“Your Highness, sometimes rumors are more dangerous than tigers! Especially in the face of such a severe drought. The common people are more inclined to believe that a monstrous star has descended upon the world, causing such great suffering. At present, this drought, which spans a large area of North China, is coming on strong, and we don’t know how it will end,” Da Hui said.
“Indeed, Your Highness, a severe drought has already appeared. Could it be that some ominous star has truly descended upon the world?” said Master Heng, the tutor of Prince Zhi, stroking his beard.
Yinti pondered for a moment, and seeing that his teacher had spoken, he also began to take this rumor circulating in the capital seriously.
"Where did this rumor come from?" Yinti asked.
"It's just something that circulates in teahouses and storytelling places, and we don't know who said it. As for this 'demon star,' it's said to be among pregnant women," Da Hui said.
“That’s absurd. There are countless pregnant women in the capital. How could this 'demon star' be found?” Yinti said.
“Your Highness, the matter of the demon star may just be a figment of people’s imagination. Whoever Your Highness wants to say is the demon star, then that is the demon star!” Da Hui said.
Yinti pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Let's postpone this matter for now. We'll have the Imperial Observatory announce the news when the time is right."
Fu Heng stroked his beard and said, "Your Highness, this matter originated from the common people. Why don't we send someone to listen carefully and find out who spread this rumor?"
Yinti said, "Master, do you mean that perhaps someone deliberately spread such rumors?"
Fu Heng nodded and said, "Yes, Your Highness, if you want to use these two people, you must first find out who said this rumor. Otherwise, once you fall into someone else's trap, it will be difficult to get rid of them later."
Yinti nodded. Just then, a loud knocking sounded at the door.
Yinti frowned and said unhappily, "Which dog servant is outside? He's getting more and more unruly."
"Your Highness, the Fujin has sent someone to invite you!" A thud was heard from outside, the sound of someone kneeling down was heard, it was the voice of Chen Shan, Yinti's personal eunuch.
Yinti was taken aback. The First Consort clearly knew that he was discussing matters with these people in the study, and she would never disturb him on ordinary days. Why was she being so inconsiderate today?
Seeing that it was the First Lady who had come to invite the Prince, everyone quickly took their leave. Yinti, seeing that the matter was nearly settled and eager to send someone out to investigate the source of the rumor, dismissed everyone.
Yinti then stepped out of the front courtyard and headed towards the main courtyard at the back. He wondered what could possibly make the First Consort, Lady Jue Luo, send Chen Shan to interrupt his meeting.
Inside the main courtyard, the maids remained as usual. As soon as Yinti reached the entrance of the main room, he saw Lady Jueluo sitting on the main couch, her face looking quite unwell. She did not rise to greet him upon his arrival.
"Shufang, what's wrong?" Yinti felt that Lady Jueluo was very different today, so he asked.
Lady Jueluo looked up as Yinti walked in, thinking to herself: Is this the same Prince Zhi who once shared my joys and sorrows? He was the one among his brothers with the fewest concubines and consorts, and the only one who doted on his wife. She had trusted him so much, giving him everything. But today, he had dealt her a devastating blow, a blow that almost knocked her off her feet.
Seeing how Jue Luo was looking at him, Yinti felt a sudden panic and stammered, "Shufang, what is it? I'm discussing matters with Master Fu and the others!"
"My matter is far more serious, and I have no choice but to ask you to come, Master," said Jue Luo coldly.
Yinti had never seen Lady Jue Luo with such a cold expression on her face before, so he asked awkwardly, "Shuhui, what is it?" He was very unaccustomed to Lady Jue Luo's attitude. After nearly twenty years of marriage, they had long since developed the way they treated each other, and this sudden change was truly difficult to get used to.
"Does Your Highness really have nothing to say to me?" Jue Luo asked, staring into Yin Ti's eyes.
For a fleeting moment, Yinqi felt a pang of panic. Did the First Princess Consort know about Baoyue's affair? But it was only for a second; he immediately dismissed the thought. Baoyue was gone; how could the First Princess Consort possibly know?
"Shufang, I don't know what you're asking about?" Yinti forcefully suppressed the slight discomfort in his heart.
"Your Highness once favored a woman, and this woman has already borne you a son. How long do you intend to keep this from me?" Seeing that Yinti still refused to be honest, Lady Jueluo was extremely disappointed. If he had told her this himself, perhaps she wouldn't be so angry. Although that woman was gone, Yinti still had feelings for her, and they even had a child together. He never even intended to tell her!
Yinti looked at Jue Luo Shi in surprise. He had just held onto a sliver of hope, but all his hopes were shattered in the next moment. He didn't know how Jue Luo Shi knew so much, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond.
"Your Highness," said Lady Jue Luo, "I thought we were a couple who could talk about anything and treated each other with sincerity. But now Your Highness has done such a terrible thing behind my back, without even telling me. I am so disappointed." Actually, if he had told her himself that he wanted to take more concubines and have more sons, it wouldn't have been an unreasonable request. After all, Lady Jue Luo hadn't given birth to a prince for Yinqi, so it was only natural for other princesses to bear him.
"Shufang, I didn't mean to hide it from you. I just didn't want to hurt you," Yinti said to Jueluo Shi.
"You didn't want me to be sad? But the Emperor had someone bring the child to me and told me that the child was Prince Zhi's. This kind of sadness is terrible. As the eldest son's wife, I really feel like a fool. I don't even know what kind of woman my husband married and what kind of child he has." As she spoke, Lady Jue Luo burst into tears.
"No. Shufang, listen to me. She's gone, she's dead. As for that child, I never intended to truly include him in the royal register. You really don't need to be so heartbroken," Yinti said. "By the way, you just said a woman was holding a child and said it was mine?"
"Let them in!" Jue Luo said desperately to her personal maid.
A moment later, two women dressed as foreigners entered, carrying a boy. Prince Zhi almost cried out in surprise; it was none other than Zhuoma and Jin Yang, along with the boy born to Bao Yue.
Prince Zhi stared at the two maids in astonishment, as if they had crawled out of hell. After Bao Yue's death, Prince Zhi had almost forgotten about the two maids. He had almost forgotten about this son as well.
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