Chapter 22 After Marriage
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang slowly opened her eyes; she seemed genuinely furious.
His eyes still held a lingering anger.
"Xinsa Ri, come here and sit next to your mother."
Jialuo nodded politely, stepped forward, and sat down beside Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.
At this moment, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang leaned lazily against the couch, waiting for Jialuo to sit down. Her hand naturally touched Jialuo's back.
"You are so obedient, coming to pay your respects to me every day and chatting with me for a while."
Jialuo smiled at her and said obediently, "Empress Mother, the weather is so nice today, and it's early, not too hot or too cold."
"How about we take a stroll in the Imperial Garden with Xin Sa Ri, and then have a hot pot meal in the side hall?"
When talking about the pot, his tone was clearly tinged with joy.
But Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang didn't speak; she only glanced at Jialuo.
Meanwhile, Sumala, who was standing nearby, advised, "Your Majesty, you haven't had breakfast yet. Why don't you go out for a stroll and have some snacks to tide you over?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Jialuo chimed in, "Why isn't Your Majesty having breakfast?"
She looked clearly surprised.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang sneered and tapped Jialuo's nose with her finger.
“You little devils are all shrewd and clever. You know perfectly well what's going on, but you're deliberately trying to provoke me.”
Jialuo felt utterly wronged. She looked at Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang with an innocent expression.
“I know that the Empress Dowager is in a bad mood, but I don’t want to know why she is unhappy. I just want to make her happy.”
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was clearly taken aback. Her original angry expression suddenly turned into a somewhat sentimental one, and then into a state of bewilderment.
"Your mouth, your mouth is really..."
She seemed to be at a loss for words, paused for a moment, and then said, "If Fulin had your mouth, that would be wonderful."
This was the first time Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang addressed the Emperor as Fulin in front of Jialuo.
At this moment, in front of Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, she was not referring to the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, but to her son whom she had raised, Fulin.
Jialuo raised her eyes, glanced at the woman's flat lips, and said in a gentle voice, "How can Your Majesty be like me? I am just glib-tongued, which is not a real skill. Your Majesty has the ability to shoulder the responsibility of the people of the world, and that is the real skill."
"Hmph, all the people under heaven."
The beads in Empress Xiaozhuang's hand rippled gently, but she was clearly no longer as calm as before. Even the way the beads tapped against each other sounded like a hint of anger.
"If Your Majesty is angry with me for the sake of the people, I am happy. Why bother getting angry?"
"The mighty Emperor of the Qing Dynasty actually unleashed his imperial wrath on me for the sake of a woman."
It turns out it was because of Dong E.
Jialu sighed inwardly; it was time to prove herself.
It's just a lubricant, nothing more.
"So that's why. New Salar thought it was something really big."
Jialu finished speaking in a seemingly casual manner, then narrowed her eyes slightly and held her breath to wait.
But then he heard the woman beside him say in an ambiguous tone, "Why are you putting on this act again?!"
Jialuo opened her eyes, turned around, and sat sideways on the couch, facing Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.
"Hehe, I thought the Empress Mother would definitely not be able to resist slapping Xinsari's annoying mouth."
"Since you dare to say that, there must be something more to tell me."
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's beads spun more and more smoothly, but her voice remained neither warm nor cold.
"If I were to hit you, you could at least report back to the Emperor."
These words were clearly a reminder to Jialuo that even though she didn't know what the Emperor and Jialuo had said that day, she still "knew" about Jialuo's little schemes.
Jialuo's heart tightened, but she dared not show it in her expression.
She pouted, twisted the embroidered handkerchief in her hand with her fingers, and her words even carried a hint of complaint.
"Your Majesty, as the Empress, if I don't express my feelings to my husband, am I supposed to stand against him?"
"You put it that way, but if Xinsa Ri really goes against the Emperor, wouldn't you be the one who's heartbroken?"
"oh?"
"What is there for me to be sad about?"
Jialu blinked, her beautiful eyes filled with seriousness as she spoke, "If I were to accidentally hurt His Majesty's feelings, wouldn't you be heartbroken?"
"I feel sorry for you?"
"If you can really hurt the Emperor's heart, I will truly admire you."
Jialu choked, unable to utter the words that were on the tip of her tongue, and simply looked at Xiaozhuang with her clear eyes in silence.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang initially remained expressionless, but beneath this "accusing" look, a flicker of emotion crossed her lips. Ultimately, she couldn't muster any more anger, and the beads in her hand stopped turning.
"Alright, alright, why are you looking like you've been bullied?"
"You're such a little devil."
"Speak, since you know about Dong Eshi and Fulin's affair, why do you think this is a trivial matter?"
"You should know that this Dong E clan woman is Bomubogor's wife."
Jialuo immediately dropped her aggrieved expression and said with a confident look, "I know, I also know that Bomubogor's mother is the son of the Imperial Noble Consort Yijing."
