jdhmnovel Chapter 370 A Mother's Heart, Brave for Her Son
Chapter 370 A Mother's Heart, Brave for Her Son
Chapter 370 A Mother's Heart, Brave for Her Son
The sun rose as usual, and the final exam was approaching.
The palace servants in the Empress Dowager's palace were still busy; it was truly a case of the servants running themselves ragged as soon as their mistress opened her mouth.
The Empress Dowager was hosting a flower-viewing banquet, so naturally she had to be meticulous in every detail. Even the Empress, who hadn't been involved in palace affairs for a long time, came to help.
It wasn't for any other reason than that her second prince was also of marriageable age. Although he had a childlike personality (low IQ), he still needed to get married and have children, didn't he?
The Empress Dowager did not think there was anything wrong with the Empress's actions. She had not originally intended to abandon this grandson who was born with congenital defects.
Even if he's foolish, he's still a prince, not someone an ordinary woman can marry. She must choose a kind and gentle lady.
The Empress naturally sensed her mother-in-law's sincerity and was deeply moved.
"It's really troubled for Mother Empress. Alas, Chang'er is so pitiful. I didn't want to choose a princess for him so early."
However, he feared he would be angered if he saw his brothers all with beautiful women by their side, so his daughter-in-law shamelessly pleaded for him.
The Empress spoke sincerely and humbly. There was no discord between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to begin with, and because of the Second Prince's situation, the Empress Dowager naturally treated this respectable daughter-in-law with leniency.
Moreover, the Earl of Chengen, the Empress's maternal family, was not her own brother and had no power in the court, so he would not threaten her son's throne.
In fact, if the prince born to the Empress had not been such a useless and intellectually deficient child, the Empress Dowager would not have minded him becoming the Crown Prince.
But perhaps this is the Empress's fate. Her parents and brothers all died violent deaths, and the current Earl's Mansion is nothing more than an adopted cousin.
The Empress Dowager sighed upon thinking of this.
"Oh dear, what are you saying? They are all my grandsons, so naturally I must treat them all equally."
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty! Your son thanks Your Majesty on behalf of Chang'er!"
"Alright, alright, you've been busy with me these past few days, you must be tired. Go back and rest."
"We'll need you to find a suitable match for Chang'er at the flower viewing party in a few days!"
"Yes! Your Majesty, I will take my leave now. Mother, you should also rest well and not overwork yourself."
The empress returned to her palace and then had her son summoned from the princes' quarters.
It's heartbreaking to say, but all the princes younger than the Second Prince have left the palace to establish their own residences, while the Second Prince is still living in the Princes' Residence with those other princes who are only ten years old.
Although his room was the largest and most luxurious, it was still far inferior to the residences of the princes outside the palace.
In terms of living space alone, it is not even comparable to that of a princess.
As Li, the nanny serving the Empress, walked this familiar path, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness for her mistress.
Presumably, the Empress's arrangement for the Second Prince to marry was also a pretext for him to leave the palace and establish his own residence.
Once you've married, you can't exactly live with your wife in the prince's residence, can you?
Sigh, Your Majesty is truly thoughtful. She clearly doesn't want the Second Prince to be too far away from her, yet she still tries her best to plan for him.
I don't want it to be a caged bird; I want it to have a better life as much as possible.
"Your Majesty, the Second Prince has arrived!"
"Greetings, Your Majesty! Your son has arrived!"
"Chang'er, come here quickly, let your mother see you. Hmm, you seem to have grown taller again!"
The second prince is almost of age, and he's grown taller...maybe so~
After all, he's twenty-three; he should grow a bit, shouldn't he?
"Mother, it's delicious!"
"Huh? What's delicious?"
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was only because I told Your Majesty that Your Majesty had something delicious for His Highness the Second Prince that he agreed to come with me. Please forgive me!"
Granny Li knelt down skillfully. She knew the Empress wouldn't blame her, but she still had to maintain the proper posture. It was just kneeling; it wouldn't kill her...
As expected, the Empress not only did not blame him, but also picked up the pastries from the plate and handed them to the Second Prince.
"I'm not lying to you, my son. The Imperial Kitchen just sent over some yam and osmanthus cakes. Come and have a taste."
"Okay! Try it!"
The second prince finished a piece of pastry in no time, and his eyes visibly brightened.
"Delicious! So delicious! I want more!"
"There's plenty, don't worry, take it and eat it over there."
"Yes, yes! Thank you, thank you, Mother!"
"My son is so good!"
The second prince sat down on the footstool with a plate of yam and osmanthus cake, and started eating it with his hands.
"Granny Li, get up. It's only early spring, and the ground is still cold."
"Thank you, Queen!"
"Following a useless empress like me has made life miserable for you palace servants."
With a "thump," everyone in the hall knelt down.
"Your Majesty, we servants are honored to serve you; it is a blessing we have accumulated over ten lifetimes!"
"Alright, get up. Aren't you tired of kneeling down all the time?"
Granny Li also knew that I had pleaded with the Empress Dowager that the Second Prince would be betrothed after the flower viewing party.
When the time comes, you will all leave the palace to take care of the Second Prince and his future wife!
Are you willing?
"Your servants are willing!"
Dare to say no? If you say it one second ago, you'll never have to say it again the next.
Does it matter where you serve? You're freer outside the palace. The Second Prince is easier to serve than the Empress.
As long as you eat well, drink well, have fun, and don't lose anything, it won't take much effort.
The Empress glanced around at the crowd still kneeling on the ground. There were bound to be some people with ulterior motives among them, but so what?
If an empress can't even protect her own child, then she shouldn't be an empress at all.
They should just hang themselves, one with a white silk ribbon, along with their son, to avoid suffering in this world.
She did everything within the Empress's authority that she could do for her children!
Women are weak, but mothers are strong.
However, it mostly refers to one's own mother.
This might not apply to adoptive mothers, legal mothers, stepmothers, aunts, maternal aunts, or uncles' wives.
As someone's aunt, Consort Shu seemed to care at all whether her nephew and adopted son was free or when he would be released from confinement.
After all, for the past two years, Consort Shu has been eating and drinking as usual, enjoying flowers and listening to music in her spare time, living a carefree and unrestrained life.
It was only after Minister Tong, the biological father of Consort Shu, sent a message to the palace that Consort Shu remembered that she had a nephew who was being held captive in the prince's residence.
"Your Majesty, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat means that you should whisper in his ear so that the court and the harem can work together to help the Fourth Prince come out sooner."
The trusted head maidservant by Consort Shu's side was also a dowry maid she brought from the Tong family. She had been by her side for more than 20 years and was deeply trusted by her.
"Luan'er, you are my person, why are you speaking well of the Tong family again? Have I treated you badly?"
"Your Majesty, please calm down. The Tong family is, after all, your maternal family, and the Fourth Prince is also your son. With them, you have some support and assistance..."
"Alright, stop saying things I don't want to hear, lest I take it out on you!"
Consort Shu rose from her chaise longue without even glancing at Luan'er, who was kneeling before her.
"You have overstepped your bounds today; kneel for half an hour."
"Yes, thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty!"