Translated by gingercat
Edited by gingercat
The day after the wedding, Zhao Zuo brought Xiao Wu into the palace to greet her in-laws.
According to the custom, Zhao Zuo went to Qianqing Palace first while Xiao Wu went to Kunning Palace.
Inside Qianqing Palace, Emperor Hongjing had just finished morning court, and he had yet to change out of his bright yellow court clothes.
“Now that you’re finally married, Zhen can finally feel at ease.”
“It is this grandson’s fault to let imperial grandfather worry over this matter.”
Emperor Hongjing patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t say that. Zhen originally wanted to choose someone good for you, but who would have thought that your mother would become so ill? But you have dealt with this matter well. As a son, you have fulfilled your filial piety. It’s just that you have been wronged.”
Both grandfather and grandson understood the meaning behind the words, “being wronged”.
“Grandfather overpraises. This grandson doesn’t deserve it, and this grandson doesn’t feel wronged.”
“Go to the empress. Zhen won’t keep you any longer.”
Zhao Zuo nodded and bowed to withdraw. It was obvious that he appeared to be in a good mood.
Emperor Hongjing looked at his back with faint disappointment in his eyes.
He suddenly stood up and paced back and forth. His long and narrow eyes, a common characteristic of the men in the Zhao Family, looked out the palace gates. It was unknown what he was thinking.
“How are things going in the study?”
“Everything’s going well. The little imperial grandsons are all diligent and hardworking, especially Young Master Xiaobao. Headmaster Zong said that he could be moved to that side but…” Li Dequan paused then added, “But Young Master Xiaobao is unwilling. He wants to stay where he is.”
This side and that side referred to the separation within the imperial study. That side was for the older imperial grandsons. As for this side of the study, Emperor Hongjing had it set up because of Lu Wang and the others’ proposal to let the younger children from their families study as well.
The difference between the two was that the other side had set teachers, all of whom were some of the best scholars in their generation. The content they taught was broader and also of greater depth. Compared to that, the side where Xiaobao currently studied was simply playing around. Although their teachers were also from the Imperial Academy, their level of teaching was a level lower.
What Headmaster Zong meant when he said Xiaobao could be moved over was that his intelligence far exceeded those of his age. It would be a waste of time for him to continue to stay here.
Unfortunately, Xiaobao doesn’t want to.
].
After hearing this, Emperor Hongjing laughed. “That child, Xiaobao, has a good relationship with the children from the other families?”
Li Dequan nodded and couldn’t help but smile. “Young Master Xiaobao is benevolent and righteous. Although he is young, it’s obvious that he’s just and kind. His future is limitless.” Everything that happens in the imperial study is reported to Li Dequan every day. Naturally, he was aware of all this.
Honestly speaking, Xiaobao was basically the leader of all these children.
Among the imperial grandsons, although many were older than him, they still follow him. As for all this, Emperor Hongjing was aware.
“Well, if he is willing to stay, then let him stay. However, have Headmaster Zong instruct them to give him more pointers from the side.”
Li Dequan nodded in response.
Emperor Hongjing put his hands behind his back and paced back and forth. “As for Zuo’er…” He didn’t say the rest but sighed heavily.
But Li Dequan knew that His Majesty was greatly disappointed with Hui Wang Shizi.
As for when this disappointment began, it was unclear. It may have been from when Hui Wang’s family moved out of the palace, and the shizi’s constant visits to the palace one after another. It may also have been because of the increasingly frequent praises for him from the officials in court.
And this praise was usually mentioning his filial piety. Being filial to his elders was right, but his filial piety was a little too much. It almost felt like he was putting too much effort into doing it. Everyone was aware that the shizi has suffered a lot of grievances because of the deposed crown prince, but this emotion eventually fades with time. However, the shizi seemed to be unaware of this and would always put on a face of being wronged.
It was fine to do it once or twice, but using this trick, again and again, would invoke people’s disgust.
How could a man who would become the future ruler of the country one day act like a woman? Even if he was willing to be filial to his elders, he shouldn’t be focusing on how to express his filial piety to his grandparents every single day.
