Professional Ethics of a Concubine

For Ye Qingzhi, what she was most concerned about was Xiaokang, who had been out at sea for two years and had not yet returned.

Feng Yuxi, the father, was originally very calm, but when he saw that more than half a year had passed and the child had not returned yet, he began to become uneasy.

This time he came to the palace to ask Ye Qingzhi if she had any good news.

"I don't have any new news either." Ye Qingzhi also frowned worriedly.

"Is there any new move from the court?" Feng Yuxi asked with a frown.

"Of course. The imperial court has increased its investment in HNA since last year. It has also encouraged large private commercial banks to join in, open up new routes, engage in shipping business, and inquire about Xiaokang and his men.

Nowadays, there are many ships exploring the near seas and opening up new routes. There are also ships that went to Southeast Asia and successfully returned last month.

At the same time, they also brought back news about Xiaokang, and the people there confirmed that they had indeed been to Xiaokang before.

But that was more than a year ago.

Xiaokang hasn't come back yet, so he's obviously gone to North America. Although there are ships trying to go there, it will take a long time for them to return."

"It sounds like there's nothing we can do except wait." Feng Yuxi sighed.

Ye Qingzhi also sighed in frustration.

The two of them were depressed for a while, and Feng Yuxi came to his senses first and gave her a bottle of pills. "Last time I came here, I found that the emperor was a little overworked. This medicine is for him to replenish his body."

"He stays up late every day to read books." Ye Qingzhi said immediately.

"Now he is more like a modern person than the two of us. When I talk to him now, sometimes I feel like he is another fellow villager of mine."

Feng Yuxi,...

The emperor is truly an ambitious leader. His spirit is truly admirable!

"Then you have to make sure he takes his medicine," Feng Yuxi said, "Don't ruin his health."

Ye Qingzhi agreed, chatted with him for a few more minutes, and then let him go back first.

When Xie Jin came back from his official duties in the evening, Ye Qingzhi gave him the tonic given by Feng Yuxi and told him to have a good rest.

"Do you have any objection to me?" the emperor asked with a smile.

"I have thought about it carefully. I have indeed neglected you recently. Now I will make up for it. I will help you take a bath first."

Ye Qingzhi,...

She really wanted to ask, Your Majesty, aren’t you tired?

Where does all this energy come from?

-

On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Ye Qingzhi finally got news from Xie Niankang that their ship was back!

When Xie Niankang and his crew's ship reached the coast, they were spotted by other ships. After learning of Xie Niankang's identity, it immediately caused a sensation, and the news spread to the palace at the fastest speed.

Xie Jin was shocked when he saw the good news. He said happily, "Pass this news to the Imperial Concubine immediately."

The eunuch agreed and turned around to deliver the message.

"Wait, I'll go myself." Xie Jin called the eunuch and stood up and strode out.

You can read memorials at any time, but this kind of time to share good news with your beloved is rare.

"Your Majesty, have you finished your work? Why are you here at this time?" When Ye Qingzhi saw him, she immediately came out to greet him with a smile.

"What are you doing? Embroidering something?" Xie Jin asked in surprise, looking at the pile of embroidery threads and fabrics on the table.

As far as he could remember, Ye Qingzhi had touched this thing no more than five times, and all of those times were when she was in the Marquis' Mansion. Later on, she even stopped touching needlework.

She had never tenderly and thoughtfully sewn a pair of socks for him, made him a shirt, or embroidered a purse for him.

"Yes, I thought about it, embroidering is a good way to kill time, and I know how to do it, but I'm a little rusty after not doing it for a long time. But it's also convenient to pick it up."

Ye Qingzhi said with a smile,

"How about I practice embroidering a purse for the emperor?"

"My dear, please don't just make empty promises. I am already looking forward to your wallet." The emperor said with a smile, and then reminded her,

"Embroidery hurts your eyes and neck. Don't do it for too long. After embroidering for a while, get up and go to the Imperial Garden to exercise."

"I know." Ye Qingzhi nodded with a smile and asked him what was the matter.

"Xie Niankang is back." The emperor said with a smile.

"...Wow! Where is he? When can he come back to Beijing?" Ye Qingzhi was stunned for a moment, then happily hugged Xie Jin and asked a series of questions.

"The ship has just docked. It will take at least half a month to return to Beijing," Xie Jin said.

The railway has just started to be laid, and the fastest section will not be completed until next year. For now, people still rely on horse carriages and horses for transportation.

"As long as he's fine and comes back safely, that's all that matters." Ye Qingzhi happily kissed him several times.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for telling me this good news! I am so happy. I have been worried before."

"This brat has made you so worried. I will give him a good lesson when I come back. Let him stay for two years before he can leave."

Xie Jin said this half-truthfully.

When Ye Qingzhi heard what he said, she immediately became unhappy and glared at him, "Your Majesty, don't be so unreasonable. I think you are just taking your anger out on others because you can't bear to see your daughter in unrequited love."

"Hmph." Xie Jin humphed unhappily, which was considered as his agreement.

Ye Qingzhi didn't know what to say, so she just said, "Don't make marriages so carelessly, or you'll end up making things worse."

"I don't want to grant you a marriage." Xie Jin said, "I will naturally do what I promised you."

Ye Qingzhi was satisfied and smiled at him again, "Your Majesty, you must not have finished your government affairs yet, go and get busy, I also have to be busy with embroidery, and make you another pair of socks!"

Xie Jin, ...

