Chapter 144· Extra 2
It was late at night, and Qi Zheng and a group of officials had been discussing disaster relief until the wee hours, making his head spin.
He dragged himself home exhausted. To avoid disturbing his wife, when he returned late, he would first go to the side room to wash up and change before going back to his room.
On a clear, sunny night, she might not be home. But on a gloomy, overcast night like today, she probably won't be wandering off.
Getting soaked in the rain and covered in mud is no fun.
Thinking of how he came back covered in mud after going out last time, Qi Zheng couldn't help but smile a little despite his tired face. He closed the door and went inside. The candlelight in the room was dim, but it didn't affect his vision.
The room was simply furnished, with a small couch and several wooden chests and wardrobes, mostly filled with pajamas and nightgowns, which were the couple's.
He opened the wardrobe and saw a row of neatly hung clothes, with some clothes lying around in a mess. Confirming that she was in the mansion, he quickly hung them up and reached for his belt.
"Your Highness has had a long day. Let me help you change your clothes." A soft, low voice suddenly came from behind.
Qi Zheng tensed instantly, took two steps back to the side, frowned deeply, and looked at the woman who had suddenly appeared.
She was dressed lightly, a thin red gauze dress covering her fair and graceful figure. In the dim candlelight, she possessed an alluring mystery that was different from that of daytime, like a fairy from the mountains, delicate and charming.
Qi Zheng's drowsy mind instantly cleared, his brows furrowed, and his dark pupils dilated as if trying to confirm something. After a while, he lowered his guard and hesitated, "Jin Jin?"
Song Jin's phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, her alluring gaze softening as she asked in a gentle voice, "Does Your Highness not recognize me?"
Once you see the look in someone's eyes, you know they're the real person.
However, Qi Zheng did not let go of his doubts; instead, he became even more nervous. He took two steps back, his body tense, and asked in a deep voice, "What's wrong with you?"
Something unusual must be going on.
Song Jin snorted lightly, then reached out and began to undress him with practiced ease, her tone sarcastic: "What else can I do? As the Crown Princess, I must relieve His Highness's worries, take good care of his health, and be a gentle and considerate wife..."
Qi Zheng was relieved to see her like this. After her robes fell off, leaving her only in her underpants, he picked her up by the waist and sat her on the small couch in the inner room.
Song Jin sat on his lap, one long leg wrapped around his waist, the other hooked around the small couch. Her hand casually stroked his strong shoulder, the muscles beneath her hand tense. Her large hand groped around his waist, and looking at his unchanging face, she let out a soft hum, her crimson-stained fingertips poking at his beating heart.
Hmph, what a hypocrite.
She wore only a thin gauze dress, barely concealing her figure, and as she sat down, the dress clung to her curves. She was anything but soft; every part of her was firm and strong, making one want to caress her.
With a gentle pull, the loose belt around her waist came undone, revealing her half-open dress. A thin red veil gently covered her face, making her even more dazzling against the bright red backdrop.
Qi Zheng grabbed the hand that was squeezing him, bit his fingertip lightly, and said in a hoarse voice, "In my eyes, the Crown Princess is very competent."
Song Jin shifted slightly to accommodate the person, then stepped forward and lightly bit her Adam's apple: "Really?"
He held her serpentine waist and nodded slightly: "Of course."
Song Jin let out a soft breath, grabbed his shoulder with one hand, and twirled his hair with the other, her fingertips tracing his hair as she looked on, her eyes sparkling: "They say I'm petty and jealous, that I wouldn't let anyone near me even during my pregnancy. Your Highness, aren't you really tempted?"
Qi Zheng frowned slightly, wanting to say something, but Yanran swayed gently in front of him, distracting his thoughts.
As the crown prince, this is truly inappropriate.
He said solemnly, "These people not only fail to share my burdens and solve my problems, but they also hope that I will indulge in beautiful women? Their intentions are utterly sinister."
As he spoke, he bit down hard on the equally ill-intentioned person in front of him, sucking and biting several times, his breathing becoming heavier. His large hand moved up his long legs, from his waist to his shoulder, and he bit him again.
“Is Your Highness a dog?” Song Jin complained, grabbing his hair. “Listen to me, you weren’t like this before.”
Qi Zheng said in a serious tone: "If your wife is virtuous, learn from her."
Song Jin gripped her tightly, her eyes closed, suppressing her breath, and complained, "It's all because of that Imperial Academician, that old geezer. He taught you for two days and you think you're his father? He keeps calling you unworthy, as if you need a hundred or eighty women in your harem to be considered a prince."
Qi Zheng frowned: "Never mind him, we'll change him next month. Supervisor Yuan is too old to change."
Song Jin snorted and grabbed his chest: "So I'm just supposed to take it all for nothing?"
Faced with such beauty, Qi Zheng instantly sobered up. What was bound to happen would happen eventually. He asked, "What did you do?"
A honey trap, a honey trap—without a scheme, where would the scheme come from?
Song Jin gently stroked her hands, tilted her head back, and lightly rubbed her rosy lips together, her tongue lightly touching the lips intermittently, sticky and sweet, yet unsatisfying.
