Chapter 21 Control

Wuya calmly copied the Classic of Filial Piety, discovering for the first time that copying books was such a pleasant activity. Half an hour passed, and Zhuxi, standing to the side, couldn't help but become impatient.

"Alright, look at you, what kind of behavior is this? You're not composed at all." Slowly putting down her pen, Uya nodded gently at Zhuxi beside her.

"Your Majesty..." Having left the Fourth Prince waiting for so long, and considering he had just recovered from a serious illness, it was hard for Zhu Xi not to be anxious. She was genuinely afraid something bad might happen.

"What's the rush? What's wrong with a mother making her son wait a bit? For Zhu Xi's sake, let him in." Uya stood up and sat in the main seat, looking nothing like someone receiving her son.

"Yes." Zhu Xi breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that her master still had some sense of propriety, and hurriedly went out to invite Yinzhen.

In reality, neither mistress nor servant cared much about Yinzhen's opinion; Zhuxi was simply afraid of incurring the Emperor's wrath. Frankly, in their hearts, Yinzhen was still that pitiful, love-starved little man who could be easily manipulated by Consort De.

"Greetings, Prince Yong. Her Majesty just finished copying the scriptures and sent me to invite you in." Zhu Xi said a perfunctory greeting and led him inside.

Yinzhen didn't say much. Sensing where the guards were, he slightly moved his fingers, and a spiritual force invisible to ordinary people slipped in through the crack in the door.

After standing here for so long, it's not unreasonable to charge some interest, right?

Inside the hall, Lady Wuya sat in her seat, initially intending to engage in a brief, perfunctory conversation with Yinzhen to expedite his confinement and await future opportunities. However, she suddenly realized that given Yinzhen's past behavior, why bother giving him face? No matter what, he would inevitably obey. Controlling Yinzhen would be a piece of cake.

Therefore, as soon as Yinzhen entered the palace, Consort De did not give him a friendly look, simply telling him to sit in a side seat. Fortunately, she still had her senses, and except for Zhuxi, she dismissed everyone else before starting to make trouble for Yinzhen.

"What's wrong with you? How did you make such a big fuss? You've made the Emperor worry about you for no reason." Lady Wuya slammed down her teacup and questioned Yinzhen sternly.

When she asked him that question, Yinzhen looked incredulous, and Zhuxi beside him and the guards above him were also puzzled.

Zhu Xi: Your Majesty, what are you saying? Why are you being so blunt?

Bodyguard: Huh? Is Consort De really that powerful? Is this how she usually treats the Fourth Prince? The Fourth Prince has it tough, having such a mother.

"Mother..." Yinzhen was speechless, not knowing what to say. To others, it seemed that he was hurt by Consort De's words.

"Hmph," Wuya snorted coldly, not needing Yinzhen's reply, and continued, "The deed has already been done, Rouze, what do you intend to do?"

"Let her confine herself to her quarters." Yinzhen's tone was flat, which only angered Consort De even more.

"Confine her to the house? Such a lovely young girl, her reputation is ruined, and you actually want to confine her to the house?"

Uya's question left everyone speechless. Yinzhen paused for a moment, then looked at Consort De and asked, "What does Mother mean?"

"What I mean is, Rou is because you ruined your reputation, so you might as well marry her as your primary wife, and her status will be worthy of you."

Yinzhen seemed to laugh in anger, and asked, "Status? What is her status now? Father has been stripped of his official position, Mother has been stripped of her title, what is her status now?"

"It's all because of you! Otherwise, how could Fei Yanggu have been dismissed from his post? He's practically my brother, after all. How can this make me look good? Isn't it your duty to compensate the Ulanara clan?"

Uya spoke with such confidence and conviction that there was not a trace of pretense. Zhu Xi, standing to the side, was filled with disbelief. Was the Empress truly so devoted to Ulanara? How come she had never noticed before?

"Compensation..." The Fourth Prince, who was usually unsmiling, suddenly had tears in his eyes and asked in a low voice, "Mother... are you really my biological mother?"

"Insolence!" Uya slammed the teacup to the ground, her face flushed with anger. "If I'm not your mother, then who is? Could it be that slut from the Tongjia clan...?"

