Eagle-eyed and wolf-watching

Chapter 1604: Being and standing at the same time?

At three quarters past three in the afternoon, Ye Mingsheng brought Jingren back to the palace. After returning to the palace, Ye Mingsheng said goodbye to Jingren and walked towards the imperial study, leaving Jingren alone with his lunch box. Looking at his father's departing back, Jingren looked a little confused.

Just when Jingren's mind was a little confused, a somewhat flattering voice came from behind him.

"Your Highness! Can I hold it for you?"

When Jingren heard this, he looked over and saw that Wang Bao, the chief eunuch in the palace, came to his side without him noticing.

Jingren glanced at Wang Bao, then shook his head and said:
"No need! I can carry it myself!"

After saying that, Jingren picked up the lunch box and walked towards his mother An Miaoyi's courtyard. Wang Bao looked a little helpless when he saw this, but seeing that Jingren insisted on doing so, he could only follow behind him.

A moment later, Jingren came to his mother's room with a lunch box. At this time, An Miaoyi was looking at the treasury account book, checking the income and expenditure of last month. Seeing Jingren coming back with a lunch box, she immediately said:
"Jingren! What are you doing with your lunch box? How many times has your mother told you not to be so greedy? Why are you never full?"

Facing his mother's rebuke, Jingren did not defend himself. He just opened the lunch box and took out three dishes like a treasure and said:

"Mom! Dad took me to Xin Kangji restaurant. I remember you like to eat gourd chicken, so after dinner, I ordered these three dishes for you so that you can try them too!"

Looking at the three dishes in front of her, An Miaoyi knew that she had wronged Jingren, and her eyes softened as she asked:

"Did you bring this food all the way back?"

"No! On the way back to the palace from Xinkangji, the palace guards brought it. After returning to the palace, the guards followed my father to the imperial study, and I took it myself..."

"Mom, please try this dish and see if it's delicious! Especially this gourd chicken. Dad said it's a Guanzhong dish, a dish from your hometown. I ordered it especially for you!"

Under her son's expectant gaze, An Miaoyi picked up the chopsticks, picked up a piece of chicken and put it into her mouth. Although Jingren put the gourd chicken in the food box and took it back as soon as possible, the dish had already gone cold on the way from Xinkangji to the palace.

The cold gourd chicken had a faint fishy smell that An Miaoyi didn't like very much, but looking at her son's expectant look, An Miaoyi still forced a smile on her face and said:

"Not bad! It's delicious!"

Jingren didn't notice An Miaoyi's reluctance. He really thought his mother liked this dish, so he immediately broke off a chicken leg and gave it to his mother.
"Then eat more!"

Looking at the cold chicken leg in front of her, An Miaoyi was reluctant, but in order not to disappoint her son's filial piety, she took it reluctantly. Just as she was about to bite it, Qiqige walked into the room and saw An Miaoyi's true thoughts. She immediately took the chicken leg and said:

"Your Highness! I like to eat chicken legs. Please give me this chicken leg!"

Jingren hadn't realized the crux of the matter yet. He broke off another chicken leg and handed it to An Miaoyi, saying:

"Mom, this gourd chicken has two drumsticks, one for each of you two!"

“Your Highness! Give me both chicken legs! I love chicken legs the most…”

Seeing Qiqige took away both chicken legs and her mother sitting aside without saying anything, Jingren finally realized something and said hesitantly:

"Mom, is it cold? Don't you like it?"

After saying this, Jingren continued to talk to himself:

"I walked too slowly and let the dish get cold. Tomorrow I will ask someone to invite the chefs from Xin Kang Ji to come and make this dish for my mother in the palace!"

Seeing Jingren's somewhat self-blaming expression, An Miaoyi caressed her son's face lovingly and said:

"Jingren, I am very touched by your filial piety! Everything else doesn't matter!"

Hearing what An Miaoyi said, Qi Qige, who took the two chicken legs, also spoke:
"Your Highness, the Queen actually doesn't like to eat gourd chicken. When she was in Luoan before, the Marquis liked to eat gourd chicken and often asked the chef in the mansion to make this dish, but the Queen never touched it!"

