Chapter 84 – My maternity leave is over.
Returning to the palace, Zhao Qi’s “maternity leave” had also ended.
He woke up early for the first time in a long while, yawning as Jiang Dehai helped him into his dragon robe. After rinsing his mouth with tea handed to him by Xiao Jinzi, he looked back and saw that Xiao Shiqing was still lying in the dragon bed.
Zhao Qi: ???
“Why aren’t you getting up, Brother?”
“Why should I?” Xiao Shiqing lay on his side, propping his head up with his hand and smiling. “Your Majesty, don’t forget that I am currently convalescing from an illness in the residence.”
Zhao Qi recalled the comfort of the bed and said with a sigh, “So I have to get up early for court, while Brother gets to sleep until the sun is high?”
Xiao Shiqing nodded lazily and said, “Yes.”
At that moment, Zhao Qi felt like he was keeping a pretty boy.
“Then go back to sleep, Brother,” Zhao Qi said, “I’ll come to see you after court.”
Xiao Shiqing gave a flirtatious and ambiguous smile and said half-seriously, “Mm, I’ll be waiting for you in bed.”
Before leaving, Zhao Qi asked, “Has Mengmeng woken up?”
Jiang Dehai replied, “Your Majesty, the little prince has just woken up and finished his milk.”
Zhao Qi sighed, “Being a little darling is so good.”
This was Zhao Qi’s first time attending court without Xiao Shiqing’s company, and he was surprisingly a bit nervous. He sat high on the dragon throne, looking down at the officials bowing to him through the coronet—the leader among them was no longer Xiao Shiqing, but his maternal grandfather, Duke Wen of the Wen family.
Besides that, many familiar faces had disappeared, replaced by the vibrant faces of young officials. The most eye-catching was the newly appointed Assistant Minister of Justice, Xu Qiu. Though he was still the ugliest among the officials, his aura far surpassed that of the long-standing old ministers. Just thinking that this person was someone he had personally promoted filled Zhao Qi with a faint sense of pride. He remembered what Xiao Shiqing had once said: as a ruler, it’s okay not to understand military tactics or political schemes, but being able to correctly identify and use people is the greatest wealth.
Zhao Qi’s gaze swept over the officials one by one. After a major purge, the court had undergone a complete transformation. Though it was painful, it was also like a new lease on life. However, he vaguely felt that something was missing. After pondering, he realized what was missing was a gaze fixed on him—He Changzhou was actually not present.
Zhao Qi frowned, suppressing his doubts and focusing on listening to the officials’ reports.
Having not attended court for over half a year and after experiencing a storm of bloodshed, there were countless matters to discuss. Zhao Qi thought he would struggle without Xiao Shiqing, but he was far more capable than he had imagined. He listened first, then discussed, and finally made decisions where possible, leaving unresolved matters for further discussion or to consult with the child’s father later. The court proceedings went smoothly, and Zhao Qi was quite satisfied with his performance. It seemed that after being with Xiao Shiqing for so long, he had indeed learned a lot.
The court session continued until noon. Zhao Qi was exhausted and hungry, forcing himself to listen to Xu Qiu’s endless chatter in the hall. At this moment, Jiang Dehai approached and whispered, “Your Majesty, the Chancellor has prepared wine and dishes. Please return to Yonghua Palace for lunch.”
Zhao Qi was secretly delighted but said on the surface, “What lunch? Can’t you see that I’m still in court?”
Jiang Dehai hesitated, “But the Chancellor said that Your Majesty did not eat much this morning and must be hungry by now. Court matters are never-ending; it would be best to have lunch first and continue later. The Chancellor also said that if Your Majesty does not comply, he will personally bring the little prince to invite Your Majesty back.”
Zhao Qi’s eyelid twitched, “Nonsense!”
Jiang Dehai advised, “The Chancellor is only concerned for Your Majesty’s well-being. You’ve just given birth to the little prince less than a month ago; you must not overwork yourself.”
