The Emperor met his Waterloo when it came to holding babies.
Ye Jingning started crying loudly. The Emperor holding him felt like holding a hot potato. He only held him for a moment before quickly returning the child to Consort Shu.
Watching Consort Shu coax the child in her arms, the Emperor furrowed his brows.
Chen’er had clearly said his embrace was warm and broad, full of security. Jingyu had also liked being held by him, looking at him with sparkling eyes. How could it be, with Jingning, that…
Consort Shu, while coaxing the child with tenderness, secretly stole glances at the Emperor’s expression.
When she saw the Emperor’s expression darken at a visible speed, Consort Shu’s heart ached.
She had brought the child here originally hoping to use him to win favor. Now, not only had she not gained favor, but it was very possible that the Emperor would dislike Jingning.
“Your Majesty, forgive me. Ning’er does not dislike you. It’s just that a child’s body is delicate. If the posture is incorrect when holding them, they feel very uncomfortable. He cried because he was uncomfortable,” Consort Shu cautiously explained.
“Forget it. Jingning is still young and should not be exposed to the wind. Take him back,” the Emperor said, waving his hand.
For the time being, he dared not touch an infant in swaddling clothes again.
Fortunately, Chen’er was not here, or else he might have laughed at him!
Consort Shu left unhappily with the child. When the Emperor returned to Chengqian Palace, the first thing he saw was the peonies sent by Ye Jingchen.
“Place the flowers in Chongzheng Hall,” he ordered.
In Chengqian Palace, Chongzheng Hall was where the Emperor usually handled state affairs and reviewed memorials. If the Emperor wanted to summon the ministers, he did so in this hall.
The peonies were placed at the most conspicuous spot in Chongzheng Hall. As long as ministers came here, they would surely see this flower at first glance.
And with the end of the morning court, as the various ministers returned home, the matter of the Crown Prince using flowers to symbolize spring and giving spring to the Emperor spread throughout the entire imperial city.
Some laughed at the child’s innocence, some praised the touching filial piety; some sneered, and some clapped and admired with heartfelt conviction.
No matter how everyone viewed this matter, afterwards in the imperial city, and even throughout all of Dayuan, there were many imitators!
With the spreading by many interested people, the Crown Prince’s reputation for intelligence and elegance spread throughout the entire Dayuan.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Palace, after Ye Jingchen had a good sleep, he ordered Chenxi to send dark guards to investigate Ye Jinghe’s current situation in Changchun Palace.
The abuse of an imperial prince was discovered by the Emperor. If Consort Shu was any sort of clever person, she ought to know that in the future she should treat the imperial prince well, at least on the surface.
However, although the Emperor beat those two palace attendants to death today, he only sent someone to return Ye Jinghe to Changchun Palace. It seemed he did not care about this imperial prince at all. It was really hard to say what Consort Shu would choose to do.
The dark guards were very efficient. Before going to sleep at night, Ye Jingchen learned of Consort Shu’s choice.
“She actually locked the fifth imperial younger brother in the side hall, sent people to guard him, and did not allow him to take a step out of the hall door?” Ye Jingchen could not believe what he heard.
House arrest for an imperial prince?
How dare Consort Shu?
“When the Fifth Imperial Prince returned to Changchun Palace, he was locked up. For dinner, he only had a bowl of leftover rice,” Chenxi added.
Ye Jingchen was both angry and amused. He also had children in his own home, so he could not stand people who abused children the most.
But it was late today, not suitable to go to Changchun Palace.
Early the next morning, Ye Jingchen, with matters on his mind, woke up.
He did not lie in bed. He ordered someone to help him wash and dress, then instructed Fangfei to fetch some clothes from the original body at age three or four, prepare some food, and without having breakfast, he stormed off to Changchun Palace.
When he arrived at Changchun Palace under the guidance of the palace attendants, the palace gate of Changchun Palace was not yet open.
Fangfei stepped forward to knock on the door.
The palace attendants guarding the gate saw that it was someone from the Eastern Palace and hurriedly opened the door.
