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Empress Dowager of Khitan - Chapter Seventy-Six: Teaching Her Son

Updated: 2008-09-20 16:54:08 Word Count: 3450

Yelü Xian coughed for a while, and Xiao Xuan quickly helped him to lie down on the bed, complaining, "You're not feeling well. If you wanted to see me, you could have just sent someone to call me back. Why did you come all this way?"

Looking at Xiao Xuan, Yelü Xian smiled, "Because I want to see the Nanjing city you've defended."

Clenching her teeth, Xiaoxuan pulled the blanket over him and said, "I've done what I needed to do. No matter what happens in the future, I promise you, I will never leave you or the child again."

Hearing her say that, Yelü Xian smiled slightly in response.

"You rest well, I'll go check on the children." Xiao Xuan said, getting up and leaving the room. Watching her leave, Yelü Xian closed his eyes: "Yan Yan, I'm sorry, I'm powerless, I couldn't avenge you. I want you to know, I will never let that Song Emperor off so easily."

Leaving her room, Xiao Xuan headed towards the children's quarters. She glanced at the sleeping Longevity Maiden and Longevity Maiden before heading towards the princes' quarters. Just as she reached the courtyard wall where the princes lived, she heard a commotion.

Xiao Xuan hurried over to see what was happening, and found that Long Qing was playing games with everyone.

Five-year-old Longqing was wielding a wooden sword, directing his attendants in arranging their troops. Seeing his earnest command, Xiaoxuan couldn't help but chuckle.

Watching his younger brother directing the servants, Longxu, who was a year older than Longqing, was also drawn to the game. He excitedly ran to Longqing's side and called out, "Second brother, let me play too!"

"Didn't you see I was giving orders? Get out of the way!" Long Qing said, pointing his wooden sword at a guard beside him, "Get him out of the way!"

Upon hearing this, Xiaoxuan frowned. She slowly walked over to the children playing the game, sat down, and watched them play.

Seeing his mother arrive, Longxu, who had been neglected by his younger brother, walked sullenly to Xiaoxuan's side and called out, "Mother!" Xiaoxuan smiled gently, reached out and pulled Longxu to sit beside her, saying, "Sit down, watch Longqing play with Mother."

Longqing saw his mother arrive, and seeing that she not only did not stop him, but also sat aside and watched, he was even happier and hurriedly directed everyone to run around.

"Mother!" "Mother!"

With two shouts, Guanyin, holding her third son Longyu's hand, also came to her side.

Looking at Guanyin, who was pouting, and Longyu, who was staring blankly with wide eyes, Xiaoxuan said, "Brother Guan, why don't you take your little brother to play?"

"Mother, I want to take my third brother to play. My second brother has called all our servants to play with him all by himself, so no one will play with us," Guanyin said angrily.

Xiao Xuan smiled slightly and said, "Oh, that's fine too. Let's watch him play together. Sit down." After saying that, she put Long Yu on her lap and watched Long Qing command the battle with the sullen Guanyin Nu and Long Xu.

Another half hour passed, and Longqing's battle was finally over. He ran quickly to Xiaoxuan's side and said, "Mother, wasn't I amazing?"

"Longqing is the best! You managed to get so many people running around like that. You're really amazing!" Xiaoxuan laughed. "By the way, Longqing, why don't you play with your older brother, older sister, and younger brother?"

"Mother, they're stupid! Longqing won't play with them!" Longqing said, staring wide-eyed at Xiaoxuan.

"You're the stupid one! Who wants to play with you!" Guanyin frowned and looked at Longqing.

"Hey!" Longqing made a face at Guanyin.

Xiao Xuan looked at Long Xu, whose little face was tense and he didn't say a word.

"Let's go! Come with Mother to the study!" Xiao Xuan said. After saying that, she picked up Long Yu and led Long Xu, Guanyin Nu, and Long Qing to the study.

After entering the study, Xiao Xuan sat down in a chair with Long Yu in her arms and said, "All three of you, sit down. I have something to ask you."

After the three little ones were seated, Xiao Xuan looked at Guanyin Nu and said, "Guan Ge'er, when you came to Nanjing with your father, did you take any time to go out and buy some things for Shu Ge to take back with you?"

“Mother, why do you want to buy it for her? It’s not like she can’t buy it herself!” Guanyin said.

Looking at Guanyin, Xiaoxuan said, "Because she is your sister, shouldn't you buy it for her?"

"Mother, she's not your daughter. I am. Changshou, Yanshou, and I are your daughters!"

"Oh," Xiao Xuan said after hearing Guanyin's words, "Guanyin, isn't that strange? She's not Mother's daughter, so why does everyone call her Princess?"

"That's why she's called a princess—because she's the emperor's daughter," Guanyin replied.

“Since she is also your father’s daughter, why isn’t she your sister? Guan’er, since when did you become so clear about the distinctions that you know she is different from you, Yanshou, and Changshou, and is not your mother’s daughter? Then why does she call me mother?” Xiaoxuan asked.

