Chapter 670: Chapter 670. Old And Mature

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Su Qing did not rest after returning from the manor. She cooked a large bowl of porridge and ate the corn she planted. She drank three big bowls in one meal.

When the children woke, she ordered the imperial kitchen to warm the remaining porridge in the pot.

Yun’ er, Zhang Qi, and Ziqi saw the big bowl of porridge that was served. It smelled so good!

“This is the fruit of your labor. Is it delicious?”

When Su Qing heard that the children had woken up, she came over in a cloak. When she saw the children eating porridge, she smiled.

“Delicious.”

Yun’ er nodded heavily. The fruits of labor were indeed delicious.

Her small hands had calluses from breaking the corn grains. Su Qing had applied medicine on them while they were sleeping. They were wrapped in gauze and could not hold chopsticks, so they used a small spoon to scoop them up. Yun’ er’s tiny mouth was stuffed. This soft porridge was delicious.

“Mother also prepared a roasted lamb leg for you. You earned it with your hard work.”

Su Qing ordered people to bring in the roasted leg of lamb. The Empress had roasted the leg of lamb for the entire night. The fragrance wafted throughout the palace. They thought that the Empress and the Emperor were eating it. It turned out that it was to reward the children and the others.

“Thank you, Mother.”

Ziqi knelt to thank her. He was just like this, very obedient.

Yun’ er was different from him. She jumped off the stool happily and hugged her mother’s leg. She said sweetly,

“Thank you, Mother.”

“Eat. You still have to go to the manor to work tomorrow. Eat more, and you’ll have more strength.”

Su Qing smiled and squatted down to pick up her daughter. She kissed her on the cheek and placed Yun’ er back on the stool.

She took a knife and cut the meat for the children to eat. These three children usually did not eat so well. Today, their tiny mouths were stuffed, and everyone ate a lot.

“Mother, tomorrow we will go to the manor to break the corn.”

Yun’ er’s tiny mouth was full of oil as she said to Su Qing in a childish voice.

The lamb leg that she had earned was incredibly delicious. She still wanted her mother’s reward.

“Alright, rest early and leave early tomorrow. Write down the rewards you want for your mother.”

Su Qing rubbed her daughter’s soft hair and smiled. She saw the longing in Ziqi’s eyes. The little boy wanted to be like his sister but pretended to be a little adult and restricted himself.

Su Qing hadn’t wanted her son to have such a big burden since he was young. She hoped Ziqi could grow up like Yun ‘er, carefree and helpless, innocent and lively.

Su Qing clapped her hands at Ziqi.

“Ziqi, do you want mother to hug you?”

Ziqi hesitated and took a step forward, but he still stopped!

“From tomorrow onwards, don’t learn those Confucian things.”

Su Qing was furious. She felt that those books were imprisoning her son in ethics.

This was the first time Ziqi saw his mother angry at him. He hurriedly knelt on the ground.

“Mother, I was wrong. Please don’t be angry.”

“Sleep early!”

Su Qing took a deep breath and took it slow. The etiquette deeply poisoned Ziqi. She had to fight with the old scholar for her son.

Ziqi saw his mother leave in disappointment. He was very sad. He looked down at his little hand. What could he do to make his mother happy?

“Big brother, Mother is not angry with you.”

Yun’ er saw that her brother was unhappy and came over to hold his hand to comfort him. Zhang Qirui also came to comfort his cousin,

“Cousin, rest early. Let’s work harder tomorrow. The Empress Aunt will be happy!”

The palace maids and nannies felt sorry for Little Qi when they saw him unhappy. Why would the Empress be angry with such an outstanding and sensible prince?

When Su Qing returned to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, she saw Xiao Zeyu writing memorials on the dragon table in his undergarments. His brows were tightly knitted as if he had encountered a complex problem.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Xiao Zeyu lifted his gaze from the memorial and looked at Su Qing,

“Qing ‘ er has returned?”

“Emperor, is there a problem?”

As Su Qing spoke, he walked over to take a look. He saw that it was a memorial from Haicheng. The pirates at sea showed signs of reviving again. They had already robbed fishing boats a few times. They had beheaded the fishermen on the largest fishing boat, and their heads were still hung on the flagpole to demonstrate their strength.

“These Japanese pirates appear and disappear like ghosts. Our navy can’t catch them every time.”

Xiao Zeyu slammed the case down heavily. He wasn’t afraid of face-to-face battles, but he was most afraid of these rat-like Japanese pirates. If you came, they would run. If you left, they would come out and cause trouble.

“Your Majesty, we can do this. Let the fishermen go to sea together, and our navy will follow and protect them. If the pirates dare to come, we will eliminate them.”

Su Qing raised her eyebrows. She didn’t dare to say that before because the Tang Empire’s navy was weak, and they didn’t have advanced warships.

But now, there was no need to worry. Su Qing drew the blueprints, and Qin Tie brought the craftsmen to Sea City to build a shipyard. The first Sea God had already passed the sea trial and could be officially put into use.

The ship weighed dozens of tons and was tall and sturdy. It was equipped with mortars, heavy artillery shells, and fire mines. Recently, Su Qing had designed torpedoes, but they had just been designed and had not been used yet.

If the torpedoes were used, they could land torpedoes in the places where the Japanese pirates appeared and send them to hell.

“Qing ‘er’s idea is excellent. The navy has to protect the fishermen. If they go to sea to protect them, the pirates won’t dare to come again.”

Xiao Zeyu’s brows relaxed. He smiled as he held Su Qing’s hand.

“Qing ‘er always helps me solve my problems. She’s my lucky star.”

“Alright, don’t get carried away. I also have something to discuss with you seriously.”

Su Qing pushed away Xiao Zeyu’s big hand and looked at him thoughtfully.

“What is it?”

Xiao Zeyu looked at the serious Su Qing with a smile. He was the quietest Emperor in the history of the harem. What was there to be dissatisfied about?

“I don’t want Ziqi to become a rigid person bound by etiquette and only knows how to follow the rules.”

Su Qing looked at Xiao Zeyu. It would be nice if Ziqi could be like his father. He was proficient in literature and martial arts, but his personality was not rigid. Her son was becoming increasingly like the old scholar, the tutor. The little child was like a little old man.

“Since you mentioned it, I have something to tell you.”

Xiao Zeyu pulled Su Qing to sit on his lap. The palace maids and eunuchs beside him were already used to the Emperor’s intimate actions towards the Empress. He wished he could always hold the Empress in his arms.

Su Qing sat on the human chair, comfortably leaning against Xiao Zeyu. Seeing him seriously discussing it with her, it must be something big. She asked,

“What is it?”

“I want to make Ziqi the Crown Prince. What do you think?”

Xiao Zeyu wanted to confirm the position of the Crown Prince before the other Princes were born to avoid a scene of flesh and blood killing each other like in Tartan.

“Yes, Ziqi has a calm personality and can be made Crown Prince.”

Of course, Su Qing had no objections. Although being the Emperor was tiring work, he could not give away the country he had won to someone else’s child.

Xiao Zeyu smiled when he saw that Su Qing had no objections.

“Since Ziqi will be the Crown Prince, rules are necessary..”