Chapter 67 (None)
Jiang Ling never actively sought to make enemies, but when it came to matters concerning the country and the nation, her position as a concubine, along with the Third Prince, had already inadvertently created enemies for her.
Consort Zhuang has just given birth to the fourth prince. She is usually relatively unknown, so she can basically be ruled out.
Only Consort Lin and Consort Zhao remain. If Jiang Ling thinks a little deeper, Consort Liu might also be a possibility.
To catch the thief, first catch the king. Regardless of who is behind this, Emperor Yuanming is the most important person.
The Chuigong Hall and Fanying Pavilion are close to each other, and unless there are important matters of state, Emperor Yuanming would come here almost every day.
As evening fell, Emperor Yuanming arrived at Fengshun Land, where Jiang Ling was feeding the Third Prince cherry puree. The cherries were a bit sour, and after taking a bite, his chubby face scrunched up, and he stuck out his little tongue.
Jiang Ling couldn't help but chuckle. He pretended to take the small bowl away, but the Third Prince protested and started grumbling.
"This kid, he's such a glutton." Emperor Yuanming chuckled, looking at the cherry puree in the bowl, and clicked his tongue, "These cherries are very sour, add some honey in them. He's only just grown two little teeth, be careful they'll get too sour."
Infants under one year old should not eat honey. Emperor Yuanming did not understand, and Jiang Ling was too lazy to explain to him, saying, "He mainly drinks milk. We will only let him taste it. If it is too sour, he will not eat it."
As they spoke, Jiang Ling fed the Third Prince another bite, and this time he pursed his lips and didn't spit it out.
"That's true." Emperor Yuanming laughed heartily, took a cloth, and gently wiped the cherry paste that the Third Prince had on the corner of his mouth.
The third prince tilted his head to avoid the emperor's gaze, protesting with loud, dissatisfied grunts. Emperor Yuanming feigned a stern expression, saying, "I'm serving you, and you're still not happy!"
Jiang Ling quickly fed the last bite of the bowl to the Third Prince, wiped his hands and face clean, and put him on the couch to crawl and play.
Emperor Yuanming followed the tireless Third Prince with loving eyes, and couldn't help but pinch his short, lotus-root-like legs, saying with concern, "It's cool at night, how can you go barefoot?"
The third prince was constantly moving around. When the weather got warmer, we put silk stockings on him, but he would tear them off after a while.
Jiang Ling checked the temperature of his neck and back, and found that his little hands and feet were also warm, so she let him have his way.
Emperor Yuanming usually gave random orders, which Jiang Ling ignored. She changed the subject, saying, "I haven't even congratulated Your Majesty yet, and now Your Majesty has been blessed with another son. The royal lineage is thriving, which is a blessing for the Great Yin Dynasty!"
Emperor Yuanming suddenly remembered that he had overheard Jiang Ling muttering to himself, "If I have too many sons, they will fight for the throne and tear me apart."
Thinking of this, Emperor Yuanming's smile faded, and he silently observed Jiang Ling, a sudden suspicion arising in his heart.
He rarely heard her inner thoughts anymore. Was it because she hadn't thought about it much, or had he lost this unique ability of an emperor?
Emperor Yuanming pondered for a moment, then said, "Xiao Zhou is close in age to the Fourth Prince, so they can be playmates and study together at school."
The eldest prince and the second prince were not much different in age and were both educated by court officials and renowned scholars. In public, the two were friendly and respectful to each other, but in private, they never interacted.
Jiang Ling didn't know if she was too naive or if human nature was ridiculous. She wasn't blind to Emperor Yuanming's probing, but she also genuinely hoped that her sons could get along harmoniously and avoid the tragedy of fratricide.
The third prince climbed onto Jiang Ling, stretched out his fat arms, and made babbling noises, trying to pull at the buttons on her clothes.
Jiang Ling held him in her arms, letting him tug at her and play with him, and casually asked, "Your Majesty, I have heard some rumors that someone in the court has submitted a memorial requesting that Xiao Zhou be made the crown prince."
Emperor Yuanming paused, his mind racing, then said with an "Oh," and added, "A court official has submitted a memorial requesting that I establish an heir. The Third Prince is lively and clever; don't you hope he will amount to something?"
"Of course I hope he will be successful," Jiang Ling admitted frankly, adding, "Of course I hope he can become the crown prince and the emperor."
Emperor Yuanming had not expected Jiang Ling to be so direct. He stood there stunned, unsure of how to respond.