"It was the maids who said it. They said that I, Changshou, and Yanshou are different from Shuge. We all need to love them, so we don't need to pay attention to her. She's not Mother's child, so we don't need to worry about her," Guanyin replied.

Xiao Xuan was furious upon hearing this and said sternly, "Guan-ge'er, are you talking nonsense? When your mother scolds you, you blame it on the maids?"

"Mother, Guan-ge wouldn't dare. That's really what they said. You can ask Long-xu if you don't believe me," Guan-yin-nu hurriedly defended herself when she saw her mother was angry. Long-xu nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, Xiao Xuan asked Longxu and Longqing, "Did the guards who accompanied you say such a thing?"

Longxu and Longqing shook their heads.

"Guards!" Xiao Xuan shouted towards the door, and several guards immediately rushed in. Looking at the guards, Xiao Xuan said sternly, "Go and seize all the maids serving the princes and princesses. Tell them to pack their belongings immediately and leave the palace, never to return for the rest of their lives! Tell those wet nurses to do their jobs properly; anyone who dares to speak nonsense or bewitch the princes and princesses will be severely punished according to the laws of the Liao Dynasty!"

"yes!"

Seeing their mother instruct the guards to drive away the maids around them, Guanyin, Longxu, and Longqing all turned pale with fright.

Xiao Xuan looked at the children and said, "Shuge's mother died early, leaving her all alone and helpless. But she is also your father's daughter, and your sister. You should always care for her and treat her kindly. Don't listen to those maids' nonsense and look down on your own sister. In a few years, when Shuge gets married, you won't even be able to see her again! I'll only say this once today, so listen carefully and remember it. Shuge has the same blood as you. As long as she lives, she is your sister! Do you understand?"

“Yes, Mother, we understand,” Guanyin, Longxu, and Longqing replied.

Yelü Xian, who was standing outside the study, heard Xiao Xuan's words clearly and was very excited. After Xiao Xuan left, he tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep, so he got up to look for her. On his way there, he heard Xiao Xuan scolding her children in the room. Afraid that if he went in, the children would surround him and act spoiled, he hid outside the door and listened to Xiao Xuan's lecture to the children.

Hearing this, Yelü Xian was about to step into the house when Xiao Xuan said again, "Longqing, come here." So he stood at the door and continued to listen.

Longqing stood beside Xiaoxuan, looking at her with a puzzled expression.

"Mother is very happy today. Longqing is very majestic, just like a great general, commanding troops. It makes Mother extremely happy."

Upon hearing Xiaoxuan's words, Longqing's little face immediately lit up with a proud smile. Then Xiaoxuan continued, "Longqing, let me ask you, even the most powerful generals and the greatest emperors, don't they all have parents, brothers, and sisters?"

Yes, there is!

"Then let me ask you, how should great heroes and emperors treat their parents, brothers, and sisters? Just because they are different from others, does that give them the right to be disrespectful to their parents and look down on their brothers and sisters?"

Upon hearing this, Longqing fell silent, lowering his head and remaining quiet.

When Guanyin and Longxu saw his appearance, they couldn't help but smile.

Xiao Xuan took in the children's expressions and said slowly, "Brothers and sisters should care for and respect each other, especially regarding the distinction between elders and juniors! Why should there be a distinction between elders and juniors? As the elders, we should care for our younger siblings in everything we do. If they do something wrong, we should correct them, criticize them, and provide help and care in all aspects. This is what the eldest son and daughter should do. And what about you, younger brothers and sisters? Your older brothers and sisters care for you so much, how should you treat them? First and foremost, you should respect your older brothers and sisters! Long Qing, although you behaved well just now, what kind of attitude was that towards your older brothers and sisters? Is that something a younger brother should say?"

Empress of Khitan - Chapter Seventy-Seven: Worries

Updated: 2008-09-20 16:54:08 Word Count: 3165

When Longqing heard Xiaoxuan scolding him, he couldn't help but grin and start crying.

Seeing him crying, Xiao Xuan neither comforted nor consoled him, nor did she ask any questions. It was Long Xu who came over and wiped Long Qing's tears with his sleeve, saying, "Second brother, don't cry, or Mother will get angry again."

"Make him cry!" Xiao Xuan suddenly interjected, "You want to be a great general, but you can't even be told what to do when you make a mistake? If you want to cry, then you might as well cry your fill today. I'll stay with you and watch you cry your fill."

Upon hearing this, Longqing looked at Longxu, then at Guanyin, wiped away his tears and snot, and said, "I didn't cry."

"Your mother asks you, how should you speak to your older brother and sister in the future? How should you get along with them?"

“Speak nicely to your older brothers and sisters, and stop calling them stupid.” Longqing said between sobs, “Play games with them.”

Hearing this, Xiaoxuan reached out and wiped away the tears on Longqing's face, saying, "That's right. Which great general doesn't have a few close people around him? Who could be closer than your own brothers and sisters? Your older brothers and sisters are older than you, so you should respect them. Today, Mother wants to tell you something, and you must remember it firmly in your heart. Mother wants you to remember how to write the four characters 'distinction between elders and juniors.' Longqing, you must write these four characters for the rest of your life, do you remember?"