"This is also a daughter of our Borjigit."
“The sons born to women of our Borjigit clan will naturally be chosen by the most outstanding women.”
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's lips curled up slightly, seemingly amused by Jialuo's words, but there was no hint of amusement in her eyes.
“A woman who is already married but seduces her brothers who are fighting each other deserves to die.”
Jialuo knew that the word "damned" coming from Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was not a joke, nor was it just an adjective.
She truly wanted Dong Eshi dead.
I'm just afraid of hurting the bond between mother and son.
Jialuo did not agree with Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's words, and perhaps Dong Eshi did not want the two brothers to quarrel over her.
She is not very old, only fifteen or sixteen years old now.
Perhaps she has learned how to be a mother and a wife.
But they may not necessarily be able to figure out what kind of life they want or what kind of lover they want.
Furthermore, in the context of Han Confucian culture, one might be able to find reasons for a wife's infidelity.
But why can't the tradition of "brotherly succession" exist within the Manchu culture, which has a tradition of "womanly succession"?
Consort Yijing Namuzhong, the mother of Prince Xiang, also voluntarily submitted to the Later Jin and then married Huang Taiji.
If we have ancestors, why can't we have descendants?
In her opinion, she actually admired Dong E Shi quite a bit.
Daring to break with tradition.
But Gallo can't say that to outsiders.
She also lacked the ability to bring about revolutionary changes to a tradition that had lasted for thousands of years.
I fear that if she makes the slightest move, it will bring disaster upon her entire clan.
“Your Majesty, I don’t think it’s a big deal that the Emperor has taken a liking to Dong E.”
"At most, it's just that the Emperor and the wife of that Prince Xiang are in love."
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang snorted coldly and said, "You make it sound so simple."
"Things are actually quite simple."
Jialuo flicked the embroidered handkerchief in her hand and continued, "My mother once taught me that the relationship between the Emperor and the Empress is not like that of an ordinary couple."
“New Sari now feels that the relationship between the empress and the emperor is like both the ‘mutual respect as guests’ in Han Confucian culture and the ‘ruler and minister’ relationship in Han Confucian culture.”
"But the relationship between the emperor and his concubines has always been defined by the word 'concubine,' because the empress, as a 'subject,' always occupies the position of the superior."
“And those who are ‘concubines’ are those who are loved.”
"Those who love it are ultimately just playing with it."
"On the grasslands, Jialuo had also witnessed wives and concubines fighting each other to the death, with the wife ultimately dying and the concubine emerging victorious."
"But that's because my wife fell in love."
“The wife also loves her husband, but how can she treat him as a plaything?”
"There are indeed some strong and unruly women on the grasslands who can treat their husbands as playthings, but even if they do, how can they share their playthings with others?"
"So in the end, as long as the wife is moved, there will be a struggle between wives and concubines no matter what."
"But I will not allow this to happen."
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's expression was solemn, her eyes fixed on Jialuo's face, but Jialuo remained unmoved, waiting for her to finish speaking before quietly looking down at her palm.
She seemed to be turning the embroidered handkerchief in her hand over and over as if it were some novel trinket.
Why can't you?
"Is it because the Emperor doesn't meet your standards?"
"Or is it because you disdain fighting with the Dong E clan?"
How could Jialuo answer like that?
Is she tired of living?
She looked up and met Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's gaze once more, her eyes crinkling as she answered, word by word, "Because Xinsa Ri is your niece, Aunt."
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was taken aback, then suddenly burst into laughter, her hands trembling with laughter.
The beads in his hand trembled and made a crisp sound.
"Oh dear, I really envy my brother now. How did he manage to have such a wonderful daughter?"
Sumala smiled and said, as if offering a reminder.
"My lord, have you forgotten how reluctant the prince was when he learned that it was his youngest daughter who was to marry into the capital?"
Upon hearing this, Jialuo looked up at Sumala and noticed that Sumala's gaze had also shifted to her. Sumala nodded slightly at her, her eyes filled with a kind smile.
These words made Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang smile even more.
"Yes, she is now my daughter."
"Alright, if you put it that way, I won't let you suffer any injustice."
“If another concubine is taken, she will still be just another concubine.”
Jialu nodded, her expression full of agreement.
But she knew in her heart that the Empress Dowager had left unsaid. Dong E was a concubine, but she was afraid that the Emperor would disregard his reputation for Dong E and cause a "Bao Si disaster".
Jialuo pretended not to know, but now she pointed out the true feelings between Dong Eshi and the emperor.
However, it also points out the key point: Dong Eshi was a concubine, while Jialuo only wanted to secure the position of empress.
Even if Lady Dong'e entered the palace, it wouldn't cause any major disturbances in the harem.
This would put Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang at ease.
After all, the bond between Shunzhi and her as mother and son could not be damaged any further.
