Chapter 355: Princess Kunxing's Conditions
Zhao Xiaofei returned to the palace and saw Princess Kunxing holding her daughter and feeding her as soon as he entered the door! Princess Zhaoren was also there teasing her. Zhaoren smiled and said, "Look, she's smiling, smiling!"
"Go away, or she will choke on her milk. If you make trouble again, I won't take care of you when you have a child." Princess Kunxing said.
"My husband still doesn't know when he will let me have a baby! I don't know how long he wants me to wait?" Zhaoren said with a pout.
"No rush, it will be possible next year!" Zhao Xiaofei said as he walked in.
"Oh! Who told you to eavesdrop from behind? I'm going to ignore you!" Princess Zhaoren blushed and ran out embarrassedly.
Seeing Princess Zhaoren leave, Zhao Xiaofei said to the other palace maids and eunuchs, "All of you, please leave! The princess and I have something to discuss."
The palace maids and eunuchs all withdrew. Princess Kunxing watched as everyone left and asked, "My husband, what's the matter?"
"There is something important I must let you know!" Zhao Xiaofei said very seriously.
Seeing her husband so serious, Princess Kunxing knew something was wrong. She asked, "Could it be that the cabinet doesn't recognize the prince's status and insists on choosing a prince from the local area to ascend the throne?"
"That's not the case. There's something wrong with the prince!" said Zhao Xiaofei.
"Is the child not in good health?" Kunxing was a little anxious. She was already devastated by the loss of her brother, a relative. If something happened to her brother's child again, she would feel really sorry for her brother and her father.
"The child is not born by the Queen, but by you! It was Concubine Huang who switched the child!" After Zhao Xiaofei finished speaking, Princess Kunxing sat on the bed as if struck by lightning.
What mother could possibly bear knowing her child had been swapped? But Princess Kunxing held back. She looked at her husband and asked, "Are you planning to let this go? Or are you planning to follow Lü Buwei's example and make your own son the emperor?"
"Am I that kind of person? If I want to be the emperor, who in the world can stop me? Isn't what I have done enough for you and the Zhu family? I have done so much, but it still can't earn your trust in me?" Zhao Xiaofei said angrily.
"But that's my son. My son is being raised by someone else, but I have to raise someone else's daughter!" Princess Kunxing said somewhat aggrievedly.
A pregnant or breastfeeding woman couldn't be analyzed according to common sense. She had no time to think about her husband. As for her suspicion of Zhao Xiaofei, under normal circumstances, she would have come to comfort him. But now she was not in the mood.
"I've discussed this with the Empress and Concubine Huang. When Concubine He and Concubine Huang give birth to a prince, we'll depose our son and let your brother, a true descendant of the Zhu family, become emperor. I've also discussed this with the cabinet, and have the Empress, Concubine Huang, and you rule the country from behind the scenes. That way, you can always watch over your child in the palace," Zhao Xiaofei said. This best-of-both-worlds approach is the perfect outcome.
Princess Kunxing held the child in her arms, lost in thought. It was a good idea for her to stay with her son in the palace to prevent him from getting into any accidents. However, she would rarely be able to return to the palace. Zhaoren was still young, and it would be difficult for him to support the family.
If Li Sihong comes, she will be even more favored. After I come back, where will I have any status? It would be better to let Shen Yunying and my sister manage the household together, which can balance the power of the family.
"I am willing to enter the palace to take care of our son. I will feel at ease letting Zhaoren and Yunying serve you at home in the future." Princess Kunxing said.
"Okay, I'll listen to you!" Zhao Xiaofei said indifferently.
"Are you giving me face? Don't blame me for doubting you. In the thousands of years of fighting for the throne, no one has talked about family affection. Only you are an outlier. Have you never thought about letting your son become emperor?" Princess Kunxing asked.
"Why would my son want to be an emperor? I want him to be free and to go wherever he wants. I hope one day, when he grows up, he'll sail the world on his own ship. If he becomes emperor, he'll be unable to travel anywhere. The palace would be a prison, severing his poetic ambitions and longings for distant lands," Zhao Xiaofei said. His definition of happiness? It's money, time, and good health, allowing him to sail across the oceans, see and explore.
Princess Kunxing shook her head dejectedly and said, "Everyone is dying for the chance to be rich and powerful. If they could ascend to the throne, they would fight tooth and nail. They wouldn't stop until they were dead! I've always known your nature. You like things that can't be seen or touched. I was just blinded by greed to even suspect you."
Hearing Princess Kunxing say this, and seeing that she was in a bad mood, Zhao Xiaofei's heart softened again. He said, "I shouldn't have said those angry words to you just now. You just gave birth to a son for me, and your health is not good. I should have been more considerate of you!"
Princess Kunxing was deeply moved after hearing this. She put her daughter aside, buried her head in Zhao Xiaofei's arms, and sobbed slowly.
Zhao Xiaofei stroked her back and said, "Rest at home first, and then go to the palace when you feel better!"
"No! I gave birth naturally and will be fully recovered tomorrow. I am really worried about my son in Lu Ling's hands, so you can rest assured about the family matters in the future. The Ming Dynasty cannot afford to suffer any turmoil, and the important thing is to recover Shaanxi as soon as possible. I will send someone to inform you of any movements of the court." Princess Kunxing said.
"Okay, I'm sorry to trouble you!" said Zhao Xiaofei.
"I'm fine. I just love my younger sister more. She's not a child anymore, and it's time for her to have a baby. This will also prevent her from feeling uneasy and having unnecessary thoughts. She seems heartless on the surface, but she is actually very sensitive. She is always afraid that you will dislike her because of her injuries, and she is afraid that you will leave her one day." Princess Kunxing said.
"Does she think so?" Zhao Xiaofei asked.
"Of course! When you escaped from the palace, she was afraid that you would leave her. At that time, she didn't have any feelings for you, more like a sister to a brother. Now you have been married for quite some time, and she feels anxious about not having a child. Spend more time with her at night!" Princess Kunxing said.
"Okay!" Zhao Xiaofei agreed and went to Zhaoren's room at night.
The next morning, Princess Kunxing had mourning clothes prepared early. She put on the mourning clothes and took her daughter into the palace.
The palace was busy with decoration at this time, and everywhere was white, as if returning to the feeling of when the funeral of Emperor Chongzhen was held in Beijing.
Unfortunately, she came to see her brother off today. Zhaoren also came along. Although she was sad for her brother, she was not as sad as Princess Kunxing. Zhaoren believed that with a husband, she had the whole world. As for the Zhu family's empire, she did not care.
Princess Kunxing went to the harem and met the Queen and Consort Huang Shu. Everyone else left, leaving only these three women in the room.
Princess Kunxing said to Empress Lu Ling, "From now on, Yuming will be under my care. As for our daughter Ruoshui, you can come visit her anytime. Also, when my son grows up and is deposed as Crown Prince, I will immediately take him out of the palace. The imperial court will grant him a title of king overseas!"
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