Chapter 76 (None)
The sun was scorching, and looking up, the bluestone ground seemed to shimmer with a layer of water, creating a mesmerizing effect. The leaves of the flowers and trees drooped, even the cicadas had lost their strength to sing, and Rouyi Palace was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Granny Shi, carrying tea and snacks, lifted the curtain and entered the side room. The side room was only a few steps from the tea room, and the hair at her temples was damp with sweat.
The side room was cool and refreshing. Xiao Jiatong was writing diligently at her desk, while Liu Xianfei leaned back in a round-backed chair by the window, reading a book.
Granny Shi tiptoed forward and served tea and snacks to everyone. After Xiao Jiatong finished writing the last stroke, she put down her pen, picked up her teacup, and took a few sips.
Consort Liu placed the scroll in front of her and took a candied lotus seed to eat. Granny Shi looked at Consort Liu's thin body and hesitated before advising, "The ice chest in the room is really too cold. Your Highness is weak, be careful that the cold doesn't seep into your body."
"I'm not cold," Consort Liu said softly. She paused, looked up at the ice chest, and then smiled again: "Consort Hui is right. Warm in winter and cool in summer, comfort is the best way to maintain health. Always talking about cold and heat only leads to suffering. This summer is better than in previous years."
Granny Shi stood in the room for a while and felt the coolness; it was indeed better than the side room where sweat poured down even when she didn't move. She didn't try to persuade her any further, finished cleaning up the cold tea, and respectfully took her leave.
Xiao Jiatong ate her snacks, listening thoughtfully to their conversation. Just then, she saw Granny Shi walk out and asked, "Why doesn't Your Highness take care of the Fourth Prince?"
Consort Liu, with a calm expression, slowly scooped up some candied lotus seeds with a silver spoon and said, "Raising children is not easy. Although there are wet nurses, palace maids, eunuchs and a whole host of people to serve you, how can you really just let go and not care? You have to keep a close eye on them. I am getting old now, where would I get so much energy to raise children?"
Xiao Jiatong pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I'm all grown up now, I can help you look after things."
The silver spoon that was about to be brought to her lips stopped. Consort Liu put it back in the bowl and said gently, "A-Tong, why do you think I should raise the Fourth Prince?"
Xiao Jiatong seemed to have thought this through carefully. When Consort Liu asked, she spoke eloquently: "The Noble Consort, Consort Hui, and Consort De all have princes, but Your Highness only has me. Although I am not Your Highness's biological son, Your Highness treats me like your own mother. I see Your Highness's hardships and struggles, but I am powerless to help you."
She looked at the homework on the table, sighed in a mature tone, and said, "Your Highness, I am still a princess. No matter how well I do, Father only gives me a casual compliment and never really cares."
"You're still young, no need to worry so much. Just make sure you eat well, sleep well, and study hard."
Consort Liu comforted Xiao Jiatong, then changed the subject, "When looking at things and making choices, one should not only look at oneself, nor should one only focus on others. In the matter of raising the Fourth Prince, one must look at both oneself and others. Looking at others, one should understand why Consort Hui, Consort Shu, and Consort De were unwilling to raise him. Looking at oneself, one should understand why I was unwilling to raise him."
Xiao Jiatong pondered intently, saying, "The other consorts are unwilling to raise him because they already have princes. The Fourth Prince is weak, and raising him would be truly difficult. If something happens, Father will be displeased, and others will gossip behind his back, saying that he is not their own son and they don't care about him at all. They might even take the opportunity to slander him, saying that they deliberately spoiled the Fourth Prince."
"Ah Tong is indeed clever; she has thought of everything very thoroughly," Consort Liu praised with a smile, nodding slightly to let her continue.
Xiao Jiatong was stunned, and said shyly, "Your Majesty, that's all I could think of."
"It's alright, you're still young, you'll understand later."
Consort Liu did not blame her. She beckoned her to sit beside her and said softly, "A-Tong, don't forget that you were born into the royal family. The royal family lives in the imperial city and the imperial palace. The royal family has strict rules, but it is also the least rule-abiding place. It is insignificant to gossip about aristocratic families. If you talk about the rights and wrongs of the royal family, you may be beheaded. Slander and gossip are not serious matters. The most important and crucial place in the imperial palace is on the steps of the Chui Gong Hall."
On the steps of the Chuigong Hall stands the dragon throne.
