Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When I went to the Noble Consort’s residence, she still looked sickly and listless.

“Are you feeling any better?”

She said dispiritedly, “My body has recovered.”

“Then why are you still like this?”

“Has Your Highness come today to make peace?” She lifted her little face to look at me. She truly was a beauty who could stir pity in anyone who saw her.

“How did His Majesty upset you?”

She pressed her lips together, and tears began to fall. I quickly took Yuanluo’s handkerchief and wiped them for her as she said, “What kind of person am I? Does His Majesty not know after all these years? He knows perfectly well that I hate it most when the people beneath me try to seduce him, yet right there in my own palace, he and that palace maid…”

“He is His Majesty. You know that too.” I sighed and could only comfort her. Fortunately, from the very beginning, I had never pinned my hopes for love and romance on His Majesty. A man like him was acceptable enough as a husband one treated with mutual respect, but as for some cherished beloved? Forget it.

“Your Highness…”

“The more you act like this, aren’t you only making things easier for others?”

Perhaps she had thought it through, or perhaps she truly disliked Lady Chen. After I spoke with her that day, she took the initiative to yield and went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to seek out His Majesty. Very good. In His Majesty’s heart, I imagine I became a little more virtuous and magnanimous again.

Within two days, I heard that Lady Chen had been punished by the Noble Consort to kneel for four hours. “Letting her vent a little is fine.”

“Your Highness certainly indulges the Noble Consort,” Consort Xiang said.

“You and I both know what sort of temperament she has. She isn’t someone who likes to make things difficult for others.”

Consort Xiang said nothing. I thought of what had happened between her and the Noble Consort before. “Back then, you did go a little too far as well, calling His Majesty away from the Noble Consort day after day. Of course she would feel unhappy.”

“I know. I brought it upon myself, and I cannot blame the Noble Consort. In any case, I have changed now.”

“You mustn’t be bitten by a snake once and fear ropes for ten years. You should still have a child as early as you can. Look at Consort Kang. Are you not envious?”

“What good does envy do? Your Highness knows as well as I do that when it comes to bearing children, one person alone cannot manage it.”

“You just love making excuses.” I laughed at her.

As the end of the year approached, things grew busy again. Fortunately, I had long since mastered the art of slacking off. Every year, I only needed to arrange everything according to precedent. It might not be brilliant, but as long as there were no mistakes, that was enough.

Tun’er had also reached the age to begin his studies. His Majesty chose a great scholar to be his tutor, but he did discuss the matter of study companions with me.

As for Tun’er’s study companions, I had actually had candidates in mind for a long time. One was my second elder brother’s eldest son, two years older than Tun’er. According to Mother, he was very sensible. The other was a child from my maternal grandfather’s family, three years older than Tun’er, clever and patient.

But now that His Majesty had asked, I naturally had to demur a few times. His temperament had always been like this. If he asked and I immediately had ideas ready, he would surely think I had been harboring some other intention all along.

“I have taken a liking to two candidates,” he said. “Duke Cheng’s legitimate grandson, and the youngest son of Marquis Bo’an. They are close in age to Tun’er, and their families seem suitable as well.”

“If Your Majesty says they are good, then they must be good.”

He patted my hand, clearly very pleased by my words. “As for the remaining two, you may choose them for him. I remember there should be children of similar age in your natal family as well?”

“There are. I will send them a message and ask first, then report back to Your Majesty.”

“There is one more matter.” I froze, only to hear him mention renovating Xian’an Palace. Was this… preparation to establish the Crown Prince?

“Tun’er is growing older. Once Xian’an Palace is repaired, he will move there.”

“This…”

“He is the legitimate eldest son of you and me. He deserves the best.” Those words warmed my heart. Suddenly, I felt that all these years of working so hard to find women for him had not been all that hard after all.