Chapter Six, King Yong

Su Yingxin sighed: "What a carefree day... We, who are not carefree, can never compare to it"

The Concubine discovered Sulan's actions and abruptly pulled her behind the screen, glaring at her sternly. Sulan's face turned red with shame—she was not a reckless person by nature, and she had not anticipated being so indiscreet this time. A hurried glance had already broadened her horizons: the Prince of Yong was unexpectedly a refined and handsome man, whose appearance brought a sense of comfort at first sight, in stark contrast to the cold and profound emperor and the cunning and sharp prime minister.

Su Lan had long been accustomed to entering the palace for audiences, yet this particular phrase never failed to sound unappealing to her, no matter how many times she heard it. Marrying into the Xiang family was a considerable honor, but unfortunately, Yun Chui lacked ambition and was obedient to her father, resulting in her having no official position to speak of, let alone any titles or privileges. When she wished to pay her respects, she had no choice but to invoke the title of Princess of Dechang, which was hardly a commendable fief, leaving her feeling unsettled. Moreover, she recalled that her fourth sister's husband had managed to become a palace censor, and she resolved that, given the opportunity, she too would strategize for Yun Chui's future; otherwise, even if she herself were to attain a higher title, the mention of her husband would still evoke regret.

"My residence is not luxurious," said King Yong with a smile to his son, "but it is still a hundred times better than the mere patch of yellow earth that belongs to King Xiu."

These repetitive platitudes, Su Ying had already heard several times from different people, and she responded politely with a smile. She casually inquired about the daily life of Prince Yong in the fief. However, Prince Yong answered very cautiously, "Thanks to the blessings of His Majesty, there have not been any particularly troublesome matters in recent years. On ordinary days, I enjoy the seasonal scenery in the fief, occasionally go hunting, or have a small drink outdoors with my family. Two years ago, I was graciously bestowed a music troupe by His Majesty, and from time to time, we indulge in merriment."

The Crown Prince listened quietly for a long time, and then said: "Father, could it be that the Emperor's great kindness is also deceitful?"

As she walked towards the Danxi Palace, she thought to herself and noticed the maid from the Liuquan Palace standing outside. Realizing that the Qinfang was also inside, she couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed—Qinfang had always been rather cold towards Sulan, who was not a dull person and could tell that they were not compatible. Sulan, confident in her status as the young mistress of the Xiang residence, felt that although Qinfang was her aunt, there was no need to curry favor with her since she had nothing to ask of her or to use her for. As a result, every time Sulan found herself in the company of Qinfang, she felt it was rather dull. Sulan, confident in her status as the young mistress of the Xiang residence, felt that although Qinfang was her aunt, there was no need to curry favor with her since she had nothing to ask of her or to use her for. As a result, every time Sulan found herself in the company of Qinfang, she felt it was rather dull.

The woman smiled modestly and said, "Our Cui family has a different way of living compared to the royal family. There are some things we say to each other, and some things we do not speak of." After saying this, she turned to the heir and said, "The study has been tidied up. Please take a moment to rest before reviewing your studies."

Mentioning the sick horse, the young master appeared somewhat disheartened. Su Ying gently smiled while holding his hand and said: "A couple of years ago, my snow-white steed gave birth to a foal at the Ping Wang residence, and the Ping Wang has taken great care of it. It is now almost ready for use. Since the young master happens to be in need of a mount, I will take the liberty of gifting it to you."

The father and son exited the palace in silence, and once they boarded the carriage, the Yong Wang pointed to the paper bag in his son's hand and asked, "What is this?" The heir presented it to his father, saying, "It is a fruit pastry bestowed by the Empress. Father has said that one should not eat things from the palace casually." The Yong Wang smiled as he patted his head, and when the carriage turned into a secluded corner, he directly threw the bag of pastries out.

The Empress Dowager playfully teased the child, asking: "Is this lady beautiful? Everyone says she is the most beautiful woman in the capital. What does the heir think of the taste of us people from the capital?"

The King of Yong, with a sincere smile, said: "The reason I can enjoy a carefree life is precisely because there are such unpretentious people as Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress in this world. The freedom that the people experience is due to the two Majesties firmly restraining themselves, guarding their hearts and desires for the sake of the common people, not indulging recklessly, and not easily being swayed. This is indeed a great fortune for the world"

The Prince of Yong humbly replied, "I have not deliberately taught him in daily life; allowing him to learn a few things is merely to avoid bringing shame to the royal family. Fortunately, he is not obstinate and unyielding." Su Ying then asked if he had taught him archery and horsemanship apart from reading. The Prince of Yong smiled and said, "On this journey to the capital, he has been riding the horse all the way. Once we entered the capital region, the horse fell ill, and I did not dare to bring a sick animal into the city, so we switched to a carriage."

