Chapter 326 A child without a mother learns to be independent early
Princess Zhaokang stared blankly at Li Nanke for a long while, then smiled slightly and shook her head.
"Don't worry, I won't do anything foolish."
"I promised my mother I would live well, and I will definitely live well!"
She murmured softly, as if she were talking to Li Nanke, or perhaps to herself.
Li Nanke felt a pang of sadness. He suddenly remembered the dream in which his mother hanged herself. He was in a daze, and all he could think about was his mother's last words: "Live well."
At the same time, boundless hatred is bred!
If her promise to her mother to live well was her reason for living, then hatred was the driving force that propelled her forward.
Princess Zhaokang before us looks just like that.
Li Nanke understood that Princess Zhaokang harbored thoughts of revenge, and after a moment of silence, he did not try to persuade her.
Giving her the motivation to move forward is better than letting her drift aimlessly alone.
She held Princess Zhaokang's hand tightly and whispered, "Princess, if you need anything from me, please just ask. I will always be by your side."
"Me too! Me too! Count me in no matter what!"
Wang Tongyun patted her chest and said.
Princess Zhaokang's red and swollen eyes brightened, and her gaze towards the two was filled with gratitude.
"Thank you so much, it's so good to have you all."
Wang Tongyun said, "If you ask me, you should take advantage of His Majesty's current grief to choose a suitable concubine."
I know I can't replace Consort Shu, but you're too weak and alone in the palace. There are people everywhere in the palace who treat others differently based on their status.
"If Princess Zhaoning gives even a hint, plenty of people will rush to trample on you."
"How about I tell my aunt that you can go to her palace instead?"
Li Nanke also agreed with Wang Tongyun's words.
But Princess Zhaokang shook her head firmly.
"No, I'll stay in my mother's Chengming Palace and not go anywhere else."
Wang Tongyun was puzzled and stomped her feet angrily.
"Why are you so stubborn? You can't even imagine how treacherous the harem is. They cut back on your food, and in the summer they cut back on your ice."
If they skimp on your charcoal during winter, you could freeze to death deep inside the palace and no one would even notice.
Princess Zhaokang pursed her lips and gently shook her head.
Li Nanke observed Princess Zhaokang's expression, and a thought stirred within him.
He asked in a low voice, "Does the princess want to intensify His Majesty's sense of guilt?"
Princess Zhaokang gripped the hem of her dress tightly, looked up at Li Nanke, and her eyes showed a clear look of surprise.
After a moment, he nodded slightly and said, "Now the Imperial Concubine manages the harem. My mother used to say that the Imperial Concubine has a sharp tongue but a soft heart."
Although he may seem unforgiving, he is honest and kind at heart, and is one of the few good people in the palace.
The Imperial Concubine manages the harem and will not allow anyone to deliberately cut back on my food, clothing, and daily necessities. On the contrary, because I do not have a mother to take care of me, the Imperial Concubine will take special care of me.
Furthermore, I have to leave the palace to study every day. Even if some people flatter me and bully others, they wouldn't dare to go too far, otherwise they would be discovered as soon as I leave the palace.
After a pause, Princess Zhaokang continued, "My father feels guilty towards me because of my mother's passing, but what if I had chosen another concubine to be my mother?"
Will my father feel he has made amends to me and then gradually forget about my mother and brother?
If I continued to live in my mother's Chengming Palace without her care, even if my father never saw me, he would always remember my mother and younger brother.
Wang Tongyun was stunned, her mouth agape so wide it could almost fit an egg.
With a wrinkled face, she thought for a moment, then nudged Li Nanke with her elbow.
Is she right?
Li Nanke thought about it carefully and nodded.
"Princess, have you been thinking about this carefully for a long time?"
Princess Zhaokang's pupils brightened even more. "Ke'er, you also think my idea is feasible?"
Li Nanke nodded.
As long as the emperor feels guilty towards Princess Zhaokang, she will not find it difficult to move around in the harem.
On the contrary, Princess Zhaokang could use this sense of guilt to secretly accumulate power.
"Now that the princess has made her decision, let's move forward and see what happens. If there are any difficulties, please let us know."
Wang Tongyun glanced at Li Nanke, then at Princess Zhaokang, and shrugged.
"I still don't understand, but since Ke'er said it's good, then it must be good. Let's leave it at that!"
"What do you mean, 'that's all there is to it'?"
Suddenly, a loud, boisterous voice came from behind.
The three turned around and saw Wei Zizhao staring at them excitedly, his eyes glowing with a green light.
"What secrets are you talking about? Tell me too, I love hearing secrets."
Li Nanke smiled slightly and shielded Princess Zhaokang behind him.
"A secret is called a secret because it cannot be told to others."
Wei Zizhao's face fell.
"Can't you really tell me? I promise I won't tell a third person!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a cold snort rang out from behind him.
"If your promises were believable, pigs would fly!"
"Pfft."
Li Nanke and the other two were amused.
Wei Zizhao pursed his lips and shrank his neck, not daring to refute Shen Cong.
"The teacher needs to call roll, hurry up!"
After saying that, he ran off in a flash.
Wang Tongyun and Princess Zhaokang bowed to Shen Cong and followed Wei Zizhao inside.
Li Nanke and Shen Cong were left to walk side by side.
Li Nanke glanced at Shen Cong and then explained Princess Zhaokang's idea.
"Given Ninth Brother's understanding of His Majesty, isn't Princess Zhaokang's choice potentially dangerous?"
Shen Cong remained silent for a moment before speaking softly.
"Sure enough, children without mothers learn to be independent early!"
Li Nanke was slightly taken aback, then suddenly remembered that Shen Cong was only seven years old when the Empress Dowager passed away.
Is his current personality a result of the early maturity of a motherless child?
For some reason, thinking about this made her feel a little sad.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty felt guilty for not severely punishing the Xue family and Empress Xue. Zhao Kang's future days won't be too difficult."
Li Nanke breathed a sigh of relief.
Another month passed in the blink of an eye, and the facts proved to be exactly as Shen Cong had said.
Princess Zhaokang insisted on not choosing a mother concubine, and the emperor agreed that she could continue to live in Chengming Palace, where Consort Shu had lived before her death.
Everything they ate, wore, and used was the same as when Consort Shu was alive.
Consort Wang, who was in charge of the inner palace, specifically instructed the eunuchs and palace maids not to secretly deduct from Princess Zhaokang's food, clothing, and daily necessities.
Li Nanke felt relieved.
July 18th arrived in the blink of an eye, Shen Cong's thirteenth birthday.
Because of the deaths of Consort Shu and the young prince, Empress Xue was neglected and confined to her quarters. The emperor was overwhelmed with grief, and the entire palace was shrouded in an atmosphere of sorrow.
However, the emperor still ordered his eunuchs to send many fine things to Prince Xuan's residence.
After seeing the eunuch off, Erfeng leaned against the door frame and sighed.
“In the past, when the prince celebrated his birthday, there was always a banquet in the palace, which was very lively.”
Unfortunately, this year coincides with the events involving Consort Shu and the young prince, making it unsuitable to hold a banquet. Is this year's birthday destined to pass by in such a quiet and uneventful manner?
Shen Cong was playing chess with his left and right hands when he heard this and chuckled softly.
"It's just a birthday celebration, we celebrate it every year, there's nothing new about it."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Nanke poked his head in from outside the door and said with a smile, "Who says this year's birthday celebration lacks originality?"
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