NABC Chapter 160 Li Yuanyin was so scolded that he questioned the meaning of life.
Chapter 160 Li Yuanyin was so scolded that he questioned the meaning of life.
The next morning, Li Yuanyin arrived early. Hearing that the two had not yet gotten up, he could only wait patiently.
There was no way to wait; his elder brother had said that Shen Shixi wanted to see him.
He's incredibly busy right now. The whole court knows about the vegetable garden in the glass house, and many people are coming to place orders. The price hasn't been set yet, and he needs to hear his elder brother's opinion. He doesn't know what Shen Shixi wants to see him about.
"Eunuch Li, it's past Chen Shi (7-9 AM), when are my brothers going to get up? Can't you go and urge them?"
Li Fude smiled apologetically, "Your Highness, please calm down. This... is not a matter of national importance requiring urgent dispatch, so this old servant would never dare to urge you."
What a joke! Even the Empress has to wait patiently. When Consort Xian hanged herself, the Emperor wasn't worried at all. How dare he rush him? Does he have a death wish?
Even if Li Yuanyin had ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare to act recklessly in Qianyuan Palace.
He paced around inside the hall, not knowing how long he had been doing so.
Shen Shixi came out yawning and was surprised to see him. "So early?"
Li Yuanyin pointed to the sun, which was already high in the sky, and said, "It's still early. Look at what time it is now; it's almost lunchtime."
Shen Shixi said "Oh," and plopped down at the table. "I haven't had breakfast yet, do you want to have some together?"
Li Yuanyin, having waited so long, was naturally somewhat annoyed. "How could you do this? Do you have any moral integrity at all? Aren't you afraid the court officials will find out? Don't you know how despicable those censors are?"
"What's 'virtuous conduct'? I don't possess that. What does the censor's despicable nature have to do with me?" She ignored Li Yuanyin and called out, "Eunuch Li, order the meal served! I'm starving!"
She slumped helplessly onto the table.
Li Yuanke arrived, and Li Yuanyin hurriedly stood up and bowed, "Your Majesty, Consort Chen said that she lacks virtue."
Li Yuanke laughed, "It would be strange if she had one."
"Li Yuanyin, stop getting annoyed by the sound of 'wan de de de'. Also, I need you here to do something for me."
"you say!"
"Let's eat first and then talk about it!"
Li Yuanyin had no choice but to have another breakfast with her. He rubbed his bloated stomach and waited for Shen Shixi to give him the blueprints.
"How...how do you do this?"
They are all in the shape of bottles and jars. The key difference is that glassmaking is different from porcelain. Porcelain is made into clay blanks first and then fired, but glass is molten at high temperature and then shaped in a mold.
It's okay to make it solid, but how can it be hollow?
Shen Shixi said, "Use a hollow iron pipe to take out the molten glass, and blow air into it while rotating it to control the shape. This process requires adjusting the temperature and rhythm of the material, but practice makes perfect. I don't need much, just make a few for me, and I'll let you try some good stuff later."
"What good stuff?" Li Yuanyin asked.
"It's a secret for now. You'll only get it if you can get this out for me. If you can't, I'll find someone else to do it for me."
What else could Li Yuanyin do? Who would want to be manipulated? "Shen Shixi, a woman as cunning as a fox, only my imperial brother would want you!"
"Oh, thank you for the compliment! Li Yuanyin, how pathetic you are. Xie Tingwan would rather be the Emperor's concubine than your principal wife. Have you ever reflected on your actions?"
Have you performed your duties diligently? Have you strived to earn merit and advance in rank? Did you only achieve your current position because of your elder brother, the Emperor?
Li Yuanyin was deeply hurt. He was not even twenty years old yet, about the age of a high school student in later generations. If this were a single-child family in later generations, he wouldn't be able to do any errands. His mother would even wash his underwear and socks for him.
But he already has a concubine.
If I work hard, I'll be a father soon.
Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she looked extremely aggrieved. "Shen Shixi, how could you be so cruel?"
