In the evening, the fourth prince arrived at Yiyuan Palace.
He moved out last year, but he comes back often.
Two years ago, His Majesty also renovated the Thousand Autumns Pavilion. The Thousand Autumns Pavilion and the Hall of Joyful Longevity are next to each other, and these two places are specifically for the princes to live in.
They moved here when they turned eight. The fourth and fifth princes also moved out.
"Greetings to my mother."
Consort Rong waved her hand: "Get up and talk. Your mother has ordered a meal to be prepared; we'll eat soon. Are you hungry?"
"It's alright. What did you do today, Mother? I see there are quite a few flowers blooming in the Imperial Garden. Won't you go and take a look?"
“Look, let’s go tomorrow. We all went today because your grandmother summoned us.” Consort Rong then recounted what had happened that day.
"Why is Grandmother targeting Consort Chen so many times? Neither Consort Chen nor Mother are on her side anymore. Judging from Consort Li's appearance, she doesn't seem like someone who can be easily manipulated," the Fourth Prince said.
"These things are none of our business, and I don't concern myself with them. I heard you took the Seventh Princess to the Imperial Garden today?" Consort Rong asked.
"Is Mother trying to persuade me not to do this again?" the Fourth Prince asked.
Consort Rong shook her head: "No. I am useless. I am very content with the life I have today after entering the palace. But you are a prince. It is already bad enough that I can't help you with anything. I will not stop you from doing whatever you want."
The Fourth Prince was somewhat embarrassed: "Actually, I didn't intend to do anything. However, I did deliberately get close to Seventh Sister. In the end, it's also to bring you some benefits, right?" So what if it's a concubine's title?
The mother had little money, and the Jiang family's fortunes declined year by year.
Even with princes, life was still a struggle.
Is it shameful to fawn over others? If fawning over his own sister can make his mother's life better, he wouldn't mind.
"Oh, what do I have..."
"Mother," the Fourth Prince sighed as he called to her, "I know you are a content person. But you also come from a prominent family. Even if you don't seek favor or status after entering the palace, shouldn't your life be a little more comfortable? I never want to see what happened that year again."
Consort Rong fell silent, finally shaking her head: "That year, it was because the Empress had just passed away, and the palace was not busy for a while."
"I'm busy, incredibly busy, but there's a time and place for everything. Everything else can be delivered on time, so why is it late when it reaches Yiyuan Palace? Mother, all I want is for you to have a better life." The Fourth Prince stood up: "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. I know what I'm doing."
Consort Rong could only shake her head and say no more about it.
That year.
That was the year the Empress had just passed away, and the winter clothing arrived half a month late.
Because the Empress's death was a national mourning period, the women in the harem, being concubines, naturally could not wear brightly colored clothes. The palace and the Imperial Household Department were busy changing into new clothes.
There wasn't enough time to rush the production; needles and thread were needed everywhere.
The new fabric arrived half a month late, and all the old, colored clothes were forbidden. The selection of wearable items was very limited.
These clothes are indeed very beautiful, but even the ladies' clothes can't withstand rubbing and washing.
Especially in winter.
During that period, Consort Rong only had two sets of clothes that she could barely wear.
I dare not wash it, so I can only hang it up and wipe it.
When gold jewelry was no longer acceptable, she wore silver. Her clothes, which were already plain, had faded to a white hue because new ones couldn't be made.
This left an impression on the young fourth prince, who felt that his mother was too pitiful, having nothing to wear and no useful clothes.
The more Consort Rong explained, the more he felt that she was enduring humiliation.
Actually... yes and no.
The Empress's departure was so sudden that no one had time to prepare.
Naturally, even if it were sudden, such a thing wouldn't happen to people like Consort Chen and Consort Xiang. They already had many clothes, and the Imperial Household Department's needlework bureau was immediately busy making clothes for His Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and these high-ranking officials, as well as for the princes and princesses.
It's normal that Consort Rong was not favored and was ranked lower.
But if she is favored enough, or has plenty of money, she won't have so few clothes on a daily basis.
They can even pay a sewing service to rush-produce a piece immediately.
So ultimately, it's because life is hard without favor.
They might be fine most of the time, but their true colors will show when it comes to crucial moments.
She herself didn't take it seriously, but her child remembered it deeply.
Meanwhile, the seventh princess insisted on playing with flowers with her father.
It was brought back from the Imperial Garden.
His Majesty was exasperated: "Put it on your mother."
"No, no, Father, take it." The Seventh Princess climbed up his leg and sat in His Majesty's lap: "Father is biased. He likes Mother Consort and doesn't like Bao'er."
"I like it, I like it all." Shu Chengfeng touched her cheek: "Don't talk nonsense."
"Hehe." The Seventh Princess turned her head to look at the wild geese returning south: "Mother, Mother."
"Don't call me that. Don't you like your father?" Yan Nangui was looking at the account books.
I also gave some instructions regarding the incense offering.
"Father said Mother is being stingy and just being coquettish. Mother isn't a child anymore, how embarrassing for her to still be acting like that." The Seventh Princess rubbed her cheek.
"Leave me alone. You love your father the most, why are you still talking to me? Tomorrow, you and your father will move to Beichen Palace." Yan Nangui said without turning her head.
"Hahaha, Father Emperor sees Mother is angry." The Seventh Princess ran down again and hugged Yan Nangui's leg: "I love Mother, I love Mother the most, Mother is the most beautiful! Sixth Sister's mother is not as beautiful as you."
This sweet-talking little guy.
"Alright, your mother isn't finished yet. Shouldn't you go wash up and go to bed? What time is it? Your father has been busy all day and must be very tired." Yan Nangui put down her pen and bowed her head.
"Oh, then I'm going to sleep. Father, can Bao'er come to see you tomorrow?" The Seventh Princess tilted her head.
"Little thing, have you forgotten that you're supposed to start your education?" Yan Nangui said speechlessly.
The seventh princess scratched her head: "Oh, then I'm going to sleep."
He ran away after saying that.
It clearly doesn't look like he's studying.
Shu Chengfeng chuckled: "Does this child take after you?"
"Come on. He doesn't resemble me at all, from his looks to his personality." That's the truth. When he was little, he looked 90% like his father. Now that he's a little older, he doesn't look like a copy of his father anymore, but his eyebrows and eyes still resemble Shu Chengfeng's.
"What did the Empress Dowager say today?" Shu Chengfeng asked.
"It's nothing, it's just that Consort Li is pregnant, as His Majesty already knows." His Majesty has already bestowed gifts upon her.
"He also said that he was just moving to a side hall of Liuyun Palace. It's nothing important."
Shu Chengfeng hummed in agreement: "The Empress Dowager is getting old now, and her temperament is becoming more and more... I'm sorry to have troubled you."
"It's a grievance, but I've gotten used to it. The other day I heard from the ladies of the court who came in that the calls for establishing a crown prince are growing louder and louder. I suppose the Empress Dowager has her own thoughts on this as well," Yan Nangui said.
"Yes, the eldest, second, and third sons are all grown up. Regardless of whether or not a crown prince is chosen, their marriages cannot be taken lightly."
However, one can guess a thing or two from the princes' marriages.
Therefore, Shu Chengfeng has not arranged marriages for his sons in the past few years.
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