Chapter 72: Rewards, but Some People Don’t Appreciate Them
In the Cining Palace, the scent of sandalwood grew stronger. Xuanye clenched his hands, his gaze determined. "Madam, please issue this imperial decree."
"You have made up your mind." Xiaozhuang frowned slightly, slowly turning the Buddhist beads in her hand, and was silent for a long time before saying, "I have issued this imperial decree." It was not just for Xiuyu. The pain of separation between mother and child was something she and Fulin had already felt too much. If not, if Fulin could always grow up by her knees, perhaps things would be different later.
"Grandson thanks Mama for her help!" Xuanye knew very well that issuing this imperial decree required great determination from Mama. After all, it was not easy to change the ancestral rules overnight.
After seeing Xuanye off, Xiaozhuang's heart could not calm down for a long time.
"Princess," Su Moer asked, "Are you thinking about the Ninth Prince again?"
"Didn't I tell you that even if it's just the two of us, we shouldn't mention the Ninth Prince anymore?" Shunzhi was a thorn in Xiaozhuang's heart, and even Su Moer couldn't touch him.
Su Moer understood Gege's pain. She tentatively said, "So many years have passed. It's time for you to let it go. Ninth Prince might be waiting for you to visit him, too."
"Him? Waiting for me?" Xiaozhuang sighed softly, her eyes becoming distant. "If he really thought that I, his mother, was important, and that the Qing Dynasty was important, he wouldn't have acted like that in the beginning.
Su Moer sighed softly and silently added some tea to Empress Xiaozhuang.
Since Empress Xiaozhuang had agreed to Emperor Xuanye's request, the imperial decree quickly spread throughout the harem. In Chengqian Palace, Tong Jia Zifu, upon hearing the news, naturally understood what her cousin was planning. She glanced at Wu Yazelan, who was holding the Fourth Prince. The latter seemed very calm, and it was hard to tell what she was thinking.
It was the eldest prince's biological mother, Concubine Hui, who spoke first: "The old ancestor didn't issue this imperial decree earlier or later. I don't know what it means to issue it at this time." There was some sarcasm in her words. After all, Yinzhi was not raised by her, and the relationship between mother and son was very weak. It was normal for her to be jealous.
Tong Jia Zifu was very clear about Huipin's character, but she always spoke her mind and never held back: "Does Huipin think it's not good for the Fourth Prince to be kept with me?"
Huipin's expression froze, and she smiled awkwardly, "Your Highness, you're joking. It's naturally a good thing that the Fourth Prince can be raised here with you."
Tong Jia Zi Fu snorted softly, but smiled and said to Wu Ya Ze Lan, "You are young, and your cousin likes to go to your place. If a little prince is born in the future, he can naturally be raised by my side. The Fourth Prince is with me, so you can just rest assured. Whenever you want to see him, just come over." Wu Ya Ze Lan's face showed no obvious emotions. She just smiled gently and said, "Just like Sister Hui said, it is a great blessing for the Fourth Prince to be raised in Chengqian Palace. I can't thank him enough."
Tong Jia Zifu knew very well that the harem was only calm on the surface. However, as Xuanye's cousin, Tong Jia Zifu had always been a non-confrontational person and was too lazy to guess what her cousin's women were thinking.
It was not until Wu Yazelan left Chengqian Palace and Tong Jia Zifu asked the nanny to carry the Fourth Prince away that the smile on her face faded.
Bai Zhi, the head maid of Chengqian Palace, said as she poured tea for Tong Jia Zifu, "Master Hui always doesn't care what she says, so you don't have to take it to heart."
Tong Jia Zifu warmed her hands with a hand warmer and said, "Huipin is just relying on the fact that she gave birth to the eldest prince, and her brother is a minister that my cousin relies on. As long as the eldest prince behaves well and becomes a prince, and her brother does a good job for my cousin, then given my cousin's personality, her position in the harem will be secure."
Bai Zhi hesitated for a moment and asked, "What do you think of Uya Gege's character? After all, she is the Fourth Prince's biological mother."
"Don't worry, my cousin is only asking the ancestor for this imperial decree at this time, clearly to confirm that the Fourth Prince will be kept in Chengqian Palace from now on. As for Wu Ya Ze Lan..." Her eyelids drooped, and her gaze gradually darkened: "On the surface, she looks as calm as a chrysanthemum, as if she is indifferent to the world. If she really didn't have some tricks, how could she have given birth to the Fourth Prince? I don't believe it. Just wait and see..." Tong Jia Zi Fu picked up the teacup, her lips slightly curved: "In the future, Wu Ya Ze Lan will be more than just a princess in this harem."
"Then in the future..." Bai Zhi naturally sided with her master: "If it is really as the master said, and Wu Yazelan becomes the head of a palace in the future, then this Fourth Prince..."
"Unless your master dies young, the Fourth Prince will definitely grow up in Chengqian Palace." Tong Jia Zifu's eyes were full of confidence. "Wu Yazelan is my cousin's woman, but my cousin really has too many women. I am the only cousin in this palace."
In the Yiku Palace, Xiu Yu was sorting out the drawings she brought back from Changchun Garden. Although she felt that Xuanye would most likely not choose these designs, they were drawn by her own hand after all, so she still had to treat them well.
