Chapter 102 Changing the Imperial Genealogy

The impact was quite severe, as evidenced by the horrified expressions on the faces of everyone who saw Hongzhao's head.

The crown prince, who was pampered by the emperor since childhood, was injured, and the injury was even on his face. Who on earth had such audacity!

When Yinzhen first saw it, he thought the same thing—"Who has such audacity!"

"Su Peisheng, quickly go and summon the imperial physician."

Hongzhao stared wide-eyed at his father, who was so close to him, intently examining the wound on his forehead. Hearing Su Peisheng's hurried footsteps as he ran away, he finally had a chance to speak. He gently shook his father's sleeve.

"It's nothing, just a light bump, it doesn't hurt anymore."

Seeing that his father was just staring at him with a serious expression and not saying anything, he continued, "It was when I met Lady Wan's mother and sister on the road. Miss Zhen is young and loves to play. She ran around and didn't see me, so we bumped into each other. It's nothing serious."

Hearing that it was Consort Wan's sister who caused the accident, Yinzhen paused. He had originally intended to punish which ignorant servant it was. But if it was a noblewoman from outside the palace, it would be much more difficult to do so now.

Zhou Qi rushed over again with his medicine kit on his back. Having learned from his previous experience, he was prepared for a minor injury this time, but this time his preparations were in vain.

On the Crown Prince's usually fair face, a rather large bump had appeared on his forehead, with two faint red marks showing. It looked as if any more force would break the skin. He spoke exaggeratedly while clicking his tongue repeatedly. Seeing the Emperor's increasingly gloomy expression, the Emperor, after receiving a look from the Crown Prince, shut his mouth and silently took out a bandage.

Hongzhao's already round little head was forced to be wrapped with several increasingly thick bandages, and his eyes were full of resentment, which made him look pitiful yet cute.

Because Hongzhao pleaded for him, and the other person was also a child, Yinzhen felt very sorry for him. However, he still thought that he would just reprimand Zhen Yuandao a little when he summoned him next time. After all, he was a member of Consort Wan's family, so he would not blame him too much.

These past two days, seeing Hongzhao with his battle-damaged little head constantly swaying in front of her, she couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache when facing Zhen Huan.

“That day, your mother and sister went to the palace. When they came out, they happened to run into Hongzhao after school at noon. Your sister bumped into Hongzhao’s head and broke it while playing and running. You should have asked your mother to discipline her properly. When you go to the palace, you should act like you’re going to the palace.” He blew on the Biluochun tea in his hand and was about to take a sip.

At this time, Zhen Huan was enjoying the Emperor's favor and was extremely confident and relaxed in front of him. Upon hearing this, she smiled lightly and did not take it too seriously. "Children playing together are bound to bump into each other. Yu Rao is small and not very strong, so it should be fine."

Although Yinzhen had decided not to pursue the matter further and only mentioned it to her as casual conversation, seeing her attitude, he felt a strange unease in his heart.

What do you mean by "fighting"? What kind of person is she to dare to fight with the Crown Prince?

Furthermore, if it were her own child who had kowtowed like that, would she just let it go so easily? The Imperial Noble Consort has been taking care of Hongzhao with heartache for the past two days, and even now, she personally carries the food boxes to the Hall of Mental Cultivation every day.

His face darkened, and he placed the teacup he was holding on the table with a light thud. His expression instantly hardened, and the sudden change in atmosphere alerted Zhen Huan. Her eyes were filled with surprise, and she didn't say anything. Why did the Emperor suddenly become angry?

She watched as the Emperor sat up straight, pursed her lips, and tried to explain, but Yinzhen didn't want to hear her explanation.

"It's usually concubines who are pregnant and about to give birth who enter the palace. I only granted you permission because I remembered that you lost your child a few days ago. But you rashly injured Hongzhao as soon as you entered the palace."

Yinzhen frowned deeply, his voice low and menacing: “Do you know that Hongzhao is the Crown Prince? If anyone else had offended him, they would have been beheaded long ago. I have already been lenient enough by simply having Zhen Yuandao submit a memorial to plead guilty.”

The more he spoke, the more his chest heaved. Hongzhao's skin was always fair and delicate, but heaven knows how much his heart ached when he saw him standing in front of him with his head swollen and red. Every time he swore to protect his son, all sorts of people would come and hurt him.