"Your Majesty, I am well aware of my own limitations. An incompetent general can lead to the deaths of thousands of soldiers. As a ruler of a country, being merely mediocre is not the worst outcome. However, if one is foolish and unaware of one's own shortcomings, it will be a disaster for all the people under heaven."
Jiang Ling sighed, gently touched the Third Prince's forehead, and said softly, "Your mother hopes that when you grow up, you will have a compassionate heart. Most importantly, you must remember that everything you have received is not what you deserve. Your wealth and honor are provided by someone who has sacrificed their life for you. Countless ants have paved the way for you."
Jiang Ling had carefully considered her words. She knew that as a member of the royal family, her food, clothing, and daily necessities were all provided by the common people, and her words of benevolence seemed particularly hypocritical.
But she eventually spoke out, saying that even though she was in the treacherous inner palace, she was afraid of ending up like them.
She is a human being, a person who knows what civilization is!
The third prince, oblivious to the ways of the world, just kept giggling, his laughter so joyful it was enviable. Drooling dangled from the corner of his mouth, glistening and threatening to fall.
Emperor Yuanming was startled and stared intently at Jiang Ling as if he had never known her before.
As an emperor, Emperor Yuanming certainly understood what Jiang Ling meant, but no one had ever dared to say it aloud. The art of emperorship emphasizes the balance of power and is also for the purpose of consolidating the empire.
Jiang Ling's expectations for the Third Prince are utterly rebellious. A crown prince should be capable of shouldering great responsibilities and ensuring the continuation of the Xiao family's rule.
However, if the emperor is foolish and incompetent, causing widespread suffering and misery, then the Xiao family's empire will be doomed.
If the emperor is too benevolent, he is considered weak. When the emperor retreats and the ministers advance, the people can live in relative peace.
People with self-awareness are few and far between, let alone emperors.
Emperor Yuanming was filled with mixed emotions. He had complete faith in Jiang Ling, but he didn't know how to judge her intelligence.
He used to think Jiang Ling was dull and slow-witted. Little did he know that her thoughts and ideas were often unexpected and refreshing.
With Jiang Ling as his mother's tutor, the Third Prince is no less capable than a great Confucian scholar.
Jiang Ling said, "Your Majesty, if there are any memorials requesting that the Third Prince be made Crown Prince, I dare to say that Your Majesty should treat the words on the memorials as nonsense."
Emperor Yuanming couldn't help but laugh out loud. Realizing it was inappropriate, he quickly straightened his posture and said, "Nonsense! Don't speak so rudely!"
Jiang Ling rolled his eyes secretly, lifted the Third Prince in front of him, and made him kick and gesticulate wildly. "Your Majesty, look at him, he doesn't even have two teeth yet!"
A ruler's suspicion can be excessive, as the opposite of what is desirable. Emperor Yuanming is still young and enjoying his reign. Under the current circumstances, bringing up the matter of establishing an heir would be a reminder of his impending death, which would surely disgust him.
Jiang Ling was now certain that the mastermind behind this was either Consort Zhao or Consort Lin. Or perhaps, the two of them were working together.
The third prince giggled, and Emperor Yuanming, watching his childish antics and rosy cheeks, unconsciously smiled. He took the boy into his arms and said with a laugh, "You little rascal, don't go bother your mother..."
Before Jiang Ling could even warn him, the Third Prince moved with lightning speed, grabbing Emperor Yuanming's chin.
"Ouch, don't grab me!" Emperor Yuanming hurriedly turned his head to dodge, but he couldn't avoid it in time and a red mark was left on his face.
Jiang Ling's lips twitched slightly. She silently picked up the Third Prince, looked at his chubby hand, and said with a sheepish smile, "Your nails have grown long again. I'll trim them for you later."
Emperor Yuanming touched his scratched face, bared his teeth, and hesitated, saying, "He's still young, how can you cut his nails?"
"Nail nails, like hair, should be trimmed regularly. The saying 'Our bodies and hair are given to us by our parents' has been interpreted too narrowly by later generations."
Jiang Ling's hair was too long and thick, making it inconvenient to wash. There were too many taboos regarding haircuts, so she always trimmed it secretly.
Seeing the sweltering heat, Jiang Ling, not wanting to sport a head of sour-smelling hair, said without batting an eye, "Your Majesty's words mean that our bodies and hair are gifts from our parents, and our lives come from them, so we must cherish them. To straighten our clothes, clean our hair and skin, and maintain cleanliness and order is to repay our parents. A head of filthy, smelly hair, dirty skin, and long, grimy nails are the greatest act of filial impiety, a failure to properly cherish the life given to us by our parents."
