Hesheli Shi looked at her daughter’s rosy cheeks and felt slightly relieved: “Where did Yujin go today when she went out?”
Tong Guowei: “Was it lively outside?”
Longkodo: “Sister, I heard there was a lantern festival today. Did you see it?”
“Mother, I went to the Moat to see the lantern festival.”
“It wasn’t evening yet, so the festival hadn’t started.”
“Next time there’s a chance, Father will take you to see it.”
Although Lanzhu knew this was just her father’s way of coaxing her, she was still quite happy: “Then Father, you mustn’t go back on your word.”
“Haha…”
“When has Father ever lied to you?”
“I brought gifts for you all today when I went out, Mother, Father, see if you like them.” Lanzhu signaled Liu Xia and the others to place the wooden boxes on the table.
“This is for Mother, this one is for Father, and this one is for my brother.” After placing the three boxes in front of her mother and the others, Lanzhu looked at them expectantly.
Hesheli Shi looked at her daughter with amusement: “When you buy things for yourself, why did you only buy for us?”
“I thought they were suitable, so I bought them. Mother, see if you like them.”
“I like them. As long as they’re from you, I like them.” After coaxing her daughter, Hesheli Shi carefully opened the jewelry box. Inside was a gold-threaded jade bracelet, which she liked at first sight.
She took off the yellow jade peony bracelet from her wrist and put on the bracelet her daughter bought.
Then she extended her wrist in front of her husband: “Look, Master, how beautiful it is.”
“Lanzhu has always had good taste.” Tong Guowei also took out the thumb ring his daughter bought and replaced the one on his hand.
On the other side, Longkodo couldn’t wait to replace the jade pendant on his waist, and he didn’t forget to express himself: “Sister, I will definitely cherish it.”
Lanzhu laughed at his words: “If it breaks, I’ll just buy you another one.”
“No way.”
“How can I break something my sister bought?” Longkodo shook his head firmly.
After the family finished dinner, they each went their separate ways.
But Lanzhu still had a little tail following her.
“Sister, I also have something to give you.” Longkodo clung to his sister’s side and whispered.
“What does Longkodo want to give to Sister?”
“I’ll give it to you when we get back.” Before they reached the courtyard, Longkodo refused to say more.
When they reached his sister’s courtyard, Longkodo took out something hidden in his arms.
Lanzhu looked and saw it was a small dagger encrusted with various gemstones.
Lanzhu was taken aback by the gift: “Why did my brother think of giving this to me?”
“For Sister to use for self-defense.”
“I specifically traded with Cousin for it.” Longkodo proudly raised his face.
“Cousin?!”
“Which cousin did you trade with?” Lanzhu looked at her brother with a complicated expression.
“Who else but the Emperor Cousin? He has the most things in his little storeroom. Who else would I trade with?” Longkodo looked justified.
He didn’t feel there was anything wrong with his actions.
Lanzhu looked at her brother, feeling a bit complicated. She thought Cousin must know the purpose of Longkodo’s trade.
“What did you trade for it?”
“The sachet you embroidered for me.”
“I originally wanted to trade my own jade pendant, but Cousin insisted I trade the sachet. If this dagger wasn’t really suitable for you, I wouldn’t have traded it.” Speaking of Cousin, Longkodo felt angry.
Cousin is so bad!
Always taking his good things!
That sachet was the first time he wore it.
“…” Lanzhu looked at her brother for a long time without speaking.
Then, seeing her confused brother deflate, she thought, forget it, why argue with her brother? He’s only seven years old and doesn’t understand anything. The one with the bad intentions is Cousin!
“Sister, quickly accept it. Cousin personally chose it for me. He said it’s the best one.” Longkodo handed the dagger to his sister again.
Behind Lanzhu, Liu Chun and the others had expressions that were hard to describe. The Gege is a noble lady, who rarely steps outside, so why would she need something like a dagger?
Third Young Master’s idea is truly unique.
“Alright.” Lanzhu raised her hand to take the dagger. It was quite heavy, but she didn’t think she would ever use it.
“I was just afraid that if I took it out earlier, Father would scold me, so Sister, don’t tell Father, okay?”
“Got it, go back now.”
“It’ll be dark soon.”
“Mm.”
After her brother left, Lanzhu looked at the dagger in her hand and couldn’t help but laugh.
Liu Chun stepped forward: “Gege, should I put it away for you?”
“Remember to hide it well.” Lanzhu handed over the dagger.
“I understand.”
In the palace
“Master, it’s getting late. You should rest.” Liang Jiugong trimmed the candle and looked at the Master at the imperial desk.
Kangxi, whose mind was not there, was brought back by Liang Jiugong’s voice. However, he looked towards the palace gate with no expression on his face.
But Liang Jiugong, who knew the Master’s temperament well, knew that the Master was unhappy at this moment.
The specific reason for his unhappiness was probably related to Tongjia Gege.
All day today, the Master kept asking if there was any news from Tongjia Gege. Even if he was slow-witted, he knew what the Master was waiting for.
Unfortunately!
The Master was probably going to be disappointed today.
“I’m not sleepy!” Kangxi’s deep-set eyes carried a trace of resentment.
His slender fingers gripped the memorial, almost tearing the edge.
“My Master, it’s almost midnight. Tongjia Gege must have gone to bed long ago. Maybe there will be news tomorrow.” Liang Jiugong advised with a worried face.
