bed three times a night."
The chubby orange cat frowned. "He's almost four years old, and he's still wetting the bed. How have you been taking care of him?"
“When other princes and princesses were three years old, their nannies would calculate the exact time to prevent them from being as unrestrained as Hongzhou.”
Sun Miaoqing looked at the big fat orange in surprise. Was it speaking human language?
[Has my chubby orange cat not been a father for too long? He's pointing at a three-year-old who wets the bed and even doubting my scientific parenting!]
This is a trumped-up charge; any excuse will do. What did I do to offend him that he's deliberately giving me the cold shoulder?
[Since that's the case, I'll come secretly when Hongzhou is older and healthier enough to get vaccinated. I won't let him know, and I won't let him benefit from it!]
Sun Miaoqing kept her eyes wide open and wouldn't blink. Soon, tears welled up in her eyes, and she began to cry, feeling wronged.
"Your Majesty feels that I have not taken good care of the Fifth Prince, but I ask myself that I have not done anything wrong. You may ask Hongzhou whether I am a good mother or not."
"And the wife of Prince Zhuang, you can also invite her into the palace to take a look. I'm sure she won't find anything wrong with her either."
"Can a three-year-old child's body be compared to an adult's? I don't restrict him, which is also for his health!"
While crying, Sun Miaoqing kept an eye on Da Pang Ju's expression. She saw that although he was unhappy, he was willing to endure it, and she suddenly felt that she was not far from mastering the art of controlling her husband.
When the time comes, if I publish a book, it will surely be regarded as a golden rule by 99% of women in the world.
Big Fat Orange's mind was filled with thoughts of vaccination. Good quality vaccines couldn't be produced in a short time, but vaccination was just around the corner.
The late emperor lost nine sons and two daughters in a single year during his early years, mostly due to smallpox. So much so that his eldest brother was later raised in the home of a courtier outside the palace, precisely to avoid smallpox!
Later, the late emperor used 30 eunuchs and palace maids to have the imperial physicians research and develop a method for treating smallpox. If successful, there would be no more worries about smallpox.
However, this method also has risks and is not entirely safe. Judging from Sun Miaoqing's words, the smallpox inoculation method she uses should be extremely safe.
Even someone as sickly as Hongzhou could withstand it.
Big Fat Orange thought, "What royal decorum? The ancestral rules are just like that. Let Hongzhou pee if he wants to. Anyway, when he's older, he'll be embarrassed on his own without anyone telling him."
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