Chapter 420 Between Mother and Son
The only people who really cared about and discussed the matter between Xiaoliu and King Cheng in private were those few people. After a few days, the excitement died down, and they lived in peace for about a month.
Not long after, Xuanyuan Ling received a memorial requesting arrangements for an autumn hunt.
The autumn hunt was originally held every other year, and this year, as it happened in Jinzhou, they wanted to celebrate, so when someone mentioned Xuanyuan Ling, they agreed.
In this case, I have to return to the palace early.
After the emperor returned to the capital, naturally, those things that happened in the temporary palace were reported back to the palace. The concubines in the palace who did not go to the temporary palace heard that Prince Huai was praised and that the Sixth Prince even worshipped Prince Cheng as his teacher. They just felt that this was Concubine Xian wanting the Sixth Prince to compete with Prince Huai, and there was some intention of not falling behind. They just hoped that the harem would become lively.
Before things got lively, Xuanyuan Ling took action.
Xuanyuan Ling ordered several capable ministers in the court to take turns giving lectures to the princes. With his action, Xiaoliu's apprenticeship did not seem so high-profile anymore.
Chen Qing knew all about these things in the harem. She only asked people to pay attention to Xiaoliu's safety and wait and see about the rest after a while. It was good as long as the child was willing to learn. She didn't have to watch him every day. She could see the progress after a while. If there was a tendency to go astray, she would interfere. After all, she couldn't put her own thoughts on the child, otherwise she would always feel that he did everything wrong.
What we need to arrange now is the autumn hunting.
Shen Qing was so busy for a few days.
King Huai did not fall behind in his studies when he went to the study. After he returned to the palace, the disaster relief issue gradually passed, and he went to court again. Later, he joined the Ministry of Works, saying that he was going to take up the post. However, King Huai felt that his father wanted him to study intentionally. He always felt that his father was still upset about the previous matters, but he had no choice.
Concubine Shun thought that the Emperor respected Prince Huai's appointment to the Ministry of Works and was very happy, especially since the incident with the Sixth Prince had happened, and she hoped that Prince Huai would be more obedient.
Although Concubine Shun was happy, Prince Huai did not come often even after entering the palace, unless she sent someone to invite him, which made Concubine Shun unhappy.
"When he was young, he didn't know that I was doing it for his own good to let him learn more, but now that he has his own job, can't he understand my painstaking efforts?"
But it was not the first time that Nanny had heard such words. She knew that persuasion was useless, so she could only say nice things in different ways: "Perhaps the prince does not understand but does not know how to face the queen. If the queen takes the initiative to show some kindness, the prince will be happy to come more often. After all, the prince is the most filial. Didn't he not listen to the queen's order?"
Concubine Shun listened to the nanny's words and thought, "Send someone to ask Prince Huai to come over today. I will ask the kitchen to prepare some of his favorite food."
The nanny was delighted to see that Concubine Shun had listened to her advice. She hoped that Concubine Shun would be gentler to King Huai in the future, considering that he was getting older and needed to save face. Otherwise, to put it in a very treasonous way, if King Huai really sat on that position, wouldn't the Queen Mother's lesson from the past be a living reminder in the palace?
The Empress Dowager is indeed powerful. The Queen is also from the Chen family, but she has a bad relationship with the Emperor, and as a result, the Queen is not favored. Now look at the situation in the palace, aren't both sides in high positions, but neither of them has face?
Prince Huai felt uncomfortable when he received the news that Concubine Shun asked him to come over.
The relationship between him and Concubine Shun is hard to describe, but he had to go, so he went anyway.
After paying his respects to Concubine Shun, Prince Huai noticed that Concubine Shun's tone was much more affectionate today. In fact, it was not that Concubine Shun had never been affectionate with him, but when he was a child, he learned something, and Concubine Shun would treat him much better. It was also because of his previous praise. Now that he was admitted to the Ministry of Works, it was not a good thing. Concubine Shun suddenly became affectionate. After all, Concubine Shun was his biological mother. Prince Huai couldn't help but wonder, could it be that my mother knew my current situation and was particularly relieved?
When you think about it this way, it's obvious to the naked eye that the atmosphere between mother and son is good.
After the two of them had finished their meal, Concubine Shun said, "Now that your father has allowed you to join the Ministry of Works, you must study hard in the future and don't be disrespectful just because your father has placed you in a high position."
Prince Huai's expression changed suddenly. Looking at Concubine Shun's expression which was the same as before, he realized that his previous thoughts were ridiculous.
It turned out that they were not comforting him because he had bad intentions for joining the Ministry of Works, but that they did not notice at all that he was criticized by his father. They were probably still immersed in the fact that he had been praised before. After all, this was not comfort at all, and it was no different from before.
Only when she thinks he has done well can she have a better attitude towards him?
Concubine Shun saw that Prince Huai's face suddenly turned bad and asked in confusion: "What's wrong?"
Prince Huai suddenly looked at Concubine Shun and said, "If I were like my fourth brother today, with no chance of becoming the Crown Prince, would mother still be so kind to me?"
The sudden words frightened the servants around and they all knelt down.
The nanny couldn't believe it either, and quickly asked everyone to leave and gave them a severe warning.
No matter how clear you are about the position of the crown prince, you cannot say it openly.
"What do you mean by that?" Concubine Shun couldn't stand hearing what King Huai said. "Mother is of course doing this for your own good. How are you the same as your fourth brother? What was your fourth brother's biological mother like? Has mother ever treated you harshly?"
"Yes, mother, you have never treated me harshly, and you have always reminded me to make progress. But is this for me or for yourself? Is it that you just love me? I will tell you today that my entry into the Ministry of Works was not what you expected. I was valued by my father, and I was also reprimanded by him for the disaster relief. Didn't you only see the praise and not the fact that I haven't attended court for many days?" He naturally couldn't bring himself to tell Concubine Shun about the reprimand he had if he didn't explain it to her.
Another point is that he might have been thinking about being lectured by Concubine Shun if she found out. There was really nothing to say between him and Concubine Shun.
Prince Huai had been disappointed with Concubine Shun for a long time. At this point, he didn't want to stay any longer: "I'll take my leave."
This doesn't give Concubine Shun any chance to say anything about him.
Prince Huai left as he said. He did not listen to Concubine Shun's request to come back. It was not until the nanny came back in from outside and saw Concubine Shun looking at her with a confused face that she felt worried.
“My queen…”
Concubine Shun looked at the nanny and said, "He said that he was scolded by the emperor and that he didn't do a good job. Joining the Ministry of Works was not what I wanted..."
The nanny was choked for a moment: "The prince is still young, and this is his first time entering the court. There will always be opportunities in the future." What else could she say except this?
Concubine Shun was in a state of confusion: "Prince Huai was not outstanding since he was young, and his studies were so bad. Later on, he got better, and I thought he had made progress. Over the years, I have devoted my heart to him, hoping that he would enter the court and make achievements and be valued by the emperor. But this is his first time on duty, and the emperor is praising him in public, but actually discouraging him. Does he really have a chance?"
He said this with a genuine sense of uncertainty in his heart. Then there was this: "He said that I did this for himself? I have raised him for so long, and he said that I did this for himself?"
The nanny was not in a position to say this, so she just said, "Your Majesty, please be at ease. I think Prince Huai is worried about something, so he is not feeling well. That is why he said this. When Prince Huai thinks about it, he will surely understand your painstaking efforts."
Concubine Shun felt sad when she thought about it. She had raised this child from childhood and poured so much effort into him, but in the end, he said something like this. How could she not do it for him? She hoped that he would become the crown prince. Was that bad for him?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
