The starting point after Chapter 130: Hongxi is two years younger than Yi'an. The two first met three years ago, when Yi'an was already in Agudu...

Hongxi is two years younger than Yi'an. The two first met three years ago. At that time, Yi'an had already been trained well under Agudu and was brought into the palace by Shen Wanqing to pay his respects to Shi Qionghua before the Lunar New Year.

In fact, Shi Qionghua had mentioned several times before that Shen Wanqing should bring her son, who was said to have the potential to be a troublemaker, into the palace for her to see, but Shen Wanqing had refused each time.

At first, Shi Qionghua kept asking why, but as she lived in Yuqing Palace for longer, she stopped asking.

When the Emperor was about to bring his grandson to the palace to study, Shi Qionghua called Hongxi to her side and asked him if he wanted a study companion. Without thinking, Hongxi immediately asked for Yi'an. Shi Qionghua paused for a moment, then asked if anyone else wanted one.

Hongxi was the eldest prince of Yuqing Palace. His birth was a grand affair, with drums and firecrackers going off everywhere. He was a precious baby who carried the hopes of the entire Crown Prince Party.

He was the Crown Prince's eldest son, and the upbringing and education he received at Yuqing Palace were completely different from Yi'an's. The child, only eight years old (by Chinese reckoning), was very sensible; he could tell from his mother's expression that he had made a mistake in saying he wanted Yi'an to live.

"Mother, have you already chosen the person?"

"No, I just didn't expect you to pick that brat Yi'an first. Aren't you afraid he'll bully you behind our backs after he goes to the palace?"

"Mother, please don't make fun of me about this. I was just a child back then and didn't understand anything."

"Now you understand? Why did you choose him so quickly? Can you tell your mother?"

"My son couldn't explain why, but he just thought he was a really interesting person, like..."

Hongxi glanced at Shi Qionghua, as if considering whether what he was saying would be inappropriate. However, he was afraid that if he didn't make things clear, his mother wouldn't agree to Yi'an being his study companion, so he hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“Unlike my cousins, I’m not afraid of Yi’an. I can talk to him about anything. It seems like he can tell me anything too.”

Shi Qionghua found this amusing. She felt much the same way when she first met Shen Wanqing, thinking that she was very special and different from everyone else.

Now that it's her son's turn, and she's having the same feeling with Yi'an, Shi Qionghua even feels that it's destiny.

In truth, Yi'an was just a bit too energetic; he wasn't an unruly fool. The fact that Shen Wanqing brought him into the palace meant his manners and etiquette were impeccable.

Saying that Yi'an bullied Hongxi was just a joke. The two met for the first time three years ago. Hongxi was particularly curious about Yi'an, whom he had heard about many times as "the son of Lord Yu". In his opinion, Lord Yu was a very interesting person, so his son must be even more interesting.

Hongxi's mentor was a famous Confucian scholar. From the day he learned to read, Hongxi was already learning how to be a qualified eldest prince of Yuqing Palace.

Objectively speaking, Hongxi is a good child, but given his status, the eunuchs, guards, and servants around him are bound to fawn over him.

When Shi Qionghua's family and her peers came to the palace, they all behaved very respectfully towards Hongxi, not daring to make the slightest mistake.

Yi An didn't really dare to, but the boy had always been strong and energetic since he was a child. When Agudu taught him martial arts and archery, it's no exaggeration to say that he was training him like a boy in his early teens.

When Yi'an was alone, nothing could be seen. Even the pageboy and coachman beside him could only sigh that the old man and old woman's decision was right.

This young master was not someone an ordinary teacher could subdue. It took the intervention of a martial arts expert like Agudu to divert most of his energy so that he could sit down and read his books in peace.

But when it came to Hongxi, the difference became immediately apparent. Hongxi was only two years younger than him, yet he insisted on playing with Yi'an, throwing things around. A seven-year-old and a five-year-old were practically children, so what was the point of playing with things? Frankly, it was just the two kids randomly throwing things around.

Yi An had already been holding back, but Hong Xi, the eldest prince, seemed to be a reckless fellow. He pounced on him like a big meatball without any restraint. Yi An was afraid of falling, so he firmly planted his footing and didn't back away. Unexpectedly, this young master bumped into him and staggered back two steps, then fell flat on his backside.

