Chapter 133 Planning
The servants of the Pang family were terrified that their master would jump over the wall next door.
Pang Shi asked with a sour face, "Where is Madam?"
When Madam Qi heard the maid rushing in to report, she was startled: "Why did my husband jump over the wall next door?"
This is not the behavior of a virtuous person, especially since my husband is a great general!
Pang Shi said, "The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess went next door to see the young prince. Li Xiaoxiao's family has nothing to eat. You should quickly bring over whatever you have in the kitchen. By the way, do you still have any mutton left in the pot they're eating? Send them some more."
Lady Qi was both surprised and envious. The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess were actually having dinner at Li Xiaoxiao's house! You see, Pang Shi had always served by the Crown Prince's side, but he had never eaten at his house even once!
But now was not the time to talk about that. She quickly instructed the kitchen staff to prepare the ingredients for the hot pot. Since Pang Shi loved meat, and there were several sheep frozen in the ice cellar, she asked them to send one over.
Lady Qi hurriedly went down to prepare. The servants in the kitchen knew that the food was for the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, so they quickly prepared all the ingredients. A whole frozen sheep was also taken out of the ice cellar, along with a grater, so they could grater it while cooking it in the hot pot.
Seeing that everything was ready, Madam Qi told the cooks to follow along: "Go and serve them carefully. It's His Highness the Crown Prince and the Empress who are having a meal. This is probably your only chance in your lives to serve such important people."
This will be something they talk about in the future. They served the Crown Prince and Crown Princess meals. What an honor! They can brag about it for a lifetime.
The cooks happily carried the ingredients out, and Pang Shi naturally wanted to leave with them, but suddenly turned back to look at Madam Qi, and said after a moment's thought, "Madam, please come along too."
Qi was both surprised and delighted: "Me, can I go too?"
Pang Shi said, "This is a rare opportunity. It would be good to show your face in front of His Highness and His Highness, and it would also let them know that you are on good terms with Li Xiaoxiao. His Highness and His Highness would be very happy."
Lady Qi exclaimed, "I never expected that the Crown Prince and the Empress would value Lady Li so much."
Pang Shi said, "She is very capable, not to mention that there is also Meng Guanqi. If he can pass the imperial examination in a few months, Your Highness will definitely recruit him into your ranks."
Qi Shi always obeyed Pang Shi's orders, so upon hearing this, she went next door with Pang Shi.
The servants of the Pang family came in like a flowing stream, carrying all sorts of ingredients. Pang Shi and Qi Shi came to see him, and the Crown Prince was surprised to find that Li Xiaoxiao had gone to the Pang family to ask for ingredients.
He shook his head speechlessly, having already accepted the fact that no one is perfect. Li Xiaoxiao never makes mistakes in important matters, but she always messes up in small details, which is both funny and frustrating.
The whole sheep was brought up, and the chef used a grater to slice off pieces of mutton, throwing them into the boiling broth. After cooking for a few moments, they were scooped out, dipped in sauce, and eaten—so delicious that one couldn't help but swallow their tongue. Aze was already half full, but he couldn't resist such delicious meat. He ate as much as the Crown Princess cooked for him, but before eating, he would share a small portion with his younger brother beside him. The two of them ate without stopping.
The Crown Princess initially watched her son eat meat with a loving expression, and was pleased that her son knew how to take care of his younger brother, always sharing meat with him. However, as the meat was being cooked, she became somewhat incredulous and dared not put any more meat from her chopsticks into the bowls of the two boys. They were eating too much; what if they got indigestion?
She reached out and touched Aze's stomach, then gasped, "Zezhi, you've eaten too much. Stop eating."
Aze, however, felt he wasn't full yet: "Mother, I want to eat more." He looked at her pitifully.
The little dumpling next to her had no meat left, and it looked at her with the same pitiful eyes, begging for some. The Crown Princess's heart softened, and she almost gave in. But then Li Xiaoxiao reached out from the side and touched Rui Rui's belly, which was bulging. "Rui Rui, stop eating. You've eaten too much!"
Rui Rui shook his little legs and refused, but Li Xiaoxiao put down her chopsticks and picked him up and carried him away. Rui Rui pretended to cry a few times, but quickly shut up.
