Empress Zhu had listened to the entire session and then pointed to Lady Jia Zhen, telling the siblings,
“The Bureau of Ceremonies is in charge of the etiquette and music in the inner court. The two ladies behind Director Jia are the Music Officer and the Chief of Music.”
She also gestured to the men in official attire, saying,
“In the outer court, this is the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites. Those two officials of harmony are part of the Ministry of Rites.”
The group bowed in respect.
The Crown Princess responded in a dazed manner,
“Empress Zhu, I understand.”
Ruan Rensui thought to himself that the curriculum for the imperial heirs had been set during Empress Zhu’s time.
He began to understand why his father had not established a new empress after Empress Zhu’s passing.
With these thoughts in mind, he dutifully nodded in agreement.
After the music and dance session, Lady Jia Zhen left with De Fei and Xian Fei, taking the two students to see the willows they had just sung about.
Seeing the Crown Princess’s interest, she even picked a branch for her.
“Outside the Eastern Capital, there is a long embankment lined with willows. People often break off a willow branch to give as a gift when saying goodbye, so breaking a willow also signifies reluctance to part,” Lady Jia Zhen explained.
The Crown Princess pouted and seemed to understand with an “Oh.”
Ruan Rensui, held by his wet nurse, frowned as he looked at the row of willows, thinking: I really hate willow catkins!
They always get into people’s noses!
Willow catkins are also annoying!
Everything is annoying!
De Fei didn’t notice his mood.
Instead, she quite liked the tune she had heard that day.
In the evening, when Ruan Rensui was having his hair dried by the nursemaid after taking a bath, he heard her humming “Plucking the Chinese Mugwort.”
De Fei had a very clear and melodious voice, and her sense of music was also quite good.
The tune of “Plucking the Chinese Mugwort” was not difficult, and she sang it in a gentle and pleasant manner, not inferior to the palace maids who had undergone special training.
After she finished singing a section of the song, Ruan Rensui clapped his hands vigorously to show his appreciation.
De Fei felt a little proud of herself and picked him up, asking,
“My singing is pleasant to listen to, isn’t it?”
Ruan Ren sui nodded vigorously, “Mm-hmm!”
The next day, when the emperor came, she sang it for him as well.
It was spring at that time.
The days were sunny and pleasant, and the evening sunsets were gentle.
The thick curtains used to block the wind in winter had long been put away, replaced by the light gauze from Jiangnan.
It was unknown how they had developed such a craft.
As thin as cicada wings, they shimmered with a layer of brilliant gold in the sunlight, luxurious and gorgeous.
The evening breeze gently blew, and it seemed that even De Fei’s singing melted into the colorful evening glow in the sky.
Following the example set by the imperial court, the trend spread outside the palace.
Soon, many families in the capital city were singing “Plucking the Chinese Mugwort.”
Empress Zhu requested the emperor to share joy with the people.
That year, at the Shangsi Festival, a place by the water outside the capital was chosen, and the Imperial Music Bureau selected more than ten easy to understand songs from the “Book of Songs” to be sung and spread outside, which quickly became a popular trend.
Later, this became a regular event in the capital, which is another story.
De Fei realized that her son was actually interested in attending classes, but his interest was quite unique.
He was only interested in the fun parts and kept a respectful distance from the more academic ones.
If she forced him to listen, he would scream and shout.
Gradually, she got to know this young man.
If she thought he would like a particular class, she would take him there.
If he was interested, he would be very well-behaved.
For example, today, before they even arrived, she knew her son would definitely like it.
RenSui could already walk and speak a few short words.
When he was taken there, he was a bit impatient—who would get up early in the morning to go to class!
But once he arrived and listened, he found it interesting and couldn’t help but show his teeth in excitement.
The person who came to teach today was not Lady Jia Zhen, but a young lady official.
The course was also very simple.
She picked up a brush and wrote two characters on the paper: “big sheep.”
The two imperial heirs looked at them and, following the order from top to bottom in reverse, stacked the two characters together.
Then she told them, “Big sheep are called ‘beautiful.’ Eating a big sheep is truly a beautiful thing—remember this character ‘beautiful,’ and today’s class is over!”
The people from the Imperial Food Bureau then prepared and brought over a big sheep, which was dismembered and cooked on the spot.
Some parts were used for roasting, while others were stewed.
Ren Sui’s early morning irritation had long dissipated—this was the kind of class he should be attending!
Someone next to him echoed his sentiment: “This is the kind of class people should attend!”
Rensui: Huh?
He turned his head and saw that his uncle, Prince Qi, who was in his teens, and his reading companion, Lu Mengqing, had already sat down as if no one else was around.
Probably sensing his nephew’s gaze, Prince Qi warmly and considerately patted his head,
“Sui Sui, you’re still young and can’t eat salty things. You also can’t stand the smoke and fire, but your uncle has tough skin and doesn’t mind these things. You stay far away and let your uncle smoke for you……………..”
Lu Mengqing solemnly agreed with him,
“That’s right, that’s how it is!”
Rensui: “….”
Rensui: “????”
Rensui loudly retorted, “No! No, no, no!!!
I’m already here, why can’t I eat?
