"Your harshness toward the Ye family actually stems from your past worries. I know how difficult it was for you during your years as the Crown Prince."
If the Ye family could so easily change the late emperor's mind, wouldn't they also change his own?
The Ye family is too powerful.
The equally powerful Shu Chengfeng couldn't possibly be unprepared.
Due to the change in his relationship with the Empress Dowager, he became increasingly wary of the Ye family.
"And you must admit, when you first ascended the throne, you were too young. You were also very ambitious and impetuous. Unlike now." When you first gained power, you held absolute authority and wanted to do whatever you wanted. You ostracized those you didn't like.
The control is too strong.
"Now that your throne is secure and the country is at peace, you have time to think about those things. Actually, you're not wrong. You are the emperor, and it's destined that your thoughts will be different from others."
"Is that so? So that's how I am?" Shu Chengfeng himself seemed to have never thought of this before.
"Yes, guess how I know? Back when you came to me, no matter how good you were to me, you would only give me gifts. But now, you watch my food because I have a stomachache. It's the same with the Ye family. No matter how much you trust and care for them, the Duke of Ye is getting old. He will pass away one day. Now you care for the Ye family, and they have enjoyed wealth and prosperity for generations."
"So, don't feel guilty." Yan Nangui took his hand.
Shu Chengfeng wanted to say that he didn't feel particularly guilty.
But what he could say was, "Sleep with me for a while."
Yan Nangui hummed in agreement and then closed his eyes.
She actually fell asleep.
On the contrary, Shu Chengfeng became increasingly clear-headed.
He looked at the roof beams above his head, his mind filled with many thoughts, yet none of them were particularly focused.
The woman in his arms was fast asleep. He turned his head to look at her.
Her pale face was nestled in his arms, her eyes closed. Her long eyelashes were like raven feathers.
He reached out and touched her cheek, feeling that it resembled the Seventh Princess's face.
He thought to himself, "No wonder they're mother and daughter."
He thought this woman was also heartbroken. She probably couldn't hold onto any resentment anymore; looking at her father and brothers, she no longer wanted to harbor any more hatred.
That's how you understand your own heart.
He sighed softly, no longer wanting to think about these things.
The Duke of Ningguo requested to retire in the twelfth month of that year.
His Majesty naturally wanted to persuade them to stay.
However, before the New Year had even arrived, the Duke of Ningguo submitted three memorials in succession requesting to retire.
This means the decision has been made.
Finally, just before the new year, His Majesty approved it.
After the New Year, the Duke of Ningguo resigned from his official post.
He wasn't young anymore, almost eighty years old. Retirement wasn't unusual for him.
But after that incident, it seems like he's being forced into retirement, and he has no other choice.
But he had no choice but to step down. With the death of Duke Ye, he was already obligated to retire. Now, with the Empress's affair, if he insisted on not retiring, perhaps he would be fine for the time being, but how long could the Ning family maintain its position?
The eldest prince is still young, and he dares not force the current emperor in the same way that the Ye family forced the late emperor.
Besides, times have changed, and coercion is useless.
We have no choice but to back down for now and see what happens next.
The Duke of Ning's concession was not without merit. At least it resulted in Consort Ning being promoted to the rank of Consort Shu. Even though the Empress was dead, at least women from the Ning family still held a position in the harem.
Consort Ning's current rank is not due to favor or childbirth. It's simply because His Majesty wants to improve her reputation.
It was just to save face for the Yue family.
However, it is naturally good for the eldest prince.
Although the Duke of Ningguo had retired and lost his official position, he was still a duke.
Fortunately, everything can still remain the same.
However, it's unknown how long it can last.
In the blink of an eye, more than four years have passed.
After the Empress's mourning period ended, Consort Mei became pregnant with her second child.
He was born last November. He is His Majesty's ninth prince.
Consort Mei was also promoted to the rank of Consort.
The power dynamics within the harem remained largely unchanged. Consort Chen remained the most favored concubine, spending twenty days a month in total on the emperor's bedchamber.
Consort Mei received far less favor. Other concubines received even less.
As for Consort Xiangxian, she rarely serves His Majesty in bed anymore; when His Majesty visits, she only has a meal. Please sit for a while.
"Father Emperor! Father Emperor! Father Emperor!"
The five-year-old seventh princess could run incredibly fast, and even her wet nurse had to run fast to catch up with her.
Shu Chengfeng knelt down and hugged her: "Bao'er, why are you here? Where is your mother?"
"Mother is busy. Bao'er has come to see Father Emperor. Does Father Emperor miss Bao'er?" the Seventh Princess said sweetly.
"Think it over, Father wants you to leave." Shu Chengfeng led her inside.
Yunji muttered to himself, "I slept in Zhaochun Palace last night and played with you until so late. It's only been a few hours since we last met, and you're already missing me again?"
Oh, this seventh princess really knows how to be charming.
"Seventh Sister is here," the First Prince said with a smile.
The princes are all present; today is the day to test their knowledge.
"Big brother, second brother, third brother, fourth brother, fifth brother, sixth brother!" the seventh princess called out sweetly.
The eldest prince is already fifteen years old this year. He's about the age to get married.
Even the sixth prince is seven years old this year.
"Seventh Sister, have you gained weight again? Are you indulging in too much food?" the Fourth Prince said with a smile.
“My mother says that being able to eat is a blessing. I’m still young,” the Seventh Princess said.
"Haha, Mother Consort Chen is definitely right. Then eat more, but you'll grow bigger as you get older," said the Fourth Prince.
Shu Chengfeng waved his hand, signaling everyone to go inside.
He then held the seventh princess in his arms and asked the princes about their studies.
The seventh princess didn't make a fuss; she just listened. When she really didn't want to be held anymore, she got off the ground and sat down on the side to watch.
The princes' studies were all doing well, except for the fifth prince, who was taking medicine for half the year.
It would be strange if they did well in their studies.
This child's personality is really... completely like his mother's, silly, naive and straightforward.
Fortunately, he no longer had the right to compete for the throne, and the scar hadn't faded over the years, so no one cared that he had a bad temper.
After the exams were over, the Fourth Prince said, "Seventh Sister, would you like to go to the Imperial Garden? The new fish are so beautiful, I'll take you to see them."
The seventh princess nodded: "Okay, then fourth brother will take me. Father, I'm off."
As she spoke, she grabbed the fourth prince and ran off.
Shu Chengfeng smiled.
The fourth prince dared not run away directly, but politely took his leave.
After the children left, Shu Chengfeng said, "The fourth one certainly knows how to coax children."
Yun and hehe.
"What are you laughing at? Are they having a bad time these days?"
"How could that be? The Imperial Concubine and the Virtuous Consort are in charge, and they treat everyone in the harem equally," Yun Ji said.
Shu Chengfeng chuckled but said nothing.
He had never done it, but he had seen it. The princes left behind by the late emperor were now clinging to him for their livelihood. Wasn't that how it was?
Consort Rong was out of favor and had not served the Emperor for many years.
It's not unacceptable that the Fourth Prince and the Seventh Princess are close.
Yun Ji also thought that the Seventh Princess was currently His Majesty's most beloved child, and who wouldn't want to curry favor with her?
In the imperial harem, you really shouldn't even mention the genders of the children. Only the favored ones are worth currying favor with.
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