The Empress nodded with satisfaction, smiling as she said, "From now on, the three of us, mother and sons, are one entity. Honor and disgrace are shared, inseparable. You brothers must unite and strive to secure the position of Crown Prince."
As she spoke, the Empress gave a warning glance, staring at the Fourth Prince.
Only then did the Fourth Prince lazily pick up his wine cup, reluctantly saying to the Second Prince, "Second Imperial Brother, I have offended you many tis before. I hope you don’t hold it against ."
"No, no, we’re all family here. Let’s consider the past as a closed Chapter," having finally climbed the big tree that is the Empress, the Second Prince naturally dared not offend the Fourth Prince, as he is the Empress’s biological son. Staying agreeable was certainly the right choice.
"Second Imperial Brother is truly sensible," the Fourth Prince said mockingly.
Despite the Empress Mother’s repeated reminders that the Second Prince’s involvent was rely a strategy to secure the Crown Prince position and thus protect their status within the Imperial Palace, watching the Second Prince getting so close to the Empress filled him with discomfort. This woman was clearly his Empress Mother, why should she be shared with soone else?
"Imperial Son, these dishes are all your favorites, have a taste," the Empress, having painstakingly brought the Second Prince into her fold, picked up a pair of jade chopsticks, took a piece of duck at, and placed it in the Second Prince’s bowl, saying with a gentle smile.
"Cough...!" The Second Prince furrowed his brows; from birth, he ate no at except fish. As a child, he would vomit violently upon eating at. Later, when his Mother Consort learned of this, she never served him at again, offering only seafood instead.
This dietary preference of the Second Prince was well-known throughout the Imperial Palace; the Empress’s claim of preparing specially for him was clearly untrue.
Seeing the Second Prince’s face looking displeased, the Empress asked curiously, "What’s wrong? Is the food not to your taste?"
The Second Prince forced a smile: "Haha...! No, it’s fine."
The Fourth Prince, who had been close to the Second Prince and studied with him at the Academy, naturally knew a little of his preferences.
Observing the hesitant look of the Second Prince staring at the at in his bowl, the Fourth Prince suddenly realized, feeling sowhat gleeful, and said, "Second Imperial Brother, this is a dish the Empress Mother prepared especially for you. Even I do not receive such treatnt. You must eat it all!"
He said it with ill intent, looking at the Second Prince.
The Empress was also very attentive, continuously adding at to the Second Prince’s bowl, serving all kinds of at, yet the large carp in the middle of the table remained untouched.
At this point, the Fourth Prince swept away his previous gloom, and the dishes on the table were clearly those he enjoyed. He began to eat heartily.
The Empress watched her son eat with joy, feeling pleased herself, and elegantly started eating as well.
After a while, the Empress was surprised to notice that the Second Prince hadn’t moved at all.
Empress: "Second Prince, do eat! What’s wrong? Is the food not to your taste?"
The Fourth Prince coldly remarked, "Could it be that you look down upon the Empress Mother and hence disdain dining with us?"
Second Prince: "No, no, Fourth Imperial Brother, you’ve misunderstood ."
The Second Prince remained outwardly calm, yet inwardly cursed the Fourth Prince a thousand tis. Knowing he didn’t eat at, the Fourth Prince accused him of looking down on the Empress, wasn’t this sowing discord?
The Fourth Prince felt secretly pleased but remained outwardly calm: "The Empress Mother kindly serves you dishes, why aren’t you eating?"
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