Chapter 068

This time, the person who came to bring the good news was not Xiang Hua, but Chen Gong himself.

Zhan Yue was on duty in the palace that day. Since Jia Shan moved to the princess's residence, for the sake of her reputation, Zhan Yue did not stay every night even when he came to the residence.

So as to avoid spreading any indecent news.

When Su Yu reported that Chen Banban had come, Jia Shan was discussing with Madam Zheng how to manage all the affairs of the Princess's Mansion. Hearing that Chen Gong had come, Jia Shan's face was obviously excited.

She immediately thought of Yuan Kang and said hurriedly, "Please come in."

Su Yu said "eh" and left.

After a while, Su Yu led Chen Gong in.

Chen Gong had served Emperor Zhang He since he was a child, and was older than Emperor Zhang He. When he saw Jia Shan, his face was filled with joyful smiles, and he said softly, "Your Highness the Fourth Prince was able to see it last night. His Majesty had sent me to invite the princess to the palace early in the morning, and there will be a banquet in the palace in the evening."

Jiashan's face flushed, and she nodded and said, "Thank you for your hard work, father-in-law."

Her eyes sparkled, and when the sunlight shone through the window, they looked even brighter. Jiashan casually grabbed a handful of golden melon seeds and gave them to Chen Gong, smiling, "Father-in-law, please don't refuse. This is good news. You must accept it to celebrate."

Chen Gong did not refuse, and said cheerfully: "Princess, you are right. In that case, I would be disrespectful."

Jiashan curled his lips, turned around and asked Su Yu to change his clothes for him, planning to go to the palace with Chen Gong later.

Chen Gong followed suit and left the inner room, and was led by a maid to the flower hall to wait for Jiashan.

Madam Zheng took the clothes from Su Yu's hand and put them on Jia Shan carefully. She said, "I will accompany His Highness to the palace. I haven't seen His Highness for a long time. Now that there is good news, I want to see him too."

Jiashan and Zhao Youze were both raised by Nanny Zheng since they were young. Although Nanny Zheng was not Zhao Youze's wet nurse, she was very close to him.

After hearing what Madam Zheng said, Jiashan said naturally, "Okay."

"When I went back to the palace last time, Yuankang's eyes could already see a lot." Jiashan tilted his head and smiled, "Guess, will Yuankang be able to recognize everyone later?"

Su Yu smiled and said, "I'm sure the Fourth Prince will not mistake the princess, but I can't say for sure about us servants."

Dan Cui said with some annoyance, "Yes. I am the same height as Sister Su Yu. Although our voices and looks are different, the Fourth Prince has never seen us before. Will he mistake me for Sister Su Yu?"

Jiashan shook his head: "No."

"He won't make a mistake." Jiashan said firmly. She chose a plum blossom hairpin with kingfisher feathers and put it on. She looked elegant and dignified.

Dancui and Suyu were both stunned, and Nanny Zheng, who was painting distant mountain eyebrows for Jiashan, was even more furious.

Jiashan, however, smiled and said softly, "Even if you don't speak, Yuankang will recognize you."

"Want to play a round?" Jiashan was obviously in a very good mood today and chatted with a few people.

Dancui was a bit more courageous, so she jumped up and said, "I'll bet with the princess!"

"If I win, Princess, you will buy me roasted chestnuts from the south of the city every day for the next month, okay?" Dan Cui's eyes were shining with excitement, and she obviously felt that this game was a sure win.

She licked her lips and said, "There are so many people in that store. Every time I go there by myself, I have to wait for nearly half an hour before I can get a seat in line."

Jiashan smiled, whether because of her greed or for some other reason, and readily agreed, "Of course."

She couldn't help but glare at him and say, "You little glutton."

"If I win, do you have anything to show you?" Jiashan turned his head and asked her with a smile.

Dancui said dejectedly, "The princess doesn't even like my things."

"In my opinion, it's better to do this," Su Yu heard that the two of them were chatting happily, and she also relaxed her attitude and said, "If the princess wins, Dan Cui will be punished by not being allowed to eat snacks for a month, and I will supervise her for the princess."

Madam Zheng couldn't help laughing, and Jiashan said, "Okay, it's settled then."

Dan Cui drooped her head dejectedly and said casually, "Sister Su Yu said that. I don't know whether I should hope that the Fourth Prince will recognize me or that he won't recognize me."

Her tone was so serious that everyone in the room covered their mouths and laughed, most of them were moved by Dan Cui's cuteness.

