Chapter 72. Everyone is happy.
The emperor nodded in satisfaction: "You can share my burdens, and my mother will be very pleased."
He'd probably be so relieved he'd vomit blood, Chu Heng thought to himself.
Chu Heng straightened up and said, "Yes."
"However, don't let things get too tense with your mother," the emperor added.
Chu Heng lowered his head and said, "Your subject understands."
Given Chu Heng's status, he is well-suited to playing both sides. The Emperor needs to make the Empress Dowager believe that she still has a chance to win over Chu Heng so that he can gain more benefits from it.
The emperor patted him on the shoulder encouragingly: "You should also go and pay your respects to the Empress Dowager."
"I have one more thing to say," Chu Heng said, remaining seated. "Yesterday, my brother said that the Empress Dowager wants to arrange a marriage between the eldest prince and a girl from the Fang family. I think this is a feasible plan."
The emperor was not angry, but frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"
Chu Heng lowered his eyes and said, "Whether the eldest prince marries a woman from the Fang family or not, the Fang family is always the Empress Dowager's maternal family, and also... my brother's and my maternal grandparents' family."
The emperor paused, then murmured, "This is truly a case of those involved being blinded by their own perspective."
Whether the Fang family helps the eldest prince or not depends not on the eldest prince, but on the Empress Dowager.
The emperor should not treat the other side as a formidable enemy, nor should he always act openly and aggressively. He should instead plot slowly and divide and conquer.
She's just a girl. What difference does it make if she's given to the eldest prince? Does the Fang family lack a girl?
Why is it that only the eldest prince's principal wife can make the Fang family's daughter the empress?
The Empress Dowager was not the late Emperor's first wife.
The emperor quickly began to calculate in his mind how he could bait the Fang family with a carrot, causing the Fang family to disintegrate from within, so as to achieve his own goal.
After a long while, the emperor finally came to his senses. He looked Chu Heng up and down and smiled thoughtfully: "Fifth brother's words are very insightful."
Chu Heng bowed his head respectfully: "Your Majesty is confident in your plans; I am merely adding unnecessary details."
The emperor patted him on the shoulder again: "You should tell your mother this good news."
"yes."
Chu Heng left Haiyan Palace. It was still very hot at the end of June. He rode in the imperial carriage bestowed by the emperor and headed towards Renshou Palace.
As the emperor's younger brother, Chu Heng had enjoyed many special privileges, but it was time for him to pay back for everything he had received.
"The son greets his mother."
The Empress Dowager was reclining on her large pillow when she heard this and said weakly, "Mmm."
Shuangyun brought over a stool and invited Chu Heng to sit down: "Since yesterday, the Empress Dowager has been feeling chest tightness and headache. She called the imperial physician to prepare medicine for her, but she is still not getting better."
Chu Heng said, "An army comes like a landslide, but an illness is like pulling silk; one must take it slow and steady."
Shuangyun handed over another cup of tea: "Your Highness is right."
The Empress Dowager kept her eyes half-closed, looking like she didn't want to talk to anyone.
Chu Heng said, "Your Majesty just said that Mother's mood is probably not good during her illness, and you discussed with me how to cheer her up."
The Empress Dowager opened her eyes wide: "Just try not to upset me."
Chu Heng didn't care at all, and just smiled: "Since I have advised my elder brother, why not grant my mother's wish and arrange for the eldest prince to marry a girl from the Fang family? This would strengthen family ties and bring double joy, and I'm sure my mother would be happy."
The Empress Dowager's eyes, which she was about to close, suddenly widened: "What did you say... So you know how to be filial to me now." She quickly changed her tone, her eyes fixed on Chu Heng.
Chu Heng said, "I am trying to share my mother's burdens, and I hope my mother can understand my situation."
The Empress Dowager paused, realizing that he was making a deal with her. "Well, this kid is really becoming more and more promising."
"How could I not understand you?" The Empress Dowager pondered. Yongkang's marriage had been at an impasse with the Emperor for a long time, leaving her only with a belly full of anger. The Empress Dowager took this as a lesson and felt that the marriage between the eldest prince and the second prince needed to be resolved quickly to avoid further complications.
If Chu Heng could persuade the emperor, that would be good, but... what makes him think he can persuade the emperor?
Forget about filial piety. If the emperor were truly filial, he wouldn't always go against her wishes.
"It's clear that you brothers never understand me." The Empress Dowager slowly sat up straighter.
Chu Heng understood the Empress Dowager's meaning and said, "It's just a prince's consort; making Mother happy is more important."
The Empress Dowager helped Shuangyun sit up slowly. Indeed, she was just a prince's wife. Even if she was the crown prince's wife, so what?
The outcome cannot be determined until the very last moment.
For the emperor to issue an imperial decree to grant the marriage, the Empress Dowager would probably have to make concessions, but it didn't matter... The Empress Dowager smiled confidently; she was always the winner.
Chu Heng looked at the Empress Dowager and smiled slightly. She had forgotten that she was supposed to pretend to be sick, and he had also played the role of a miraculous doctor.
The Empress Dowager looked at Chu Heng and said, "Both the Emperor and you are filial and good children."
The facade of royal harmony can be maintained for the time being.
...
Three days later, the emperor issued three imperial edicts to bestow marriages. The first was for Princess Yongkang to marry the youngest son of Princess Zhaoyang, and the second and third were to appoint the eldest prince and the second prince as their principal wives.
"The Left Censor-in-Chief?" Daiyu said, "So this is the in-law whom His Majesty has chosen."
Chu Heng said, "The Left Censor-in-Chief was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), spent a few years in the Hanlin Academy, later served as the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, and was the chief examiner for the three metropolitan examinations. He has students all over the world."