Consort Shu was not comparable to the Noble Consort. Although her family was also deeply rooted in the court, it could not compare to the Ji family’s foundation. The palace attendants of Changchun Palace naturally did not have the courage of those in Weiyang Palace to dare shut the door on people from the Eastern Palace, much less when the Crown Prince himself came.
Immediately, there were palace attendants who went to request Consort Shu.
“I am here to visit the fifth imperial younger brother. No need to disturb Her Highness Consort Shu,” Ye Jingchen said with a smile.
How would the people of Changchun Palace dare let the Crown Prince go see the Fifth Imperial Prince like that? If he saw, their fate might be the same as those two palace attendants from yesterday.
“Your Highness, your body is precious. Since you have come to Changchun Palace, it would be better to wait for Her Highness Consort Shu to receive you in person,” the palace attendant said, intending to lead Ye Jingchen to the main hall.
Ye Jingchen had come here early in the morning not only to worry about Ye Jinghe’s condition, but also to catch Consort Shu off guard. How could he possibly give her time to react?
“I am here to visit my own younger brother. Do you intend to stop me?” Ye Jingchen glared, and immediately ordered people to restrain all the palace attendants of Changchun Palace.
He had come with a purpose, so he had brought enough manpower. With a single command, all these palace attendants in Changchun Palace were subdued.
“Where does the fifth imperial younger brother live?” Ye Jingchen asked.
No one spoke.
“How dare you stop me from seeing the Fifth Imperial Prince. Your motives are suspicious. If you don’t speak, I will have you all beaten to death!” Ye Jingchen threatened.
The Eastern Palace had come aggressively. The palace attendants of Changchun Palace were already nervous. Frightened by Ye Jingchen like this, immediately a timid palace attendant got scared and pointed in a direction.
Under the guidance of the palace attendant, Ye Jingchen arrived all the way outside the palace where Ye Jinghe was locked up. He saw a bright large lock hanging on the gate.
“Why is the imperial prince’s residence locked? Do you think you are imprisoning a criminal?” Ye Jingchen questioned sternly.
The palace attendants of Changchun Palace were silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to make a sound.
“Open the door for me, now!” Ye Jingchen commanded.
“The key is in, in Aunt Chunlv’s hands,” a little maid said tremblingly.
“Then go bring Chunlv here!” Ye Jingchen said loudly.
A eunuch received the order and left. After a while, the person was brought over, but at the same time, Consort Shu also came along with a crowd of palace attendants.
Consort Shu was still sleeping when she was awakened by her personal palace maid, Chunlv, who said that the Crown Prince had arrived at Changchun Palace and wanted to see Ye Jinghe.
Consort Shu jolted, instantly wide awake.
She hurriedly got up. She had just dressed but had no time to do her makeup and wash before the eunuch who came to demand the person was already outside the bedchamber.
The Emperor’s doting on the Eastern Palace was obvious to the entire harem. Consort Shu did not want to provoke that little tyrant. Her heart cried out in bitterness, but she dared not keep Ye Jingchen waiting. She only had someone casually fix her hair and then hurriedly went with her people to see Ye Jingchen.
“Your Highness Consort Shu…” Ye Jingchen clasped his hands behind his back. Although he was much shorter than Consort Shu, his aura was not lacking at all.
He glared at Consort Shu with anger, displaying an overbearing and unreasonable aura to the fullest.
Suddenly meeting Ye Jingchen’s gaze, Consort Shu instinctively stepped back.
But Consort Shu immediately sobered up. She straightened her back, smoothed her sleeves, composed herself, and slowly spoke: “The Crown Prince storms into Changchun Palace so aggressively early in the morning. May I ask what this is about?”
“I want to see the fifth imperial younger brother. Open the door,” Ye Jingchen said bluntly, too lazy to waste words with her.
Consort Shu showed a surprised expression. “Jinghe is my child. How could he be living in a locked palace? Could the Crown Prince be mistaken?”