Chapter 11

chapter 11

The Second Princess had learned to speak. It was only a few words, but His Majesty found it rather amusing-perhaps because he had no shortage of princes, but not many princesses.

By association, Beauty Bai’s child also received a little more favor. When His Majesty was chatting idly with me, he even said that now Tun’er was older, I could give him another younger brother or sister.

I agreed aloud, but in my heart, I did not approve. Had I had my fill of peaceful days and now wanted to go looking for trouble? As things stood, with only Tun’er, I could pour all my love into him. If I had another child, the attention I gave Tun’er would inevitably lessen.

Besides, bearing a child was difficult-ten months of pregnancy were hard, and the delivery itself was harder still. No matter how I thought about it, I truly could not see what benefit having another child would bring me.

And in any case, did the children in the palace not all call me Empress Mother?

What I had not expected was that soon after this, the new emperor of the Chen Kingdom ascended the throne and sent envoys to request a princess in marriage, so the two houses might be joined in goodwill. The Chen Kingdom had always maintained good relations with our dynasty, but because it was a small state, it had long since become our vassal.

To be honest, under such circumstances, sending a princess for a marriage alliance was far better than doing so after a military defeat. But who would willingly leave their home and homeland behind? The one fortunate thing was that His Majesty’s princesses were all still too young. The Second Princess was barely over a year old.

Only, when I recalled what His Majesty had said that day, I could not help but think too much into it. Did he feel there were too few princesses in the palace, making it inconvenient for him to use them in marriage alliances? I could not be blamed for assuming the worst of him. After all, he was the emperor. Wanting to maximize his interests was only reasonable.

Fortunately, His Majesty’s daughters were unsuitable, but among the imperial clan, there would always be girls of marriageable age. It only depended on which family wanted to step forward. And so I cooperated by summoning titled ladies into the palace and speaking with them about the matter. Between the lines, all I meant was that they should give up a daughter in exchange for wealth and honor.

In the end, they chose the legitimate second daughter of Prince He of Commandery. She was granted the title Princess Yong’an and sent to the Chen Kingdom for the marriage alliance. Prince He of Commandery was His Majesty’s second elder brother, one of the princes who had fought for the throne back then. He had merely lost and had his rank stripped. Even his current title of commandery prince had only been restored because he offered up a daughter.

As for this unlucky princess, her birth mother had died early, and the current Princess Consort of Commandery was her stepmother. That was likely why she was the one chosen.

After the matter of the marriage alliance came to an end, Wanyi Xiang brought it up with me, still shaken by lingering fear. She was worried about her own daughter’s future.

“A mother is honored through her child, and a child is honored through their mother. The two support each other. If you are afraid, then you cannot keep going on like this.” Ever since she had the Second Princess, she had gone back to drifting through her days the way she used to.

She had family background and knew how to judge the situation. Even without competing for the emperor’s favor, she could live perfectly well. If she chose to live her own life that way, it did not matter much, but a child was different.

“I know everything Your Highness is saying, but the moment I think of it-” Disgust showed on her face. In the whole harem, she was probably the only one who dared to be this repulsed by His Majesty.

“Then let His Majesty spend more time with the child. Once there is affection between them, things will be much better.”

“If the benefits are great enough, what use is affection?”

“Enough. The Second Princess is still so young. Who can say what will happen in the future?” I comforted her. Perhaps by the time the Second Princess was grown, the one sitting on the dragon throne would be my son.

Wanyi Xiang smiled knowingly. “Your Highness is right. Your Highness must also show more favor to us mother and daughter.”