Chapter 85
Yuan Qingling took out a stethoscope, “Let’s not talk about him, I will examine you first.”
The Retired Emperor was used to it, he laid down, lifted his clothes, and waited for the cold thing to be placed on his heart, looking at Yuan Qingling sideways, “This old man wants to listen.”
Yuan Qingling hung the stethoscope on his ears, and plugged it in, saying, “Listen carefully, keep count.”
The Retired Emperor breathed a sigh of relief, listening to his own heartbeat, it was really a lullaby.
“How many beats?” After about a minute, Yuan Qingling asked.
“Fifty-six beats.” The Retired Emperor grinned, showing his yellow teeth.
Yuan Qingling took it and listened again, “Not up to standard, but there is progress.”
Eunuch Chang curiously poked his head over, “Is this gadget fun? Can you let me try it?”
Yuan Qingling smiled and handed it to him, “Sure, hang it on your ears, put it against your heart, then you can hear your own heartbeat.”
Eunuch Chang did as Yuan Qingling instructed, his eyebrows kept fluttering, and he happily said, “This is so strange, it sounds like beating a drum, thump thump.”
He was reluctant to return it to Yuan Qingling, “Where can I buy this? Get one for me too!”
“Let me ask around, if I can find it, I’ll buy you one. Then you can be responsible for listening to the Retired Emperor’s heartbeat every day.” Yuan Qingling said.
“Great!” Eunuch Chang happily agreed.
Fubao came over quickly, rubbing against Yuan Qingling's feet.
Yuan Qingling bent down to pick up Fubao, holding its tongue with one hand, “Naughty!”
Fubao let the drool flow freely, looking very happy.
“Dogs are spiritual, they can discern.” Yuan Qingling stroked Fubao's head, “Right, Fubao?”
Fubao barked twice, as if in agreement.
“Oh?” Eunuch Chang looked at Fubao with a smile, “It seems to understand the Consort’s words?”
“Of course it understands, Fubao is a smart child,” Yuan Qingling put Fubao down, “Go, bring the Retired Emperor his outer robe, we’ll take a walk with him.”
Fubao ran off swiftly, wagging its tail.
Eunuch Chang laughed, “Consort, you really treat it like a person? It doesn’t know how to fetch things, let alone know what an outer robe is.”
Yuan Qingling just smiled without replying.
After a while, Fubao came running back happily with the Retired Emperor's outer robe in its mouth. The robe dragged on the ground, but Fubao was agile and didn't step on it. It dragged the robe all the way here. Fortunately the hall was clean without dust.
The Retired Emperor widened his eyes in surprise, “It really understands human speech?”
Eunuch Chang was completely dumbfounded, “How is this possible?”
Yuan Qingling smiled knowingly, held out her hand to Fubao and said, "Paw!"
Fubao sat down obediently and placed its paw in Yuan Qingling's hand, sticking out its tongue and smiling.
A dog's smile is instantly healing. This smile made the Retired Emperor's heart flutter.
"The other paw!" Yuan Qingling said.
Fubao hurriedly put down the first paw and placed the other paw in her palm.
"Good boy!" Yuan Qingling smiled and stroked its head. Fubao was so happy that it spun around her.
"Fubao, come here!" the Retired Emperor called.
Fubao ran over in a flash, jumped up and sat on the Retired Emperor's lap. The Retired Emperor hugged it and said, "Oh, I didn't expect you to be so smart and able to serve people, how remarkable."
The Qian Kun Palace was filled with laughter and joy, which could be heard from far away.
Every detail in the Qian Kun Palace was reported to Emperor Ming Yuan’s ears.
“The Consort was playing with Fubao, and Fubao was obedient, the Retired Emperor was so happy.”
“The Consort said she would take the Retired Emperor for a walk, and he agreed.”
Hearing these reports, Emperor Ming Yuan's frown relaxed more and more. The Retired Emperor hadn’t been willing to leave the Qian Kun Palace for a long time, and now he was willing to go out, this was so great.