When the eldest prince of Yuqing Palace was four years old, Wu Anda carried him into the cloth-making room. After a year of training, everyone around him said that the eldest prince had excellent aptitude and would definitely become a master of cloth-making in the future.

Then this skilled fighter just threw himself into a daze, sitting on the ground looking up at Yi An. Yi An was also stunned and stood there looking at Hong Xi without daring to move, until Hong Xi burst into tears, at which point he turned red with fright.

The news that the eldest prince of Yuqing Palace had been thrown to tears by the eldest son of Yulang's family almost spread beyond Yuqing Palace that day. Fortunately, Gao Laixi heard about it and quickly issued a gag order, saying that anyone who went out and said even half a word would be beaten to death.

After learning the whole story, the first thing Yinreng did was go to Shi Qionghua's place in the back hall. When he entered, he saw Yi'an standing quietly next to Shen Wanqing. He didn't let the child bow to him, but walked up to him, raised his hand and patted him on the head a few times. Then he took Yi'an's hand and left.

Without any formal explanation or reassurance, just this simple gesture made everyone in Yuqing Palace understand the Crown Prince's attitude. From this moment on, young master Yi'an's future was bright.

Shi Qionghua understood perfectly why Shen Wanqing always said her son was naughty and never brought him to the palace. It wasn't because she was afraid he would be rude or cause trouble; it was simply that the couple couldn't bear to see their son suffer in the palace.

At first, Shi Qionghua didn't quite understand Shen Wanqing. Because when they were alone, Shen Wanqing had inadvertently revealed a hint of regret. Just a tiny bit, just that one time, but Shi Qionghua still noticed it.

At the time, she didn't understand that she was the Crown Princess and would become the Empress in the future. Even if life in the palace was not as free as outside, she would one day become the Empress and rule the world. What was there to regret?

It wasn't until many years had passed, and she had lived in this deep palace year after year, that she roughly understood the source of Shen Wanqing's pity for her. This city can devour people, and now Yi An has to step into this Forbidden City again; just thinking about it makes her feel a little guilty.

However, the words had already been spoken, and even if she was the Crown Princess, she couldn't hide her thoughts from Crown Prince Hongxi. After learning of Hongxi's choice, the Crown Prince didn't hesitate for a second and immediately assigned one of the two companions.

Moreover, human nature is selfish, and Shi Qionghua knew that letting Yi'an enter the palace was the best choice for Hongxi.

Yulang's loyalty to the Crown Prince does not guarantee that he will side with Hongxi in the future. Just like Mingzhu and Suo'etu in their youth, were they not loyal to the Emperor? Yet, that didn't stop them from forming their own factions and manipulating the princes to fight each other to the death.

Having Yi'an serve as Hongxi's study companion was not only a favor bestowed by the Crown Prince upon Empress Hesheli, but also a guarantee for the Crown Princess and Hongxi, the eldest prince.

The Crown Prince has designated Hongxi as the successor of the Hesheli family ahead of time. The two of them will grow up together from now on, and even if several more princes are born in Yuqing Palace in the future, no one will be able to surpass Hongxi's status.

So when Yi'an was brought into the palace and brought before Shi Qionghua, Shi Qionghua looked at the little calf-like child in front of her and suppressed the sadness in her heart.

He simply told Yi'an in a gentle tone that from now on, whenever he lived in the palace, he would live in Yuqing Palace and share a courtyard with Hongxi.

It was the first time Yi'an had stood alone in Yuqing Palace. The Crown Princess was indeed as kind and gentle to him as his father had said, but he still couldn't help feeling flustered.

He clearly felt that he was an outsider to this palace, and that he could not make mistakes in the palace.

Even though he couldn't quite explain what he was feeling, Yi'an had already sensed it. So this was what his father meant when he said he was starting to take on the responsibility of a family.

With Yi'an gone, it took Shen Wanqing two days to adjust, Yulang five days, and Suining half a day. The East Courtyard was back to normal. It was Niu Hulu from the West Courtyard and Tongjia from the Main Courtyard who were not adjusting.

Upon learning that Yi'an was going to the palace to be Hongxi's study companion, Lady Tongjia burst into tears.

This time, the old lady was not as excited and proud as she was when Shen Wanqing was chosen as the Crown Princess. She looked at Shen Wanqing with a very uneasy gaze and asked her if Yi'an could not go.