Actually, he was already full. As long as he wasn't allowed to sit at the table any longer, he wouldn't think about eating anymore.
The Crown Prince smiled and said to Lady Liu, "Your son is very adorable."
Lady Liu smiled awkwardly: "The child is ignorant and has made Your Highness and Her Majesty laugh."
The Crown Princess breathed a sigh of relief: "The child is being raised very well. I had heard from Lady Li before that when Ze Zhi has a poor appetite, he should eat with people who have good appetites, and he will naturally have a better appetite. He used to be a very picky eater when he was in the Eastern Palace, and he wouldn't eat this or that, so he was very thin. But now I see that he has gained so much weight. I should thank Madam for her careful care."
After Liu made a few more modest remarks, the Crown Prince said to Aze, "Now that you've eaten, go play with your younger brother. Call Sister Xiaoxiao back; Father has something to tell her."
Aze put down his chopsticks and ran off to find his younger brother. Liu knew they had important business to discuss, so she quickly bowed and said, "Please enjoy your meal, Your Highness and Your Majesty. I'll go and look after the two children and have Xiaoxiao come back."
The crown prince nodded slightly, quite pleased with her tact.
The Meng family members at the other table were already feeling uneasy. When they saw that the Crown Prince had something to say to Meng Guanqi and Li Xiaoxiao, they quickly tidied up their things and left together.
Li Xiaoxiao returned quickly, and Wan Quan dismissed the cook who was slicing mutton and the other palace servants, taking the slicing knife himself.
Only the Crown Prince and his wife, Pang Shi and his wife, Meng Guanqi, Li Xiaoxiao, and Wan Quan and Taxue serving by the side remained in the room; all of them were people the Crown Prince trusted.
Only then did Li Xiaoxiao have a chance to exchange pleasantries with the Crown Princess. She said happily, "Your Majesty, you look much healthier. Three months have passed, and you seem to have recovered greatly."
When I first met the Crown Princess, her face was pale and bluish, her cheeks were sunken and thin, and even the full face of makeup could not cover up her paleness and fatigue. Unexpectedly, after three months, the paleness on her face had completely disappeared, and the sunken cheeks were gone. Her skin was much darker, but her overall energy and spirit were excellent. There was no sign that she had been poisoned by radiation.
The Crown Princess smiled without saying a word. Ta Xue couldn't help but step forward and personally pour Li Xiaoxiao a cup of wine: "Thanks to you, Miss, Her Majesty insisted on sunbathing every day before winter and walking barefoot on pebbly paths. After two or three months of this, her health improved significantly. Not only did her appetite increase, but her insomnia and excessive dreaming were also cured. The ladies in the palace are all asking Her Majesty about her health regimen!"
Unfortunately, this method is great in every way, but it makes you tan easily. The Crown Princess's skin doesn't look as fair as before, but she looks radiant and much more beautiful than when she was fair.
Ta Xue could finally appreciate the beauty of slightly tanned skin; it was a healthy glow, a glow she had only ever seen on Li Xiaoxiao's face.
After this experience, she realized that fair skin is not the only standard of beauty; a healthy, radiant complexion is even more captivating.
The Crown Princess couldn't help but say, "This method of sunbathing is indeed wonderful. When I have time, I will also drag His Highness to sunbathe together." Moreover, the Crown Prince also practices martial arts. Every day he practices swordsmanship shirtless and works up a sweat. His body recovers faster than hers.
Once the poison was expelled, the Crown Prince's temper gradually improved, and he regained his former composure.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the Crown Prince inquired about the strange events they had encountered on their trip: "How did you discover that those people were unusual?"
He was referring to the incident where servants of the impersonating Lord Huang's household were randomly beating people at the dock.
Li smiled and said, "These guys are really unlucky. He hit the steward sent by our young lady's future in-laws to collect the dowry..."
Meng Guanqi added, "These people assaulted someone without any reason, and they kept saying they were afraid others wouldn't know they were from the Huang family, repeatedly mentioning that Lord Huang was sent south on a mission by the Crown Prince. As far as I know, His Highness the Crown Prince's most important mission right now is the imperial examination next spring. Lord Huang is in the south on the Crown Prince's orders, so he must be handling important matters related to the examination. If these people's actions incur public wrath and are impeached by the censor, what do you think might happen to Lord Huang, Your Highness?"
