Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved-Chapter 481: How Can a Village Girl Compare with the Empress?
Chapter 481: Chapter 481: How Can a Village Girl Compare with the Empress?
Jun Yuyan prepared the paper and ink, and his emotions finally calmed down a lot while he was grinding the ink.
Though his Empress was merely in a normal posture, her clothes properly worn without disarray, it was his mind, filled with rubbish, that had caused his blood to surge and made it hard for him to restrain himself.
However, as he was about to set his brush to paper, he suddenly heard his Empress say:
"You always said that you wanted to paint a portrait of me. I thought it would take too long and I was also a bit shy, so I refused you. After you disappeared, I regretted it day and night, regretting why I couldn’t fulfill your wish."
"Empress..."
Jun Yuyan was left speechless.
"Now we have plenty of time. We can draw a little bit every night until it’s finished. Later on, we can have a painter create a portrait for us, and paint one for our children too, to keep forever. Doesn’t that sound good?"
"Good, all good,"
Jun Yuyan put down the brush and strode towards her. This time, he didn’t restrain himself but instead tightly embraced Murong Jiu.
"I will never leave you and the children again, never to make you worry,"
Murong Jiu hugged him back, and hot tears streamed down onto his shoulder.
Perhaps it was the recollection of past sorrows that stirred her emotions; she cried for a long while before she stopped. Looking into the mirror, her eyes were swollen red.
"Let’s not paint today. Wait for the time when I am in my best state."
"You are always the most beautiful,"
Jun Yuyan moistened a towel and held it out to her.
Murong Jiu laughed at his sweet nothings, but the woman in the mirror really did have eyes red and swollen like two large walnuts. She didn’t want Jun Yuyan to see her like this and quickly pushed him out.
"It’s getting late, you have the early court session tomorrow, go rest."
Jun Yuyan had not had enough of holding her, but he could only sleep in the side hall now, since he had mentioned sleeping in the side hall himself.
The next day.
True to his word, Jun Yuyan rose early, quietly returned to Qianqing Palace to bathe and change clothes, and then attended the court session.
Outside the palace, Wang Yingluo slept in, her dreams full of being surrounded and embraced.
However, upon waking, she felt that those performers were only good for pleasure and listening to music, fit to be kept as playthings. A truly excellent man was an emperor like Jun Yuyan, dignified and unapproachable, someone only she could manage to win over.
At the same time, she also acutely realized the importance of status.
In such a feudal dynasty, where imperial power reigned supreme, without a lofty status, you were nothing.
The arrogant noble ladies and young misses from the day before, upon learning of her identity, hadn’t each one of them changed their expression, bowed and scraped, and kept apologizing?
That feeling of superiority was too exhilarating!
"I must become the Empress!"
She narrowed her eyes and said so in her heart.
The place where she rested at night was a private residence in the Capital City. Originally, she wanted to stay directly at Prince Ling’s Mansion, but that Eunuch Li mentioned that the mansion was full of the Empress’s people and he was worried she’d be troubled if she went there.
How laughable, was she someone who feared trouble?
She wasn’t afraid of the Empress causing her trouble; on the contrary, she was afraid of the Empress not causing her any, for that would make her dislike the Empress even more.
However, it was indeed too late last night, and the place where she had listened to the music was almost at the outskirts, where the scenery was beautiful and quiet. There was no choice but to stay in the nearby residence, where the servants attended to her just like they would a Main Wife.
It filled her with considerable satisfaction.
After finishing a sumptuous breakfast, she was preparing to return to the palace. Having changed her clothes and ready to leave, she suddenly overheard a quiet discussion around the corner.
"What’s so great about a country bumpkin? She can’t even compare to the palace maids by Her Majesty the Empress’s side; she’s not even worthy to carry Her Majesty’s shoes. How can she compare to Your Majesty!"
"Exactly! She looks just average and is still a rustic who’s seen nothing of the world. Unlike Her Majesty the Empress, who has established schools for students to read and medical colleges for people to learn medicine. There are also the charity halls and so on, not to mention crops like potatoes and sweet potatoes, all introduced because of Her Majesty. What does that country girl have that is remotely presentable?"
"Once Your Majesty tires of the novelty, he will remember the good qualities of Your Majesty the Empress. By then, that country bumpkin will only be despised."
Wang Yingluo clenched her fingers tightly.
Laughable. Jun Yuyan’s unchanging affection, even historically he had only Empress Murong as his woman. Now that Jun Yuyan is deeply in love with her, with her having replaced Murong Jiu, it’s impossible for Jun Yuyan to have a day when he will grow tired of her.
These damned fools who know nothing!
She turned her head to look at Eunuch Li, who was wiping sweat from his brow:
"Their tongues wag excessively. Today they dared to speak frivolously about this young lady, even presuming to speculate about Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress, they truly deserve to die a thousand deaths!"
"Yes, what you say is true. This servant will see to it that they are dealt with cleanly! Guards! Drag those few out and beat them to death!"
Eunuch Li shouted loudly.
The maids in the corner let out sharp screams, dragged away by the guards with deathly pale faces from Wang Yingluo’s side, and kept begging for mercy.
Seeing this scene, the corners of Wang Yingluo’s mouth slowly curled up.
Offending her would not end well.
Today was a warning to others; the next time she came out of the palace, these servants would never dare to offend her again.
The taste of being able to control the life and death of others was truly delightful.
In the modern era, slapping someone would be considered creating a disturbance.
She couldn’t imagine how comfortable and proud she would feel after becoming the Empress.
She also had no sympathy for these maids; after all, life was cheap at this time, and dying meant they wouldn’t have to be slaves or servants anymore. What was so bad about that?
What she didn’t know was that after the guards dragged the maids away, they actually rewarded them with silver. Not to mention being beaten to death, they weren’t even hurt one bit.
The maids put on a show, joyfully received their reward, got their servitude contracts, and were released from the mansion, utterly thrilled.
Leaving the mansion with her head held high, and seated in the carriage back to the palace, Wang Yingluo’s mind lingered on the words of those maids, and she suddenly changed her mind.
"Eunuch Li, detour to the school. I’ve heard that the school Your Majesty and Her Majesty founded accepts students from all over the land. I admire that deeply and wish to see it for myself."
Eunuch Li quickly complied and redirected the carriage towards the school.
Upon arriving at the school, Wang Yingluo heard the loud and clear sound of reading and saw the spirited demeanor of the students. She couldn’t help but admire it. The tuition-free school of Great Yan was indeed well-established, allowing even poor students to read and write.
This made a significant mark on the literacy campaign for Great Yan’s future, laying a solid foundation. Unfortunately, there were too many scholar-gentry clans, and this progress did not go as smoothly as hoped, taking more than a decade to fully implement.
This also laid the groundwork for the future prosperity and golden age of Great Yan.
To get rich, build roads first; to grow strong, eradicate illiteracy first.
The merchant convoys of Great Yan spread throughout the country, and Manager Chai was the most famous Imperial Merchant, without an equal. This road was built under his leadership.
Although it was said to be the Empress’s idea in the history books, Wang Yingluo felt that a woman like the Empress couldn’t possibly have such intelligence and boldness.
