Acting as a temporary manager, just as a temporary asure, it does not an establishing an Empress.
When Princess Consort Qi received the Emperor’s verbal order, she felt sowhat disappointed.
As a woman of the Emperor, perhaps only a few do not wish to beco Empress, and she was no exception.
From a background-less selection girl to today’s esteed rank of Imperial Concubine, only she knew the pain and hardships experienced along the way; she would not and could not afford to be rciful to anyone.
To protect her son and to secure more for him, she must try every ans to climb up, until reaching the top, embodying the Mother of the Nation.
When Empress Su was still alive, with the Su Family as a strong backing, no matter how capable she was, she couldn’t do much to the other side.
Now, with the Duke Mansion extinguished and Empress Su’s passing, it presented her with an excellent opportunity.
She must seize it well, otherwise, should Princess Consort Duan make a coback, not only would she lose her chance at the Empress position, but Xixi would also lose the opportunity to beco Crown Prince.
After Mr. Cui left with the Emperor’s verbal order, Gu Yu whispered, "This past period, there have been quite a few ministers earnestly petitioning for Your Highness to beco the successor. Among the harem, Your Highness currently holds the highest position, and you have given birth to the Eldest Prince, who is well-known for his excellence. By all asures, you are deserving of the main seat at the Central Palace. Yet, I wonder what the Emperor is thinking, only assigning Your Highness to..."
"Silence!" Princess Consort Qi stopped her mid-sentence, "Now that I am acting as the temporary manager of the Six Palaces, nurous eyes from outside are watching. You should curb your loose-tongued habit. Otherwise, if these words reach soone with ulterior motives, not only would you lose your head, but this palace and the Eldest Prince would also be implicated. What a grave sin!"
Hearing this, Gu Yu’s expression changed, and she hurriedly knelt on the ground, "Please forgive , Imperial Concubine. It was my fault for speaking out of turn, I should not have presumptuously discussed the Emperor."
Princess Consort Qi did not intend to truly punish her but considering her usual uninhibited speech, feared she might accidentally cause trouble one day, thus took this opportunity to admonish her.
Seeing her admitting mistake with a reasonable attitude, Princess Consort Qi waved her hand, "Get up."
Gu Yu thanked her and stood aside, not daring to speak more.
...
Yutang Palace.
Song Yuanbao sat behind the writing desk, biting on his pen holder, occasionally glancing at Zhao Xi across from him.
The young prince, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe with a chi-pattern, sat upright with a straight posture, holding a wolf hair brush in his hand, his movents were slow and graceful, with long fingers white as the blooming magnolia flowers outside the window.
Song Yuanbao twisted in his seat as if antsy, unable to hold back any longer, he called out, "Your Highness."
Zhao Xi ignored him.
Undeterred, Song Yuanbao called again, "Your Highness?"
Zhao Xi acted as if he had not heard, concentrating on the writing desk.
After being ignored multiple tis, Song Yuanbao was not discouraged, switched terms and continued to call out, "Zhao, Zhao Xi? Do I really have to call you brother for you to pay attention to ?"
Hearing this, Zhao Xi’s hand visibly shook slightly, lifted his head slightly, his gaze swept over, "Not working hard, want to be punished with copying again?"
"Hey, can you not be so rigid, always with the copying punishnt, we have been sitting here for half an hour, you haven’t said a word, are you trying to suffocate ?"
"Talk about what?" Zhao Xi asked.
Faced with his gaze, Song Yuanbao involuntarily lowered his voice, "After so many nights of effort you finally managed to design a chanism, and you’re really going to submit it?"
Zhao Xi maintained his expressionless deanor, "Why wouldn’t I submit it?"
"The Liu Family head couldn’t even figure it out, and you did. This is a major contribution, and you’re going to selflessly submit it without asking for anything in return?"
Song Yuanbao’s expression practically scread: Even your father hasn’t considered making you the Crown Prince, yet you’re zealously pushing forward, are you out of your mind?
Zhao Xi didn’t respond, lowered his head, continued writing.
"Hey hey hey... pay attention to for a mont."
Zhao Xi continued his earlier act of turning a deaf ear.
Song Yuanbao got up from his seat, walked over to him, lifted his robes and sat directly on his writing desk.
Zhao Xi was forced to stop writing, his voice flat, "Get down."
"I won’t get down unless you tell what you’re really thinking."
Zhao Xi looked at him indifferently.
"What’s wrong with saying a few more words?" Every ti facing his dull and rigid nature, Song Yuanbao’s back teeth itched, wanting to pry open his mouth with pliers.
"Mind your own business, less interference," Zhao Xi replied curtly, then ordered, "Get down."
Song Yuanbao lightly snorted, left the writing desk, lazily sat on the ivory carpet beside Zhao Xi, "I don’t want to interfere, but that chanism, isn’t it half my achievent too?"
"Regret it?"
"Regret, so much that my intestines have turned green!" Song Yuanbao spoke more and more animatedly, "If I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have suggested it at the start, giving you such a chance to shine, and now you’re letting it slip away, it really infuriates ."
Seeing Zhao Xi wanting to close his lips and play mute again, Song Yuanbao quickly said: "You’re going to be the Crown Prince in the future, why be so rigid? Since it’s drawn, let it be. Other than the two of us, no one else knows. If I don’t say, who would the Emperor ask? Just keep the drawing hidden, and when the right opportunity cos out in the future, you’ll surely secure the Eastern Palace."
Zhao Xi comnted on his claim, "Utter nonsense."
"How is it utter nonsense?" Song Yuanbao was unconvinced, "I’m quite serious, alright?"
Zhao Xi remained unmoved, "A single drawing makes a Crown Prince, then what are my years of efforts worth?"
Song Yuanbao choked up, then muttered softly, "I clearly ant to supplent your excellence with a chanism design, and at the right opportunity, the Emperor might end up happily appointing you Crown Prince. You insist on misunderstanding ; I’m only doing this for your good."
Nine years of effort hadn’t exchanged for an imperial decree of appointnt; a re chanism design could only please the Emperor montarily.
Zhao Xi didn’t bother to explain further, his tone indifferent, "Be quiet."
Song Yuanbao got up from the ivory carpet, returned to his seat, sat for a while, but again couldn’t sit still.
"Your Highness?"
Zhao Xi ignored him.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, Zhao Xi, Zhao Xi, Zhao Xi..."
In the instant the other raised his head, Song Yuanbao seized the mont, asked him, "When are we going out to play?"
Zhao Xi maintained a serious expression, "During the state mourning period, entertainnt is prohibited."
"I know." Song Yuanbao said, "That’s why I’m asking when, not now."
Zhao Xi: "At your age, you think of nothing but playing?"
Song Yuanbao retorted, "If I rember correctly, you’re only fifteen this year, living as if you’re thirty or forty, acting without a youth’s zest, really boring."
Zhao Xi glanced at him, shaking his head.
Song Yuanbao started chewing the pen holder again, resting his chin on his hand, mumbling, "I wonder how my darling baby is doing these days."
Zhao Xi didn’t react, "Who?"
"Ye Ling!" Song Yuanbao raised his eyebrows at him, "If not for the mourning restrictions, I would’ve gone to see her already."
Hearing that pet na, Zhao Xi felt a chill down his spine.
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