Emperor Yuanming stared at Jiang Ling, speechless for a long time, and said, "Although what you said is a fallacy, it has some merit. I grant your request. You may prune whenever you wish."
Although the court officials wore official hats, the hair peeking out from under the brim was often shiny with oil, especially in winter.
During the hot summer months, the sour, sweaty odor emanating from the court officials was often noticeable. Emperor Yuanming, understanding that this was human nature, never reprimanded them.
He was fond of cleanliness, and Jiang Ling's words secretly suited his wishes.
The third prince was hungry, and he nuzzled against Jiang Ling, whimpering. Jiang Ling told Emperor Yuanming to eat first, "I will feed him first, and then I will eat."
Emperor Yuanming looked at the Third Prince with disdain, "I'll wait for you. You've been feeding him for so long, and you can't sleep well at night. Why don't we find a wet nurse to take care of you?"
Raising children is indeed not easy. Besides Zishan A'ruo, Wenjuan also selected two other loyal and reliable palace maids, Dangui and Qingtan. Jiang Ling had a large group of people serving her, so she was quite idle. Taking care of the Third Prince was also a way to pass the boring years in the deep palace.
Jiang Ling said, "I don't have much to do usually, so let's wait until he's a bit older."
Emperor Yuanming quipped, "It's not that you have nothing to do, it's just that you refuse to take charge."
Jiang Ling, who was in charge of the Imperial Bedchamber Bureau, handed over all power to Qin Shanggong, and now everything is peaceful.
The harem wasn't very large, and given Jiang Ling's current status, if anything went wrong in Qin Shang Palace, someone would definitely report it to her.
Jiang Ling only needs to look at the account books and combine them with the activities of the Imperial Household Department; there is no need to keep a close eye on every little detail.
She was relaxed, and Qin Shanggong was able to unleash his full potential, resulting in a win-win situation for both of them.
Upon thinking of this, Jiang Ling was taken aback.
Emperor Yuanming should have been the same; while he might not have been an expert on everything, he should have known at least a good grasp of the events unfolding in the imperial court and the inner palace.
In the capital, there was the Imperial City Guard; in the palace, there were the guards of the previous dynasty; and in the inner palace, there were the eunuchs and guards of the inner court.
Emperor Yuanming seemed unaware of many events that occurred in the harem, such as the deaths of Fang Si Deng and Consort Gao.
Whoever can deceive everyone is the mastermind!
Jiang Ling recalled the many things that had happened in the past, the reactions of Consort Lin and Consort Zhao, and her heart pounded. The answer was about to be revealed!
Aruo then entered the room and said, "Your Majesty, Yunhui from Consort Gao's palace has arrived. She says she has urgent business and wishes to see Your Majesty."
"Consort Gao?" Jiang Ling came to her senses. Consort Gao had just given birth. Her heart skipped a beat, and she looked towards Emperor Yuanming.
Emperor Yuanming's expression also darkened, and he said, "Let her in."
Aruo hurriedly acknowledged and withdrew. Jiang Ling handed the Third Prince over to Wen Juan to look after, then straightened his clothes and went to the main room.
Yun Hui entered the room, her expression anxious. She immediately knelt down on the ground and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, Consort Shu, Consort Zhuang was already weak, and after giving birth to the Fourth Prince, she became even weaker and has been crying incessantly. Consort Zhuang is afraid that she will not make it through and wishes to see Consort Shu."
Zhuang Meiren had been sickly since she became pregnant. Jiang Ling had previously told her to eat more and take less medicine. As for whether she had listened, Jiang Ling didn't dare to interfere.
However, Zhuang Meiren did not experience severe bleeding during childbirth, nor did she develop postpartum complications so quickly. It would be an exaggeration to say she wouldn't survive, even though she was weak.
Jiang Ling didn't want to get involved since it involved princes, and her mind raced as she tried to figure out how to refuse. Emperor Yuanming had already stood up: "I will go with you."
Jiang Ling had no choice but to follow Emperor Yuanming to Consort Zhuang's palace, Huaqing Pavilion.
As dusk fell, the palace was ablaze with lights. The Huaqing Pavilion was no exception, though heavily guarded due to Consort Zhuang's recent birth of the fourth prince.
As Yuan Changsheng was leading his guards on patrol, he saw Emperor Yuanming and his entourage approaching and stood at a distance to pay his respects.
Jiang Ling turned his head to look and saw Yuan Changsheng standing with his head bowed, his face and expression obscured.
The purplish-red robe he wore on his tall figure shone like dried blood under the lamplight.
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