Hearing this, Jingren was stunned for a moment, then he said:
"Dad clearly told me that you like to eat gourd chicken? You ate a lot of it at Xin Kang Ji that day!"

Seeing that Qiqige had made it clear, An Miaoyi did not hide anything and immediately said:

"How could your father know that I don't like gourd chicken? He only knew that gourd chicken is a famous dish in Guanzhong, and he thought I would like it!"

"Your father said that at Xin Kang Ji that day. How could I not eat it?"

"Your father is becoming more and more hypocritical. He obviously only cares about Bae Ji-soo, but he always wants to act like he cares about everyone. For example, he remembers your favorite restaurants, favorite dishes, your birthday and so on. But in fact, what he thinks are just his own thoughts..."

Hearing his mother say this, Jingren seemed to be greatly shocked and his expression became lost.

Seeing this, An Miaoyi also held Jingren's hand and said:

"Jingren, it's enough that you have this intention. Don't even mention bringing back a plate of gourd chicken for me. Even if you bring back two steamed buns for me, I will be very happy!"

Hearing his mother say this, Jingren nodded slightly, and then said in a low voice with some emotion:

"Mom, you and Dad have such complicated thoughts! It's so hard for me to understand what you mean!"

Hearing Jingren say this, An Miaoyi seemed to realize something and immediately asked:
"Did your father say anything to you again?"

Jing Ren nodded when he heard this. Seeing this, An Miaoyi and Qiqige looked at each other, and then An Miaoyi continued to ask:
"Tell mom what your dad said to you these past two days!"

Jingren also told An Miaoyi exactly what Ye Mingsheng had said to him in the past two days.

An Miaoyi, who heard what Ye Mingsheng said after an incense stick of time, couldn't help but frown, while Qi Qige on the side complained:

"Your Majesty, what a fool! Why are you talking to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince about these nonsense?"

"Your Highness is only ten years old, how could he understand the evil of witchcraft? Besides, you can tell from the looks of it that your Highness is a filial child!"

While Qiqige was complaining, Jingren also mustered up the courage to look at his mother and ask:
"Mom, do you really have a hundred houses in Yijing?"

An Miaoyi, who was frowning, was stunned when she heard her son ask her such a question. She didn't know how to answer...
Seeing his mother's reaction, Jingren thought that his mother didn't hear his question clearly, so he asked again:

"Is what my father said true? Do you really have a hundred houses in Yijing?" Qiqige, who was standing aside, saw that An Miaoyi seemed to be at a loss as to how to answer, and immediately stepped forward to help out:

"Your Majesty, how could you own so many houses? They are all owned by the imperial treasury!"

However, Jingren didn't care about Qiqige's answer and still looked at his mother seriously.

Feeling her son's gaze, An Miaoyi instinctively wanted to perfunctorily answer him, but just as she was about to speak, she recalled Ye Mingsheng's words in her mind and fell silent. After a second or two, she said:

"One hundred and thirty-five!"

Although he had already gotten the answer from his father, Jingren was still very shocked when he actually heard the number from his mother. After hesitating for a moment, he seemed to want to continue asking something, but after opening his mouth, he still didn't say anything.

Although Jingren did not speak, seeing the change in his son's expression, An Miaoyi understood what he wanted to say and immediately took the initiative to say:
"Most of the houses that Mom saved up were earned by taking advantage of information asymmetry, just like your dad said! I also learned everything from your dad, just copying him. If he can do it on the first day, I can do it on the fifteenth day!"

"Your father always likes to play this kind of trick. It's obvious that a decree can solve the problem, but he has to go around in circles like this. It's as if buying the house makes the matter noble and no longer competing with the people for profit."

“Since becoming the emperor, your father has become more and more hypocritical. In the past, your father dared to act and take responsibility, but now that he is…”

As soon as she opened her mouth, An Miaoyi realized that the words were inappropriate, so she stopped in time.

Jingren on the side subconsciously replied:
"You're a whore and you still want to be a virtuous woman!"

