Chapter 20: Little Truth
As Zhu Yuhuan thought, Zhu Zhanji was busy outside the palace buying land and repairing houses, and building a so-called "warm house" according to the drawings submitted by Hu Shanwei. Although this house could not be said to be of great use, for ordinary people, it could provide heating at low cost and could also be used to make fire and cook. In a place like Shuntian where winter is very unbearable, it is a blessing to have such a way to keep warm.
Although Zhu Zhanji was born in Shuntian (Beijing), he grew up in Yingtian (Nanjing). He had only heard a little about the difficult life of the people in the north and did not fully understand it. It was not until he followed his grandfather Zhu Di on the northern expedition that he realized how harsh the environment in the north was. In addition, the wind was strong and the weather was cold, and natural disasters were frequent in the north. This floor heating was indeed extremely useful.
Although Hu Shanwei only provided drawings and methods, the details and ingenious ideas contained in this method of building a greenhouse are surprising.
What particularly caught Zhu Zhanji's attention was the so-called "cement." By mixing various materials in the right proportions, he could actually build more stable houses. Even before the construction of the Forbidden City in Shuntian, Zhu Zhanji had often heard reports of the frequent collapse of the imperial palace due to its fragility. After the capital was relocated, the palaces in the Forbidden City were frequently damaged by natural disasters, and the cost of building them alone was incalculable, a truly wasteful expense. If this method could be used to reinforce the palace, it would undoubtedly save considerable costs.
In addition, this cement can also be used to build border defenses and strengthen city walls, and it has many military benefits. If Zhu Di knew about it, he would definitely promote it vigorously.
Although Zhu Zhanji was happy, he also had some doubts.
While this method was a good one, it was far from something Hu Shanwei, a palace maid, could easily acquire. How had she obtained it? If Hu Shanwei had it, she would have presented it to him long ago, using it to curry favor with Hu Shi. Why would she only bring it up today? Furthermore, Hu Shanwei had subsequently told those around her that she intended to leave the palace to recuperate. This was completely different from her previous attempts to achieve further progress, and it seemed as if she was retreating to advance... All these anomalies were enough to indicate that someone was behind Hu Shanwei's guidance, which made Zhu Zhanji even more suspicious.
Besides the old man, who else could order Hu Shanwei around? Even Hu Shanxiang, his biological sister, might not be able to command Hu Shanwei, the head of the female officials. It was precisely because of this that Zhu Zhanji disliked Hu Shanwei.
Even though he had all kinds of doubts in his heart, Zhu Zhanji still used this method.
——Since this method has been delivered to him, it naturally belongs to him, Zhu Zhanji. He is the only one in the world who can make full use of this method. If it falls into Hu Shanwei's hands, it will only gather dust.
Putting aside Zhu Zhanji's inner thoughts, Zhu Yuhuan was not idle in the palace either. Not to mention the daily civil and martial arts training, his father's backyard was not peaceful either.
Zhu Zhanji is a man and can go out to do errands every day, but Hu Shanxiang and Sun Mengqiu are different. They can only stay in the square courtyard every day. Not to mention that Sun Mengqiu has just finished her confinement and her body and mind have not yet fully recovered. Without her lover Zhu Zhanji by her side, coupled with the invisible pressure around her and the gap after giving birth, Sun Mengqiu can't help but feel depressed.
Before Zhu Yuhuan noticed, Hu Shanxiang had already organized the "Peony Tea Party" that Zhu Zhanji had mentioned before, and specially invited Sun Mengqiu to attend, obviously hoping to reassure her.
Hu Shanxiang usually manages a lot of palace affairs in the Eastern Palace, and now she has to work hard to make Sun Mengqiu happy, which makes Zhu Yuhuan, who is watching, feel tired.
It was indeed not easy for women in ancient times. As a concubine, she had to devote all her energy to pleasing her husband and the main wife. But being the main wife was not easy either. Taking care of the whole family became Hu Shanxiang's "duty". If she made any mistake, she would be scolded harshly, which made her feel suffocated.
Zhu Yuhuan looked at Hu Shanxiang who was sitting at the desk writing and drawing with a few booklets, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart that socialism is still the best.
Although it was a spring day, there were only mother and daughter in the house, and it was quiet and silent.
Hu Shanxiang glanced at Zhu Yuhuan, who was absentmindedly flipping through a book beside him, and asked, "Little girl, do you have anything else to say?"
Zhu Yuhuan came back to her senses and muttered, "I didn't..." She noticed Hu Shanxiang's gaze and explained, "I know what mother is thinking. You are the Crown Prince's Consort. It is your duty to take care of father's concubines and children. If you fail to fulfill your duties, it would be dereliction of duty and a shame to grandfather and grandmother's high hopes."