It seems the old man is very satisfied with this grandson's wife.
The fifth prince got a treasure by a fluke.
The sunshine was bright.
The Retired Emperor reached out to block the sunlight, sighing, "The human world is still very beautiful."
Yuan Qingling smiled and said, "You should go out more often, the human body is like a machine, if it doesn't move, the parts will age."
Hearing this, the Retired Emperor looked thoughtful, "I've heard this saying before."
When Yuan Qingling said this, she was a little absent-minded. Realizing after speaking that she couldn't take it back.
Just as she was annoyed with herself, hearing the Retired Emperor's words, she was startled, "The Retired Emperor has heard this before?"
"Who said that?" The Retired Emperor looked back at Eunuch Chang.
Eunuch Chang shook his head, "I haven't heard it before."
"How could you not have heard it? It sounds so familiar." The Retired Emperor scolded, "Your memory is too poor."
"This old slave is getting old, memory is failing." Eunuch Chang sighed.
"Retired Emperor, try to think, who exactly said this?" Yuan Qingling urged.
The Retired Emperor stopped and racked his brains, "Oh, I remember, Duke Xiaoyao said it."
"Duke Xiaoyao?" Yuan Qingling had no information about this person in her mind at all.
"You don't know Duke Xiaoyao, you’re old and forgetful." The Retired Emperor looked a little absent-minded, as if recalling something from the distant past, "He is a few years older than me. I heard long ago that he was often ill, I wonder how he is nowadays?"
"Don’t worry, Retired Emperor, Duke Xiaoyao is still well." Eunuch Chang said.
Yuan Qingling was eager to find out who this Duke Xiaoyao was, and asked, "Where does this Duke Xiaoyao live? Where is he from?"
"He lives in the capital, also a resident of the capital city. During the Retired Emperor's reign, he was the Prime Minister, but later retired due to illness. After retiring, it’s been many years." Eunuch Chang said.
Yuan Qingling made a mental note that if there was a chance, she must pay a visit to this Duke Xiaoyao.
Today the sunshine was good, and many palace ladies came out for a walk. Even Consort Xian couldn't sit still, and went out to bask in the sun with her attendants.
The garden was filled with the fragrance of blooming osmanthus flowers, attracting the Empress out as well. She sat in the pavilion chatting with Noble Consort Di and Consort Xian.
Noble Consort Di's father was the Grand General Di Weiming. She had one son and one daughter. Her son was the Fourth Prince Yu Wenan.
As a consort with royal lineage, Noble Consort Di was from a prominent military family. She never got involved in palace disputes.
Sitting with the Empress, her dignified and magnanimous temperament made her somewhat resemble the Empress.
However, Noble Consort Di rarely conversed with the Empress or even Consort Xian. She was a decisive person who generally had no interest in female topics. She happened to be sitting in the pavilion first today, then Consort Xian came over, followed by the Empress. She couldn't just leave immediately.
Glancing around boredly, she suddenly fixed her eyes and exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't that the Retired Emperor? How did he come out today?"
Following her gaze, the Empress and Consort Xian also saw the Retired Emperor walking by the lake.
"The one supporting the Retired Emperor doesn't look like a palace maid." Noble Consort Di said.
They were too far away to see the face clearly. Consort Xian squinted but still couldn't see clearly.
The Empress recognized her and said lightly, "It's the Consort of Prince Chu."
Consort Xian was taken aback, "It's her?"
The Empress gave Consort Xian a cold smile, "Consort Xian can't even recognize her own daughter-in-law?"
Hearing the sarcasm in her words, Consort Xian smiled lightly, "This lowly concubine has always had poor eyesight, not as perceptive as the Empress."
Here we go again! Noble Consort Di rolled her eyes. She hated women making snide remarks when talking to each other. Why not just say it directly?
She stood up, "Let me go pay my respects to the Retired Emperor."
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