get-shopping Chapter 358 Ambitious Ambition
Chapter 358 Ambitious Ambition
Shen Shixi said, "There aren't many people left anyway, so go if you want to, or we won't force you if you don't."
Consort Jing and Consort Du definitely won't go; even if they were asked to go, they wouldn't be able to. Li Yuanke was even saying that he didn't know how many more days those two would live.
Of course, that doesn't mean I'm hoping they die.
It makes little difference whether there is one more or two less people in the palace.
The princess and the crown prince followed the emperor in the imperial carriage, but Shen Shixi didn't want to be with those two loudmouths, so she rode in her own car, preferring a bumpier ride.
Li Yuanke's carriage was like a mobile apartment. His two children were cared for by wet nurses, and apart from breastfeeding, they were basically never out of the emperor's sight.
He wanted to keep an eye on his two children.
The eldest princess originally did not want to come, but Du Xiurong insisted that she bring her younger brother along and encouraged her to find more opportunities to get close to her father.
"Since your mother is already in this state, it would be better if you could avoid seeing your father. Now, the three of us, mother and son, are counting on you. As you grow older, try to please your father so that we can have a future, and your younger brother can have a promising future."
If he becomes successful, you'll have someone to rely on in the future. But if the crown prince really ascends the throne, will he support you? Even if you're a princess, you can't compare to the women from powerful families in the capital; at least they have their fathers and brothers to rely on.”
The fourth prince was naturally going to come as well. Firstly, he was too fat and afraid of the heat, and Qingyi Garden had plenty of water and trees, making the environment friendly to him.
Secondly, he wanted to eat the delicious food made by Consort Xian; thirdly, all the princes had moved to Qingyi Garden and were studying there, leaving him alone in the palace with no one to play with.
Upon arriving at Qingyi Garden, Shen Shixi allowed the eldest princess to stay alone in Huayin Palace, while the fourth prince, along with the second prince, stayed in Yufu Palace with Consort Xian.
Yufu Palace was once the residence of Consort Rong, the one who cried and buried flowers. It has a good location and is spacious enough to accommodate Consort Xian and her three children.
The eldest princess refused and insisted that the fourth prince live with her.
Originally, this matter was neither right nor wrong. After all, the Fourth Prince had quite a few people serving him. But to ask Shen Shixi to compromise with a junior?
"Last time you copied 'The Analects for Women,' so it was all for nothing?" Shen Shixi said bluntly.
The eldest princess was a little scared. "Your subject remembers everything. Your subject is just worried about your younger brother. Before I came, Mother Consort repeatedly told me to take good care of him."
Shen Shixi then said, "How did you learn your manners? Didn't the headmistress teach you not to talk back to your elders? Do you even know who is responsible for raising the princes and princesses in the harem?"
Whether in the harem or the inner courtyard, only the mistress deserves the title of "mother." In other words, all the children belong to the mistress; concubines and mistresses are merely tools for reproduction.
Regardless of whether the eldest princess felt wronged or not, Shen Shixi said, "Go stand facing the wall. Come back and give me your answer when you've figured it out."
The eldest princess passed away in tears.
The fourth prince even stuck his tongue out at her and made a face.
Shen Shixi saw it but acted as if she didn't. You can tell what a person will be like at three years old. The fourth prince is obviously a good-for-nothing. He'll be a lazy and idle prince in the future. As long as he doesn't starve, that's fine. As for being malicious, he probably doesn't have that kind of ambition.
The accommodations for the rest of the people remained the same. Those who didn't come last year and those who came this year could choose their accommodations according to their rank. Shen Shixi simply had the Imperial Household Department arrange it; she couldn't be bothered to interfere.
The two children lived with Li Yuanke in Qingyan Palace, so Shen Shixi had no choice but to move to Qingyan Palace to live as well.
