Prince Qing had truly been reduced to tears by Emperor Yongchang’s tirade.
Partly from fright, partly from being unable to bear the loss of face.
Among the four imperial consorts, Consort Shen was the youngest and had the best luck when it came to offspring.
Empress Zhou had given birth to two princes who both died young. Consort Liu only became pregnant after three years of imperial favor. Consort Du had basked in favor for over ten years before finally welcoming the second princess and fourth prince. Only Consort Shen had entered the palace at sixteen and given birth to the third prince the following year, becoming the first and last beauty after Consort Du to be promoted to consort rank in the rear palace.
Consort Rou enjoyed favor, and Prince Qing had been the emperor’s little prince for six or seven years. Perhaps yesterday Emperor Yongchang was still disparaging the eldest prince for having a dull mind and only knowing how to memorize by rote, the next day disparaging the second prince for being as stiff and boring as a block of wood, and the day after that he would be holding the three or four-year-old third prince’s hand to catch butterflies. This made the third prince unafraid of the Father Emperor from childhood, daring to ask the Father Emperor for whatever he wanted.
Growing up so smoothly until age fifteen, when second brother Zhao Sui suddenly achieved military merit and was enfeoffed as prince early, stealing his position as Father Emperor’s most favored prince—this counted as the first small setback Prince Qing encountered. So Prince Qing worked even harder at studying and practicing martial arts. When he had accumulated a chest full of ambitions and was prepared to compete with second brother, second brother actually became crippled…
Now there was no need to compete at all. The cousin he had admired for many years also voluntarily wanted to marry him. How could Prince Qing not be happy, not feel pleased with himself?
Although there had been some mishaps in suppressing the bandits, he had still successfully completed the bandit suppression assignment. And border wars routinely saw thousands or tens of thousands of soldiers die in battle—what did those mere one thousand prefectural soldiers in Tanzhou amount to? They could only be considered a minor flaw in the jade of his bandit suppression merit.
On the road back to the capital, Prince Qing had many daydreams, including that shortly after returning to the capital, Father Emperor would formally invest him as crown prince.
The more beautiful his fantasies, the more devastating it was to suddenly receive such an unprecedented harsh scolding from Father Emperor, while being observed throughout by eldest brother, second brother, the two chancellors, maternal grandfather, the ministers of the Six Ministries, and those highly regarded dukes and military generals. Prince Qing’s courage and face couldn’t bear it. Kneeling on the ground, he trembled and choked with sobs.
Prince Kang knelt not far away. Seeing third brother’s pitiful appearance, he felt both pleased that third brother probably could never compete with him again, and also somewhat sympathetic, wondering whether he as eldest brother should plead for third brother’s sake.
But plead for what?
Father Emperor neither wanted to beat third brother nor demote his princely rank. Could a dignified prince be impoverished by losing one year’s stipend? Being confined for three months at most damaged his dignity. He could hardly ask Father Emperor to reduce the punishment by one or two months.
Thus, Prince Kang could only continue kneeling with lowered head.
He was like this, and Prince Qing’s maternal grandfather, Minister of Personnel Shen Shiyan, was the same. Originally he could have helped share some of his grandson’s fault, but after Peng Daji’s memorial entered the capital, Shen Shiyan had already gone before Emperor Yongchang to request punishment, claiming that his past recommendation to transfer Feng Gui as Tanzhou Prefect showed negligence in evaluating personnel. However, Emperor Yongchang said that Feng Gui’s previous performance evaluations had no problems, that no one could have predicted he would have such a case of “hero saving the beauty” this year, and did not blame him, only telling him to continue his duties with peace of mind.
In the utter silence, it was Emperor Yongchang who took the initiative to break the stillness in the great hall, finally saying one last thing to Prince Qing: “Withdraw. Remember to submit a self-reflection memorial to me every ten days.”
He had only pursued third son’s carelessness in underestimating the enemy and ineffective handling of affairs in the great hall, leaving third son some superficial merit. But third son knew himself exactly how many mistakes he had made.
If third son could truly reflect on himself and honestly confess all his errors to him, including admitting his disrespect for others, his vanity and greed for merit, and his willingness to reform, Emperor Yongchang would still give him opportunities to serve as an imperial son on assignments. Otherwise, third son would only be an “idle prince” for the rest of his life.
“Your son will certainly reflect. May Father Emperor take care of his dragon body. Your son takes his leave.”
After kowtowing three times with resonant thuds, Prince Qing first quickly wiped the tears from his face with his sleeve, then slowly stood up. Without looking at anyone, he strode away with lowered eyes.
