Chapter 46: The Everyday Affairs of Imperial Father and Mother

On a late autumn morning, the Imperial City was shrouded in a thin mist, making the palaces appear like celestial mountains.

Princess Heiping walked into Kunning Palace and saw many people standing before the Empress's sleeping quarters.

There were people from Kunning Palace, attendants from the Emperor's side, and two women who were not palace servants.

Looking at the two women, Princess Heiping recognized them as being from her maternal grandfather's household, the Marquis of Yichun.

Maids and eunuchs approached to pay their respects, and the two women also stepped forward to perform a formal salutation: "Princess, the Old Lady of the Marquis of Yichun has come to see Her Majesty."

Princess Heiping was initially delighted. "Grandmother is here?" But she quickly frowned and looked toward the Empress's quarters. "Is something wrong?"

It was so early.

...

...

"I have come to visit the Empress. I was ill previously, and Her Majesty has been worried. I came today so she could see me and feel at ease," the Old Lady of the Marquis of Yichun said, bowing respectfully toward the Emperor, who was dressed in casual attire and accompanying the Empress for breakfast.

The Emperor smiled warmly and supported her. "It was my fault for making my mother-in-law go through the trouble of a journey. I should have accompanied Ah Feng to visit you."

The Emperor and Empress had become husband and wife amidst the chaos of war; now that they were Emperor and Empress, they did not follow as many formalities in their private interactions. He still habitually addressed the Marchioness of Yichun as his mother-in-law.

Just as the Old Lady was about to decline the thanks, the Empress—who was dressed simply with her hair tied up and no makeup—gave a cold laugh from the side. "His Majesty rushed over the moment he heard the news. Mother, please speak the truth; do not hide it from him."

The atmosphere in the room froze.

Outside the hall, Princess Heiping also felt a surge of tension.

Compared to her father, her mother had a very difficult temperament.

She remembered her brother saying that Mother used to be very gentle when he was a child...

Her brother was born before their parents entered the capital to establish the dynasty.

When her father ascended the throne, she was still in her mother's womb. She was born a princess, and her mother became the Empress.

Perhaps because her status had changed from the wife of General Deng to the Empress, her mother's temperament had changed as well.

As Princess Heiping's thoughts wandered, she heard the Emperor's somewhat helpless voice.

"Ah Feng, I truly do intend to eat with you."

The Empress acted as if she hadn't heard him and said, "My mother has come to see me regarding the matter of the Duke of Ding'an."

The Duke of Ding'an? Princess Heiping was stunned.

Inside, the Old Lady of the Marquis of Yichun bowed in panic. "Your Majesty, I did not prevent the Duke of Ding'an from seeing you."

*Why would Grandmother say that?* Princess Heiping was even more surprised. She stood on her tiptoes and peered through the window lattice, seeing her father hurriedly supporting her grandmother.

"Mother-in-law, please rise. I did not think that way; please do not say such things." The Emperor pulled the Old Lady up with force and sighed. "Mother-in-law, if you act like this, how can I face Deng Shan?"

Since he had even used a self-reference of respect, the Old Lady looked guilty. "It was my mistake." Without further hesitation, she continued, "It is like this: when the princesses were selecting study companions, the Duke of Ding'an wanted his daughter to be selected, so he made a request through the Marquis."

The Emperor was taken aback. "Why did he..."

Instead of coming to the Emperor personally, he went to the Marquis of Yichun?

The Empress said indifferently, "Perhaps he feels we owe him."

The Emperor's expression stiffened, then turned to anger. "How foolish."

The Old Lady hurriedly stopped the Empress. "Do not speak recklessly." She then looked at the Emperor. "He knows Your Majesty's temperament and did not dare to ask for a favor directly. This is also my fault. When the Duke of Ding'an inquired with us, I wanted our two families to grow closer, so I accepted and requested the Empress to handle it."

She quickly added, "And the Empress did indeed handle it."

The Emperor looked at the Empress and sighed. "I have caused you trouble."

The Empress said flatly, "There is no need for Your Majesty to praise me. The matter was not successful; his daughter was not selected, and now the Duke of Ding'an hates me even more."

It wasn't successful? As the Emperor was about to speak, the Old Lady spoke first with a bitter smile. "Originally, it was a small matter. The Empress provided the exam topics and gave instructions to the person in charge of the Imperial Academy, but we did not expect the Chancellor to personally review the papers..."

And so, the young lady of the Yang family was not selected.

