May no one in this world grow old without turning gray (Part 1)
Upon hearing this, Wan Zhen'er subconsciously touched her lower abdomen with her slender fingers, a look of smugness and contemplation flashing across her face.
A flash of emerald light appeared around her neck. Zhiwei raised her eyes and saw the jadeite safety lock with excellent translucency and almost no impurities, hanging on a thin gold chain. It was made from the top-grade imperial green jadeite that had been presented as tribute a few days ago.
Zhiwei remembered clearly that she had personally counted them, and Zhu Liji had told her to store them carefully and not to soil the tribute with her hands.
Two pieces of this imperial green jadeite were presented as tribute. The other, slightly smaller piece was carefully crafted by artisans into a pair of earrings and sent to the Kunning Palace.
Wan Zhen'er was only two months pregnant, but he was, after all, the first son of Zhu Liji since he ascended the throne, and a member of the powerful Wan family in the court. All the advantages that came with this pregnancy made it a favor that far exceeded that of an ordinary favored concubine.
After Wan Zhen'er was promoted to the rank of Imperial Concubine, not only did she receive rare and precious treasures, but Zhu Liji would also always bring Pinghai to Chuxiu Palace after court.
Perhaps due to the suspicion accumulated from past events, Zhu Liji did not allow Zhiwei to participate in the management of the harem affairs. Zhiwei only checked the items in the storeroom, watching the treasures being counted out of the storeroom like flowing water.
Wan Zhen'er caught Zhiwei's glance, picked up the jade with her fingertips, and laughed crisply, but it was inexplicably cold: "Are you looking at the jade on my chest?"
"His Majesty said that jade is good for health and is especially beneficial for a healthy pregnancy. I think so too, but larger pieces are more pleasing to the eye. If it's only the size of an earring, it doesn't look bright and lustrous enough."
Wan Zhen'er's words were loaded with meaning, the barbs undisguisedly aimed at the Empress. Si Yu stood to the side, head bowed and eyes lowered, but the corners of her mouth twitched slightly.
Zhiwei's gaze was calm, though her heart was turbulent, she showed no emotion on her face: "Your Majesty's judgment is naturally excellent. Such quality would probably make even the most beautiful flowers in the Imperial Garden pale in comparison."
Her words carried a hint of flattery and a touch of aloofness.
Upon hearing this, Wan Zhen'er chuckled softly and tucked the jade back into her clothes.
“The Emperor’s favor towards me goes far beyond this piece of jade.” She deliberately dragged out the last syllable, her gaze lingering on Zhiwei’s face for a moment. “Even the Empress would be extremely envious if she saw it, but she’s just too stubborn to admit it.”
Wan Zhen'er spoke lightly. She still remembered meeting Cheng Yuzhi a few days ago. The person in front of her smelled of herbs and was pale. Only the jade pendant by her ear was vivid. It was just a pity that it was too small. This tiny bit of preciousness paled in comparison to the large piece of imperial green that Wan Zhen'er had casually mentioned.
Cheng Yuzhi naturally realized this as well, and a hint of something was amiss in her expression, but she still maintained her composure. "My sister is pregnant, so it is only right that His Majesty shows her more favor."
After saying this, he didn't linger for even a moment, and had his nanny help him leave.
Wan Zhen'er watched her retreating figure disappear around the corner, a smile creeping onto her face.
Listen to how politely you put it?
I wonder if, when she removes her hairpins and jewelry at night and looks in the mirror at her own aged and heartbroken face, gazing at the empty palace, she feels the same sense of clarity in her heart.
If you place all your hopes and concerns on others, you're bound to expect this kind of outcome.
Wan Zhen'er came to her senses and glanced at Zhiwei's downcast and indifferent face: "So you see, life in the palace is long."
"For your sake, I'm too lazy to pursue the matter further." Wan Zhen'er stopped beside the punished palace maid. "Today it's a glass cup, tomorrow it might be some other precious thing. Be smart, or no one can save you."
The eunuch standing nearby told the palace maid to get out of there. The maid immediately looked up, excitedly kowtowed several times, and staggered away.
