The usual Yue Er who would rush toward her father.
Today, she didn’t dare to approach.
Instead, she clung to her mother’s hand, cautiously asking.
"Mother, what’s wrong with Father?"
She only dared to speak softly, not daring to advance.
Xia Ruqing was a bit embarrassed and quickly pulled her daughter forward to greet the Emperor.
Zhao Junyao noticed their reaction and felt somewhat regretful.
’Did I scare them?!’
He quickly adjusted his mood.
Taking a deep breath, he approached as calmly as possible.
As usual, he helped Qingqing up and held Yue Er in his arms.
He smiled softly at Yue Er.
"Father is fine!"
Yue Er reached out her small hand to touch his cheek.
After looking left and right, she finally giggled.
"It’s Father, no mistake!"
Xia Ruqing: "..."
Zhao Junyao: "&..."
Could it be that his daughter had never seen him angry, so she couldn’t recognize him?
Xia Ruqing secretly felt envious.
’This means, Emperor, this is the first time you’ve shown an angry face to Yue Er!’
’Seriously jealous of my daughter!’
Zhao Junyao played with his daughter for a while, then asked the wetnurse nanny to take her away.
Afterward, the two had dinner.
The dishes were served.
Xia Ruqing personally served him a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup.
"Emperor, calm your anger!"
Zhao Junyao said nothing and downed it all at once.
Xia Ruqing then laughed.
"Emperor, you need not worry about Empress Dowager Zhen’s matter!"
"Summer has passed, and my health has mostly recovered!"
"I can manage the harem affairs, leave it to me!"
Zhao Junyao still didn’t speak.
He served himself another bowl of soup and downed it in one go.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to speak.
But he was currently in a bad mood.
If he spoke, it would hurt Qingqing, and he couldn’t bear that.
He suppressed his feelings for a long while before finally speaking.
"Qingqing..."
"Why must these people behave this way?"
"Have I not given enough?"
His expression was somewhat pained.
Xia Ruqing felt a deep heartache.
Zhao Junyao’s seemingly glorious life hid countless sorrows and hardships.
Aside from the late Emperor, there seemed to be no one who truly treated him well.
Even his biological mother had a mysterious way of siding with others.
Not caring for him was one thing, but she hurt him time and again.
The other women in the harem back then need not be mentioned.
The late Emperor had many sons, and the fight for the throne must have been fierce. It was good enough that they didn’t wish for his death.
From childhood to adulthood, surrounded by enemies, facing threats from all sides.
If it weren’t for the late Emperor’s protection and his own relentless efforts,
he wouldn’t have survived to grow up, let alone ascend the throne.
"Alas!"
After thinking so much, she refrained from judging, only letting out a long sigh in his place.
"Emperor!"
"Such matters shouldn’t have reached your ears!"
"Leave harem matters to me from now on!"
"If necessary, let Consort Cheng assist too!"
"With the three of us, there will be no issues!"
The Empress Dowager had limited rights.
The remaining imperial noble consorts couldn’t stir up much trouble; a firm punishment would keep things in line.
Zhao Junyao looked at her for a moment, still without speaking.
After a while, he suddenly stood up and embraced her in his arms.
"Qingqing!"
"You are truly wonderful!"
Apart from the late Emperor, only with her could he find a bit of warmth.
They say that childhood greatly influences a person.
The harms endured in childhood become shadows for life.
Xia Ruqing thought.
For Zhao Junyao, it was, in a way, a psychological shadow.
She reached out, embracing him back.
"Emperor!"
"Rest assured!"
"I will take good care of my health and take on the harem’s affairs!"
Zhao Junyao held her tightly again.
"Thank you!"
...
After dinner, a night of good sleep followed.
Upon waking, Zhao Junyao felt rejuvenated, turning to see the still-slumbering woman beside him.
His heart was awash with softness, yet also steely determination.
The softness rooted in a passionate heart of love, the steel in the armor it granted him.
A wise saying goes:
To love is to have weaknesses and armor simultaneously, perhaps... that’s what this is!
He gently tucked her in.
Then got up, dressed, and with strides, left to greet the morning sun.
The path ahead was open and bright, with warmth flowing behind him.
His bright yellow dragon robe shimmered radiantly in the morning light.
His steely visage remained as unyielding as ever.
Yet when a little woman resides in the heart of the cold-faced Emperor, suddenly, humanity blooms.
After the court session,
The first decree he issued was.
"Jiangnan suffers from floods, the people are in distress, from today, starting with me, we shall abstain from luxury, open sources, cut expenditure, and share life’s hardships with the people!"
The decree, upon issuance,
was immediately met with the unanimous praise of the censors.
Officials from The Six Ministries and the Three Departments rose up one after another to echo their support.
Though many internally felt rather troubled, in the presence of the Emperor, who would dare defy his commands?
Not only was defiance not an option, but even a hint of reluctance was impermissible.