Chapter 31 This newcomer is hardly discussing things with her.
This year, the Crown Prince's birthday was celebrated very hastily due to his illness. Not only was there no grand banquet, but because both of the Eastern Palace's masters were still ill, there was no birthday banquet at all. They simply ordered a bowl of longevity noodles from the kitchen on that day.
After the palace learned of this, the Empress sent countless precious medicines to the Eastern Palace, and the Emperor even ordered the royal temples to hold a month-long Buddhist ceremony at the end of February to pray for the Eastern Palace's well-being.
During the Crown Prince's absence from court, the army began selecting new recruits. This task was originally intended for the Crown Prince, but since he was not present, it was handed over to Prince Huan. However, for some reason, Prince Huan fell seriously ill after only two days at the camp outside the capital. In the end, the task eventually ended up in the hands of Prince Tai.
The conscription was progressing rapidly. Although Jiang Chen was in the Eastern Palace, he could still hear news from He Zhiju. The King of Thailand was currently enjoying great influence in the military camp. Moreover, because his maternal family was also a military family with military power, his prestige among the new recruits was even higher.
At this moment, Shen Yujiao was being fed medicine by Jiang Chen while looking at the contents of the letter and feeling guilty: "If it weren't for my matter, you should be in the military camp right now."
"What do you mean 'your business' and 'my business'? If you suddenly faint, there's no way I can go anywhere. Besides, this is a historical issue, what does it have to do with you?"
His words warmed her heart. Although Shen Yujiao didn't want to be sentimental in front of him, she couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat. "Others may not know, but how could I not know?"
Jiang Chen and Shen Yujiao are both children who grew up in a military compound. Their connection dates back to their grandfathers' generation. The two old men were comrades who retired together. They lost contact during the war when they were young. After retiring from the army, they each started their own families, but they ended up living in the same compound by chance.
Grandpa Jiang followed the educational philosophy of "like father, like son," and his military mentality was ingrained in his bones. Naturally, Jiang's father followed the same path as his father, while Shen's father took advantage of the times to pursue further studies and became the first PhD graduate from overseas in the county.
The family environment had a profound impact on them. Although neither of Shen Yujiao's parents were soldiers, the children who grew up in the military compound always had a passionate heart. Whenever she heard the stories of her grandparents, she could hardly contain her excitement, not to mention Jiang Chen, who grew up listening to revolutionary stories with her.
He wanted to join the army, to wear a uniform and defend the country, and to inherit the glory from his ancestors and father. This was Jiang Chen's life wish when he was very young. As for how young, Shen Yujiao didn't remember. Her memory of this matter probably started from the time she could remember.
Jiang Chen had been training with his father every morning since he was a child. Every time Shen Yujiao had just woken up, Jiang Chen had already run more than a dozen laps around the compound. Year after year, without interruption, the training became more and more rigorous as he grew older. It can be said that Jiang Chen had run on the endless road for far too long in order to realize this wish.
If they hadn't traveled to Great Xia, Jiang Chen would have entered the National Defense University in August.
"Are you stupid?" Jiang Chen pinched Shen Yujiao's nose with his index and middle fingers, making a pincer shape. "It's nothing. What's a conscription? In the future, your brother Chen will be a great general."
"What kind of great general are you?" Shen Yujiao slapped his hand away. "Swords and spears have no eyes on the battlefield, and besides, the medical environment in ancient times was so poor. What if you had—"
Halfway through her sentence, Shen Yujiao suddenly realized that this was a taboo subject. Jiang Chen saw her turn her head away and smiled as brightly as a sunflower: "I didn't expect Shen Yujiao to be so worried about me. My goodness, the sun must have risen in the west."
"Show off your head!" Seeing that he had only been serious for less than three minutes before reverting to his old ways, Shen Yujiao reached out and choked him, pinning him to the bed railing.
Jiang Chen hurriedly put down the bowl while struggling and saying, "You, Shen Jiaojiao, you've recovered enough to uproot a willow tree, and you're still acting like Lin Daiyu all day long."
