"Lady, Noble Princess Consort Xiao is becoming increasingly unbridled. What should we do?" Inside Weiyang Palace, a delicate woman asked worriedly, now the Emperor has three Princes, one of them being from Princess Consort Liu, the mother of the Second Prince.
Princess Consort Liu was once a concubine to Ye Qiu when he was the Crown Prince and later rose to the position of Second Attendant after giving birth to a son. After Ye Qiu ascended the throne, she was granted the title of concubine and resided in Qingyu Palace. Before Noble Princess Consort Xiao entered the palace, Liu was greatly favored by the Emperor and even saw Empress Li as a rival. However, after Noble Princess Consort Xiao arrived, Liu’s status was suppressed to the point she miscarried and beca unable to conceive. Ever since, she aligned herself with Empress Li, regarding Noble Princess Consort Xiao as a thorn in her side, wishing to rid of her swiftly.
"What can I do?" Li Yanlan revealed a bitter smile, "The Empress Dowager dotes on her, the Emperor loves her, and now I have no more extravagant hopes either. I only wish for Ah Jun to grow up safe and sound."
No one understands her current predicant better than she does. She suspects that Cining Palace and Ganquan Palace are just waiting for her and the Crown Prince to slip up, and then they would have grounds to depose them. She even feels fortunate that the border still requires the support of the Li family; otherwise, her position as Empress would already be at substantial risk.
"Empress, you cannot be so devoid of ambition!" Princess Consort Liu hurriedly interjected. If anything happened to the Empress and the Crown Prince, wouldn’t Noble Princess Consort Xiao target her and her son next? She could not just sit idly and wait for doom!
"You, I have an idea..." Liu glanced around cautiously and started to speak, but before she could finish, an eunuch from outside ca to report.
"Informing the Lady, Crown Prince and Second Prince have co to pay their respects."
Li Yanlan signaled Liu to be silent, then with a smile said, "Let them in, please."
"This son pays respects to Empress Mother." The visitors were two boys, aged seven and five. The older one had a hint of valor in his eyes and a serious deanor; this was the current Crown Prince, Ye Huaijin. The younger one, with more delicate features and a plump face, with big eyes carrying a mischievous glint, was Prince Ye Huaixin, borne by Liu.
"Get up, why didn’t you go to your lessons today?" In front of her sons, Li Yanlan showed a hint of joviality.
"The imperial tutor had taken a leave today, so I brought my Imperial Brother to see you, Mother." Even in his mother’s presence, Ye Huaijin strictly adhered to the rules, making Li Yanlan heartache with pity. The Crown Prince is but seven years old, yet the palace intrigues force him to mature early, ultimately, it shows her failure as an Empress Mother.
"Have you been to Cining Palace?" Li Yanlan asked anxiously, worried that if her sons ca to see her before visiting the Empress Dowager, it might provoke issues with both the Empress Dowager and Noble Princess Consort Xiao.
"Just ca from there."
"Did the Empress Dowager instruct anything?"
"Empress Mother, rest assured, today I strictly adhered to the etiquette taught by the imperial tutor."
Hearing this, Li Yanlan knew that today the Empress Dowager hadn’t found any faults with the Crown Prince, thus she relaxed inwardly. She was understandably worried as there had been tis when the Empress Dowager had caught the Crown Prince in minor missteps and pressured the Emperor to strip his position, which was only averted due to staunch opposition from the Imperial Censors.
Ever since Noble Princess Consort Xiao gave birth to the Third Prince, the Empress Dowager started viewing both mother and son as a nace. Although not desiring the death of her son, in her eyes, the Third Prince was the preferred choice for Crown Prince. Hence, she and the Crown Prince have been particularly careful about adhering to protocols, not daring to make a single mistake.
"Empress, look at this..." Liu, holding the Second Prince, hesitated.
Li Yanlan looked over, seeing five-year-old Ye Huaixin who was still naive to the palace’s darkness. Usually vibrant, he was already restless, tugging at Liu wanting to go out and play.
The child was delicately adorable, his plump little body nestling into his mother’s arms coquettishly. Li Yanlan couldn’t help but smile warmly, "Take him out, but be careful."
"Yes, I, your concubine, thank the Empress for your kindness."
"Lady, Eunuch Shun requests an audience." As soon as Liu left, the waiting eunuch hurriedly ca in to report.
Li Yanlan’s brow furrowed slightly; today may be the fifteenth, but it wasn’t yet noon, and she couldn’t fathom why Eunuch Shun would visit at this hour.
"Let him in please."
"Chirp."
Although Eunuch Shun was the closest servant to the Emperor, having been with Ye Qiu since a young age and possessing an active mind, despite his youth, hardly anyone in either the harem or the forr court dared to underestimate him.
"Paying respects to the Empress." Even though she was nearly devoid of the Emperor’s affection, Eunuch Shun never underestimated her, which was part of his ability to get along with people.
"Rise, please have a seat." Li Yanlan composed herself, maintaining an air of nobility without being unlikable.
"Lady, you are too kind to this servant." Eunuch Shun did not sit down, but respectfully said, "Your Majesty heard today that the imperial tutor requested leave, so he asked the Crown Prince to go to the Imperial Study Room."
"Did Your Majesty ntion what it was about?" Li Yanlan felt a sudden tightness in her heart and quickly asked, as this had never happened since the ascension to the throne.
Eunuch Shun chuckled, "Lady, please rest assured, His Majesty was rely inquiring about the Crown Prince’s studies."
Even with that explanation, Li Yanlan could not let go of her worries, but since the Emperor did not summon her, there was nothing she could do, and she could only hope that her son’s performance would not anger the Emperor.
In the Imperial Study Room, Ye Qiu put down his ink brush when he saw Eunuch Shun return.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has arrived."
"Let him co in."
"Chirp!"
Even though he was precocious, facing the always serious Father Emperor made Ye Huaijin very nervous; he knelt down ticulously, his tone respectful: "Your son pays respect to Father Emperor."
"Mm, rise."
Was it his imagination, or did Father Emperor’s word just now seem a bit kinder?
The Crown Prince was frightened by his own guess and quickly lowered his head.
Seeing this, Ye Qiu didn’t linger and asked directly, "What has the imperial tutor been teaching recently?"
"Father Emperor, the imperial tutor was teaching ’Ritual Records’ today."
"Have you practiced any martial arts?"
Huh? Ye Huaijin was montarily startled. He thought Father Emperor would quiz him about his studies; why did it suddenly switch to martial arts?
But he responded quickly, "The imperial tutor said I am still too young to practice martial arts."
Yet Ye Qiu instructed Eunuch Shun, "Xiao Shun, inform the imperial tutor that from now on the Crown Prince’s lessons will shift to the Si hour."
Eunuch Shun didn’t quite understand Ye Qiu’s intention, but as a eunuch, the most important thing was to obey, "Chirp, this servant will arrange it right away."
"Father Emperor?" Ye Huaijin looked bewilderedly at Ye Qiu.
"From now on, be at the training ground at the Chen hour."
"Yes." Ye Huaijin murmured to himself, wondering if he was about to start martial arts training; unfortunately, his most admired Uncle was at the border and could not be his teacher.
"You’re telling the Crown Prince spent the whole day in the Imperial Study Room today?" At Ganquan Palace, Noble Princess Consort Xiao glared at the servant.
"Yes, Lady."
"And where is the Emperor now?" Xiao Rou’s face was grim, and the surrounding servants knelt on the ground, trembling.
"The Emperor has gone to Weiyang Palace." The Palace Attendant carefully replied.
"All useless!"
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