novelraw Chapter 1078: Establishing the Crown Prince
Chapter 1078: Establishing the Crown Prince
Pan Zhu was ultimately sold off.No matter how much she cried and pleaded, she couldn’t earn even a shred of pity from Xia Ruyi.
Decades of servitude and friendship severed completely.
Xia Ruyi watched coldly throughout, her expression unchanged.
’Hmph! This is the fate she deserves for betraying me!’
After Pan Zhu left.
The Sixth Prince ordered several pretty maids for her.
Convenient for later... *cough cough!*
As for Lady Zhu.
After fainting, not only did the Sixth Prince not visit her, he didn’t even ask about her.
Moreover, he had her confined.
Saying the ’stolen hairpin’ incident would be overlooked, she was to introspect for a month.
When Lady Zhu woke up and heard this news.
Filled with humiliation, longing for death.
Eventually, she was held back firmly by the maid.
"Princess Consort!"
"You can’t die, your death would only satisfy those wretches!"
Lady Zhu cried with tears like raindrops on pear blossoms.
"A person needs face, a tree needs bark, I’ve lost all my face, what’s the point of living!"
She, a dignified princess consort, was accused of theft.
This is unprecedented and unheard of!
If this gets out, the disgrace would not just be hers but the entire Zhu Family too.
Furious, she attempts to hit a tree.
The maid blocks her again.
"No, Princess Consort!"
"You still have the Imperial Noble Consort!"
"She will stand up for you!"
Lady Zhu suddenly regained clarity.
Yes, there was still her aunt!
She gave up struggling, letting the maids support her as she cried loudly.
After she was done crying.
Lady Zhu tidied up and went straight to the Imperial Palace with the maid.
Inside Ninghe Palace.
Upon seeing Empress Dowager Zhen, she instantly threw herself at her, tears pouring as she vented.
She recounted everything that happened in the mansion.
Most of it was true.
But she wasn’t foolish, and naturally dared not directly accuse the Sixth Prince.
Instead, she attributed most of the blame to Concubine Lan and Lady Xia.
Originally, it was the Sixth Prince who was reckless.
Now, it became a case of Lady Xia and Concubine Lan being seductive charms.
They coerced and bewitched the Prince, sidelining her as the Princess Consort.
Empress Dowager Zhen frowned upon hearing this.
"It’s just the trivial schemes of backyard women!"
"As the Princess Consort, how could you not handle even this!"
Her tone carried a hint of disdain.
In ancient times.
As a wife, if you couldn’t manage the backyard well and couldn’t hold onto your husband’s heart, it’s your failure as a wife.
The husband could never be at fault.
Clearly, Empress Dowager Zhen shared this sentiment.
As a Princess Consort.
If you had any schemes, it wouldn’t be possible for a consort and concubines to bully you.
Clearly, she was not a good Princess Consort.
Her son could never be wrong, especially her beloved youngest son.
Lady Zhu saw Empress Dowager Zhen’s indifferent expression.
She was dumbfounded.
"Aunt?"
Empress Dowager Zhen patted her on the shoulder, speaking earnestly.
"Yurou!"
"Since you’ve married into the Imperial Family, you should understand some truths!"
"The Prince is a man, he cannot revolve around you alone!"
"You must be magnanimous, considerate, tolerant, and serve him well."
"To branch out for Wuwu is the priority! Anything else is unimportant!"
The meaning being.
Such is the Royal Family, jealousy is nothing.
Moreover, you have no right to be jealous; jealousy is envy, and an envious woman commits one of the seven banishments.
Therefore...
Instead of this, focus on having children.
Lady Zhu Yurou was completely dumbstruck.
"Aunt?"
"Me?"
Was she not magnanimous enough?
When the Prince took concubines, did she ever say anything? When he favored the concubines, did she ever say anything?
While she was exhaustively managing the backyard for the Prince.
Handling trifles like ’which concubine stays where, who manages the kitchens and storerooms, and who watches the night in which courtyard’.
The Prince collaborated with those concubines.
Dumping such a load of disgrace on her head, where could she voice her grievances?
"Enough!"
Empress Dowager Zhen cut her off.
"You young ones are inexperienced, it’s normal to argue!"
"Young couples fight at the head of the bed and reconcile at the foot, it’s nothing!"
With a word, she dismissed her.
Anyway, whatever the matter, Wuwu was not at fault.
How could issues from the backyard be put on a man’s head?
The injustice Lady Zhu felt!
With grievance came total hopelessness.
Wanting Empress Dowager Zhen to stand up for her was impossible.
Since it was impossible, why bother speaking more!
Resigned, she stood up and left.
Empress Dowager Zhen only thought she hadn’t figured it out, watching her be escorted out and not caring further.
’Women! They shouldn’t be spoiled!’
Lady Zhu returned and was confined.
The Sixth Prince’s Mansion was managed by Concubine Lan and Consort Liao.
Of course, the most favored remained Xia Ruyi.
The Sixth Prince took her and her maids.
Fine wine and delicacies, revelry every night, extravagant beyond measure.
Looming towards a ’pool of wine and forest of meat’ scenario.
A word: ’chaos’, two words: ’ridiculous’!
Yet.
The Sixth Prince with his lame leg, Zhao Junyao had no expectations from him.
Moreover, Empress Dowager Zhen was ever indulgent.
For a time, no one governed the affairs of the Sixth Prince’s Mansion.
Besides, the chaos was internal.
As long as it didn’t harm outsiders!
...
Days passed peacefully like this.
September hurried by.
Early October.
Just as the front and rear palaces were tranquil.
Zhao Junyao issued an imperial decree, like a boulder tossed into a lake, stirring up a huge wave across the Capital City and the realm.
It could be described as earth-shattering!
"By the mandate of heaven, the Emperor declares, His eldest legitimate son, Kichen, ten years old, endowed with brilliance, benevolence, and generosity, fulfilling filial duties, diligently pursuing literary and martial arts, exemplary conduct, broad and strategic, suited to bear the trust of guardianship and succession, the foundation of the nation and Crown Prince of the realm, now appointed as the Sixteenth Crown Prince of the Great Chu Dynasty, to reside in the Eastern Palace. This is hereby proclaimed throughout, for all to be informed. Thus, commanded!"
The Great Chu Dynasty is the foremost nation.
Upon issuance, thunderous astonishment resounded across the four directions.
The Capital City was already ablaze with excitement.
Though the realm had anticipated, and Zhao Qichen being the Emperor’s eldest legitimate son, it was rightful for him to be the Crown Prince.
Yet, no one expected.
The Emperor, in his early thirties, at the peak of his vitality, to establish a Crown Prince.
It’s known that historically, appointing a Crown Prince has been a major concern for Emperors.
Too early, and the Crown Prince might harbor resentment over the prolonged inheritance delay, eventually seizing power, poisoning his elderly father.
Too late, the Crown Prince position remains vacant for long, leading to sibling rivalry and instability, even jeopardizing the dynasty.
In short, too early is unfavorable, too late is unfavorable, timing is crucial!
Nevertheless...
While the Capital City boiled over.
Everyone was merely shocked without any voices of doubt arising.
Crown Prince Chen, whether in learning or courage, literary or martial strategy, was excellent.
Moreover, he was born to the Empress of the Central Palace, the rightful eldest legitimate son.
Such a status was enough for the world to accept.
This is the rightful Crown Prince, with no questions.
If not him, then who else?!
As waves surged across the court and the Capital City, the harem was also astir.