Chapter 36 Yifeng Palace

Murong Di did not understand this principle when he was young, until one day he was deliberately pushed down and hit a rock.

From then on, I took stupidity as my life-saving talisman.

"Did they hurt you today?" Pei Shu put the cat down and wiped the water droplets from Murong Di's temples with a dry cloth.

"Nothing hurt, the kid just had two fake falls."

Murong Di said it easily, sat on the couch and took out a book to read.

"It's just right that I can come back early and read in peace. If I don't understand something, mother can teach me."

Pei Shu walked over and took Murong Di's arm.

Murong Di wanted to hide, but failed.

The sleeve was rolled up, revealing a bruise on the white elbow.

Murong Di whispered, "Mother, it's okay. It doesn't hurt at all."

Pei Shu gently pressed the bruise, and Murong Di hissed.

"You still say it doesn't hurt? Don't try to be so stubborn in front of Mother."

Pei Shu took out the ointment and applied it to her son, while giving him some advice:

"I'll make you two cushions tonight and tie them to your elbows and knees for protection."

"Or, next time, just fall to the ground and pretend to faint or cry, don't really hurt yourself."

Murong Di: ...It’s a little difficult to pretend to cry.

He changed the subject: "Mother, Ning An asked today who was the most outstanding student that Zhang Taifu had ever taught. I think Zhang Taifu might have been thinking of my second uncle."

The year Murong Di was born, the Pei family was exiled. He had never met any of the Pei family members, but he had heard many things about the Pei family from his mother.

"When my mother mentions my grandparents' family, she doesn't seem sad at all. I heard from the palace servants that something happened to the Xu family recently, and Concubine Xu cried every day and wanted to commit suicide."

Pei Shu applied medicine to her son and picked up the cat again:

"Of course mother was sad. She was so sad that she almost went to hell when she gave birth to you."

When the Pei family was imprisoned, Pei Shu was so shocked that she went into premature labor. Her blood soaked the mattress, and she almost died.

After escaping death, she knelt outside the imperial study before she was even out of confinement.

Murong Di looked up at his mother and saw that her eyes were still calm.

"But what's the point of being sad? Whether your grandparents are in heaven or on earth, they must hope that my mother and I are safe."

"Even if our bones were broken, we in the Pei family would still be able to hold on and would never commit suicide. If your uncle and aunt were still alive, they would definitely try their best to survive."

Only by being alive can you have the chance to redress your grievances.

Pei Shu accompanied her son to the desk and taught him his homework.

"Alright, show your annotations to this sutra to Mother."

Murong Di sat up straight, held the pen with his wrist suspended, and wrote clear and elegant small characters on the paper.

Sunlight poured in from the window, casting the shadow of the old locust tree in the yard onto the pages of the book.

Between the lines, it was as if a living tree had grown.

In a hidden corner, winter ends and spring comes, and life continues.

…

Yifeng Palace.

The Queen was selecting new fabrics for the palace. As the weather was getting warmer, it was time to ask the Shangyiju to prepare summer clothes.

Nanny Dong rubbed the Queen's shoulders and looked at the flowing gauze in the hands of the palace maid in front:

"This gauze will definitely look good on you, my lady."

The Queen took a look and seemed dissatisfied:

"I am old now, and I cannot wear such bright colors. They are more suitable for girls like Qi Cairen who are sixteen or seventeen years old."

Aunt Dong smiled: "Your Majesty is still young."

The Queen also laughed: "Young what? In a few years, when Qi'er gets married and starts a family, I will be a grandmother."

The eldest prince Murong Qi, whom she gave birth to, has already left the palace and set up his own household.

Crown Prince Murong Zhen came over from Lihe Hall:

"Your son pays homage to the Queen Mother."

The Queen beckoned Murong Zhen to come over and sit down:

"Zhen'er, you've been studying for half a day. You must be tired. Have a cup of sweet soup to moisten your throat."

Nanny Dong brought a translucent white jade cup filled with red dates and bird's nest soup.

Murong Zhen took a sip of the sweet soup and said, "Mother, Zhen'er is not tired. I still have horseback riding and archery lessons in the afternoon."

The Queen felt sorry for her son's fatigue and said, "I'll have someone make you some ginseng soup tonight to nourish you."

Murong Zhen drank the soup and casually mentioned that Murong Di fell in Lihe Hall today.

"Third brother is several years older than us, why is he still studying with us?"