“You dog servant, what nonsense are you spouting!”
“I’m not waiting for her news!”
“I just can’t sleep.” Hearing Liang Jiugong’s words, Kangxi’s voice rose two degrees, as if trying hard to cover something up.
“Yes, yes, I misspoke. Master, you are in good health, it’s just that this servant is weak and can’t take it anymore. Please pity this servant and rest early, so this servant can take a nap.” Liang Jiugong smiled flatteringly at the Master.
“Alright.” Kangxi didn’t make things too difficult for Liang Jiugong.
As for why he waited so late, everyone actually knew without saying.
Tomorrow is the grand court meeting, so it’s better to rest early.
Yujin is just heartless, not even leaving him a word.
“This servant will support you.” Liang Jiugong eagerly wanted to help the Master.
“I’m not seventy or eighty yet.”
Early May
After the morning court, Tong Guowei hurriedly returned home with his brother Tong Guogang.
As soon as they entered the residence, they went into the study. It wasn’t until the moon was high in the sky that Tong Guogang returned to his own home.
In the main courtyard, Lanzhu was waiting with her mother for her father to come back for dinner, but after waiting for a long time, only Lanzhu and her mother ended up having dinner.
After accompanying her mother for dinner, Lanzhu didn’t stay long. She bid farewell to her mother and returned to her own courtyard.
On the way, she happened to meet her father returning to the main courtyard.
“Daughter greets Father.”
“Just coming back from your mother?” Tong Guowei’s face showed obvious fatigue, but seeing his daughter, he still raised a loving smile.
“Mm.”
“Has Father had dinner?” Lanzhu asked with concern.
“Not yet.”
“Then Father should hurry back. It’s already late, you must take care of your health.”
“Father knows.”
On her way back, Lanzhu wondered if something had happened in the palace again, otherwise, her father wouldn’t look so tired.
And it seemed like quite a few things had happened.
But she hadn’t heard any news recently.
Moreover, since March, the palace hadn’t summoned her.
There was no news from Cousin either.
Main courtyard
Not long after sending off her daughter, Hesheli Shi saw her husband stepping into the room under the moonlight.
“Master is back.”
“Have you had dinner?”
“Not yet.” Tong Guowei shook his head.
He was busy discussing matters with his elder brother and didn’t have time to eat.
This time, the Emperor was determined. No matter how many ministers opposed, it was useless. What use was it for the two of them from the Tongjia clan to agree?
The two of them were almost besieged by the court officials.
The Emperor was relaxed, just moving his lips, and they had to implement things. Didn’t he realize how difficult this matter was?
“Then I’ll have the kitchen prepare something for you.”
“Mm.”
“Tell them to hurry, I’m starving.” Tong Guowei relaxed and felt his stomach burning.
“I understand.”
“Master has been coming back later and later recently. Has something happened in the palace?”
Tong Guowei paused, then slowly spoke: “The Emperor wants to establish the Seventh Prince as the Crown Prince.”
With just this simple sentence, Hesheli Shi understood everything. The Seventh Prince was just a year-old infant, and whether he could grow up safely was still unknown. Yet the Emperor had the idea of establishing a successor.
Although the Seventh Prince was the legitimate son, let’s not forget, there was still the Fifth Prince above him, and the Ula Nara clan might have other thoughts.
The eldest son of a concubine is still the eldest son.
And she heard that the Fifth Prince was very healthy, at least growing up safely shouldn’t be a big problem.
Historically, there has always been competition between the eldest son of a concubine and the legitimate son.
“Then Master…”
“Madam, we are the Emperor’s maternal family, we have no choice.” What else could they do but support the Emperor?
If the Emperor established a Crown Prince, Lanzhu’s path into the palace would be much smoother.
After all, a Crown Prince naturally attracts more attention than others.
But this matter has both advantages and disadvantages. Lanzhu is going to enter the palace, and she will have her own children in the future.
“Then Master must take care of himself.” Hesheli Shi didn’t say much more.
As a woman, knowing the general direction of court affairs was enough, she couldn’t interfere more.
“I know.” It’s just that the ministers who opposed in the court didn’t dare to openly oppose the Emperor, so they vented all their anger on them. Didn’t they realize who would benefit if the Seventh Prince was established as the Crown Prince?
The Hesheli clan was pretending to be grandchildren behind the scenes, leaving them to charge ahead, especially the First Class Duke Gabula, who, like his father Sony, was just a talker.
After a while, Hesheli Shi couldn’t help but speak: “Master, is there really no way for Lanzhu?”
Tong Guowei, who was resting with his eyes closed, looked at his wife with helpless eyes: “If I could, how could I bear to let Lanzhu enter the palace.”
“But Madam, you must know, this is the Emperor’s wish. You can probably guess the Emperor’s feelings for Lanzhu. Do you think the Emperor would generously let go?” Tong Guowei understood this Emperor nephew. As long as he wanted to do something, no one could stop him.
Hesheli Shi painfully closed her eyes: “Hoping for the Emperor to let go is less realistic than hoping for you to rise higher in rank to support Lanzhu.”
“Madam, rest assured, my elder brother and I will always be Lanzhu’s strongest support!”
“I only hope that Lanzhu can handle everything well in the future.”
“She will.”
Author’s Note:
Hope everyone enjoys reading~
Love you all~