Daiyu nodded and smiled, "They are a good in-law family."
Chu Heng also smiled: "Compared to the Fang family, the only difference is the word 'expensive,' but that's the least important thing."
The emperor placed his bet on the second prince; if he won, the Fu family would surely become incredibly wealthy and powerful.
Daiyu poured herself a cup of tea and said, "The undercurrents are just beginning."
Chu Heng's attention had already shifted elsewhere: "Why are you suddenly drinking tea?"
"This is tribute tea bestowed by His Majesty. Let me try it." Daiyu poured him a cup as well. "You should try some too."
Chu Heng took a sip, savored it for a moment, and said, "Hmm... I can't taste anything."
Daiyu couldn't help but laugh: "I heard it's even better when soaked in spring water. I've already sent someone to fetch water from the mountain. You can try it again another day."
Chu Heng smiled and shook his head: "This is just like my chess skills; I'm afraid they can't cultivate the refined taste of fine tea."
"Fortunately, Your Highness has other refined interests." Daiyu blinked. "Yesterday, someone even asked Your Highness to appreciate their calligraphy."
Chu Heng said with great regret, "His Majesty wants me to be a loyal minister who relies solely on him. Miss Lin, even if someone were to give me ten pieces of calligraphy by Wang Xizhi, I would have no choice but to give them up with a heavy heart."
Daiyu swirled her teacup: "It's clearly not yours, why are you so attached to it?"
"It should have been mine," Chu Heng said regretfully. "I have missed out on so many good things. I should ask His Majesty to reward me with some more another day, otherwise I'll just be doing things for nothing."
Daiyu nodded seriously, but couldn't hide the smile in her eyes: "That's right, we can't let ourselves be taken advantage of."
The emperors didn't mind Chu Heng asking for a reward; on the contrary, they were quite happy to. If Chu Heng hadn't asked for anything, the emperors would have thought something was wrong with him.
Instead of worrying about things that are already set in stone, Chu Heng and Daiyu chose to face the future with composure and optimism.
Daiyu added, "While the Empress Dowager is in a good mood, I will go to the palace to pay my respects tomorrow."
Chu Heng immediately said, "I'll go with you."
Daiyu did not refuse, but said, "I will also take Granny Zhao with me."
In order to test the Empress Dowager's next move, they did not believe that the Empress Dowager would give up so easily.
Chu Heng nodded, then sneered, "The Empress Dowager is not a forgiving person. What happened that day will not be so easily forgotten. She will find fault with us again in the future."
"Let's search," Daiyu said, taking it all in stride. "We'll deal with whatever comes our way."
Chu Heng squeezed her hand.
Fortunately, no matter what lies ahead, they always have each other by their side.
The next day, during the visit to Renshou Palace, the Empress Dowager acted as if nothing had happened, never mentioning the matter again, and only chatting about everyday matters.
After a while, the Empress Dowager suddenly seemed to remember something: "That's right, Shuangyun, go and invite the Empress and the First Prince. Yesterday's happy occasion was all thanks to Heng'er. We should have Jie'er thank his fifth uncle."
Chu Heng smiled and said, "It's all thanks to Mother's hard work in taking care of her grandson; I haven't done anything."
"The Emperor is stubborn. If it weren't for your mediation, he wouldn't have come to his senses so easily," the Empress Dowager said with a smile. "Fortunately, Yongkang, that troublesome child, has now found a home, and I will soon have a granddaughter-in-law. It's truly a happy ending for everyone."
Daiyu shook her head inwardly, but said aloud, "Yes, if it weren't for the Empress Dowager's concern, there wouldn't be such a joyous occasion."
The Empress Dowager, like a loving mother, looked at the two of them and said with a smile, "If you give me another grandson, it will be a double blessing."
Daiyu blushed and lowered her head, remaining silent.
Chu Heng smiled and said, "Mother already has so many grandchildren, why bother urging her son?"
The Empress Dowager said sternly, "I have no shortage of grandchildren, but you are lacking a few children. When your elder brother was your age..."
The Empress Dowager began to ramble on and on. Daiyu glanced at Chu Heng, who tapped the back of her hand. He said there was no need to speak now; they should wait for the Empress Dowager to finish her performance.
Only when the Empress and the First Prince entered together did Chu Heng and Daiyu temporarily stop their act of playing the role of harmony with the Empress Dowager.
Chu Heng and Daiyu rose to pay their respects first, and the Empress smiled and said, "Fifth brother and sister-in-law, there's no need for such formalities."
They bowed to the eldest prince again, but the empress quickly said, "Please don't do that. He is just a junior. How can he be worthy of the respect due to his uncle and aunt?"
The Empress Dowager also said, "This child is being treated too harshly."
The eldest prince has no rank or title, while Chu Heng and Daiyu are a prince and a princess, respectively. According to the rules and etiquette, the eldest prince should not accept their courtesy.
But what can you do when he is the emperor's son and the empress dowager's eldest grandson?
This ceremony was not performed for the eldest prince, but for the emperor and empress dowager.
Just like now, the Empress Dowager said this, but she really didn't perform the proper etiquette. The Empress Dowager might not be unhappy now, but she might feel uncomfortable when she thinks about it someday.
After all, in the Empress Dowager's eyes, her son was her son, but her grandson was the crown prince in the making, and not paying respects to him would be disrespectful to her.
The eldest prince bowed to Chu Heng and Daiyu again before the group returned to their seats under the kind gaze of the Empress Dowager.
The Empress looked radiant and spoke to Daiyu with more warmth than before. Daiyu thought to herself that it must be because Chu Heng had arranged the eldest prince's marriage.
Did she also think victory was assured?
It's good to have a big tree to lean on, but is the Empress Dowager really a solid tree?
Daiyu did not think so.
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