Longqing nodded upon hearing this. Although he didn't know why his mother wanted him to write these four characters, he had to do it since she had told him to.

With a sigh, Xiao Xuan put Longyu down on the ground and said to Guanyin Nu, "Guan Ge, take your younger brothers to play. Mother has something to say to Longxu."

"Yes, Mother!" Guanyin nodded to Xiaoxuan upon hearing this, and took her two younger brothers' hands as they walked out of the study.

Hearing this, Yelü Xian, who was hiding outside the door, was afraid that they would see him and scream, thus alerting Xiao Xuan inside. He quickly hid behind a pillar outside the door, watching the three siblings walk past him. Gazing at their retreating figures, Yelü Xian smiled, then gently shook his head. "Yan Yan, you were a bit too strict with the children today." Just then, he heard Xiao Xuan's voice coming from inside the house again.

"Longxu, I heard from Lord Han that you study very diligently and practice riding and archery very hard."

Upon hearing this, Longxu nodded and said, "Yes, Mother, I do everything as you say. I have never slacked off in reading, writing, or practicing riding and archery."

Xiao Xuan gently stroked Longxu's nose with her finger and said tenderly, "Mother knows you're a good child. Mother heard from the guards that you lost a wrestling match with Aguda a while ago, is that true?"

Upon hearing this, Longxu nodded and said, "Yes, but Mother, Aguda is taller than me."

Xiao Xuan nodded and then asked, "You also lost the horse race against Aguzhen, didn't you?"

Longxu nodded again and said, "Mother, you didn't see how great and beautiful Agu's horse was. If I had a horse like that, I would definitely win! Besides, Agu knows the race route better than I do, that's why I lost."

Xiao Xuan smiled upon hearing this and said, "Mother also heard that you can't hit the target when you shoot arrows anymore, is that true?"

“Mother, Brother Liuzhi replaced Longxu’s bow with a new one. The new bow is big and heavy, and it’s hard to draw it, which is why he can’t hit the target.”

Xiao Xuan smiled and said to Long Xu, "Come, sit next to your mother, and I'll tell you a story."

"Okay!" Longxu was overjoyed to hear that his mother was going to tell him a story, so he sat down next to Xiaoxuan.

Xiao Xuan sighed softly and said, "Once upon a time, there were two families living together, one rich and one poor. Each family had a boy of similar age, so the two boys often played together. One day, the two boys had a running contest, agreeing that whoever lost would have to bark like a dog so the whole village could hear. The rich boy ate well, slept well, and was strong and healthy, while the poor boy was thin and frail. The poor boy lost the contest. As agreed, he went through the streets and alleys, barking like a dog, attracting loud laughter from everyone. That night, the poor boy cried. He felt it was a great loss of face and wanted to regain his dignity. From that day on, he secretly practiced running alone, running on the mountains and in the ravines, just to run faster. Then he had another contest with the rich boy, and this time, the thin boy won. But the rich boy didn't want to bark like a dog in front of everyone. He said, 'Let's have another contest!'" "If I win in wrestling and you lose, we're even, and I won't bark." Seeing that the rich boy refused to bark like a dog, the poor boy had no choice but to agree. They wrestled, and predictably, the poor boy lost again. Watching the rich boy run away happily after winning, he was angry and heartbroken, cursing himself for being stupid and useless. From then on, the poor boy began to train his arm, leg, foot, and waist strength. In one play, despite his small stature, he finally managed to wrestle the much stronger rich boy. A few years later, both boys had grown into young men. A gang of robbers arrived in the small mountain village, burning, killing, and looting. The rich boy packed his belongings, preparing to flee the village. The poor boy, however, picked up a thick stick and drove the robbers out of the village. The small village was saved because of this poor boy. The boy who had barked like a dog in front of everyone saved the entire village and was hailed as a hero by the villagers.

"Mother, I understand, I was wrong!" Longxu lowered his head and fiddled with the hem of his clothes, saying, "I will study hard and practice my skills diligently. I will never make excuses for myself again."

Xiao Xuan gently stroked Longxu's head and said, "My dear, I want to tell Longxu that a person must have real skills. You are the eldest son of the emperor, and your every word and action represents your father. If you only make excuses for yourself in everything, you will only end up being a failure. A man must have real skills to earn the respect and admiration of thousands of people. Only then will people be willing to risk their lives for you and want to stay by your side."

Longxu nodded and looked at Xiaoxuan, saying, "I've kept Mother's words in mind."

Xiao Xuan nodded, and then Yelü Xian walked in from outside. She was surprised and said, "Didn't I tell you to go to bed? Why are you up?"

Yelü Xian smiled and looked at Longxu, saying, "Longxu, after listening to your mother's teachings, do you know what is most important for you? Go, your father has something to say to your mother."

"Hmm!" Longxu nodded to Yelü Xian, then walked out the door, obediently closing it behind him.

Xiao Xuan gently shook her head, then looked at Yelü Xian and said, "If you need to find me, just send someone to call me. I heard from the servants that you haven't been feeling well lately, so you should rest more."