The heir quickly knelt down to express his gratitude. Su Ying then said: "There is a hunting ground in the suburbs granted by His Majesty to Prince Ping. If the heir wishes to test the horses, feel free to go there."

The Prince of Yong politely agreed with a few words and hurriedly took his leave with the heir apparent

The boy was only seven or eight years old, with a fair and delicate appearance, and his demeanor was quite gracious as he sat properly beside the Empress Su Ying. Upon seeing Su Lan enter, he immediately wanted to stand up. Su Ying reached out to press him down and smiled, saying: "There is no need for excessive courtesy towards this one, Young Master." She then said to her sister: "This is the Young Master of the Yong Wang."

The young boy glanced at Su Lan and softly said: "Your Highness inquired, and I dare not withhold my answer. However, a young person should not casually comment on the elders. Since the people of the capital have said so, they must have their reasons." His voice still bore the innocence of youth, yet he articulated such profound reasoning, eliciting a wave of admiration from those around.

After being summoned into the palace, Su Lan finally saw a young boy who had come to Danxi Palace

The Prince of Yong seemed to have anticipated such a question and replied slowly: "I originally believed that Your Majesty's blessings were profound, and that you would surely turn misfortune into good fortune. Not long ago, I heard that Your Majesty is still bedridden, which truly causes me great distress. My fief is rich in medicinal herbs, and I have specially selected fine products to present before Your Majesty." At this point, he bowed slightly to Su Ying and continued: "I have learned that Her Highness has been personally attending to Your Majesty's grooming from the beginning, and recently, Your Majesty has been able to personally record prisoners, which shows the benevolence of both Your Majesties is indeed felt by Heaven. The day when Your Majesty can preside over court affairs is imminent, and this is truly a blessing for the common people."

The connections of Jing Pin and An Pin in the palace have long been dealt with by the Su Shuren, benefiting the current Empress. Moreover, there have been persistent rumors linking them to the death of the Qinfey's son, and the Qinfey has been keeping a close watch on them, hoping for them to make a mistake. The woman, with her brows furrowed and head bowed, already showed signs of aging, and her voice was somewhat drawn out: "I dare to ask Your Highness, how do you find the Empress compared to the Su Shuren?"

Su Ying was also meeting Prince Yong for the first time. However, upon seeing this prince, she found that he was not as delicate as Su Sa, not as handsome as Xie Zhen, not as elegant as the Crown Prince, and not as mature and steady as the Emperor; she did not feel that he was particularly outstanding. Yet, Prince Yong's demeanor was calm, and his conversation was refined and courteous, which made it easy for people to feel at ease. Gradually, Su Ying developed a bit of fondness for him. After some pleasantries, Su Ying inquired about the reason for Prince Yong's return to the capital.

The King of Yong, seeing how graciously the Empress treated his son, quickly expressed his gratitude and said: "I did not intend to stay in the capital for long; I plan to return within four or five days. Your Highness's good intentions, I can only appreciate in my heart"

Su Lan did not want to dampen everyone's spirits, and was just about to interject when someone announced that Prince Yong was coming from the Jade Shard Palace to pay a visit. Su Ying held the Young Master's hand and smiled, saying: "I was just curious to see what kind of father raised such a wonderful son."

As she blinked, she thought of one or two topics that everyone could discuss, not wanting to leave the Empress in silence, but she heard laughter and joy coming from the palace. Ever since the Emperor fell ill, Danxi Palace had rarely been so lively. Sulan was momentarily taken aback; seeing two unfamiliar noblewomen at the door, whose attire was quite different from that of the noblewomen in the capital, her curiosity grew even more.

The Qinfeng and Sulan found it inconvenient to meet, and they successively retreated behind the screen. Just as Sulan reached the edge of the screen, Prince Yong entered. She suddenly had a thought, wanting to know what the Emperor's brother was like, so she deliberately paused for a moment and quickly turned her head to take a look: Prince Yong happened to be facing her, and upon seeing her, he pretended not to notice and bowed to the Empress in greeting. She suddenly had a thought, wanting to know what the Emperor's brother was like, so she deliberately paused for a moment and quickly turned her head to take a look: Prince Yong happened to be facing her, and upon seeing her, he pretended not to notice and bowed to the Empress in greeting.

