Emperor Jingming summoned Yu Jin to the palace and cautioned, “Be humble and cautious. Don’t become arrogant just because you have a good reputation among the people.”
Yu Jin replied respectfully, “Son understands.”
Pan Hai silently looked to the sky.
The Emperor’s words made it sound as if Prince Yan hadn’t been arrogant before.
Silently counting Yu Jin’s “misdeeds” – getting into group fights, hitting the Crown Prince… Pan Hai was surprised to find there were quite a few. Even more surprising was that despite Prince Yan’s many shocking actions, the impression he left was quite good.
After Yu Jin left, Emperor Jingming chuckled, “Pan Hai, tell me, has any other royal clan member ever received an Umbrella of Ten Thousand People?”
“It’s all thanks to Your Majesty’s benevolence and wisdom that Prince Yan has become such an outstanding prince,” Pan Hai’s flattery came easily.
Emperor Jingming was pleased to hear it.
He knew, of course, that Pan Hai was flattering him, but as long as it felt good, what did it matter? Life was already bitter and laborious enough, what was wrong with hearing a few pleasant words? Besides, his son was indeed exceptional, and what father wouldn’t be happy about that? Just look at that old fool Zhen Shicheng, when his son achieved the top three ranks in the imperial examinations and became an auspicious sign, he had even gloated in front of him. At the time, he had been quite displeased but couldn’t show it as the ruler of the country.
“Go and summon the Crown Prince,” Emperor Jingming’s mood immediately soured as he thought of his other son.
Soon, the Crown Prince entered, eyes lowered submissively, “Father Emperor called for me.”
Emperor Jingming glanced at the Crown Prince, “What were you doing in the Eastern Palace?”
“Son was reading…” Whenever questioned by Emperor Jingming, the Crown Prince instinctively became nervous.
Of course, he was even more nervous about being asked what he was reading…
Fortunately, Emperor Jingming’s focus wasn’t on this. He nodded slightly and said, “You’ve heard that your Seventh Brother received an Umbrella of Ten Thousand People, haven’t you?”
“Son has heard,” the Crown Prince felt a wave of displeasure, which showed slightly on his face.
Seventh Brother, Seventh Brother, now everyone was talking about Seventh Brother. Would it ever end?
Seeing the Crown Prince’s inappropriate expression, Emperor Jingming’s anger flared up. He slammed the table, “Don’t you reflect on yourself at all? Why is it that your Seventh Brother can win the people’s love with one trip, while you spout nonsense and cause a huge deficit for the Ministry of Revenue!”
The Crown Prince felt extremely wronged and couldn’t help but defend himself softly, “Seventh Brother’s merit is because of Erniu, whom he raised—”
“Enough!” Emperor Jingming was increasingly disappointed, wishing he could use the white jade paperweight on the table to knock some sense into his foolish son’s muddled head.
Seeing the Crown Prince still looking unconvinced, Emperor Jingming shook his head, “Although Erniu predicted the earthquake, what about everything that happened afterward? If you had shown even a shred of responsibility, you would be the one receiving the people’s love and respect today!”
The Crown Prince’s lips quivered, showing some regret.
Emperor Jingming grew angrier at the sight.
No decisiveness or responsibility when faced with a situation, and afterward, only knowing regret without reflection… He couldn’t think about it anymore, or he’d explode with anger.
Emperor Jingming waved his hand, “Go back and think it over. I hope you can behave like a proper Crown Prince in the future.”
The Crown Prince left the Imperial Study, pondering Emperor Jingming’s words all the way.
Father Emperor wanted him to behave like a proper Crown Prince in the future, did that mean he thought he wasn’t a qualified Crown Prince now?
The Crown Prince drew in a sharp breath, suddenly struck by a thought: If Father Emperor always felt he was unqualified, could he possibly be thinking of deposing him?
Thinking of his experience in Jing Garden, the Crown Prince shuddered.
