Chapter 163 Xie Yunyu's Analysis

The Crown Prince shook his head: "She did try to kill herself, but the jailer found her in time, and she didn't die."

He's currently unconscious in a prison cell at the Dali Temple.

"Oh, that's good."

Xie Yunyu breathed a sigh of relief and continued.

"If the Prince Rui that Mother speaks of is the real Prince Rui, then anyone who shares his preferences should be highly suspected."

Furthermore, since he loves lotus flowers the most, then the highest authority in the capital cannot be Peony.

It should be a lotus flower.

Both of them frowned upon hearing Xie Yunyu's words.

"My lady, what makes you so sure?" Xiao Ling asked.

Xie Yunyu thought for a moment and said:

“Prince Rui is neither the eldest son nor the legitimate heir, yet he aspires to ascend the throne solely based on the late emperor’s favor.”

Deep down, he took for granted the willfulness that stemmed from this favoritism.

You see, his heir Xiao Ren, is only able to repeatedly harm his own brothers because of the previous favoritism shown by Prince Rui.

Therefore, this way of doing things is ingrained in their very being.

The crown prince thought about it carefully and said, "That's right."

I heard that Prince Rui once favored one of his maids and targeted the emperor's trusted aunt.

After thinking for a moment, he said to his eunuch, Le Shou:

"Go and fetch Granny Lü."

Xiao Ling asked, "That Granny Lü from Ning Shou Palace?"

"Yes, my grandmother gave her to me a few years ago. She has been in the palace for a long time and should know Uncle Rui better than we do."

Soon, an elderly woman who looked to be in her fifties entered and bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Your Highness, Prince Shou'an, and Princess Consort."

"Please sit down, Granny," the Crown Prince said.

"I would like to learn more about Uncle Rui, so I asked Granny to tell me."

After listening, Granny Lü thought about it carefully and said:

“Prince Rui was favored by the late emperor from a young age.”

The late emperor often held him in his arms while reviewing memorials in the main hall, and even personally helped him with his early education, teaching him to read and write.

Prince Rui was also very clever and learned quickly, often applying what he learned to other situations.

The late emperor often said that he was the most intelligent of all the princes.

Consort Ye was already favored, and with Prince Rui's support, she and her son were even more prominent than the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

Xie Yunyu interrupted Granny Lü and asked:

"Granny, I'd like to know, in your eyes, what kind of person is Prince Rui?"

Granny Lü turned her cloudy eyes to Xie Yunyu, thought for a moment, and said:

"Intelligent, but somewhat obsessive."

"Paranoia?" the crown prince asked.

"He will do everything he can to get what he wants to do, what he likes, and what people he wants to be with."

Xie Yunyu tilted her head and asked, "What if you can't get it?"

Will he end up like the eldest prince, destroying what he can't have?

Granny Lü thought for a moment and shook her head.

"No, he won't destroy it; he'll just plot in secret, and he'll definitely get it in the end."

If he is destined not to have it, he will not destroy the thing or the person.

This will only leave this thing in a state where no one can obtain it.

"A state that no one can have?" Xiao Ling asked in surprise.

"For example, when he was six or seven years old, he liked a bracelet shaped like a lotus flower that was a tribute from the Western Regions."

Princess Jinyang also liked that bracelet.

The two were arguing over something, and the late emperor said that the lotus bracelet was more suitable for a woman, and it looked like the bracelet was about to be bestowed upon the eldest princess.

Prince Rui, however, said that the lotus is sacred and auspicious in Buddhism, and should be offered to the Buddha.

Finally, the bracelet was used as an offering to Buddha.

Afterwards, the eldest princess was very angry and told the Empress Dowager about it in her palace.

The Empress Dowager immediately remarked, "Prince Rui is extraordinary."

The three nodded in agreement.

"Does Prince Rui like lotus flowers?" Xie Yunyu asked.

"I like it, I really like it, I like everything about lotus flowers."

Therefore, the late emperor planted a pond of lotus flowers in Chunhua Palace.

"That's what Granny Lü said."

"Chunhua Palace? Rongpin's palace?" Xie Yunyu asked.

“Mm,” Xiao Ling replied.

"We went to Chunhua Palace when we got married, but I never saw the lotus flowers there," Xie Yunyu asked Xiao Ling.

