The fourth prince was horrified, and the body that had not yet stood up straight knelt down again, “My son does not want to be the crown prince.”
The emperor obviously did not expect this answer, and surprisingly froze slightly.
“My son is still young and has not been exposed to court affairs, my second brother has been in the court for many years and he is the right person to be the crown prince, both in terms of handling matters and his age. I just want to be an idle prince, rich and free for the rest of my life.”
The Emperor stared at him.
The fourth prince was also frank and open, and did not feel weak or disobedient.
The emperor thought he could see both mother and son clearly, and narrowed his eyes.
Did the Duke of Ding really not know the truth of what happened back then? So he didn’t tell Concubine Xian that she had entered the palace to keep the people of the Ding Guoguang’s house safe, and not to seek revenge on him?
The fact is that the company’s performance over the years has lessened the suspicion of the Duke of Ding. But after all, he is an emperor, already suspicious, and with the recent events happening one after another, even if Concubine Xian and the Ding Guoguang’s family did not have that in mind, he would not be completely convinced.
The company’s main business is to provide a wide range of products and services to the market. Teach you to be an idle prince?”
“Father, I have always been very attentive to what you have taught me, but it is my son who does not have the heart for it. It is too hard to manage a country, just like Father, who gets up early every morning to go to the morning court, and has to deal with state affairs, and read through documents, and hardly has any free time, my son likes to be idle, and does not want to work that hard.”
This compliment pleased the emperor, and he scolded with a smile, “It seems that I have given you too much spoiling in the day-to-day, and have actually developed your lazy temperament, I have to think hard about how to break you over.”
The fourth prince looked pained.
The emperor laughed out loud as he watched.
……
The Emperor did not hide his words from the palace staff, and soon someone reported to Concubine Rouge, Concubine Rouge heard, immediately smiled, also made up his mind, when his son ascended to the throne will be treated well Concubine Xian mother and son.
At the same time, she wrote a letter and had it sent to the Second Prince’s residence.
The second prince is like an ant on a hot pot these days. He was unable to do many things, and he could not even see Song Wan Yue, so he did not know what to do next.
When he saw Consort Zou’s letter, his panic-stricken heart stabilized. With his father’s suspicious nature, he would have had someone take him down immediately the moment Liu Ying brought someone to the palace to sue him, regardless of whether there was evidence.
……
Song Wan Yue did not know what was happening in the palace.
She and Song Yin went out shopping every day.
It was almost New Year’s Eve, and the capital was full of festive atmosphere.
Countless peddlers had flocked to the capital, selling all kinds of rare things, trying to make a fortune before the New Year.
The shops had purchased a lot of goodies, and the staff were working hard to attract customers.
The two of them spent money like water, buying a cartload of things every day.
In just a few days, they filled up several spare rooms in the house.
Even so, no one stopped them. When Xu Yan found out about it, he even had his wife send her 30,000 taels of silver cheques, so that she could buy whatever she wanted.
Song Wangyue didn’t say she didn’t want it, and accepted it with a smile on her face, “Thank you, auntie.”
“You’re welcome to give it to your aunt, just say the word, I still have it in my hand if it’s not enough.”
“I won’t be polite to my aunt.”
Mrs Xu Yan changed the subject, “It’s almost New Year’s Eve, when will your grandmother and great-grandfather return?”
Song Wangyue’s face did not change, “They’ll be back soon, I think.”
“Cotoneaster should also be back soon, so you should wait in the capital for a few more days and see him before you leave.”
Song Wangyue answered in one breath, “Sure.”
Mrs. Xu Yan felt more and more that her daughter was sweet, it was just a pity that she could not have more children, otherwise she would have had to have two.
……
In the blink of an eye, another ten days had passed and Xu Yan was giving lessons to the fourth prince on his last day.
The last time the fourth prince said to the emperor that he wanted to be an idle prince, by the next day Xu Yan was called by the emperor when he went into the palace to take a break from teaching, and after he returned he gave the fourth prince more homework. In the past, it was a half hour break for a quarter of an hour, but now it was an hour before a quarter of an hour.
The fourth prince complained bitterly, but did not dare to disobey, and came back sickly after each lesson.
Consort Xiao was so distressed that she would personally make some cakes every day and have them sent over to the Fourth Prince when he was resting.
Today was the same. When the cakes were ready, she put them into a food box and was about to have them sent over when Eunuch Huang arrived.
Eunuch Huang said, “Today is the last day, His Majesty intended to summon Mr. Xu and reward him, but the Sixth Minister has been in the Imperial Study Room since the morning court, and His Majesty just couldn’t get away, so he asked his servant to send word for Her Majesty to go there instead of His Majesty and reward him with these things.”
Behind Eunuch Huang stood six palace maids, each carrying a tray in her hand, which was covered with red silk.
“My palace understands.”
Eunuch Huang retreated.
Consort Xiao Xian gestured for the palace maids to carry the food boxes and lead the way to the Fourth Prince’s palace.
Halfway to her side, Consort Zuo’s side got the news and intuited that something was not right.
It was only morning. Even if the Emperor was not available in the morning, could he not be available in the afternoon? Consort Xiao should not be allowed to see a male outsider.
But she couldn’t figure out what His Majesty wanted to do.
Could it be that His Majesty favoured Consort Xiao Xian to the point where there was no bottom line?
While Consort Rou was still thinking, Consort Xiao Xianfei had already entered the Fourth Prince’s palace.
She had sent someone to bring cakes over every day, so she naturally knew what time the Fourth Prince rested.
“Mother Consort!”
Seeing the tray held by the palace maids behind him, he knew in his heart, but he still pretended not to know and asked, “Why are you here?”
Consort Mother used to come to his bedchamber, but after the gentleman came to teach, she had not come once.
Consort Xiao took the food box from the palace maid and handed it to him, “This is what Consort Mother has just prepared, eat it later while it is hot.”
“Thank you, Mother Consort.”
“Where is Mr. Xu?”
“Sir is inside the house.”
The Fourth Prince was just about to turn around to call for someone when Xu Yan had already heard the commotion and came out from inside the house, bowing, “Greetings, Consort Xian.”
Concubine Xiao Xian gave a false support, “Mr. Xu is exempt from salutations.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
This was the first time Consort Xiao had seen Xu Yan.
When she was unmarried, she did not go out of the gate, so naturally she did not have the opportunity to meet him, and later, when she entered the palace, she had never met him.
But she had met the old man.
It was at the Qinwang Mansion.
As her brother-in-law was a good scholar, he and the old gentleman were also quite close, so if he went to the Xu family, he would bring a lot of trouble, so he invited him to the Qinwang Mansion.
Xu Yan’s eyebrows bore a slight resemblance to the old gentleman.
“Today is the last day of teaching, the emperor originally wanted to personally come over to reward Mr. Xu, but the dynasty is busy, the emperor really can’t get away, so this palace took over, these are ……”
The words were not finished when there was a blackness in front of his eyes and he fell forward.