Unparalleled Beauty

Chapter C136

The next day, Emperor Qianwu rose very early.

After he left, Wushuang rolled over to sleep beside her daughter, intending to wake her son up in a little while, but she drowsily fell asleep.

After Ji Zuo woke up and saw that his mother and younger sister were still asleep, he got up on his own.

"Your Highness."

Linglong walked over and knelt down to help Ji Zuo put on his shoes.

"Help me dress and wash up, but don't wake Mother and my sister." As he spoke, he seemed to think of something troublesome, "Also, don't wake up my second younger brother yet. He'll throw a tantrum as soon as he wakes up, so let's wait until I'm dressed and washed before waking him."

Before long, Ji Zuo finished getting ready and came to the bedside.

Looking at his soundly sleeping mother and sister, he dragged his younger brother out of the covers and to the edge of the bed.

Truly a little pig, not waking up even like this!

Knowing that his second younger brother was difficult to wake, and fearing that a loud noise would wake his mother, an idea immediately came to him.

"Second Brother, wake up quickly! Didn't you lose to Ji Heng yesterday? Didn't you say you'd get revenge today?"

Upon hearing Ji Heng's name, Ji Reng, who was sleeping soundly, immediately jumped up, shouting "Ah, ah, ah" and throwing a flurry of punches with his eyes still closed.

Fine, now everyone's awake!

Ji Zuo secretly regretted it and reflected on his lack of consideration. This method usually worked well elsewhere, but his second younger brother had always been noisy, so using it at this time wouldn't work.

Wushuang blinked her eyes and woke up: "Reng'er fought with Ji Heng from Prince Han's family yesterday?"

Ji Zuo, acting like an elder brother, said, "It's just the two children messing around. Imperial Grandfather said that children grow up fighting and playing, so he doesn't restrain them. Once they enter the study, they won't be allowed to fight anywhere except the training grounds."

The Emperor Emeritus had been living a carefree life since moving to the West Garden.

At first, he liked his grandson and always kept Ji Zuo in the West Garden, but Ji Zuo couldn't always stay there. So, at Emperor Qianwu's suggestion, he simply spread the love evenly, summoning the children of other families to the West Garden to accompany him every few days.

With so many children, it was noisy and unruly, so the Emperor Emeritus had the idea of rebuilding the Imperial Study.

The Imperial Study was originally a place in the Imperial Palace used to teach the princes and grandsons to read. Later, as the princes grew up, it was abandoned several times. Now that it was built in the West Garden, it could no longer be called the Imperial Study, and was renamed the West Garden Study.

All princes and grandsons over the age of six had to enter the study, follow the teachers to read in the morning, practice martial arts in the afternoon, and follow the old rules.

As for the princes and grandsons under the age of six, they could not be ignored, so a separate sub-study was set up to teach some enlightenment and rules first, and then go to the main study when they reached the age, which was considered a transition.

Therefore, the gate of the West Garden every morning was quite lively, and one could see the carriages of various families coming and going.

It is said that many relatives of the imperial family and meritorious nobles have come to the door, wanting their children to be companions for the princes and grandsons. This habit of having reading companions was also an old practice.

Some went to Emperor Qianwu, and some went to the Emperor Emeritus. For the time being, the Emperor Emeritus has not yet spoken. If this matter is agreed upon, it is estimated that the West Garden Study will be even more lively in the future.

Now Ji Yang and several of his cousins, who are also under the age of six, are staying in the sub-study.

Although it is called a study, it is just a name. Every day, they only teach reading and rules for two or four hours, and the rest of the time is for playing.

Children of this age already know things, but they don't understand them yet. In their own mansions, they are like little emperors. As a result, several mischievous devils are put together, and they fight every day.

Anyway, after the fight, they still play together, and the Emperor Emeritus also said to just watch them, and don't care how they fight. Falling and fighting will make them more robust.

Wushuang also knew about this, so she often heard that Ji Yang fought with this one today and that one tomorrow.

"I didn't lose to Ji Heng. He cheated," Ji Reng said angrily, jumping up from the bed.

"How did he cheat?" Wushuang pulled him over, took the clothes from the palace maid, and put them on him while saying.

"He joined forces with Ji Xun and Ji Kang to ambush me!"

"That's because you're stupid. He joined forces with Ji Xun and Ji Kang. Why can't you co-opt them? And Ji Tang follows you every day. You can also join forces with Ji Tang to beat him up."

Ji Zuo inadvertently revealed his somewhat scheming nature at a young age.

Once the words were spoken, he realized that his Empress Mother was still beside him.

Just as he was feeling uneasy, wondering if his Empress Mother would think he was too insidious, he heard his Empress Mother say, "What your elder brother said is right. You have to find your own methods."

In fact, as early as the first time Ji Reng fought with someone, Wushuang had told Emperor Qianwu about this, saying that the Emperor Emeritus would not allow it to be managed, so what could be done?

At that time, Emperor Qianwu analyzed the intention behind it to her.

