Chapter 043

Emperor Zhanghe ascended the throne at the age of twenty, and it has been fifteen years since then. Fifteen years have passed and he has many children. But for his father, every legitimate son is still a little different.

Jiashan was his first child, and also the first child of the Empress. This daughter was born smart, and quite straightforward. With Jiashan as a shining example, Emperor Zhanghe naturally looked forward to the second child of him and Empress Pei. What he never expected was that the heavens would not pity him, and his only legitimate prince would be a person with a disability.

A blind man cannot be an emperor. When the legitimate son loses his right of succession without a doubt, the balance between legitimate and illegitimate sons is bound to be broken. The palace is a place where storms are likely to arise. Only by taking one step at a time can we know how much mud and undercurrents are beneath the invisible vortex.

Emperor Zhang He sat upright, the black dragon pattern on his cuffs was as dark as ink.

Jiashan leaned forward slowly, and moved his lips slightly: "I really dare not hide it from my father. Last night, when Yuankang and I were together, Yuankang's eyes had a moment of recovery."

Emperor Zhang He was slightly startled, his expression obviously slowed down for a moment.

Jiashan said: "Youcheng is already fifteen years old this year. I heard that my father and Concubine Zhuang are planning to choose a wife for him. According to the rules of this dynasty, after the prince gets married, he can learn to attend court and govern the country."

"Over the years, because Yuankang is blind, Youcheng has always been the eldest son. He is undoubtedly the most preferred candidate for the crown prince in my father's heart." Jiashan's tone was very gentle, and even the slightly frowned brows were relaxed. She said softly, "But if Yuankang can regain his sight, he will have the status of a natural legitimate son, and Youcheng and Concubine Zhuang will inevitably fall into an awkward situation."

Zhang Hedi tapped his knee with his index finger. He laughed with an inaudible tone, and looked at Jiashan with his dark eyes.

"Do you know that this statement violates my taboo?" Emperor Zhanghe said calmly, "The harem is not allowed to interfere in government affairs. Even if your mother were still alive, she would not dare to ask me, the future crown prince, so blatantly."

Jiashan said meekly, "I know."

"I just think that no father would want to see his own children quarreling with each other." Jiashan's eyes were dark and clear. When the corners of his eyes were raised, he looked about 60% similar to Emperor Zhanghe.

She turned her head and said gently, "In the prosperous Li Tang era, even though Emperor Taizong was a wise and intelligent person, the Xuanwu Gate Incident still caused the three generations of the Li family to lose their distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, and the pain of the family being torn apart."

"I think that is definitely not what Taizong would like to see." Jiashan touched the cold brick floor with the tip of her forehead and opened her rosy lips. "In my heart, your father is as wise as Taizong. Perhaps you don't want to see the scene of blood separation."

Both father and daughter are smart people, and some things should never be said too clearly. Given Jiashan's status, it would be a huge overreach to say this. After all, she is the emperor's daughter, not a minister.

After hearing this, Emperor Zhang He remained silent for a long time.

Although Jiashan's face was still calm, his brows, which had just been relaxed, suddenly furrowed again without him noticing.

Zhang Hedi's eyes were cold, he lowered his eyes and looked at her. After a long silence, he gently placed the teacup in his hand on the table beside him.

He leaned back slightly, placed one hand casually on the back of the pearwood chair, and said softly, "You've been kneeling for so long, stand up and talk."

Jiashan calmed down a little, but still didn't dare to show it on his face. He just said, "Yes."

There was plenty of charcoal fire in the inner room, and Jiashan was sweating without even realizing it. Her cheeks were slightly red, and she waited quietly for Zhang Hedi's words.

Emperor Zhanghe kept his eyes on Jiashan. He said, "Sometimes, I feel sorry that you are not a man. If your mother had given birth to a son, maybe -"

Zhang Hedi paused, his eyes sharp, "I won't be in a dilemma anymore."

Jiashan smiled and said in a gentle voice, "Father, your words are really flattering to me."

"If I were a man, your father might have other worries." Jiashan's smile was slightly heavy, and her tone was gentle and peaceful. "Ask yourself, if I were Yuankang's brother, the relationship between Yuankang and I would definitely not be as close and smooth as it is now. As a father, perhaps you still have to worry."