Zhao Qi complained dramatically, “Tsk, men are such a hassle—then let’s adjourn court.”
On the way back, Zhao Qi asked, “Why wasn’t He Changzhou present for court?”
Jiang Dehai replied, “Young General He has taken leave.”
“Why did he take leave?”
“I don’t know.”
“Find out.”
“Yes.”
Upon arriving at Yonghua Palace, the food was indeed prepared. Xiao Shiqing was waiting at the door to greet him. Xiao Shiqing was not wearing a crown and was dressed casually in moon-white clothes, with his collar open. He looked elegant and unrestrained—even though he was holding a chubby and adorable Mengmeng.
Zhao Qi felt a warmth in his heart. Ah, could this be the legendary cozy life with a wife and children?
“How can you be so thoughtless, Brother?” Zhao Qi said seriously. “Don’t you know how busy I am with state affairs? Even if you want to act spoiled, there should be a time and place for it.”
Xiao Shiqing didn’t expose Zhao Qi’s pretense but nodded and said, “It is my fault for being unreasonable. I just wanted the Emperor to have a meal with me.”
Zhao Qi was quite taken with this and helplessly said, “What can I do with you, Brother?”
Xiao Shiqing handed their child over to the wet nurse, and they both sat down to eat together.
Zhao Qi began discussing what he had seen and heard in the morning court. “The tax reforms in Jiangxia have shown preliminary results. I plan to implement them nationwide. Is that alright?”
Xiao Shiqing served a bowl of soup in front of Zhao Qi and replied, “It’s fine.”
“The Minister of Revenue is complaining again, saying that the national treasury has a deficit of thirty million taels…”
“Don’t worry,” Xiao Shiqing said lightly, “Xu Qiu is about to start seizing properties. I’ve heard that the Wen family is as rich as a country. Their assets alone could cover about a third of the national treasury’s deficit.”
Zhao Qi was taken aback. “So, Brother, you intentionally stirred up party disputes for this reason.”
Xiao Shiqing smiled. “Since the Emperor is so poor, I naturally need to find ways to earn more silver for you.”
Zhao Qi said, “If you really want to help me, hurry up and retrieve the four sets of items and restore your official position.”
Xiao Shiqing didn’t take it seriously. “Whether or not I hold the position of Prime Minister makes no difference to me.”
This was true. Although Xiao Shiqing wasn’t visible in front of the officials, he was still working as much as before.
“Since it makes no difference, why are you still pretending to be ill and not going out?”
“To stay close to you.”
“…” That reason was indeed hard to refute.
Xiao Shiqing gently pinched Zhao Qi’s reddened earlobe. “Besides that, it’s also to make the northern border less alert. The more Zhao Tong thinks that the capital is in chaos and there is no one in control, the more advantageous the situation will be for us.”
The northern border had always been a source of worry for Zhao Qi. He had thought that as long as he didn’t continue persecuting Zhao Tong, Zhao Tong wouldn’t rebel, and the people in both regions could be spared from war. The reality proved him to be naïve.
“If I had known it would come to this, I should have just killed him from the start,” Zhao Qi said with regret. “It’s all my fault for being soft-hearted.”
Xiao Shiqing chuckled lightly. “If we had killed Zhao Tong back then, it would have only provoked a vengeful army from the north. Not killing him gave us more years to recuperate and prepare our resources. The turmoil in the north was already set in motion when the late Emperor made Zhao Tong a king and the Empress Dowager allowed him to head north. It has nothing to do with my precious one.”
Zhao Qi: “…”
Xiao Shiqing had a habit of suddenly mixing flirtatious remarks into serious conversations, which only made Zhao Qi blush and feel flustered.
Zhao Qi took a sip of soup to compose himself and asked, “What have you been doing all this time? You wouldn’t be really lying in bed, would you?”
“Taking care of the child.”
“Cough, cough—” Zhao Qi nearly choked. Xiao Shiqing patted his back and calmly added, “And I also tidied up your harem.”
