"Xiao Jin..." Seeing the child come in, Song Xia quickly got up.
Despite her actions, Jiang Jin could not be impolite and respectfully bowed, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."
“Just call me Auntie.” Song Xia excitedly pulled him up. Actually, she was only five years older than Jiang Jin, but she looked much more mature at the moment.
“Your Majesty, I’m afraid this is against the rules,” Jiang Jin’s wet nurse interjected, instantly causing Song Xia to frown.
She glanced at him sharply: "I am Xiao Jin's aunt, how could you call me that wrong? Who are you, daring to interrupt when I'm speaking to Xiao Jin?"
Jiang Jin spoke gently, "Aunt, this is my wet nurse."
"You're already ten years old, and you still have your wet nurse by your side all the time?"
Upon hearing this, the wet nurse turned pale, and Jiang Jin explained awkwardly, "Your wet nurse raised me from childhood. Today, I have come to pay my respects to you, Aunt, and also to let you see me."
Song Xia softened her expression slightly: "It's not that your aunt has a problem with you. Seeing your rosy complexion, it's clear that she treats you well. It's good to protect your master, but if she makes all the decisions for you, when will you ever be able to stand on your own two feet? Xiao Jin, you are the eldest prince, and you have to set a good example in this palace."
Jiang Jin pursed his lips. His father had never liked him. What use was it if he read a lot of books? His father would only say that he was not as good as his second brother in martial arts, not as good as his third brother in wisdom, and not even as good as the youngest sixth emperor in bravery.
Seeing him lost in self-doubt, Song Xia looked him straight in the eye seriously and said, "Xiao Jin, the first thing your aunt taught you today is not to doubt yourself because of other people's suppression, no matter who that person is."
Jiang Jin looked up in surprise, seemingly not expecting anyone to say that to him.
“Xiao Jin, you must know that you are His Majesty’s eldest son, and your status has been different from that of other princes from the beginning. Therefore, others will have higher expectations and demands of you. In order to prevent you from becoming arrogant, no one will praise you no matter how well you do, because the mission you bear is different.”
is that so?
Jiang Jin was very confused. Although he knew there were many suspicious points in his aunt's words, there was no need for his aunt to make up such a story to deceive him, right?
The others in Fengyi Palace, upon hearing this, were shocked and immediately lowered their heads. Were these words even worthy of their attention? The Empress didn't even try to hide anything? What did she mean by this? Was she saying that the First Prince was the rightful heir? That the First Prince was destined to inherit the throne? Was she criticizing him repeatedly because she had high expectations of him?
How could they not know that His Majesty harbored such feelings for the First Prince? If not, wouldn't the Empress be afraid of His Majesty's reprimand? Even if it were true, wouldn't stating it openly disrupt His Majesty's plans?
Is the Empress truly concerned for the eldest prince, or does she naively believe that this is the truth?
And judging from the Crown Prince's expression, he seems to have actually taken some of what he said to heart. How can we believe that? If not, His Majesty would surely find an opportunity to punish him! Crown Prince, you're foolish!
The eldest prince's wet nurse, in particular, was extremely anxious, and Song Xia found her face irritating.
Although Xiao Jin's wet nurse was one of the few people in the palace who genuinely cared about him, it was precisely because this wet nurse was too timid that Xiao Jin developed a cowardly and timid personality, which led to his inability to make decisions on important matters in the future.
As the eldest son of the legitimate wife, no matter how much his cousin was reprimanded by the emperor, his status as the eldest son of the legitimate wife remained unchanged. In other words, he was the most qualified person to inherit the throne. As long as he did not commit the crime of murdering the emperor and betraying the country, the emperor would find it difficult to depose him.
With such a status, he should be more assertive. Only when he is assertive and confident can he gain the respect of the princes below him and put the court officials who follow him at ease. Otherwise, the second and third princes will think that they are better than the eldest prince and why they can't compete for that position.
Whether the emperor suspects or fears you, do you think that just because you are weak, others won't see you as a threat? Cowardice and timidity are the traits of a rat. There are so many outstanding brothers in the emperor's family. If you're not assertive, you won't be able to control them. Once you can't control them, as the eldest son, if someone wants to take that position, do you think you'll have a good ending?
Therefore, her first step in educating Xiao Jin was to boost Xiao Jin's confidence. Only Xiao Jin, as the eldest son of the legitimate wife, could sit in that position, which would be the best outcome and give the other princes a reason to give up.
As for the consequences if the palace servants overheard what she just said, she wasn't afraid at all. She needed to show everyone in the harem the courage she was prepared to take drastic measures.
"Xiao Jin, you are already ten years old. From now on, you should make your own decisions and not listen to the servants. Your status and position are different, so your considerations will definitely be different."
“But Your Majesty the Empress,” the wet nurse mustered her courage, “the Crown Prince is frequently reprimanded by His Majesty. What if he fails to consider things carefully and is subsequently disliked by His Majesty?”
Song Xia sneered: "You've really thought things through for Xiao Jin, so why are you still like this now?"
"This servant..." The wet nurse was speechless. She wanted to say that it was because of His Majesty's fear, but she couldn't say it, because if she did, she would be finished.
"Since when have royal affairs become something a servant can presume to speculate about? Can you really make decisions for Xiao Jin for the rest of his life? Xiao Jin isn't one year old, he's ten. He's the head of all the princes, and he should have his own thoughts and responsibilities!"
Jiang Jin was shocked by these words. Yes, he was the eldest son of the legitimate wife. How could he be so timid and hesitant in his actions, without any of his own ideas? His mother died unexpectedly, and he hadn't even thought about taking responsibility. Today, he only thought about relying on his aunt. And how much older was his aunt than him?
And then there are the princes' brothers. No wonder they always bow to me reluctantly. If they choose not to pursue the matter the first time they slack off, they will become bolder. The relationship between them changes slowly through testing.
Jiang Jin's expression gradually cleared. Perhaps he had really been too cowardly before. When his mother was alive, he relied on her. After she passed away, he thought of relying on his aunt. Then who could he rely on?
Before, I was timid and hesitant, and that's why my father disliked me. Since I'm not loved by my father no matter what, why not be braver?
"Aunt, I understand." Jiang Jin nodded firmly.
Song Xia looked pleased: "It's good that you can figure it out on your own, but don't be too stubborn. If you encounter a problem that you really can't solve, you can come to your aunt at any time. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Although your father is strict with you, he is still your father. You are ruler and subject, and also father and son. In addition, you also have your aunt and your maternal grandfather."
"Your subject has learned your lesson." Although he was about to decide to take responsibility, Jiang Jin felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. It turned out that making a decision was not as difficult as he had imagined. On the contrary, when he hesitated, he was even more worried and afraid.
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