Re-examining the Crown Prince
Holding her tightly in his arms, Yinreng felt more at ease, and the arms around her back also made him feel calmer. The arms behind him continued to gently stroke his back, which was very comfortable. Yinreng liked this feeling and nuzzled the person in his arms again, tightening and relaxing his arms again, his chin resting on Shujia's neck, and rubbing it comfortably several times.
The candlelight in the room was warm. Even in the summer, the Crown Princess's quarters were well-preserved and heat-resistant. Yinreng's embrace was completely unaffected by the elements; everything happened so naturally. He held her, and she was his wife, legitimately so. He tilted his head and saw a snow-white, pink neck. Naturally, his mouth moved twice before pressing against it...
Yinreng should be able to take care of himself, at least... he can take off his clothes... Shujia thought with her hot head.
Outside, Hongxiu and Xiuniu, the maid assigned to the Crown Princess, listened for a moment. Then, glancing at each other, they noticed the other's cheeks flushed red. Their eyes met, then they both looked away. Normally, a cough would be a good way to break an awkward situation, but it wasn't appropriate at this moment.
Xiuniu thought to herself, "After all, I'm in the palace. I should be more mature." Blushing, she adjusted her composure by pursing her lips and winked at Hongxiu. Coincidentally, Hongxiu was thinking, "After all, I'm our master's confidant brought along as a dowry. I can't show my weakness in front of you." She also winked at Xiuniu.
Their eyes met, and they reached a consensus. They quietly retreated to the door connecting the side room to the main room. Xiuniu made a gesture, and the maids outside, seeing it, knew it was time for another day of rest and hurried to prepare their toiletries. Hongxiu and Xiuniu waited, their eyes watching their noses, their noses watching their hearts.
Newlyweds have to admit that the more cooperative they are in the bridal chamber, the happier they will be.
——The more people waiting outside, the harder it is.
When Shujia regained her composure, Yinreng was still lying in her arms, both of them sweating. Shujia was exhausted, and occasionally reached out to stroke Yinreng's head and back, and Yinreng rubbed her again with pleasure. After a while, Yinreng reluctantly moved halfway, still pressing half of his body against hers, enjoying the feeling.
Seeing him move, Shujia paused, a little hesitant... What should she do next? Ask him to smooth things over? Yinreng snorted twice in dissatisfaction. Shujia reflexively patted his back, and he stopped snorting again. Shujia suddenly felt a sense of absurdity—this guy looked like a large canine, like a golden retriever.
After stroking until his arms were sore, Yinreng lazily and kindly removed all his weight. Shujia thought, what's this? Putting the baby to sleep? He didn't put him to sleep!
Ugh~ I'm all sticky. Yesterday was the same... My face flushed. I was much more tired yesterday than today, so I just went to sleep. So what about now?
Yinreng grasped Shujia's hand, groping it finger by finger, then pulled it close to his face for a closer look. A pair of well-maintained hands, with fair, soft skin, long fingers, and neatly trimmed nails. Just like a human, soft and not sharp. He placed it on his lips and kissed it before calling for help.
Outside, everyone from Hongxiu and Xiuniu to the palace maids who boiled water and carried water breathed a sigh of relief.
Hongxiuxiuniu: Oh, it's a good thing that the prince stayed overnight in the master's room, but... sleeping in without cleaning up for two days in a row, this... doesn't have a good influence, right? Just one day will be fine, just one day, oh, hehehe~
Everyone: Oh my god, finally we don’t have to wait another night!
The water was quickly brought in, and Shujia looked around to see that it was all women. Well, that was the rule. It was said that eunuchs were not allowed to enter the mistress's room after dark. Anything else had to be handled by the palace maids.
The two of them put on their clothes and went downstairs. Yinreng looked calm and stretched out his right hand to grab his wife's hand, but then retracted it. A little embarrassed, he put his right fist under his lips and coughed: "Ahem, where is she?" Shujia still felt a little awkward. When Yinreng stretched out his hand, her ears felt hot. After seeing Yinreng's pretended calmness, the slight tension she had felt disappeared in an instant. This guy!
