Chapter 1019: Ordinary People

Even though Zhao Junyao was already being very cautious.

He was still noticed by Xia Ruqing as something was off.

"Emperor, you’re brushing me off!"

"Have you already arranged everything?" she hurriedly asked.

Zhao Junyao couldn’t lie, so he just talked around it.

"Qingqing, I think what you’re saying is great, you should keep talking!"

Xia Ruqing fluffed up like a cat whose fur suddenly stood on end.

"Don’t change the subject, did you already have a plan?"

In her urgency, she forgot everything, directly addressing him informally.

Zhao Junyao was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. In her persistent questioning, he finally couldn’t resist and surrendered.

"Qingqing... I am the Emperor!"

"In my position, it is my duty! For major issues concerning people’s livelihood, I’ve been studying day and night! So..."

The meaning being:

I’ve spent decades researching this thing, how could I possibly not know better than you?

If she could see the pattern, how could he not know it?

Upon hearing this, Xia Ruqing fell into deep thought.

’That’s right, I’ve never studied these things!’

’And yet, he’s been studying for so long, how could he not know!’

Sigh!

Ultimately, I can’t cheat the system.

No wonder.

After all, I was just an ordinary person in modern times!

No!

I’m not even as good as an ordinary person!

At least ordinary people have parents who care for them, and I... have nothing.

No high education, no strong family background, I don’t even know what my parents look like.

The only one who cared for me, my grandmother, has also passed away.

I wasn’t an exceptional person in the modern age.

How normal it is to not have a cheat code in ancient times?!

She suddenly felt aggrieved, lowering her head and softly speaking.

"Emperor..."

"I’m foolish and have embarrassed you!"

She suddenly became very downcast, tears swirling in her eyes, and her voice slightly trembling.

"You know everything, don’t you?"

"I should have known, you... are so amazing!"

Yes, he is amazing.

Being on the throne for over a decade, his skills, vision, and insight are far beyond what she can imagine.

And I was even smug in front of him.

This is completely showing off one’s meager skills in front of an expert.

Zhao Junyao, seeing her in such a pitiful state, felt his heart ache.

He quickly pulled her into his arms, comforting her gently.

"Qingqing!"

"You are amazing too!"

Xia Ruqing curled up like a cat in his embrace, burying her head in his chest, not daring to look up.

"No! I feel so stupid, especially after having a child, I feel like I’ve gotten dumber!"

Zhao Junyao almost laughed out loud but managed to hold it in.

He patted her back.

"No!"

"Qingqing, you’re naturally smart and have unique ideas. Although not comparable to men, among women, you’re already outstanding!"

Xia Ruqing was even more flustered, her face turning red.

"Oh Emperor!"

"Stop it!"

What you say sounds nice, but deep down you don’t really think that way! Hmph!

Zhao Junyao couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst into laughter.

"Alright, alright, alright!"

"I won’t say anymore!"

"So don’t overthink it!"

To comfort her, he even planted a kiss on her cheek.

Xia Ruqing’s mind went blank, and her face flushed bright red.

"Oh my! Emperor, it’s broad daylight!"

She said, trying to break free.

But Zhao Junyao’s arms were like iron hoops, holding her tightly in his embrace.

He raised an eyebrow, smiling mischievously, and said,

"You think you can come and go from my embrace as you wish?"

Xia Ruqing blushed scarlet.

"Emperor, stop fooling around, it’s broad daylight. Yue Er is just next door..."

Before she could finish her sentence,

Zhao Junyao picked her up and tossed her onto the rosewood bed, immediately pressing down upon her.

So what if it’s broad daylight?

Ever since Yue Er was born, he seldom got to enjoy himself.

Firstly, because she was weak, and secondly, because the child lived nearby!

Daytime was impossible, that little girl could wake up at any time.

Even at night, he didn’t dare be reckless, as she was still frail.

Gradually, he became terribly repressed.

Whenever there was an opportunity, he felt the urge to choose another concubine to let off some steam.

But when the Little Eunuch from the Respectful Affairs Office brought out the box of green cards,

After looking through them, he found himself uninterested again.

He barely recognized those women.

Being with them in bed,

would be like animal breeding, devoid of feelings, just mechanical piston movements.

Tasteless and utterly uninteresting.

So he cared even less about selecting a card.

Having pent up for so long,

finally catching a reasonably good opportunity, of course, he wanted to enjoy it.

Xia Ruqing was caught off guard, pinned under him, unable to move.

As she was about to resist, the next moment, a storm of kisses descended.

Unsure of how much time passed, she finally found room to catch her breath.

Catching her breath anxiously, she expressed her concern,

"Emperor, Yue Er..."

Zhao Junyao nibbled her earlobe and softly whispered.

"Don’t worry, the little one won’t wake until evening!"

Xia Ruqing felt entirely discomposed, her face a burning red.

"Then..."

"Gently!"

Zhao Junyao curled his lips into a devilish smile.

"Sure!"

With a wave of his hand, the bed canopy was drawn down.

Inside, indescribable sounds of varying intensity ensued.

The Palace Attendants outside the door blushed.

But Li Shengan, along with Zi Yue and Zi Su, seemed already used to it.

With unchanged expressions, they kept guard at the door,

keeping unfamiliar Palace Attendants three paces away.

...

The door to the inner chamber didn’t open until evening.

Zhao Junyao emerged wearing only inner garments and ordered water to be fetched.

Li Shengan promptly attended to it.

Meanwhile, Xia Ruqing lay there, staring at the canopy with tears brimming.

’Some people, acting as if they haven’t seen food for centuries!’

’Her waist was about to break, her legs turned to noodles, her neck covered in red marks, how could she face anyone later!’

He has so many concubines; he might as well go find them!

After all, multiple wives and concubines were legal in feudal times!

She rarely bothered with it.

Joking aside, he’d had children with other women before.

He already had a bunch of concubines, sleeping with them quite a bit.

Pretending to care about it wouldn’t matter at all!

This is ancient times, not the modern era, the world isn’t going to cater to her views, OK?

It’s more like she should be catering to the world.

At that moment, she thought, she might as well cater to it.

Like Empresses throughout history, to be ’magnanimous’, arrange those concubines for him.

In the name of expanding the Royal Family.

Saves him from ’torturing’ her every day.

However...

This idea barely lingered in her mind for half a minute before vanishing.

Because she suddenly realized.

She was actually turning into a real ’ancient person’, her thoughts becoming antiquated.

This revelation startled her awake.

’No way!’

’How can I not mind it? I must care!’

This is her husband.

Those concubines should roll as far away as possible.

After figuring it out, she realized.

Yes, being a bit assertive is the way!

"Empress! Get up and bathe and dress!"

Zi Yue and Zi Su prepared the water to attend to her.