Zhao Qi was stunned. The harem? Where did he get a harem from?! Although his romantic luck was unusually good, he hadn’t picked any other flowers besides Xiao Shiqing. Don’t falsely accuse a good man!
Xiao Shiqing reminded him, “The men and women you previously brought into the palace, half of them were dismissed before. Now, only half remain.”
Zhao Qi sighed in relief. “So you meant them.”
Xiao Shiqing gave a faint smile, “Who did you think I was talking about?”
Zhao Qi awkwardly said, “No one. What did you do with them?”
“They have all been dismissed from the palace,” Xiao Shiqing said, “except for one person.”
“Who?”
“Jiang Bao’er.”
Having become a bit forgetful during pregnancy, Zhao Qi had almost completely forgotten about those male consorts in the harem. Hearing Jiang Bao’er’s name, he was momentarily confused. “Who’s that?”
Xiao Shiqing raised an eyebrow. “The most favored male consort in the past.”
Zhao Qi remembered now. It wasn’t because Jiang Bao’er was the most favored, but because he was the most troublesome.
“Why did you keep him—because he was the most favored?”
Xiao Shiqing admitted that he loved Zhao Qi, but that didn’t stop him from thinking Zhao Qi was a bit foolish. “Jiang Bao’er was the one who put fertility medicine in your snacks.”
Zhao Qi stared at his chopsticks for a while, “It was him?! But why would he drug me? There’s no reason for it!”
“He confused the effects of the ‘Chang Xiangsi’ and ‘Chang Xiangsi No. 2’. He originally intended to take No. 2 himself and use No. 1 on you, hoping to get pregnant with a dragon heir and stay in the palace to enjoy wealth and honor forever.”
Zhao Qi was both angry and amused. “That’s quite something.” It wasn’t easy for Mengmeng to be born; any missing link in these coincidences would have meant losing her. “But how did you find out?”
“I investigated,” Xiao Shiqing said. “Jiang Bao’er bribed the eunuch Xiao Xiazi from Yonghua Palace to steal the ‘Chang Xiangsi’.”
“But I also investigated,” Zhao Qi said gloomily. “Why couldn’t I find it out?”
Xiao Shiqing bluntly said, “Because you’re foolish.”
Zhao Qi was at a loss for words. Life was already so hard—can’t some things just stay hidden?
Xiao Shiqing looked at him. “You’re so foolish, how can I trust you alone?”
“Alright, alright, I know you’re smart, and I can’t compare…”
“So in the future, I won’t leave you alone,” Xiao Shiqing said. Although he was speaking sweetly, his tone was exactly the same as when he called Zhao Qi foolish.
Zhao Qi was stunned again and covered his face. “Brother, don’t suddenly say sweet things like that. I can’t handle it…”
“Jiang Bao’er has been sent to the dungeon to await his punishment. But he is already seriously ill, so he probably won’t last long.”
Zhao Qi’s mood was somewhat complex. Jiang Bao’er had indeed committed a capital crime, but from a certain perspective, if he hadn’t committed those crimes, Zhao Mian wouldn’t have been born. “Then, let him fend for himself.”
After the meal, Xiao Shiqing once again “acted unreasonably” and asked, “Can the Emperor accompany me for a nap?”
Zhao Qi “reluctantly” agreed. When Jiang Dehai helped him out of his outer robe, he kept giving Zhao Qi meaningful looks. Zhao Qi asked, “What’s wrong?”
Jiang Dehai whispered, “Your Majesty, may I have a word with you in private?”
Inside the inner hall were only the two of them and Xiao Shiqing. Zhao Qi didn’t think there was anything that needed to be hidden from Xiao Shiqing, so he replied, “Just speak directly.”
Jiang Dehai thought to himself, so this is how you want it, old servant. “Your Majesty, I sent someone to the He residence.”