The water came, and the two of them washed separately, each with a group of people waiting on them. In this environment, students who want to take a bath together need to challenge their own cognitive limits.
Listening to the sound of water coming from not far away, Shujia scooped up a handful of water and splashed it on her face. Only then did she feel a little bit of reality. Hongxiu gently scrubbed her body with a loofah, still smiling, and frequently winked at Shujia: Well done! Shujia's mouth twitched.
Because there was another person bathing nearby, Shujia didn't dawdle. When she finished, Yinreng had just put on his clothes. The maids carried the tub out, and someone else came in to add ice and mop up the water stains on the floor. They were all well-trained, handling the tub with care, fearing to disturb their master.
The master had no time to bother with them. The Crown Prince casually pulled the Crown Princess's hand up, and the two of them entered the inner chamber together. Hongxiu and Xiuniu stepped forward together, each holding a door, and closed it behind them. The maids who were cleaning up glanced around for a moment, then lowered their heads and continued to clean up.
The room was quite cool, and the two of them sleeping together didn't feel crowded, and they could even cover themselves with a thin blanket to keep from sweating. Yinreng pretended not to care and pushed Shujia inward. Then, pulling the quilt over him, he hugged Shujia again from under it. Mm, that felt pretty good, and he rubbed her again.
He felt that being touched was quite comfortable, but he was too embarrassed to say to his wife directly: "Well, can you touch me again?" His wife was a lady from a wealthy family, and it was a pleasant surprise that they were in harmony during the bridal chamber. Would he be sneered at if he made such an impolite request now?
Shujia was nudged several times by him, thinking he was about to say something. What should she say now? Or... wait for him to speak. She used some friendly gestures to encourage him to speak first. With her left arm held, she leaned slightly to the side and reached out her right arm to pat Yinreng's arm, which was holding hers. Surprisingly, she became obedient.
Well, could he be suffering from the legendary "skin hunger syndrome"? [1] Children who lack affection from childhood usually have this problem. As a six-year-old who moved out to live on his own at the age of kindergarten graduation, it seems quite normal for him to have this problem.
Shujia's hand continued to move over the mountains and ridges, touching Yinreng's back. He became more obedient. His eyes were closed, and his mouth moved twice, uttering two vague syllables comfortably - he really looks like a canine!
After caressing each other intermittently, the two fell into a deep sleep.
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The newlyweds slept soundly, and the older couple also enjoyed a good time. Today, it was Tong Jia who was called, and she was ready to go in the afternoon. As dusk fell, Kangxi finished reviewing the memorials and chatted with Tong Jia, his words naturally showing his concern for his new daughter-in-law.
Tong Jia smiled and said, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, and your wonderful son and wife."
Kangxi looked at her and asked, "What do you mean?"
Tong Jia simply said, "Our Crown Prince is a good wife, needless to say. The Crown Princess is also a good wife. This morning, we arrived at Ningshou Palace together. From a distance and up close, they look like a perfect match. The Crown Princess is truly delightful. Everyone in the room smiles when they see her." This was the truth. Who would give the Crown Princess a bad look? Concubine Hui was even trying to show affection, "She is also very good at needlework. I even got two of hers."
As for the First Lady's slip of the tongue, there was no mention of it. Since she had a good impression of the Crown Princess, it was understandable that she would say a few good things on her behalf. But there was no need to complain about the First Lady on her behalf, right? They would be around, and if word got to Kangxi, wouldn't the eldest prince bear a grudge against him if the First Lady didn't get what she wanted?
Besides, gossiping about other people's private affairs like this would leave the emperor with the impression that she was a gossiper, which was definitely not worth it. Gossiping was definitely not a good reputation.
Kangxi was very happy and thought that the family was harmonious. How wonderful!
