readbooksol Chapter 5516 Night in the Boudoir
Chapter 5516 Night in the Boudoir
Chapter 5516 Bedroom Talk
Fang Jun was inwardly anxious, but his face remained calm and composed. He casually said, "They're all my dearest, they're all my dearest!"
Xiao Shu'er chuckled and asked, "Just how many hearts does my husband have?"
Princess Chang Le curled her lips slightly and teased, "Others are as cunning as a honeycomb, but surely my lord is as delicate as a bamboo shoot?"
In spring, many bamboo shoots sprout from the base of the bamboo, forming clusters of them...
Kim Seung-man and Chiao-er couldn't help but laugh.
Fang Jun was sweating slightly, his smile was quite awkward, and he begged for forgiveness, "I misspoke, ladies, please forgive me."
As the saying goes, interests can never be reconciled.
This saying still applies at home. It is difficult to achieve a balance between wives and concubines. Everyone thinks that only by treating them equally can the family be harmonious and prosperous. But who can treat them equally?
It's impossible for everyone to receive the same amount of rain and dew; there will always be some more and some less, some longer and some shorter.
Princess Gaoyang pursed her lips, naturally not wanting to embarrass her husband, and then asked Wu Meiniang, "Seeing that you are focusing all your attention on the 'business,' which seems to be thriving, I wonder what the 'business' will become in the future?"
Wu Zetian smiled gently: "To rise and fall a nation is a trivial matter."
Princess Chang Le exclaimed, "Mei Niang has finally gotten what she wanted."
Wu Meiniang smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear, her expression alluring, and looked at Fang Jun with sparkling eyes: "Although I am just a woman, I believe that one should do one or two meaningful things in this life, so that when I grow old and look back on the past, I will not regret that I wasted my youth. Then this life will have been worthwhile."
These were the words Fang Jun had once said to her, and she always kept them in mind. She felt that it was a blessing from heaven to marry this man, and even if she were to become his concubine, she would be content and willing.
He understands her, knows her aspirations, comprehends her pursuits, and is willing to do everything in his power to help and support her.
These words silenced the flower hall. Outside, children in the courtyard occasionally lit firecrackers, making them pop. No one had the interest to speak.
When they get old, will they have any regrets when they look back on the past?
Having lived a secluded life in a secluded mansion, what memorable things did he do?
Xiao Shuer took a sip of tea and smiled calmly, "Not everyone has the same ambitions as Meiniang. Everyone has their own aspirations. I think the greatest happiness is to quietly be a wife and mother, have a happy and peaceful family, and just wait for the day when you die peacefully."
Just as Fang Jun was trying to ease the awkward atmosphere, he heard Xiao Shu'er's words and praised her, "Profound and insightful! Even the nine sons of the dragon are all different, let alone people? Everyone has different experiences, personalities, and preferences. There's no need to envy what others have done or what achievements they have made. Instead, we should look to our hearts, understand what kind of life we want, and then strive to achieve it. Whether or not we ultimately achieve our wishes, at least we have fought and worked hard for it, and then we will have no regrets."
Xiao Shu'er blushed slightly and said reproachfully, "I'm just unambitious and content with mediocrity. Are you teasing me, my lord?"
Fang Jun said gently, "Whether you have lofty aspirations or no ambitions, in the end you live your own lives and control your own destiny. As long as you feel good about yourself, why compare yourself to others? I can't give you much, only my respect and support."
By showing understanding and tolerance, you will naturally reap warmth and harmony.
Despite the open social atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty, it still could not escape the "male superiority and female inferiority" situation. The so-called higher status of women only referred to the women of the imperial family, noble families, and powerful clans. Even so, there was far from any "respect" or "tolerance" for women.
It is extremely rare for someone like Fang Jun to treat his wives and concubines almost equally.
Wu Meiniang's beautiful eyes sparkled, and she gently pursed her lips, her gaze almost glued to her husband's face: "To be able to marry you, my husband, is a blessing I have accumulated over many lifetimes."
Princess Gaoyang was also touched. Recalling Fang Jun's funny remarks when they first met, she felt a sweet warmth in her heart, but her face showed disgust: "Hey! Meiniang, it's too much for you to look like you're in love. Quickly take this man away. You can do whatever you want with him tonight!"
Jin Shengman, blushing, teased from the side, "Meiniang, you still need to be careful, or you'll break it and no one will be able to use it."
"Pfft!"
Xiao Shu'er and Qiao'er covered their faces and laughed so hard they bent over.
Princess Chang Le suppressed a laugh and spat, "As expected of the barbarians of Silla, so unrestrained in their speech, aren't they ashamed at all?"
Princess Gaoyang said in a serious tone, "Sister, what you said is a bit unfair. It is indeed necessary to remind you that even the oxen that plow the fields need to rest properly, otherwise they will get tired and become weak, and then they won't have the strength to be used again... Ouch!"
Princess Chang Le, however, bit her lip and slapped her, warning her not to go crazy.
Then his wives and concubines burst into laughter, dressed in their finest attire.
Fang Jun held a teacup in his hand, looking completely innocent.
How did it become a draft animal?
He was very indignant and said fiercely, "This gentleman is as firm as iron and his golden spear will never fall. Even if I were to fight my way in and out of the enemy's lair seven times, I would still be calm and composed, without suffering a single injury!"
His wives and concubines laughed even harder, their faces flushed as they spat at him for talking big.
Fang Jun was furious: "How can this be questioned?"
Saying this, he stood up, grabbed Wu Meiniang's hand, and pulled her outside: "Come, come, let's have a good fight first, and then come back and tell them about my skills!"