Zhiwei bowed and prepared to leave, but Wan Zhen'er called her back before she left.
"Yan Zhiwei, is it interesting to be a stone?"
"I'm different from you. This matter with the Empress is just the beginning. Keep your eyes open and watch carefully." With that, Wan Zhen'er left without looking back.
——
The Imperial Study.
Inside the study, Zhu Sheng sat upright, presenting his new memorial. The young man's voice was clear and bright, tinged with nervousness, but generally fluent. Although his insights were still somewhat immature, his reasoning was clear, showing that he had put in a lot of hard work.
Zhu Liji sat at the head of the table, holding a cup of hot tea in his hand, and looked at Zhu Sheng indifferently.
“‘Do not seduce your senses, but seek truth from facts. Playing with people leads to moral decay, playing with things leads to the loss of ambition.’ This quote is quite apt; at least I haven’t completely neglected my studies.” Zhu Liji’s expression softened slightly, and he tapped his fingertips on the table.
"He's starting to look like he's going to inherit the throne." In Zhu Liji's mind, Zhu Sheng had always been unruly, so this comment was already a rare compliment.
Zhu Sheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, a glimmer of light just appearing in his eyes. He glanced at his father's expression, hesitated for a moment, and then mustered his courage to speak cautiously: "Father, I have been studying recently and there are some things I don't understand. Could you please enlighten me?"
Zhu Sheng usually didn't dare to say much to Zhu Liji, but perhaps because he rarely saw his son so eager to learn, Zhu Liji's tone was also relaxed at the end: "Ask away."
Zhu Sheng hurriedly bowed and slowly said, "Your subject has consulted the classics and found that the Book of Rites says: 'A wife is one who is equal to her husband. From the emperor down to the common people, the meaning is the same.' Your subject believes that this means that husband and wife are originally one, equal and respectful to each other?"
Zhu Sheng's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear. Zhu Liji listened to him silently, the soft light in his eyes gradually fading.
“The Spring and Autumn Annals says: ‘A wife is a symbol of harmony.’” Zhu Sheng glanced furtively at Zhu Liji, who sat at the head of the table. Seeing that his father was still listening attentively, he grew bolder. “Your subject believes that this might be an indication that favoring a concubine over the wife is a sign of unrest in the household…”
Zhu Sheng had said what he wanted to say, so he simply raised his eyes. His trembling yet bright eyes were very similar to Zhu Liji's, except that Zhu Liji's were more profound and unfathomable.
There was a moment of silence in the hall, then a loud crash was heard—Zhu Liji slammed the teacup heavily onto the table, splashing tea all over it.
"So that's what the Crown Prince thinks." Zhu Liji's voice suddenly turned cold, but a strange smile appeared on his lips. "Does the Crown Prince mean that I'm indulging in sensual pleasures and neglecting state affairs?"
"Your subject..." Zhu Sheng choked up. Zhu Liji's pressure was immense, and experience told Zhu Sheng not to continue, but a voice in his heart taught him to be brave and to be honest. "Your subject, your subject, your subject just wants to ask Father Emperor an answer." Zhu Sheng finally said.
Zhu Liji looked at him coldly: "Do you know that from birth, my blood has flowed in your veins? Perhaps that's why, unconsciously, I always expect you to resemble me." Zhu Liji stood up, looking down at him condescendingly, "It's just a pity you're still too young. You haven't studied your books properly, but you've already learned to use indirect methods. You've only learned a little bit, yet you dare to instruct me on how to balance the harem and how to treat my empress?"
Zhu Sheng's face turned deathly pale instantly, and he hurriedly knelt down: "Your subject dares not! Your subject would never have meant that! Your subject only... only..."
"Just what?" Zhu Liji shook his head, his eyes revealing undisguised disappointment.
"Go back now. Without my decree, you don't need to come to the Imperial Study these days," Zhu Liji said indifferently.
Zhu Sheng left Yangxin Hall in a daze, and walked unsteadily to Kunning Palace.
The palace was filled with the smell of medicine. Cheng Yuzhi was leaning against a soft pillow, drinking the medicine from Jiang Mama's hand.