Once I was in a good mood, the night went particularly smoothly.
The other couple, who were somewhere between a newlywed couple and an old married couple, were not so harmonious.
The eldest prince was far from being in the best of moods today. Even though he had bowed to his sister-in-law, a small gesture, it still rubbed salt into his wounds. Fortunately, the Crown Princess was considerate and polite to him, which helped to brighten his mood a bit.
After the family reunion, the eighth brother followed him to Concubine Hui, which made him feel a little better. After all, he still had a brother with him, right?
Arriving at Concubine Hui's residence, the Eighth Prince accompanied him to pay his respects to Concubine Hui. Concubine Hui accepted the greetings and sent the Eighth Prince and his mother to speak.
Yinsi was surprised. Was he allowed in so quickly? It wasn't that Huifei would make it difficult for them to meet, but rather that Huifei was devoted to him. To show that she was still very responsible as Yinsi's guardian in the harem, she would usually go on for a while and talk about how the food was, how the accommodation was, whether the eunuchs were honest, and so on and so forth.
Today, anything out of the ordinary is a demon. Taking the opportunity to leave, Yinsi took a closer look at Concubine Hui, but didn't notice anything particularly unusual. However, as he left, he seemed to catch a glimpse of a figure behind the curtain between the main and secondary rooms, a piece of white heel from a flowerpot visible on the ground.
There weren't many people in the palace who were qualified to dress like this. Considering what happened today, Yinsi thought to himself: Is this my sister-in-law? Could she be... going to say something about the Crown Princess?
The thought flashed through her mind, and she ran to ask his biological mother. Concubine Wei sighed, "It's just like that," and then she recounted everything that had happened today. She hadn't interacted with her son as much as Concubine Hui, and her position wasn't high, so she couldn't put on a motherly air and lecture him. She could only gently remind him, "The eldest prince and his wife aren't very smart."
Yinsi understood, but felt a little bitter. Who told him to be raised under Concubine Hui's name? This eldest brother really wasn't that good. He had thought his eldest sister-in-law would be better, and she wasn't bad at all, but now that a Crown Princess had come along, she was completely thrown into disarray. Tsk tsk, the eldest brother... couldn't be trusted! He had to make some plans for himself.
Concubine Hui called out the eldest wife and briefly told Yinzhi what happened in Ningshou Palace. Yinzhi asked, "Did the Crown Princess lose her composure?"
Concubine Hui's eyebrows jumped. "The Crown Princess didn't lose her composure, but your wife did. What are you two thinking?" Judging from Yinzhi's expression, he probably thought what the First Lady said was right. Concubine Hui wanted to hit him, "Get your mind right! And how can you say that in front of so many people? You don't even know the time to speak!"
Yinzhi suddenly realized: "Yes, yes, when the sisters-in-law are chatting..."
Concubine Hui held her forehead and said, "Don't meddle in women's affairs! You don't understand! The most important thing is for you to do your job well." She couldn't help but add, "The most important thing is for me to hold my grandson quickly."
The couple took the order and left.
Yinzhi's sense of urgency intensified, and he naturally despised Yinreng's behavior. Perhaps because he had been raised outside the palace, he had seen that having a child before marrying into the family was considered a disrespect for the first wife. Therefore, he restrained himself, taking care not to embarrass his wife by having illegitimate children. Later, political reasons arose, and he desperately wanted his wife to bear a son first. Seeing that the crown prince and his illegitimate sons were born, and he had married a wife, while he continued to have daughters, he inevitably felt a sense of panic.
The eldest wife was also anxious. Four daughters! When they first got married, the eldest prince treated her very well, and she had always been the only one giving birth. For this reason alone, no matter what the reason, the eldest wife was very grateful to the eldest prince and was even more willing to give everything for him. After the Crown Princess married, the eldest wife still felt a little superior - she had never encountered such an embarrassing situation as becoming a mother right after entering the family.
