The Restless Empress

“Younger cousin, how long will we be out traveling for this time?” They faintly knew that afraid they won’t be able to return any time soon.

The little crown prince was flinging a bunny tail grass in hand, “Don’t know, this probably will depend on my father’s mood. However, I reckon, it will at least be two-three years. If more, then don’t know how long we will have to wait until.” The little crown prince spun his eyes, “Actually, to want to come back earlier, it’s also not impossible. Just let your parents look for a wife for you all, and when it’s time for you to get married, naturally will be able to come back. And the others most likely will also be able to come back along with.”

Once these words came out, the others all unanimously had their line of sight casted towards the oldest one among them, the little crown prince’s study companion.

For a fifteen year old young boy, when mentioning marriage, normally would more or less all be a bit shy. However, the little crown prince’s study companions and playmates have long gotten poisoned by his shamelessness again and again, their faces already quite thick. That’s why, he didn’t even bat an eye, “Young master, don’t worry, my father said, however long young master will be out traveling, I will just follow by young master’s side for however long. Ten years, eight years, all won’t matter. When time comes, returning later to discuss marriage isn’t a problem either.”

“Ten years, eight years?” The little crown prince chewed over these words, “My father probably won’t be that deranged, right?”

To dare say this about one’s own father, and moreover, this father was even the esteemed emperor, there was no one aside from this crown prince of theirs. However, to be able to have his eleven year old only son thrown out of the capital to ‘train’, it was indeed quite heartless. That’s why, for him to do something even more heartless, it wasn’t impossible either.

“Younger cousin, did you do something outrageous again, angering uncle-in-law, to the extent that he had you sent away on a penal sentence?”

The little crown prince lightly glanced at his older cousin, very inelegantly rolling his eyes, “What outrageous thing can this young master do? Is this a penal sentence? This is going on vacation, understand? My father and mother love me. Switched with you all, would you have this good fortune?”

At this age of theirs, they indeed wanted to go out traveling, but your Highness, you saying nonsense with your eyes wide open like this, is it really okay? However, recalling how thick their crown prince’s face was, they also just gave up. Whatever he says it is, as long as he’s happy.

(T/N: The little crown prince perfectly inherited his father’s thick skin.)

In the last few years, the times the little crown prince went out of the palace gradually increased, not going to the Luo Manor any less. Even though his Luo family cousins all weren’t among his playmates and study companions, their relationship was still pretty good. However, the Luo family young ladies very rarely appeared before him. In other people’s eyes, they were the ‘pavilion near the water[1]‘, with some even asserting that the future crown princess most likely will come from the Luo family, and the probability of it being Luo Jing Bo’s second daughter was the highest.

But, only the people of the Luo family know that this was impossible. The Luo family’s daughters have all been warned before. In terms of relationship, they can only have the crown prince viewed the same as their own brothers, not allowed to have unwarranted thoughts. The Luo family even directly added a new family rule, forbidding blood-related cousins within three relations from marrying. In other words, for the children given birth to by the married daughters of the Luo family, don’t count on marrying a Luo family daughter, or have their daughter married back into the Luo family. Wanting to add to the relation because of the Luo family’s rising influence, don’t even think about it.

Exactly what kind of position the crown prince had in his Majesty’s heart, as time went on, even if they didn’t want to know, it was still impossible to not know. And what was his Highness the Crown Prince like? They were further aware inside. Towards his Majesty, to say how scared he was, it was hard to say, but as long as he wasn’t in front of him, he was just lawless and out of control. Of course, he has never actually gone overboard.

Just, his Majesty……….

For an ordinary person, no matter what, all won’t have a child this big ‘thrown out’, let alone even their only child, and even the crown prince. On a serious level, this just concerned the stability of the entirety of Qi Yuan. However, under this kind of circumstance, his Majesty still had the person thrown out, and above all, her Highness the Empress didn’t even stop him.

The sole sprout getting let out to roam like this, to an extent, even lessened the amount of children getting overly spoiled in those official families. If the women were to overly spoil, then the men in the family can just throw out, “Can they even be more precious than the crown prince? Even the crown prince all won’t be like this.” And the women would get blocked to the point of speechlessness.