Hu Shanxiang couldn't help but smile when she saw her profound theories. She said, "You're becoming more and more proficient now. I haven't said anything yet, but you already have your own profound theories."
Zhu Yuhuan deliberately shook his head and said, "Read a book a hundred times and its meaning will become clear. Although Huanhuan hasn't read it a hundred times, he has also realized a few small truths of his own."
Hu Shanxiang was amused by her. She placed the jade-handled wolf-hair brush in her hand on the pen holder and said, "It seems that your studies were not in vain after all... Huanhuan, I'm very pleased that you understand what 'responsibility' is."
Zhu Yuhuan was about to make a joke when Hu Shanxiang continued, "But responsibility is only part of the reason. There is another part. Huanhuan, do you know?"
Hearing her say this, Zhu Yuhuan couldn't help but be slightly stunned, and asked in confusion: "Another part of the reason? What reason?"
Hu Shanxiang's face showed a rare sly expression. She tilted her head slightly, raised her eyebrows and smiled, "Everyone says Huanhuan is smart. Why don't you guess today?"
Zhu Yuhuan blinked and thought for a long time, but he still couldn't figure it out. He could only say, "I'm not as smart as my mother. I can't figure it out..."
Hu Shanxiang stood up and walked to the table, reaching out to stroke the petals of the peonies placed on it. Then she spoke softly, "Childbirth is not easy for women. Whether before or after giving birth, not only is their body not as good as before, but their mood is often bad too. This is the time when they need care and concern."
Zhu Yuhuan didn't expect that his own mother actually considered the issue of postpartum depression. He was a little surprised. After a while, he muttered, "Mom, Dad wasn't by your side after Tongtong was born..."
At that time, no one cared about Hu Shanxiang's health or mental well-being, and no one thought of holding a "tea party" for her. Why would Hu Shanxiang bother with that? If something happened to Sun Mengqiu, it would be entirely Hu Shanxiang's fault, which would be asking for trouble.
Hu Shanxiang looked at Zhu Yuhuan and said softly, "It's still different after all."
"What's different?"
Hu Shanxiang gazed at the blossoming peonies and said, "Concubine Sun was only ten years old when she entered the palace. She was still a child, separated from her family from a young age, and raised cautiously and obediently. The only people she could rely on were the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince. Her inner insecurity is no less than anyone else's. Even during her pregnancy, she already shouldered too many 'expectations,' and after giving birth, the Crown Prince couldn't be with her constantly. I'm afraid she must be even more distressed than anyone else."
Zhu Yuhuan blinked, thinking back to how everyone in the palace had been eagerly anticipating Sun Mengqiu's pregnancy, hoping she would bear Zhu Zhanji a son. Even the Crown Princess had high hopes. But after Sun Mengqiu gave birth to a daughter, everyone's enthusiasm was less than before. Sun Mengqiu herself must have been under unspeakable pressure, so it was understandable that she was so unhappy.
Zhu Yuhuan felt a little complicated, and after a while he said, "Mother..."
If Zhu Yuhuan had not been afraid of people discovering what a "monster" she was, he would have wanted to tell his own mother that Sun Mengqiu didn't need your care, and that she would directly replace you as the queen in the future.
"Although the Crown Prince dotes on Consort Sun, he cannot understand the pain of being a woman, and therefore cannot care for her as often as she desires." Hu Shanxiang gently brushed the petals of the peony and said, "As a woman, I should also take better care of her."
Zhu Yuhuan said unconsciously: "Since Daddy is unreliable, then I have to rely on myself."
As she finished speaking, she remembered that for someone like Sun Mengqiu, who wasn't a member of the royal family but had entered the palace at a young age and had to rely on the favor of the Crown Prince and his wife and Zhu Zhanji for survival, "relying on oneself" was not an easy task, both mentally and physically. In contrast, Hu Shanxiang had family members who more or less cared about her and had directly or indirectly seen the outside world, so her mental strength was much stronger.
Seeing that she had stopped talking, Hu Shanxiang said, "Huanhuan, do you understand?"
Zhu Yuhuan nodded slightly, but still couldn't help asking, "What about mother? Hasn't mother ever had such thoughts?"
If she were in Hu Shanxiang's situation, even if she had no feelings for Zhu Zhanji, she would not be able to be as calm as Hu Shanxiang.
Hu Shanxiang walked over to her and said, "Who can I rely on? Since I have no one to rely on, why bother to suffer like this?" Seeing Zhu Yuhuan looking up at her, she smiled and said, "Huanhuan, your mother let you study because she hopes you can understand this: a person is truly strong and invincible only when his heart is strong enough."
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