Chapter 442: The Husband in Empress Zhou's Eyes

"Kunxing! Don't mess with Shuige'er's body! Or I won't let you come see him anymore!"

On the soft couch in the main hall of Kunning Palace, six-month-old Shuige'er flailed his arms and legs about wildly, letting out giggles nonstop.

Kunxing, leaning askew beside him, reached out her tender little hand—now bending down to press her cheek against Shuige'er's soft face, now pinching his plump little hand, and even grabbing his socked little foot to sniff it.

Watching Kunxing's antics from the side, Empress Zhou couldn't help shaking her head and frowning as she scolded softly.

At seven years old, Kunxing showed not the slightest trace of royal princess bearing most of the time. No matter who she was with, she always acted carefree and thoughtless. Only her own words would she actually heed—throughout the entire harem, aside from herself, Kunxing feared no one.

"Mother, Mother, Shuige'er's cheeks are so soft! Shuige'er's smile is prettier than anything! I love watching him smile most of all! Mother, Mother, if only Shuige'er could stay this little forever, then I could come play with him every day! But if he grows up as big as Prince Yong, he won't be fun anymore!"

Empress Zhou's words made Kunxing rein in her behavior somewhat. She bent down to gaze into Shuige'er's sparkling clear eyes and said with no small regret.

"Don't talk nonsense! It's all your father's fault for spoiling you into such a state! You speak without even thinking!"

Hearing Kunxing speak so irresponsibly, Empress Zhou felt both angry and worried.

Kunxing was clever and bright, that was true enough, but her bearing and speech—where was the princess in any of it? She was no different from those wild children running through the streets and alleys.

It was all her husband's fault, indulging the Crown Prince in taking Kunxing out of the palace to play from time to time, especially letting her come into contact with the children of artisan households, picking up a whole body of common street habits.

"But it's true! Prince Yong and Prince Ding—neither of them is half as fun as Shuige'er! They're like two wooden puppets. They never have a mind of their own about anything, they just hole up in the palace fooling around with the servants! Hmph!"

Kunxing argued back, refusing to concede.

"My good daughter is gossiping about people behind their backs again, hahahaha!"

Seeing that Kunxing actually dared to talk back, Empress Zhou was about to reach out and discipline her when suddenly her husband's familiar laughter came from behind.

"Father! Father!"

Kunxing, seeing the storm clouds gathering on Empress Zhou's face, sensed trouble brewing and was just about to beg for mercy when she spotted Zhu Youjian entering the hall with Wang Cheng'en. Kunxing cried out joyfully as if she'd seen a savior and sprang up to rush over.

"Hehehehe, why does the Empress look so grim? Could something be troubling you?"

Before Zhu Youjian could even bend down, Kunxing leaped from the ground straight into his arms. Holding his daughter, Zhu Youjian walked slowly to Empress Zhou and asked with a smile.

"It's Your Majesty's good daughter who has angered me into this state! Kunxing! Get down! How old are you now?! Do you still think you're a little child?! Not a trace of how a girl should behave! If word of this gets out, what kind of example would it set!"

Empress Zhou scolded with a cold face and furrowed brow.

Seeing that Empress Zhou was truly angry, Kunxing quickly slid down from Zhu Youjian's embrace, grabbed his big hand with her small white one, and looked up at her father with pitiful pleading eyes.

"Hehehehe, Kunxing be good. Father heard that a few koi have been added to the pond in Chengqian Palace. Why don't you go ask the servants for some food and feed them? Father has important matters to discuss with your mother. Go on, and while you're at it, go see Yunge'er!"

The prince born to Noble Consort Tian had the childhood name Yunge'er. Unlike Shuige'er, who was fair, adorable, lively, and smiled at everyone he saw, Yunge'er—two months younger—was very shy around strangers and wouldn't pay them any mind at all. After visiting Yunge'er in Chengqian Palace a few times, Kunxing no longer wanted to go.