But what about her return to the eldest prince? Not yet, the eldest wife has faded. Their married life, a routine and mission-oriented one, has a bitter taste.
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Summer days are long, and dawns come early. Yinreng wakes up. He's holding someone in his arms. Reminiscing, the Crown Prince feels a bit embarrassed. Well, maybe she won't remember my incompetence yesterday, right? Being held, patted, and touched by his wife, he even rubs against her...
Yinreng: =囗=
He glanced at his wife and saw her smiling naively at him. There are those who, in everything they do, carry an air of 'it's only right'. Yinreng himself was like that, though he had grown up after yesterday's experience and hadn't experienced it again. His upbringing had taught him that this was a bit unseemly, and he felt embarrassed.
Now, being looked at by that gaze that said, "Isn't what you're doing normal? You don't have to be so weird!" The Crown Prince's "I do whatever I want" little emperor temper flared up. That's just how it is! Between husband and wife, "there's more to it than drawing eyebrows." With a raised eyebrow, Yinreng felt confident.
While they were getting ready, Eunuch Cui suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He kowtowed to his two masters and then stood up to report their itinerary for the day: "The Crown Prince, you're on marriage leave. The Crown Princess, you want to see someone."
On this day, Shujia, as the Crown Princess, was to receive congratulations from some ladies of high rank. Compared to the Empress, the scope of congratulations was smaller and the time was slightly different.
The congratulations took place in Yuqing Palace. After all, the Crown Prince was on marriage leave and not working. So his office was requisitioned, and the Crown Princess temporarily received congratulations from a small group in Dunben Hall. Those in attendance included wives and wives of close imperial clan members, but the only women of high rank who were under Yinreng's name, including assistant commanders and women from the bannermen who held imperial decrees (limited to second rank and above).
Yinreng was standing there with his hands outstretched, waiting to be dressed, and he scolded the young eunuch, "Stupid thing, you can't even do this." Shujia looked over and saw that they were putting on his accessories, the purse on his belt, and he had so many things tied to it that they had somehow become tangled. The young eunuch was so frightened that he broke into a sweat, and the more he tried, the more tangled he became.
Shujia was sitting there, having her hair combed by Hongxiu. It was done, but she hadn't put on her hairpin yet. She waved her hand and personally stepped forward to untie it for her: "You can go down." She bent down and touched her belt, checking each detail. Yinreng's lips curled up as he asked Eunuch Cui: "Who are the people coming?"
Eunuch Cui opened the book and read the names one by one. Halfway through, Shujia had already finished packing Yinreng. Yinreng held her shoulders and sat down. "You don't have to listen. You can't remember everything now. When they come over, they will call out the names again. It's easier to remember them by face. I've listened, and there's nothing difficult in this."
Of course, the majority were Yinreng's "servants," and they were expected to be respectful to their mistress. The rest were members of the imperial clan, not many elders, and even relatives like the Xinjun Prince, who were not very distant from the emperor's family, had their say and were there to help him.
Yinreng seemed to enjoy this kind of fiddling, and he began drawing lines on his wife's face. Today, his technique was more refined, and the process took even less time. When he finished, he pouted, as if regretting not being able to continue pinching her chin.
Shujia smiled and said, "Alright, we have some important things to do later, so we should go and pay our respects to the Empress Dowager."
Yinreng was startled: "Oh, I almost forgot, there is this one."
After the explanation, Shujia realized that even Kangxi did not formally visit the Empress Dowager every day, and Yinreng was even less free than Kangxi.
A look at the father and son's schedule reveals a jam-packed schedule! After waking up early, the emperor would attend court meetings (the crown prince spent his childhood studying), then meet with various officials (the crown prince also studied), a process that would continue until late at night. Furthermore, the emperor would strive to expand his family (the crown prince practiced horseback riding and archery, and continued to study at night).
If the emperor wanted to pay his respects to the Grand Empress Dowager or the Empress Dowager, this would have to be recorded, so it was indeed a solemn and difficult matter. However, the concubines in the palace had this as part of their daily routine.
