A giant in slogans, a dwarf in actions.
Qu Dubian thoroughly explained this saying to his father through practical demonstration.
Improvement was impossible.
Qu Dubian’s grades remained firmly in the middle of the pack.
Since he started shouting “improvement” every day, Emperor Chongzhao never again told him to “behave like a prince,” probably fearing that after class each day, he would start shouting “Father, I behaved very much like a prince today!”
The Ci Ning Palace band incident thus passed. The Empress, estimating that Emperor Chongzhao had calmed down, changed the morning and evening greetings and night audiences into square dancing.
It was held in Fengwu Palace.
Consorts could come voluntarily or not, a new batch of musicians was selected to learn the music from those trained by the Seventh Prince.
All procedures followed the rules.
Emperor Chongzhao neither approved nor refused, which was taken as tacit consent.
Thus, the square dancing social activity was preserved in the rear palace.
The consorts were happy, and so was the Empress.
Because square dancing happened once every three or five days, she didn’t have to deal with those consorts who, having nothing better to do in the evening, would stroll to her palace and pay their respects for no reason.
They were casual, but she was disturbed every day, which was truly exhausting.
However, after three months, Ding Chang’an fainted during a square dancing activity at Fengwu Palace.
The Empress hurriedly summoned the imperial physician, and after examination, it was determined that Ding Chang’an was already one month pregnant.
–
Late at night.
Qu Dubian sat in his small study.
Two lamps were placed at the corner of the desk. Only he was in the small study, and without his permission, even Concubine Xuan could not enter. Although Liu Liu was off duty, he would still monitor through the simulator.
At this moment, an unfolded paper lay on the desk.
On it was drawn a complex relationship chart.
It included all the consorts who had interactions with Consort Yun when she was alive, with emphasis on the birth mothers of his several elder brothers, the maternal clans behind them, their positions in court, and whether they had any connections with each other.
Dense lines and corner annotations were all in English and simplified Chinese characters.
Qu Dubian frowned, holding a charcoal pen in his left hand, occasionally marking on it. In a blank space, he wrote two characters in modern Chinese-
Murderer.
Then he circled it and drew a question mark.
His left-hand writing and right-hand writing were worlds apart. His right hand wrote purely like a child’s, and without deliberately practicing, it was just ugly with no distinctive features.
His left-hand writing, however, was sharp yet restrained, with each stroke very clean and beautiful.
Master Fang didn’t know that he was actually left-handed when writing.
When Ding Chang’an became pregnant, his first reaction was to wonder if the culprit who had framed the original host and his mother would strike again.
Although Ding Chang’an’s situation was vastly different from Consort Yun’s back then, and the possibility of her collaborating with others to frame someone was extremely small, it didn’t mean there was no possibility.
Playing around for three or four years didn’t prevent him from collecting information related to Consort Yun from years ago.
There were benefits to becoming close with the consorts. When he occasionally went to Fengwu Palace to direct square dancing and chat with them, they would unconsciously reveal some information.
For instance, who didn’t get along with whom, and who started having conflicts with whom and when.
Qu Dubian pondered here until midnight.
When he came to this body, he had promised to avenge the original little prince and Consort Yun. Having been given this reincarnated body, he had to repay this karmic debt.
Consort De, from his observation, was straightforward like the First Prince, with few devious thoughts.
Consort Wen was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She occasionally spaced out but would also work for the Third Prince’s future.
Concubine Ruan, the Second Prince’s mother, and Concubine Yi, the Fourth Prince’s mother, were both low-profile figures.
Noble Lady Rong and Noble Consort Lan were together. If Noble Lady Rong acted, the mastermind behind was ninety percent likely to be Noble Consort Lan. If Noble Consort Lan acted, Noble Lady Rong might not know much about it.
These two were bound together.
Ye Xiaoyuan stood outside the bedchamber, hesitating for a long time, but still couldn’t help worrying and pushed the door open.
He first looked at the bed, found no one there, and then went outside the small study, standing behind the screen, asking softly, “Your Highness?”
Qu Dubian folded the relationship chart and stuffed it into the innermost drawer.
“Ye Banban?”
Only when he spoke did he realize his voice was hoarse.
Qu Dubian cleared his throat: “I’ll be right out.”
He jumped off the chair, went around the partition, and came out from behind the screen. Drowsiness belatedly surged, and he gave a big yawn, coughing a few times.
“Ye Banban.”
