Chapter 141 Changing Reserves
The Sixth Prince Xiao Chengzong is only thirteen this year, still a half-grown child. He looks inexplicably out of place in his gorgeous clothes and golden crown.
He stopped at the bottom of the hall, bowed and greeted, his youthful voice still childish, "Your son greets the emperor, father. May your father live a long and healthy life."
Lady Yi, dressed in a green palace dress, stood beside him, glancing at him uneasily.
She was not a noticeable person in the palace and she rarely saw the emperor for ten days or half a month. Now she was suddenly summoned by the emperor, and her son was brought along. She panicked and thought that she and her son had done something wrong.
The emperor's eyes passed from Concubine Yi and stopped at Xiao Chengzong's face, "Come here."
Even though Xiao Chengzong pretended to be experienced and mature, he was still young in mind and subconsciously looked at his mother. After seeing Concubine Yi nod slightly at him, he walked to the emperor and called out "Father".
The emperor looked at him for a long time and slowly said, "How are your studies in Chonghua Palace?"
Xiao Chengzong bowed his head and replied respectfully, "In reply to your Majesty, I just learned the Book of Rites from my teacher yesterday, and learned horseback archery at noon."
The emperor nodded and tested him a few more times, "Not bad."
"Concubine Yi, take him back." The emperor suddenly raised his head and looked at Concubine Yi, who was standing uneasy in the center of the Yangxin Palace. "When you have time in the future, take Zong'er to the Imperial Study more often."
Lady Yi was stunned at first, but when she came to her senses, she quickly and cautiously said yes, and without even raising her head, she took Xiao Chengzong's hand and walked out.
After the two men left, an old eunuch quickly walked to the emperor's side and poured him more tea. "The Sixth Prince seems intelligent. In time, he will surely be even better than the Crown Prince."
The emperor unfolded a blank scroll of imperial edict and looked at the bright red seal in the small right corner of the edict with an unclear expression. "That's true. It's a pity that his biological mother didn't have a family that could help him."
The emperor pinched his brows, closed his eyes and let out a long sigh, "If he had a prominent mother's family, I wouldn't have to make so many plans for him."
The old eunuch smiled apologetically, "The fact that my biological mother came from a humble family is not necessarily a foreign matter. At least Your Majesty need not worry that the new emperor will be shackled by foreign relatives in the future."
"Besides, the Sixth Prince has not yet married. Your Majesty will choose a princess from a prominent family for him."
The emperor laughed at himself, "By then? Can I wait until then?"
"Your Majesty is the chosen one by Heaven and admired by the people. The whole world depends on you," the old eunuch said hurriedly.
"Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore. The Emperor's birthday is coming in a few days. Except for the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, all other relatives are invited to come to the palace to join in the fun," said the emperor.
The old eunuch responded.
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"Mother, you pinched me and hurt me."
When Lady Yi heard her son's cry of pain, she quickly let go of his hand and squatted down to check on him. Annoyance was evident on her face. "It's mother's fault. I pinched Zong'er's hand until it turned red. When we get back, mother will apply some medicine to Zong'er."
As she spoke, she blew carefully towards the red spot.
Xiao Chengzong shook his head. "Mother, I don't love you. But you've been lost in thought ever since you heard that Father wanted me to go to the Imperial Study. Is there something on your mind?"
Yi Meiren didn't expect that he was so quick-witted that she forgot to speak for a moment.
Xiao Chengzong looked down at her and continued, "In the past, the emperor only had eyes for the Crown Prince and several of his adult brothers. This son and I were not very important. Now that the emperor sees me and is willing to summon me to the imperial study, isn't this a good thing for me and my mother?"
"At least...at least no one can bully my mother anymore."
Concubine Yi's eyes were filled with tears. She hugged Xiao Chengzong, took a deep breath and said, "Zong'er, mother has always hoped that you could become an idle prince. Waiting... waiting to take mother to your fiefdom in the future."
"The waters of the palace are too deep. Without the support of a prominent family, you and I, mother and son, can only become pawns of others."
Concubine Yi is actually an intelligent person. Otherwise, she, a beauty from a humble family, would not have been able to give birth to a prince safely and raise him well.
From the few words spoken in the Yangxin Palace just now, she saw clearly the emperor's intention. He wanted to drag her son into the fight for the throne.
But none of the three adult princes above them are easy to get along with. If they make any mistake, the mother and son will end up in pieces.
She felt distressed that the emperor did not love her son.
Xiao Chengzong pursed his lips and whispered, "Mother, don't you want your son to fight for you?"
Lady Yi tried to smile at him, but her makeup was still smudged by her tears. "I can only blame my mother for being incompetent and causing trouble for our Zong'er."
"If our Zong'er had someone to back him up like the other princes, he wouldn't have to hide his talents all the time."
Xiao Chengzong shook his head and took Concubine Yi's hand, leading her to her bedchamber. "I have never blamed Mother. You must have put a lot of thought into raising me safely in the palace."
"I will obey Mother and will not interfere in the fight between my brothers."
Concubine Yi looked at him with a complicated expression, her lips moved. For a moment, she wanted to let go of his hand, push him back to the Yangxin Palace, and let him fight for it, but Xiao Chengzong's smile quickly interrupted her.
"Mother, I have made up my mind. As long as you and I are safe, I will not expect anything else."
Yi Meiren couldn't help but hugged him again, "Zong'er."
-
Apart from the last time he went back to see Zhao Yun, Chen Shuwei had not left the house during this period. Luojing was still as prosperous and peaceful as before, and the people walking in the streets and alleys had not noticed the crisis surging behind the peace.
Shen Zhangsan came back from duty earlier and earlier, but his expression became more and more serious, even though he pretended to be fine in front of Shen Shuwei.
The day before the Wanshou Festival, Shen Shuwei saw Xun Xiao at the gate of Shen's mansion.
Xun Xiao was a man of few words. When he saw Chen Shuwei, he just bowed silently and then brought a small bowl of ginseng soup.
Chen Shuwei let Yun Ling take the ginseng soup without being surprised. "Is your prince cooking again?"
Xun Xiao nodded, "The prince just got a wild ginseng, and he stewed it with the pheasant he hunted this morning. It wasn't ready until the afternoon."
Shen Shuwei could smell the rich fragrance even through the lid. She raised her eyebrows slightly and said, "Please ask your prince if his hand is okay."
Xun Xiao naturally didn't dare to ask any more questions and responded in a deep voice.
After sending Xun Xiao away, Yun Ling looked at Chen Shuwei with some confusion, "Why did the young lady ask Xun Xiao to convey this message?"
Shen Shuwei lowered his head and looked at the celadon soup pot, the corners of his lips slightly raised.
Because in the past, some people would always get inexplicable wounds of varying sizes on their hands after staying in the kitchen, and then take the opportunity to harass themselves.
Thinking that he was distracted, Shen Shuwei put aside the thoughts in his mind, returned to his yard, and tasted half a bowl of chicken soup.
"Yunling, does this soup taste a little strange?" Chen Shuwei put down the spoon and frowned slightly.
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