Shujia was quite puzzled: "How come I ran into you eight out of ten times I went to the palace before?"
Yinreng coughed and said, "What a coincidence."
No one had arrived yet from the Empress Dowager's residence; the Crown Prince and his wife were the first to arrive. The old lady smiled broadly, "Seeing you right after waking up, today must be a good day. Did you sleep well last night? Why don't you sleep a little longer?" She then offered tea and snacks.
Yinreng and Du Shujia both liked the old lady and chatted with her. Yinreng also asked, "Did you sleep well last night? Were you hot?"
Talking to her was a breeze, no need to decipher her subtext. The pleasant conversation lasted for a quarter of an hour, until Eunuch Lu, the chief steward of Ningshou Palace, bowed and stepped forward. "Master, the ladies of the various palaces and the First Lady have come to pay their respects to you. The Crown Princess will also be receiving congratulations today."
The Empress Dowager nodded repeatedly and said, "I understand, I understand. They are here, just say hello to them and go back."
When they met again, it was natural for both of them to be friendly. The concubines would give the Crown Prince some space and avoid looking at each other, but... from the sound of it, the Crown Prince seemed to be in a good mood!
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The Crown Princess was receiving congratulations in Dunben Palace, while the Crown Prince was staying in his Yuqing Palace (the palace where the Crown Prince lived was named Yuqing Palace, which was used by everyone to refer to the entire complex of buildings where the Crown Prince lived), listening to the news from the front from time to time.
The meeting was very friendly and harmonious.
First of all, there are many acquaintances here, such as those from the Duoduo clan. However, in the past, it was Shujia who greeted the elders, but now it is the wives and ladies who greet the young masters.
Secondly, a large number of them were directly under Yinreng, and they came here out of respect for the "Crown Princess". These people were very friendly - the Crown Prince had strict rules and a straightforward personality. He had to be nice to his wife.
Finally, among the clan members who weren't familiar with him, there were a few who weren't too friendly. For example, Borjigit, the wife of Prince An Marhun, smiled, but wasn't close, which was truly puzzling! However, such people were a minority after all, and didn't dare show disrespect.
Shujia took a quick glance and knew what she was talking about. She sat upright, looking quite presentable. Many of these women were experienced socialites with years of experience. Despite their social status, many were just as capable of handling affairs as the concubines in the harem. Shujia prepared herself to handle the situation.
Pay attention to different treatments. Even if you are kind, the eyes of those who are more familiar with you should be warm. Let them feel that she is closer to them and more willing to listen to them.
For those who are not very close to her, she must show kindness - kindness that comes from the heart. Being kind to others is definitely Shujia's current principle in life. She still has a miserable future to deal with and does not have the ability to bring herself into trouble again.
As for Yinreng, well, now considered a vassal under her name, she had to behave in a manner befitting a Crown Princess, yet also be approachable and not act arrogant. Yinreng's wet nurse was also present, though of lower status and ranked lower. Shujia greeted her with a smile when she entered, even glancing at her twice.
First he bowed according to etiquette, then he stood up and took a seat and talked for a while.
Dong E's wife was a bit more familiar with him, and her words hinted at a certain 'we already had a relationship with the Crown Princess'. She would say, "Last time at my house, the Crown Princess mentioned that she wanted to raise a small opera troupe."
Borjigit of the Malhun family smiled with a forced smile: "There really is such a thing? We didn't know about it. We haven't even raised one yet. If we get one, we'll have one more thing to take care of. It's really annoying. If you want to hear it, just go outside and yell. Who the hell does he have the guts to not come?"
Shujia asked with a smile, "I heard that when the Eighth Prince and the princess from the mansion got engaged last time, they also hired a team from outside? It seems that they are not bad."
Time flew by with the conversation and laughter. For a first meeting, there wasn't much to be said for testing the waters. It was simply a matter of gauging each other's attitudes, determining which ones were more hostile and which were less so. It was summer, and everyone was wearing a lot of clothes, making it difficult to socialize for extended periods.