Hearing the long-lost sounds of laughter coming from inside, Mu Jin smiled and led a group of palace maids out in single file. As soon as she stepped out of the palace gate, she saw Zhu Yu waiting outside. The two smiled at each other, both seeing relief in each other's eyes.
That evening, after dinner, the Crown Prince's petition to resume court was sent to the Ministry of Personnel. Before the morning court session the next day, everyone who needed to know already knew. Therefore, the next day, as soon as Jiang Chen stepped into the main hall, he felt scrutinized from all directions.
Among the princes now, the Crown Prince and Prince Huan, who originally had the highest prestige, fell ill one after another, causing them to lose the initiative in many matters given at the beginning of the year. Prince Han and Prince Zhao each took on some tasks, not to mention Prince Tai, who not only took on the responsibility of supervising the conscription but also recently married the eldest daughter of the Liu family, the commander of the Palace Guard. He is currently enjoying great influence.
At this critical juncture, yesterday the Prince Huan returned to court despite his illness, and today it is the Crown Prince again. Everyone inevitably discusses this matter. Jiang Chen walked to his seat, his face calm and composed.
Everyone originally thought that the Crown Prince would seize power from the other princes upon his return, but to their surprise, after the court session, the Crown Prince paid his respects to the Emperor and returned to the Eastern Palace, behaving as if he were not the one who had lost power due to illness recently.
Two days after the Crown Prince returned to court, the Crown Princess also entered the palace to pay her respects to the Empress. Upon seeing her, the Empress couldn't help but inquire about their well-being and ask a few questions about their health.
Having already rehearsed their lines, the two only needed to act out their roles for the Emperor and Empress respectively. For example, the Crown Princess would attend to the Emperor at his bedside with her robes untied, and the Crown Prince would continue to review memorials and pay attention to the people's farming even while ill...
Having been in this world for some time now, the two of them are completely adept at acting in front of others, able to control their emotions with ease. After a performance, the Empress looked at Shen Yujiao with even more tenderness in her eyes.
"Good child, it's all thanks to you by the Crown Prince's side."
"This is what I should do." Shen Yujiao tucked a handkerchief to her eyes. Her face still looked pale, but her eyes shone with determination. She comforted the Empress, saying, "Mother, don't worry. His Highness is much better now."
Seeing him like this, the Empress couldn't bring herself to say what she originally wanted to say. She sat with Shen Yujiao for a while, and then had Princess Yong'an accompany her for lunch. After lunch, the Empress unusually allowed Princess Yong'an to visit Consort Rong, leaving only Shen Yujiao to accompany the Empress in the palace.
“Jiaojiao,” Shen Yujiao’s heart trembled upon hearing this address, “There is something I would like to discuss with you, Mother.”
As expected, the Empress's next words threw Shen Yujiao into a state of turmoil: "Previously, the Crown Prince told me that he did not want any more new concubines to enter the Eastern Palace. I am also extremely satisfied with you. Originally, I was planning to avoid the Eastern Palace in this selection, but..."
"If it were anyone else, the Empress Dowager would have declined, but this young lady's grandfather was the tutor of two emperors. The late Emperor and His Majesty were both his students. Even the Crown Prince and his brother were taught by him when they were young. His second son was once the Vice Minister of Works, but he died saving the people during a natural disaster. He had no sons, only a daughter. So, the old Grand Tutor took her in and raised her from a young age."
"In just two years, the Grand Tutor will retire, and his only worry is his granddaughter. And coincidentally, she happens to be in this year's imperial examination..."
Shen Yujiao lowered her head and fiddled with the embroidered handkerchief in her hand. What was there to discuss? As a tutor to two emperors and a talented woman from a prestigious family, how could she possibly have the right to say whether she wanted it or not? The fact that the Empress spoke to her in this way was already giving her the utmost respect.
"I have met that child once. Although she is not as good as you were when you were young, she is still a very well-mannered girl. Alas... I am really in a dilemma. If His Majesty had not spoken up, I would never have troubled you."
