Chapter 91. Chapter 91. It's your fault.
On the carriage, Chu Heng moved the ice basin closer to Daiyu's feet and said, "It seems that Consort Wu is quite troublesome. Fortunately, we don't live in the palace often. If she wants to win us over, it's easy for us to avoid her."
Daiyu stroked the jade ruyi on her lap: "I don't know much about Consort Wu's temperament. If we can't win her over, will she take her anger out on you and me?"
“If she were a smart person, and His Majesty still thought I was useful, she wouldn’t have had this idea.” Chu Heng clicked his tongue. “Unfortunately, it seems she’s not a smart person today.”
The Emperor is pleased that Chu Heng does not associate with court officials. Does the Emperor really want to see him befriend any prince? Consort Wu doesn't even understand this. With such a mother, the Second Prince has gained another stumbling block on his path to the throne.
Daiyu pondered for a moment and said, "Tomorrow, you should ask the Emperor for your resignation. You have a ready-made excuse."
Chu Heng thought for a moment, then clapped his hands and laughed, "I have a virtuous wife at home! There's no need to wait until tomorrow. I'll go to the palace to see His Majesty this afternoon."
Daiyu glared at him and handed him the jade ruyi: "I don't want to be a virtuous wife."
Chu Heng shook his head and smiled, "Is there a wife in the world more virtuous than my wife? No, there is only you."
Daiyu covered her face: "Please don't say these things outside, I still have to see people!"
“My wife is still the most humble person in the world,” Chu Heng praised with admiration.
Daiyu gently punched him: "You're getting more and more out of line. I'm talking to you seriously."
Chu Heng cupped her fist in his hand: "Go ahead, I'm listening."
Daiyu said, "His Majesty will certainly not want you to resign, but that doesn't matter, because you just need to tell His Majesty your attitude."
Chu Heng continued, "His Majesty would not want me to get involved between the two princes. Only by expressing my stance first will His Majesty not have any suspicions."
Daiyu said, "The Empress Dowager's illness has not improved, and the Emperor has not yet decided on a strategy to deal with the Fang family again. We need to wait and see how things develop so that we can find a way out for ourselves."
Chu Heng nodded, gently stroking Daiyu's hand, and said firmly, "Don't worry, I will think it over carefully. You can't overwork yourself now, just take good care of yourself during your pregnancy. I'll take care of everything outside."
...
In the afternoon, Chu Heng entered the palace to request an audience with the Emperor.
The emperor summoned him and said with a smile, "I heard about your happy news. Why aren't you at home with the princess? What brings you here?"
Chu Heng bowed and greeted her with a cheerful smile: "My wife is pregnant and I am overjoyed. Your Majesty knows that this is the first time my wife and I have become parents. We are very nervous and afraid that we might not do anything right. Fortunately, we have the nanny that Mother gave us by our side, which has put our minds at ease."
The emperor put down his vermilion brush: "You young couple, these things are inevitable. Just ask experienced elders for advice."
Chu Heng then said, "Yes, thank you for teaching me, Your Majesty. I have one more thing to ask of you."
The emperor beckoned: "What are you standing there for? Come and sit down. I have plenty of medicinal herbs and tonics in my treasury. Just tell me what you want."
Chu Heng did not sit down. He cupped his hands and said, "I wish to relinquish my positions as Minister of the Imperial Clan Court and Minister of Revenue and return home to accompany the Princess Consort in her pregnancy."
Upon hearing this, the emperor immediately slammed his hand on the table: "Nonsense!"
The eunuchs, both high and low, inside the hall trembled in fright, nearly collapsing to their knees. Peeking over, they saw that the Prince Duan, who had been reprimanded, was still standing ramrod straight.
“Your Majesty, the affairs of the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs and the Ministry of Revenue are numerous and complicated. I have little free time at all, and I am really worried about the Princess at home,” Chu Heng explained. “Furthermore, I am concerned about the Princess, and I am inevitably distracted in the government office during the day. If I neglect state affairs, I will not be able to explain it to Your Majesty.”
"Moreover, I am of limited talent and learning, and I have only managed to avoid any mistakes by relying on my subordinates who are capable. I believe that it would be more beneficial for Your Majesty to appoint a more capable minister to take over my current duties than to force me to stay." After saying this, Chu Heng bowed solemnly.
The emperor's anger had not subsided, but a closer look would reveal that his anger was only on the surface and did not reach his eyes. Unfortunately, no one dared to look directly at the emperor's face.
"In my opinion, you are deliberately trying to slack off. You finally found this opportunity, and you still came up with these nonsensical excuses," the emperor said.
Chu Heng hurriedly replied, "What I have said is entirely from the heart."
The emperor said, “I have heard and witnessed your work, and I know how capable you are. There is really no need for you to belittle yourself.”
Chu Heng said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I am ashamed."
The emperor snorted, "Since you feel guilty, then you should settle down and work for me. Don't always think about being lazy."
"That's not what I meant..." Chu Heng had barely begun to speak when the emperor glared at him. Realizing the play had ended there, he went along with it and said, "Your Majesty's kindness is appreciated, and I obey your decree."
The emperor's expression softened: "Come and sit down first. Standing there like that makes you look taller."
Chu Heng smiled and sat down: "Your Majesty, I am not as tall as you."
The emperor shook his head, seemingly recalling the past: "When you were growing, you were not healthy and often couldn't eat. I was worried that you wouldn't grow up. Now..." He looked at Chu Heng, "You are going to be a father. I am so happy."