As he left the great hall, Prince Qing heard Father Emperor calmly order the court assembly to continue.
Prince Qing, who had been ordered to reflect on his errors behind closed doors, was even exempted from paying respects to the empress and his mother consort. Prince Qing went directly back to Songfeng Hall on the traveling palace grounds, which Father Emperor had allocated for him and his wife to reside in. Ignoring the bowing eunuchs and maids, Prince Qing shut himself in the front courtyard with a dark expression.
When Zheng Yuanzhen received news that Prince Qing had arrived at the North Garden, she was accompanying her mother-in-law and mother touring gardens and admiring flowers. The landscape outside the traveling palace was open and beautiful, while the garden scenery inside the traveling palace was magnificent and elegant. Moreover, there was no need to travel long distances or ride horses or carriages to get there—they could stroll about whenever the mood struck. When thirsty or tired, there were covered walkways to sit in, and it was very convenient for the maids to serve tea and water.
After Prince Qing met with His Majesty, he would certainly go to the West Palace to pay respects, so the three of them went together to Consort Rou’s palace compound to wait.
They waited and waited, until after the court assembly dispersed, when Shen Shiyan sent word through a young eunuch to Consort Rou.
After hearing the young eunuch’s words, Consort Rou sat frozen pale-faced in her chair. Just moments ago, Zheng Yuanzhen’s face had been flushed with embarrassment from the teasing of her mother-in-law and mother, but now, though her head was still lowered, there was not half a trace of color left in her face.
Fear and alarm intertwined in the hearts of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Princess Imperial Fucheng became furious. After dismissing the palace attendants, Princess Imperial Fucheng looked at Consort Rou: “His Majesty also came to your place twice in the past half month. Did he really not show any signs at all?”
If only they could have detected Imperial Brother’s fury, they could have prepared in advance—for instance, having Prince Qing proactively request punishment before arriving. How did it come to this, with Prince Qing losing such great face at the court assembly upon his return to the capital?
Princess Imperial Fucheng was forty-seven, nine years older than Consort Rou. Whether in terms of age or the imposing bearing cultivated in an imperial princess, Consort Rou had to show her three parts respect.
With Princess Imperial Fucheng’s challenge, Consort Rou thought about His Majesty’s behavior when he saw her and felt so wronged her eyes reddened: “His Majesty treated me exactly as before. If there had been any signs, I definitely would have noticed.”
If there was any difference, it was that those two nights His Majesty had been exceptionally vigorous. Consort Rou had even thought that because her son was accomplished, His Majesty was too pleased and was rewarding her in this way…
Princess Imperial Fucheng immediately recalled Imperial Brother’s words and actions during their walk together. Indeed, he had been completely impeccable!
With no one among their own people to blame, Princess Imperial Fucheng thought of Consort Xian and said through gritted teeth: “Even if a thousand prefectural soldiers died, it was because there was a traitor among Tanzhou Prefect’s people who caused their deaths. Brother Xun himself nearly met with danger. Even if His Majesty doesn’t reward him, he shouldn’t be so enraged. Someone must have exaggerated Brother Xun’s faults before him!”
Consort Du was beautiful, but Consort Xian’s favor, apart from having given birth to Prince Kang, had to be attributed to her tongue—she could always say grand principles that sounded worthy of the court historian praising her.
Consort Rou: “So what if that’s true? Now His Majesty has already laid blame. Once the edict is issued it cannot be changed. Brother Xun lost face publicly. Who knows how distressed he must be right now. No, I must go see him. He even took a knife wound in Tanzhou—I don’t know if it’s healed yet…”
Princess Imperial Fucheng fixed her in the chair with a single look: “His Majesty ordered him to reflect behind closed doors. He himself cannot come out, and others cannot go visit him. If you go, do you want to give people grounds to report you again before His Majesty?”
Consort Rou knew she had been thrown into confusion by concern and finally looked toward her daughter-in-law.
Zheng Yuanzhen said with lowered eyes: “Your daughter-in-law will return now.”
Princess Imperial Fucheng came out together with her daughter. Seeing her daughter’s ashen complexion, Princess Imperial Fucheng softened her voice and comforted her daughter: “Don’t panic. It’s just a temporary setback. During these three months, have Prince Qing put on a proper show of self-reflection. After he emerges, have him go before His Majesty and thoroughly reflect. There will still be opportunities ahead. Mother will find a way regarding Prince Kang.”