"Since Consort Wan is unable to discipline her family, I think it's best to exempt her from entering the palace in the future. I will issue an imperial edict to Zhen Yuandao to send two more nannies. Since he can't teach his daughter well, I will help him."

"No, Your Majesty." At this point, Zhen Huan's stiff body finally softened, and she almost slid off the couch to kneel on the ground, pleading desperately, "Your Majesty, please forgive me! It was a slip of the tongue. I did not mean to offend the Crown Prince! Please, Your Majesty, understand!"

Her eyes were glistening with tears as she looked at the Emperor with pleading. Yinzhen swallowed hard, frowned, and looked away, no longer meeting her gaze.

"I still have memorials to review. Think about them carefully." With that, he got up and left Suiyu Pavilion without even glancing at her.

Zhen Huan slumped to the ground for a long while, her gaze filled with complex emotions as she watched the Emperor's departing figure. When Jinxi came to help her, she grabbed Jinxi's wrist with her own. Her once bright and clever eyes were now bloodshot, and she spoke in a choked voice.

"Quickly, go to the storeroom and find some good things, ginseng and lingzhi, find them all and send them to the Crown Prince."

"Your Highness?" Jinxi tried to help her up, but she pushed her away forcefully, urging, "Go quickly! Go quickly! Hopefully, we can still make amends..."

——

With the bandage on his head, Hongzhao was on the road and needed a lot of care wherever he went. He had just sent his thirteenth uncle back to the courtyard where he was temporarily staying in the palace. As he was walking back, he suddenly heard a series of children's silvery laughter.

He now gets a headache just from hearing that voice. To avoid disfigurement, he paused and was about to change direction when a familiar voice called out to him.

"Is that Hongzhao? Come here quickly and let me see what happened to his head?"

Nian Shilan regained the Emperor's favor and changed her listless and thoughtful state of mind from the previous six months. Coincidentally, the weather was warm today, and she was willing to take Wenyi for a stroll in the Imperial Garden. The child's laughter just now was Wenyi holding up a small flower to put in Nian Shilan's hair.

Hongzhao turned around and greeted, "Greetings, Your Highness."

Nian Shilan hurriedly stepped forward, turned Hongzhao around, and leaned closer to examine the thick bandages. She said in an unfriendly tone, "Are all of you following the Crown Prince to die? The Crown Prince is injured like this, yet you are all unharmed. You are all stupid. I think you should all be taken to the Censorate and replaced with a group of clever ones."

Hongzhao pulled his head back. "It's nothing, it's just that the imperial physician's bandage looked scary. Actually, not even a scratch was broken."

"That won't do either!" Nian Shilan raised her voice—"If you ask me, your mother is useless. What's the use of being kind and easy to talk to? If you don't have an iron fist to manage the servants, how will they serve you wholeheartedly!"

Feeling his clothes being gently tugged, Hongzhao looked down and met Wenyi's bewildered gaze. He smiled gently and squatted down. Wenyi tentatively reached out and gently touched the gauze on Hongzhao's forehead, her movements so gentle that she was afraid of hurting him.

Yinzhen hurriedly left Suiyu Pavilion without taking a sedan chair. He walked alone with Su Peisheng, hands in his pockets, towards Yangxin Hall. Suddenly, he stopped, and Su Peisheng behind him almost couldn't stop in time.

He adjusted his hat with some confusion, then looked up in the direction the emperor was looking.

Ahead, forsythia was in full bloom. Consort Nian squatted down to examine the gauze on the Crown Prince's forehead. Princess Wenyi held up a flower to place on the gauze, and the Crown Prince patiently lowered his head, letting them look.

Yinzhen stood at a distance without saying a word, his hands clasped in his pockets, his eyes swirling with thoughts. If his and Shilan's child had been born safely, would things be as they are now, and would Shilan have not made so many mistakes?

He wanted to step forward and join them, but for some reason, he froze and withdrew his foot. He lowered his voice and turned his head to give the order: "I remember that I was busy last summer and was unable to go to the Yuanmingyuan to escape the heat. Let's go earlier this year. All the concubines in the harem who have children should go, plus Consort Wan and Noble Lady Rou."

Su Peisheng glanced knowingly at Consort Nian opposite him and deliberately asked, "Then who is Princess Wenyi...?"

Yinzhen waved his hand, his tone deep and mysterious, "Change Princess Wenyi's imperial genealogy and register her under Consort Nian's name. Shilan will also be registered."