Chapter 8 A Superficial Father-Son Relationship
On the other side, the Empress Dowager successfully secured the position of Prefect of Jingzhao for Prince Heng. While she was overjoyed, she heard the Emperor sneer, "It's good to be young, carefree, brave and fearless. You don't even ask for a position yourself."
The Empress quickly explained, "Actually, Shang'er is quite ambitious. Even when he was little..."
The emperor slammed the memorial he was holding onto the table. "It's because you spoiled him that he's so willful and reckless. If he had ambition, he wouldn't spend all his time thinking about women and doing nothing all day. Even if you gave him the position of Prefect of the Capital, could he do it well?"
The Empress's face turned pale and then red, her nails digging into her flesh without her noticing the pain. She suddenly looked up, staring directly at the Emperor. "Your Majesty, even your favoritism doesn't have to be this extreme! If Your Majesty were just a little fair and let him be like the other princes, would he be so idle all day? Your Majesty, every word you uttered was belittling him. Remember how clever he was as a child..."
As the empress spoke, she began to recount Xie Shang's great achievements in his childhood, all because the emperor disliked her, which led to her son being unjustly disliked by the emperor.
The emperor frowned deeply, and his deafening roar echoed throughout the hall, "Have you made enough of a scene? What kind of behavior is this, Empress? Is this all there is to being an Empress...?"
The Empress trembled violently from the shouting, not out of fear, but because the Emperor's harsh words were like sharp blades cutting into her heart, causing her to bleed. Was this how he despised her?
With a sharp "bang," the door to the Imperial Study was pushed open, revealing Xie Shang standing outside with an icy expression, staring blankly at the Emperor at his desk.
The Empress turned her head and, disregarding her grief and lack of manners, hurriedly said, "Shang'er, why don't you quickly pay your respects to your father, the Emperor?"
Xie Shang concealed the coldness in his eyes, stepped into the room, each step heavy, until he knelt before the emperor, then respectfully cupped his hands and said, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."
The emperor's cold eyes stared at him, his voice devoid of any emotion, "Get up!"
"Thank you, Father Emperor." Xie Shang was as respectful as ever.
The emperor had just finished arguing with the empress, and as if nothing had happened, he said, "Your mother later got you a position, and right now the position of Prefect of the Capital is vacant. If you are not up to the task, I will send someone else..." He only said the last sentence because he thought the emperor was going to refuse.
"Your subject will certainly live up to the expectations of Father and Mother. Thank you, Father." Xie Shang cupped his hands, his well-defined fingers clenched into a fist, the force so strong it seemed to reveal bare bones.
The emperor acted swiftly and decisively, immediately drafting an edict and issuing a document appointing Prince Heng as the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture.
The Empress was secretly pleased, but dared not show it. The Emperor didn't even bother to glance at them, and said in a deep voice, "Leave!"
“Father,” Xie Shang said again.
"Is there anything else?"
"Your Majesty, I am in love with General Su's daughter, Su Tingwan. I request that Your Majesty issue a decree that I may marry General Su's daughter as my concubine."
Upon hearing this, the emperor's eyes turned slightly cold and he stared intently at him. The Su family was willing to marry their daughter to Prince Heng as a concubine. It seems that the Su family thinks highly of Prince Heng!
The Empress was so frightened that her heart almost jumped out of her chest. Why would he still want to marry that woman at a time like this?
The emperor's expression was inscrutable. After a moment, he said, "Let your mother decide on such a trivial matter."
He asked Empress Cheng, "What does the Empress think?"
Empress Cheng rolled her eyes and said, "Shang'er has already married the Princess Consort. Whether or not to bring people into the household should be decided by the Princess Consort."
The emperor's lips curled slightly. "Then it's settled!"
The emperor also had his own plans. Without the emperor's bestowal of a marriage, the Su family would certainly be unhappy that Prince Heng had made his daughter a concubine.