The Emperor understood. He was well aware of Wang Zaitian's temperament; let alone the Empress giving an order, even if he, the Emperor, spoke, it might not be honored.

Especially when it involved scholarship.

The Emperor laughed. "It seems the young lady of the Duke of Ding'an's manor is not very scholarly."

The Old Lady sighed. "She is only thirteen or fourteen; what scholarship could she have? The Chancellor is simply too strict."

Something in those words seemed to trigger a momentary trance in the Emperor's expression.

The Old Lady noticed this, and her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Regardless, we failed to get it done," she said. "The Duke of Ding'an has misunderstood, thinking we interfered. Sigh."

"That is why he caused such a disturbance yesterday, leaving my father with no peace," the Empress said with a cold sneer.

The Emperor was incensed. "That scoundrel." He paced back and forth. "Yang Bin truly measures a gentleman with the heart of a petty man."

"After all these years, and at his age, he has not improved a bit."

The Old Lady said, "Regardless, we accepted the request but failed to deliver. We have failed him..."

The Empress stood up abruptly. "How have we failed him? His own daughter is incompetent, yet he blames me. How have I failed him?"

The Emperor hurriedly pulled her back. "No one is saying you failed him. This matter has nothing to do with you. You need not worry about it anymore. I will..."

The Empress glared at him. "What? You intend to meet him personally to apologize to them on my behalf?"

The Emperor's face stiffened slightly. "No, not that. I will call him here to tell him that this was the Chancellor's decision, so he does not make wild guesses and blame us."

The Empress sneered. "Let him make wild guesses and blame us! Do I fear him?"

The Emperor hurriedly persuaded her, "Ah Feng, do not lose your temper. Fine, I will not see him..." He looked toward the Old Lady with a hint of a plea for help.

The Old Lady quickly spoke up, "Rest assured, Your Majesty, I will..."

Before she could finish, a voice called out from outside the door: "Father, Mother—"

Princess Heiping stepped in with light footsteps, her bright smile instantly dispelling the gloom in the room.

The Emperor stood straight, the Empress lowered her gaze to hide her anger, and the Old Lady of the Marquis of Yichun wore a loving smile.

"Grandmother!" Princess Heiping rushed forward and hugged her. "You finally agreed to come to the palace to see me."

The Old Lady laughed. "I hope the smell of medicine on this old woman doesn't offend the Princess."

The Empress frowned. "How old are you? Stop being so clingy with your grandmother."

Princess Heiping smiled and took the Emperor's arm. "So Father was here with Mother. I was just coming to look for you."

The Emperor was all smiles. "What is it?"

Princess Heiping said, "Father, I am going to school tomorrow, and I am still lacking a few things."

The Empress said from the side, "For school, brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones are enough. What else could you lack! Do not use your studies as an excuse to demand favors."

"Let her speak. Heiping has rarely asked us for anything as she has grown up," the Emperor said with a smile. He looked at Princess Heiping with a look of pride. "It must be because the Chancellor personally reviewed the exam papers. You are more impressive than your father; he won't even look at my handwriting because he finds it ugly."

This was also an unexpected joy for Princess Heiping. Originally, the tutors and palace ladies had said the Chancellor would not intervene, but she hadn't expected him to review the papers personally. Although the Chancellor had not commented on her handwriting or her essay, she had certainly left an impression on him.

Princess Heiping smiled broadly. "Father is the most amazing person in the world. I only ask that I do not bring shame to you." She then looked at the Empress. "Nor to Mother."

The Empress did not speak, but her previously tense face had softened.

"Tell me, what do you want?" the Emperor asked with a smile.

Princess Heiping said, "Although I have a study companion, I am still lacking a personal attendant for reading."

An attendant for reading? The Emperor was stunned. The Old Lady and the Empress thought of something simultaneously; the Empress's brow furrowed as she prepared to speak, but she was stopped by a sharp glare from the Old Lady.

"One cannot bring maids to study at the Imperial Academy, but I am a princess after all. There are some things I truly cannot do myself. So, Father, please find me a reading attendant. They don't need to be highly scholarly; they just need to be able to grind ink, turn pages, organize my notes, and serve tea. That will be enough."

Listening to Princess Heiping's words, the affection in the Emperor's eyes deepened. He said, "Father will allow you to choose for yourself."

Princess Heiping smiled. "Then let it be Miss Yang from the Duke of Ding'an's manor. I saw her during the exam, and I quite liked her."

The Emperor looked at her deeply and nodded.

"Very well," he said softly. "Good child."