Everyone looked at the Crown Princess at face value: she had good manners, spoke well, wasn't arrogant, and was kind to everyone, which was enough. Shujia, on the other hand, sat firmly on the throne from beginning to end, leaving a deep impression on everyone—she was a person of dignity.
That's enough.
Everyone left. Shujia also instructed: "Help the old ladies, it's hot outside, don't let them get sunburned." Okay, as a superior, such behavior is not annoying.
Everyone stepped back, and Shujia went to the back to change her clothes. After wearing this complicated set of clothes, she could basically take a break. Passing by Yuqing Palace, she was stopped by Yinreng: "How is it?"
Shujia smiled and said, "It's pretty good."
Yinreng: Yes, if she says it’s good, then it’s good. If it’s not good, then it must be someone else.
Shujia said, "I'll go change my clothes. It's so hot in the middle of summer." Yinreng was holding a book in his hand. "Here's the 'Elements of Geometry' I told you about yesterday," he said, showing the cover. "Come and see."
"Really? I'll be there in a minute."
It's rare that Kangxi even taught his son science, and it was Western-style! The Aisin-Gioro family had a complete collection of everything Matteo Ricci brought! And what alien planet did that idiot who asked if there was a dry road to England come from?!
Shujia went home and changed into a cheongsam, embroidered with grapes—the grapes were so numerous that they were even used on the new bride's clothes. She wore her hair in a bun, with a few jade hairpins and a velvet lotus flower in the center. She finally removed her three pairs of earrings and wore gourd-shaped earrings instead. She looked fresh and clean.
Yinreng was very good at math, but he probably didn't discuss math with others very often. So, he was very happy to meet someone he could talk to about anything. He pulled Shujia to do some geometry problems together.
To explain the Crown Prince's excitement, it's worth noting that many court officials these days struggle with math, let alone geometry. Kangxi, on the other hand, demanded well-rounded development for his sons (even letting them learn swimming!), making his highbrow and unpopular a subject, a source of loneliness. The Crown Princess wasn't the type to nod along; she understood! The Crown Prince couldn't help but feel relieved.
Shujia was also quite pleased. The prince was not a jerk, which was beyond her expectations. This man had a wide range of interests and hobbies, and his grades were all good. Even with a critical eye, one could only conclude that he was a good prince. He was also open to Western affairs: "As long as the Westerners follow Matteo Ricci's rules, they can come!"
Damn! Matteo Ricci knew about it, but what on earth are Matteo Ricci rules?! I've never even heard of them, okay?
Seeing that she didn't know, Yinreng explained with rare patience, "Westerners believe in different things from us, and some of them are quite disrespectful to their ancestors. Matteo Ricci set a few rules for them, just a few... Khan Ama also meant the same thing. As long as they behave themselves, our Celestial Empire will tolerate them. I also think their things are quite useful. The self-ringing clocks and pocket watches were obtained by them, and they are all very practical..."
Shujia mentally gave him a middle finger. He knew more about the West than I did. I had never heard of the term "Matteo Ricci's rules" before! I only knew that he had some Sinicization skills and that he translated the first six volumes of Geometry's Elements!
I can’t swim yet!
Shujia felt a little short of breath.
Girl, don't feel inferior. You are better than him in some ways, for example, you have taken care of the Yuqing Palace.
The author has something to say: [1] Skin hunger syndrome, that’s just my guess… Interested students can go and check it out. This condition mostly occurs in children. It can also occur a little in adolescence and menopause…
[2] Matteo Ricci’s Rules were a compromise measure adopted by Matteo Ricci in order to spread Christianity in China. Those who are interested can search for it on Baidu.
Did Jinjiang smoke it? Try again!
Thanks for pointing out the problem with cats and dogs. I've fixed it. Also, there's a bug with the syllables. Laughing...
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