Wu Meiniang's pretty face flushed, her eyes sparkling. Surprisingly, she didn't refuse. Half-heartedly, she was pulled out of the flower hall by her husband, and the laughter behind her became even more melodious, like silver bells.
A couple that is always serious and formal can be boring; whispering sweet nothings in the bedroom can enhance their relationship.
*****
For prominent families, the New Year is an important festival with many ceremonies and rituals. From New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival, some family heads with poor health almost have to go through a lot of pain, and even if they don't fall seriously ill, they need to rest for many days.
Although the Fang family is one of the most prominent families today, its ancestral temple is far away in Shandong, and only Fang Xuanling's branch is in Chang'an. Therefore, apart from the essential ceremonies such as ancestor worship, the other ceremonies are simplified as much as possible, which is fine.
Li Chengqian, on the other hand, nearly lost his life...
The Laba Festival, which begins on the Laba Day, is a very important part of the many sacrificial ceremonies. According to the regulations of the ceremony, there are more than twenty regular sacrificial rites, which continue until New Year's Eve.
On New Year's Eve, the imperial palace would hold a "Great Nuo" ceremony to drive away evil spirits and plagues.
Thousands of actors, wearing masks and red and black clothes, performed a magnificent Nuo dance under the guidance of the Grand Master of Ceremonies and accompanied by drum music. After the exorcism, huge sandalwood candles were lit in the palace, as bright as day, and a grand "Spring Festival Gala" was performed by the royal band.
The emperor would wear new clothes and watch acrobatics, performances, and animal taming with his concubines, members of the royal family, and his officials, and then hold a banquet.
During the Zhenguan era, Emperor Taizong once composed a poem entitled "Staying Up Late on New Year's Eve" at such a "Royal Palace New Year's Eve Banquet," which included the lines: "Joyfully celebrating the old and new year, welcoming and bidding farewell to the passing night..."
Li Chengqian certainly didn't have that kind of literary talent, nor was he shameless enough to ask someone else to write a poem for him to read aloud.
The first day of the new year begins with the New Year's Day court assembly.
This is the most solemn court assembly of the year, with extremely strong political symbolism. The emperor, dressed in the imperial robes, receives the congratulations of the crown prince, princes, civil and military officials, envoys from all over the country, and even foreign envoys in the Taiji Hall.
This was not only a New Year's greeting to the emperor, but also a concentrated display of the imperial order.
On the seventh day of the lunar new year, the "Great Prayer for Grain" begins. The emperor leads his civil and military officials out of the Mingde Gate to the Circular Mound Altar in the southern suburbs, where they offer jade, silk, and sacrificial animals to worship "Haotian Shangdi," the supreme god, and pray for favorable weather and abundant harvests in the new year.
On the Lantern Festival, people would also climb the Chengtianmen Tower at night to celebrate with the people.
On the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, the numerous ceremonies finally came to an end, but Li Chengqian fell seriously ill and was bedridden...
The Taiji Palace was immediately placed under heavy guard, and a tense atmosphere prevailed.
According to news from within the palace, His Majesty's health has been severely depleted due to long hours of working tirelessly day and night, and his current condition is extremely serious...
Fang Jun, however, felt that Li Chengqian's poor health was not necessarily due to working late into the night, but rather because he had been taking potent drugs in bed to maintain his virility...
……
"His Majesty is seriously ill this time. No matter what the Empress thinks, the Crown Prince must return to the palace to attend to him at his bedside."
Inside the Eastern Palace, Fang Jun frowned as he tried to persuade Empress Su.
The Crown Prince was not present, and even the maids had been sent outside by Empress Su to guard against anyone approaching.
Therefore, Empress Su spoke without restraint: "People in the palace have many complaints about the Crown Prince, and Consort Shen keeps whispering in his ear. Countless people are pinning their hopes on the young prince. What if the Crown Prince encounters danger while he is in such a situation?"
This is by no means an exaggeration; the saying "even a tiger won't eat its cubs" is utter nonsense.
Moreover, even if His Majesty still cherishes the bond between father and son, there's nothing others wouldn't dare to do for the sake of "favoring the emperor"...
Sending the crown prince to the Taiji Palace was like sending a lamb into the jaws of wolves and tigers.
It's not surprising if something goes wrong; it would be surprising if nothing went wrong...
Fang Jun frowned and looked at Empress Su, puzzled, "Although there is a deep rift between the Empress and His Majesty, they are still husband and wife. Now that His Majesty is seriously ill, does the Empress really not intend to return to the palace to take care of him, and instead miss the opportunity to mend their relationship?"
Empress Su, with her sharply defined eyebrows and round, glaring eyes, said, "Ever since His Majesty conceived the idea of changing the heir apparent, do you think there is any affection left between husband and wife?"
Fang Jun was helpless.
Empress Su and Li Chengqian had no children after their marriage. Li Xiang was born to one of Li Chengqian's concubines, whose mother died in childbirth. Therefore, Li Xiang, as the legitimate son, was raised under Empress Su's care. Another prince, Li Jue, was also born to a concubine.
Under these circumstances, Empress Su's fate was now inextricably linked to Li Xiang's.
If Li Xiang were deposed and ultimately lose his life, then Empress Su would have no chance of escaping death either. Therefore, it can be said that once Li Chengqian successfully changed the heir apparent, he would have put Empress Su and Crown Prince Li Xiang in a position of certain death.
How can we blame Empress Su for not cherishing the bond between husband and wife?
When a woman becomes ruthless, she can sever all ties with her husband and abandon all gratitude and affection.
To put it bluntly, Empress Su is probably thinking that Li Chengqian is seriously ill and will die without leaving a will, so Li Xiang can rightfully inherit the throne as the crown prince...