Chapter 181: First Public Appearance at the Morning Court...
Qi Chengming spent the first few days after returning to Beijing going back and forth between the palace and the prince's residence.
He was still in his honeymoon period with Emperor Hongren, seemingly intimate, but beneath the surface lay a bottomless abyss, requiring careful maneuvering. Qi Chengming was on high alert, and every time he entered the palace, he had a clear purpose and intention.
Therefore, he entrusted the entire management of the Prince Rui's Mansion to Song Gu, to deal with those who came to curry favor or take advantage of the mansion's vulnerability, and to guard against any potential weaknesses or chaos during this period. He couldn't even spare the time to visit his maternal grandparents' home, and could only secretly send Ding Mu, who was investigating Wen Er's whereabouts, to deliver a message.
...In two days, he could naturally follow Emperor Hongren's advice from a few days ago and go to his maternal grandfather's house to offer congratulations when his cousin Wang Shuo received the investiture ceremony.
...
In the inner palace, Qi Chengming's recent shower of favors has also attracted the attention of some people.
Consort Shu sat angrily in the hall and threw a pillow at the screen in frustration.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please calm down!" Two senior palace maids tried to persuade her, while a junior palace maid hurriedly went to pick up her pillow and steady the swaying screen.
The Emperor was spending money on wars in the capital, and he couldn't stand the extravagance and waste in the harem. Consort Shu didn't even dare to throw away a cup, and when she was angry and competitive, she could only vent her anger on the pillow.
"Who does the Second Prince think he is! The Emperor is really something..." Consort Shu's chest ached from holding it in, and after a long while, she couldn't help but blurt out her complaints, full of resentment.
Her son was so well-behaved and gentle. After being scolded by his father, he was so frightened that he dared not do anything. He was cautious and timid every day, yet he had to show the demeanor of an elder brother. In the imperial court and the study, he always had to hear hurtful words like "your second brother and your seventh brother are clever and quick-witted."
It's been so long, does His Majesty only have eyes for the Second Prince?
Most importantly… yesterday, the person accompanying the emperor was none other than Consort Shu herself! The moment Prince Rui entered the palace, the emperor abandoned her, leaving her utterly humiliated. Didn't this favored consort have any dignity?
However, upon hearing that his mother was unhappy, the eldest prince hurriedly came to pay his respects and advised, "Mother, my second brother is now favored by Father. We must not be the first to steal the limelight!"
Since his rise to power after being neglected, the eldest prince has felt the difficulties he has faced. He has become more low-key, and no matter how uncomfortable he feels, he is no longer as naive as he was a few years ago, when everyone could see that his disguise was inadequate.
The eldest prince still harbored resentment, remembering how one of his younger brothers had dealt a heavy blow to his third brother, unexpectedly demoting him to a commoner. He hadn't yet found the mastermind behind it all, so the eldest prince would no longer underestimate any of his brothers; he suspected all of them equally.
Consort Shu reached out and gently stroked her son's handsome face, her voice filled with heartache: "Mother knows, Mother won't cause you any trouble. It's just that with your second brother back... our lives will be even more difficult from now on."
How could Consort Shu not have any thoughts about the eldest prince after giving birth to him?
Having finally subdued the most threatening Third Prince, only to have another problem arise. And now, before she could even contend with the Empress's sixth son, the Second Prince, whom she had never taken seriously, has made a stunning comeback. How could this not cause Consort Shu great anxiety...
No one knew what the eldest prince was thinking, but he gently and softly advised his mother:
"Let's just live our own lives quietly for now. Our eldest son will be going to school in two years. If we have more children, Father, when you look back, you'll see that the third generation only has children from our family. Wouldn't that be unique?"
The Emperor is showing signs of aging.
None of his brothers, from the second to the seventh, got married, while he himself had been married and had children for many years. This was his greatest advantage.
"...You will win your father's favor." Consort Shu nodded in agreement with satisfaction, but not for that reason. Her eyes were full of her son's steady demeanor.
In recent years, Consort Shu has been very worried about her son, but now, looking at the situation in the harem, she has to admit...
The Third Prince was demoted to a commoner, Consort Xian and Consort Shun were stripped of their titles, the Empress was stripped of her palace power, the Sixth Prince was reprimanded in the Imperial Study, and then the Second Prince returned to the capital in a powerful manner...
This series of hardships actually made the son more mature and calm.
It's under these circumstances that cunning develops.
The Prince's Residence.
The Seventh Prince waved away the eunuch who wanted to serve him food, feeling annoyed: "Take these away and distribute them. The Imperial Kitchen is full of people who fawn over the powerful and bully the weak."
"Your Highness, please have some more! Your health is important," the personal eunuch earnestly advised with concern.
Since the Seventh Prince was sent back to the Princes' Residence and forbidden from visiting Consort Liu (formerly Consort Shun), and lost the protection of his foster mother and the care of his father... the Seventh Prince's life has not been so smooth.
The imperial kitchen dared not mistreat him, but the dishes they sent were no longer elaborate; they were merely standard and did not exceed the prescribed limits. The soups and stews were mostly bland and tasteless, and in the dead of winter, they would easily cool down, arriving at the prince's quarters only slightly warm. The Seventh Prince tried to eat, but he could never eat as much as before, merely filling his mouth with a perfunctory morsel.
The seventh prince could tolerate these things, but what troubled him was that every aspect showed that he was no longer valued.
His tutors no longer praised him so much, his father hadn't visited him even once recently, and the once respectful palace servants' attitudes towards him had subtly changed...