Pan Baolin and Liang Baolin had chosen two pavilions on Huanbi Lake, located between Shanghu Lake and Ruyi Lake, very close to Qingyan Palace. They were just trying to figure out how to make their mark when they heard that the Empress was staying at Qingyan Palace again, and they were quite dismayed.
Liang Baolin remained remarkably composed. Though he was furious, he simply sat quietly by the window, brooding over his anger.
Pan Baolin was different. She was so angry that she complained to her personal maid Linglong, "She is the Empress. How could she do such a shameless thing?"
She previously refused to leave Qian Yuan Palace, and now that she's finally come to Qing Yi Garden, she's refusing to leave Qing Yan Hall. How is the Emperor supposed to summon his concubines now?
Linglong placed a cup of tea beside her. "Please calm down, Your Highness. The Emperor often takes the Crown Prince and Princess out for walks. There used to be many rules in the palace, but now there are fewer. If Your Highness shows kindness to the Crown Prince and Princess, the Emperor will naturally take you to heart."
So, early the next morning, Pan Baolin heard that the Emperor had taken the Crown Prince and Princess out for a walk.
The two kids are older now, and after their morning milk, they insist on going out. If the emperor doesn't take them, who would dare to take them out? If they don't go out, they wail loudly, each one louder than the last.
Unable to bear the noise any longer, Shen Shixi took the initiative to take on political affairs, leaving Li Yuanke to be the full-time babysitter.
Shen Shixi had a double-row stroller made, modeled after the twin strollers of later generations, with wheels underneath so that one push could carry two, making it very convenient to push out.
Li Yuanke pushed the baby in a stroller, followed by a long line of people. As he walked, he talked to the two children, "Don't do that again. Even if you want to protest, keep your voices down. Your mother is becoming less and less loving towards you. You two little fools, don't you have any sense of crisis at all!"
Ahead lies the Zhijing Yundi Causeway, to the left is Ruyi Lake, and to the right is Shanghu Lake. Willows sway in the breeze on both sides of the causeway. In early summer, the new green leaves dot the landscape, creating a vibrant and beautiful scene.
Li Yuanke decided to sit there for a while.
Not long after, one of his concubines arrived.
"This concubine, Pan, greets Your Majesty!" Pan Baolin looked at the Crown Prince and Princess, but without offering any formal greetings, she smiled and said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince and Princess look remarkably like you!"
Li Yuanke was furious. "Pan has shown disrespect to the Crown Prince and the Princess. Demote her! Reduce her salary by six months!"
He didn't know what rank Pan was.
Poor Pan Baolin, after just one meeting, his rank was reduced back to what it was before liberation. He became a concubine of the eighth rank again, and he had no income for half a year.
These are all secondary issues. The real problem is that she displeased the Emperor, and everyone in the harem knows about it. Her future days will be even more difficult.
When Liang Baolin heard that Lady Pan had come to curry favor with the Emperor, she hurried over as well. Fortunately, she was a step too late, otherwise, she would have run into trouble.
"This concubine greets Your Majesty, Your Highness the Crown Prince, and Princess Xihe!" Liang Baolin respectfully greeted.
In theory, she is an elder and should not pay her respects to the princess, but she dares not refuse.
The Emperor's mood finally improved; there were too many fools in the harem, which annoyed him. "Rise!"
After Liang Baolin stood up, she looked at the two children. She had to admit, they were spitting images of the Emperor. She couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Your Majesty, which one is His Highness the Crown Prince?"
Li Yuanke pointed proudly to the Crown Prince, "This is him."
"If Your Majesty hadn't pointed it out, I really wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. Good heavens, Your Majesty, the Crown Prince's mole on his left earlobe is exactly the same as yours."
Li Yuanke became even more smug, and with a smile, he patted the crown prince's head. This was the first time he had shown such a gentle smile to the public, which stunned Liang Baolin.
I have to say, it looks really good!
The light and shadow dappled across his profile, making his strong, deep lines seem to be coated with a soft glow, inspiring a crazy obsession with being treated with such care by him.