Xiao Tao waited by her side the entire time until Xiu Yu stopped writing. Then he said, "Master Yi is Master Yi. The entire harem is probably in an uproar over the old ancestor's imperial decree. Only you can still work on your designs here steadily."
"I'm bored." Xiu Yu pressed all the drawings with paperweights, then picked up the hand warmer: "The imperial decree of our ancestors..."
"I, your disciple, am speculating without permission. The imperial decree from our ancestor was most likely requested by the emperor for you. But..." Xiao Tao lowered his eyelids, seeming to be hesitant to speak.
Xiu Yu asked with a smile, "But what?"
"But now is somewhat inappropriate." Xiao Tao analyzed carefully: "Think about it, Uya had just given birth to the Fourth Prince, and now the Fourth Prince has already moved into Chengqian Palace. The Emperor rushed to ask for permission. On the surface, it seems to be for the Imperial Concubine, but in reality..."
Xiu Yu felt a little cold, so he stood up and walked into the inner room: "What's the actual situation?"
"Actually, the one who will benefit is the empress who gives birth to the next prince—you, my master!" Xiao Tao was quite disappointed with Xiu Yu's lack of interest in the affairs of the harem. "Originally, the Fifth Prince couldn't be raised by you."
"This is still a distant possibility." Xiu Yu was still a little scared about having a child. "Besides, not everyone in the harem feels the same way as you do."
"Not necessarily? I'm afraid they are all! That Uya Gege looks weak and quiet. Aren't all little white flowers like that at the beginning?" Xiao Tao thought of the novels she read back then, and her heart felt cold: "I think you should pay attention."
"She lives her life, and I live mine." Xiu Yu disagreed: "Besides, this matter really has nothing to do with me."
"Does this matter have nothing to do with you?" Xuanye's voice came closer and closer, and he soon came to Xiuyu's side: "I personally asked the ancestor, and the ancestor hesitated for a long time before making the imperial decree. If you say it has nothing to do with you, I will be sad."
Xiu Yu saw Xuanye coming and asked with a smile, "Why are you here at this hour?"
"Why do you, the Yikun Palace, have rules about when I can come and when I can't?" Xuanye took Xiu Yu into his arms and said, "You're cold, warm me up."
Xiu Yu directly stuffed the hand warmer into Xuanye's arms: "You, warm yourself!"
Xuanye naturally threw the hand warmer to Liang Jiugong, and then glanced at Xiao Tao: "You just said, what is the Uya clan? Little white flower?"
"I'm just talking nonsense." Xiao Tao lowered his head slightly, then an idea struck him: "Uya Gege looks so pitiful, she really does look like a little white flower."
Xiu Yu suppressed her laughter, but still glanced at Xiao Tao, then said to Xuanye, "Shouldn't you be going to Chengqian Palace or Yonghe Palace right now? What are you doing here?"
"Empress Yipin is getting bolder and bolder. She even dared to chase me out of the palace." Xuanye pretended to be pitiful. "I sent some gifts to Yonghe Palace. As for Chengqian Palace, my cousin is now focusing on raising her children. I'm afraid she doesn't bother to greet me, her cousin. So after thinking it over, I decided to come to you and ask for a reward..."
"Huh?" Xiu Yu's eyes were filled with confusion. "What kind of reward are you asking for by coming to my place?"
"From now on, your child and mine can be raised in the Yikun Palace. Isn't this worthy of your reward?" Xuanye said as if it was a matter of course. "Don't you really think that the imperial decree from our ancestors was something I requested specifically for you?"
Xiu Yu lowered her eyelids and whispered, "Having the Fourth Princess by your side, isn't it great?"
"Huh?" Xuanye was puzzled this time. "Fourth Princess is our first child. You like her, and I like her too. There's nothing wrong with that. But you can't be content with just having a daughter, right? You have to give me a few more princes."
One is already fatal, and several more... Xiu Yu raised her head and looked at Xuanye.
Xuanye didn't wait for her to say anything else, and picked her up by the waist: "I don't care what you think in your heart. Anyway, I have done my best, and you must do your best for me, otherwise I will not agree."
When it comes to children, fate is the key. Xuanye said this, but he wasn't really anxious. After all, with his hard work, the Yikun Palace would be bustling with activity sooner or later. In the twelfth lunar month, when the capital city was snowing heavily, he took Xiuyu out of the palace again.
After all, it had been snowing heavily all night, and Xiu Yu could still hear the squeaking sound of the wheels as they rolled over the snow while sitting in the car.
"Didn't they say that reports from all over the country would be pouring into the Palace of Heavenly Purity like snowflakes at the end of the year? How come you still have time to take me out?" Xiu Yu asked Xuanye while looking at the scenery outside through the car window.
Xuanye smiled and said, "It's a good time to take a break from your busy schedule. Besides, the memorials are all here. It doesn't matter if you review them later." As he spoke, he glanced at the memorials piled up like a mountain in the carriage.
Xiu Yu asked, "Are you not planning on returning to the palace? Are you going to live in Changchun Garden again?"
"There are wonderful things in Changchun Garden." Xuanye smiled gently, "I'll take you to see them later."
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