Chapter 71 (None)
Zishan and Qingtan sat on the stone railing under the eaves, weaving auspicious knots in their hands and chatting quietly. When they saw Emperor Yuanming come out of the side hall, Zishan quickly stuffed the knotted rope in her hand into Qingtan's hand and turned to go into the house.
The spring day was warm and the surroundings were quiet. Usually, when the Third Prince was awake, the entire Fan Ying Pavilion was filled with his cheerful laughter.
Emperor Yuanming was concerned that Jiang Ling was ill and weak, and that the Third Prince was mischievous; if he were woken up, there would be quite a commotion. He quickly gestured for Zishan to stop and quietly entered the side room.
The cold snap of early spring has passed, and the window frames have been replaced with summer's emerald green gauze. At this moment, the curtains are half-rolled up, blocking out the sun from outside, creating a tranquil and secluded atmosphere.
The mother and son were fast asleep on the couch. Emperor Yuanming stood before the couch, carefully examining Jiang Ling, who was reclining by the window. Her fair face was flushed, as bright as a blooming crabapple, and there was no sign of illness at all.
Emperor Yuanming's eyes gradually filled with suspicion. He thought to himself that if she were truly ill, given her cautious nature, she would never have stayed in the same place as the Third Prince, breathing in his presence.
Thinking about how he was worried about her health and had rushed over anxiously, leaving behind his official documents, he felt extremely depressed.
"Get up!" Emperor Yuanming said coldly, shaking Jiang Ling awake.
Even with his kind heart, he could not forgive her laziness and disrespect!
Jiang Ling groggily opened his eyes, saw Emperor Yuanming's face in front of him, and instinctively closed his eyes again.
"It's disgusting, I can even see that hateful face in my dreams!"
As she was muttering curses under her breath, Jiang Ling was shaken again. This time she was fully awake, and the anger at being woken up surged within her, making her face look quite unpleasant.
Emperor Yuanming was furious when he saw that Jiang Ling still dared to give him the cold shoulder. He said in a deep voice, "It's already this late, and you're still lazing around on the couch!"
His voice was a little louder, and the third prince was startled. He trembled, his mouth twitched, his legs kicked, and he burst into loud sobs.
Jiang Ling glared at Emperor Yuanming, then quickly patted the Third Prince gently, "Mother's here, don't be afraid, be good."
The Third Prince is usually very easy to coax, but today, for some reason, no matter how Jiang Ling tried to comfort him, he kept crying.
Jiang Ling held the Third Prince in her arms, tenderly pressing her lips against his tear-reddened face, and walked out of the house, strolling back and forth under the bright eaves. Again and again, she patiently and gently coaxed him.
When Wenjuan and Aruo heard the Third Prince crying, they rushed over. Seeing that Jiang Ling was only wearing a thin dress, they quickly said, "Your Highness, let us comfort her."
Jiang Ling shook his head. If he handed the Third Prince over to them now, he would only cry even harder.
Emperor Yuanming followed behind awkwardly, feeling regretful but unable to say it out of pride, muttering, "How cowardly a man can be."
Jiang Ling heard it clearly, but didn't even lift his eyelids, ignoring it completely.
When Emperor Yuanming was young, he was raised by wet nurses, palace maids, and eunuchs, with his mother, the late Empress Dowager, watching and offering guidance. She was not criticizing the late Empress Dowager's parenting methods; as the saying goes, you reap what you sow.
Throughout history, very few children raised by royalty have been truly human.
Jiang Ling was filled with remorse. Although the Third Prince was still an infant, he could already sense the emotions of adults. He could keenly perceive her displeasure and all her other emotions. His crying expressed his unease and anxiety.
Emperor Yuanming was a scoundrel and cold-hearted man. Jiang Ling could not guarantee that the Third Prince would be successful when he grew up. He only hoped that the love he once had could turn him into a warm and humane royal.
"These are crabapple blossoms, Xiao Zhou, would you like to play with them?" Jiang Ling came to the crabapple tree, took the Third Prince's hand, pointed to the flowers on the tree, and asked softly.
The third prince, with tears streaming down his face, looked up in the direction Jiang Ling was pointing. His crying gradually subsided, and he pointed at the flower, sobbing softly, and began to utter incoherent cries.
Jiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief. Wen Juan, seeing this, laughed and quickly stepped forward, tiptoeing to pick a crabapple blossom. The Third Prince grabbed it from his chubby hand and stuffed it into his mouth.
The weeping crabapple is not poisonous, and since the Third Prince's hand moved with lightning speed, Jiang Ling ignored him.