As for the matter of the little crown prince getting ‘sent away’, although not openly announced to the world, the court officials still for the most part all knew. However, no one submitted memorandums to urge, because even if submitting, it would still be useless. As such, they could only tightly seal their mouth, not letting this matter get made public as much as possible. One has to know, regardless of when and where, there all won’t be absolute peace. Qi Yuan’s crown prince, how noble and esteemed of a person. If outsiders were to know that he was out traveling, setting aside certain unique individuals threatening his safety, he certainly will still attract all kinds of demons and monsters.

TN: All

As such, the little crown prince’s trip really will be a journey, and perhaps will even encounter repeated trials. Those that want to win his favor and deceive him was just the lightest of the bunch.

And these, even if not encountering, en, his old man will also add in for him. As for to what degree, it’ll just depend on how humane Li Hong Yuan will be.

“Just don’t let our son end up as miserable as you were in your past life.” Jing Wan said as such.

“Won’t go that far.” Li Hong Yuan calmly said, “He at most will just suffer betrayal, but won’t go as far as to lose his family. After all, you, this mother, no matter what, won’t really do anything to him.”

Jing Wan expressed that on her son’s matters, she really was very powerless. Being born into the imperial family, and even as the only child, he was destined to become the emperor. He can completely be as arrogant as he wants, and as willful as he wants, absolutely the best position to be born into.

However, it was completely different for her son. In a certain sense, he really was worst off than an ordinary family’s young master.

Li Hong Yuan looked at his wife’s listless appearance. Really, it’s been eleven years already, yet she still didn’t change in the slightest. That little bastard was ultimately the child that she’d suffered a great deal giving birth to, so just based on this bit, it was impossible for him to really have him crippled. Although putting him to the test, when really unable to withstand, he certainly won’t ignore him.

Pulling Jing Wan into his arms, he hooked the back of her neck, very much unhesitantly kissing her. Moving towards the recliner to the side, he just directly tugged off her clothes.

Jing Wan hurriedly pushed him. This was in the middle of the day. Although there weren’t servants close by, there was still one by the door.

However, these years, Li Hong Yuan has been increasingly willful. If not for Jing Wan ‘suppressing’, really don’t know how much mess he can cause. Doing it in the middle of the day, this kind of thing, whenever he was in the mood, even in the imperial garden, there were the seeds he’s sprayed, just like back when they’d gone to Jiangnan, in certain areas, out in the open, very much indulgent.

Once there was a first, there was just a second, and afterwards, there was just the third and fourth time. Jing Wan completely deflated, her integrity shattering along with. If you tell him, it’s not good for others to know and whatnot, in his eyes, those palace maids and eunuchs simply weren’t considered people. If they’re not even considered people, then can they even get in the way of him being intimate with his wife? It was practically looking to die.

What can Jing Wan say? Nothing. Emperors carrying out bedroom matters, that was all having someone listening in the corner. Just based on her knowledge, there were even those emperors, in certain open areas, getting encircled by a bunch of eunuchs, and inside the circle, able to get it on intensely.

Her sense of shame ultimately didn’t shed away completely, thus casually hinted a few words. When encountering this kind of thing, the people by her side can immediately clear away, at least need to go beyond where one can see and hear. Just like right now, the person by the door was gone, and the door was also closed shut. This batch of servants serving her right now, that eyesight, absolutely couldn’t be better.

Jing Wan was now twenty-nine, and to put it unpleasantly, someone that was pushing thirty. Switched with certain upper class wealthy families, that was already a faded old woman, and in a few years, won’t even have the opportunity to share the room with one’s husband anymore.

As for Jing Wan, solely looking at her skin, it was still tender and supple like a young girl, her figure also maintained quite well. The places that should have meat weren’t small in the slightest, and the places that shouldn’t, there weren’t any excess meat. For many years, they’ve always been very harmonious in this aspect, and as an old couple, there wasn’t anything to be shy about, appearing increasingly enticing.

Just in terms of Li Hong Yuan, never mind having feelings for Jing Wan, thus won’t get involved with other women, just solely based on the attractiveness of this body, he figured that unless the type of man that purely liked the southern wind[2], otherwise, even if dysfunctional, once they see, can also get it up, becoming deeply addicted, unable to free oneself. However, this can only be his.

The two of them were the perfect combination of body and soul, so naturally it was just the most pinnacle pleasure.