After Jingren finished speaking, before he noticed anything, he saw his mother and Qiqige both staring at him. Jingren was stunned at first and then realized that he had said the wrong thing. He quickly slapped himself on the mouth twice and lowered his head with an apologetic look on his face.

When An Miao saw this, he also taught her:

"There are some things that you think in your heart but cannot say out loud. People spend a year learning to speak, but a lifetime learning to shut up. There are some things he cannot respond to!"

Jingren nodded humbly and said:

"Mom! I just said that subconsciously. I won't respond next time!"

An Miaoyi also knew that Jingren made this mistake unintentionally, and continued to speak:

"Your father always has some weird ideas. No one knows what's going on in his head!"

"Remember some of your father's words, for example, what he told you about revitalizing the country through industry and commerce. This is very important. You must study hard and learn from the various measures we have taken to encourage industry and commerce. You can appreciate the good intentions of your father and the ministers!"

“But there’s no need to take some words to heart. Your father just said it, so just listen to it. Don’t argue with them, and that’s it. Jingren, you don’t have to take it too seriously…”

Upon hearing this, Jingren nodded, not quite understanding.

Seeing this, An Miaoyi touched Jingren's head and said:

"Mom, let me tell you a few more words. Why didn't your father completely stop me from taking money? Although there is a reason that I follow the rules and know my limits, do you know what the most important reason is?"

"What is it?"

"The most important reason is that most of the money I earned over the years was taken away by your father. Not to mention the money he confiscated before, just take the expansion of the palace as an example. In every dynasty, the national treasury provided the money!"

"But our Daqian is so good that he let the queen and concubines use their own private money to build the palace. This is unprecedented in all dynasties. Other emperors would be ashamed to talk about such things, but your father did it, and he was not ashamed, but proud of it!"

"You can tell how shameless your father is! Which emperor in history is like him?"

"Just the construction of the palace has almost drained all the money from your mother. Even if there is only a little bit of real estate left, when I am a hundred years old, can I take it with me to the underworld? Shouldn't it be left to you, Jingren?"

"Although your father doesn't say it, he knows it very well in his heart. I did all this for this family. Your father has used me as a knife for many years. That's why I say your father is the most hypocritical!"

"What did you mean by saying that the governors are allowed to set fires but the common people are not allowed to light lamps? What's that? The pot calling the kettle black. It's as if my two words can stop your father from doing something?"

"Do you think your father is so easy to talk to? When your father gets angry, he really doesn't recognize anyone. He is cold-blooded and heartless and doesn't recognize any relatives. This is the kind of person your father is..."

"Jingren, you have to understand that your father has five sons and three daughters, but I, your mother, only have you as my son!"

"Jingren, you are ten years old now. You are sensible now. You also know who your father loves the most!"

"If I hadn't been prepared, do you think it would still be like this? Do you think people would be easy to get along with?"

"It's like this now. If I, your mother, hadn't made any preparations, we would have been bullied to death. Jingren, you must understand all this. I, your mother, am the one who truly supports you!"

An Miaoyi talked a lot, then stopped, feeling unsatisfied, and asked Jingren to go read and study.

After Jingren left, An Miaoyi took a look at the food box and the meals that Jingren brought back. Although An Miaoyi did not say anything, Qiqige immediately understood her master's intention and immediately ordered the palace maid to throw away all the meals.

After doing all this, Qiqige asked An Miaoyi with some doubt:

"Your Majesty, why did His Majesty say these things to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"

An Miaoyi snorted coldly upon hearing this:

"Do you think he told Jingren?"

"He has other intentions than drinking!"

Qiqige was startled when she heard this, then she reacted and said:

"Your Majesty, do you mean that His Majesty is speaking to you through His Highness' mouth?"

"Qiqige, what else do you think? This heartless guy is getting more and more fond of playing this kind of trick. Doesn't he feel sorry for Liu Che? I think he is becoming more and more like Liu Che!"

"It doesn't matter whether he is Liu Che or not! Anyway, I, An Miaoyi, am not Wei Zifu, and Jingren is not Liu Ju..."

(Due to work reasons, I always finish writing before 12 o'clock, and then I will make revisions after 12 o'clock. Please understand!)