TPNCQ CHAPTER 30
Qianlong: sharp-tongue and always talking back
In the Third Prince's bedroom, Yongzhang leaned against the bed, sipping on a glass of mung bean and lily soup. The Sixth Prince, Yongrong, sat on a chair nearby, and Su Limo fed him spoonful by spoonful. Another bowl had been sent to the Fifth Prince Yongqi's small study, where he was currently practicing calligraphy.
"If only E'niang could come to see Yongrong every day," Yongrong said with a longing look in his big, dark eyes after finishing the last spoonful of soup, smaking his lips. E'niang came yesterday, and she came today too, wow!
"Third Brother and Fourth Brother come back very late every day, and I'm already asleep. Fifth Brother also studies for many hours every day, and no one plays seven-piece puzzles with me," Yongrong kicked his little legs, and suddenly thought of something. He tugged at Su Limo sleeve, "E'niang, why don't you bring Fourth Sister over to play with me?"
Seeing that Su Limo didn't respond, Yongrong slid off the bench and threw himself into Su Limo arms, twisting and turning, clinging to her.
"You'll only be this carefree for another year. Next year, when you have a tutor, you'll have to start reading and writing like your Fifth Brother," Su Limo picked up Yongrong and placed him on her lap, reaching out to tidy his messy hair. Although he was a little bald, the hair on the back of his head was quite thick, and he had a small ponytail.
After the court session, Qianlong came to the Prince's Residence to see Yongzhang. As soon as he entered the hall and saw this scene, his brow furrowed, and he walked in with heavier steps.
Palace concubines were not allowed to bring food into the Prince's Residence, and Chun Guifei had repeatedly violated the rules.
How annoying.
Yongrong, facing outward, was the first to see his father emperor. He immediately slid off Su Limo lap, pursed his lips, and took a few steps back to stand obediently in place. He stood with his small hands pressed tightly against his legs, as if he were being punished, not daring to relax.
Seeing this, Su Limo turned her head and saw that it was Qianlong. She bowed and greeted him. The Third Prince on the bed also put down his glass and got up to greet him.
"Get up," Qianlong walked over and asked Yongzhang a few questions. When he saw the glass cup on the bedside table, his eyes darkened.
A doting mother spoils her child.
Su Limo rolled her eyes inwardly as she looked at Qianlong's expression. The emperor's mind was hard to fathom. He came to see his son with such a stern face. If you didn't know any better, you would think that someone in this room owed him ten thousand taels.
Qianlong said a few more words to Yongzhang and raised his hand to touch Yongrong's little head, but the child dodged at the last moment. Qianlong's hand paused in midair. Su Limo had to step forward to smooth things over, "Your Majesty is a strict father, and the children are naturally in awe of him."
"..... Yongzhang should get some rest. I'll leave now," Qianlong turned and left the bedroom. After a few steps, he said, "Chun Guifei, follow me."
Li Yu noticed that the Emperor's expression was fine when he come the Prince's Residence, but his face was unpleasant when he came out. Puzzled, he could only follow carefully.
Having been named, Su Limo supported by Shuangjiang could only follow the Emperor to leave the Prince's Residence. Unexpectedly, they were led directly to Jingren Palace. Su Limo could only follow, and when she entered the main hall, she told Dong Xue to quickly bring a bowl of ice-cold mung bean and lily soup. Seeing that the Emperor was in a bad mood, she specifically instructed Dong Xue to add more honey.
"When Yongrong saw me, he was as scared of me as a mouse was of a cat. He's so timid and lacks any masculine spirit. As the saying goes, a doting mother spoils her child. Chun Guifei, you're so indulgent towards Yongzhang and Yongrong, and even Yongqi has been spoiled. From now on, you're not allowed to visit the Prince's Residence unless it's the first or fifteenth day of the month." Qianlong sat on the brocade couch and scolded. Looking at Su Limo standing below with an innocent expression, he was even more annoyed.
In the past few months, every time he went to the Prince's Residence, she would bring food and visit. What kind of behavior was that?
"A few days ago when I came, there wasn't even a servant in your palace. Two eunuchs were dozing off in the corridor. How can you manage the palace people like this? If you can't manage them, just tell Xian Guifei and let her manage for you."