The Crown Prince had fully understood: "If the censor were to impeach Huang Zheng now, he would lose his position as an examiner for the provincial examination and would have to be replaced."
Meng Guanqi asked, "Who should we replace them with? Does Your Highness have any ideas?"
The Crown Prince smiled slightly, his eyes showing appreciation: "Yes, there is a list of examiners on the desk in my study. If Huang Zheng is dismissed, the next one will take his place. A good plan, but I don't know what this person is planning." By the last sentence, his tone had become sinister.
Seeing that he was aware of the situation, Meng Guanqi felt relieved. It was much easier to handle the situation now that the Crown Prince was not completely unaware. If he wanted to cause trouble, they could simply follow the clues and eventually find some leads.
The prince, having eaten and drunk his fill, not only saw his son but also unexpectedly learned the purpose of the local ruffians' disturbance. He was immediately satisfied. Night had fallen, and the cold wind outside was biting; it was time to leave.
He stood up and patted Meng Guanqi on the shoulder: "I am the chief examiner for the spring imperial examination. I can only sit here now because the exam questions haven't been released yet. After December, the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Academy will discuss matters related to the exam questions, and I will have to participate in the discussion. Therefore, I must avoid suspicion and it is not appropriate for me to get involved with you again. Do your best on the exam, understand?"
Meng Guanqi bowed and agreed.
After a moment's thought, the Crown Prince said to the Crown Princess, "Ke'er should stay here for the night. Tomorrow I will report to the Emperor and send someone to fetch him back to the palace."
A hint of pride crept into his eyes. His son was going to return openly and with great fanfare, making the entire capital city buzz with excitement, instead of sneaking back in a carriage like this, as if he were afraid of someone.
The Crown Princess knew what he was thinking. Since her son had already returned, she didn't care about arguing for a night or two. However, he needed someone to protect him.
The Crown Prince said in a deep voice, "Pang Shi."
Pang Shi clasped his hands in greeting: "Your subordinate is here."
The Crown Prince said, "Have someone lead a team of twenty men to protect the Crown Prince's safety. Make sure the palace sends someone to pick him up tomorrow."
Pang responded in a neutral tone, "Yes."
The crown prince stepped out of the main room. A cold wind howled outside, and a few white snowflakes gently landed on his clothes. He murmured, "It's snowing again. This year it's gotten cold so early..."
Meng Guanqi suddenly remembered something and hurriedly stepped forward, saying, "Your Highness, please wait. I have something else to say."
The crown prince had no choice but to return: "What is it?"
Meng Guanqi then brought up the once-in-thirty-year cold wave of the second year of Jian'an, which froze more than ten candidates to death and injured three or four hundred others. The impact was enormous. The Ministry of Rites and the court had been arguing endlessly and refused to change the rules of the imperial examination. The matter was eventually dropped because the imperial examination had never encountered such cold weather again.
Meng Guanqi whispered in the Crown Prince's ear: "The examiner back then was at fault, but the newly enthroned Emperor was unable to understand and did not provide timely assistance, which left a bad impression on the candidates. However, no one dared to mention it... Has Your Highness ever thought about what would happen if we encountered a cold wave like the one thirty years ago again this year?"
The Crown Prince was shocked. This matter caused a great uproar back then. Although it happened in the second year of the emperor's reign, before he was even born, he had been familiar with history since childhood and naturally knew about it.
Meng Guanqi said in a low voice, "After what happened back then, His Majesty must have felt guilty. If it happened again, he would certainly not turn a blind eye as he did in the second year of Jian'an. But even if he was willing to provide charcoal then, where would he find tens of thousands of catties of charcoal in time? So I boldly suggest that Your Highness make preparations in advance and prepare five catties of charcoal for each candidate. If they are not needed, it will only be a waste of money. In any case, the charcoal will be used later. If it is used, Your Highness will truly become the aspiration of all scholars in the world."
He stared intently at the Crown Prince. If the Crown Prince succeeded in this matter, all the students in this year's imperial examination would naturally side with the Crown Prince and become his core support.
The situation that the Crown Prince has been struggling to overcome will be turned around here.
Meng Guanqi added, "If this matter is truly accomplished, Headmaster Gu will certainly have no reservations and will return to serve His Highness without hesitation."