The father and son returned to the Yongwang Mansion in the capital, which had already been tidied up in advance. As the Yongwang and the heir stepped into the front courtyard, they found the scale of the courtyard to be acceptable, yet it was far inferior to the Prime Minister's residence they had just passed, and even less impressive than the Pingwang Mansion. Those two distinguished residences not only had grand entrances, but even the clouds in the sky seemed to reflect their magnificent aura, exuding an air of invincibility. In contrast, the residence of the emperor's brother was hardly different from the most ordinary nobleman's mansion. The Yongwang was unconcerned and glanced down to observe his son's reaction: surprisingly, although the heir was young, he did not possess a competitive spirit or a desire to compare, and he remained silent about this ordinary mansion.

Su Lan hurriedly stepped forward to perform a graceful salute. Although the young heir was still quite young, his demeanor was very solemn. He received the greeting from the elder without shying away or putting on airs. This made Su Lan look at him with new eyes, and she sincerely praised, "Truly worthy of royal blood, he is indeed different from ordinary children"

At the palace gate, the attendants from Danxi Palace had been waiting early on. Upon seeing Sulan's carriage arrive, they informed the officials from the Jijin Division, "The Central Palace summons the noble lady, Princess Dechang, to enter the palace." They then received the invitation and gestured to Sulan to proceed.

Cui Luoxia smiled faintly and said: "Students of fallen flowers often have leisure. Among the students of the maidservants, only Su Ruo Xing is resting. The others do not dare to take a break"

Prince Yong smiled and said: "What kind of person is Su Ruo Xing? She is quite suitable to accompany the Emperor in expanding his territory and establishing his achievements. However, this Empress Su is somewhat too simple and kind-hearted, but she is probably a good choice for a peaceful retirement—my royal brother has always been good at selecting people"

Prince Yong sighed and said, "Mr. Luoxia, does the Cui family never allow their students to rest?"

Su Ying asked him several questions, all of which he answered swiftly and appropriately, earning her great admiration. She casually picked up some fruits and snacks to offer him. The young prince took them in his hands but did not eat, saying, "It is inappropriate and disrespectful to eat in front of the Empress." Upon hearing this, Su Ying liked him even more and instructed someone to pack them up for him to take outside to eat. Only the Concubine Qian suddenly felt sad beside them, saying, "If the Eighth Prince were still here, he would be reaching this age soon..."

King Yong shrugged and said, "My dear brother... when he is kind to others, that is when one should be wary! He was righteous and benevolent towards King Xiu, and then King Xiu died. He had deep feelings for Su Ruoxing, and she also died. I would rather he be a bit harsher towards me." He sighed, "Whether in the palace or in the capital, it is equally dull. Fortunately, we only stay for four or five days." Suddenly recalling something, he turned to the woman and said, "I did not see your sister today; I wonder if something has happened to her."

Your Highness's gaze upon others is equally discerning. Su Ying is likely still the same as before. Thus, this servant is unaware of what methods she has learned that could lead the Emperor to personally pass judgment on her brother—this matter is causing quite a stir in the capital.

Prince Yong raised an eyebrow: "You seem to be quite well-informed about each other. Why don't you ask her what schemes the Empress has been plotting lately?"

King Yong sneered and said: "They all have their own plans. The queen keeps mentioning her father, as if she wants me to acknowledge her family's favor. As for my royal brother... ha, he probably doesn't want her to take care of him in his old age; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken on the role of a sickly sage himself, making her appear as a femme fatale in the eyes of the public"

What is the rush? Su Ying feigned surprise and said, "It is rare to return to Beijing; I should visit friends and relatives whom I haven't seen in many years. What harm is there in staying a few more days?"

An elderly woman emerged from the main hall and paid her respects to Prince Yong and the heir. Prince Yong did not speak to her in front of others; only after entering the inner chamber did he say: "I saw that woman today. In a crowd, she does not seem particularly striking. However, among the Su family, she appears quite remarkable. How could the consorts An and Jing in the palace allow such a queen to establish herself? Have they changed their nature, or is the queen simply concealing her true self, even deceiving me?"

The woman bowed and replied: "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Recently, I have been responsible for teaching Princess Zhenning and am often not at Danxi Palace."

Su Ying felt that there was more to his words, as if he was hinting that she should not act out of selfishness. However, even without delving deeper into the meaning, his words were enough to make her sad. She took a breath and deliberately changed the subject: "Although the young heir is still quite young, he understands principles very well. How is he usually educated?"