"Your subject understands," Shen Yujiao said meekly, her tone calm and even. "Your subject would never dare to disobey Your Majesty's decision."
The Empress had always seen her as clever, quick-witted, and well-behaved, but seeing her putting on such a show made her feel uneasy. It wasn't that she wanted to get involved, but His Majesty intended to favor his mentor, and she couldn't disobey the imperial decree.
"Originally, His Majesty intended to make her the principal wife of only one of the princes, but this year, the only one of suitable age is the Prince of Thailand."
The Empress took her hand and comforted her, "But don't worry, even if she enters the Eastern Palace, Chen'er's love for you will not affect your relationship in the slightest. His Majesty just wants to find a place for Minister Chu's orphaned daughter to live."
“Miss Chu…” Shen Yujiao’s previously disappointed gaze suddenly focused. She looked up at the Empress and asked tentatively, “Your Majesty, I don’t know much about the Miss Chu family. May I ask, Miss Chu, what is your given name?”
"Chu Rou, that child lives up to her name; she is extremely gentle..."
She couldn't hear a word Shen Yujiao said after that. It was Chu Rou, Chu Rou.
Sitting in the carriage on her way back to the East Palace, Shen Yujiao leaned against the carriage wall, her mind in turmoil. Thinking of the name Chu Rou, scenes from the past flashed before her eyes.
Chu Rou, the school beauty in the same grade as her, was more stunning than Shen Yujiao. Her features were delicate and charming, with deep eyes and brows. She always had a gentle and kind smile, no matter who she met. If Shen Yujiao was like the blazing sun, then Chu Rou was like the gentle breeze in summer.
Growing up in an enlightened family that valued etiquette, Shen Yujiao never considered herself narrow-minded towards others, but Chu Rou's existence unconsciously stirred up feelings of jealousy within her. It wasn't because Chu Rou was academically gifted or beautiful, but because she was Jiang Chen's rumored girlfriend.
In a predominantly male science class, Chu Rou was one of the few who excelled in math, physics, and chemistry. Whenever the science rankings were announced, she and Jiang Chen would take turns ranking first and second. Since they were not only classmates but also teammates in many science competitions at school, the girl who was most often seen with Jiang Chen was not his childhood sweetheart Shen Yujiao, but his rumored girlfriend Chu Rou.
To outsiders, they were a pair of prodigies, not only keeping pace in their studies and winning competition awards for the school time and time again, but also collaborating on every school anniversary celebration and cultural performance.
"You want to pursue Jiang Chen? Are you crazy? He has Chu Rou by his side."
Backstage at the school's 50th anniversary celebration, Shen Yujiao had just changed into her host's dress when she heard two girls telling jokes as they passed by. She paused in her work of fixing her appearance in front of the mirror, her gaze shifting to the side, and saw Jiang Chen and Chu Rou walking towards her from behind.
They were the science-oriented hosting duo, while she and another boy were the arts-oriented hosting duo that year. After they left the stage, it meant that she would soon be waiting to go on stage. But standing in front of the mirror, looking at the two of them who looked so well-matched, she just couldn't take a step.
At this moment, it was as if the words from before had come true, and Jiang Chen seemed to truly belong to Chu Rou.
"Shen Yujiao, are you ready? We should go."
She no longer remembered how her partner led her out of the dressing room; she only remembered that although the stage lights were dazzling that day, they were not as blinding as the scene in the backstage corridor.
"Chu Rou..."
Shen Yujiao's biggest secret in her youth was not her crush on her childhood sweetheart Jiang Chen, but her jealousy of that outstanding girl.
The carriage stopped at the gate of the East Palace. Shen Yujiao pulled herself out of her thoughts and, with Mu Jin's help, slowly walked into the East Palace. Along the way, she had mentally prepared herself countless times, but when she actually heard Mu Jin say, "His Highness the Crown Prince is waiting for you in the study," she could no longer take a step forward.
I don't want to see him, I don't want to discuss Chu Rou with him, not at all.
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