Chapter 41 Son, Your Servant: Lately, Yinreng has not set foot in the Xiefang Palace...

Lately, Yinreng hasn't set foot in Xiefang Palace. Cheng Qianyue knows he's angry, so she sends him snacks every day, trying to show him she was wrong. But this method seems to be ineffective; the snacks sent in are like stones sinking into the sea.

In truth, Cheng Qianyue felt quite regretful. She didn't know why she had said those things that day; perhaps she had acted impulsively. Thinking about it, it was quite normal for her to fall out of favor because of this, right? After all, this was a feudal society. To compare a prince who could issue orders to a servant was surely insubordination, wasn't it?

Later, Cheng Qianyue realized her mistake. She genuinely wanted what was best for Yinreng, which was why she tried to persuade him. But she forgot that her and Yinreng's social status were unequal, and she hadn't considered whether Yinreng could accept her ideas.

Thinking this through, she let out a long sigh. She thought she might fall out of favor, because she couldn't very well rush to Yuqing Palace while heavily pregnant. Even if she did, if Yinreng didn't want to see her, there was nothing she could do. Besides, it didn't matter if she fell out of favor, but what about the child? It wasn't even born yet. If it was born, would she cause it to be neglected as well?

Cheng Qianyue slapped her face hard, mentally preparing herself to raise the child alone. She tried to think positively: there are so many single-parent families in the world, one more won't make a difference, right? If others can raise their children well, then so can she!

Just as she was lost in thought, Lin Quan'an came in from the outer room, bowed, and said, "Princess, the Crown Prince has entered the Xiefang Palace."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Qianyue immediately raised her head.

Lin Quan'an continued, "The Crown Prince has gone to the main courtyard."

Cheng Qianyue nodded to indicate that she understood. When Yinreng entered Xiefang Palace, he would most likely go to the East Courtyard to see the prince or the main courtyard to see the Crown Princess before coming to her courtyard. Cheng Qianyue's heart immediately jumped. Although she had prepared herself for the possibility of falling out of favor, Yinreng still held her heart in his hands. She unconsciously placed her hand on her chest, wondering, would he come today?

If he comes over, she will definitely apologize to him properly.

But her hopes were dashed; it was pitch black outside, and she hadn't heard any message from him saying he was coming. Cheng Qianyue lowered her head in disappointment, her voice dry as she said, "Never mind, help me to bed to rest."

At this moment, Yinreng was in the Crown Princess's room. He had come after having a meal, but he hadn't expected that the Crown Princess's dinner table hadn't been cleared away yet. He refused the Crown Princess's suggestion to clear the table and just watched her eat, spoonful by spoonful.

The Crown Princess felt that the way the Crown Prince was looking at her was strange, as if he were looking at something strange. His gaze was so odd that she felt uneasy all over. She ate only half a meal and said she was done, then asked someone to move the table out.

The Crown Princess rinsed her mouth and wiped it with a handkerchief before speaking softly, "Your Highness, this afternoon the head chef of the Eastern Palace's kitchen came to report that the kitchen has been repaired, and from tomorrow onwards, all meals for the Xiefang Palace will be prepared from the Eastern Palace's kitchen." She paused, then bowed respectfully towards the Qianqing Palace, saying, "This is truly a blessing from Father Emperor; everyone in the Xiefang Palace is deeply grateful."

For once, Yinreng did not contradict her and said in a deep voice, "Yes."

The Crown Princess was stunned when he actually spoke to her, and even echoed her words. She looked at him with disbelief and confusion.

Why is this gentleman different from before?

In terms of his state of mind, Yinreng was indeed vastly different from before. Lately, he had been pondering his relationship with the Emperor. The words "son" and "servant" constantly battled in his mind. Finally, he seemed to vaguely understand that he was both the Emperor's son and the Emperor's servant.

When the thought crossed his mind, he couldn't help but give a wry smile.

He had lived for thirty years, always believing himself to be the Emperor's son. Think about it: throughout history, how many crown princes were personally raised by the Emperor? He lived in the Qianqing Palace until he was six. Even after moving out, he lived in the Yuqing Palace, the closest to the Qianqing Palace. Moreover, the Emperor kept a close eye on him in everything he did, so he naturally assumed he was different from the other princes. He was the Emperor's most beloved son, and the one on whom the Emperor placed the greatest hopes.