As for the matter1 involving the former crown princess, now Consort Hui, although not many people were present at the time, it wasn’t like no one was unaware of it. And now he was making such a big fuss about having a chongxi marriage. To put it bluntly, he did it as a deliberate show of filial piety and it was also to remind others of how much grievances he had suffered.
As for who he wanted to remind, that was naturally Emperor Hongjing and Empress Wei.
He had gone astray. Completely astray.
Li Dequan remembered that the eldest imperial grandson wasn’t like this in the past. Was it the sudden drop in status that caused the change in mentality? Or was there some other reason?
But no matter what it was, these were all seen as flaws in His Majesty’s eyes.
People’s hearts were constantly changing. Li Dequan could boast that he had lived for a long time and seen many things, but he still couldn’t understand human nature.
Not to mention His Majesty’s sigh, even he would sigh whenever he thought more about it.
Zhao Zuo and Xiao Wu had to go back to the manor to serve tea to Hui Wang and his wife, so Empress Wei didn’t keep them for long.
As soon as the pair left, Dai Wang arrived.
Of the two sons, Hui Wang was more favoured by Empress Wei, because Hui Wang was really good-looking when he was young and he was also the eldest son. On the contrary, the younger son of the central palace wasn’t very popular with the empress. This was because Dai Wang had been clumsy with his words ever since he was young.
However, who would’ve thought that when Hui Wang grows up, he would become so fat and unreliable. Empress Wei worried about him her entire life, yet he still lost his position as the crown prince. On the other hand, this second son, who she paid less attention to ever since he was young, had come to visit her in the palace every few days ever since he returned to the capital.
When Dai Wang came in, Empress Wei was staring in a daze and it was unknown what she was thinking. It wasn’t until she heard Dai Wang’s greetings that she returned to her senses.
“Bengong already told you that you don’t need to worry about your empress mother. Mother empress is doing fine in this palace.”
Dai Wang didn’t say anything and just nodded.
Translated by gingercat
Edited by gingercat
The day after the wedding, Zhao Zuo brought Xiao Wu into the palace to greet her in-laws.
According to the custom, Zhao Zuo went to Qianqing Palace first while Xiao Wu went to Kunning Palace.
Inside Qianqing Palace, Emperor Hongjing had just finished morning court, and he had yet to change out of his bright yellow court clothes.
“Now that you’re finally married, Zhen can finally feel at ease.”
“It is this grandson’s fault to let imperial grandfather worry over this matter.”
Emperor Hongjing patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t say that. Zhen originally wanted to choose someone good for you, but who would have thought that your mother would become so ill? But you have dealt with this matter well. As a son, you have fulfilled your filial piety. It’s just that you have been wronged.”
Both grandfather and grandson understood the meaning behind the words, “being wronged”.
“Grandfather overpraises. This grandson doesn’t deserve it, and this grandson doesn’t feel wronged.”
“Go to the empress. Zhen won’t keep you any longer.”
Zhao Zuo nodded and bowed to withdraw. It was obvious that he appeared to be in a good mood.
Emperor Hongjing looked at his back with faint disappointment in his eyes.
He suddenly stood up and paced back and forth. His long and narrow eyes, a common characteristic of the men in the Zhao Family, looked out the palace gates. It was unknown what he was thinking.
“How are things going in the study?”
“Everything’s going well. The little imperial grandsons are all diligent and hardworking, especially Young Master Xiaobao. Headmaster Zong said that he could be moved to that side but…” Li Dequan paused then added, “But Young Master Xiaobao is unwilling. He wants to stay where he is.”
This side and that side referred to the separation within the imperial study. That side was for the older imperial grandsons. As for this side of the study, Emperor Hongjing had it set up because of Lu Wang and the others’ proposal to let the younger children from their families study as well.
The difference between the two was that the other side had set teachers, all of whom were some of the best scholars in their generation. The content they taught was broader and also of greater depth. Compared to that, the side where Xiaobao currently studied was simply playing around. Although their teachers were also from the Imperial Academy, their level of teaching was a level lower.
