Chapter 164 I Can't Sleep Without You By My Side
The Jiaqing Emperor called out to her again, "Did I say you could leave?"
Yun Si turned around: "Does Your Majesty have any further instructions?"
"I heard that the Crown Prince didn't attend the morning court session this morning because of you?"
To demand an explanation?
From this perspective, not treating his leg was the best decision ever.
The cold poison had just been cleared away when it started causing trouble again.
"Return to Your Majesty."
Yun Si suppressed her inner irritation, lowered her eyes, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Your Highness is diligent in government affairs and devotes yourself to them. On one occasion, you missed the morning court session because you were concerned about my wife's health. I suppose you considered that there was no urgent matter that caused the delay."
"Your Majesty, I am filled with trepidation. If Your Majesty has any doubts about Your Highness because of such a trivial matter, it is truly my fault."
"Eloquent and silver-tongued!"
Emperor Jiaqing's face darkened, and he said coldly, "You are quite good at sophistry. As the Crown Princess, you should constantly advise the Crown Prince to prioritize national affairs, rather than indulging him and letting him waste his time on romantic love."
"Your Majesty is right."
Yun Si was too lazy to say anything more to him.
Let whatever he says be true.
Don't argue with fools.
Seeing that her attitude was relatively respectful, Emperor Jiaqing's expression softened a little.
"Xu Yin".
However, in order to demonstrate his imperial authority and express his dissatisfaction with the crown prince's "negligence," Emperor Jiaqing immediately issued an order.
"Send all the new memorials that have arrived today to the Hall of Diligent Governance so that the Crown Prince may review them carefully and without error!"
Eunuch Xu quickly replied, "Yes, sir!"
As the mountain of memorials on his desk was cleared away in an instant, Emperor Jiaqing suddenly felt... this feeling wasn't so bad.
Having others share the administrative tasks makes things much easier for me, as I only need to talk.
A thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
If I had passed this burden to the Crown Prince sooner, perhaps I could have...
The thought flashed through his mind, making his heart skip a beat.
No.
Now is not the time.
At least, we should wait until Yun Si's child is safely delivered and we can find out whether it's a boy or a girl before making any decisions.
Yun Si watched Emperor Jiaqing's ever-changing expression and sneered inwardly.
This old emperor, on the one hand, feared his son, but on the other hand, wanted to enjoy the benefits his son brought. Where in the world is there such a good thing?
She didn't want to say anything more, so she bowed and said, "If Your Majesty has no further instructions, I will take my leave."
This time, Emperor Jiaqing said nothing more, only waved his hand, his gaze returning to his numb legs, his eyes dark and unfathomable.
Yun Si turned and left, her steps light and graceful.
She was finally relieved for the time being, and could now stay in the Eastern Palace to rest and prepare for her pregnancy for a while.
As for the old emperor and his complicated thoughts, let Qin Ye deal with that.
In the following days, Yun Si finally enjoyed a few quiet and comfortable days.
Her mother, Su Tangyue, had said several times that she would come to the palace to see her, but she had been too busy to do so. However, she had some free time these past few days and felt that she was in good physical and mental condition, so she simply went back to the palace.
I also took the opportunity to check my sister-in-law's health.
She lost a lot of energy during childbirth, but in just over ten days, she has regained her rosy complexion.
After Yun Si examined her, she found that she was recovering very well. It was clear that her older brother and mother had taken very good care of her.
When you're in good health, you're also in a good mood.
"Sister-in-law, there's only one thing I want to say, and that is to pay attention to getting back in shape."
Yun Si handed a small white jade box to her sister-in-law, smiling as she instructed, "This perfume balm is specially made for you. It can moisturize your skin and reduce wrinkles. After bathing each day, take an appropriate amount and gently massage until absorbed."
Gu Nian'an took the jade box; it was warm to the touch, and when she opened it, she smelled a delicate fragrance.
She felt both joy and gratitude.
"Thank you so much, sister. You're always so thoughtful. I never even thought of these things myself."
After giving birth, she was indeed secretly troubled by the stretch marks on her belly, even though Shaoyou said more than once that he would not dislike her.
She herself felt it was ugly, let alone men. When feelings are good, anything is fine, but as time goes on, who knows if they will change their minds?
"Why are you being so polite with me?"
Yun Si patted her hand: "Mother and elder brother are good, but there are some things you still have to take care of yourself. I'll write you a recipe later. Follow it and you'll be able to get better without gaining weight."
"Okay, I'll do whatever my sister says."
Su Tangyue watched the two of them being so intimate, her face full of a gratified smile.
She took Yun Si's hand and looked her up and down: "Si'er, you look quite well. How's your appetite? Your sister-in-law vomited for over a month and lost a lot of weight. How are you?"
"Don't worry, Mother, I'm perfectly fine."
Yun Si took her mother's arm: "She vomited for two days at first, but she's been fine lately, with no reaction at all."
"That's good, that's good."