Xiao Shiqing’s eyes narrowed slightly. Zhao Qi, worried that he might be jealous, took the initiative to explain, “He Changzhou asked for leave and didn’t attend the morning court. I sent Old Jiang to check on it.”
Xiao Shiqing said, “There are officials who ask for leave every month. Will you check on each one?”
Zhao Qi scratched his head, “Uh…”
“If you want to know his current situation, there’s no need to send someone to investigate. I can tell you.” Xiao Shiqing said lightly, “Since He Changzhou returned from the southern tour, he has been training troops in the outskirts of the capital. Three days ago, because he drank and was hungover in the army, his father He Ming ordered him to be punished with thirty blows. He is now recuperating at home.”
Jiang Dehai said, “Yes, yes, that’s exactly what the Prime Minister said.”
He Changzhou drinking in the army and getting drunk? This didn’t seem like something he would do. Zhao Qi asked, “How severe are his injuries?”
Jiang Dehai replied, “Although they are just superficial wounds, General He is very harsh. Young General He was beaten badly, and the doctor said it would take at least ten to fifteen days to heal.”
Since returning to the capital, Zhao Qi hadn’t met with He Changzhou. The last thing he remembered saying was to stop wasting time on him. He didn’t regret saying that, but hearing about He Changzhou’s poor condition still left him feeling unsettled.
Zhao Qi thought for a moment and asked Xiao Shiqing, “Brother, for Mengmeng’s full moon celebration, can we invite He Changzhou to the palace for the feast?”
Even while feeling jealous, Xiao Shiqing did not forget about state affairs. “He Changzhou is a talented general and the best candidate for the future Northern Expedition Commander. His mind should be focused on military matters, not…” Xiao Shiqing paused, “not on romantic entanglements.”
With such double standards from Xiao Shiqing, Zhao Qi couldn’t help but slightly retort, “Then shouldn’t brother’s mind also be on national affairs? What’s with sticking around me all the time?”
“That’s not untrue,” Xiao Shiqing said with righteous conviction, “but you are my national affair.”
Zhao Qi felt a tingling sensation in his chest—oh no, this charming man was starting to unleash his irresistible charm again.
Zhao Qi took a step back, trying to avoid looking at Xiao Shiqing’s extraordinarily handsome face. “As long as he comes to the feast, I’ll talk to him properly.”
Xiao Shiqing watched Zhao Qi for a moment before suddenly saying, “When Mian’er’s full moon arrives, it will also be a month since you gave birth.”
“Yes,” Zhao Qi said, feeling puzzled. Wasn’t that just stating the obvious?
Xiao Shiqing’s voice became soft and low. “Mei Dai said that a month after childbirth, one can… resume marital relations.”
“Then let the doctor take a look,” Zhao Qi said, “at least let him suffer less before he dies.”
Jiang Dehai agreed, “Yes.”
Leaving Mingcui Palace, Zhao Qi continued walking along the lakeside and stopped in front of Drunken Scholar’s Study.
This was where Rong Tang had lived for two years. Even though Rong Tang had been gone for more than half a year, traces of his presence were still visible. Compared to the other palaces in the harem, Drunken Scholar’s Study looked quite out of place. It was elegant, simple, and tranquil; in the middle of winter, the courtyard was a scene of withered desolation.
Zhao Qi twitched his nose, “Do you smell the fragrance of medicine?”
Jiang Dehai sniffed, “I don’t smell anything.”
“Is that so,” Zhao Qi said, “it might be my illusion. Let’s go in and check.”
The door of Drunken Scholar’s Study was open, and there was no one inside. Zhao Qi wandered around, finding the place very clean, as if the owner was still here.
Zhao Qi went to the study and casually pulled a book from the shelf. After reading two pages, he found it uninteresting and put the book back. A letter fell out from between the pages.
The envelope was unsigned. Zhao Qi opened it and found only two lines of poetry: “The mountain has trees, and the trees have branches. My heart delights in you, but you do not know.”