"Your Highness!" Zhu Xi, who was standing nearby, stopped her from saying anything more, gently patted her back to calm her down, and said to Yinzhen, "Your Highness, aren't you hurting Her Highness's feelings with those words?"

Yinzhen lowered his head and remained silent, his robes still stained with tea stains from the broken teacup.

"Yinzhen, if you still acknowledge me as your mother, then obediently marry Rouze. Your primary consort must be from the Ulanara clan!" Uya, now calmed down, glared at Yinzhen with hatred, as if he were her enemy.

"I am afraid I cannot comply." Yinzhen stood up, his face cold and stern, as if his previous emotional fluctuations were all fake.

"Yinzhen! Are you trying to drive me crazy? Is your heart so cold? I've been waiting for you to come back to my side day and night, and it's one thing that you won't be close to me, but now you won't even agree to this little thing?" Wuya sat on her seat with a face full of anger, and tears were about to fall as she spoke.

Zhu Xi, who was standing to the side, also played along, looking at Yinzhen with disapproval, and said, "Fourth Prince, forgive this servant for speaking out of turn, but in the past, Her Majesty thought of you day and night. After you returned to Her Majesty's side, she was even more careful in getting along with you, but she just didn't know how. Her Majesty is in a difficult situation in the palace now, and it is only with the help of Ulanara that she has been able to get along with you..."

"Alright, Zhuxi, you don't need to say anything more, he won't understand anyway." Wuya interrupted at the right time, her eyes full of sorrow as she looked at Yinzhen.

The two, mistress and servant, took turns using both the good cop and the bad cop approach, employing both soft and hard tactics. Yinzhen remained silent for a long time, gave Consort De a deep look, and replied, "I will let Rouze into the mansion, but not as the Fujin (princess)."

"Yinzhen!"

Faced with Consort De's coercion, Yinzhen closed his eyes and continued, "I will submit a memorial requesting that Yixiu be made the primary consort."

"Yixiu is just a concubine's daughter!"

"But Yixiu is also pregnant with my child, and she also has the surname Ulanara, doesn't she? Mother, this is my final concession."

Yinzhen's expression was resolute. After thinking for a while, Wuya couldn't find a reason to change her mind, so she reluctantly agreed to the plan. But seeing that Yinzhen was still uncomfortable, she said directly, "Since that's the case, you should submit your memorial as soon as possible. I need to continue copying the scriptures, so I won't keep you any longer."

Yinzhen didn't say much, and turned to take his leave.

The secret guard, who had witnessed quite a show, had not yet left. He remained firmly perched on the roof beam, continuing to record the conversation between Consort De and the palace maid.

"Your Highness, were you perhaps a little too hasty today?" Seeing the Fourth Prince leave, Zhu Xi carefully observed her mistress's expression and asked tactfully.

Wuya took a sip of the freshly served tea, her mind clearing, and realized she had gone a bit too far. But she only felt that she had been confined for many days, and that seeing Yinzhen's unchanging, indifferent face had angered her.

"It's alright. After all these years, do you think I don't understand Yinzhen's character? He won't tell anyone." Wuya was not flustered at all, relying on her past understanding and control over her eldest son, and was confident that there was no problem.

"Your Majesty is right." Zhu Xi nodded in agreement, feeling there was no major problem, though some questions remained. Because of her close relationship with Consort De, she asked directly, "Your Majesty, why is it so important that Miss Rouze enters the Yong Prince's residence?"

"What do you know?" Uya glanced at Zhuxi, her long-time maid, and explained, "We had agreed with Jueluo that if Rouze became the Fourth Prince's Consort, she would have Ulanara and her relatives support the Fourteenth Prince. Now, it's not easy to get Rouze into the household. It's all because she was careless in her actions. Do you think she would dare to go back on her word?"

Zhu Xi nodded, suddenly realizing that it was paving the way for the Fourteenth Prince. She naturally accepted this reason.

The guard on the roof beam nodded in agreement. He continued writing furiously; the Fourth Prince was indeed pitiful, but everything ultimately depended on the Emperor's decision.

Before leaving, the bodyguard Yingyi glanced one last time at the two conspiring mistresses, shook his head, and thought, "Consort De's good days are over..."