Can I be coaxed into submission by a pair of socks?

At least two pairs.

-

A few days later, bad news came from the old lady. She was sick and her condition was quite serious. She was in a coma.

When the emperor heard the news, he immediately asked Feng Yuxi to see the old lady and give her the best medicine.

However, after Feng Yuxi showed it to the old lady, he shook his head when he returned to the palace to report to the emperor.

"There's nothing I can do. The old lady is already... running out of energy."

"The medicine in your system is not enough? What's the price to get it? I'll find a way!" Xie Jin asked anxiously.

"Your Majesty, a person's body functions no longer when it reaches a certain level. There is no immortality in this world, nor is there any way to overcome calamities through cultivation. The old lady has experienced turbulent times, and it is a miracle that she can live to this age."

Feng Yuxi looked serious and said to the emperor calmly,

"If it weren't for the pills I provided, the old lady wouldn't have been able to hold on for so many years. Your Majesty, when facing the withering of life, don't force it and don't get stuck in a dead end."

Emperor Xie Jin lowered his head and remained silent for a long while. Finally, he raised his head and asked him with red eyes, "How long does the old lady have?"

"I can't really say for sure, because besides the body, people also have wills. If there are still people they want to see or unfulfilled wishes, they may be able to hold on for another half a month."

Feng Yuxi said in a low voice, his mood becoming heavy.

"...Okay, I understand." Xie Jin nodded, waved his hand, and asked Feng Yuxi to leave first.

Xie Jin immediately called people over and gave a series of orders, asking them to do the work immediately.

Afterwards, he went to see the Queen himself and told her about the old lady. He also said that once the old lady passed away, there would be a state funeral for her, and asked her to start preparing all matters.

When the queen heard the news, her eyes suddenly turned red and tears fell.

"I would like to visit the old lady tomorrow. Is that ok? Will it disturb her rest?"

"Sure, I'll go too." Xie Jin nodded, "Let the children go too. They can go visit the old lady whenever they have nothing to do these days."

The two chatted for a few more words about the follow-up arrangements, and then Xie Jin got up and left, heading for the Qiwu Palace.

"Mammy, the old lady is going to die." The Queen couldn't help crying again. "I knew this day would come, and I also knew that the old lady's death was a happy one, but it still hurts."

"Your Majesty, for all of us, this day will come." Madam Zhou was also touched and her eyes turned slightly red.

The Queen was silent for a while, wiped her tears, and began to give some instructions on palace affairs.

-

Ye Qingzhi was startled when she saw the emperor walking in with red eyes and a sad look on his face. She blurted out,

"Is... the old lady no longer able to do it?"

"Yes." The emperor nodded and said in a heavy voice, "Feng Yuxi came just now and said that the old lady is almost dead."

Ye Qingzhi felt sad when she heard the news, because the old lady was an elder she respected and she was always grateful for her care.

But her grief was far less than Xie Jin's.

Ye Qingzhi silently walked up to him, hugged him, patted his back, and comforted him like she was comforting a child.

For things like this, any words of comfort may not be as good as a warm hug and silent companionship.

"I have always regarded her as my grandmother..." the emperor said, his voice slightly hoarse and with a hint of tears.

Ye Qingzhi responded, was silent for a while, and then said,

"Grandmother is most concerned about the future of the Xie family. If the emperor wants to comfort her tomorrow, he can say that he will take care of the descendants of the Xie family."

"I understand." The emperor said, "I even called Xie Lin back."

Thinking of the manners and character of this Mr. Xie, Ye Qingzhi could not help but shook her head speechlessly, but still responded.

"Well, transfer him to the capital. You are the emperor now. No matter how angry he is, he can't do anything."

"I hope Xie Niankang can come back." The emperor said again.

Ye Qingzhi sighed, "I hope so."

Facing the impending death of a loved one, I feel so powerless and sad.

But this kind of separation between life and death where we can say goodbye properly is always better than hearing the bad news suddenly.

-

The next day, Ye Qingzhi and the others went to visit the old lady. The old lady was sometimes awake and sometimes asleep. Even when she was awake, she could only listen to you and it was a little difficult for her to speak.

The adults and older children felt very heavy-hearted when they saw the old lady like this.

Most people were silent, and even those who spoke spoke in low voices with tense expressions. The atmosphere was very depressing.

But at this moment, the clear and cheerful voices of children rang out, accompanied by giggles, instantly breaking the heaviness in the yard.

Everyone couldn't help but look outside. They saw Xie Mingqing's two children, a three-year-old daughter and a son less than one year old.

These two children are also the new generation of the Xie family and they have to call the old lady their great-grandmother.

"Oh, why are you bringing the child here to bother the old lady? I'll ask them to leave right away..."

Wang from the eldest wife's family was the children's grandmother. She was afraid that the emperor and others would blame the children, so she spoke up immediately.

"Let them come over," Xie Jin said. "Children's laughter is nice. Grandma will like it. She prefers children to us."

It was indeed as Xie Jin said. The two children were brought to the old lady. Because the adults also wanted to amuse the children, the originally dull atmosphere suddenly became relaxed.

The old lady's face was filled with more smiles. She looked at the two little ones, and her originally cloudy eyes began to sparkle.

Ye Qingzhi looked at this scene and suddenly understood a little bit of the meaning of a new life, as well as the significance of a small child to a family.

Their innocence and childishness can really heal the tired and painful adults when facing the passing of their loved ones, and allow you to continue to firmly accompany them through the next journey of life.