"That pond of lotus flowers has now been returned to the Imperial Garden."

That area was originally the Imperial Garden, but the late emperor incorporated it into the Chunhua Palace.

Later, His Majesty drew it out again.

However, now, the back gate of Chunhua Palace leads directly to that pond of lotus flowers.

Xie Yunyu then asked, "Does Prince Rui also like hibiscus cake?"

“Consort Ye likes hibiscus cake, but Prince Rui doesn’t like it as much as Consort Ye,” replied Granny Lü.

"So he likes the piano, right?"

"Yes, Prince Rui has loved the zither since he was a child. He would play a tune when he was happy, and he would also play a tune when he was unhappy."

In short, the zither embodied his feelings and aspirations.

He played the zither exceptionally well, and the late emperor greatly enjoyed listening to him play.

Especially his performance of "Moonlit Night Thoughts," a piece so poignant and moving, was greatly appreciated by the late emperor.

"Moonlit night thoughts?" Xie Yunyu questioned.

"Why does this piece sound like it's played by a woman?"

"The piece was composed by Consort Ye and played for His Majesty."

However, Consort Ye's zither skills were not as good as Prince Rui's; only Prince Rui could capture the essence of the piece.

Xie Yunyu remained silent after hearing this.

Is it inappropriate for a son to play the song that his parents used to express their love?

And this Prince Rui, a man, actually likes this kind of tender and sentimental music.

It can even evoke the underlying meaning, which is truly unexpected.

Then he asked, "Who was Prince Rui's zither teacher?"

"He was taught by the academy's headmaster Fu, the great scholar Cen Shuyang, and the master of the zither, Mr. Chang Yi."

Fu Shanchang and Cen Shuyang taught him for a short time, while only Mr. Changyi taught him for a long time.

Xiao Ling asked, "Didn't Mr. Changyi pass away a few years ago?"

“That’s right,” Granny Lü replied.

Xie Yunyu's mind raced at that moment, and then she asked:

"What else does he like?"

"He enjoys reading, calligraphy, and painting."

Something seemed to flash through Xie Yunyu's mind, but she didn't grasp it.

After Granny Lü left, Xie Yunyu asked the Crown Prince:

"Among all the ladies in the palace, who likes lotus flowers, who likes hibiscus cake, and who likes playing the zither?"

The crown prince thought for a moment and then asked Le Shou, "Tell me about it."

Rakuju scratched his head noisily beside him, thought for a moment, and said:

"Beauty Qi and Consort Sun both love lotus flowers."

The Virtuous Consort... not only likes lotus flowers, but she likes all kinds of flowers.

Consort Xin, Consort Rong, and Consort Liu all enjoyed playing the zither.

Consort Shu loved flower arranging, Consort De loved dancing, and Consort Li was skilled at playing the guzheng.

Princess Yongning liked pastries, but she especially liked osmanthus cake.

I've never heard of anyone liking hibiscus cake.

Xie Yunyu then asked, "Who likes to cook the most?"

"There are many more. To please His Majesty, I know a little bit of everything," Le Shou replied.

Xie Yunyu seized on the key point and asked, "Does Consort Xin like playing the zither?"

"yes."

"Among those who enjoy playing the piano, who has the best piano skills?" Xie Yunyu asked.

"It must be Consort Rong who plays the best. His Majesty likes to hear her play the piece 'Bright Spring Days'."

His Majesty said that hearing it would bring joy.

Rakushou continued to answer.

Xie Yunyu then asked, "What about Consort Xin?"

"She's probably just killing time; she doesn't play as well as Consort Rong."

What's her musical style like?

Le Shou scratched his head again and said, "I haven't heard of any preference, just play them all."

Xie Yunyu looked at Le Shou and said, "Go and investigate those musicians you just mentioned, and find out their musical preferences."

The focus is on finding someone who likes lotus flowers, pastries, and playing the piano—all three.

Le Shou glanced at the Crown Prince, then nodded.

After the three finished talking, Xiao Ling yawned and asked, "Have you finished reading all the files?"

Xie Yunyu nodded.

"The palace gates are about to be locked, let's go home first. Think about it when you get home, and send someone to tell me what you've thought of."

Of course, there's been a new development here, which I'm passing on to you.

The Crown Prince, who was standing nearby, heard Xiao Ling's words but remained silent, which was considered tacit approval.