Xiao Jiatong's expression changed drastically. Consort Liu patted the back of her hand. "A-Tong, you've read history. In history books, there are hardly any brothers in the royal family who are harmonious and respectful to each other. I've seen brothers dividing their property before. Poor families fight over a piece of firewood, rich families fight over fields, shops, and silver, and the royal family fights for the throne. If someone says that if they were in their shoes, they would be willing to just be a wise prince, A-Tong, you should just go along with them, but don't take it to heart. Because, they have no throne to fight for, so it's easiest for them to just stand around gossiping. They raise their children with great care, only to end up fighting each other with blood on their hands. What a waste!"
"Your Majesty, then... can we let Consort Zhao raise her?" Xiao Jiatong asked, coming back to her senses.
“Consort Zhao will not allow her to raise it,” Consort Liu said calmly.
Xiao Jiatong hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, why not let Consort Zhao raise it?"
Consort Liu fell silent, a shadow of gloom creeping across her face, and her voice turned cold: "It is not the right time for me to step forward."
Xiao Jiatong noticed the change in Consort Liu and couldn't help but shrink back. She bit her lip and mustered her courage to ask, "Is Your Highness worried that this might implicate Yuan Daban?"
“There are many clever people in the world, and the harem is full of shrewd individuals.” Consort Liu lowered her eyes and dusted off her wrinkled clothes. “Everything leaves a trace; nothing is perfect. It’s already quite remarkable to be able to predict three steps ahead, but I miscalculated this time. I originally predicted three steps ahead, but someone caught up with two. The extra step is unacceptable at this point. Because this is not the most crucial moment yet.”
In the original plan, Consort Zhuang went mad and was unable to raise the Fourth Prince, so she was taken to Consort Liu's lap to be raised.
Ever since Jiang Ling started keeping an eye on Huaqing Pavilion, Consort Liu had guessed that the plan wouldn't work out. Later, she simply went with the flow and completed the plan. The Fourth Prince became a hot potato, which didn't affect her much; it was the other consorts with princes who were worried.
After all, Emperor Yuanming was still relatively young, and new women entered the harem every year, so there was no worry about a lack of princes being born.
However, Consort Liu dared not be careless; the right time, the right place, and the right people were all indispensable. Things would become more complicated once the older princes left the palace to establish their own residences and gained influence in the court.
Only the two of them knew about this; even Shi, the maid who served them closely, was unaware. Consort Liu had told Xiao Jiatong since childhood that since it was a secret, the fewer people who knew about it, the more secret it was; ideally, only she should know it.
"It's time to read 'Admonitions for Women'," Consort Liu said, not continuing her words, and reminded Xiao Jiatong as she noticed the water clock ticking away the time.
Xiao Jiatong obediently put down the snacks, wiped her hands clean with a cloth, and picked up "Admonitions for Women" to read carefully.
Consort Liu told her that the "Admonitions for Women" should not be taken lightly, but it was something she had to read and had to know thoroughly so that she could use it at will.
The Fan Ying Pavilion was bustling with activity. The Third Prince was crawling quickly on the carpet, chattering away, while the Fourth Prince, with his eyes closed, was crying incessantly, his legs flailing. Although they were small, their voices were loud and clear, probably audible even in the Chui Gong Hall.
The room was cool, and Wu, the wet nurse, was sweating profusely with anxiety. Yun Hui and Yun Xia were even more panicked, comforting the Fourth Prince while saying to Wu, "The Fourth Prince must be hungry, you must feed him milk right away!"
“The Fourth Prince was nursed just half an hour ago. Her Majesty instructed that he should not be fed too much,” Wu the wet nurse explained. She touched the Fourth Prince’s diaper, which was still dry. She could only hold him and walk back and forth in the room, anxiously coaxing him, “Fourth Prince, little darling, please be quiet and don’t cry anymore.”
Jiang Ling takes care of the two princes every day and can't get a good night's sleep at all. She had just fallen asleep, but now the two of them are making noise, and she probably won't be able to sleep again.
Zishan Qingtan teased the Third Prince with a cloth tiger, but he pushed it away with one hand, yelling as he stood up, leaning against the wall and sticking to it like a gecko.
Jiang Ling had just fallen asleep when the two of them woke her up. She rubbed her temples, pulled the thin blanket over her head, and covered her ears.
Wenjuan came in from outside. She glanced into the side room, sighed, and went to look at the fourth prince in Wu's arms. She touched his forehead and palm and said, "It's alright. He's at the age where he eats and sleeps and sleeps and eats. He'll cry if he doesn't sleep well. Be patient with him."
Wu, the wet nurse, breathed a sigh of relief and nodded hastily in agreement. Wen Juan looked at the Third Prince, whose bottom was sticking up and down, and couldn't help but laugh out loud. Qing Tan, dressed in purple, stood with her hands clasped behind him, then turned and went into the side room.