But as he grew older, especially after his marriage, he noticed the Emperor's attitude towards him changed. He was confused at the time; he didn't think he had done anything wrong, after all, he hadn't changed in the previous twenty-odd years. Then, in just a few years, things took a turn for the worse. The Emperor began to favor Prince Zhi to suppress him, causing Suo'etu to feel uneasy, which he then passed on to him. A few years later, his wet nurse Lingpu and Hahazhuzi Dezhu, among others, were impeached and subsequently executed. Then, his maternal great-uncle Suo'etu was imprisoned and his family's property confiscated; his entire family met a terrible end.

Six months after Songgotu's death, on the anniversary of his passing, at the Mulan Hunting Grounds, he hadn't wanted to watch the bonfire revelry in front of everyone, but the Emperor publicly offered him wine. What was he thinking then? Yes, he wondered if there was any crown prince in the world more aggrieved than him. He thought, if the Emperor no longer wanted him as his son, then what was the point of keeping him in this position?

What happened next was predictable: the emperor indeed deposed him from his position as crown prince, citing his spying on the camp as the reason. It's likely that at that time, the emperor suspected him of drunkenly committing a violent act with the intent to rebel.

During that time, he was filled with resentment and couldn't see things clearly, but now he seems to understand.

The reason he suffered so much was because the emperor was wary of him, wary of his son who had grown up and whose power was gradually increasing. The emperor wanted to suppress him because there could only be one master in the world, so he wanted to subdue him and make him submit to the emperor as a slave.

For a moment, Yinreng thought that if he had to be as subservient as a slave, he might as well cut his spine with a knife. But what could he do? Rebel? The words "patricide and regicide" struck his heart like a meteorite, and the trembling, arrogant, and inhumane thoughts made it hard for him to breathe.

However, he quickly regained his senses and realized that he did not have the strength to do so, and the constraints of human ethics and morality also prevented him from having the heart to commit treason.

But does he really want to be the emperor's slave?

He didn't know, so he came to visit the emperor's servants. When it came to loyalty to the emperor, no one did it better than the crown princess, so much so that the emperor publicly praised her for her virtue and filial piety, calling her a wise minister who offered advice, and using her as a ruler to discipline him.

But when he actually came over and saw how grateful the Crown Princess was to the Emperor's every move, he realized he couldn't do the same.

He spent the first half of his life learning how to be a master, so there's no reason for him to learn how to be a servile lackey who grovels and obeys orders!

Just then, he remembered Cheng Qianyue's words. She said, "Continue to be the way the Emperor likes you, and correct yourself if he doesn't like you, okay?"

Yinreng lowered his eyes, picked up the cup, and took a sip of tea.

He couldn't and didn't want to be a slave, but he could learn to be a good son. A good son who cared about the emperor and wouldn't anger him. In an instant, many historical figures flashed through his mind, such as Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, and Emperor Renzong of Ming, Zhu Gaochi. Their ability to ascend the throne was nothing more than their benevolence and filial piety, and nothing more than their forbearance.

What does the emperor like and dislike?

Yinreng thought of the imperial edict deposing the crown prince, which listed all sorts of crimes. Finally, the words "a loyal subject" came to mind.

But he is the Crown Prince. How can the Crown Prince be a lone minister? Unless everything about him is exposed to the Emperor, then he is clearly a lone minister.

Yinreng took a deep breath.

He seemed to have found his direction, a path to take. He didn't know if this path would be easy or difficult, but not taking it would certainly lead to death. After all, being deposed as crown prince once wasn't surprising, was it?

Seeing his brows furrowing deeper and deeper, the Crown Princess couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, excessive worry and anxiety will harm your spirit."

Yinreng finally broke free from his many thoughts and let out a long sigh of relief.

The Crown Princess continued, "Although I don't know what happened, the Emperor is pleased to see harmony in the inner quarters."

Yinreng nodded again, then suddenly stood up and said, "Your Highness is right. I feel very reassured with you managing Xiefang Palace." He rarely showed a kind face, patted the Crown Princess on the shoulder, and then walked out.

He thought that the Crown Princess was a mirror for him; with this mirror in mind, he would know how to be a good son.

After he left, Granny Shuang couldn't help but ask, "Why did the Crown Princess bring up Consort Cheng all of a sudden?"

The atmosphere inside the room was so relaxed; the Crown Princess could easily keep the Crown Prince there with just a slight bow of her head. While the Crown Princess was still young, wouldn't it be wonderful if she could give birth to another prince?