Upon receiving the expected answer, the already listless old lady instantly became dejected. Seeing Shen Wanqing hesitate for a long time, and confirming that there was truly no room for discussion, she tentatively instructed Shen Wanqing that if Yi'an returned, she should send someone to inform her so she could have someone bring Yi'an to the main courtyard for a meal.

It's normal for an elderly person to dote on their grandson, so Shen Wanqing didn't take it seriously, thinking it would get better in a few days. However, during the days Yi'an wasn't home, Lady Tongjia sent someone almost daily to ask Shen Wanqing if the child was doing well in the palace and whether Yulang had visited the child at Yuqing Palace that day.

For the first day or two, Shen Wanqing patiently answered her questions, but after three to five days of this, she couldn't take it anymore. That morning, when she went to the main courtyard to pay her respects, before Tongjia could even speak, she retorted with her own words.

"Don't worry, Grandma. We've been missing that brat for over ten days. As soon as he gets back, we'll have him come over to pay his respects to you. You can ask him yourself whether it's good or bad for him to study in the Imperial Study."

The older one gets, the more childlike they become. A few years ago, after being angered by Fu Xuan and suffering a stroke, Tongjia's temperament and energy became more and more like that of a frail old woman. It is said that the elderly are like children, and sometimes the elderly are indeed like children, their thoughts written all over their faces, yet they think they are hiding them well.

"Madam, Fang Liang has brought several managers who just returned to the capital. If you have nothing else to do, I'll head over there now?"

"Wait a minute, wait a minute... I do have something I want to discuss with you, but I don't know if you'd be willing to listen."

Tongjia is now genuinely afraid of her granddaughter-in-law, Shen Wanqing. Although Shen Wanqing doesn't seem to have any unfathomable scheming or tricks, no one in the family has ever been able to beat her in a battle of wits over the years.

"Grandma, please feel free to ask for anything. As your granddaughter-in-law, I will definitely do what I can. If I can't do something, I won't force you to do it, and I won't hide it from you. Please tell me first."

The eldest branch of the family is currently in the capital, while the second branch is in Fuzhou. Shen Wanqing makes all the decisions regarding matters big and small for the eldest branch, while the second branch only writes positive letters and never negative ones. Since last year, Fangzhi and Fangling have also been assigned by Shen Wanqing to learn how to manage a household, using the main courtyard of the Tongjia family as practice subjects.

The Hesheli family was small; Shen Wanqing's two children, Yi'an and Suining, were still young, and the entire second branch of the family had moved out, leaving only the two girls to stay by Tongjia's side.

During the Spring Festival this year, Shumulu wrote a letter to Shen Wanqing, asking her to help find suitable families for the two girls in the capital. They didn't need to be from wealthy or powerful families, just families that were stable in the capital.

At first, Shen Wanqing thought that Tongjia was hesitating because of her two granddaughters, and that her ideas were contrary to those of Shumulu. She thought that Tongjia wanted to find a high-status marriage for her two granddaughters. But when she opened her mouth, the old lady was talking about Fuxuan.

“She sent me a letter a few days ago, saying that she was having a hard time in Jingzhou and wanted to come back.”

"How...how will you get back?"

Shen Wanqing was taken aback. In recent years, Tongjia had rarely mentioned Fuxuan. The relationship between the household and Fuxuan was limited to exchanging gifts during festivals.

Sometimes Decheng would send letters to Yulang on official business, because Yulang was in Jingzhou, which was a vital transportation hub connecting the north and south. It was said that the two of them had correspondence on official business and were like relatives who could keep in touch.

"She didn't explain how she came back. She only said in the letter that she couldn't stay at Dong'e's house anymore and asked me to think of a way to help her."

"Is this Aunt's idea or Uncle's idea? Is the old lady sure the Dong'e family knows that Aunt sent this letter back?"

"Is he coming back intending to divorce or have the Dong E family divorce his wife? My uncle's career in Jingzhou is stable and his future is bright. Would he be willing to divorce the two families now?"

“If divorce is not considered a separation, then this matter is not just about my aunt alone. The Dong’e family has to give us a reason.”

