Chapter 116 – Qing Transmigration Tale (25)
The three brothers had not even warmed up their seats when the old man expelled them. Who could they speak to?
In terms of the most vicious father in the world, other than this one, they could not find another.
Fourteen did not know how many rashes he had, he was so itchy all over he wanted to tear off his skin. He wanted to find a palace physician and get some medicine to apply. But he did not dare. The emperor called you here. You arrived and immediately felt uncomfortable. Were you truly uncomfortable, or were you uncomfortable inside with the emperor?
Just after soaking in the water to get some relief, an edict came from the other side telling them to return to the capital.
Such a hot day! Even when taking the dog for a walk, people would pick a time. Regardless of how much resentment they felt, they had to prepare to start traveling again.
When the three reached the capital, they had grown thinner, and were more tanned. Returning to their establishments, they were ill. They did not even dare to call the palace physicians, and only found physicians from outside to visit them.
The brothers who had been jealous of the three settled. They had just went to be scolded. There was nothing to envy.
After the emperor did this, the capital completely quieted.
Lin Yu Tong heard that Eighth Prince had been ignoring this Wang-shi. They still had not had their wedding night. Likely, he was not feeling well.
Maybe the children in the palace heard the rumors concerning the adults. Hong Hui did not look very good when he returned to the establishment. Even Hong Yun was a bit timid.
Si Ye was busy now, meeting people in his study in the front courtyard. The martial examinations were in the tenth month, and Si Ye started to make arrangements for his people. He wanted to get them positions through the martial examinations.
Lin Yu Tong knew he was busy. When it was mealtime, she just sent people to deliver to him, and kept the two children behind to eat together.
After the meal, Hong Yun bid farewell first. Lin Yu Tong did not think about it and kept Hong Hui behind for mother and son to talk a bit.
Hong Hui looked at Lin Yu Tong and said, “Eniang, do not keep it a secret from me, did A-ma hit you?”
“No,” Lin Yu Tong hurriedly explained, “who dares to gossip? No, how can your a-ma hit people?”
Hong Hui’s eyes turned red. “Do not hide it from me. I heard that even the empress dowager was angry.” There were even more ugly rumors inside the palace. There were not many di-sons like him. Hong Yu was one, Hong Sheng was another, and there have him. The other were just shu-sons. But Hong Yu was an exception because that day, Uncle had not gone to Eighth Uncle’s establishment. Only he and Hong Sheng were left. Many people were secretly laughing at them behind their backs. It was fine to laugh at them. But if A-ma truly hit Eniang, he did not know what to do.
They made faces at Hong Yun, like this way, Hong Yun would feel proud and happy. He could not help but feel disgust.
Lin Yu Tong immediately realized the seriousness of the matter. She hurriedly sent away the servants and said to Hong Hui in a low voice, “It is not what you think. It was not your uncles hitting your aunts, but your aunts who were drunk and hit your uncles. They want face, and do not dare to say so.”
Hong Hui was first shocked, and then disbelieving. “Eniang, you do not need to hide it for A-ma, and deceive this son.”
Lin Yu Tong thought, why could Si Ye’s blame not be removed?
“It is true!” Lin Yu Tong told Hong Hui in detail what had happened then, and then she could not help but laugh.
Hong Hui found it very absurd, but seeing Eniang so happy, he mostly believed it. “You did not hit A-ma?”
“No! Definitely not,” Lin Yu Tong hurriedly proclaimed her innocence. In reality, she did not dare. This person remembered grudges very well. Even if she played like that in bed, he would find a chance to get back at her. She would not seek death.
A hint of a smile flashed through Hong Hui’s eyes, and there was even a hint of disappointment?
Lin Yu Tong felt that she had not seen correctly.
“Eniang is busy, this son will go and wash up,” Hong Hui said and quickly left.
Lin Yu Tong was stunned for a while. Then she realized that the boy might be in a hurry to return to his rooms to laugh in secret.
At this time, Si Ye looked at Hong Yun’s scared and slightly stubborn gaze and did not know what to say.
“Do not worry, A-ma did not touch your di–eniang,” Si Ye said patiently.
Hong Yun looked in a bit of disbelief at Si Ye. “Di–Eniang is good. She is good to this son, to my siblings. It is not like how Hong Sheng and Hong Shu feel.”
