Consort Jing held the Second Prince in her arms, filled with resentment. Why was it that just one day apart in birth, the Empress’s son received such a grand full-month banquet and was even named Crown Prince, while her own son got nothing?
She raised her eyes pitifully toward Emperor Yong.
“Your Majesty, you haven’t held Ping’er yet. Ping’er will be upset seeing his father only holding his older brother.”
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall looked at Consort Jing with strange expressions.
Was Consort Jing out of her mind? Her words sounded as if she were blaming His Majesty.
Everyone waited to see the Emperor’s reaction.
Some busybodies even turned their gazes toward Consort Jing’s father, the Vice Minister of Works.
Was Consort Jing’s foolishness inherited from the Vice Minister of Works?
The Vice Minister of Works flushed red under their stares, inwardly cursing Consort Jing for being an idiot.
Her foolishness was dragging him down!
How infuriating!
A hint of impatience flickered in Emperor Yong’s eyes. This was An’er’s full-month banquet—was Consort Jing trying to steal An’er’s spotlight?
Moreover, An’er was his legitimate eldest son and the Crown Prince. No other prince could compare to him.
Out of consideration for the Second Prince, Emperor Yong merely said tactfully, “Tomorrow is Ping’er’s full-month day. I will naturally go to see him.”
It was “see him,” not “hold a grand full-month banquet for him.”
Consort Jing’s eyes instantly filled with disappointment. She gazed at Emperor Yong with resentment, then, thinking herself discreet, glared fiercely at Yong Cheng’an.
Yong Cheng’an had been enjoying the spectacle when Consort Jing’s hatred fell upon him again.
He inwardly cried injustice—what did this have to do with him? If she had the guts, she should blame his father!
It wasn’t him who stopped the Emperor from holding a full-month banquet for Yong Chengping.
But Consort Jing unreasonably blamed Yong Cheng’an for this as well.
Those seated at the front noticed Consort Jing’s glare.
Everyone knew Consort Jing was about to face misfortune.
Sure enough, Emperor Yong reprimanded her, “Ping’er is just a child. What does he understand? Is it him who’s unhappy, or is it you?”
Consort Jing trembled in fear, tightening her grip on the Second Prince.
The next moment, the Second Prince began crying uncomfortably.
His wails echoed through the hall.
Emperor Yong waved his hand impatiently. “Where are the wet nurses? Can’t you see the Second Prince is crying? Take him away at once!”
“As for you, Consort Jing, you lack such propriety that you disgrace the title ‘Jing.’ Go back and copy Buddhist scriptures for a month to reflect on your actions!”
Before Consort Jing could plead for mercy, she was half-forced away by palace maids and matrons.
Emperor Yong’s face still bore traces of anger, but when he looked down and saw Yong Cheng’an lying obediently in his arms with clear, innocent eyes, his expression softened into a smile.
Look at how bold his Crown Prince was—he hadn’t even been frightened by his earlier loud voice.
He was someone who could shoulder the weight of the empire!
Emperor Yong began amusing himself with Yong Cheng’an.
Yong Cheng’an played along with him.
Striving to dispel the Emperor’s foul mood as quickly as possible.
The latter half of the full-month banquet concluded smoothly.
At the same time, news that the Emperor’s newly born legitimate eldest son had been named Crown Prince spread like wildfire throughout the capital.
…
In Consort Jing’s Yongchun Palace.
The atmosphere was stifling.
Consort Jing could no longer contain her anger. With a sweep of her hand, she sent a set of teacups on the table crashing to the floor.
Her chest trembled with rage. “Why? In what way is my child inferior to that sickly weakling?”
“How could His Majesty be so biased!”
The palace maid by Consort Jing’s side was so frightened that she could not care about anything else, immediately interrupting her words.
“Your Highness, you must not say such things!”
“Walls have ears, what if His Majesty finds out…”
Before the maid could finish speaking,
Consort Jing impatiently shouted, “So what if he finds out? Is what I said not the truth?”
As she spoke, Consort Jing’s eyes reddened, “Even the name is so biased. ‘Ping’—does he want my child to submit obediently beneath that sickly one for a lifetime?”
Moreover, today she had been ordered by His Majesty to be confined to her quarters for a month, meaning that tomorrow’s full-month banquet for her son could not be held.
Originally, it could have been held within her own palace, but now that she was confined, others could not enter Yongchun Palace either.
Thinking of this, Consort Jing shed tears. She took the Second Prince into her arms, gently stroking his cheek: “My poor child, your father is so cruel!”
“Your Highness!”
The maid was somewhat weary.
She had been brought into the palace by Consort Jing from outside and had served her since childhood.
Knowing her mistress’s temperament, she did not mention tomorrow’s full-month banquet at all.
Instead, she said, “The Crown Prince is frail, and what will happen in the future is still unknown. What Your Highness must do is raise the Second Prince well.”
“Everything… there is still time to wait.”
Consort Jing wiped away her tears, “You are right. In the future, it is still unknown who will emerge victorious!”
Her fighting spirit was reignited.
…
Yong Cheng’an naturally did not know what Consort Jing and her maid were thinking, and even if he did, he would not care.
He was extremely bored every day, lying down with nothing to do.
He either ate or slept.
When would this tedious infant life finally end!
One day, Yong Cheng’an had just woken up from his afternoon nap.
The side hall was quiet, with no one around.
Yong Cheng’an babbled for a while before a palace maid entered.
Yong Cheng’an recognized her—it was Xiao Cui, who took care of him.
But today, Xiao Cui did not come over to hold him. Instead, she stood hesitantly in place, watching him for a long time.
Finally, she made up her mind, walked to the window, and opened it.
Then, she pulled away the small blanket covering Yong Cheng’an.
Yong Cheng’an was stunned by her series of actions. No way.
Was Xiao Cui trying to harm him?
Impossible! He had just been named Crown Prince, and someone was already eager to act against him.
It was early autumn, and the weather was neither cold nor hot.
The breeze was gentle.
But for Yong Cheng’an, a frail child, this breeze was not gentle at all.
The window faced directly toward his small bed.
A cool breeze blew through the window toward him.
Yong Cheng’an shivered from the cold.
He glanced at his small blanket. He could actually pull it over to cover himself.
But since Xiao Cui had not yet left, Yong Cheng’an dared not make any other moves, afraid that if Xiao Cui saw he was not freezing, she might come over and strangle him the next moment.
He simply pretended to be an ignorant infant, even putting his finger in his mouth to suck on, looking innocently at Xiao Cui.
Xiao Cui stood in place for a while before finally leaving.
As soon as she left, Yong Cheng’an eagerly tried to pull the blanket over himself.
But the blanket was too heavy for him.
Yong Cheng’an could not even roll over yet, let alone pull a blanket.
He used all his strength but could not move the blanket an inch.
Helpless, Yong Cheng’an could only wiggle downward, trying to wiggle himself under the blanket.
He dared not cry out for help either, for who knew whether it would be someone like Xiao Cui or someone from his mother’s side who would be drawn to him first?