Emperor Zhanghe smiled, slowly exhaled his anger, and said thoughtfully: "When will Kong Lihui come to the palace again? Since he has been effective in treating Yuan Kang, I should at least meet him."

Hearing her father say this, Jiashan's palms couldn't help sweating. She raised her eyes slightly, smiled and said, "On the fifth day of the first lunar month, he will come in with my aunt. I will definitely let him go to greet my father."

Zhang Hedi said "hmm" lightly, he restrained his smile and fixed his eyes quietly on Jiashan.

After a moment of silence, he raised his eyebrows and said, "If Yuankang can show the grace and bearing that a legitimate son should have, I will naturally give him the honor that he deserves."

"I didn't want him to interfere in government affairs before, but I was protecting him." Emperor Zhanghe said in a low voice, "You and your mother are both very smart. I hope he will be like you."

Jiashan smiled a little, and she stepped forward to refill Emperor Zhanghe's cup with tea. Jiashan said loudly: "Not only does he look like us, Yuankang is also your child, and he looks a lot like our father."

Zhang Hedi smiled, took a sip of tea, and said slowly, "Hope."

On the fifth day of the first lunar month, Madam Pei brought Kong Lihui into the palace as promised. However, this time, Jiashan ordered someone to bring Kong Lihui directly to the Qianqing Palace to meet the emperor.

In the past few days, Zhao Youze's eyes could only sense light when it was extremely bright during the day. At other times, it was almost pitch black and he could not see anything.

After meeting Emperor Zhanghe, Kong Lihui prescribed several new prescriptions based on the current condition of Zhao Youze's eyes.

Fortunately, neither Zhao Youze nor Jiashan seemed too anxious.

Ten years have passed. If this time there is a ray of hope, there is no need to rush. Anyway, the day after Kong Lihui met the emperor, the news that "the fourth prince's eyes are expected to recover" spread in the palace.

Perhaps, it is not Jiashan that should be in a hurry.

In a blink of an eye, it was the ninth day of the first lunar month. Mrs. Pei took time out to go to the palace and meet Jiashan.

"Tomorrow the Zhan family will send someone to propose marriage. In two days, His Majesty will host a banquet to entertain them. Can you recognize all the people in the Anguo Mansion?" Mrs. Pei was worried about Jiashan and said anxiously, "I was so worried about Yuankang a while ago that I forgot to ask you about this. Don't let anything go wrong before you get married."

According to the rules, the day after the betrothal ceremony, the emperor would entertain the consort and his clan members in the palace. As for the female members of his clan, they would go to the Cining Palace for a banquet, which would naturally be hosted by the empress dowager or the queen.

Jiashan lived in the Anguo Mansion for nine years in his previous life. Even if he had never eaten pork, he had seen a pig running. He could recognize the Anguo Mansion almost exactly.

Moreover, Emperor Zhanghe had already sent Chen Gong to tell her in detail about the situation of the Anguo Mansion.

Jiashan nodded and whispered, "Don't worry, aunt, nothing will go wrong."

Mrs. Pei held Jiashan's hand and asked uneasily, "Who did His Majesty choose to preside over the Cining Palace? Concubine Jing?"

Speaking of this, Jiashan couldn't help but smile and said, "Yes, Concubine Jing. Several aunts will also enter the palace."

Mrs. Pei felt more at ease when she heard that Chengqian Palace did not interfere.

Jiashan looked relaxed. She stretched out a green finger and pointed in the direction of Chengqian Palace. She smiled softly and said, "They don't want to meddle in my business."

"Zhao Youcheng will be getting married in the next two years. The news about Yuankang's eyes has spread out of the palace. Families with daughters are watching carefully, and no one dares to easily promise their daughters to Zhao Youcheng."

"She only has this trump card, and it's a headache," Jiashan leaned on Mrs. Pei intimately and said with a cheerful face, "Aunt, don't worry."

Zhao Youze's eyes became more and more hopeful, and accordingly, some people became more and more anxious. Mrs. Pei's eyebrows were calm, and she gently hugged Jiashan and took out a red gold horse-faced skirt for Jiashan to try.