After speaking, Jialuo touched her lower abdomen, smiled shyly at Sumala, and said, "Good aunt, I want to eat the pine nut and lily pastry you made as a beginner, and also Sunni Efen white cake."
"Oh, this servant will make it right away. Just this morning, the imperial kitchen sent over a pot of fresh milk tea, which is being kept warm on the stove."
"It tastes just right with the two pastries that Her Majesty the Empress ordered."
After saying this, Sumala happily went out.
Jialuo then turned to Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and said, "Empress Mother, let's go to the side hall in the Imperial Garden."
"Have the palace maids open all the windows in the side hall to let in fresh air, and then burn incense so we can properly enjoy the scenery and have some snacks."
"After we've finished our snacks, it'll be lunchtime. I'll have Jade and Agate prepare the pots and pans, and then we'll invite the Emperor over. Our family hasn't had a meal together yet."
These words clearly struck a chord with Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, whose expression visibly relaxed as she smiled and said, "You really know how to eat."
Jialuo, understanding the implied meaning from the music, immediately instructed Emerald to prepare.
Then he sent Agate to deliver a message to the Emperor.
The Imperial Garden is beautiful, and the annex is warm and cozy, just the right temperature.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang noticed that it was almost time, but the Emperor was still nowhere to be seen.
She smiled as she watched Jialuo, who claimed she would personally cook the soup pot, but in reality, she was just standing by and directing the palace maids to cook the soup pot.
A playful thought crossed his mind, and he asked, "Aren't you afraid the Emperor won't come?"
Jialuo turned her head and glanced at the empty doorway, then looked back at the woman sitting on the couch in the distance.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang refused to be exposed to any trace of cooking. She even warned Jialuo that if any smoke or smell drifted near her when she was preparing soup, Jialuo would never be able to eat soup again.
At this moment, Empress Xiaozhuang seemed more down-to-earth in front of Jialuo.
"Your Majesty may not visit my Shou'an Palace, but he will certainly come to your Imperial Garden to enjoy the summer."
As soon as she finished speaking, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang shifted her gaze from Jialuo's face to what was behind her.
The eunuchs and palace maids in the courtyard all knelt down.
She turned her head and saw the young man striding towards her, but he only glanced at her before looking away.
It had been quite some time since Jialuo and he had last seen each other.
Knowing that he still didn't like her much, she bowed respectfully and then moved aside.
The view outside the window is lush and green, with shimmering lake water and leisurely fish swimming around.
She leaned against the window, feeling the gentle lake breeze, and was fed a sweet pastry by Agate.
It was very comfortable.
Except for those increasingly clear, annoying footsteps.
"You seem quite comfortable."
The boy's voice sounded beside her.
It was clear that the young man had a good talk with his mother, the Empress Dowager, and his tone was more relaxed.
Jialu couldn't help but tilt her head slightly and look up at the boy's face.
"how?"
The boy also withdrew his gaze from the distance and looked down at Jialuo.
Their eyes met, but surprisingly, they remained calm.
Jialuo wanted to see what the young man's expression was like when he was successful in both love and family.
But she couldn't say that the Emperor's face was not something she could joke about.
"Your Majesty, I am watching to see if you are satisfied with my loyalty."
Her tone was casual, as if she were saying the wind was a little chilly.
Fu Lin was surprisingly easygoing; he turned his gaze away first and looked up at the azure sky.
"I have never denied your intelligence, Borjigit."
"Yes, Your Majesty, you are a wise ruler who led the Qing Dynasty to a golden age. I thought so from the very first moment I saw you."
Jialuo gave a little flattery.
Sure enough, the boy pursed his lips slightly. Although he didn't smile, he was no longer indifferent, was he?
That would be perfect; everyone can live in peace, and no one will bother anyone else.
When the time came, the three of them sat down at the table. A pot of food was bubbling away, and there were also cold dishes served on the side. The combination of meat and vegetables was top-notch.
Jialu didn't know if the mother and son enjoyed the meal, but she certainly did.
He even took a couple of sips of fermented rice wine with great interest.
It seems that wine from the Qing Dynasty was not as pure or as spicy as modern wine.
"You seem to really enjoy eating."
After finishing his meal, Fu Lin said in a slightly disdainful tone.
"The best things in the world are nothing more than eating, drinking, and having fun."
"Eating takes the lead, which shows its importance."
Jialuo felt her face getting hot and swollen, and it was hard to rub, but she couldn't help but puff out her cheeks.
Fu Lin glanced at her, snorted, but said nothing.
Jialuo: "...?"
What an unpredictable and eccentric temper.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang smiled at the two of them and then silently glanced at Sumala beside her.
Sumala blinked and quietly retreated.
Before long, she personally brought over three cups of wine.
"This is wine that I brewed myself. Your Majesty, the Emperor, and the Empress, please have a taste."
A note from the author:
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Hehe! You didn't break your promise, did you?!
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