CHAPTER 236: CHAPTER 235: I JUST WANT TO HAVE A CHILD WITH YOU

Everyone below was still eating, but no one had found a lucky charm yet.

Xia Ruqing looked at the six dumplings in front of her. The Royal Family really knows how to have fun. Common folk might stuff a dumpling with a copper coin, but these folks stuff them with gold, TSK TSK...

Thinking this, she brought her hands together and prayed briefly.

"Let’s eat!"

Zi Yue quietly urged from the side, "My lady, take it slowly..."

"OUCH!"

Xia Ruqing had been careless and bitten down on something hard.

Such a small chance, I never expected it to happen to me. It’s kind of magical, thinking about it.

The Empress Dowager felt disappointed when she saw that Xia Jieyu had found something. Without asking, she pretended not to see.

It was the Empress who asked, "What is it?"

"Replying to Your Majesty the Empress, it is ’Great Prosperity and Peace for the People’!"

The Empress smiled. "You are a fortunate one!"

Only the Empress herself knew how forced that smile was.

Xia Ruqing thought, Probably only Empress Fan could hold the position of Empress so firmly. To push oneself so hard for reputation’s sake... it’s quite incredible!

Then, "OUCH!" Xia Ruqing bit into something hard again.

The Empress Dowager’s expression grew even uglier.

Another dumpling eaten, and there was still another charm!

With the last one, Xia Ruqing thought, Surely there won’t be any more this time.

But just as she placed it in her mouth, her teeth hit something solid again.

There was still another one!

So, the charms from these last four dumplings all ended up on Xia Ruqing’s plate.

The Empress Dowager looked as if she had swallowed a fly, her expression extremely unsightly.

The Empress’s face wasn’t looking great either.

To be precise, none of the women from the Harem had a pleasant expression.

Xia Ruqing also felt that this might be a bit too coincidental. But inside, she was quite elated. Regardless of whether you all are happy or not, I’m happy, and that’s all that matters to me! HEHE...

After the New Year’s vigil, the Palace Attendants went to set off firecrackers. With a BOOMING and CRACKLING racket, things were lively for a while. After the commotion subsided, everyone dispersed.

Ecstatic, she returned to Qingya Residence, washed up, and lay down in bed.

"Zi Yue, clean those four little gold nuggets for me, put them in a pouch. I want to keep them under my pillow!"

Zi Yue smiled in response and then said, "My lady, you must be in for some good fortune this year! So many people, and a total of six charms, yet you ended up finding four of them."

Xia Ruqing cheekily replied, "I’ve always felt I’m quite blessed! HEHE!"

Zi Yue shook her head helplessly. "Go to sleep now. We need to rise early tomorrow!"

Saying this, she tucked the bed curtains for Xia Ruqing, moved the lamp, closed the door, and left.

It was busy throughout the first day of the New Year. Xia Ruqing finally found some leisure time on the second day.

Xia Ruqing lay in bed playing with Da Bai while Zi Yue massaged her legs.

"From the Heaven-Worshipping Ceremony before the New Year, to preparing for the New Year, then New Year’s Eve, and then the first day... All these ceremonies are finally over!"

This year, Zhao Junyao was quite busy; for the Heaven-Worshipping Ceremony, he went and returned on the same day, unlike previous years when he would stay for a few days in South Garden.

"Ah!" Xia Ruqing sighed.

"My lady, now you can rest properly, right?"

"Hurry and massage me!"

「After the second day, everyone was at leisure.」

The princes who had returned from their fiefdoms also found themselves with free time, and they made plans in small groups. There was the eldest, Prince Jing; the second, Prince Zhuang; and the fourth, Prince Wu. The fifth, sixth, and seventh brothers were still too young and hadn’t been bestowed princely titles yet. There were also a few close cousins, like Zhao Junqi, Prince Yan’s Heir.

Their days were spent leisurely, engaged in horse racing, admiring the snow and flowers, and brewing wine.