It was as if something unseen was constantly slipping through his fingers, no matter how hard he tried to hold on, he couldn't keep it, leaving him only with helplessness...
The Seventh Prince refuses to accept his fate!
As the emperor's youngest son, he was intelligent and quick-witted. Even though he came from a poor background, he remembered winning his father's favor through his own efforts. Now, even though all his arms had been broken, he could no longer afford to be despondent.
There's always a way!
The seventh prince recalled how he had buried himself in his blankets and cried, feeling helpless and confused. A stubborn streak rose in his heart.
Born a prince, he had to fight for it no matter what. Success was everything; at worst, he'd end up like his third brother. Otherwise, he wouldn't die content!
Knowing that he was small and weak, the seventh prince could only rely on his own efforts as always.
He gazed silently out the window, lost in thought. But his eyes, no longer dim and dejected, brightened again: "..."
...
In the former palace of Consort Xian.
The woman, who could only be called Consort Xue, paid no attention to the recent commotion in the harem and stayed in the palace to spend the winter peacefully.
The small kitchen here was filled with the pleasant aroma of soup. Consort Xue sat on the couch, surrounded by five or six trusted palace maids she was used to serving. They all inquired about the well-being of one of the maids.
"Xiangzhu, your injury has just healed. Sit down quickly and let us serve you this once." "This soup tastes best when it's hot, so please don't refuse!"
"Your Majesty—" Xiangzhu's cheeks flushed red from the teasing and encouragement of the crowd. When she met the Empress's amused gaze, she begged for mercy, "Please spare this servant!"
She was extremely grateful, yet also experiencing a bittersweet mix of pain and joy, which was simply too much for her to bear.
Looking around the palace, which other lady is as kind-hearted as her, willing to trespass into the palace of the previous dynasty for someone of her lowly status, and risk the prestige of the Imperial Prison to protect her?
Although Xiangzhu returned in time, her injuries took a long time to heal. After gradually recovering, she learned that none of the trusted maids and eunuchs from the main palaces of the empresses involved in the incident had returned. She was the only exception.
How could Xiangzhu not be extremely grateful?
After that, His Majesty never came to the palace again, which thoroughly angered the Emperor. The Empress didn't care, but only instructed the palace servants to take good care of her. Xiangzhu, with tears in her eyes, swore in her heart that she would do anything for the Empress, while also worrying about the Empress's situation.
With the situation outside in such turmoil, Xiangzhu was anxious to share the burden for her master, and a thought suddenly popped into her mind.
"Your Majesty," she said softly, unsure if her plan would succeed, "I've heard that the Second Prince has developed a very close relationship with His Majesty since returning to the capital. Perhaps we...?"
Although Consort Hua was posthumously granted the title of Noble Consort, to be blunt, once a person dies, they are gone. They are not as helpful as the concubines who are still alive and well in the harem.
But then again... does the Second Prince realize the potential power he would lose if he didn't have a mother in the harem?
Consort Xue's hand froze in mid-air as she looked over in surprise: "Xiangzhu, how could you have such thoughts? We're perfectly content staying in the palace, why go looking for trouble..."
The rights and wrongs outside.
"You've always known me...you've always known me. What does it matter to us whether this stove is lit or not?"
At this, another palace maid's smile faded slightly, and she also became worried. After a moment of thought, she echoed, "Your Highness, Xiangzhu is right. We may not be the ones to cook in this hot stove, but... we can't afford to offend her."
She was alluding to the attack on the second prince that had recently caused a major upheaval in the palace.
Even though Consort Xue knew that she and her family were innocent, whether she was misled, seduced, or had trouble caused by a distant relative trying to pull strings, her family members had indeed taken action. Even the Emperor knew that the Xue family had been used as pawns, which is why the punishment wasn't ruthless.
But this action might offend the Second Prince...
Now that the Second Prince has returned to the capital, if she doesn't even make a move to make amends or show any attitude, wouldn't she be offending him terribly?
Thinking of this, Consort Xue instructed the palace servants to pay close attention to the situation and find an opportunity to send someone to apologize. As for whether or not to continue the charade, Consort Xue hadn't even considered it.
Even this simple idea of making amends has become a difficult one nowadays.
Their connection with the outside world was nearly severed, making it impossible for them to apologize at Prince Rui's residence. The Second Prince, having entered the palace, mostly served in the outer court, and adult princes without mothers rarely visited the inner palace. How to even encounter anyone became a problem…
Xiangzhu, Consort Xue, and the others were all in a dilemma.
Fortunately, the opportunity came soon.
...
It was time for the morning assembly again.
That morning, many people opened their eyes wide with energy. Thinking about the day's events, they were no longer sleepy and arrived early at the palace gates to wait. Everyone knew that His Highness Prince Rui, whom they had never met before, would finally be attending the morning court session.
Observing his relationship with His Majesty, and examining his character and abilities, are key points that many officials are concerned about.
Indeed... a group of ministers who had been quiet for a long time came to pay homage with great excitement.
Another group of officials, however, felt uneasy. Recalling the extensive impeachments and the stains on Prince Rui's reputation during this period, they could only harden their hearts and go down the wrong path.
The ministers had different thoughts, and the princes weren't much better.
When Emperor Hongren sat on the dragon throne, he glanced down and laughed in exasperation: "It seems all of you ministers have come today."
Even the eldest prince, who was terrified after being reinstated this year and wouldn't attend court unless assigned a task, came!
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