Jiang Ling lay curled up on the couch. Hearing Wen Juan enter the room, she said in a muffled voice, "Wen Juan, give me an ice bowl and add more honey to it."
Jiang Ling doesn't usually eat sugar, but lately he's been eating more and more honey. Wen Juan didn't dare say anything and went to bring the bowl of ice into the room.
Jiang Ling sat up and leaned against the window frame, eating her iced bowl. Wen Juan rolled up the window frame a crack, making the room a little brighter.
"You should all have a bowl too. Everyone's had a tough time." Jiang Ling ate the sweet, cool honey water, and her mood improved considerably.
Jiang Ling never mistreated the wet nurses and palace maids who cared for the two princes, treating them lavishly in terms of food and clothing.
Especially Yun Hui and Yun Xia, who had received Jiang Ling's life-saving grace, were exceptionally loyal and hardworking. Wen Juan went out to spread the word that Qing Tan, who loved eating iced bowls, smiled so much that her eyes crinkled, "Your Majesty treats us so well. Eating iced bowls won't upset our stomachs."
Wenjuan smiled and said, "The ice bowls made according to the Empress's instructions are clean. Don't eat the other ice bowls."
Qingtan stuck out her tongue and winked at Wenjuan with a sly smile.
Emperor Yuanming often ate iced bowls at Fanying Pavilion. Yesterday, after returning to Chuigong Hall, he ordered the imperial kitchen to prepare them for him.
The imperial chefs retrieved clean ice from the ice cellar and carefully prepared a small, exquisite bowl. Emperor Yuanming ate only half a bowl, but it upset his stomach and caused him diarrhea. He was too weak to come to Fanying Pavilion today.
Zheng Ze went to treat the patient and immediately thought of the ice bowl. The imperial chefs were all loyal and reliable people with large families; they certainly wouldn't, and wouldn't dare, poison the food. He sent someone to Fan Ying Pavilion to inquire and learned that the problem lay with the ice.
Wenjuan glared at Qingtan warningly, then took the tea into the side room. Jiang Ling leaned against the wall, motionless, seemingly lost in thought.
"Your Majesty, please bear with it. In a few days, the rooms allocated from Kunning Palace will be tidied up and the space will become more spacious, so Your Majesty will be able to rest properly," Wen Juan said, looking at the dark circles under Jiang Ling's eyes.
The area designated outside the Kunning Palace was finally completed after several months of renovations. Emperor Yuanming treated it as a major event and even ordered the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to select an auspicious day before officially incorporating it into the Fanying Pavilion.
Jiang Ling said weakly, "Wenjuan, it's not about the size of the place."
She didn't know how to explain, nor did she feel comfortable offering an explanation.
Human hearts are made of flesh and blood; she couldn't guarantee the same for others, but she certainly felt the same way about herself. After raising the Fourth Prince for some time, she, being his mother herself, gradually developed feelings for him.
Everyone has selfish motives, and Jiang Ling doesn't think highly of herself. Between the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, she would definitely side with the Third Prince without hesitation.
If she had been born into a commoner family, she would definitely have raised the fourth prince and nurtured him with great care. Even if she had shown some favoritism, she would have been fair and divided the family fortune equally among them.
Unfortunately, they were born into royalty.
There were too many things involved, and Jiang Ling completely understood why Consort Lin and the others were unwilling to take over the Fourth Prince.
Jiang Ling has been having trouble sleeping lately, constantly pondering how to properly settle the Fourth Prince.
At this moment, she finally made up her mind and said, "Wenjuan, when the sun is a little lower, go to Xiefang Pavilion to visit Consort Zhuang and tell the servants to be attentive. Tell her that the Fourth Prince is doing well with me, and that he will be able to return to her side after she recovers from her illness."
Wenjuan was very surprised and said, "Your Majesty, I heard that Consort Zhuang is seriously ill and I'm afraid she won't recover."
Jiang Ling gave a wry smile and said, "Let's try anything, even if it's a dead end. Zhuang Meiren is a pitiful person too. If you go and say a few words to her, and she can live a better life, that will be a good deed."
Thinking of Zhuang Meiren's plight, Wen Juan's eyes showed pity, and she nodded in agreement.
After a moment, Wenjuan asked, "Your Majesty, what if Consort Zhuang doesn't recover?"
Jiang Ling looked up at the caisson ceiling, her eyes swirling with emotion. After a long while, she quietly said, "Let Consort Zhao take care of her."
Wenjuan felt a chill run down her spine. Letting Consort Zhao raise the Fourth Prince was tantamount to letting Consort Zhao and Consort Zhao fight to the death!
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