January 11th is the second day after the lottery.

At 3:30 pm, when the sun was about to set, the banquet started in Cining Palace. Zhan Yue and other male guests went to Baohe Hall for the banquet, while Zhang and other female relatives of the Duke of Anguo's Mansion came to pay their respects to Concubine Jing and the princesses.

The harem had been without a master for many years, and everyone in the court and the country knew that Concubine Jing and Concubine Zhuang worked together to manage the six harems.

Although the incident of Zhang being slapped was not made a big deal, the old lady, Duke Anguo and Zhan Tai all knew about it.

Although Lady Wen also gave Zhan Yue appropriate punishment, Zhan Tai still scolded Zhang in private.

Even before the banquet today, Zhan Tai had specifically told Zhang: "Handle your own identity well. When you go out, you represent the Duke's Mansion. Don't make a fool of yourself in front of the Queen and the Princess. When you see the Princess, be polite to her. Do you understand?"

Zhang agreed superficially, but secretly when she met Jiashan, she still felt something was not right.

Although Zhang was a lady of high rank, she had never seen Jiashan before when she entered the palace. This was the first time she met her. She saw that the eldest princess' eyes were as bright as pearls and her face was extremely beautiful.

Zhang felt really sad and hateful.

With such a good status and such a good girl, how could she be given to Zhan Yue for nothing? How great it would be if she were his daughter-in-law.

After hearing that the old lady was gone, the Duke of Anguo did not remarry. Now the female members of the Duke of Anguo's mansion are headed by Zhang.

Zhang walked forward with a guilty conscience and greeted Jiashan with a clever smile, "Hello, Princess."

When Zhang came, Jiashan was talking to Fu Xiao's daughter-in-law, Song.

She didn't expect that her father would actually invite people from the Fu family!

If we go by the degree of kinship, the Fu family is Zhan Yue's maternal uncle's family, and they are convicted of crimes, so they cannot be compared with the Anguo Mansion.

Jiashan saw a strange woman at the banquet, so he went to greet her. Unexpectedly, he learned that this person was the sister of the deputy envoy of Shaanxi Province, and that she had married Fu Xiao, the only son of the Fu family, a few years ago.

All in all, Zhan Yue has to call her aunt.

The position of Deputy Envoy of the Imperial Court was not too low.

Jiashan nodded when he saw Zhang coming, and said in a deliberate and gentle voice: "The Song family is so noble that they were willing to promise the marriage when the Fu family was defeated. I admire them."

Song also grinned and echoed Jiashan, "Marquis Fu was a man of integrity all his life. We certainly can't be so treacherous and love the rich as to betray our trust."

"My aunt is also very kind."

According to Zhan Yue's generation, Jiashan called Song his aunt.

Song was trying to be humble, but Jiashan said, "We are a family from now on. Will your aunt still be so polite at home?"

Song smiled, and when she looked at Jiashan again, her eyes were less official and distant, and more kind and gentle. She had already accepted the title of "aunt".

After exchanging pleasantries with Mrs. Song, Jiashan finally spared his attention and looked at Mrs. Zhang beside him.

Others might not understand what Jiashan and Song were saying just now, such as "disdaining the poor and loving the rich" and "betraying one's faith and righteousness", but Zhang saw it clearly.

Back then, after the Fu family got into trouble, Duke Anguo abandoned the Fu family's engagement and married Wu Chongbo's daughter. Wasn't it just seeing the Fu family's great tree fall, which proved the saying that he despised the poor and loved the rich, and was treacherous?

Zhang smiled numbly. At this moment, she realized how unfriendly the princess was to them. If that was the case, why did she marry into the family?

Zhang said politely, "Fourth brother has had a miserable life in the first half of his life. Princess, you will have to take care of him in the future."

Jiashan's face was white and plump, and her complexion was particularly tender in the sunset. She looked at Zhang without blinking and said softly, "This is natural."

"With me by his side for the rest of his life, he will surely be glorious and brilliant." Jiashan raised his eyes and asked brightly, "Isn't that what the Crown Prince's wife said?"