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Child Rearing, Blocking the Brothers’ Path (2)
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Jing Wan was alarmed. That’s right, the heir apparent absolutely can’t be a flower grown in a greenhouse, else in the future, he will just be the puppet in other’s hand. In reality, a puppet was still considered good. If encountering certain ambitious people, then the country and one’s life will all be thrown in. Moreover, regardless what kind of thoughts the people by his side had, there was one thing that was nevertheless certain, and that was that they a hundred percent won’t dare to hurt him in the slightest. As such, as long as she pays attention, and aptly have those things that absolutely can’t be used eliminated, it should be fine. Moreover, only when there’s competition will they perform better. If regardless of whether they do more or less, it’s all the same, then who will still give their all?
“I understand.”
Even though Li Hong Yuan also doesn’t want for himself to not have a qualifying successor, but how was it not necessarily still feeling that Jing Wan was paying too much attention, making him unhappy. Afterwards, he can just create a bit of trouble for him in the future. If everything is too smooth, then how will he, this old man, who had gone through all kinds of trouble for this throne, feel balanced inside? Now, he has achieved his goal.
Jing Wan stared at his calm expression, suddenly squinting her eyes, “Looking at it like this, Ah Yuan actually still cares for our son very much. You shouldn’t be so dishonest with your feelings.”
“Is this what you think?” Li Hong Yuan’s expression was still indifferent.
“Then, sure enough, it’s just feeling jealous again?” Jing Wan raised her brow.
“Is this what you think?” His expression didn’t change, his words also the exact same.
Jing Wan clicked her tongue. Sure enough, she was still too tender. Compared to this person, she was far too lacking. Feeling somewhat indignant, she pinched his face, “All in all, regardless of the reason, your motive certainly won’t be pure. The things you said, I understand, but talking about these now, it’s still very early. He’s just ten some days old, can take it slowly.”
Getting seen through, Li Hong Yuan also didn’t mind, merely just feeling that his wife wasn’t that easy to trick.
However, Jing Wan indeed didn’t grasp that tightly anymore. As time passed, there was even somewhat the stance of raising freely, very much like going from one extreme to the other, getting some air when needing to get air, bathing in the sun when needing some sun, and occasionally when bawling, just let him bawl, treating it as training his vocal cords.
In this way, as Jing Wan’s body recovered, the prison-like confinement period also came to an end. Even though during the confinement period, it was also wiping the body everyday, at this time, she still ruthlessly washed herself again and again, refreshingly stepping out the door, seeing the sun.
Today was also the little crown prince’s one-month birthday, as well as his conferment ceremony.
In Li Hong Yuan’s eyes, all his glory and honor actually all came from his mother. That’s why, even if conferring, it should still be his mother carrying him through the ceremony. His mother should occupy more than half the glory.
The crown prince’s conferment ceremony was actually more or less the same as the empress’s, but because it was Jing Wan taking him through it, all the kowtows were exempted.
Through this, when announcing to the world, it was another wave of pardoning. However, for the death row prisoners, although pardoned, but when Jing Wan mentioned ‘reeducation through labor’, these death row prisoners just became free labor. Of course, the death row prisoners were just a start. In the future, all imprisoned criminals will gradually walk onto this path.
After the ceremony, it was another large-scale banquet, very lively. Jing Wan and Li Hong Yuan came together, sitting high upon the imperial seat, carrying a shallow smile, graceful and elegant. At eighteen years of age, she already has the bearing of a mother of a country. The place by Yuan Qi Emperor’s side, seemingly there was no one more suitable than her.
Clearly, during the emperor’s ascension ceremony and her conferment as empress, it was the same position, yet the feeling seemingly wasn’t the same.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Even though they’ve already accepted reality, many people still felt very complicated inside, especially Jing Wan’s zhoulis. How did they once think of Jing Wan? They couldn’t stand seeing her well, always inwardly cursing her. But now? She was high and above, while they were left in the dust. Because of not participating in the rebellion, their status didn’t change, but their position and treatment dropped a thousand feet in one fall. If they want to live better, then they will need to win her favor, fawning on her. As long as she smiles and nods her head, her hand loosening, then they will be able to live comfortably off again. And they just need to give up that face of theirs.
Clearly, they were once all the same, but now, how can they easily put down their pride? Thus, they still painfully struggled inside.
Just, before they even stood out, eleventh wangye just stood out first. From him and below, they all still haven’t married, yet already conferred into wangs and opened their own manor. This, for the little ‘nobodies’ in the palace, who might even because of not being favored get bullied, how was it not necessarily a good thing. However, if a pushover by nature, getting grasped by the servants, then that was just their own problem.