Su Tangyue nodded repeatedly, then lowered her voice and said, "No one in the palace... has made things difficult for you, right? I heard that His Majesty was unwell a few days ago, and you were the one taking care of him?"
"It's all in the past now, His Majesty is out of danger."
Yun Si brushed it off lightly, not wanting her family to worry: "Everything is fine in the palace. His Highness treats me very well, and no one dares to make things difficult for me."
She spent most of the day at the Yun residence, enjoying the rare and heartwarming time of family reunion.
It wasn't until evening that Qin Ye finished dealing with official business and personally came to the Marquis's residence to fetch her back to the palace.
Originally, her mother wanted to go to the palace with her for a few days to keep her company, but she thought that her sister-in-law was still in her second month of pregnancy and she was not feeling unwell, so why bother her mother?
It's better to wait until my sister-in-law has finished her postpartum confinement period before bringing my mother into the palace.
As the carriage drove away from the Marquis's residence, Yun Si couldn't help but look back one last time, her eyes filled with a hint of longing.
"If you like it, you can come back often in the future," Qin Ye said softly as he pulled her into his arms.
Yun Si looked up from his arms, her eyes filled with laughter: "Then may I stay at the Marquis's residence for a while?"
"no."
Qin Ye refused without even thinking: "If you go back to the Marquis's residence, what will I do?"
"It'll only be a few days."
"That won't do, not even for a single day!"
Qin Ye tightened his arms around her, his chin brushing against the top of her head, his tone domineering yet tinged with a hint of resentment: "I can't sleep without you by my side."
"..."
Yun Si was amused by his straightforward yet affectionate words, but felt a sweet warmth in her heart.
She deliberately scolded, "Your Highness wasn't like this before. You would often go for days without me seeing you. How could you sleep then?"
"I can't sleep."
Qin Ye remained expressionless, lowered his head and lightly pecked her lips, his eyes deep: "There was no other way back then, we could only tough it out."
Yun Si felt heartbroken and leaned against him, no longer speaking.
The two of them quieted down, enjoying this moment of warmth and tranquility.
When they returned to the East Palace, it was already completely dark.
The palace lanterns lit up one by one, outlining the tranquil silhouette of the palace.
As soon as the two arrived at the East Palace gate, they saw Mu Ze leading two guards, carrying in a strangely shaped wooden chair.
"Your Highness, Crown Princess, the Ministry of Works has delivered the items."
"Is it done?"
Yun Si immediately stepped forward to check.
The chair was exactly the same as the one she had drawn on her blueprint.
Two huge wooden wheels, polished smooth and round.
The chair back and seat are covered with soft brocade cushions, and the armrests are cleverly equipped with buckles to secure the arms, making up for all the details she marked.
She carefully checked the flexibility of the wheels and the overall stability, then sat on it herself to test it, and nodded in satisfaction after confirming that everything was in order.
“Well done. Send it to His Majesty at the Hall of Mental Cultivation first thing tomorrow morning.”
"Crown Princess, won't you deliver it yourself?"
Mu Ze asked.
His Majesty will be delighted to see such a rare item. If the Crown Princess delivers it personally, she will surely win His Majesty's favor.
However, Yun Si waved her hand and said, "No, just send someone to deliver it and tell Eunuch Xu how to use it. There's no need to say anything else."
Given the old emperor's methods, he could know many things without them needing to be explicitly stated.
It's impossible to hide it even if you want to.
Qin Ye gave Mu Ze a wink, signaling him to listen to the Crown Princess.
Mu Ze nodded and left.
The next day.
Mu Ze brought people to the Hall of Mental Cultivation early in the morning to deliver the wheelchair.
He first taught Eunuch Xu how to use it; it was actually very simple, and Eunuch Xu understood it at a glance.
Only then was it carried before Emperor Jiaqing.
"What is that?"
Looking at the oddly shaped chair, Jiaqing asked in confusion, "Who brought this here? What is it for?"
"Your Majesty, please don't worry, this old servant will tell you, this chair is perfectly fine."
After Eunuch Xu demonstrated according to Mu Ze's instructions, Emperor Jiaqing's eyes flashed with surprise.
"This...this thing can actually move on its own like a carriage?"
He stared at the two large wheels, increasingly impressed by the ingenious design: "Who sent this?"
"Your Majesty, it was His Highness the Crown Prince who instructed the Ministry of Works to meticulously craft this item. He said that seeing Your Majesty's constant boredom from lying in bed, he specially ordered people to develop this item so that Your Majesty could go out and relax," Eunuch Xu replied cautiously.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Jiaqing was stunned for a moment, a complex warmth welling up in his heart.
He was silent for a moment before saying in a low voice, "Your Highness... is very thoughtful."
With the help of Eunuch Xu, Emperor Jiaqing struggled to move from his dragon bed to his wheelchair.
The wheelchair was pushed, carrying him smoothly out of the bedroom that had confined him for so long.