The breathing in the room gradually intensified, accompanied by the soft splashing of water, and the sweet voice carried a hint of smugness.
“Isn’t he a very filial son? He certainly couldn’t bear to see his mother widowed for half her life. I’m a very kind and compassionate person. I originally wanted to send his mother a few young men to have some fun, but I thought she was too old to handle it, so I arranged a marriage for her instead. It was with an old gentleman from the martial arts world, strong and powerful. The old lady was very happy.”
Qi Zheng: "...Let's invite a royal physician for Supervisor Yuan tomorrow."
It would be a terrible thing to die of anger at such an old age.
Song Jin raised her phoenix eyes slightly, looking smug: "How could I not know this? I've already invited the doctor from the Beast Breeding Hall. The silver needles, as thick as a finger, are very effective."
Qi Zheng fell silent, wanting to say something, but soft lips had already sealed his lips, the sweet and savory taste blurring his thoughts.
He thought that the Crown Princess's consideration for her subordinates was indeed not wrong.
...
This is the third year of their marriage.
The little one that Song Jin had been longing for since childhood quietly arrived in the first year of her marriage. Perhaps fearing that the baby would be a handful after birth, the little one was incredibly well-behaved in the womb and easy to deliver, arriving in less than an hour and a half.
Let's hear what nickname Song Jin should come up with.
It implies obedience.
The young grandson was indeed obedient, rarely crying or making a fuss. At a young age, he learned to recite texts, mimicking his father's stern face. Even before he could walk steadily, he had already learned to recite texts.
Just like her mother had been years ago, Song Jin was filled with doubt: "Could someone have switched my child?"
That's impossible. They watched the child being born with their own eyes. His phoenix eyes are just like his mother's, and his features are like his father's. Even at such a young age, you can tell he will be handsome and imposing in the future.
At just over two years old, he leaned against the wall in a horse stance, and soon his forehead was covered in sweat. He gritted his teeth, his big phoenix eyes widened slightly, and to distract himself, he recited the Three Character Classic in a childish voice.
"Jade that is not carved cannot become a useful object..."
Song Jin stood opposite him with her arms crossed, tilting her head to examine her son. After looking him over, she stroked her chin and said, "He's definitely my son, but why doesn't he look like me at all?"
Even the best kids in the family have to memorize texts while practicing horse stance.
She said earnestly, "Listen to this, it's okay. If we can't get it right, we'll just rest for a bit."
Listen to her serious little face: "I, I can do it."
If it's agreed to be 15 minutes, then it must be 15 minutes.
The brave imperial grandson is not afraid of hardship.
Song Jin squatted there, continuing to watch over her son, listening to his babyish voice reciting his lessons. The thought that this kind of life would continue for several years made her feel bitter again.
She sighed, "Mother."
Niu Tielan sat to the side, looking at her little grandson with great joy: "It's good that he doesn't look like you."
Song Jin said resentfully, "Mother, whose mother are you?"
Niu Tielan: "I don't know, but it's probably not yours."
She glanced at the hourglass beside her, ticking away the sand. As soon as the time was up, she quickly went to take her adorable little grandson, gently wiping his sweat: "Alright, alright, time's up. Listen to how wonderful it was."
Listen to her rosy cheeks: "Grandma, listen to me do it myself."
As he spoke, he picked up a small handkerchief and began to wipe himself in a very serious manner.
While Niu Tielan liked him, she couldn't help but feel envious: "Song Jinjin, you're so lucky to have such a good child."
Song Jin glared at her: "Mother, do you think this is right?"
Niu Tielan chuckled: "Do you think there's a problem with this?"
Little Tingting, her face still wet and red from practicing the horse stance, said in her childish voice, "Tingting wants to listen too."
The mother and daughter both burst out laughing.
Song Jin looked at the little boy who was trying to wipe his sweat. After all, he was her own son. She went over, picked him up and held him in her arms. She took a towel and covered his head with it. After wiping away the sweat in a few strokes, she took him back to change his clothes.
Although there were wet nurses and maids at home, Song Jin still took care of the children herself most of the time.
The baby was too young, and she didn't trust anyone else.
...
The little one is young and spends most of his time sleeping.
Before he had even eaten a meal, he was already drowsy, his eyes were almost closed, and his little head kept nodding downwards.
Song Jin chuckled, told Niu Tielan, and then carried him back to the house to sleep.
After she became pregnant, Niu Tielan was worried and moved with her to the Prince of Qi's mansion, living in the next courtyard. They saw each other every day, played with the child together, just like before, but there were still some differences.
After becoming a mother, Song Jin was no longer as carefree as before, and she would often run outside.
She lay on her side on the bed, looking at the little boy sleeping soundly beside her. She took a palm-leaf fan and gently fanned him, then wiped the fine sweat from his head. She still looked very much like a mother.
However, after a short while, she got sleepy and fell asleep as soon as she closed her eyes.
When Niu Tielan came over to check on her as usual, Song Jin was sleeping sprawled out, taking up most of the bed by herself. Xiao Tingting had been squeezed into the innermost corner, curled up in a small ball, her head covered in sweat.