Si Ye immediately felt soft and sore inside. He smiled and said, “Your di–eniang drank too much, and A-ma took her home early, and did not have the attention to spare for your uncles, notifying your eldest uncle. A-ma truly did not hit your di–eniang.”
He managed to send off Hong Yun. Si Ye was not in the mood to do anything else. How could the child learn of such a thing?
It seemed that the servants had to be warned again.
He originally wanted to go and comfort Hong Hui, but then he thought never mind. It was very awkward. Princess Consort likely had taken care of it.
Si Ye returned and asked first, “Where is Hong Hui?”
“He returned to his own courtyard,” Lin Yu Tong said.
Si Ye saw that Hong Zhao had fallen asleep and whispered a question, “Did he not ask you anything?”
“He did. I explained to him,” Lin Yu Tong said vaguely. He could not learn that she had told the child the truth.
“Just now, Hong Yun went to find Ye.” Si Ye looked at Lin Yu Tong with burning eyes. “The child has you in his heart. You did not care for him for nothing.”
Lin Yu Tong was surprised for a moment and then smiled. “He is a good child.” People had to trade sincerity for sincerity. She just did her best.
As Hong Zhao learned to call A-ma and Eniang, the weather turned cold. The emperor’s imperial procession returned to the capital when it was the middle of the ninth month.
Lin Yu Tong guessed that if the martial examinations were not being held during the tenth month, this person would likely not want to return.
The tenth month arrived, and the New Life Festival arrived.
The New Life Festival was the thirteenth of the tenth month. It was akin to the founding day. Even though Hong Zhao had turned a year old, Lin Yu Tong still did not bring him into the palace. The child eating, drinking, pooping, and sleeping was very troublesome. If it was not at home, it was inconvenient anywhere else. Especially on auspicious days, she feared that he would cry when he should not cry, and smile when he should not smile. So, unless they had reached an age when they understood, the children were not brought into the palace.
Consort De would ask Lin Yu Tong about Hong Zhao whenever they met. She must think of him.
Wanyan-shi grew much closer to Lin Yu Tong after the incident last time. In the past, Fourteenth Princess Consort felt that Fourth Sister-in-law was very boring and pretended too much. Her virtuousness was so proper like it was measured with a ruler, not a bit more, or a bit less. People felt it was very fake, but they could not say why. Now, looking at it, she seemed to be a living person.
“Fourth Brother was not angry with you after returning?” Wanyan-shi used the opportunity when Consort De was talking to Thirteenth Princess Consort to ask. In these months, she had put herself under house arrest, and did not dare to go out the door. Now, they started to come back out.
Lin Yu Tong smiled and said, “It is his blood brother, can he not be angry? Even if Fourteenth Brother is bad, only he, the older brother, can lecture him, he cannot watch you bully him. He gave me some temper.”
Regardless of how they fought, they were a couple. The degree of relation was here. She did not dare to speak without thinking. If Fourteen heard such words, he would likely feel better.
Fourteenth Princess Consort did not doubt Lin Yu Tong’s words. The men of Aisin-Gioro all had such bad habits.
She chuckled and said, “Sister-in-law got harmed trying to help me.”
Lin Yu Tong said, “How is it now, are you still angry?”
Fourteenth Princess Consort’s lips twisted and she said, “Fourth Sister-in-law, I will speak honestly to you, I have seen it now. Men, they cannot be spoiled. After being sorted out, he knows that I am not easy to be pushed around, and he did not dare to offend me. Even if the sky is falling down, on the first and fifteenth, he will return to my rooms to sleep. As to the inner courtyard, if one has a headache, and if a child is coughing, he does not dare to rise and leave. He no longer dares to interfere in the matters of the inner courtyard.” She sighed. “This is good. Even the rich farmers in the countryside have a few concubines, much less them.”
Lin Yu Tong nodded. As long as you felt it is good, it is good. She said, “He is still young. Maybe it will be better after a few years.”
At the other side, Thirteenth Princess Consort said, “Good? Eldest Sister-in-law and Commandery Prince Zhi had such a good relationship back then. Now, Eldest Sister-in-law’s health is worsening, and Commandery Prince Zhi’s concubines keep on getting pregnant. While it is because Eldest Sister-in-law cannot have any relations, how bad must she feel?”