What Headmaster Zong meant when he said Xiaobao could be moved over was that his intelligence far exceeded those of his age. It would be a waste of time for him to continue to stay here.
Unfortunately, Xiaobao doesn’t want to.
].
After hearing this, Emperor Hongjing laughed. “That child, Xiaobao, has a good relationship with the children from the other families?”
Li Dequan nodded and couldn’t help but smile. “Young Master Xiaobao is benevolent and righteous. Although he is young, it’s obvious that he’s just and kind. His future is limitless.” Everything that happens in the imperial study is reported to Li Dequan every day. Naturally, he was aware of all this.
Honestly speaking, Xiaobao was basically the leader of all these children.
Among the imperial grandsons, although many were older than him, they still follow him. As for all this, Emperor Hongjing was aware.
“Well, if he is willing to stay, then let him stay. However, have Headmaster Zong instruct them to give him more pointers from the side.”
Li Dequan nodded in response.
Emperor Hongjing put his hands behind his back and paced back and forth. “As for Zuo’er…” He didn’t say the rest but sighed heavily.
But Li Dequan knew that His Majesty was greatly disappointed with Hui Wang Shizi.
As for when this disappointment began, it was unclear. It may have been from when Hui Wang’s family moved out of the palace, and the shizi’s constant visits to the palace one after another. It may also have been because of the increasingly frequent praises for him from the officials in court.
And this praise was usually mentioning his filial piety. Being filial to his elders was right, but his filial piety was a little too much. It almost felt like he was putting too much effort into doing it. Everyone was aware that the shizi has suffered a lot of grievances because of the deposed crown prince, but this emotion eventually fades with time. However, the shizi seemed to be unaware of this and would always put on a face of being wronged.
It was fine to do it once or twice, but using this trick, again and again, would invoke people’s disgust.
How could a man who would become the future ruler of the country one day act like a woman? Even if he was willing to be filial to his elders, he shouldn’t be focusing on how to express his filial piety to his grandparents every single day.
As for the matter1 involving the former crown princess, now Consort Hui, although not many people were present at the time, it wasn’t like no one was unaware of it. And now he was making such a big fuss about having a chongxi marriage. To put it bluntly, he did it as a deliberate show of filial piety and it was also to remind others of how much grievances he had suffered.
As for who he wanted to remind, that was naturally Emperor Hongjing and Empress Wei.
He had gone astray. Completely astray.
Li Dequan remembered that the eldest imperial grandson wasn’t like this in the past. Was it the sudden drop in status that caused the change in mentality? Or was there some other reason?
But no matter what it was, these were all seen as flaws in His Majesty’s eyes.
People’s hearts were constantly changing. Li Dequan could boast that he had lived for a long time and seen many things, but he still couldn’t understand human nature.
Not to mention His Majesty’s sigh, even he would sigh whenever he thought more about it.
Zhao Zuo and Xiao Wu had to go back to the manor to serve tea to Hui Wang and his wife, so Empress Wei didn’t keep them for long.
As soon as the pair left, Dai Wang arrived.
Of the two sons, Hui Wang was more favoured by Empress Wei, because Hui Wang was really good-looking when he was young and he was also the eldest son. On the contrary, the younger son of the central palace wasn’t very popular with the empress. This was because Dai Wang had been clumsy with his words ever since he was young.
However, who would’ve thought that when Hui Wang grows up, he would become so fat and unreliable. Empress Wei worried about him her entire life, yet he still lost his position as the crown prince. On the other hand, this second son, who she paid less attention to ever since he was young, had come to visit her in the palace every few days ever since he returned to the capital.
When Dai Wang came in, Empress Wei was staring in a daze and it was unknown what she was thinking. It wasn’t until she heard Dai Wang’s greetings that she returned to her senses.
“Bengong already told you that you don’t need to worry about your empress mother. Mother empress is doing fine in this palace.”
Dai Wang didn’t say anything and just nodded.