"It's so hot in summer, I've always been very easygoing and don't need many people around me. Even an egg can be cooked in the heat outside, and the servants are human too..." Su Limo softly explained. Her voice soft and gentle, but her momentum weakened a bit, leaving only a soft and sticky tone. "Besides, if they all get sick from the heat, it would be inconvenient if there's something to do."
"........." Still talking back. Qianlong's annoyance rose again.
"Your Majesty must have been very hot from walking all the way. Your Majesty, please have a bowl of iced mung bean and lily soup to cool down your body." Seeing that Qianlong's expression was getting worse, Su Limo quickly took the bowl of mung bean and lily soup that Dong Xue had handed her and offered it to him.
She didn't know where this guy had gotten all his anger from, but he was venting it on her in Jingren Palace. The Empress Dowager had made you work overtime, and you came here earlier. Are you adding extra work for yourself? The emperor's heart is truly unpredictable.
Qianlong looked at the bowl of mung bean and lily soup in Su Limo hand, it was the same as the one Yongzhang had used in the Prince's Residence. He took it over, and the icy touch was very comfortable. The heat around him seemed to have subsided a bit. He took a spoon and took few spoonfuls to eat, then looked at Su Limo standing beside him with a smile on her face, looking very gentle and harmonious. He felt that... she wasn't so annoying anymore. "Sit down."
Hearing this, Su Limo walked to the other side of the desk and sat down. Seeing that the emperor's expression had improved a bit, she winked at Dong Xue and asked her to serve another bowl and wait on the side.
The room was silent, except for the sound of the spoon clinking against the glass cup.
Qianlong finished one bowl and was about to put down the spoon when he saw Su Limo bring another bowl over. He was stunned and took it. "Why aren't you talking? Weren't you just so sharp-tongued?"
"..." Hey, this guy. Su Limo suppressed her emotions, her expression calm, gentle, and harmonious. She said, "Your Majesty has been busy with state affairs all morning. Chenqie is clumsy and not good at speaking, and I don't want to upset Your Majesty."
"Mm," Qianlong picked up the glass and finished the second bowl in three bites. He wiped his hands with a handkerchief and threw it on the desk, then got up and walked out.
Seeing the Emperor come out, Li Yu hurriedly followed him, wondering if it was his imagination, but the Emperor's thin anger seemed to have disappeared, and there was even a hint of a smile in his eyes, but it was gone in an instant. If he hadn't been so familiar with the Emperor's expressions, he wouldn't have caught it.
Seeing Qianlong leave, Su Limo shook her head and rolled her eyes. It was so inexplicable. If he wanted to scold her, he could have done it outside the Prince's Residence. Why did he have to come all the way to Jingren Palace on such a hot day to scold her?
When she speaks, he said she was too sharp-tongued, and when she didn't speak, he asked why she didn't speak.
How demanding.
We were all just doing their job, why make it so difficult for her?
She hadn't forced him to work overtime today, he had done it himself, and he had even gotten angry on her.
It seemed that the men in the court today... no, the ministers, had given Qianlong a headache. It is really not easy to be an emperor.
"Dong Xue, bring me a bowl of mung bean and lily soup. I'll have some to cool down," Su Limo took off her flower-pot-soled shoes, put on her flat-soled embroidered shoes, and lay down on the brocade couch.
Today's mung bean and lily soup was cooked just right, and with the added honey, it was sweet and delicious.
*
"The Emperor hasn't been to the inner palace for many days, but today he went to Jingren Palace again?! Once could be considered a coincidence, but twice in a row? What does that mean? I said before that what Chun Guifei did a few days ago was to show off to whom. Now she's finally revealed her fox tail! I think the Third Prince's heatstroke was fake, and Chun Guifei is just using this as an excuse to compete for favor. I underestimated this bitch before. She started to become restless while I was in confinement. Look at this, she seduced the Emperor in the Prince's Residence yesterday, and today she seduced him again in the Prince's Residence, and she even took him to Jingren Palace." Jia Fei smashed a cup in Chunxi Palace.