The Crown Prince clenched his fists tightly at his sides. Meng Guanqi's suggestion had stirred up his emotions, and he said in an almost commanding tone, "Meng Guanqi, you dare not pass the imperial examination and see what happens! I'm waiting for you, waiting for you and your master to work together for me!"
He patted Meng Guanqi heavily on the shoulder, then, undeterred by the wind and snow, strode away.
Because the two were whispering to each other, those around them didn't know what they were saying, but everyone could see that the Crown Prince was extremely excited.
The Crown Prince got so excited that he left first, which made the Crown Princess very anxious. The baby was still inside, how could they leave without saying goodbye?
She hurriedly sent Wan Quan to chase after the Crown Prince, while she herself rushed to the third courtyard to find Aze.
Aze and Rui Rui were rolling around on the kang (a heated brick bed) playing. The room was warm, and the two of them were only wearing two thin layers of clothing. They rolled from one end of the kang to the other, laughing loudly when they bumped into the wall, and then rolled back from the other end, having a great time.
When the Crown Princess entered, this was the scene she saw. He was having so much fun playing such a boring game that she almost couldn't bear to go in.
When Zezhi was in the palace, had he ever been so carefree? As the heir apparent, he carried a heavier burden of expectations than other children, and it was impossible for him to roll around like this. The palace maids and eunuchs around him would all try to dissuade him.
Ze must have had a very happy time at the Meng family's house. Here, he could be a real child, play without restraint, eat to his heart's content, and laugh and make a ruckus without any burden. But all of this will be gone once he returns to the palace.
He was the heir apparent of the Eastern Palace, the only son of the Crown Prince, and a role model for all the royal children, whose every word and action had to be in accordance with the rules.
The Crown Princess's eyes were filled with heartache and reluctance. Having returned from the brink of death, how could she want her son to go back to that oppressive life? But he was in the royal family and had no choice.
Upon seeing the Crown Princess enter, Lady Liu, who had been watching the children play, was startled and quickly stood up, saying, "Your Highness has arrived."
The Crown Princess entered, supported by Taxue, her gaze tender as she looked at her son on the bed.
Aze sat up, holding Rui Rui, and exclaimed excitedly, "Mother! You're here!"
The Crown Princess sat down on the edge of the bed and gently touched Aze's forehead. He was having a good time, and there was a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, and his little face was flushed.
The Crown Princess said softly, "Zezhi, your mother is going back to the palace. You can stay here and sleep with your younger brother tonight. Play with him for one more night. Tomorrow, the palace procession will come to take you back to the East Palace. It won't be so easy for you to come out again in the future."
The smile vanished from Aze's face in an instant. He was leaving? He was leaving the Meng family? He wouldn't be able to play with his younger brother anymore?
He instinctively hugged Rui Rui tighter and immediately said, "I don't want to. I want to take my little brother back. Mother, why don't you bring him into the palace to be raised?"
Liu, who was standing to the side, was shocked. Although the child's words were not to be taken seriously, it was hard to say that the Crown Princess might spoil her son and want Rui Rui to enter the palace to accompany the Prince. What should she do?
Rui Rui is only two years old, how can she enter the palace?
The Crown Princess smiled helplessly: "Silly child, Rui Rui has her own parents, how can she return to the palace with you?"
Aze looked at the Crown Princess, then at Rui Rui in his arms, his eyes quickly reddening. He choked out, "But I don't want to go back to the palace. I want to live here with my brother. Mother, please come visit me when you and Father have time. Is it alright if I stay here?"
The Crown Princess sighed, "Zezhi, you are the heir apparent and should set an example for the imperial grandsons. How could you say such a thing? Your imperial grandparents don't know you've returned yet. When your father reports to them tomorrow, they will surely want to see you. Don't you want to see them?"
Aze was filled with dilemma. He hadn't seen his grandparents for so long and missed them, but he still wanted to live with his younger brother. Moreover, he knew that once he returned to the palace, he wouldn't be able to leave easily. In his limited memory, he could count the number of days he could leave the palace each year on one hand.
Wouldn't he never see his younger brother, his sister Xiaoxiao, or Madam Meng again? Aze couldn't help but cry sadly.