Jiashan also smiled, but his remaining eyes glanced at Zheng Ma and Su Yu, who were smiling one by one, and he seemed a little more serious.

After a long time, a carriage drove straight into the palace.

Emperor Zhanghe stayed in Changle Palace last night. He came to see Zhao Youze early in the morning. He had to attend court in the morning. He was busy with government affairs these days and probably wouldn't have time for lunch. He just told the palace maids in Changle Palace to give him a banquet in the evening.

When Jiashan arrived at Changle Palace, Zhao Youze was sitting on the pit, talking to Concubine Jing and her daughter.

Hearing that his elder sister had arrived, Zhao Youze's ears twitched slightly. He listened to the footsteps getting closer and closer, and his face turned slightly red, and he actually felt a little homesick.

After a while, a bright and beautiful woman walked in.

She was dressed like a young woman, with her hair in a reverse bun, her cheeks white, her smile as beautiful as a flower, and she was wearing a lake blue shirt with bamboo leaves, flowers and birds embroidered on it, looking elegant and generous.

Zhao Youze looked sideways and said with a knowing smile, "Sister."

His eyes were not as bright as those of ordinary people, but his gaze accurately captured the direction of Jiashan. Jiashan stretched out a piece of snow-white lotus arm and said to Zhao Youze: "Let sister hug you."

She had never been such an outgoing person before. Perhaps because she had been with Zhan Yue for so long, she could say things like "hug me" and "kiss me" without thinking there was anything wrong with them.

Zhao Youze raised his head and rubbed Jiashan's shoulder.

Zhao Youze smiled and said, "Sister is really pretty. She really looks like Yuan Kang and also like our father."

Jiashan had not been to the palace for a few days, but when she saw him today, she suddenly discovered that Yuankang had reached the bridge of her nose and was about to be taller than her.

She could hardly hold him with one hand.

Jiashan said with a smile, "We are a family, how can we not look alike? But, you clever fellow, are you praising your elder sister, or are you praising yourself in a roundabout way?"

Zhao Youze grinned and said, "It's all exaggeration."

Jiashan picked up a towel and wiped the sweat off his brother's nose: "Yuankang also looks like father."

Her voice was as sweet as an oriole, and her tone was clear and gentle. Jiashan asked, "How do your eyes feel? Are there really no problems at all?"

Zhao Youze frowned and said without any assurance: "Not yet."

"When Doctor Kong entered the palace yesterday, he told my father that since he had recovered, there would be no relapse. I think we should believe him." Zhao Youze raised his head and said, "Is what my sister said right?"

Hearing that it was Kong Lihui who said this, Jiashan nodded and said, "Yes."

Seeing that the siblings were standing and talking, Concubine Jing couldn't help but speak gently, "Yuankang, let your sister sit down first."

Zhao Youze led Jiashan to the pearwood chair and said with a smile, "Sister, sit here. After the afternoon, the sun will shine in. I take a nap here after reviewing my lessons recently. It's warm and comfortable."

As he spoke, his little face suddenly turned red, as if the warm afternoon sun really followed his words and shone on them with understanding.

Jiashan felt extremely tender in his heart. He gently patted Zhao Youze's hand and motioned him, "You sit down too."

However, Zhao Youze did not sit down obediently, but looked up at Nanny Zheng beside Jiashan.

Madam Zheng was older than Concubine Jing, and her face inevitably showed some signs of old age and fatigue. At this moment, Madam Zheng was looking at Zhao Youze with red eyes, her eyes were kind, as if she was looking at her own children and grandchildren.

Zhao Youze's face was pale and his eyes were not bright yet, but he was beaming with joy. He slightly pursed his lips and called softly, "Mammy."

When Madam Zheng heard the call, she could no longer hide the tears in her eyes. She wiped her tears with a handkerchief and responded excitedly, "Hey."

When Zhao Youze was young, Madam Zheng also took good care of him. Knowing that she was an old friend of his mother, Zhao Youze's tone became softer. He whispered, "Madam, don't cry."

"It was my fault," Madam Zheng's eyes were red, and there was a slight bitterness in the corners of her mouth. "Your Highness looks so much like the Empress. When I see Your Highness, I can't help but think of the Empress."

"Fortunately, His Highness is fine now," Madam Zheng bowed and said, "The Queen can also comfort her."

When Nanny Zheng mentioned the Empress, the atmosphere in Changle Palace became silent for a moment.

Zhao Youze smiled and continued, "When the Cold Food Festival comes, I will personally burn incense for my mother and tell her that Yuankang will not let her down."