Ye Xiaoyuan: “Your Highness, it’s already late at night. A bit later, and His Majesty would be heading to court. You…”
He sighed, picked up the drowsy child, walked quickly to place him on the bed, and then poured him a cup of warm water.
Qu Dubian sat cross-legged on the bed, holding the cup.
Ye Xiaoyuan stroked his head, then pinched his palm, and only after feeling that he wasn’t feverish or sweating excessively did he reproach: “What urgent matter kept you in the study until now? Did Master Fang assign too much homework? If you can’t finish it, give it to Xiaochun. He’s idle anyway.”
“Ye Banban, for these nine months, could you and Xiaochun keep an eye on Ding Chang’an for me?”
Ye Xiaoyuan’s voice stopped.
Qu Dubian lowered his head and took a sip of warm water.
Alone, he couldn’t monitor Ding Chang’an. Since he needed Ye Banban’s help with this matter, he didn’t intend to hide it from him.
“Mainly to see if anyone approaches her with ill intentions, or if there are inconspicuous items or incense and the like…”
The cool little hand rested on Ye Xiaoyuan’s hand, and Qu Dubian said earnestly: “Ye Banban, I’m not trying to protect her. You know what I’m thinking.”
Ye Xiaoyuan remained silent for a long time. When he raised his hand and placed his palm on Qu Dubian’s head, it trembled involuntarily.
“This eunuch understands.”
The Consort’s death was also a wound in his heart, a hurdle he couldn’t overcome. They couldn’t question Zhang Fanming from the Astrology Bureau, but there must still be a hidden hand in the rear palace.
“Rest assured, Your Highness. Xiaochun and I will help you. Now you need to sleep.”
Qu Dubian responded with a sound and handed him the empty cup. “Ye Banban, you should go to sleep too.”
Ye Xiaoyuan nodded.
He kept watch by Qu Dubian’s bed for a long time.
Actually, the moment he learned of Ding Chang’an’s pregnancy, he had already arranged for people to place spies and personnel around Ding Chang’an’s palace. He just hadn’t told the young prince.
In the approximately four years since the prince left Ju’an Hall, his life had been relatively comfortable and smooth.
He had thought the prince would gradually forget the Consort and the two and a half years of hunger and cold, since children tend to forget easily.
Ye Xiaoyuan thought this would be good too, for the prince to remember only ease and happiness, not hardship.
But…
The prince hadn’t forgotten.
In fact, as he grew older, he remembered more clearly and became more intelligent.
Ye Xiaoyuan tucked the hand that was exposed outside back into the quilt.
It was now late autumn, and the weather had already turned cool. Qu Dubian coughed a few times in his sleep, and Ye Xiaoyuan gently patted him through the quilt.
During this period, perhaps due to the change of seasons, His Highness’s night cough was quite severe. Concubine Xuan had prepared pear soup to moisten his lungs, but it didn’t seem to help much.
When dawn was just breaking.
Ye Xiaoyuan looked at the thin child on the bed.
His eyes concealed his heartache, his voice barely audible.
“Your Highness, you just need to be clean and happy, that’s all.”
Tonight’s discovery that the young prince still remembered the Consort’s death was enough to make him distressed.
If one day, hatred and bloodshed were to cover the prince’s hands and clothes, he couldn’t imagine how he and Xiaochun would react.
–
Xiuxiang Palace.
Noble Consort Lan was having tea with Noble Lady Rong.
“With Ding Chang’an’s rank, she won’t be able to keep the child. Let’s see who His Majesty will give the child to for raising.”
Noble Lady Rong picked up on her hint and probed: “My lady, you don’t plan to…?”
“There’s no need,” Noble Consort Lan said indifferently. “Little Six has grown up now, and the Seventh Prince is just ordinary, not outstanding, and always sickly. I was previously worried that he would be favored by His Majesty and block Little Six’s path, but now I see, there’s nothing to fear.”
“The Fourth Prince is incredibly lazy, and the Fifth Prince follows Little Six obediently.”
Noble Lady Rong smiled flatteringly: “That’s natural. Looking at it this way, indeed only the Sixth Prince can compare with the First and Third Princes.”
Noble Consort Lan examined her nails critically, and said with satisfaction: “Yes, after the New Year, the Fifth Prince will be nearly ten and will move to the princes’ residence. After Ding Chang’an gives birth, His Majesty will certainly promote her rank. At that time, I will put in a good word with His Majesty, and considering your merit in raising the prince, you might be promoted to Concubine, securing your position as the mistress of Changxin Palace.”