Commandery Prince Zhi was thirty-four now. In this time, he was not young. Lin Yu Tong was very embarrassed by such an perception.
Thirty-four was the prime of life.
But most people thought, it was fine with men, but women in their thirties were old. They were not suitable to serve men, and should get concubines for their men.
Lin Yu Tong only wanted to say one thing to such a matter — nonsense!
Fourteenth Princess Consort nodded. “So, I say, have a son as soon as possible. A son is more reliable than a man.”
This was just a way of thinking born of helplessness. When the son grew up, when they had a wife, they were not be as considerate as imagined. Otherwise, where would the disharmony between mother and daughters-in-law come from?
People all said that women should live for themselves, but how difficult was this? It was not easy in the modern era, much less in this present monarchy with absolute male power.
Which of these princess consorts were not good? If they were not good, they could not have been selected to enter the imperial family. She could not help but sigh for these women. They did not have it easy.
The three sisters-in-law were talking together, and appeared very close.
Consort De was talking to a few of the noble ladies on the other side, and occasionally looked at them. The noble ladies were perceptive people, and knew that Niangniang wanted to talk privately with the princess consorts. They did not dare to disturb her and after a few words of flattery, they stood up and made their farewells. Consort De finally had the free time to get up and called to Lin Yu Tong and the others, “You all look as close as sisters, what are you talking about?”
Say that we are talking about how to control your sons at home? Such a thing could not be said, especially not to the mother.
Lin Yu Tong smiled and said, “It is not important, us women together, other than our ye, we only talk about our children. We are just focused on the ye and the children all day. We cannot say anything about other things. We do not understand the matters outside.”
Fourteenth Princess Consort praised Lin Yu Tong inside. They had just been talking about sorting out the son, and now, she immediately changed and started to show off her accomplishments. But these words were not false. They had been talking about men and children just now. Fourth Sister-in-law was very smart. People had to respect her. Anything that reached her mouth would still be the same matter, but the flavor clearly changed.
Consort De smiled and said, “You are all good. I see that Four looks better this year. I did not hear him requesting a palace physician. It has been very obvious in these two summers. He cannot tolerate the heat. Which year does he not get heat stroke several times? But he did not in these two years. It is because you took care of him with your heart.”
Lin Yu Tong did not feel guilty taking on such merit. She had truly worked hard to take care of this ye‘s body. Also, he did not fear the heat. In Lin Yu Tong’s view, he likely was the person who did not fear the heat the most. Otherwise, why would he wear three layers inside and three layers outside? Anyone wearing several layers on a hot day would get heatstroke.
But she would not say such a thing. She just smiled and said, “Eniang, you praise me too much.”
After talking for a while, when the time was up, she stood up. It was time to go to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility. After the ceremony, it was just the banquet left. Lin Yu Tong left with the rest.
The men in the front were drinking already. Hong Hui and Hong Yun were now in the front. The third generation of the imperial family were together, playing dice and cards. Occasionally, they even stole wine from the table of adults, and took small sips.
Kangxi sat at the front, a wine cup in hand as he watched Ten and Fourteen grapple together, and a group of people who were watching and cheering. Some were even betting. It was very lively.
“Four, Fourteen is not bad,” Third Prince raised his chin for Si Ye to look.
Si Ye laughed. “The younger brothers are growing up, they have children now, they have grown more steady. Of course they are getting better.”
“Back then, we learned from the crown prince. These younger ones learned from Commandery Prince Zhi. We cannot compare to them in riding in shooting,” Third Prince said sourly.
Si Ye smiled and said, “Third Brother did not put effort into riding and shooting. This younger brother is not the same. This brother truly is not skilled.”
Third Prince believed Four’s words. With his picky personality, if he did not do his best, he would not rest. He did not learn well, not because he did not work hard, but because he truly was not skilled.
“But I heard from my Hong Sheng that Hong Hui is very good on the horse,” Third Prince said with some envy. His own brat could not endure any hardship. When he was told to practice, he would cry. He did not know how other families taught their children.
- Grafting Life Chapter 115 – Qing Transmigration Tale (24)
- Grafting Life Chapter 117 – Qing Transmigration Tale (26)
- Grafting Life Chapter 118 – Qing Transmigration Tale (27)
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