When the emperor said this, he was filled with emotion, like a father or elder brother.
Chu Heng's smile remained unchanged: "Back then, the late emperor couldn't take care of me. It was thanks to my elder brother's guidance that I am where I am today."
The emperor waved his hand and said, "You and I are brothers from the same mother, so we are naturally different from other brothers."
Chu Heng still smiled and said, "Yes, Your Majesty and I are brothers."
After chatting for a while, Chu Heng got up to take his leave. The emperor ordered someone to bring him tonics, medicinal herbs, brocade, cloth, gemstones, pearls, antiques, and calligraphy and paintings.
Chu Heng thanked the emperor and withdrew. The emperor, his hand resting on the rim of his cup, suddenly spoke: "This morning, Prince Duan and his consort went to the palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager. On their way back, they ran into the Imperial Concubine. What did they say to each other?"
An inconspicuous eunuch stepped forward and once again recounted the conversation between Consort Wu and Prince Duan to the emperor.
After listening to this brief conversation, the emperor rubbed his temples; he had a headache again.
Chu Heng is a pragmatic person, and the emperor trusts him completely, but Consort Wu is far too brainless.
She couldn't even see through Chu Heng's predicament. She thought that by winning him over, she could get Chu Heng to speak well of the Second Prince in front of the Emperor, and thus make the Second Prince better than the First Prince.
Little did they know that if Chu Heng had actually dared to speak up for any of the princes, it wouldn't just be Chu Heng himself who would suffer.
As a favored concubine, the emperor was always very satisfied with Consort Wu because she was beautiful and obedient.
As the birth mother of the crown prince favored by the emperor, Consort Wu was truly unqualified.
But what could the emperor do? He couldn't choose his birth mother, and for his son's sake, he had to teach her.
Fortunately, she was always obedient, and the emperor felt that teaching Consort Wu was not difficult.
...
Chu Heng returned home with several cartloads of gifts. The servants of the Prince Duan's mansion were already familiar with this scene, and under Zhao Qing's leadership, they worked in an orderly manner.
The old women heard what the servant said from the second gate and reported it to Daiyu in the backyard. She just smiled calmly and said, "Store it in the storeroom first, and I will look at it another day."
Zijuan brought over a bowl of bird's nest and placed it next to Daiyu: "Your Highness, please try it. As you said, I asked the kitchen to make another bowl."
Because of her pregnancy, Daiyu suddenly found the bird's nest she was used to eating unpalatable today.
Daiyu tasted it, swallowed it, and nodded, saying, "Hmm, not bad."
Zijuan smiled and said, "I'll have them do that from now on. I also asked them to make some sour dishes for dinner tonight, but not any cold ones, because the princess can't eat anything cold right now."
"Even one thing is fine." Daiyu knew that if she didn't take care during her pregnancy, she would suffer in the end, so she didn't insist. "It's only the first month, and they're already telling me I can't eat this or that. Being pregnant is really troublesome."
Chu Heng heard this as soon as he entered the room, and laughed, "When this child grows up, we'll have to teach him a good lesson so that his mother won't suffer like this."
"Nonsense," Daiyu said, displeased. "The child is perfectly fine, and you're saying he needs to be disciplined? How can you be so unreasonable?"
Chu Heng asked in surprise, "Why is it my fault again?"
Daiyu said, "It's you who's wrong."
Chu Heng took off his outer robe, came over to wash his hands, and said in a good-natured manner, "Okay, it was my fault. I'll listen to you and won't scold you."
Daiyu was still unhappy when she heard this. She frowned and said, "Am I throwing a tantrum? I was perfectly fine. Why did I suddenly get angry?"
Chu Heng wiped his hands, sat down next to her, and was even more surprised: "When did you get angry? Weren't we just joking?"
"Really?" Daiyu tilted her head, somewhat uncertain.
Chu Heng found her exceptionally adorable, but because there were servants in the room, he was afraid that Daiyu would be too shy to kiss her.
"Yes." Chu Heng compromised, gently stroking her slender, fair fingers. "Being so rigid is tiring. Let's joke around a bit and relax a bit."
Daiyu wanted to think it over, but Chu Heng said, "Today His Majesty bestowed upon you a ruby of excellent quality. I think it's quite nice. How about we have someone make you a set of jewelry?"
Daiyu's attention was diverted: "Great, red is perfect for the New Year."
"How long until the New Year? This is a bit too early." Chu Heng tapped Daiyu's forehead. "Just wear it once it's made. The New Year will naturally come."
Daiyu couldn't help but laugh, "That's right, it's only summer, and I'm already getting confused." She glanced at the jade hairpin that held Chu Heng's hair in place and asked, "Do you have any good jade to make hairpins for you, and also two crowns?"
"I think so, but I don't remember. Otherwise, Curry has some too. I'll look for it another day." Chu Heng didn't seem to care much. "I don't need these things."
Daiyu retorted, "I don't need anything, so why are you always thinking of making things for me?"
Chu Heng was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Alright, I'll make some new ones too. I'll also make two new outfits to make myself look nice and please our princess."
Daiyu blushed, but she didn't back down: "So all those jewelry and clothes you had made were for me to wear for you to see."
Chu Heng chuckled softly, "Of course it's for me to see. I'd rather no one else see it."
Daiyu was shy and refused to respond to that remark no matter what. Fortunately, Chu Heng was mindful of her pregnancy and didn't tease her intentionally. He turned and asked, "Was dinner ready?"
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