A few tears dripped from Rui Rui's forehead. He looked up at his brother in confusion, not noticing what the unfamiliar woman had said to his brother or why his brother was crying.
He stood up and actually reached out to push the Crown Princess: "Go, go."
The person who made my brother cry must not be a good person.
Liu was terrified. She immediately grabbed him, lifted him up, and slapped his hands twice: "Who gave you permission to push people like that? This is the Crown Princess, my brother's mother..."
Rui Rui was hit twice, and when it hurt, she started crying loudly.
The Crown Princess quickly stopped Madam Liu, and said with a smile, "Madam Meng, please don't be angry, and don't hit the young master. The young master is just feeling sorry for Aze. The child is so sincere towards Aze, how can you punish him?"
She gently pulled Rui Rui over, wiped away his tears, and then said to A Ze, who was silently weeping, "Since you like your younger brother so much, then your mother will allow you to come and see him every month during your days off, okay?"
Just like officials in the capital, princes had a ten-day break between school and work. Aze could visit Rui Rui once every ten days, and three times a month.
After hearing this, Aze finally accepted the fact that he had to return to the palace.
The next day, after the Crown Prince left the court, he mentioned to the Emperor and Empress that Aze had returned. The Emperor and Empress were overjoyed and indeed sent the palace's honor guard to pick him up, with Wan Quan leading the team.
Rui Rui then realized that her brother was leaving and wouldn't be taking her with him!
He immediately burst into tears, clinging tightly to Aze and refusing to let go. Aze had already cried yesterday, and seeing his younger brother so heartbroken, he couldn't help but cry again. In the end, Wanquan carried him onto the carriage and they left.
The carriage slowly drove away from Chang Le Fang. A Ze's eyes were red, and his face was full of reluctance. When they were almost at the palace gate, Wan Quan had to persuade him, "Your Highness, you are about to enter the palace. You must not look so sad anymore, otherwise if the Emperor and Empress see you, they will think that you do not want to return to the palace..."
Aze took the handkerchief Wan Quan handed him and wiped away his tears. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again. There was no longer any sadness in his eyes. He straightened his face, and his entire demeanor had changed.
In an instant, he seemed to transform back into the composed and dignified young prince.
He looked straight ahead and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Let's go. I am very happy to be able to return to the palace. I can't wait to see my grandfather and grandmother."
Wan Quan's heart trembled slightly. He was surprised that the young prince had already learned to hide his emotions at such a young age and had even learned to use a mask to deal with adults. It seemed that the experience of being chased had left him with a lot of trauma.
The imperial carriage quickly entered the imperial city, passing through the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Court of Imperial Studs, and the Court of Agriculture, entering Chengtian Gate, and then passing through the Secretariat and the Chancellery, finally stopping in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The curtains on both sides of the carriage were hung high, and the small figure of the Crown Prince sat upright inside, his face solemn and his eyes fixed straight ahead. Within a quarter of an hour of arriving at the Taiji Hall, almost the entire imperial city knew that the Crown Prince had returned.
Emperor Jian'an was discussing state affairs with the Crown Prince and several trusted ministers when Liang Qisheng entered and reported, "Your Majesty, His Highness the Heir Apparent has returned and is waiting outside the palace."
The Emperor Jian'an was overjoyed that his grandson, who had escaped death, returned to the palace six months later. He urged, "Summon him quickly."
Liang Qisheng responded and left. A short while later, he returned with Aze, who was also known as Li Ke, walking steadily.
Li Ke calmly knelt down and bowed to Emperor Jian'an, saying, "Grandson Li Ke greets Imperial Grandfather and wishes him a long life."
Emperor Jian'an disregarded etiquette and personally helped him up. He opened his old eyes and carefully examined Li Ke, who had been away from the palace for more than half a year. He thought that his grandson must be eating and sleeping poorly while wandering outside, and it would be no exaggeration to say that he was as thin as a rake. But when he got closer, he was surprised to find that Li Ke's face was so round.
Emperor Jian'an, refusing to believe it, lifted Li Ke up by his armpits, but he underestimated Li Ke's weight. He managed to lift Li Ke about a foot off the ground, but a cry of unexpected strain came from his lower back.
"Crack!"
Emperor Jian'an cried out in pain as he clutched his back: "Ouch, my old back!"
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