The Imperial Study had always been this way. Princes, grandsons of the Emperor, and children from meritorious families and relatives of the Imperial family were mixed together. Those with ability naturally became the center of attention, while those without were naturally subservient.

If one was unwilling to accept this, they would have to find a way to rise above others.

When he first entered the Imperial Study, he was also bullied. Later, he learned the art of alliances and various strategies, which allowed him to reverse his disadvantageous position.

Each child here had a powerful force behind them, and it was precisely here that each prince could accumulate the first core group of followers in his life.

The Great Liang Dynasty had always used this almost Gu-like*  method to educate its princes.

TN: referring to a breeding technique where poisonous insects are placed in a container to fight until only one survives

It was indeed somewhat cruel and added much turbulence to the court. It seemed that every change of the throne brought a storm of bloodshed. However, it was precisely in this environment that the princes who grew up would not be useless good-for-nothings, but rather dragons among men.

And the emperor chosen from among them was even more outstanding, capable of handling various complex situations after ascending the throne, maintaining balance among numerous forces, and not being swayed by powerful civil officials, complicated imperial relatives and meritorious nobles, scheming concubines, or even local powerful families.

This was an ecosystem, unique to the imperial offspring.

Every emperor had suffered greatly in it and loathed it immensely. However, years later, when they themselves became emperors, had descendants, and had a thorough understanding of the world, affairs, and imperial power, they would still choose to use the same method to cultivate their descendants.

Because only in this way could the men of the Ji family stand at the pinnacle forever and maintain the continuation of the dynasty.

After listening, Wushuang was worried, but Emperor Qianwu said, "However, the situation of Zuo'er and the others' generation is very different from the past, so you don't need to worry."

Wushuang immediately understood that they only had two princes now, and they shared the same parents, so naturally they would not fight as fiercely as those princes who had different mothers.

"But in this way, there are also drawbacks," Emperor Qianwu added.

"What drawbacks?"

"Being too comfortable is not a good thing for the princes, or even the future Crown Prince. They will take it for granted that everything in the future belongs to them, and they will become lazy and indulge in enjoyment, losing their ambition and vigor."

Therefore, rather than saying that the West Garden Study was created by the Emperor Emeritus to enjoy the company of his grandchildren, it was more accurate to say that it was a training ground for Ji Zuo and Ji Reng, where they would learn everything they would need in the future.

If that was not enough, then other places would need to make up for it.

To this end, Emperor Qianwu had already planned that when Ji Zuo was older, he would send him out to inspect the localities and compete with those cunning and treacherous local officials and local forces.

It would be best for Ji Reng to go to the military.

Look, the father had already planned the future of his two sons. Therefore, when the mother now heard that her son had fought with so-and-so, she would indeed be troubled for a while, but when she thought that her son would go to the military in the future, a place where he would be tempered and suffer hardships, she would no longer be troubled.

However, the two younger ones were unaware of this. That was why Ji Zuo feared his mother would discover his somewhat cunning nature, not knowing that Wushuang only felt her eldest son increasingly resembled Emperor Qianwu, while the honest second son was somewhat like Ji Yang.

Leaving those matters aside, after finishing their morning meal, Ji Zuo and Ji Reng were due to go to the West Garden.

Although the West Garden was not far from the Imperial Palace, it still required a carriage ride.

Shuning, reluctant to part with her two older brothers, insisted on going along. Wushuang, thinking she hadn't visited the Grand Empress Dowager and the Emperor Emeritus in some time, decided to take her daughter with her.

Seeing their mother escorting them to school, both Ji Reng and Ji Zuo were very happy.

The imperial carriage left the Imperial Palace, drove straight through the West Garden gate, and after proceeding for a while, stopped on the road east of Chongzhi Hall.

From here, the carriage could no longer proceed; they had to walk.

Because Shuning walked slowly, Wushuang, Ji Reng, and Ji Zuo also walked slowly. By this time, many other children from various Prince's mansions had arrived for their lessons.

Seeing the group of people from afar, the older ones, recognizing the Empress, hurriedly came forward to pay their respects. Several of the younger ones, instead of bowing, ran over and asked Ji Reng, "Is that little girl your sister?"

The little girl they were referring to was Shuning. The little radish heads, acting like adults, called any girl younger than them a "little girl," which made Wushuang want to laugh.

Others might not have sisters, but he did! Ji Reng puffed out his little chest and declared that the beautiful little girl was his sister, and they had no sisters.

In reality, it wasn't that they had no sisters, but their sisters were mostly born to other concubines, some of whom were timid in his presence, or, like Shuning, were too young to even walk.

Comparing his own sister to the sisters of others, the little radish heads hung their heads dejectedly, resolving to go back and ask their respective fathers and mothers for a sister, but that's another matter. Wushuang, seeing that they were all children and feeling out of place, bid farewell to her eldest and second sons and took her daughter to find the Grand Empress Dowager.

After Wushuang left, Ji Heng, the five-year-old from the Prince Han's mansion, said, "Ji Reng, don't be so smug. I have a sister too. I'll bring her tomorrow."

"Even if you bring your sister, she won't be as good as Shuning."

