novelraw Chapter 453 Impatient
Chapter 453 Impatient
But she really wanted to care. Just the thought of her eldest brother, that innate sense of kinship thicker than water, would come rushing out uncontrollably. She couldn’t control it herself. This must be what familial affection is all about.Xia Ruqing shook her head, pushing the thoughts away. She looked up haughtily and said, "That’s right, he’s the only brother I have!"
Lady Yao and her father were utterly unreliable. And with Maternal Aunt Wen not around, if she didn’t worry, who would? It was precisely because of these relatives that she never felt lonely, even in this other world! Let it be a way of repaying Maternal Aunt Wen’s kindness in raising her! Without Maternal Aunt Wen scrimping and saving to help, the original owner of this body would have long since perished, let alone her current self.
Zhao Junyao lightly patted her. "I didn’t say anything!"
Xia Ruqing suddenly felt a bit embarrassed and laughed as well.
Dinner was served. It was lavish—seemingly simple, yet delicious and refreshing. The highlight was the two bowls of noodles. One bowl contained fish soup noodles, with fresh noodles in a thick, white fish broth that exuded a delectable aroma even from a distance. The other was wild ginseng and mushroom noodles, also made with a chicken broth base, smelling particularly fragrant. The remaining dishes included steamed fish, stir-fried young greens, and a cold dish of scallion tofu. Of course, there were also stronger-flavored dishes: Xia Ruqing’s favorite spicy chopped fish head and the salt and pepper lamb chops, both of which Zhao Junyao also enjoyed. Paired with fluffy steamed rice from the Imperial Kitchen’s large iron pots, the two ate with great relish.
After dinner, they washed, bathed, and changed into smooth silk undergarments before resting on a couch. Zhao Junyao casually flipped through a book while Xia Ruqing played with Little Bun. Lively and active, Little Bun wore a large red bellyband embroidered with carp. He crawled around, counted his fingers, and then pointed at a picture book, wanting Xia Ruqing to tell him a story.
Xia Ruqing tapped his nose, teasing him. "Son, you’re only half a year old. What could you possibly understand?"
Little Bun rolled his eyes at her proudly, as if to say, Mom, don’t look down on me, okay?
The mother and child chirped and laughed, creating a lively, bustling scene.
Zhao Junyao idly flipped through his book, reading slowly, one word at a time. It took him a good while to turn each page, his entire being exuding an air of leisure and relaxation. The inner chamber was filled with a relaxed, cozy atmosphere.
Zhao Junyao used to dislike the chirping of children, finding it noisy. But now he realized it was precisely such places, brimming with the mundane warmth of life, that could calm his heart.
No wonder those books always said that hermit experts didn’t actually seclude themselves in some deep, unreachable mountain or forest. Rather, they were right there, amidst the common mundanity of the world. They hid in plain sight, living lives indistinguishable from ordinary people, making it impossible for others to tell them apart. As he mused on this, his lips curved into a smile, unbeknownst even to himself.
After playing for a while, Little Bun grew sleepy, and Sister Huang took him away.
Xia Ruqing noted the late hour and urged, "Emperor, you have the early court session tomorrow. You should rest early."
Zhao Junyao acknowledged with an "Mm," set his book aside, and rose to head for the bed. Xia Ruqing eagerly trotted after him.
Upon seeing this, Zi Yue and Zi Su hurried in to draw the bed curtains, dim the lights, and attend to them as they prepared for rest.
「...」
The room grew dim. Zhao Junyao held Xia Ruqing in his arms, neither speaking a word. Inside the bed curtains, it was so quiet they could hear each other’s breathing.
These past few days, Zhao Junyao had been preoccupied with state affairs, and the incident with the Third Princess had also demanded a considerable portion of his attention. Finally, he could relax here, stealing a fleeting moment of leisure from his demanding life. He didn’t need to do anything special; just lying there quietly, he felt utterly content.
As for Xia Ruqing, she, too, found lying down quite comfortable. After all, she had endured a tiring day and had even been vexed by Lady Yao earlier. Now that she had finally bathed and settled in, it wasn’t long before she fell asleep.
Listening to her steady breathing, Zhao Junyao gave a wry smile. He extended his large hand to hold her from behind, gently caressing her back. Xia Ruqing, enjoying the comfort, naturally turned over. Her leg climbed onto him like an octopus.
Zhao Junyao’s face held a wry smile, but his arms held her even tighter!
「...」
Lady Yao received her reward and scurried out of the palace, a joyful grin stretching from ear to ear the entire way. After all, exchanging a gilded "little peace" lock for such a large bundle of goods was truly worth it.
However, Lady Yao’s excitement didn’t last long. Upon returning to the mansion, she eagerly tore open the bundle, only to be dumbfounded by its contents. The bundle contained nothing but a few sets of clothes. The rustling sound, it turned out, came from their adornments. It wasn’t a bundle of gold and silver jewelry at all!
She tore at the bundle, shaking out the items one by one. "It’s all clothes! Just clothes! Damn it!"
She wasn’t short on clothes—not in the slightest. She had exchanged almost all of Old Master Xia’s modest fortune for garments and jewelry. What she lacked now was silver, bright, shining silver.
"Ah! That wretched woman!" Lady Yao was furious. Without silver, how could she sustain her extravagant lifestyle? When those Madams invited her to operas, to bid on jewelry, or to order clothes, she couldn’t very well say she had no silver and couldn’t go, could she? That would be too embarrassing, far too embarrassing!
「...」
Old Master Xia heard the commotion and rushed over. Seeing him, Lady Yao burst into tears of grievance, "Master, I painstakingly selected a golden peace lock for the Little Prince, but look what I received in return!"
With that, she once again shook out the clothes, one by one. The garments themselves weren’t bad; in fact, they were made from prestigious fabrics. There were items of Shu Brocade, Yunjin, and even the most precious and rare Liuguang Brocade—one of each kind. Lady Yao simply didn’t recognize their worth; she only valued silver.
Old Master Xia glanced at them and sighed, "Isn’t this all very good? These clothes are much nicer than the ones you have made!"
Lady Yao, unimpressed, slapped her thighs and began to wail loudly. "Master, I knew you wouldn’t dare offend Consort Xian Pin! You’re starting to play favorites! Consort Xian Pin is your legitimate daughter, and so is Ruyi! Master, you mustn’t play favorites!"
Old Master Xia was quite impatient. "Nonsense! When have I ever played favorites?"
In truth, he did feel a bit guilty. His eldest daughter was also legitimate, born of his primary wife, no less. Not only had he shown her little affection, but she had also been overtly and covertly tormented by Lady Yao. Old Master Xia was not oblivious; he was well aware of these matters. But aware as he was, there was nothing he could do. What master of a house could oversee the women’s quarters day in and day out? If she was bullied and tormented, it could only be chalked up to her bad luck!
「...」
Lady Yao wailed for a while. But when Old Master Xia, annoyed, abruptly rose and left with a flick of his sleeves, she dared not cry any longer.
In the past, at such times, Old Master Xia would usually visit Maternal Aunt Wen. Now... he had probably retreated to his study in the front courtyard.