"Your subject takes his leave." Xie Shang clenched his fist.
He had intended to ask for a prestigious position for Su Tingwan, but the result was the opposite, and the final decision fell into Jiang Fenghua's hands.
-
After Empress Cheng left, Jiang Fenghua felt a little bored in the palace, so she asked a lady-in-waiting to accompany her for a walk in the garden. It was the perfect time of year when all the flowers were in full bloom, and the garden was filled with flowers that were vying for attention and blooming beautifully. She had a faint smile on her face. As expected of the Empress's palace, it was magnificent.
The weather was rather hot, so Jiang Fenghua asked a female official to find her a fan. The round fan with gold embroidery depicted a girl chasing butterflies. The girl's figure was light and graceful, and her spinning body seemed to be dancing.
In this setting, Jiang Fenghua also wanted to take advantage of the scenery to dance lightly. She parted her red lips and began to sing: "Red dress sways, each step a flower, makeup is beautiful and reflects the rosy clouds, phoenix crown and wedding robes, golden and embroidered, heart joyfully I marry into your family..."
The melodious singing attracted the attention of the palace maids and eunuchs in Kunning Palace. Everyone smiled and their eyes were full of amazement that Princess Heng had such a beautiful singing voice and such charming dancing.
She moved with graceful steps, her figure swaying like a willow in the spring breeze. Her eyes were deep and dreamy. As she sang "Red Makeup," her eyes seemed to hold a thousand words, completely immersed in her own world.
The round fan in her hand was more like her weapon, and the small garden seemed to have become her battlefield. Her ten fingers were slender, her arms were outstretched, and she was agile and boneless. She twirled and leaped, her purple skirt fluttering like a blooming purple peony, beautiful and flamboyant, intoxicating.
The people around her seemed to be infected by her dance moves, becoming enthusiastic and excited.
Jiang Fenghua's every smile and gesture exuded charm and shyness, perfectly reflecting her state of mind when she first got married.
When Xie Shang returned to Kunning Palace, he saw Jiang Fenghua's graceful dance and heard her beautiful singing voice. The gloom in his heart seemed to dissipate instantly, and the smile on her face seemed to melt away all the coldness in the world.
Only then did he realize that Jiang Fenghua had also married him with beautiful wishes; she had hoped to spend her life happily with her husband.
Empress Cheng, still seething with anger, returned a moment later than Xie Shang. She was in no mood to enjoy the singing and dancing. Suddenly, she saw the garden crowded with people and, not knowing what was going on, shouted angrily, "What are you all doing here?"
Instantly, the surrounding palace maids and eunuchs scattered, and the sounds in the garden came to an abrupt halt. Jiang Fenghua looked up and saw Xie Shang and Empress Cheng arrive. She was so frightened that she fell to the ground unexpectedly, then cried out in pain and went limp.
Empress Cheng approached and asked, "What were you doing just now?"
Jiang Fenghua lowered her eyes and answered softly, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I found the garden so beautiful that I couldn't resist dancing there and accidentally tripped and fell."
Empress Cheng was angered by the Emperor and wouldn't hold a grudge against Jiang Fenghua. She said coldly, "Get up!"
"Yes." Jiang Fenghua bit her lip and tried to get up, but the pain in her ankle was unbearable, making her face pale. She was covered in sweat and didn't know what to do.
Seeing her clutching her ankle, Xie Shang asked in a low voice, "Did you sprain your ankle?"
Jiang Fenghua lowered her starry eyes, looking pitiful, and nodded, "It seems so..."
When Empress Cheng saw her son showing concern for Jiang Fenghua, a hint of joy flashed in her eyes. "Summon the imperial physician."
Then he ordered the palace maids to help Jiang Fenghua up.
She struggled to her feet, a sharp pain shooting through her ankle, bringing tears to her eyes and making it impossible for her to move forward even a fraction of a step.
Xie Shang strode forward, picked her up, and carried her towards the inner hall.
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