Chapter 42 What Do You Want

The Seventh Prince had an unexpected gain, which was something he never expected.

"Father, I will definitely come to see you, Mother, and my elder brother, the Crown Prince, during my time off!" the Seventh Prince promised.

"Yes, I have to come back during holidays."

Normally, you attend school at your aunt's house.

"The tutor at the Duke of Dingguo's mansion is a rare and great Confucian scholar. Even your great-grandfather praised him highly. When you go there, you mustn't be too playful," Emperor Xiao Jing said with a smile.

How could the Seventh Prince refuse?

After watching the Seventh Prince leave happily, Emperor Xiao Jing spoke some other words with Empress Xu and the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince had dinner with Emperor Xiao Jing and Empress Xu, and after seeing Emperor Xiao Jing out, he returned.

"Mother, Father still dotes on Xiao Qi so much." The Crown Prince said with a hint of jealousy.

Empress Xu, however, felt it was nothing.

She was pruning a camellia branch with scissors while trying to comfort the prince.

What good is spoiling them?

Didn't the most important position of Crown Prince get returned to you?

My son, you are the crown prince, and the entire Great Yu will be yours in the future.

What does Xiaoqi have?

Even if he is favored by your father, he will not give him the throne!

What's wrong with giving them a little more pampering?

Favor is a fleeting thing; what is favor today may not be favor tomorrow.

Your father has given you the most precious things in the world, what more could you possibly want?

Besides, your father, the Emperor, did favor Consort Xian, so it's normal for him to dote on her children a little.

You are destined to control Dayu in the future, so don't think about things that only women want.

"By the way, can't you see? Your father has entrusted Xiao Qi to you. You should take good care of Xiao Qi from now on; it will only benefit you, not harm you."

After listening to Empress Xu's words, the Crown Prince stopped obsessing over the matter.

Yes, the position of crown prince has already been given to me, what more could I want?

Since Father wants to see brotherly love and respect, then I should act more like an elder brother.

Once I ascend to the throne...

"Your opponent is the King of Qin, who is not someone to be trifled with."

If you treat Xiaoqi well, and Xiaoqi stands on your side, it means that the Duke of Dingguo's mansion stands on your side.

Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse; it might become an asset in the future.

Xiaoqi's place...

Your father is right, being a wealthy and leisurely prince is not bad.

Let me tell you something else. The other day, your aunt went to the palace and talked about her second daughter and the second son of the Marquis of Changsheng.

I will speak with your father in a couple of days.

Your father will most likely agree, and then I will issue an imperial decree to grant you the marriage.

In that case, you won't be saying that you only have civil officials and no military generals.

Empress Xu didn't even glance at the Crown Prince, continuing to trim the flower branches in her hands.

The prince was overjoyed.

Yes, if this marriage goes through, it will truly be like adding wings to a tiger.

The Duke of Dingguo's mansion is prestigious, and the Marquis of Changsheng's mansion now controls the Weiyuan Army, which is a real army.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your planning."

Empress Xu smiled and said nothing more.

Isn't all she knows how to do scheming?

She would have done it before, and she still would now; her goal is to place her son on the throne.

As for Empress Dowager Zheng and Consort Zheng...

Hehe, just a chess piece in my hand.

Meanwhile, news that the Seventh Prince was going to study at the Duke of Dingguo's mansion quickly spread throughout the palace.

Some people were envious, some were gloating, and some scoffed.

"He's afraid we'll harm his precious child again!" an old woman with gray hair said calmly as she lay on a chaise longue.

This old woman was none other than Empress Zheng, the most esteemed woman in Dayu.

She leaned back on the chaise longue, while two palace maids gently massaged her legs.

Two palace maids were gently fanning her from behind.

Everything around was magnificent and precious.

If Shangguan Jin were here, she would probably have calculated several more Tomson Riviera apartments.

“Aunt, I suspect that the Empress is behind this.”

Otherwise, why would the Seventh Prince have gone to her palace as soon as he returned?

She was probably thinking of winning over the Duke of Dingguo's family's influence to the Crown Prince!

"Hmph, a Duke's mansion without the Duke of Dingguo is nothing more than a toothless tiger," said Consort Zheng, dressed in magnificent attire, with a sneer.

After glancing at her still stunningly beautiful niece, Empress Dowager Zheng switched legs and had the palace maid continue pounding.

"It's useless! Whoever has the army has the final say."

A group of civil officials were cheering and waving flags behind him.

Haha, the Great Yu was founded on war, not just by talking.

"Your uncle will make all the arrangements. Tell Ze'er not to worry and just wait patiently," Empress Dowager Zheng said calmly.

Consort Zheng was somewhat indignant.

His Majesty ascended the throne only with the support of the Zheng family.

But what happened in the end?

Not only was the Empress's position not hers, but even the Crown Prince's position wasn't her son's.

When her son ascends the throne, the first thing he'll do is kill that empress.

And the entire Xu family—his entire clan will be exterminated…

Empress Dowager Zheng raised her eyelids slightly, saw her niece's indignant expression, and remained silent, continuing to close her eyes and rest.

This niece has a beautiful face, but no clever mind.

No wonder she was so suppressed by Consort Xian back then.

A noble concubine, yet she repeatedly suffers setbacks at the hands of ordinary concubines...

However, Empress Dowager Zheng knew that the only person in the harem who could rival her was Empress Xu.

No matter how clever Consort Xian was, she still died young.

"Take it easy on you. All men in the world have the same problem: they don't like strong women."

Not to mention the emperor!

If you always talk to him like that, he will inevitably feel that you are domineering.

You should learn a thing or two from the Empress in this regard.

"Look at how they speak to the emperor," Empress Dowager Zheng suddenly said.

Consort Zheng pursed her lips.

Learn from that woman, the Empress?

She can't learn that kind of fake seriousness and fake magnanimity!

"Yes! Your subject understands!" Consort Zheng replied verbally.

And so, while people in the palace were still discussing why the Seventh Prince had suddenly gone to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion to study, the Seventh Prince had already packed his bags and headed to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.

Shangguan Jin stared blankly for a while as she looked at the Seventh Prince, who had returned in less than half a day.

"My father has sent me to study at my aunt's residence," the Seventh Prince said with a grin.

Shangguan Jin's mind raced.

What did Emperor Xiao Jing mean by this?

Is the Seventh Prince being adopted out? Or is this a test of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion?

They're unlikely to have any good intentions.

"Come on, tell your aunt what you said and did after you went back," Shangguan Jin asked, pulling the Seventh Prince along.