"Boy, you even eat crabapple blossoms." Emperor Yuanming watched as the Third Prince stopped crying and started laughing. He was relieved and scolded him playfully.
The Third Prince intently chewed on a crabapple blossom, finding it bitter, and his little tongue deftly stuck the petals out. Jiang Ling's dress and hair were stained with the petals and saliva he had spat out. After entering the house, Jiang Ling called Wen Juan in to watch over her while she went to the washroom to change and wash.
After washing him, the Third Prince was hungry again. Jiang Ling began to feed him, change his diapers, and clean him. By the time she finished, the sun was already setting.
Everyone was busy, and Emperor Yuanming sat there, with no one paying attention to him except for adding tea and water.
The weather was nice outside, so Wenjuan and the others laid out a large felt mat in the courtyard. Jiang Ling carried the restless Third Prince forward, placed him on the mat, and let him happily crawl around with his bottom sticking up.
Emperor Yuanming silently followed the mother and son, and found an opportunity to speak to Jiang Ling: "The ground is cold, and he is dressed in thin clothes. Won't he get cold if he crawls on the ground?"
"It's alright," Jiang Ling replied as calmly as possible.
Emperor Yuanming coughed uncomfortably, and like Jiang Ling, sat down on the felt mat to help block the Third Prince from climbing out of it.
"Wu Shishan said you weren't feeling well, and I was worried about you, so I came to see if you were feeling any better," Emperor Yuanming said, racking his brains and carefully choosing his words.
Jiang Ling, fearing she would implicate Wu Shishan, no longer wanted to use the title "Your Majesty," and said without batting an eye, "I'm still a little dizzy."
Jiang Ling wasn't lying about this. Earlier, the Third Prince had been crying so hard that he was out of breath. She had carried the chubby boy for nearly half an hour, and her arms ached. She was also exhausted from his crying.
Emperor Yuanming showed no reaction to Jiang Ling's self-address, as if he were already used to it. Upon hearing that Jiang Ling was unwell, his brows furrowed slightly, and his eyes showed concern.
Now that Jiang Ling was quite familiar with Emperor Yuanming's every move, and not wanting to see his useless and excessive imperial affections, he immediately changed the subject and brought up Consort Zhuang.
“Xiao Zhou was frightened in her sleep and cried incessantly. The Fourth Prince is still young, and any noise could startle him. Consort Zhuang is sensitive and weak after giving birth, so she can’t stand any gossip. The Emperor favors Consort Han, so why not let Consort Han move to another palace and live in the main room? Consort Wang is on good terms with Consort Han, so let her live with Consort Han so they can keep each other company.”
Nowadays, there are few vacant palaces in the palace. Kunning Palace is the central palace, but Xiefang Pavilion has always been empty.
Emperor Yuanming hesitated for a moment, thinking of the rumors about Xiefang Pavilion and Consort Han's young and delicate skin.
"I have already sent Zhang Shan to deliver a message that Consort Han and Consort Wang must not go to the main house to disturb us without being summoned."
Huaqing Pavilion was small, with only front and back porches for the main building. Consort Han and Consort Wang lived in the east and west courtyards, separated from the main building by a pink wall about half a person's height. If the two of them spoke loudly near the wall, Consort Zhuang could hear them clearly from her bedroom.
Judging from the situation, Emperor Yuanming had no intention of moving the two of them out. Jiang Ling felt a tightness in her chest, but still tried her best to speak up for Consort Zhuang: "Your Majesty, I'm just afraid that if something happens to Consort Zhuang, she's so young, it would be really bad, and it would also make things difficult for the Fourth Prince."
"You're exaggerating a bit. Just because someone said a few words, Consort Zhuang can be so distressed. Her mind is more delicate than a needle's point. Such a magnanimous attitude would only disgrace the Xiao family."
Emperor Yuanming laughed, embraced the Third Prince who had climbed onto his lap, and said softly, "You have no dealings with Consort Zhuang, yet you have been busy running around for her, worrying about everything. I have long known of your kindness. Now that you are taking care of this boy with all your heart, do not worry about Consort Zhuang's affairs. I have already issued an order that if anything is detrimental to the Fourth Prince, I will have someone take him away."
The Fourth Prince is Consort Zhuang's lifeline. If Emperor Yuanming takes him away, Consort Zhuang will not survive, which is exactly what the person behind the scenes wants.
Even biological parents cannot be absolutely fair, let alone those in the imperial harem.
Unlike Consort Zhao and the others, Consort Zhuang had only been in the palace for a short time and became pregnant after only one favor with the emperor, so there was no real affection between them.