Before they could say two more sentences, the two little boys were wrestling.

Ji Zuo, watching from the side, felt a headache coming on. Ji Yan, the seven-year-old from the Prince Han's mansion, said, "Eldest Imperial Prince, let's go inside. The master is about to arrive."

The older children, ignoring the younger ones' fight, went inside one after another.

Before leaving, Ji Zuo glanced at the Chamberlain beside Ji Reng, instructing them to keep an eye on things.

However, the two stopped fighting very quickly, because the bell rang.

Although the rules in the side study were not as strict as those in the main study, there were still rules. If the bell rang and they were still playing around instead of sitting properly in the study, they would be spanked.

That ruler was personally bestowed by the Emperor Emeritus, specifically to teach these unruly young boys some manners.

The two boys each made fierce threats, agreeing to fight again after class, and before the teacher arrived, they scampered off to the study.

On the other hand, Mei Wushuang's arrival was ill-timed, as she happened to encounter the Grand Empress Dowager in a state of sorrow.

Unaware of the reason, Wushuang went to see Sulan.

Sulan shook her head slightly.

The Grand Empress Dowager wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, forcing a smile as she called Shuning into her arms.

After holding Shuning for a while, her mood improved considerably. She said, "This child Shuning is truly endearing. Whenever I see Shuning, I can't help but think of Commandery Princess Minghui back then..."

At the mention of Commandery Princess Minghui, the Grand Empress Dowager was once again overcome with sorrow.

Seeing her unhappy, Shuning stuffed the pastries in her hand into the Grand Empress Dowager's hand, saying, "Great-Grandmother, eat."

She thought her Great-Grandmother was sad because she couldn't eat the pastries.

"Good child, Great-Grandmother won't eat them; they're especially for you."

Later, Wushuang learned why the Grand Empress Dowager was unhappy; it turned out that something had happened with Commandery Princess Minghui.

Commandery Princess Minghui had married into the Kong family, the family of Duke Yansheng. This Kong family held an extraordinary position, having endured countless dynasties. Dynasties rose and fell, but the Kong family remained, which was a testament to their power and influence.

Such a family was naturally a large and prominent clan. Although Commandery Princess Minghui had not married into the direct line of the Kong family, but rather a collateral descendant, with the blessings of their ancestors, her life should not be too bad.

Indeed, that was the case. Initially, Commandery Princess Minghui and her husband were loving and affectionate. The only slight issue was that she had only given birth to two daughters after being married for many years, and had yet to bear a son.

Wushuang had also heard the Grand Empress Dowager mention this in passing, knowing about it but not paying much attention.

It was precisely because of this matter that trouble arose. The Kong family had a rule that a man could only take a concubine if he reached the age of thirty without having a son. For women, having such a family rule reduced the troubles of disputes between wives and concubines, and the confusion between children born of the legal wife and those born of concubines.

The man Commandery Princess Minghui married had reached the age of thirty last year, and still had no son. The family rules of a large clan were not just for show. Since he had reached the age and still had no heir, the elders in the family should arrange for him to take a concubine.

Even if the man's parents were somewhat hesitant due to their daughter-in-law's status, the family was what mattered, and there were elders and clan leaders above them who would naturally not let it go.

Because of this matter, the couple had no shortage of arguments. Commandery Princess Minghui, already of a proud and willful nature, had been cherished by her husband and valued by her parents-in-law for many years after her marriage. How could she possibly endure such a thing?

Before the person even entered the gate, the family had already had several disturbances. After the person entered, she was constantly making trouble out of jealousy, and even injured her husband.

The key point was that the matter was also known by the clan, so they called her over, and the female elders of the clan gave her a thorough scolding. Commandery Princess Minghui couldn't bear this humiliation, so she took her two daughters back to the capital and was now on the way.

***

Naturally, the Grand Empress Dowager was saddened and distressed by such a commotion.

Wushuang didn't know what to say, she could only advise the Grand Empress Dowager and others to ask for details after arriving in the capital, perhaps it wasn't as serious as she thought.

The Grand Empress Dowager could only do so.

After bidding farewell to the Grand Empress Dowager and leaving her palace, Wushuang finally breathed a sigh of relief. She was just planning to take a trip to the Emperor Emeritus when she looked up and saw Emperor Qianwu walking towards her.

"Why have you come?"

"This Emperor came to pick you up."

In fact, what the two of them were saying was nonsense. If he hadn't come to pick her up, he wouldn't have rushed over as soon as court was dismissed. However, the two of them loved to say these things, and the people below were used to it. Seeing His Majesty holding the Consort's hand and walking forward, they all tactfully kept their distance and followed behind.

Shuning was also carried away by the wet nurse, following far behind.

Wushuang spoke of the Grand Empress Dowager's sorrowful affairs, and naturally couldn't avoid mentioning Commandery Princess Minghui.

In her previous life, Commandery Princess Minghui was his Consort Hui, and had even raised his eldest son.

Thinking of that child, Wushuang felt a little jealous and said, "You still haven't told me, who did you have that child with?"