Chapter 1003: Harmony

"Little Princess, slow down!"

Wetnurse Sister and the Palace Maids.

Each of them nervously bent forward, stretching out their hands, cautiously shielding Yue Er, who was wobbling as she ran.

Afraid the Princess might fall or bump into something.

The Princess was fine, but they were sweating profusely.

Xia Ruqing couldn’t help but smile.

"This little girl, she can’t walk yet but wants to run, she’s really giving them a hard time!"

Zi Yue laughed.

"The Little Princess is dressed too warmly and can’t move easily!"

"Come spring, once she changes out of her thick clothes, she’ll naturally walk steadily!"

Xia Ruqing smiled softly.

"Once she changes out of the thick clothes, she’ll be one year and three months old! Wouldn’t it be unreasonable if she still couldn’t walk?"

Zi Yue laughed.

Zi Su stepped forward to persuade her.

"Oh, Empress, the Little Princess is naturally smart, you don’t need to worry!"

"Tomorrow is the Lantern Festival, have you thought about what filling you want for the dumplings?"

"I’ve heard the Imperial Kitchen has prepared dozens of fillings, and Chef Su and Chef Jiang made some in our small kitchen, you... think about it quickly?"

Zi Su squatted in front of her, blinking bright eyes and looking at her expectantly.

Seeing this, Xia Ruqing nearly couldn’t sit still and pointed at Zi Su, smilingly saying to Zi Yue.

"Look at her?"

"Someone who doesn’t know might think I owe her something!"

"Is it you eager to eat or me eager to eat?"

Zi Su’s face instantly turned red.

"Empress!"

She stood up, bowed her head, and mumbled while twisting her fingers.

"It’s... me..."

Xia Ruqing burst into laughter.

"You little girl, you’re really too honest!"

She knew Zi Su was straightforward before, but didn’t realize she was so amusing.

Zi Yue couldn’t help but laugh too.

Zi Su then looked at her stubbornly.

"What’s so funny?"

"It’s true!"

"You all know what kind of food the palace kitchen prepares for servants! Getting a good dish during holidays is already lucky!"

"We’re this fortunate here, other palaces don’t even mention it!"

"Luckily, our Duanning Palace has a small kitchen,"

"Thanks to the Empress’s blessing, we servants occasionally get to enjoy ourselves, mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival, dumplings during the Lantern Festival!"

"Other palaces wouldn’t even talk about dumplings, even a decent meal during holidays is considered lucky!"

"Whenever the Empress can’t finish a dish, she never wastes it, she lets us enjoy it!"

"So I’m really looking forward to it!"

"Don’t tell me you’re not looking forward to it!"

"If the Empress rewards anything later, don’t compete with me, I’ll take it all!"

Zi Su spoke with determined reason.

Zi Yue covered her mouth with a silk handkerchief.

"Empress, look, I didn’t say anything, yet here it all comes!"

Xia Ruqing also laughed.

"Alright, alright, no more talking!"

"You all tell Xiao Zhu Zi what filling you want!"

"Tomorrow everyone will have a portion, alright!"

Food is the priority for the people, how can you work well without being well-fed?!

Zi Yue and Zi Su were very happy.

"Thank you, Empress!"

Xia Ruqing stretched lazily and stood up.

"Alright, I’ll go check on Yue Er!"

"She played all day, it’s about time!"

Kids need to sleep early and wake up early, can’t play too much!

Right as they spoke, footsteps sounded outside.

It was Yue Er along with Henger and Yeye, followed by the Wetnurse and Sister!

As soon as the children entered, the inner room became lively.

Xia Ruqing spent more time playing with the children.

Only after the sky darkened outside did she ask someone to take Yue Er away.

Henger and Yeye also soon said goodbye.

The inner room was left with her alone again.

Luckily, Zhao Junyao finished his business outside the palace and returned quickly.

She didn’t have to dine alone.

While dining in the evening, she sighed as she ate.

"I used to think having many children around was bothersome and chaotic,"

"Now... with the children gone, I’m not used to it!"

"Emperor, am I really getting old?"

Zhao Junyao helplessly gave her a look.

"I don’t see you as old, just too idle!"

With nothing to do all day, just eating and sleeping, how can you not overthink?

"Idle?"

Xia Ruqing slightly disagreed.

"I’m not idle!"

"I’ve been studying and writing every day for Yue Er’s education! Emperor, aren’t you aware?"

Zhao Junyao raised an eyebrow.

"You don’t need to study and write just to educate Yue Er!"

"Things you don’t like, it’s pointless to force them!"

"Whatever you like, just do it for yourself!"

Xia Ruqing then put down her chopsticks and picked up the soup bowl.

Leisurely sipping soup, she thought.

"What I like?"

"I like going outside the palace to explore!"

"I like seeing the outside world!"

But isn’t that unachievable!

"Qingqing, how about this year I take you?"

Xia Ruqing quickly shook her head.

"Emperor, what are you saying?"

"Yue Er is still so small, Henger and Yeye just started school and aren’t used to it!"

"How can I abandon the children and go off enjoying myself?"

Such a thing, ten years ago, she might have done it.

But now... cough, the heart of a loving mother is truly compassionate!

"Then..."

Zhao Junyao thought for a moment.

"How about tomorrow I take you somewhere?"

"Sure!"

Xia Ruqing’s eyes lit up.

"You’re sure we’ll be back in a day, right?"

"Yue Er, that child, always cries a bit after waking up in the morning, I’m a bit uneasy!"

Zhao Junyao: "..."

He suddenly felt that letting her have so many children was a mistake, and a very big mistake.

Once a woman has children.

Her mind is constantly occupied with thoughts of them.

Where does that leave room for a man?

Zhao Junyao felt a bit frustrated!

Thinking about it.

Ever since Yue Er’s birthday party last December, followed by New Year’s Eve dinner, and now the Lantern Festival!

Qingqing’s entire heart has been devoted to the children.

She doesn’t even care about when she’s sealed or not.

Even more, she doesn’t care about what she eats, drinks, or wears?

As an Empress, as a wife, isn’t her primary duty to take care of herself?

Zhao Junyao grew more frustrated the more he thought.

His expression darkened a bit.

Xia Ruqing, however, didn’t notice at all.

After all, it’s evening, and the candlelight is dim and flickering.

She couldn’t see clearly.

Anyway, Zhao Junyao stayed annoyed all evening without venting it.

So that night...

Someone, filled with bottled-up frustration, vented it in another way.

Xia Ruqing’s feeling was summed up in one word: pain!

The kind of pain mixed with joy.

Even though she had given birth three times, she maintained herself well.

With nothing to do, wandering everywhere, and eating small meals frequently, she really hadn’t gained much weight.

At most, her figure changed a bit since before childbirth.

Her hips grew, losing some of the girlhood innocence, gaining mature woman’s charm.

In that situation.

It could handle a bit more intensity, at least she wouldn’t bleed as easily as earlier years.

These changes are what every woman experiences.

Neither good nor bad.

But speaking strictly of this, it seems... it’s more harmonious than before?