After hearing Zhu Youjian's gentle reassurance, Kunxing turned to look at the fierce-faced Empress Zhou, then obediently nodded. She let go of Zhu Youjian's hand, curtsied to her parents respectively, and walked lightly out of the main hall, where several waiting palace maids hurriedly gathered around her.

"Isn't Kunxing perfectly well-mannered? Why does the Empress hold such a great prejudice against her! A child this age is in the bloom of innocence—the Empress mustn't use those rules to suppress the children's natural spirits!"

Zhu Youjian walked to the brocade couch, turned, and sat down, speaking with a smile.

"This girl is sly as can be. In front of Your Majesty she puts on such a well-behaved, sensible show, but when Your Majesty isn't here—hmph!

Not that I would dare disobey Your Majesty's words! But Kunxing is of imperial blood. If she stays this wild and untamable, how can she have a good reputation once she's grown? If word spreads outside the palace, who knows how those outsiders will gossip about the imperial family!"

After curtsying to Zhu Youjian, Empress Zhou sat down on the brocade couch across from him, her face full of worry.

"Who would dare! The princesses of my Zhu family are not to be casually discussed and criticized by others! If anyone truly dares to speak ill of the imperial family, I'll have someone slap their mouth raw!"

After Empress Zhou finished speaking, Zhu Youjian's face darkened as he said in a low voice.

Wang Cheng'en's expression also turned grim: Could there really be people outside the palace daring to discuss His Majesty's family affairs? What the hell was Wang Shiqin doing! Damn him! If such a thing had truly happened, when this old man got back he'd beat that wretch to death! Was holding the power of the Eastern Depot just for eating shit?!

"Your Majesty must not be angry—I was only speculating! Ah, but let's hope the tree grows straight on its own. In a few years, once Kunxing comes of age, she'll be a different person entirely!"

Empress Zhou said to Zhu Youjian with a bitter face.

"The Empress speaks sense! The tree grows straight on its own! As long as our children grow up happy, that's enough. The boat will straighten itself at the bridge—all things in this world will find their own solutions in time!"

After speaking, Zhu Youjian waved his hand, and the wet nurse nearby quickly came over, picked up Shuige'er, and carried him off to the bedchamber.

"Empress, is Zijuan here? I have a matter today I wish to entrust to her. It concerns the future of many palace servants. If there are any intricacies I haven't thought of, she'll need to discern them and point them out!"

"Zijuan has gone to the kitchens to prepare Your Majesty's midday meal. I'll send someone to summon her at once! What important matter does Your Majesty have? What do you mean by concerning the future of palace servants?"

While the palace maid went to the rear hall to fetch Zijuan, Zhu Youjian briefly explained his idea to Empress Zhou so she could have a general understanding.

After hearing her husband's idea, Empress Zhou felt both surprised and admiring.

Though she didn't understand the specifics very well, she had heard something of the hardships and fates suffered by the palace servants. Although she had instructed Zijuan and her other close female attendants to treat the servants well, due to the limits of her own experience and knowledge, she had never thought of how to change these people's circumstances and endings.

But she knew very well in her heart that what her husband was doing was something rarely seen in any dynasty. If it could be carried through, besides thoroughly solving this lamentable problem, it would surely win widespread praise both inside and outside the palace.

Empress Zhou understood her husband. She knew he was not a man who craved pleasure or was selfish. He was simply a man full of compassion, diligent in governance, who wished to revitalize the state, bring peace to the realm, and let the common people live stable lives.

Since ascending the throne, her husband had worried over state affairs day and night. Rarely did she see a smile on his face, yet the situation continued to deteriorate steadily, unchanged by all his diligence.

Just as Empress Zhou was silently weeping at the sight of gray hairs appearing at the temples of her husband, who was not yet thirty, perhaps the ancestors had opened their eyes—the imperiled Great Ming suddenly recovered, and her husband's back, which had been bent under the weight of state affairs, straightened up at once.

Just as Empress Zhou was lost in thought, the dignified and gentle Zijuan hurried over from the rear hall.