Li Hong Yuan’s skills in this aspect has never been weak before, but Jing Wan right now, regardless of how much he messes around, she was all able to keep up with him until the end, and after the deed, she just needed to rest a little before recovering. This man, in bed, his mouth was the sweetest, yet also the most obscene. When full, he didn’t tease Jing Wan any less. Of course, Jing Wan also wasn’t the type to just let him tease.

Climbing down from the bed, tidying the clothes, Jing Wan was still that dignified and imposing, with extraordinary bearing, old fox that has mingled in court for more than ten years. No one dared to underestimate her in the slightest.

In these six years, the dictionary Jing Wan ordered people to compile for the most part have taken form, just short of the last revision. In Jing Wan’s plans, once this dictionary was complete, she just planned on revising the law. Blood-related relatives within three relations not allowed to marry, this clause, she prepared to directly incorporate into the law. Some things, she also didn’t plan on explaining. In any case, she was the empress, and her husband fully supported her. Thus, it was just directly giving the order. There was nothing to say.

Not only so, the protection towards children and women also needed to be amplified. It certainly won’t be able to be like in her past life, where the government can officially launch this and that kind of protection law. She can only do her best, however much she can.

Towards kidnapping and selling children, it will be severely punished, and towards defiling women from a humble family, it further can’t be let off.

Li Hong Yuan looked over the things that Jing Wan roughly drafted up, the back of his fingers caressing against Jing Wan’s face, “When women get defiled, they would all rush to cover up, so how can they bring it out to let others bring justice for them? If the matter gets exposed, it’ll for the most part just be equal to death.”

“I know, but some people are just too black-hearted, having defiled a woman, yet still blathering about it everywhere, and also those that got intentionally or otherwise exposed. Even if their purity is gone, or even losing their life, at least need to wash away the injustice for them. Moreover, with the law as a restriction, certain people, prior to making a move, will at least have a bit of misgiving. All things have a difficult start. Perhaps, many years later, the circumstances will be different.”

Li Hong Yuan knew that his wife was different. That’s why, he didn’t continue retorting her, splashing cold water on her. Moreover, perhaps in the future, it will just reach the state that his wife wanted. Who can say for sure. “The final version of the dictionary already got presented up yesterday, having recorded a total of more than forty thousand characters. It’s more than enough to pass on for generations.”

Quite a few people participated in this dictionary’s compilation. Aside from the many officials of the Hanlin Academy, there was also quite a few scholars and renowned experts. Towards this book, they were all quite excited. Not only because they can leave their name behind in history, but further because of its significance use. In their heart, it has already reached the same height as the four books and five classics[3].

“Is that so, then need to nicely look over.” Jing Wan said with a smile. Taking six years, it truly wasn’t easy.

“This dictionary was initiated by you, the thought process for the compilation also coming from you, really not going to name using your name?”

“Using your reign title is quite good, didn’t you say that as husband and wife, we are as one?”

Li Hong Yuan, like as if pleased, leaned over, kissing Jing Wan.

And not long after, Yuan Qi Dictionary got printed out, first appearing inside Wanxiang Library. Afterwards, it was uniformly distributed to the various regions to publish and sell. For a time, it received very high recognition. Moreover, the price was for the most part just the manufacturing cost. That’s why, for the scholars, they were able to obtain the whole book in hand, the sales exploding, making people’s eyes pop out.

Of course, this kind of book, if properly preserved, using for two three generations all won’t be a problem——-even though, in the future, it will certainly be revised.

And at the end of the book, the people that participated in the compilation all had their names written on there, and Jing Wan just occupied the first line, just her alone: Yuan Qi Empress Luo-shi.

Although it didn’t have Jing Wan’s whole name on there, but in the history books, it was nevertheless fully recorded, including the various matters in the past.

Originally, everyone thought that things can temporarily reach an end, yet her Highness immediately just started making them revise the law.

The court officials first fell silent, and afterwards, gladly accepted the decree.

In any case, all these years, her Highness has never ‘settled down’ before. They were already used to it. Although a bit tiring, but to be able to leave their name behind in history, being tired and whatnot also just got tossed aside.

[1] Idiom meaning using one’s proximity to a powerful figure to obtain favor.

[2] Referring to gay men

[3] Four books refers to the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, Analects of Confucius, and Mencius. And the five classics refers to the Book of Songs, the Book of History, Classics of Rites, the Book of Changes, the Spring and Autumn Annals. These books are pretty much the fundamentals of scholarly learning in ancient times.