Chapter 3, Chapter 3: Liang Huaiji? That name sounds familiar…

Fusu first considered one possibility, then deliberately avoided it. He turned his head away uncomfortably and said in a muffled voice, "Did Her Majesty say that?"

"It was something I guessed myself."

"...You guessed wrong."

"Wrong?" The Emperor's face was filled with astonishment and surprise. In order to find out the truth behind Su'er's inexplicable estrangement from his old father, he had pondered for a long time, asked all the eunuchs around him, and almost summoned all the officials in the Zichen Palace to discuss it together.

After finally arriving at a plausible answer, Su'er personally rejected it. Now the Emperor was completely baffled.

The emperor wanted to ask more questions, but his sleeve was tugged by a slight force. It turned out that Miaowu was unhappy that the father and son had been whispering to each other for so long and wanted to get his attention.

"Father, Su'er, what are you two talking about?" Miaowu pouted, a little unhappy. "Why didn't you take me with you?"

"I'll take you, I'll take you." The official had no choice but to temporarily put aside the previous topic and focus on comforting his jealous daughter.

Fusu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but then a headache struck again. As the saying goes, "One's energy is strongest at the first attempt, weaker at the second, and exhausted at the third." In just a quarter of an hour, he had already squandered two golden opportunities to confront his opponent.

Fusu had a premonition that he would find it very difficult to say the words "I will not become the crown prince".

after all……

Fusu was met with a gaze as gentle as a lake. It turned out that the Emperor had winked at him, as if to say, "This matter is not over yet." The Emperor always valued his royal demeanor and appearance, and only in front of his children would he make a gesture that he considered "out of line."

If the officials weren't so kind to me, everything would be fine. Then I could say it with a clear conscience.

Fusu thought.

"Father, when Su'er came earlier, he said he wanted to go with me to visit Consort Miao later. Would you like to come with us?"

Miao Cairen was Miaowu's birth mother.

"Su'er wants to visit Consort Miao?" The Emperor was slightly surprised, not expecting Su'er to care about anyone in his harem other than Empress Cao.

Miaowu nodded: "Su'er said he has never seen a pregnant woman before and wants to go and see one."

Emperor Renzong found it amusing: "Is that so? So you wanted to see your younger siblings."

Fusu nodded solemnly. After all, Consort Miao held the hope that might free him from his misery—if the Emperor valued his second son more than he did, he might not have to be the Crown Prince. Of course, he had to go and find out.

"Then let's go! It just so happens that I also need to go there."

After the three made their decision, they quickly left Rouyi Palace. The Emperor originally intended to call the siblings to his ceremonial carriage so that the father, son, and siblings could have a chat, but he saw Fusu naturally slip into Miaowu's sedan chair.

He shook his head with amusement and let them go.

The princess's sedan chair was not as spacious as the emperor's entourage, but it fit perfectly to accommodate the two young, soft-spoken children. As soon as they got out of the sedan chair, Fusu lifted the curtain and looked around for a while, then lowered his voice: "Sister Miaowu, who is this Huaiji you mentioned before who can recite the Book of Songs?"

"Why are you suddenly asking about this? Su'er, do you want to get to know him?"

Fusu genuinely wanted to get to know him. Miaowu had mentioned this person twice, and he felt the name sounded somewhat familiar. The eldest princess had limited literate people around her, but "Huaiji" didn't sound like a female teacher's name at all.

"He was a eunuch in the Rouyi Palace. It is said that he had read some books and was quite clever, so my father sent him here to serve me."

"Eunuch..." Fusu was speechless.

Miaowu tensed up: "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with him? Did he offend you, Su'er?"

"No, no, no!" Fusu quickly waved his two fair arms, trying to dispel Miaowu's doubts: "I'm just a little curious."

As a result, they found out some big news when they inquired.

Liang Huaiji, though he hadn't actually offended Fusu, was far more shocking than anyone else who had. No wonder the name sounded familiar; it was from a TV drama in a past life. Wasn't he the eunuch who had a close relationship with Princess Fukang and was denounced by her husband's family?

If I do some quick calculations, Princess Fukang, who is Emperor Renzong's eldest daughter, isn't that...?