The morning sun shone on him, and the cold morning breeze brushed his cheeks, giving him a feeling of being in another world.
He tried turning the wheel by hand, and although it was quite difficult, it did move slowly.
This feeling of regaining "control" stirred a ripple in his heart, which had been depressed for so many days.
Throughout the day, Emperor Jiaqing grew increasingly fond of the wheelchair.
With this, even if he can't stand up, he won't be trapped in the Hall of Mental Cultivation forever.
He had Eunuch Xu push him around the courtyard of the Hall of Mental Cultivation again and again, and later went to the Imperial Garden.
Finally, on a whim, he had him pushed around outside the Hall of Diligent Governance for a while.
On the way, he encountered several important ministers who came to discuss matters with him, but he simply waved his hand and said, "I am tired today. If you have any important matters, go and discuss them with the Crown Prince."
After saying that, he couldn't wait to experience his car.
The senior ministers looked at each other in disbelief, watching as His Majesty was pushed away in a wheeled chair.
When it was time for dinner, Emperor Jiaqing was still fiddling with his wheelchair with great interest, a long-lost relaxed smile on his face.
Eunuch Xu served him from the side.
Seeing that he was in a very good mood, she said in a low voice as if casually, "Your Majesty, this old servant just heard... that this exquisite wheelchair was actually designed by the Crown Princess, and Your Highness ordered the Ministry of Works to expedite its production. The Crown Princess is truly wise and virtuous..."
The smile on Emperor Jiaqing's face froze instantly.
The comfort and warmth that had just arisen from her son's "filial piety" cooled down instantly, as if doused with cold water.
It's her again?
He suddenly remembered that the Ministry of War had presented a new composite bow with astonishing power, which the old guys in the Ministry of Works had racked their brains to try to replicate but could not. Later, he vaguely heard that the blueprints were originally drawn by Yun Si.
At the time, he only thought it absurd and didn't really believe it, but now it seems...
As Emperor Jiaqing looked at the ingeniously designed wheelchair beneath him, which had solved his greatest problem, his face gradually darkened, his heart filled with mixed emotions and a heavy feeling of unease.
He was unwilling to admit it, but he had no choice but to.
This woman, whom he once thought would only bewitch the crown prince and become arrogant because of his favor, seemed to be completely different from ordinary women who were confined to the inner quarters and only knew how to compete for favor.
She has more than just beauty and luck.
If we had actually killed her back then, it would have been... a great loss.
Two more days passed.
As soon as Yun Si got up, she received a sumptuous breakfast as a gift from Emperor Jiaqing. He also granted the Crown Prince permission to temporarily put aside his official duties and return to have breakfast with her.
What's wrong with him?
Yun Si was somewhat flattered.
It was nothing to reward him with a delicious meal, but what he actually did was ask Qin Ye to put aside his official duties and come back to have dinner with him?
"Eunuch Xu, did you misinterpret my meaning, or did I mishear you?"
With a smile, Eunuch Xu said, "Your Highness, you heard me right, and this old servant has not misrepresented anything. It was His Majesty's order. I have delivered the message and will now return to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to report back."
"Alright, thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Xu."
Just as Yun Si sat down at the dining table, Qin Ye walked in from outside.
"His Majesty sent you back?"
Watching him stride in, Yun Si still asked incredulously, "Was he... really that kind today?"
Qin Ye sat down beside her, looking at her with amusement: "Probably, he's discovered your good points."
"Just because of a wheelchair?"
Yun Si dared not agree with this statement.
She raised an eyebrow: "Just a few days ago you were practically ready to devour me, but now you think I'm all better after giving me a wheelchair?"
Who cares?
Qin Ye picked up his chopsticks and served food to Yun Si: "The emperor's mind is unpredictable, and his kindness and power are hard to fathom. In any case, things are developing in a positive direction. If he doesn't pressure us, we can have a few days of peace and quiet in return."
"That makes sense."
From that day onwards.
Just as Qin Ye said, Emperor Jiaqing did not make things difficult for them anymore, and they spent more than a month in this busy but peaceful way.
However, with the end of the year approaching, Emperor Jiaqing began to delegate power, and Qin Ye became increasingly busy.
Yun Si was three months pregnant, and the fetus was gradually stabilizing.
After three days of snow, the sun finally came out.
After having lunch, Yun Si went for a walk in the Imperial Garden with Granny Qian, Lan Xin Lu Yu, and A Wu to digest her food.
She's been eating a lot lately and seems to have gained weight; she needs to increase her exercise.
The Imperial Garden was a vast expanse of white, devoid of anything, and the ground was slippery underfoot.
Along the way, Lan Xin and Lu Yu carefully supported her, afraid that something might happen.
However, the group hadn't gone far when they encountered another group of people.
"Oh, isn't this the Crown Princess?"
A strange, sarcastic voice suddenly came from ahead.
"The Crown Princess is extremely precious now, so everyone must not get too close. If you accidentally bump into her and something happens, none of us can bear the responsibility."
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