He said this with a hint of something, as if it was not specifically about "eyes can be healed", and the palace maids in Changle Palace did not dare to respond for a moment. Even Concubine Jing couldn't help but glance at him sideways, but Jiashan was unmoved.

Zhao Youze turned his head to look at the two female officials following Jiashan. After looking at them for a while, he said slowly, "I guess this is Su Yu."

"This is Dan Cui." Zhao Youze turned his gaze to the right side of Jiashan, to another girl who was looking forward to it. He saw the girl suddenly widened her eyes after he finished speaking.

Zhao Youze paused and said, "I think I'm right."

Dan Cui shook her head, surprised and curious, "Your Highness is right, the princess really understands Your Highness better."

Thinking of the bet, several people in Jiashan couldn't help but laugh.

Dan Cui explained the whole story, and after she finished, she sighed and said, "If I had known that Your Highness was so smart, I would never have gambled with the princess. Now it's good..."

She drooped her shoulders, let out a long breath, and began to feel sad about the hard life she would have in the next month.

There was a smile on Zhao Youze's lips, and his voice was like the morning dew, sweet and soft.

He held his face in his hands and said, "Dan Cui is the easiest one to recognize among my sister's maids. She always smells like food."

As soon as these words fell, laughter broke out in Changle Palace.

Dan Cui said shyly, "Your Highness, please don't make fun of me."

Jiashan said happily: "See if you are still greedy."

"Remember our bet," Jiashan said with a smile, "Suyu will help me supervise."

Su Yu was also very happy and said, "Yes."

Zhao Youze leaned on a pearwood chair next to Jiashan, looking at them quietly. He propped his face with one hand, and his eyebrows and eyes looked particularly elegant and picturesque under the bright sunlight.

A few of them gathered in Changle Palace and talked for the whole afternoon.

It was not until the eunuch came to announce the banquet that they went to the Hanyuan Hall together.

In the Hanyuan Hall, besides Emperor Zhanghe, Zhan Yue was also present.

Emperor Zhang He pointed to the seat next to Jiashan and told him, "Sit down."

Zhan Yue readily responded with a "yes" without being overly humble, but sat directly next to Jiashan.

Emperor Zhang He's gaze just turned to Zhao Youze again.

Seeing that Concubine Jing and the others all had different smiles on their faces, Emperor Zhanghe asked, "Maybe they talked about something happy this afternoon, but no one told me."

When his father asked the question, Qinghe answered with a smile, still talking about Dancui's embarrassing incident.

Emperor Zhanghe also smiled and said calmly, "Yuankang is very observant."

"I look at Yuankang and he seems to have grown taller again." Emperor Zhanghe asked calmly.

Zhao Youze nodded, stretched out two whitened fingers to measure, and said: "When the clothing department came to measure my clothes a few days ago, they told me that I grew two fingers taller last year."

"I have never been as tall as my elder sister, but maybe next year, I will be taller than her." Zhao Youze's long eyelashes blinked a few times on his snow-white face, and he grinned and said, "My father and mother are both tall. I think I won't be too short in the future."

Concubine Jing smiled and said, "Yes. Your sister is also considered tall among women."

Although the Pei family originated from Jiangnan, Empress Pei was not like the other girls from Jiangnan. Instead, she was bright and straightforward in both character and appearance.

Jiashan looks like Emperor Zhanghe, while Zhao Youze looks like his mother. However, no matter whether he looks like his father or his mother, he will surely be outstanding in the future.

Zhang Hedi's eyes moved slightly, and the color in his eyes deepened. He said in a calm tone: "Your eyes are healed, and you have grown up."

"It's not appropriate to live with Concubine Jing anymore." Emperor Zhanghe's eyes were dark and calm. He said, "In a few days, move to Duanmu Palace."

Normally, when a prince is six or seven years old, he would leave his biological mother and move to the East and West Six Houses. Originally, it was because Zhao Youze was blind and they were afraid that moving there would make his life inconvenient.

Now that he is no different from a normal prince, he should not be treated differently.

Zhao Youze nodded and said calmly: "Yes."

Jiashan and Zhan Yue looked at each other, and both saw a little relief in each other's eyes.

My father intentionally cut off some of the ties between Concubine Jing and Zhao Youze, wanting to let the world know that Yuankang is the Empress's only legitimate son and will no longer be raised in the concubine's palace.

Thinking of this, Jiashan looked at Zhao Youze tenderly, feeling in his heart: Good times are finally coming.