“Your Majesty, this younger brother is also seventeen this year, so isn’t it time to ask her Highness to look for a wife for this younger brother? Once married, one will be able to better give one’s humble effort for your Majesty, no?” This wangye appeared to be mischievously smiling, not at all serious, but hidden in the bottom of his eyes was a trace of nervousness. These words of his were also in another sense a kind of test.
They, these wangyes, right now, because of the new decree Li Hong Yuan enacted, just had a shell left. If they themselves don’t work hard, and Li Hong Yuan also ignores them, then whether or not they can get married will all be a problem, let alone marrying a daughter or granddaughter of a high minister. They will just get disdained to death. Even if marrying, if unable to support the family, then don’t even think about being like in the past, standing high and above, arrogantly ordering around the in-law family. Those whose temperament was a bit better, out of respect for the imperial family, perhaps will still address you as wangye, but for those that have a bit of power, when you visit, even if not having you beaten out the door, there still absolutely won’t be a good look.
Looking at the complexions of the few wangyes in front, perhaps this kind of thing, they’ve already experienced. But, aside from feeling indignant, they were unable to do anything else.
That kind of drop in elevation, if unable to walk out of, treating negatively, then in the future, they won’t be any different from those idle hoodlums.
Li Hong Yuan was just about to open his mouth, but behind the imperial table, Jing Wan pressed his hand, saying with a smile, “This empress recalls that eleventh brother has quite a few people serving by one’s side. At present, the qinwang’s salary isn’t much. If to then take in a wife, yet unable to provide for, never mind harming the poor young lady, the imperial family will also lose all face, no?”
Eleventh wangye quivered, his back somewhat seeping with cold sweat, yet on his face, he still carried a giddy smile, “Empress sister-in-law, you’ve wrongly blamed this younger brother. In the past, this younger brother wasn’t sensible, satisfied with just getting by, idly wasting time. The people by one’s side have long gotten sent away cleanly. And now, this is having learned one’s lesson, wishing to become hardworking and improve oneself, thus coming to ask his Majesty to give an opportunity.”
“Is that so? You’re also just seventeen, so there’s no hurry in taking in a wife, first see how you will perform. If you perform well, then when time comes, this empress will look for a well educated, virtuous and considerate young lady for you. If you don’t perform well, you best be prepared to be single for the rest of your life.” Jing Wan’s smile still didn’t change.
It sounded like a joke, but no one dared to really treat it as a joke, especially eleventh wangye, as well as the younger brothers behind him.
However, eleventh wangye was also a clever one, making out the implied meaning, eagerly looking towards Li Hong Yuan, “Your Majesty, her Highness wishes to test this younger brother, so shouldn’t you first give an opportunity?”
“Go to the Ministry of Appointments to receive the examination on your own, and listen to the Ministry of Appointments’ arrangement. However big of a brain you have, pick however big of a hat. If you bite more than what you can chew, not properly working, then when time comes, your qinwang title will get stripped altogether. It’s the same for the others. As brothers, this emperor isn’t unreasonable either. This emperor will give you all time to consider, however long you want. Make your decision after considering. Just, once you make your decision, there’s no way out, and the opportunity, there will just be one.”
Li Hong Yuan having the words said as such, it was just equal to completely blocking these brothers’ path of retreat. Even if Jing Wan’s zhoulis come around, pulling down their face to go curry favor with her, it’ll still be useless, because it was impossible for Jing Wan to tear down Li Hong Yuan’s words. Moreover, in her view, her husband handling it like this also couldn’t be more fitting.
Just, for the unmarried wangyes, their own marriage was also connected to this? Can they choose to not go? But then, what about their marriage arrangements? Really let them go marry someone of a lower status on their own? But for better or worse, they were the son of an emperor, to end up as such, won’t that be embarrassing to death?
However, there was still time. If they make an effort to improve now, then don’t believe that they will really achieve nothing.
Jing Wan observed their expressions, slowly smiling. As long as they’re willing to work hard, then won’t really ignore them.
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I remember that eleventh wangye was definitely a very lustful one–he could practically compete with Li Hong Yi, except the latter still has higher standards. I wonder if that peasant girl from way back when is still alive and well, although I highly doubt it.
It’s good that they’ll pretty much just have to be devoted mainly to their wives, but I still feel bad for the concubines and tongfangs, since some of them didn’t have a choice, yet still have to bear the brunt of being driven away to possibly fend for themselves just because of their status. The overall direction is good, though, so it’ll teach the wangyes to treasure their wives, treat their in-laws with respect, and strive to improve their own capabilities and worth.
Thanks for the chapter! 😀