When the family banquet in the palace concluded, Emperor Yongping felt that he was still full of ideas.
It stood to reason that Jinling was originally his hometown, but he had lived in Pingcheng for almost thirty years, and almost all of his children were born in Pingcheng. It felt like he had left his hometown and experienced a sense of emptiness in his heart. The arrival of the family members quickly filled up that vacant space.
The children departed one after another, and Emperor Yongping followed Empress Xu to Kunning Hall.
Concubine Li looked resentfully at the Emperor’s departing figure. Her cousin had accompanied Empress Xu the previous night, and he went again that night, showing no consideration for her feelings.
The other three concubines didn’t mind and left together.
In Kunning Palace, Empress Xu personally served Emperor Yongping as he washed his face.
The bedroom hall was brightly lit, and Empress Xu carefully examined Emperor Yongping’s features.
Speaking of which, Emperor Yongping was also fifty years old that year. The age was neither too old nor too young. However, due to years of martial arts practice, he appeared much younger.
Empress Xu was only two years younger than Emperor Yongping, and she had lost interest in the couple’s affairs, finding it difficult to deal with them.
Fortunately, Emperor Yongping only engaged in intermittent conversation with her that night.
“Let’s arrange a talent show next year. Choose a girl for my fifth son, and the five brothers can each choose two side concubines.”
Empress Xu smiled and said, “Won’t you choose a few for yourself? The harem is full of old people like us. It’s my fault for wronging you.”
She genuinely wanted to select some young beauties for him, and it was meant to be a playful jest between the husband and wife. However, Emperor Yongping genuinely smiled, looked at her, and replied, “My grandchildren are already so grown, how can I give them a few uncles and aunts?”
Before Empress Xu and others came to Beijing, Emperor Yongping favored a few court ladies, but it was solely for desires. He provided them with contraceptive medicine, as he had no desire to have any more children.
The topic shifted back to the selection of potential consorts.
Empress Xu grasped the profound implications behind Emperor Yongping’s actions. When the new Emperor ascended the throne, the old officials in Jinling were concerned about potential repercussions. Emperor Yongping needed to stabilize the court situation, and the simplest way to reassure the family was through marriages. At that time, Emperor Yongping was entirely focused on crucial court matters and had no intention of spending time in the harem. Fortunately, he already had enough sons, and positions for side concubines were vacant, perfectly suited for marriage.
“The selection is straightforward, and my fifth son is at the right age. I believe the Emperor should promptly choose a suitable husband for Ying’er. She is already twenty-one.”
When Wei Ying was eighteen, Empress Xu thought the Prince would get her married. However, the Emperor passed away in March of that year, entering a year of mourning followed by nearly three years of war, which delayed Wei Ying’s prospects. Not to mention Concubine Guo Xian, Empress Xu was also concerned. Fortunately, her husband ascended the throne smoothly, and Wei Ying became a Princess, remaining the Emperor’s favored one. No one dared to express any displeasure towards her.
Emperor Yongping smiled and said, “Ying’er mentioned she admires talented individuals, and I will pay attention to it in the spring next year.”
He always remembered his daughter’s dream of marrying “the most talented person in the whole capital”, likely the top scholar.
However, when the topic shifted to his son-in-law, Emperor Yongping’s expression darkened, and he confided in Empress Xu, “The more I see Zhao Mao, the more I dislike him. I genuinely wish to find an excuse for Jin’er to divorce him!”
Empress Xu sighed.
Her daughter had married far away in the capital, always reporting good news but not the bad. Empress Xu believed her daughter held a high status, gave birth to two sons and a daughter for the Zhao family, and had honorable relatives in the capital, such as the Zhen Guogong Mansion. She assumed the Zhao family would treat her daughter well. However, it wasn’t until the war that the Zhao family refused to share hardships with their daughter, and Empress Xu deeply regretted her earlier recommendation of Zhao Mao to her husband. At that time, she had vouched for Zhao Mao, and her husband readily agreed, trusting in her judgment.
In fact, Zhao Mao was handsome and good-looking, but after a series of events, his behavior turned bad, deeply hurting her daughter’s heart.
Despite this, Empress Xu continued to persuade Emperor Yongping, “Forget it. I tested Jin’er’s thoughts yesterday, and she said that Zhao Mao is the father of the children after all. Even if it’s just for show, having him at home is useful. Besides, I am writing a book. Apart from encouraging people to do good deeds, I also want to promote women’s virtues. If Jin’er divorces her husband, how can the daughters of the common people practice women’s virtues?”
Emperor Yongping was surprised and asked, “Why did you decide to write a book?”
Empress Xu nestled into his arms and explained, “Three years of war, Yandi, Henan, Shandong, and other places have suffered greatly from the conflict, and the people may have grievances. The Emperor’s love for the people, along with the reduction and exemption of local taxes, is a genuine policy to benefit the people. I am writing books to help the people settle down as soon as possible and lead a grounded life.”
Emperor Yongping understood, hugged her tightly, and praised, “The Empress is virtuous. It’s a blessing for me and also for the people of Great Wei!”
Empress Xu leaned on her husband docilely. She genuinely desired to write a book, and her daughter did not want to divorce her husband.
Her daughter revealed the truth. She allowed Zhao Mao to move into the mansion not because of the long standing relationship between husband and wife. Firstly, she didn’t want to cause trouble for the Emperor. She decided to make do with the situation, planning to endure Zhao Mao until she had tortured him enough. When the court stabilized completely, and the children were grown up, she intended to break ties with the Zhao family completely.
Empress Xu sensed that her daughter had transformed into a true princess. With the support of her father and mother, she had become less gentle and a bit more willful and domineering.
Empress Xu found this change in her daughter was good. After enduring grievances for so long, it was time for her to feel proud.