The woman beside him, nominally his older sister, had inherited her father's scholarly air and her mother's beauty at a young age, blossoming into a graceful and refined young girl. She tilted her head, completely unaware of the calamities that lay ahead at the end of her life's journey. When she spoke of Liang Huaiji, her tone carried a hint of unconscious admiration.

"Huai Ji is very good at reading. It is said that he was the grandson of a scholar before entering the palace and knows a few characters. But he can clearly recite more than I do. When I questioned him, he was afraid of angering me and refused to admit it."

Fusu: Ah, so it's still a childhood friend script.

The princess and the eunuch were childhood sweethearts, but the princess was forced into a marriage as a favor with the emperor's mother's family. She was forced to face a husband more than ten years her senior, a mother-in-law who spied on her while she bathed, a request for divorce that was rejected when she tried to break into the palace at night, and even her only confidant, the eunuch, was denounced by her mother-in-law and banished thousands of miles outside the capital. As a result, historical records even mention that the princess may have suffered from mental illness.

Looking at the little girl in front of me, no matter how I look at it, this is not the fate she should have to suffer.

Fusu sighed softly, his round, chubby little face contorted with a complex emotion far beyond what one would expect from a three-year-old.

Miaowu couldn't understand, yet instinctively felt something was wrong: "Su'er, are you unhappy or feeling unwell? Should I tell Father, and we should stop for now?"

Fusu shook his head.

"Sister, you like reading, and you also like Liang Huaiji, who is very good at reading, right?"

“Yes, how come…” Miaowu was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly realized that her brother’s unusual behavior today was almost entirely due to Huaiji. She bit her rosy lips, closed her eyes, and said with difficulty, “Then, then I won’t let him appear in front of you anymore.”

She was a beloved princess, and the other was her younger brother, who was of noble status and close by blood. In theory, she only needed to ask to change a eunuch.

It seems she really cares about Liang Huaiji.

"No need." Fusu gently touched Miaowu's hair bun: "I only asked him because I was curious. When I come to Rouyi Palace next time, please introduce him to me, elder sister."

"good--"

The worry on Miaowu's fair face vanished in an instant. She abruptly took the initiative, pulling Fusu into her arms, completely enveloping him. Fusu felt as if a dark cloud had suddenly descended upon him, plunging him into complete darkness.

Little did he know, having lived several lifetimes, he naturally regarded five-year-old Zhao Miaowu as a younger sister. But in Miaowu's eyes, her little brother, who was still a chubby little dumpling, was actually incredibly adorable, with his stern face and a mature air as he touched her braids to comfort her.

“…Ugh.”

"...Let me go."

"Sister!"

A few muffled thuds echoed from Miaowu's sleeves; sometimes, the size difference between children is just unreasonable. Five years old versus three years old, the advantage is not mine. When Fusu finally managed to break free from Miaowu's embrace, a suspicious blush appeared on his fair face, and his hair bun unnaturally loosened.

"Oh, Su'er, your hair is a little messy. Let your older sister fix it for you." Miaowu, completely oblivious to the fact that she was the culprit, started pulling at Fusu's hair again.

Although she meant well, the child's hands were too small to hold so much hair. In addition, Fusu's hair was so smooth and silky that it seemed to disobey her, becoming more and more disheveled and leaking more and more as she tried to comb it.

So when Emperor Renzong stepped down from his ceremonial carriage, he saw two rosy-cheeked little buns, one looking utterly hopeless and the other completely bewildered.

"What have you done to make such a mess? What kind of behavior is this?" Although the Emperor said this, there was no hint of reproach in his eyes. He raised his hand and smiled as he asked the eunuch to fix Fusu's messy hair.

"When you go inside later, don't make a scene like this in front of the lady, understand?"

The two little ones responded in unison. Miaowu then tugged at the official's sleeve, "Father, please help me mediate. Su'er is angry with me, and he won't talk to me even after I apologize."

"Oh? Is that so? What did you do to Su'er?"

"I didn't do anything, it's just that Su'er is so cute, I couldn't help it..." Zhao Miaowu's voice trailed off as he lowered his head, not daring to look at Emperor Renzong's face: "Su'er, I'm sorry."

