Chapter 51: Don't Accept Fate
After the fourth day of the first lunar month, according to the rules, all officials in the capital had to start handling their affairs again, but Zhu Di himself loved the excitement of the Lantern Festival, so he often gave officials generous holidays. When the new emperor Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne, he was inclined towards civil officials, so he naturally continued his father's lenient policy. Many officials were able to take leave and go out to watch the excitement.
For the royal family, there are a lot of things to do during the New Year, such as offering sacrifices to the heaven, earth, ancestors, and various gods. The first is to report on work, and the second is to beg for protection from various gods and ancestors, and to bless the Ming Dynasty with good weather, peace and prosperity.
But these had nothing to do with a child like Zhu Yuhuan. After all, in her generation, there were only three sisters, and Zhu Zhanji's younger brothers were not married or had children yet. The three of them, plus Zhu Zhanji, who was still the youngest among the princes, just formed a group of four people with nothing to do.
Zhu Zhanzhen complained: "After all, I am an elder. How can I hang out with you little kids?"
Zhu Yuhuan and Zhu Youtong were fine, at least they could run and jump. The youngest, Zhu Hanjia, could not speak clearly and was biting his fingers in his wet nurse's arms, looking eagerly at Zhu Zhan'an. Not to mention that they were not of the same generation, the age difference was too big.
Zhu Youtong and Zhu Zhanzhen were not familiar with each other. Upon hearing this, he immediately looked at Zhu Yuhuan who was still fiddling with a music box next to him. Zhu Yuhuan said perfunctorily without even looking up, "Yes, yes, how could my uncle be hanging around with three of us kids? If it weren't for the Imperial Concubine saying that my uncle was in poor health and could only stay at home reading and rarely go out, and if the Empress hadn't taken the others to worship and pray, we wouldn't have received any male guests."
Zhu Zhanqian was speechless for a moment, and finally said in a dejected voice: "I am the youngest. Ninth brother can go out and walk, leaving me at home..."
Zhu Yuhuan had almost finished repairing the music box in his hand. He stretched and said, "Uncle, think about it, there are many people who don't even have such boring time as you. Seeing you complaining here is what they crave most in their lives. Don't you feel a lot better?"
Zhu Zhanzhen choked at her words and muttered, "After being comforted by you, I feel even more uncomfortable in my heart."
It sounds like he is so heartless. Having read so many books, doesn't he know what "prosperity means people suffer" means?
Huai En took the tea handed to him by the palace maid and brought it to Zhu Yuhuan. When she sneered, she said, "I heard that my father set up a greenhouse outside and will distribute it to farmers near Shuntian during the spring plowing season. You can go and help then."
Zhu Zhanzhen slumped in his chair and said angrily, "My mother won't let me go!"
Zhu Yuhuan was puzzled. He took a sip of tea and said, "This is a great thing that the Emperor has approved. Why doesn't the Imperial Concubine let you go? If it were me, I would crawl over there even if I had to."
Zhu Yuhuan wished she could go out of the palace in such a legitimate way that she could experience a new life and help out. Unfortunately, she could never see her father on a daily basis, let alone let him take her out of the palace.
Zhu Zhanzhen looked up at the beams, blew a breath, and said, "Who knows what my mother is thinking..."
Zhu Yuhuan blinked, sat down on the chair next to Zhu Zhanzhen, covered his mouth with one hand, and asked in a low voice: "Have Empress Tan and the Imperial Concubine been in contact recently?"
Zhu Zhanzhen was slightly stunned. He didn't expect Zhu Yuhuan to ask this.
His legal mother, Empress Zhang, and his biological mother, Concubine Guo, were not on good terms. They knew it all too well. His mother had warned him that while daily interactions were fine, he must remember one thing: never disclose any of their family affairs to Zhu Yuhuan.
Having said that, Concubine Guo usually avoided her youngest son Zhu Zhan'an whenever she had any problems. In the final analysis, she hoped that her son would not be involved in such disputes as much as possible.
Zhu Zhan'an glanced at the two sisters not far away. Zhu Youtong was holding a gongche notation book in her hand and was trying to teach the still ignorant Zhu Hanjia. It seemed that life was peaceful and tranquil.
Zhu Yuhuan sensed Zhu Zhan's hesitation and, thinking of the awkward relationship between Empress Zhang and Concubine Guo, he quickly waved his hand and said, "Just pretend I didn't ask."