Zheng Yuanzhen couldn’t control the trembling throughout her body. When she looked at her mother, tears had gathered in her eyes: “Will there truly still be opportunities?”
His Majesty was angry—he could scold Prince Qing privately, so why make such a great show of anger at the court assembly?
Zheng Yuanzhen didn’t feel sorry for Prince Qing at all, but she was very afraid that Prince Qing had completely lost the sacred heart, afraid that she and her mother had first damaged their reputations and now lost their advantage as well, drawing water with a bamboo basket—all for nothing.
Princess Imperial Fucheng gripped her daughter’s hand firmly, her gaze both tender and carrying a kind of sharp determination: “There will be. Mother won’t let you suffer this grievance in vain.”
“Go now. Today, focus on properly comforting Brother Xun. Come pay respects again tomorrow morning.”
“Yes.”
After parting from her mother, Zheng Yuanzhen took the maids at her side and headed east. Passing by Prince Kang and his wife’s Qinghui Hall and Prince Hui and his wife’s Yunshan Hall, she heard complete tranquility within.
Zheng Yuanzhen knew that Yao Huang had again taken Chen Ying, the two secondary consorts, the children, and the two princesses out to play. Today it seemed they were going to play chuiwan. The chuiwan game was simple—adults and children could play together.
Yao Huang. Prince Hui.
If Prince Hui’s legs hadn’t been crippled, he would be Emperor Yongchang’s undisputed choice for crown prince, and she would have long since become Princess Consort Hui, peacefully waiting to continue as crown princess consort.
But there were no “ifs.” She was now Princess Consort Qing.
Entering Songfeng Hall, Zheng Yuanzhen immediately sensed the servants in the courtyard maintaining silence as if their voices had been sealed. Learning that Prince Qing was in the inner chamber of the front courtyard, Zheng Yuanzhen had the maids remain outside and went in alone.
The door to the inner chamber wasn’t closed, only hung with a layer of gauze curtain. Zheng Yuanzhen stood outside the curtain and said softly: “Third Brother, I’ve returned.”
Before marriage she had always called Prince Qing “Third Cousin Brother.” After marriage, Prince Qing felt “Cousin Brother” wasn’t intimate enough and had her change to calling him “Third Brother.”
There was no response from inside.
Zheng Yuanzhen lifted the curtain and walked in. Her gaze swept around in a circle and she saw that Prince Qing’s python robe had been thrown outside the canopy bed, and he was lying across the bed. A pair of black boots lay askew beside the bed, probably kicked off after he lay down.
Zheng Yuanzhen slowly came to the bedside. Just as she looked over, she met Prince Qing’s eyes, cold as ice, glaring at her and demanding: “I clearly had someone send you a message. Why are you only returning now?”
Zheng Yuanzhen: “…I was at Mother Consort’s place. I thought you would go pay respects to Mother Consort first…”
Prince Qing laughed, a laugh that looked even worse than crying: “Then why didn’t you continue waiting for me to come over?”
Zheng Yuanzhen knew he was unhappy from being scolded. She sat on the edge of the bed and grasped his hand: “Don’t be like this, Third Brother. Father Emperor struck so suddenly. We at the North Garden also didn’t discover any signs in advance. Right now we all feel as miserable as you do.”
Prince Qing turned his head away, staring fixedly at the interior of the bed. Cousin’s words were unpleasant to hear, but he knew she was only concerned for him.
Seeing him calm down a bit, Zheng Yuanzhen said puzzledly: “Father Emperor has doted on Third Brother since childhood and has almost never spoken a harsh word. Today he suddenly flew into such a rage—could it be that Third Brother accidentally did something else wrong in Tanzhou that Father Emperor learned about?”
Upon hearing this, Prince Qing suddenly flung off her hand, sat up, and glared at Zheng Yuanzhen with bitter sarcasm: “What wrong thing could I have done! Before I left the capital you already looked down on me. Now you think all the fault lies with me, think that if I had listened to you I wouldn’t have ended up like this, right?”
Suppressing some bandits, that’s all it was! Father Emperor didn’t trust him, maternal grandfather didn’t trust him, even Mother Consort, auntie, and cousin—all these women looked down on him too!
If only they hadn’t all been chattering in his ear one after another, he wouldn’t have been in such a rush to achieve merit, and wouldn’t have failed to investigate Prefect Feng!
“Get out. I don’t want to see you right now.”
Pointing toward the door, Prince Qing looked at Zheng Yuanzhen with utterly disgusted eyes.
Zheng Yuanzhen left in embarrassment.