Zhao Junyao still had a pile of affairs to attend to, though he would occasionally join them for a drink.

「By the seventh or eighth day.」

The princes had embarked on their journeys to their respective fiefdoms, and the Emperor finally had some downtime.

After resting for two days, Zhao Junyao suddenly remembered something. In the evening, he didn’t even eat dinner and headed straight for Qingya Residence.

Xia Ruqing was playing with the cat when the Emperor suddenly showed up, startling her. "Emperor!"

With just one glance at him, Xia Ruqing felt a pang of... heartache? "You’ve lost weight, even after the New Year!"

Zhao Junyao embraced her and lay down on the couch. "It’s more tiring than fighting a war!" He had to deal with matters everywhere; how could he not be tired?

Xia Ruqing flattered him with gusto, "This is called ’the capable are always busy’!"

Zhao Junyao curled his lips. "Enough, save it!"

Saying this, he skillfully lifted her dudou and touched her belly. "Have you been taking your medicine on time? I heard... you found four gold charms?"

Xia Ruqing’s eyes immediately sparkled. She jumped out of his embrace, fetched a pouch from under the pillow, and presented it like a treasure. "Here! Look!"

Zhao Junyao accepted it with a smile, leisurely pulling out four gold charms. "Continuous Fortune and Blessings, Peace and Prosperity for the Nation, Favorable Weather, and Flourishing Abundance!"

Suddenly, an idea struck Zhao Junyao, and he touched Xia Ruqing’s belly. "Qingqing, you should bear me four children! One daughter, for ’Continuous Fortune and Blessings’! Three sons: one to become a General, to ensure ’Peace and Prosperity for the Nation’ for Great Chu! Of the other two, one will go to the Ministry of Revenue for ’Favorable Weather’, and the other will be the Crown Prince for ’Flourishing Abundance’! How about that?"

Xia Ruqing stood there, listening. The first part was fine, but what followed made her kneel.

"Emperor, Your Concubine dares not! If Your Concubine truly has children, she only wishes for their safety and well-being, daring not to covet anything else! Please take back your words, Emperor."

The Emperor’s statement, though said in jest, could cost me my life if overheard by others. Or it could cost my child’s life. Besides, what I said is also true. I would never force my children to do anything they didn’t like; as long as they are safe and happy, I will be content.

Xia Ruqing, kneeling on the ground, seemed very earnest.

Zhao Junyao looked at her and laughed. "Alright, if you don’t like it, I won’t say it again!"

Only then did Xia Ruqing breathe a sigh of relief and obediently stand up. She put away the little gold charms.

Xia Ruqing quickly changed the subject. "Emperor, how did my brother’s martial competition go? Was he selected to be the Imperial Forest Army Commander?"

Zhao Junyao shook his head. "He lost in the final two-on-one match!"

"Ah?!" Xia Ruqing exclaimed. She wasn’t overtly disappointed, but she was quite surprised.

Zhao Junyao explained, "There were nine competitors, fighting in groups of three. The winner of each group advanced. When it came down to the final three, he lost!"

"Then what?" Xia Ruqing asked. Having made it to the last three, could it all have been for nothing?

Zhao Junyao, seeing her anxious look, decided to tease her a bit. He pulled her into his arms, flipped over to press her beneath him, and asked with a roguish grin, "Then will you bear Our children?"

Xia Ruqing was startled, then somewhat annoyed. She turned her head and blurted out, "Emperor, you have so many women. Why insist on me?"

Zhao Junyao was taken aback. That was indeed a question. But after a moment, he replied with determination, "We like you!"

Xia Ruqing rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, You like so many, and more will come next year! The Emperor saying he likes someone? Only a fool would believe that! HMPH!

Zhao Junyao, looking at Xia Ruqing’s slightly flushed cheeks, felt an indescribable joy. "Qingqing, are you jealous?"

"Not at all!"

Zhao Junyao thought for a moment, then said, "Qingqing, We don’t know why, but We just want to have children with you!"