Zhu Zhanzhen sighed and said, "You never speak without a purpose. What's going on? What happened to Empress Tan?"
Zhu Yuhuan scratched his cheek, looked around, and saw Huai En nodding at the door. Then he whispered, "My father doesn't allow me to talk nonsense, and it's better not to know about this. I regret knowing it more than anyone else... Actually, I asked you this because I want to know if this matter is related to the Imperial Concubine..."
At that time in the palace, Tan easily revealed Concubine Guo. It was really too simple. She couldn't help but wonder if this was a trap set by someone else... Of course, this so-called someone else was most likely her grandmother, Empress Zhang.
Zhu Zhan'an didn't say anything, but Zhu Yuhuan had already read the answer from his silence. She couldn't help but raise her hand and rub her eyebrows.
I can’t figure it out... That incense is completely different from ordinary incense, there is definitely something wrong with it. But if Zhu Gaochi died early, it would not be good for Concubine Guo and Tan. What are they thinking?
Seeing her like this, Zhu Zhanzhen seemed somewhat helpless and said with a half-smile, "It seems my mother has 'overstepped the line' again."
Zhu Yuhuan laughed dryly in his heart.
Overstepping the boundaries? Damaging the dragon's body is a grave crime that would result in the extermination of all families and the annihilation of all clans.
Logically speaking, if there was really something wrong with the incense, the imperial physician would have been able to see it, unless he was bribed. However, as Empress Zhang was the person in charge of the entire palace, with her keen sense, it was impossible for her not to notice it at all.
Unless my grandmother is using these two people to secretly plot...
"Huanhuan, you told me this to remind me, right? What a pity! If I could have stopped it, I wouldn't be sitting here."
Zhu Yuhuan and Zhu Zhanzhen looked at each other and responded with silence.
Of course, she was also very clear that if it were just Zhu Yuhuan and Zhu Zhan'an, the relationship between them would be even closer than that between Zhu Yuhuan and his half-sister Zhu Hanjia, but they had different blood after all, so she could only say so much.
Zhu Zhanzhen laughed at himself and said, "My mother is unwilling to accept this... I should say that no one in this palace is willing to accept this. Concubine Li is not willing to accept this, she accepts her fate. Life is more important than anything else... But my mother won't accept her fate. Sooner or later, she will cause great disaster."
In a society like this, where weakness is a sin, lowliness is a sin, and not striving is a sin, what's wrong with striving for progress in order to save yourself? The only mistake, perhaps, is that Concubine Guo met the wrong opponent.
Thinking of this, Zhu Yuhuan patted Zhu Zhan'an's hand and said softly, "You will always be my uncle."
Zhu Zhanzhen looked up at the invisible sky, then stood up after a while and said, "What music are you going to play on this music box you made with so much effort? What songs does my sister-in-law like?"
Seeing this, Zhu Yuhuan also jumped off the chair and said, "I don't know what kind of music mother likes..."
Zhu Zhanzhen looked at him with a look of "What's wrong with you?" Zhu Yuhuan continued, "No one knows what my mother likes. When has she ever let anyone know her preferences?"
After being married into the Eastern Palace for eight years, no one in the entire Zhu family or even the entire imperial palace knew her preferences. Even her daughter Zhu Yuhuan did not seem to understand her, not to mention her husband Zhu Zhanji, who had almost no feelings for her.
Zhu Zhankan fell silent upon hearing this.
Seeing him like this, Zhu Yuhuan reached out and patted his shoulder, saying, "Don't be so bitter and resentful. How can you understand the joy of a fish if you are not a fish? I think my mother is very calm in her heart." Seeing Zhu Zhanzhen looking at her, she said, "And I just happen to have a song that is suitable for playing on this music box, but..."
Zhu Zhanzhen had a vague sense of foreboding. He turned to look at Zhu Yuhuan and asked, "Just what?"
Zhu Yuhuan chuckled and said, "I don't understand music theory. Someone needs to compose the music for me before I can make the paper tape."
Zhu Zhanzhen quickly shook his head. "I don't understand either!"
"I know you don't understand either." Zhu Yuhuan pointed forward and said, "There are people who do understand."
Zhu Zhanzhen looked in the direction she pointed. Zhu Youtong was holding the doll and talking to Zhu Hanjia. He raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, "Who?"
"you guess--"
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