If she had seen it, she would have noticed that Emperor Renzong not only didn't blame her, but instead looked deeply empathetic. His eyes conveyed the answer: it's only human nature.

Fusu, who had a clear view of everything, protested: "Hey!"

"Never mind," he tilted his head and tapped his skull. "I've lived two lives, why should I argue with a five-year-old human child? I'm really getting more and more regressive."

At the same time, the father and daughter, who seemed to have a tacit understanding, suddenly looked at each other and locked eyes.

—This is the moment!

Su'er had no idea how adorable he was when he imitated adults' actions!

Fusu: "...Hey!"

The little incident came unexpectedly, and even the gloomy mood he felt upon suddenly learning of Miaowu's tragic future was somewhat alleviated. However, Fusu soon realized that he had been too happy too soon.

He met Miao Cai Ren.

Miao Cairen did nothing wrong. She had heard the news of the steward's visit well in advance. Supporting her high, protruding belly, she bowed to the Emperor and Prince Cheng in a proper and unhurried manner. She also inquired about her daughter Miaowu's daily life and instructed her to get along well with her younger siblings and take good care of them.

Loyalty and respect between ruler and subject, filial piety and brotherly love between father and son—all these virtues are evident in her words. Consort Miao's every action and speech serves as a model for women in feudal society. Even the most critical moralists, such as Sima Guang, could find no fault with her.

Except for one thing.

She looks too young.

Judging from her appearance and figure, Consort Miao was almost the same age as Fusu's second incarnation's university classmate; in fact, the baby fat on her cheeks hadn't completely disappeared. It was hard to imagine that she was already the mother of a five-year-old girl, with another young life growing inside her.

Fusu clenched his little fists tightly.

He suddenly remembered that early marriage was a custom in the Northern Song Dynasty. Besides Consort Miao, his birth mother, Empress Cao, also entered the palace and married at the age of fourteen. As for Consort Zhang, an even more famous concubine during the reign of Emperor Renzong, who was extremely favored by the emperor, she entered the palace at the age of twelve to become a palace maid in charge of the emperor's bedchamber.

Miaowu is actually five years old this year. So, in a few years, will she leave the palace to get married, to a husband who is more than ten years older than her?

Seven years? Nine years? Or ten years?

Fusu took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.

"Su'er, what's wrong?"

Miaowu gently tugged at Fusu's sleeve. This was Consort Miao's residence. She was the first to notice her younger brother's pale face and rapid breathing. She was worried but dared not make a sound, afraid of disturbing her birth mother and the child in her womb.

"I'm fine, no need to call the officials."

Fusu suddenly opened his eyes and squeezed Miaowu's warm little hand to comfort her.

I feel like throwing up.

That's what he actually wanted to say.

The young princess breathed a sigh of relief, carefree and enjoying her childhood, unaware of how fate would cruelly torment her to the point of utter destruction. Fusu gazed at her quietly, a thought suddenly striking him—would future generations feel the same way I do now as I look at her when they read the historical records about me?

Princess Fukang's tragedy did indeed occur on a certain timeline, as if she had truly committed suicide. But now, it remains a distant, dark spot on the line of fate.

After leaving Consort Miao's palace, Fusu remained silent the entire way, eerily quiet. However, because he was sitting in his own carriage with neither his father nor sister by his side, no one noticed.

When they reached the palace road where the three were supposed to part ways, the Emperor stopped Fusu's entourage and, with a tone that was both expectant and afraid of being rejected, he asked him hesitantly, "Su'er, you must feel lonely and bored studying alone. Your father wants to find some people your age to study with you. What do you think?"

In an instant, Fusu understood what Emperor Renzong wanted to do.

Miao Wu's innocent and naive smile flashed through Fu Su's mind. He paused, then nodded vigorously: "Alright, I'll listen to Your Majesty."

The surprise on Emperor Renzong's face was fleeting; he seemed not to have expected that his mere test of Su'er's opinion would be met with such immediate agreement.

Then he heard his son Su'er say, "However, I must choose who will accompany me in my studies."

A note from the author:

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