Chapter 47 Two People
After Wu Miaosu left, Zhu Yuhuan sat down and asked in confusion, "Mom...why did you say those words just now?"
After Hu Shanxiang had the table cleaned up, everyone withdrew. With a calm expression, she said, "I have no intention of fighting. I'm not stupid. The princes and concubines in this palace are all high-born and noble, and yet they still fight endlessly. How much more so are these pitiful people who are about to become slaves?"
Zhu Yuhuan smiled awkwardly and said, "Mom... I don't mean anything else..."
She knew, of course, that Hu Shanxiang was being impartial with the Zhu family, but her and her mother's situation couldn't be changed simply by sitting back and doing their duty. If Hu Shanxiang remained indifferent, she would only be waiting for death. Zhu Yuhuan's heart trembled at Hu Shanxiang's words today, and she wondered if her mother's attitude had changed.
Hu Shanxiang looked at her hands clenching the corners of her clothes and asked, "Huanhuan, what are you anxious about?"
Zhu Yuhuan broke free from his thoughts and was slightly stunned when he heard Hu Shanxiang's words.
What was she so anxious about…? How could she not be anxious? Hu Shanxiang knew nothing about the future, but Zhu Yuhuan knew it all. Seeing the shadow of Zhu Qizhen and the rise of the Sun family so imminent, Zhu Yuhuan couldn't sit still even if there were no thorns on the stool.
Although Hu Shanwei pushed Hu Shanxiang too hard, what she said was not wrong.
Hu Shanxiang was neither favored nor had a male heir who could inherit the throne. In this era, she was destined to be replaced.
Here, it seemed that only childbirth or obedience could make Hu Shanxiang valuable in Zhu Zhanji's heart. Zhu Yuhuan hated this, but she also knew that this was the law of survival in this world. Apart from temporarily complying, Zhu Yuhuan could not think of any other solution. As for children, Zhu Zhanji had only three children in all these years, which showed that it was not so easy for Hu Shanxiang to get pregnant in the short term.
The future Zhu Zhanji will be the emperor, above everyone else. So many cabinet ministers cannot stop him. What else can we do except obey and please him?
"Then if you don't do something, you will also have to do something else." Hu Shanxiang seemed to understand what Zhu Yuhuan was thinking. She smiled and said, "Huanhuan, mother hopes that you study to understand the truth, not to get involved in those palace struggles. Do you understand?"
Zhu Yuhuan was slightly stunned, but soon understood the implication of Hu Shanxiang's words.
She learned too quickly and too hastily, even breaking too many rules. Hu Shanxiang almost immediately realized that Zhu Yuhuan's rapid progress must have been for the benefit of her as a mother and her sister Zhu Youtong.
Hu Shanxiang was Zhu Di's chosen consort. Now that Zhu Di has passed away, the three of them, mother and daughter, no longer have their greatest protection. Although Empress Zhang feels pity for them, she is only the empress after all. Even if she becomes the empress dowager in the future, she may not be able to protect the three of them.
The only solution Zhu Yuhuan could think of was to grow up as quickly as possible, to the point where both Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Zhanji, father and son, would value him, so that his mother and sister could live a healthy life.
There was not much time left for her. It was almost the first year of Hongxi, and Zhu Gaochi died less than a year after he ascended the throne. Zhu Yuhuan was powerless to deal with this natural disaster and could only do his best in these three years.
"Mother said that you are exactly like your father, equally smart, but you are different after all. He is the crown prince, and you are not." Hu Shanxiang reached out and touched her daughter's tender cheek, saying, "So don't worry about mother. Until you really grow up, stay by your grandmother's side, move forward, and don't look back."
Hearing these words that sounded like a farewell, Zhu Yuhuan could not help but stand there in a daze, and whispered softly: "Mother..."
"You're too smart, but you're not a man. This isn't because you're inferior to others, but because your ambitions are destined to be more difficult to achieve than others." Hu Shanxiang choked up as she spoke. She looked at Zhu Yuhuan, her eyes filled with sadness, and said, "Mother sometimes thinks that maybe not letting you study, just enjoying a life of ease and comfort, without having to worry about anything, would be happier for you..."
They both knew very well that the soil left for the growth of Ming Dynasty princesses was too barren. Before marriage, they had to obey their fathers; after marriage, they had to obey their husbands; after their husbands' death, they had to obey their sons. This was a fate that even princesses could not escape.
Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Zhanji seemed to be very indulgent towards Zhu Yuhuan. In their eyes, reading and practicing martial arts were just little hobbies of a girl in her spare time, no different from embroidery and reciting poetry. But once Zhu Yuhuan touched their bottom line, they would turn against each other faster, so Empress Zhang used the death of a palace maid to protect Zhu Yuhuan.
Zhu Yuhuan held Hu Shanxiang's hand and said seriously, "That will only make me more disappointed in the world."
What's the point of a world where she only needs to eat, drink, defecate and urinate, but stops thinking?
Although Hu Shanxiang gave birth to her and was her biological mother, Zhu Yuhuan was an adult after all, with his own thoughts and memories. Rather than respecting Hu Shanxiang as a mother, Zhu Yuhuan regarded her more as his peer. Moreover, Hu Shanxiang had given Zhu Yuhuan the best she could give and never forced Zhu Yuhuan to live according to her wishes, so Zhu Yuhuan also did not want to force her to compete for favor.
Marrying into the royal family was painful enough for Hu Shanxiang, and Zhu Yuhuan really couldn't bear to ask her to destroy her own personality and do things she didn't want to do.
In addition, it is not Zhu Yuhuan's style to rely on the success of others for his own life.
Hu Shanxiang held her in her arms and whispered in her ear, "Mother doesn't ask you to be successful and noble. I only ask for one thing, and that is that you stay alive. No matter what, you must stay alive and don't do anything risky, okay?"
Zhu Yuhuan heard the pleading in her tone, and after a long while he hugged her back, sniffing the scent that belonged to his mother, and said, "I understand."
Although Zhu Yuhuan is her daughter, she still regards Zhu Yuhuan as an independent and complete person. She does not require her to do or not do anything, nor does she devote herself entirely to her daughter. This clarity of mind surpasses too many people.
Sensing the atmosphere was a bit too quiet, Zhu Yuhuan blinked and said, "Mom... you told me before that you were afraid I would burn myself out." She scratched her head and said with a smile, "Actually, I cherish my life very much. Don't worry, if something serious happens, I will hide farther away than anyone else. I'm afraid of blood splattering on me."
Hu Shanxiang shook her head helplessly when she heard her words. She let go of her daughter and said, "Don't I know what kind of person you are? But... don't forget what your mother told you. You can fight, but you must not forget your original intention. Remember why you are fighting, not just fighting for the sake of fighting. Some things involve bottom lines. Once you cross the line, you will only continue to fall, and there will be no turning back."
Zhu Yuhuan nodded solemnly and said, "I understand. One must learn not to act before one can act."
Hu Shanxiang looked at her, her eyes filled with relief. "That's good..."
Zhu Yuhuan stared at her for a long time before smiling and saying, "I seem to understand you better, better than anyone else." She blinked uncomfortably, stretched out her hand awkwardly, and said, "Mom, can you shake my hand?"
Hu Shanxiang was slightly stunned, laughed silently, and reached out to hold her daughter's small hand.
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