Shen Wanqing was a little angry, but mostly helpless. She suddenly realized how true the saying "It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature" really is; people just tend to forget the pain once the wound has healed.

Tongjia Shi would always bow down and yield for Fuxuan. In this world, there is only one daughter who is truly in the most difficult situation. Before Fuxuan, she was reasonable, but once Fuxuan came along, everyone else had to step aside.

“Grandma, I used to think that I, as a daughter-in-law, was an outsider in these kinds of things, and that you were my blood relatives and that I shouldn’t interfere. It would be best to just let things slide and make everyone happy.”

"But let me make this clear to you today: if the Dong E family has done something to wrong Aunt Fu, and she has something on them to ask for a divorce, then I have no objection."

“She has her own dowry, and she’s no longer an immature thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl who hasn’t married yet. If she wants to stay in Jingzhou after the divorce, she can have a house there. If she wants to return to the capital, she can sell her property and buy another house.”

“But if she can’t give a clear reason and insists on moving back, that won’t do. Firstly, you said that I’m the one who calls the shots in this household, so I’ll tell the old lady frankly that I’m not happy about this. Secondly, Fangzhi and Fangling should be getting married in the next couple of years, so you should at least think about it for them.”

Respect the clothes first, then the person. Regardless of right or wrong, when two families arrange a marriage, the other family will judge the family's character. At this crucial juncture, Fu Xuan cannot afford to cause any unpleasant rumors that could affect the two girls. Shen Wanqing has absolutely no patience for this; after all these years, how come she hasn't improved at all!

This was the first time Tongjia had been so humiliated by Shen Wanqing that she felt a pang of pain in her chest and couldn't utter a single word. Originally, she had a whole lot of things she wanted to tell Shen Wanqing about how pitiful Fuxuan was and how unhappy she was with her life. Now, she didn't need to say anything at all.

Shen Wanqing came out of the main courtyard and stood at the gate to calm herself down. Then she called over the old woman guarding the gate: "Go find a doctor to take the old lady's pulse. If there is anything wrong, have the doctor stay for three days to make sure the old lady is alright before sending her back."

Now that Yi'an has taken this step, I really can't afford to anger Lady Tongjia to death with just a few words. It would be a huge loss if my child went to the palace to accompany Hongxi in his studies for nothing, only to have to go home to observe mourning before we've even developed any affection for each other.

Fortunately, Lady Tongjia was resilient. It is said that she was so angry that she couldn't sleep well all night and felt chest pain when she lay down. But she recovered after two days. Except for not giving Shen Wanqing a pleasant look, she was fine.

Shen Wanqing remarked to Yulang that with the old lady's energy, she would definitely live to be eighty, and seventy would be no problem at all.

When Yu Lang heard this, he was holding his grandmother's arm and getting ready to sleep. He casually replied, "The old lady is getting old, so there's going to be even more trouble in the future."

This was just a casual remark, but there's a general consensus that the older people get, the more difficult they are to take care of. Now, it's not just people with elderly wives at home; those powerful figures in the court are becoming increasingly difficult to manage as they go on.

Shen Wanqing didn't take these words to heart. The two lay on the bed and talked about Tongjia's affairs and Yi'an. Naturally, they turned to the court and the palace.

The conversation in bed naturally went on and on, and the last thing Shen Wanqing heard before she fell completely asleep was that Yu Lang was saying that the Emperor's temper was strange these days, and that he could find fault with every memorial sent from Yuqing Palace to Qianqing Palace.

The Crown Prince originally wanted to transfer himself to the Ministry of Personnel for two years, and the Emperor had even drafted the decree, but the Emperor stopped it. Not only did he stop it, but the Emperor also dragged him to the Qianqing Palace and berated him, saying he was completely useless before finally releasing him.

Shen Wanqing originally wanted to reply that this was perfectly normal; the emperor had inexplicably become a mascot, and anyone would be unhappy in that situation. The Ministry of Personnel was the head of the Six Ministries, and now the Crown Prince wanted to place you there—wasn't that a power grab? Getting scolded? Well, you deserved it.

However, I was so sleepy that I fell asleep immediately after thinking those words for a moment. When I woke up again, it was the next morning. Chang Shun came in looking flustered: "Master, Madam, someone from Suo Zhongtang's residence has come to report the death. They say that Suo Zhongtang has passed away."