Nanny Dong took the jade cup that Murong Zhen had drunk from:

"No one else is as smart as His Royal Highness. Even if I studied for ten years earlier, I still wouldn't be able to catch up with His Royal Highness."

When the Queen heard Murong Di's name, Pei Shu's stunningly beautiful face immediately appeared in her eyes:

"Your third brother was also very clever when he was young, but he had bad luck and injured his brain after a fall."

The queen spoke with regret, but there was no regret in her eyes.

She was the daughter of Imperial Censor Du Yu and entered the harem at the age of seventeen.

She and Pei Shu were selected into the palace together.

Over the years, the emperor and the empress could only treat each other with respect, and Murong Yu had never given her his thoughtfulness and affection.

Pei Shu was a noble lady that the young men in Chang'an longed for but could not get. As soon as she entered the palace as a concubine, she won the favor of Murong Yu.

The eldest prince born to her and the second prince born to Concubine Shu were both hopeless, and were not as smart as Murong Di when they were young.

But things are different now.

The fourth prince she gave birth to is the crown prince, and Murong Di, born to Pei Shu, is a fool.

She is still the queen, and Pei Shu is just an abandoned woman in the palace.

"The Emperor has arrived—"

The eunuch's announcement was heard outside the hall.

A look of surprise flashed across the queen's eyes, and she stood up with the prince to greet them.

"Your Highness, I pay my respects to you."

"Your son pays homage to His Majesty the Father."

The handsome Murong Yu strode in. He came to discuss matters concerning the Dragon Boat Festival banquet with the Queen. When he saw Murong Zhen, the corners of his mouth rose slightly.

Among the princes, Murong Zhen's appearance and personality are not the most similar to Murong Yu.

But six years ago, the Imperial Astronomical Observatory said that there were auspicious signs in the sky and that a lucky star would descend to the earth the following year.

Murong Yu changed the reign title of the following year from Yongjia to Zhaoqing.

In the autumn of the first year of Zhaoqing, there was good weather and a good harvest in many places. It was indeed a very auspicious year.

It so happened that the Queen gave birth to the Fourth Prince that year. Murong Yu loved him very much and believed that the Fourth Prince was a lucky star sent from heaven to earth, so he made him the Crown Prince.

"What are you and your son talking about?" Murong Yu sat down in the main seat in the hall.

Murong Zhen: "Father, Your Majesty, I was discussing with Mother the events of today's Lihe Hall incident."

Murong Yu lifted the lid of the teacup and said, "If you have anything interesting to say, tell me about it."

The Queen looked a little unnatural, trying to cover up and change the subject:

"Your Majesty, it's just some trivial matters between children."

Murong Yu just looked at the prince: "Zhen'er, speak."

Murong Zhen then recounted the incident of Murong Di falling down in the morning, but he did not say that he was tripped by Murong Ming, only that Murong Di was careless.

After hearing this, the smile on Murong Yu's face disappeared.

"Your Majesty, Zhen'er is a kind-hearted child. She was worried that the third prince might be injured, so she mentioned this to me." The queen explained.

Murong Yu's face still looked bad, and he felt a little irritated.

"In that case, let the imperial physician take a look."

The Queen said respectfully, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Murong Yu was in no mood at the moment. He put down his teacup and wanted to go out for a walk.

"Your Majesty, are you leaving right after arriving? But what do you want to tell me?" Seeing that someone was about to leave, the queen took two steps forward and followed him.

Murong Yu's eyes flashed with impatience: "Let's talk about it next time. I remembered that there are still some memorials in the Imperial Study that have not been reviewed yet."

Seeing that she could not keep the emperor, the queen could only bow in disappointment and say:

"Your Majesty, I respectfully bid you farewell."

Murong Zhen walked beside Murong Yu and said, "I, your son, am also going back to the Eastern Palace, and will be going with your father."

Murong Yu nodded.

The figures of father and son disappeared in Fengyi Palace.

The queen looked at the seat where Murong Yu had sat, and felt empty in her heart.

"Madame Dong."

"Your Majesty, I'm here." Nanny Dong continued to massage the queen's shoulders.

"Distribute these brightly colored yarns to the new beauties who have entered the palace this year."

The queen muttered the names of several concubines, and then pointed to two pieces of gray cloth in the corner.

"Give the remaining two to Myeonghye Palace."

A layer of frost covered her face:

"Also, give them two cups of sweet soup so that they won't come out and cause trouble."