Noble Lady Rong was overjoyed and knelt at Noble Consort Lan’s feet to perform a deep bow.
“Thank you, my lady!”
She returned to Changxin Palace with swift steps, unable to contain the smile on her face.
When the Fifth Prince returned from his studies, he saw her radiant expression, “Mother, what makes you so happy?”
Noble Lady Rong pulled him close, affectionately praised him, leaving the Fifth Prince bewildered.
Noble Lady Rong also had people prepare a table full of dishes: “Eat quickly, eat quickly. I have good news to tell you later.”
The Fifth Prince ate a few bites, secretly glanced at his mother, and after confirming she was indeed in a good mood, hesitated for a moment before gathering his courage, “Mother, I also want to tell you something.”
Noble Lady Rong: “My good son, tell me.”
Her gentle tone gave the Fifth Prince some encouragement, and he put down his chopsticks.
“I don’t want to keep running around after Sixth Brother anymore. It’s not… it’s not that I won’t help him in the future, but next year, I’ll be going to the princes’ residence, and from there to the academy, not with Sixth Brother. It won’t be convenient anymore, and if Sixth Brother keeps ordering me around, it will really affect my studies.”
“Actually, it’s already affecting me now. When Sixth Brother doesn’t study, he drags me into not studying too. Mother, could you say something to Noble Consort Lan? When we’re not in class, I can do whatever, but just…”
Slap!
Noble Lady Rong slammed down her chopsticks with a dark face.
The Fifth Prince trembled in fright.
Noble Lady Rong stood up and pulled him off his stool: “Stand up straight!”
Fifth Prince: “Mother…”
Noble Lady Rong crouched down in frustration, “Mother is about to take the main position, do you understand?”
“Today Noble Consort Lan said that you’ll go to the princes’ residence next year, and she will report to His Majesty about how hard I’ve worked raising you, and since Changxin Palace has no mistress, she’ll have me promoted. It’s clearly going to happen next year, how can you drag your mother down at this critical moment?”
The Fifth Prince was silent for a long time before saying: “Mother, actually we don’t need to rely on others to live well. I am a prince, and when I leave the palace to establish my own household in the future, taking care of you in your old age won’t be a problem. When you’re older, I can even ask Father to let you leave the palace to live with me.”
“Mother, I don’t need to compete with my brothers for anything, and you don’t need to curry favor with Noble Consort Lan…”
“What are you saying!”
Noble Lady Rong couldn’t believe her ears, “My son, your mother has worked so hard to raise you all these years. When I was pregnant with you, I was anxious every day, fearing someone would take you away. I’ve been able to keep you by my side all thanks to Noble Consort Lan.”
“Now that you’re going to the princes’ residence, you think your mother isn’t important anymore? That I can’t control you anymore, is that it?”
Fifth Prince: “Mother, no, that’s not what I meant.”
Noble Lady Rong choked up: “Then you’re saying you don’t want your mother anymore?”
Fifth Prince: “…I didn’t say that.”
Noble Lady Rong hugged him, “Good child, once I climb to the position of Concubine, your status will also be higher. For your mother’s sake, don’t be willful, alright?”
The Fifth Prince tiredly rested his chin on Noble Lady Rong’s shoulder, patting her back.
“Alright, I promise you.”
“Mother, don’t cry anymore.”
He reached out to wipe Noble Lady Rong’s tears.
–
Several months passed like flowing water.
Ding Chang’an’s pregnancy had reached five months, and it was again late spring, early summer.
Qu Dubian squatted in the courtyard, concocting strawberry juice. Da Hei had become lazy, curling up beside his feet, basking in the sun for two or three hours.
Zhiyi was carrying a cup of water, practicing court etiquette steps, and was already quite accomplished.
This was the peaceful, tranquil daily life of Shunning Palace.
A rumor suddenly began to spread from an unknown source-
The child in Ding Chang’an’s womb was incompatible with the Sixth Prince.
Qu Dubian: “Incompatible with Sixth Brother?”
Ye Xiaoyuan: “Yes, I’ve confirmed it several times, that’s exactly what’s being spread.”
Qu Dubian poured the strawberry juice into a bamboo cup, added honey water, added some lemon, then added some crushed ice, covered it with a lid, and shook it.
“Banban, don’t you think the method of spreading rumors feels familiar?”
Ye Xiaoyuan nodded.
Only this time, the Astrology Bureau hadn’t intervened; there were just widely circulating rumors.
##
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
