strictlysupreme Chapter 249 What were you thinking just now?
Chapter 249 What were you thinking just now?
After arriving at the imperial palace, the emperor and his entourage were all somewhat tired, so they rested for a while. Once they had recovered a bit, the emperor immediately summoned his attendants and ordered them to quickly draft an edict to confer the title of Prince Yong on the Fifth Prince, Canglan Jingcheng.
This decision was made because the Fifth Prince, Canglan Jingcheng, had made extraordinary contributions to military affairs. He successfully developed an extremely convenient marching ration. This ration not only had the ability to be stored for a long time without spoiling, but its production process was also relatively simple, requiring no complicated techniques or cumbersome steps. More importantly, it was lightweight and portable, allowing soldiers to carry it without any burden, while providing ample satiety, effectively solving the problem of food supply for the army during long marches.
After the imperial edict was drafted, the Emperor immediately ordered his attendants to summon the Crown Prince. Soon after, Crown Prince Canglan Jingyun hurriedly arrived before the Emperor. The Emperor, holding the newly completed edict, slowly handed it to the Crown Prince and earnestly instructed him: "Jingyun, I now entrust the matter of your fifth brother's investiture as a Prince to you. Discuss it with your mother, and when you decide to visit Consort Zhuang, remember to bring this edict with you."
Canglan Jingyun hurriedly stepped forward, respectfully accepted the imperial edict with both hands, and then bowed his head and replied, "Yes, Father. Your subject will handle this matter properly, please rest assured, Father."
At this moment, the Emperor turned slightly, his gaze falling upon the beautiful scenery outside the window. He sighed deeply and then said, "It has been two whole years since I last visited them, mother and children. When you go, you must convey my message to Consort Zhuang. Tell her that I will definitely make time to visit them before I return to the palace."
Canglan Jingyun bowed again and replied firmly, "Father, please rest assured, I will convey your words to Consort Zhuang without missing a single one."
Although the Crown Prince said this, he couldn't help but think to himself, "Why would Consort Zhuang expect you to visit her?" You see, he often heard his mother nagging endlessly about Consort Zhuang.
"Today I'm muttering that Consort Zhuang is really too ruthless!" Tomorrow I'll mutter again, "How could she just abandon everything and take her two children to guard the imperial tomb?" Then I'll start grumbling about "How did she manage to catch the Empress Dowager's eye and even help her plot?" I don't know how many times such words have echoed in his ears.
In short, the Empress Dowager was clearly envious of Consort Zhuang's free and easy life. In truth, she herself longed to leave the deep palace. However, bound by her incomparably noble status as Empress, she couldn't easily relinquish it. More accurately, the Empress Dowager needed to rely on this high position to ensure the safety of herself and her family, whether it was protecting her, the Crown Prince, or safeguarding her maternal grandfather's large family.
Sometimes, the Crown Prince would have a sudden thought: what would he be like if he were not the noble Crown Prince?
Whenever he thought of this, he was terrified by the various speculations that surfaced in his mind. After all, he knew perfectly well that his maternal family had neither immense power nor capable and shrewd individuals to maintain their reputation. If it weren't for his mother's good fortune in entering the palace and ascending to the position of Empress, his maternal family would probably have already returned to their hometown to enjoy their old age.
Furthermore, if he were to truly relinquish the title of Crown Prince while still clinging to the title of the eldest legitimate son, his future days would likely be exceptionally difficult.
While being the crown prince was indeed fraught with danger and challenges, at least those with ulterior motives dared not openly oppose him. After all, the crown prince's position was undeniable, and the consequences of openly defying him were not something an ordinary person could bear. However, he had no fear of underhanded schemes and plots.
You must understand that since he was nine years old, he has experienced countless undercurrents of scheming. Those who lurked in the shadows, plotting to harm him, seemed to think their methods were incomparably clever and foolproof.
Unfortunately, they ultimately underestimated the young prince's wisdom and ability. After each contest, the outcome was often the defeat of those involved, who often ended up disappearing without a trace.
He knew perfectly well who was behind the sabotage, trying to bring him down. The supreme imperial throne, like a rare treasure radiating endless allure, was coveted by all. Within this deep palace, how many could truly resist the temptation of power?
Oh, right, Consort Zhuang is an exception. However, Consort Qin is quite different. Since she was conferred the title of Consort, her once relatively well-behaved heart has begun to stir. Lately, she no longer frequently visits the Empress to pay her respects, but instead spends all her time by her fourth brother's side, supervising his academic progress.
Let's talk about the second and third brothers. Both of them were born with disabilities. Consort Li felt sorry for her sons and had already petitioned the Emperor to allow them to leave the palace and establish their own residences, so that the two brothers could live a relatively stable and comfortable life. Fortunately, the Emperor was kind-hearted and, considering the bond between father and son, granted their request without hesitation.
At this moment, Crown Prince Canglan Jingyun's mind was racing, recalling the intricate details of court life and the various power struggles. He was so engrossed that he completely failed to notice the Emperor speaking to him beside him, and his thoughts drifted away...
"Jingyun, Jingyun," the Emperor called softly, his voice low but full of concern. However, after calling twice, seeing that the Crown Prince still did not respond, the Emperor frowned slightly and then reached out his right hand to gently pat the Crown Prince Canglan Jingyun's shoulder.
As if waking from a dream, Canglan Jingyun suddenly came to his senses and hurriedly bowed respectfully to the Emperor, saying, "What are your orders, Father?"
The Emperor looked at his slightly reserved son, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes, and said slowly, "You were so absent-minded just now. What were you thinking about? I called you twice, but you seemed not to hear me."
Canglan Jingyun raised his head and looked directly into the Emperor's eyes, replying sincerely, "Your Majesty, I was just thinking about whether I should bring some pastries for my fifth brother and eldest sister."
After all, everyone knows that Fifth Brother has always had a special fondness for food, especially sweet and delicious pastries, which are his favorite. Moreover, if Fifth Brother hadn't been so passionate about studying food, he probably wouldn't have been able to invent such a convenient and practical military ration—oil tea noodles.
The Emperor smiled slightly and shook his head, saying, "It is the height of summer, and the weather is unbearably hot. The journey from the temporary palace to the imperial mausoleum is long and will take at least a full day. Pastries are not easy to preserve, and if they spoil on the way and are accidentally eaten by the two of them, they may suffer from gastrointestinal discomfort. At that time, your Consort Zhuang will surely be very worried and distressed."
Upon hearing this, Canglan Jingyun was first taken aback, then a look of realization dawned on her face. She then mentally agreed, saying, "Would Consort Zhuang feel sorry for me? I hadn't noticed before. But thinking about it carefully, it seems that it is indeed as Father Emperor said. Consort Zhuang has always been very loving and protective of my younger sister. I remember she once said that girls should be pampered as they grow up, but they should never develop bad habits such as arrogance, willfulness, and disdain for others."