Jiang Dehai glanced at the contents of the letter and couldn’t help but be moved, “Your Majesty, Young Master Rong…”
Zhao Qi, however, had no special reaction. He only remarked, “Look at this writing, it’s flowing and graceful, as ethereal as an immortal. It’s too beautiful. Alas, it’s a pity Rong Tang is gone. Otherwise, he could have taught Mengmeng to read and write.”
Jiang Dehai thought, “Young Master Rong was right, it really is heart’s delight ‘but you do not know’.”
A noise came from the doorway, and both of them turned to see a palace maid with a broom looking at them in surprise.
Zhao Qi tilted his head, “Who are you?”
The maid came to her senses and, with barely concealed excitement, said, “This servant is Jin Ning, greeting His Majesty.”
“Jin Ning?” Zhao Qi recalled vaguely, “Aren’t you the maid who served Rong Tang?”
“That’s right,” Jin Ning gathered her courage to look up, “Your Majesty, did you come to Drunken Scholar’s Study because Young Master Rong is coming back?”
Zhao Qi said, “No, I was just wandering around and ended up here.”
Jin Ning’s expression dimmed, and she looked very disappointed.
Jiang Dehai said, “Your Majesty, usually the maids and matrons left in the harem are older. Jin Ning is so young and looks good. She should have been assigned elsewhere.”
Jin Ning said, “Your Majesty, it was my own wish to stay in Drunken Scholar’s Study. I wanted to wait for Young Master Rong’s return.”
“You’re quite loyal,” Zhao Qi teased, “Are you so attached to Rong Tang that you like him?”
Jin Ning’s face turned pale, “Young Master is His Majesty’s person. How could this servant dare!”
“Hey, who said he’s my person? Don’t talk nonsense!” Zhao Qi said. “If it gets to his brother’s ears, he’ll have to deal with it.”
“Even if Young Master is not Your Majesty’s person, he is still a celestial being descended from heaven,” Jin Ning said, lowering her head, “This servant would never dare to wish for such things!”
“I was just joking, it seems I scared you,” Zhao Qi said. “Fine, if you want to stay in Drunken Scholar’s Study, then stay.” He traced his finger across the desk, the tip clean and dust-free. “You’ve cleaned this place very well.”
“Young Master dislikes filth, and I’m used to it,” Jin Ning said, then asked, “Your Majesty, will Young Master Rong come back?”
Zhao Qi thought for a moment, “Perhaps he will come back to the capital, but he will definitely not stay in Drunken Scholar’s Study.”
According to Xiao Shiqing, Rong Tang was now by the side of the Prince of Huai, monitoring his every move. Once the court had pacified the northern turmoil and Rong Tang had made great contributions, he should return to the capital to be rewarded. Zhao Qi was even thinking of granting him a noble title.
Jin Ning slowly lowered her head, “This servant understands.”
After leaving Drunken Scholar’s Study, Jiang Dehai reminded Zhao Qi, “It’s almost time for dinner. Your Majesty should return to Yonghua Palace early to avoid keeping the Prime Minister waiting.”
Zhao Qi grumbled as he walked back, “Is Yonghua Palace my bedroom or my brother’s?”
Jiang Dehai knowingly asked, “Why not let the Prime Minister move back to Haiyan Palace?” Haiyan Palace was a residence given by Empress Dowager Wen to Xiao Shiqing for short stays when he worked late at the palace.
Zhao Qi replied without hesitation, “No, my brother must live with me and Mengmeng. A family should have the appearance of a family.”
Jiang Dehai secretly smiled, “Yes, Your Majesty is right.”
“However, I really want to grant him a palace,” Zhao Qi said eagerly, “Old Jiang, where does the empress of Dajin usually live?”
Zhao Qi’s expression showed that he was planning something significant. Jiang Dehai replied, “Your Majesty, it’s Chang Le Palace.”
“I remember that the imperial wedding was also held at Chang Le Palace?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s go,” Zhao Qi said with excitement, “Let’s take a look at Chang Le Palace.”
T/N: There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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