Emperor Yuanming always valued his fourth son. His feelings for Consort Zhuang, his birth mother, were like those for a crabapple blossom—he'd glance at it when it was in full bloom, but when it withered and fell to the ground, it wouldn't become spring mud; it would be quickly swept away or trampled into the dust. Like the countless nameless concubines in the imperial harems throughout history, she would become an inconspicuous tombstone on the edge of the imperial mausoleum.
Although Jiang Ling saw things clearly, she still felt suffocated and desolate. She desperately suppressed her disgust and said, "Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince was born at the risk of Consort Zhuang's life. How could Consort Zhuang bear to harm him? Your Majesty, please consider Consort Zhuang's merit in giving birth to the prince and allow the Fourth Prince to stay by her side."
"Alright, alright, I'll do as you say," Emperor Yuanming said with a smile. He hurriedly held the wriggling Third Prince, who was trying to grab the crown on his head, and praised him happily, "This kid's legs are really strong."
Jiang Ling had no heart to speak, so he stepped forward, hugged the Third Prince, and led him to identify the flowers, plants, and trees in the courtyard.
Emperor Yuanming remembered the memorials he hadn't finished reviewing, stood up, dusted off his robe, and said, "I have other matters to attend to. I'll come back when I have time."
Jiang Ling said, "Okay." After seeing Emperor Yuanming off, she looked at the Third Prince's innocent and naive face and sighed inwardly. She said, "Wenjuan, go to Huaqing Pavilion later and ask Yun Hui about the current situation of those two."
When Wenjuan returned from Huaqing Pavilion, she reported, "Your Majesty, rest assured, Yunhui said that Consort Han and Consort Wang are both silent. Consort Zhuang was persuaded by them in turn, and with the help of the Fourth Prince, she ate most of a bowl of egg custard earlier. Now she is in better spirits and can walk a few steps with assistance after getting out of bed."
Jiang Ling was relieved and occasionally asked Wen Juan and the others to take a look.
That afternoon, A'Ruo Zishan went to Huaqing Pavilion with her companion. The weather was gloomy, with rumbling thunder. The Third Prince hadn't slept well and was crying and making a fuss incessantly.
The wind rattled the windowpanes, and Wenjuan, worried that it might frighten the Third Prince, hurried over to close the window. The Third Prince was drawn to the sound, stopped crying immediately, and stared intently with his bright black eyes.
Jiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at the window frame, and said, "It's going to rain."
Wenjuan said, "It's already summer this year, and this is the first time we've had thunder. Why is it so late?"
She seemed to have thought of something and frowned, saying, "A'Ruo Zishan has been gone for quite a while, why hasn't she come back yet? Yun Hui is quite clever, but the others are all dull-witted. They didn't even think to give them raincoats, and they'll get soaked later."
Jiang Ling said, "Have someone take an umbrella to Huaqing Pavilion and check along the way to see if something has delayed you."
Wenjuan hurried off to fetch an umbrella and sent someone to Huaqing Pavilion. Soon after, raindrops began to fall in a pattering patter. At this moment, the Third Prince was no longer afraid; he leaned against the wall, his short legs alternately standing and crouching, trying to stand.
Jiang Ling, afraid that he would fall and hit his head, grabbed him and put his arm around his, making him try to stand. The Third Prince, with a tense, chubby face, tried to stand up, but his legs gave way and he fell hard onto the cushion.
Jiang Ling laughed heartily without any politeness. The Third Prince, who had opened his mouth to cry, saw Jiang Ling laughing and started drooling and giggling to himself.
Wenjuan took a soft cloth and wiped the drool from the corner of the Third Prince's mouth. She couldn't help but laugh and said, "The Third Prince's legs have regained strength. He will be able to walk again in a while."
"They'll be even more mischievous when they walk, and that's when they'll be the most troublesome." Jiang Ling thought of that age when even dogs would find them annoying, and pinched the Third Prince's chubby cheeks with disgust.
Wenjuan hurriedly said, "Your Highness is right. The old lady said that we must not pinch the Third Prince's face, or he will drool more and more."
Jiang Ling chuckled and withdrew his hand. The Third Prince's face was like a peeled lychee, snow-white with two patches of rouge. Just looking at it made one's hands itch, and one couldn't help but pinch it.
Just then, Wenjuan heard footsteps outside the door. She hurriedly lifted the curtain and went out. Dangui, soaking wet, stood outside the door and said in a panic, "Your Majesty, Aruo and Zishan have been captured by Yuan Daban and his men!"
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