Seeing Zhu Sheng enter, she struggled to sit up and dismissed all the palace servants except for Granny Jiang. Cheng Yuzhi called Zhu Sheng to sit by the bedside, and seeing that his eyes were red, she asked softly, "What's wrong? Did you not do well on your homework and anger your father again?"
Zhu Sheng shook his head, knelt before his mother's bedside, unable to look directly at her increasingly gaunt face. He pressed his forehead against the cold edge of the bed, his voice muffled: "Mother, Father... has he never liked me? Is it because I'm useless that I've dragged you down with him..."
"What nonsense are you spouting!" This wasn't the first time Zhu Sheng had been rebuffed by Zhu Liji. Zhu Liji had always been strict with this son, but when it came to dislike...
Cheng Yuzhi interrupted Zhu Sheng, paused, and said softly, "You are the eldest son of the legitimate wife and the crown prince of Da Zhao. Your father has high hopes for you and disciplines you strictly in the hope that you will become successful. How could he not be happy? Don't think nonsense."
Cheng Yuzhi gestured to Granny Jiang to bring over a plate of delicate lotus-shaped pastries and put it in Zhu Sheng's hand.
"Try it, it's your favorite food. It's nothing, just forget about it once it's over," Cheng Yuzhi said.
Zhu Sheng held the snacks, but unusually, he had no appetite.
He raised his head, his eyes filled with confusion and fear: "Mother, I angered Father again today. For the foreseeable future, Father will not even want to see me..."
Zhu Sheng deliberately concealed the truth of the matter, not wanting Cheng Yuzhi to be upset any more. However, he was still a child and had never received much favor from his father. Thinking about Wan Zhen'er's pregnancy, he couldn't help but feel even more depressed.
"Mother, Consort Wan... she is pregnant. Father values her so much now, if she gives birth to a prince in the future, when Father is in his prime... won't he... won't he find me an eyesore?" Zhu Sheng lowered his eyes. He knew that Cheng Yuzhi had high hopes for him, but Zhu Liji treated him rather indifferently. If he were no longer Zhu Liji's only son...
Zhu Sheng raised his eyes and stroked Cheng Yuzhi's cold hand: "Mother, your son actually... actually doesn't covet the position of Crown Prince. If Father Emperor can remember our past relationship in the future and allow your son to leave the capital early and go to a stable fiefdom where your son can support you and live a peaceful life, your son will be content."
Zhu Sheng's words were naive, but what good could come of a crown prince who had been abandoned? These words were like the dullest knife, slowly cutting into Cheng Yuzhi's heart.
Cheng Yuzhi's face turned almost transparently white in that instant. She suddenly clenched her hands under the quilt, raised her eyes, and met the gaze of Granny Jiang, who was standing at the foot of the bed. Granny Jiang's eyes were also filled with sorrow.
The hall was deathly silent, save for the dripping of the water clock, each drop striking a chord in people's hearts.
After a long while, Cheng Yuzhi exhaled very softly and slowly, her voice so low it was almost inaudible: "Granny Jiang, go and find the box of old ginseng I kept. Tomorrow, send it to Chuxiu Palace. Tell them that Sister Wan is unwell and needs to be properly nourished."
Granny Jiang shuddered and looked at the Empress in disbelief.
Cheng Yuzhi had already closed her eyes, waved her hand, and said wearily, "Go down, all of you. Sheng'er, you should go back and rest too. Reflect on your actions and don't anger your father again."
Zhu Sheng bowed and retreated, bewildered.
The palace doors closed gently.
In the dim candlelight, Cheng Yuzhi opened her eyes, her gaze utterly desolate. Granny Jiang knelt before the bed, her voice trembling with desperation: "Your Majesty...for the Crown Prince's sake, for your own sake, you absolutely cannot let that woman give birth to a prince!"
"I have served Your Highness for many years. If you give the order, I am willing to go through fire and water for you," said Granny Jiang.
Cheng Yuzhi did not answer immediately, but stared blankly at the embroidery on the top of the tent. A tear silently slid down from the corner of her eye and quickly disappeared into the brocade pillow.
"Let me think about this some more," Cheng Yuzhi said in a low voice.
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