Even just a sip of soup would be good!
I’m fed up with tasteless food!”
Prince Qi said in a surprised tone, “Huh?”
Then he asked De Fei, “Does he not want to stay here? I heard this kid is very clever. Does he not want to attend class again?”
De Fei looked at her son warily, “Is that so?”
Rensui managed to squeeze out two tears, looking pitifully at his own mother, and then at the roasted meat next to him: “Soup!”
The Crown Princess was in a lively and active phase, and the ladies did not restrict her.
They had specifically built a stove for her, with someone accompanying her to help her turn the skewers and roast the skewers herself.
Xian Fei, watching from the side, also heard Rensui’s “soup” and was both surprised and amused, saying,
“Rensui’s pronunciation is quite clear. That’s amazing. When Ren You was at this age, he could only vaguely call out ‘A Ye’ and ‘A Niang’!”
The attending ladies also agreed.
Rensui felt a bit embarrassed.
De Fei, however, was overjoyed.
She was charmed by her son and wanted to touch the little teeth in his mouth, but then she remembered she hadn’t washed her hands, so she stopped herself.
She coaxed him, saying,
“Alright, let’s have a little soup, and then I’ll have them find a piece of tender stewed mutton for Sui Sui to eat!”
Rensui called out very clearly, “Salt!”
De Fei was a bit troubled.
Although he was almost a year old and could speak, he was still not quite big, right?
She paused for a moment, and then coaxed him with a smile, “Alright, alright, I’ll add salt to your mutton soup.”
Rensui looked at her doubtfully.
De Fei said, “I’m not lying to you.”
When the mutton soup came to a boil, she winked, and the palace maid understood and used a spoon to put a little bit of white sugar into Ren Sui’s soup bowl.
Ren Sui was not a real child and couldn’t be fooled by such a trick.
He wobbled over, picked up the spoon the palace maid had put down, and took a lick—it was sweet!
Ren Sui was so angry that he crawled around on the ground.
De Fei watched him crawl around guiltily.
After a while, Rensui stood up, angry and stomping his foot, “Salt!”
De Fei’s head ached a bit: “The imperial physician said children can’t eat salt. We’ll talk about it when you’re older.”
Rensui loudly accused her, “Liar!”
De Fei’s face turned red with embarrassment, and she said awkwardly, “I………………”
If she had known she couldn’t get away with it, she wouldn’t have promised that.
Rensui continued to accuse her, “Liar!!”
His loud voice attracted the attention of the people around them.
It was really embarrassing to be scolded by her son in front of her younger brother-in-law, Xian Fei, and the ladies.
De Fei had no choice but to insist,
“Sui Sui, your mother is doing this for your own good………………”
Ren Sui continued to accuse her, “Liar!!!”
“What?!”
De Fei’s patience was almost exhausted.
Her willow eyebrows stood on end, and she put on a stern face: “Ruan Rensui, are you not giving me any face?”
Ren Sui: “…..”
Ren Sui tenaciously shouted again, “Liar!!!”
Prince Qi, watching from the side, didn’t expect to really cause a little commotion.
He felt a bit regretful and hurriedly tried to persuade, “Sui Sui is still young……………”
Lu Mengqing, on the side, said, “But this was a promise made by Consort De to the imperial prince.”
If you can’t do it, why make a promise?
For the first time, Rensui felt that this guy was so amiable, and he nodded vigorously in agreement, “That’s right!”
Consort De was furious and pointed at him angrily,
“If you say it again, do you believe I’ll hit you?!”
Ren Sui tenaciously called her, “Liar!”
Consort De’s face turned red with anger, and the pile of firewood in her heart “whoosh” ignited all at once.
Without another word, she went over, pushed him down, and slapped him twice on the buttocks!
Prince Qi wanted to stop her, but was hindered by the distinction between uncle and sister-in-law, so he could only call to Consort Xian, “You should persuade her quickly!”
When Consort Xian went over, Consort De had already finished hitting.
She watched from the side, also unsure of what to do.
Looking at Consort De’s expression, she was angry, ashamed, and a bit regretful.
She seemed even more at a loss than Consort Xian.
It wasn’t really a big deal, but it still didn’t look good, did it?
The ladies looked at each other.
Because Consort Xian also had imperial offspring, she didn’t quite know what to say and could only call the imperial prince’s wet nurse,
“What are you staring at? Go pick up Ren sui.”
The child was still lying on the ground.
Wet nurse Qian came to her senses and was about to go forward, but before she could even get there, Rensui had already made a move.
He had always been in good health, and because his soul was that of an adult, he had a thick skin.
Now, being hit in public, he didn’t care.
Like a tenacious cockroach, after being slapped, he briefly stagnated for a few moments, then nonchalantly shook his antennae and calmly crawled away.
Rensui went to the stove that was simply built for the lesson and looked at the milky white mutton soup inside.
He commanded indifferently, “Salt!”
The lady from the Imperial Food Bureau was a bit troubled and quietly looked at Consort De’s expression.
Consort De’s face was a mix of green and red.
She stared at her son for a few moments, finally turned her head away, and waved her sleeve randomly, “Give it to him!”
In the end, Rensui drank the mutton soup with salt.
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