"Is that malicious?" Shen Shixi laughed. "What, you're a prince, the Empress Dowager's son, and the Emperor's brother. You can insult me, but I can't say a few sarcastic remarks to you? Is the world yours? Is the road yours, and everyone in the world, except the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, has to make way for you?"
Li Yuanyin, disregarding his previous breach of etiquette before the emperor, said, "I know I can't compare to my elder brother, but you didn't need to insult me like that. I was just joking. Haven't I done my best to fulfill any request you made?"
Shen Shixi said, "What a joke! Are you working for me? Doesn't the court give you a salary? Oh, I forgot, whether you do the work or not, the court will still give you a salary, just like the Prince of Jin."
This idiot doesn't even try to earn merit; the Empress Dowager actually asked her to help him get a title!
Shen Shixi couldn't confront the Empress Dowager, but he also didn't dare to scold her?
Li Yuanyin was so angry that tears streamed down his face. "Shen Shixi, I thought you were a good person, and I considered you a friend. You, you, you actually see me like this? You think I'm the same as Prince Jin!"
Shen Shixi said, "How is it different? Aren't we all just sponging off our parents? Oh, you're sponging off your older brother."
Li Yuanyin realized, "I understand now, it was something the Empress Dowager said to you, wasn't it?"
"No, don't overthink it. It's just that what you said annoyed me, so I had to argue with you! Who told you to attack me first?"
Li Yuanke gave her a deep look.
As Li Yuanyin emerged from Qianyuan Palace, a gust of cold wind jolted him awake, and the wind stung his eyes, which had just been wet with tears.
His mother had told him that she wanted him to be granted the title of Prince as soon as possible.
Last night, when the Empress Dowager kept Shen Shixi to talk, she must have brought up this matter.
If there is anyone in this world whose interests are most aligned with those of the Emperor, it is Shen Shixi.
It's not just that she was the emperor's woman.
She is an extremely intelligent woman.
If you don't compete in anything, you'll always be trying to protect others, and yet you'll always be competing.
Putting everything else aside, just look at the fact that no one else can stay overnight in Qian Yuan Palace and issue orders, but she can. She never uses any underhanded tricks; she is open and honest, which makes it impossible for people to guard against her.
She was not weak and easily bullied; on the contrary, as a woman, she was strong enough to defy imperial power.
But she never disregarded imperial authority.
In Qianyuan Palace, the emperor had nothing to do for the time being, so he left Shen Shixi there. One of them read a book, while the other snuggled in his arms and slept.
The scene was warm and quiet.
Li Fude was so moved he almost cried. Every time the two of them were together, it was earth-shattering. He was constantly worried, fearing that the emperor might get seriously injured.
Bai Ping entered and whispered, "Your Majesty, the Lady of Changning Marquis requests an audience."
"Who?"
"Lady Changning, the mother of Consort Xu, requests an audience."
"Oh, tell her to go see Consort Xu directly, and that I will not see her."
She's not the empress, why should she see me?
Many noblewomen wanted to pay her New Year's respects during the first month of the lunar year, but she refused to see any of them, except for those from her own family.
After a while, Princess Jin also submitted her nameplate and entered the palace.
Shen Shixi immediately perked up, "Just let her into the palace, and send someone to keep an eye on her, so she doesn't go crazy in the harem."
"yes!"
Li Yuanke couldn't help but find her mischievous and trouble-making manner amusing.
She lay flat on the couch with her head on his lap, hands tucked in her sleeves, staring at the ceiling, her mind constantly simulating the scene of the Princess Consort of Jin and the Empress meeting.
At this time, the Princess Consort of Jin had already entered Fengyi Palace, while the Empress was still lying in bed, unable to get up.
This miscarriage caused her great physical harm.
The baby that was lost was a four-month-old boy, which was even more unbearable for him psychologically.
To this day, the emperor has not taken the initiative to visit her, which makes her even more heartbroken.
Upon seeing her, the Princess Consort of Jin did not offer any greetings or pleasantries, but instead asked, "Sister, as the Empress, is there really nothing you can do about a mere concubine like Lady Shen?"