The decree was made clear that because of the change in the prince's status, Jie'er also became the center of attention. On his birthday in July, his family even celebrated it a little.
The younger ones still played with the younger ones. After Yan Shiyue and Huo Qijing finished their meal, they went to pick up Jiaozi. On the way, Jiaozi asked her, "Mother, why will Brother Jie be different in the future?"
Yan Shiyue explained to him: "Because you are the emperor, you want to give this world to your uncle. Then your uncle will become the emperor, and his children will become princes and princesses. The others will just be the children of the royal family. So it will be different. There will be a distinction between the monarch and his subjects."
Dumpling asked: "Then why am I different?"
Yan Shiyue didn't understand: "What do you mean you are different?"
Jiaozi said: "Brother Zhen said that they have to bow when they see Brother Jie in the future, but I don't have to."
Yan Shiyue's face darkened.
This was really disgusting. What did he mean by not having to bow? Was this meant to disgust the prince or her?
You know, some things are very subtle. Emperor Ming Yan chose this day, perhaps to protect her, or to warn the ministers, or to remind the prince, but this can only be felt by each of them and cannot be expressed in words.
Only tacit understanding can be perfect.
...
...
On the contrary, it is not a good reputation for her or the prince.
Moreover, Emperor Ming Yan valued family harmony, and abdication was largely based on this consideration. Children so young should be as close as brothers, and he absolutely did not want to see their relationship at such a young age become so impure.
She really, really hates people who try to trick children.
Huo Qijing reached out from his horse and took Jie'er. Yan Shiyue nodded and turned to go to the Fourth Prince's Mansion.
The Fourth Prince had just returned to the palace. When he heard that she was here, he was a little surprised and came out to ask, "Yuer? What's wrong?"
Yan Shiyue said: "I'm looking for Zhen'er."
The Fourth Prince's wife was a little surprised: "But what did Zhen'er do wrong?"
Yan Shiyue waved her hand and said nothing. The fourth prince's wife didn't dare to ask more questions, so she called Zhen'er out.
Zhener liked her very much and trotted over to her: "Auntie."
Yan Shiyue stretched out her arms and hugged him: "Good boy, auntie asks you, tell Jiaozi that Jie'er's identity will be different in the future, right?"
"Yes." Zhen'er said, "Isn't it?"
"Yes," Yan Shiyue said, "but why do you feel that you have to bow when you see Jie'er, but you don't have to bow when you see Jiaozi?"
The fourth prince frowned and wanted to speak, but Yan Shiyue turned Zhen'er so that he couldn't see him, and said softly, "What do you think? Tell me, okay?"
Zhen'er shook his head: "I don't understand either. It was my grandmother who told me to remember it and not make mistakes. She also told me that if I'm close to my brothers, I should remind them not to make mistakes either."
What other brothers? The Fourth Prince's Mansion only has this one, the Fifth Prince's Mansion has none, and the other princesses' mansions are far away from the power center. Isn't this referring to Jiaozi?
Yan Shiyue patted Zhener's back gently: "Zhener, listen to your aunt, Concubine Xian is a confused person, what she thinks may not be right, you don't have to believe it..."
She paused, "Not every adult's words are right. Reading can make you wise, but she has never read. Traveling can broaden your horizons, but she has never traveled far. So there are some things that she cannot figure out, and if she teaches you, it will be wrong... So Zhen'er, listen to Daddy and learn from him in the future, okay?"
Zhener thought for a moment and said, "What about my aunt?"
"You can also learn from your aunt and the teacher. Then Zhen'er will grow up day by day, read more and more books, and understand more and more truths. Then, when others talk to you, you can think for yourself whether it is right or wrong, okay?"
Zhener nodded: "Okay."
She kissed his forehead and said, "Be good, then Zhen'er go and have some rest."
She stood up: "Fourth sister-in-law, please take care of Gu Zhener and let him rest."
The Fourth Prince's wife nodded, forced a smile, and took Zhen'er away.
The Fourth Prince stood there in silence. After a long while, he said, "Has she really not figured it out?"
"No," Yan Shiyue answered very clearly, "She is not! She just feels unhappy because her plan failed, and maybe she also blames you for your incompetence, so she just wants to disgust me and the prince. She thinks this little thing is no big deal, Zhen'er may not tell anyone, and even if she does, it can't be blamed on her, so she can just vent her anger."
The Fourth Prince's expression changed slightly, and after a long time, he gave a bitter smile.
For the court officials, the fact that Emperor Ming Yan asked the Crown Prince to review memorials was already a settled matter.
Those who were a little slow-witted would understand why Emperor Ming Yan did not return home for the New Year to receive tributes from all nations.
However, for many people who were not familiar with the affairs of the court, they only realized what was going on when the imperial edict was issued.
From the very beginning, Concubine Xian excluded herself from the list and thought she did it very smartly.
So she was in a detached mood that no matter how she fought, at least she wouldn't be implicated... Although she didn't feel there was much hope in the first place, now that she suddenly realized that there was no hope at all, she couldn't avoid feeling disappointed.
Just let out your anger and vent.
In her opinion, the worst outcome of this matter would be that Zhener would be blamed for the punishment, but she would never be held responsible.
In fact, if this matter had happened to anyone else, the only outcome would have been that it would have ended in nothing.
Except Yan Shiyue.
She turned around and was about to leave, but the Fourth Prince stepped forward and grabbed her arm: "Yuer!"
Yan Shiyue said, "You've grown up, you have a wife and a child, do you have to have a mother to live? In fact, you've never been loved by your mother! She doesn't even treat you as a son, why do you still treat her as a mother? Filial piety should be something that comes from the heart, but now it has become a shackle and a fetter, why bother?"
The fourth prince smiled bitterly: "She is my mother after all."
Yan Shiyue said, "I will definitely disgust those who disgust me. I cannot tolerate someone who does something to someone I care about. You and I are siblings, and I respect you. This matter is not a big deal, and it is not impossible to be patient, but... Fourth brother, why? Do you have to let blood bind you for the rest of your life?"
The Fourth Prince was a little confused for a moment.
She broke free and walked away.
The next day, Emperor Ming Yan issued an edict to demote Concubine Xian to Noble Lady An.
Concubine Yi was promoted to Concubine Xian, and the fourth prince was registered under the name of Concubine Xian again.
Except for a few people who knew the inside story, everyone was shocked.
It is certain that Concubine Yuanxian displeased the Emperor, but how displeased must he be to change the name of an adult prince who has established his own household to someone else's!
It happened that at this moment when he was about to abdicate...
Everyone knows that when a new emperor ascends the throne, his adult brothers will definitely be made kings, and when the emperor becomes the emperor emeritus, there is basically nothing for these people to do. They can only rely on their sons in the future. But at this moment, the son is gone.
If they were a close mother and son, they would definitely be taken care of in private, but they, mother and son, have never been on the same page, and now... Concubine Xian must be regretting it to death.
As for Concubine Yi, she got the title of a concubine for free and also had such a grown-up son for free. She was truly extremely lucky.
Yan Shiyue was being willful for the last time while his father was still in that position. You want to distance yourself from the matter, right? You insist on bearing the consequences by yourself. Anyway, you have never cared about your son, so just forget about it.
Even the Fourth Prince did not expect such a result.
He and his mother have been together for so many years, and his mother has been doing this and that, and all the love they had for each other has been wasted.
Therefore, when his mother put her hands on Zhen'er, he was really heartbroken, but he was not really that upset. He was afraid that Yan Shiyue would complain, and he was mainly worried that he would be implicated.
But obviously, this treatment completely excluded him.
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