As for Lady Cheng, although they didn't know what had happened in the West Front Courtyard, it was clear that she had angered the Crown Prince. Since they hadn't been shortchanged on their allowances, why should they care about the rest?

The Crown Princess had just recovered from the strange incident of the Crown Prince's amiable demeanor towards her. To be honest, she had even wondered if the Crown Prince had been replaced; why was he suddenly being so kind to her? This made her somewhat uneasy. However, after hearing Granny Shuang's words, she regained her composure. She didn't care what the Crown Prince had just been thinking; she only cared about how outsiders perceived her and how they viewed Xiefang Palace.

The Crown Princess said, "I am the Crown Princess, so it is only right that I do this." As she spoke, she slowly lowered her eyes. The Crown Prince was acting too strangely today; if he stayed, she would be at a loss because of his change in behavior.

After leaving the main courtyard, Yinreng intended to head to the west courtyard, but then he noticed it was getting late and he wasn't sure if Cheng Qianyue was asleep. He thought that his outburst that day might have frightened her, and considering she was pregnant, he wondered how she could be so easily frightened. With that thought in mind, he prepared a way to save face for himself.

However, he still asked, "How are things at the West Wing lately?"

Chen He and Jing Shun were stunned. Oh no! They'd been serving the Crown Prince with such trepidation these past few days that they hadn't even had a chance to ask what was wrong when the people from the West Courtyard brought them refreshments!

Their hesitation caused Yinreng to frown. "Foolish fools!" he scolded them, then headed towards the west courtyard. Upon arriving, he found the lights off, with only a young eunuch guarding the gate. Without announcing his arrival, he strode inside.

Inside the room, Cheng Qianyue was not sleeping soundly. She didn't know what she was thinking about; she had a lot of random thoughts, and the consequence of thinking so much was that she couldn't sleep and tossed and turned.

Ruoxia, the palace maid who was keeping watch outside, said softly, "Princess, do you need to get up in the middle of the night?" If so, she would go and serve you.

Just as Cheng Qianyue was about to reply, she heard a knock at the door. She sat up abruptly and asked, "What's going on? Has something happened outside?" But no one answered her. She pulled back the bed curtains and saw Yinreng walk in.

Is it real, or is she hallucinating?

Cheng Qianyue stared blankly at him, then suddenly jumped out of bed and ran towards him without even putting on her shoes. Yinreng was about to say something when she was already right in front of him.

Yinreng exclaimed, "How reckless!" He picked her up with a slight movement and carried her to the bed.

Cheng Qianyue looked at him with teary eyes, then suddenly burst into tears, sobbing, "I thought you would never come to see me again. I said something wrong, so you hate me now." She spoke incoherently, tears streaming down her face, and she hiccuped as she cried.

Yinreng realized that he had indeed frightened her, so he held her in his arms and comforted her, saying, "How could that be? Don't overthink it." He held her and gently patted her back to help her catch her breath, whispering, "Not many people can hold my soul, and you are one of them."

The reason she dares to say anything without any reservations is because she has a pure heart. And it is precisely because she has a pure heart that she can sometimes sense something else. Perhaps she senses something but can't figure it out, so she speaks out, and then the more shrewd one has something to ponder.

"Don't cry, I'm here now, aren't I?" Yinreng said gently, "I don't mind if you say whatever comes to mind."

Cheng Qianyue sobbed, "I...I don't believe...that if I become a big mouth, you...you won't like me anymore."

Yinreng chuckled, put his arm around her, and stroked her back repeatedly. He said softly, "Then let me see how big your mouth is, hmm?" He kissed her, sighed, and said, "I love that you're so uninhibited in front of me, really."

Really?

Cheng Qianyue looked at him with teary eyes, thinking, even after all this, he still likes her? Could it be that he's love-struck?

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Author's Note: Mini-Theater: Events during the Mulan Hunting Grounds

Yinreng, his face expressionless: His loved ones are gone; he has no heart for anything else.

Emperor Kangxi slammed his fist on the table in anger: "Traitors and rebels deserve to die, but you dare to show your disrespect in public! Bring wine! Bring wine!"

Yinreng: Alright, alright, let's drink.

Kangxi: You dare to plot against me? Just wait and see if I don't depose you. Only by suppressing your temper will you realize who your father is.