While Helian Zhicheng felt at ease leaving Dingbei Liao to others, Baili Fengge was even more laissez-faire.
Matters of exterminating nine generations of a clan were nonexistent with him; he simply changed them. Some of his policies were even modeled after those of the inner city.
He did not kill people, but that did not mean wrongdoers were forgiven. To call him laissez-faire was because he didn't kill, but in another aspect, he was more wicked than a demon.
He made wrongdoers work as oxen, plowing the fields. The old ox would stand by and watch them. Any task that a beast could do, these wrongdoers had to do it all, without exception. For scholars, this was a profound insult, and many chose to commit suicide.
However, if one failed to die after attempting suicide, they had to do double the work. Thus, in Xuanyuan Kingdom, people privately referred to the emperor as a malevolent god. Whatever he decreed, his subordinates would do their utmost to fulfill it, without daring to offer a single dissenting opinion.
Within three months of ascending the throne, he had completely mastered his ministers. Even his few troublesome brothers became remarkably docile, none of them harboring any desire to occupy that seat. It wasn't that they weren't afraid of death, but they genuinely feared torment.
With the arrival of the winter solstice, it meant that the New Year was fast approaching.
This was a day for making dumplings. Eating winter solstice dumplings would prevent one's ears from freezing off. The royal household's kitchen bustled with activity from early morning.
During lunch, Fan Zehao deliberately gave her two extra bites of dumplings, only to be glared at by her. She still treated him like a stranger.
He smiled bitterly and sighed inwardly.
Seeing this, Duan Yao offered him a suggestion: "Little brother, listen to your second sister-in-law’s advice. After today, just carry her away and have some time alone together. Relive what it was like when you first got married, perhaps she’ll recover quickly!"
Reminded by her, Fan Zehao felt it was a good idea and began to ponder. Should they return to their old home, or find a remote village and start their hard life anew with his wife?
After much thought, returning to their old home seemed impractical. It was now incredibly prosperous, completely unlike when they first married.
Therefore, he decided finding a poorer village would be better. That way, they could take their time and have some time alone together, which seemed like a good choice.
Before lunch was even over, he summoned the Chief Executive and instructed him to scout nearby small mountain villages for any impoverished areas.
The Chief Executive did not understand what his Highness intended, but he still followed the royal command and went to search.
Three days after the winter solstice, a small mountain village was found, nestled halfway up the mountain. The village still subsisted as before, relying on fertile land for their livelihood, occasionally hunting in the mountains or collecting dried goods to sell.
There were hardly any people left in the entire village; those remaining were mostly elderly. The younger ones had long since gone down the mountain to find work, and some even with capabilities had bought houses in town, no one willing to return to a life of hardship.
"Good, you've found an excellent place. Tomorrow, my wife and I will go and live there. When my wife finally remembers me, we will return!"
The Chief Executive’s eyes widened. "Ah? Your Highness, this is not advisable. That place is extremely poor. Your Highness and your Consort are of noble bodies. What if you get injured or something..."
Fan Zehao interrupted him before he could finish, raising his arm. "Noble bodies? I was a hunter myself. My family was so poor we only had mouths to feed, nothing else. Wasn't I still able to make my way step by step!"
These were not problems for him. As long as his wife was with him, he could overcome any difficulty.
The next day, Zhao Jiaqi was bundled away by Fan Zehao in her sleep. When she woke up, she was already in the carriage, far outside the inner city!
For a moment, she thought she was dreaming.
Upon clearly observing her surroundings, she proactively spoke to Fan Zehao. "Where are you taking me?"
Fan Zehao tried his best not to smile too exaggeratedly, deliberately contorting his face into a shy smile. "We're going to experience a life of remembering hardships and cherishing happiness!"
She had heard of hardship meals, but never a "life of remembering hardships and cherishing happiness." What kind of saying was that? However, within two hours, she truly understood what it meant to live such a life. This place was so poor that even rats wouldn't bother to come.
Zhao Jiaqi finally understood. He had brought her here because he wanted to repeat the days they had spent together more than a decade ago when they first got together.
However, if that was the case, Zhao Jiaqi agreed. During the period she had lost her memory of him, everyone had told her how good he was to her, how much he doted on her, but she truly couldn't recall it.
But this man was still quite good to her, only occasionally his temper was not very good, and he would lash out at their sons without reason.
They arrived at a farmhouse. The house was made of adobe and had not been lived in for many years. Suddenly finding themselves here, it was still quite uncomfortable.
Both of them set aside their airs as prince and consort, returning to being an ordinary couple. On the first day, they cleaned the house and ate all the pastries they had brought.
The next morning, Fan Zehao headed into the mountains with his bow and arrows. Zhao Jiaqi, like a statue waiting for her husband, watched the spot where he had left. In the depths of winter, most animals in the mountains hid away. Could he still catch anything?
She didn't know, and she was unsure, but she was a little worried about his safety, after all, this man was the father of her sons.
Breakfast was congee, with some cold-dressed salted radish on the side. The meal was ready, but he hadn't returned yet. When she looked out the door again, she finally saw a figure.
She rushed out, her voice tinged with complaint, but her hands reached out to take the things he was carrying. "You've been out for so long and you're just coming back. Look, your trouser legs are wet. Go inside quickly and warm yourself by the fire!"
"It's nothing. I used to hunt often, I'm used to it. It'll dry by the fire later!" Fan Zehao chuckled foolishly. "There were quite a few wild chickens in the deep mountains today, I caught several, which delayed me. But it's okay, I'll catch fewer tomorrow and come back earlier, so you won't worry!"
Worry?
Zhao Jiaqi's face flushed suddenly. She wouldn't admit that she was worried about him; she was only concerned because he was the father of her children, and that was all.
"Who's worried about you? I'm just worried that the children will lose their father, it's pitiful!" Zhao Jiaqi threw the wild chickens into the kitchen, closed the door, and returned, snorting at him. "Don't flatter yourself!"
Despite saying this, her hands were still diligent. She ladled him a very thick bowl of congee, while her own bowl had very few rice grains.
Seeing his wife like this, Fan Zehao was happy from the bottom of his heart. Even though she had forgotten him, she still silently cared for him!
He accepted the bowl and chopsticks she handed him, and poured back half of the extra rice from his bowl to hers. "Eat. When I sell these wild game, I'll exchange them for some rice. Wife, don't worry, with your husband here, you won't go hungry!"
This was something he had said from the beginning. However, so many years had passed, and he had indeed kept his promise.
Zhao Jiaqi did not refuse. She gave him a tiny bit of a good look, and then put a piece of salted radish in his bowl. After that, she hunched over and silently ate the congee in her bowl.
After he finished eating, he left one chicken and one rabbit behind, taking the rest to town to sell in exchange for grain and vegetables.