Niu Tielan carefully walked over, picked up the little one inside, and looked down to meet his dark eyes. She patted his head and said softly, "It's okay, go to sleep."
Song Jin then closed her eyes again, still feeling drowsy.
Niu Tielan shook her head, picked up the little guy and went outside. The little guy didn't open his eyes once the whole time, sleeping soundly.
Qu Maoze was sitting in the pavilion when he saw Niu Tielan carrying the child out alone. He laughed and said, "Why did you bring him out? There are too many mosquitoes outside."
Niu Tielan: "Make it a little more ventilated. Sooner or later, his mother will push him off the bed if he stays in the house."
That's what they say, but it's not really true. Song Jin always puts the baby on the inside, so at most the baby gets a little squeezed, but it's still quite a hardship for him.
The most precious grandson of the emperor, Dayan, suffered all the grievances from his own mother.
Qu Maoze took the child and held him in his arms, gently poking his soft face, and smiled: "How come this child is so well-behaved?"
Niu Tielan smiled and said, "This is what they call 'bad bamboo produces good shoots'."
Qu Maoze raised an eyebrow and said jokingly, "I've noticed that you've become much more critical of Jinjin ever since Tingting was born."
Niu Tielan looked at Tingting in his arms, snorted softly, and couldn't hide her frustration on her oval face: "You've never raised her, you don't understand."
In the past, Qu Maoze would have felt guilty about this topic, but after so many years, he is more at ease and can even joke back: "Do you think it was because you were inexperienced back then? If I had been there..."
He paused, his words brimming with confidence.
If he were taking care of the child, it certainly wouldn't be this difficult.
Niu Tielan chuckled softly, "Bringing an umbrella after the rain, that's what all fathers do."
The couple looked at each other, then both moved on from the topic.
Forget it, no matter how much I say, Song Jin won't shrink into a little brat.
...
Life continued in this way.
In the first few years after Song Jin became the Crown Princess, some people still tried to force their way into the Crown Prince's residence. However, after her own backyard caught fire and she herself got burned a few times, such incidents became much less frequent.
Of course, the most important thing is that Qi Zheng didn't mean it that way. If he hesitated or wavered even for a day, such days would never exist again.
Fortunately, it didn't happen.
Qi Zheng was a very responsible person. There were just too many things to deal with in the world. Although he couldn't manage everything, he would always try to sort things out when he encountered them. His daily life was filled with attending court, studying, spending time with his wife and children, and practicing martial arts.
Song Jin, on the other hand, seemed a bit bored. Studying was out of the question, and with her internal energy that allowed her to cheat, why would she bother with the daily grind of sword practice? She figured that was enough.
When she goes out to play, her parents, children, and husband are all in Yong'an City, so she can't go very far. At most, she can only wander around the vicinity of the capital. After a year or two, it gets a bit boring.
So, when Tingting was three years old, her second child was born.
He was still a little prince, with the nickname Yan Yan.
Compared to his older brother Tingting, Yan Yan was much more mischievous. He didn't like studying and preferred to jump around, which won Song Jin's heart.
After all, by this time, Tingting had reached the point where she had to go to the palace to study every day, and with Yan Yan, that mischievous little devil, she had something to play with.
This continued for two more years, and Song Jin became pregnant again.
She possessed profound inner strength, was in good health, experienced no adverse reactions during pregnancy, had a large group of people helping to take care of and raise the child, and, given that she did indeed have a claim to the throne, did not resist the fact that she was pregnant.
She was lonely in her past life, so she just wants to be more lively in this one.
Once she realized she was pregnant again, she patted her belly and made bets with others to guess the gender of the baby.
From her parents at home, to the Song brothers, to the old emperor in the palace, to her friends, and even those she held grudges against, everyone, whether rich or poor, placed bets, either willingly or unwillingly.
Half bet on girls, half bet on boys.
After October, with the twins, Song Jin, the housekeeper, won everything and will receive another bonus, making a fortune.
However, it was from this point on that the couple began to live the life of mature middle-aged people.
I'm not as reckless as before.
after all.
One son is equivalent to three or four grandsons.
Four sons are equivalent to twelve to sixteen grandsons.
If there are five children.
The room was dimly lit. Song Jin straightened her disheveled clothes, smoothed her hair, pointed to the bright moonlight outside the window, and said earnestly, "We're not young anymore, let's look at the moon more often."
His Highness the Crown Prince, in his early thirties: ...
Okay, as long as she's happy.
Life went on as usual, and Song Jin's path to becoming the Crown Princess remained uneventful, though it was far too long. So long that the day she became Empress, she began counting down the days until her retirement with the new Emperor.
"Ten years, eight years, seven years."
"Forget it, five years, at most five years before I abdicate, and then," Song Jin rested her chin on her hand, her eyes as bright and cunning as ever, "how about traveling the world?"
Qi Zheng's dark eyes were filled with her image, and he replied, "Okay."
[Author's Note]
Song Jin: (Deeply) This is the price of power.
Niu Tielan: ...
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