No, it couldn’t be. Father Emperor surely wouldn’t depose him again.
Returning to the Eastern Palace and seeing the Crown Princess without a smile on her face, the Crown Prince’s mood worsened.
“Can’t you smile? With that mourning face all day, you’re driving away all our good fortune!”
The Crown Princess glanced at the Crown Prince, her expression cold.
In the past, this man was just stupid, but now he had become moody as well. In a few days, would he start hitting people?
The Crown Prince kicked a small stool, sending it flying, “What exactly do you mean?”
The flying stool landed near a palace maid’s feet, frightening her so much that she covered her mouth tightly, not daring to make a sound.
“All of you, withdraw,” the Crown Princess said gently.
The palace servants in the room quickly responded and hurriedly retreated.
Only then did the Crown Princess pour a cup of tea, place it beside the Crown Prince, and say coolly, “Does the Crown Prince not feel ashamed to argue with me in front of so many palace servants?”
The Crown Prince sneered, “What’s there to be ashamed of? They’re just servants, do I need to consider their feelings?”
The Crown Princess looked at the Crown Prince silently, no longer wanting to say another word.
A surge of viciousness rose in the Crown Prince’s heart.
Ever since this woman moved back to the Eastern Palace from Jing Garden, she often looked at him with this kind of gaze, making him want to hit her every time he saw it.
The Crown Prince grabbed the Crown Princess’s wrist, squeezing it hard, “What exactly do you want? Are you tired of being the Crown Princess?”
The Crown Princess frowned in pain, her tone still cold, “Whether I’m the Crown Princess or not isn’t up to me. I just hope the Crown Prince can be grateful and cherish what he has, if not for yourself, then for Prince Chun’s sake.”
After speaking, the Crown Princess forcefully broke free from the Crown Prince’s grip and quickly walked into the inner chamber.
The Crown Prince initially wanted to follow her in and have a big argument, but considering that it might reach Emperor Jingming’s ears and earn him a scolding, he gave up and went to the garden to chat with young palace maids instead.
The Crown Princess sat in the empty inner chamber, her heart cold.
She could barely tolerate this man anymore.
Whether he was stupid or moody, she had to accept it since she had married him.
But the other day when her mother came to visit, bringing her newly married sister-in-law, the way the Crown Prince looked at her sister-in-law made her heart race with fear.
This man was going mad!
And yet, for such an unworthy man, her mother still advised her to win the Crown Prince’s heart…
The Crown Princess touched the corner of her eye, feeling cold tears.
The latter half of May seemed to calm down, but at the end of the month, the Minister of Revenue fell ill with summer heat and officially submitted his resignation.
Emperor Jingming, following custom, tried to retain him several times, but the Minister of Revenue insisted, and finally, his resignation was accepted.
As everyone expected, Deputy Minister Zhao succeeded to the position of Minister of Revenue.
Barely in his fifties, Zhao became one of the six ministers, his future truly bright. Immediately, Zhao’s residence was flooded with visitors, with countless people coming to offer congratulations.
The former Deputy Minister Zhao, now Minister Zhao, felt deeply grateful to one person at this moment.
“I owe my success today to Prince Yan’s blessing,” Minister Zhao sighed to his wife in their room.
The Minister’s wife had also been in high spirits these days. Hearing this, she smiled, “I heard that Princess Yan is about to give birth. We should prepare a generous gift to send to the Prince Yan’s residence when the time comes.”
Minister Zhao nodded repeatedly, “My wife, please keep that in mind. Princess Yan is about to give birth, and Prince Yan hasn’t even left his residence. We can’t even invite him for a drink to express our gratitude, so we can only put more thought into the congratulatory gift.”
“I wonder if Princess Yan will give birth in May?” the Minister’s wife mused casually.
Many people were thinking the same thing.
If the child were born in an inauspicious month, the joy wouldn’t be as complete.
Under the secret attention of certain people, on the last day of May, Jiang Si finally went into labor.