The Lucky Farmgirl-Chapter 1914 - 1889: Punishment
The little imperial grandson is almost six months old, but he still can’t sit steadily. When placed on the wooden platform, he can only sway unsteadily, and it’s been even longer since the Crown Princess became pregnant.
If the previous year the Eastern Palace avoided pregnancy to ensure that the Crown Princess first gave birth to a legitimate firstborn, then the lack of pregnancy in the Eastern Palace over the past five months has left court officials a bit worried. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶
But now, things have improved. Just after Imperial Doctor Liu and others left the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince was released from the shrine to first return to the Eastern Palace and calm people’s hearts.
When the court officials returned from their leave, although some still accused the Crown Prince of not being brotherly, the overall tone of the court was mostly joyous.
However, Prince Gong did not fare well. The Emperor originally intended for the Crown Prince to bear the blame so he could downplay the matter, but did not expect the Eastern Palace to have news of pregnancy. In his delight, he could only watch as court officials accused Prince Gong.
Although Prince Gong was wrestled to the ground by the Crown Prince during their "exchange", which was the Crown Prince’s fault, when court officials asked about the medical records, both those added later by Zhou Man and those made by Director Xiao showed that Prince Gong’s injuries were merely minor scratches.
After all, an exchange, who hasn’t taken a fall? So this seemed normal to everyone, and even more so to the military officials.
But for Prince Gong to break his own leg over an argument with the Crown Prince was very abnormal, which is why the Crown Prince was criticized and Prince Gong even more so.
There were even censors who speculated with the worst intentions, believing he was extremely dissatisfied with the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince is not only Prince Gong’s elder brother but also the next successor of the nation. If you’re dissatisfied with the next successor, what are you planning?
Even while Prince Gong was recovering from his injuries, he was still harshly criticized.
This was something Prince Gong did not anticipate, but the Emperor did. In the end, he glanced at his wife and daughter, then at the Crown Prince, unable to resist seeking a way from the Empress, "Didn’t you say this was Dalang’s fault? Are we just going to watch Sanlang be criticized?"
The Empress felt uncomfortable as well, but she said, "They are not wrong to criticize. Sanlang indeed holds a lot of grievances against Dalang."
Emperor: ...
The Empress said, "Let them criticize. It would be best if Sanlang can come to terms with it. If not, you’ll just have to punish him a little."
"But..."
"Erlang," the Empress suddenly called him by his name before he became Emperor, speaking softly, "If you keep suppressing Eldest and favoring Third, the relationship between the brothers won’t improve. Have you seen Eldest visiting Third these past few days?"
The Emperor frowned.
"I know, you’d think Eldest is not affectionate towards his brother again, but there’s a life lost between them. Even if Eldest comes to terms and acknowledges his past mistakes, part of the blame lies on those around Third adding fuel to the fire. But Third indeed has thought of replacing him."
"A person’s heart is made of flesh, it can’t not hurt when cut. Third thought of replacing Eldest, did he ever consider what this means for his brother?" the Empress said softly, "There has never been a dethroned Crown Prince who has peacefully lived out their life. Back then, wasn’t your struggle with Eldest Uncle and Third Uncle a matter of life or death?"
The Emperor trembled, feeling both annoyed and angry, and deeply saddened.
The Empress sat still on the platform, her back slightly turned to the Emperor, saying, "I didn’t want to speak of these things. I’m running out of time and just wish for you all to be harmonious. I don’t even know if I’m right or wrong in persisting, considering that Dalang has no offspring..."
The Empress’s voice was low and choked, "I often worry, if he continues to have no offspring, if he ascends to the throne, the rule will surely be unstable. Then, how much would the people and future generations blame me?"
The Emperor, still somewhat angry, quickly sat beside her, holding her hand, saying, "What does this have to do with you? If there’s blame, it’s my fault. Don’t people say it’s because of my unmerited ascension that heaven is punishing me..."
The Empress shook her head slightly and continued, "Erlang, previously Dalang had no offspring, but now he has a firstborn son, continuing to overly favor Sanlang will only be detrimental to him, without any benefit."
For a moment, the Emperor was silent.
The Empress said no more, for even between husband and wife, some matters cannot be explicitly stated. But, without saying it outright, the Emperor could still grasp some understanding.
Ultimately, the Empress was also heartbroken by Prince Gong.
With two sons, she had always, even including Mingda and Changyu, strived to remain fair.
Changyu was not her biological child, but having been raised under her care from a young age, she had set aside a separate dowry for her, almost equal to that of Prince Gong and the Crown Prince.
By comparison, she was stricter with the Crown Prince, since he had to study literature and martial arts under numerous tutors, and accompany the Emperor in state affairs, whereas Prince Gong spent more time by her side.
The Empress never expected him to have such thoughts, despite advising and warning him repeatedly, only to be placated with hollow assurances while his actions in private continued.
It would have been understandable if the Crown Prince was foolish, but at the time Sanlang developed such thoughts, the Crown Prince, though without offspring, did not exhibit particularly improper behavior, and was still the suitable heir recognized by the court officials.
He intended to replace the Crown Prince, which would lead to the Crown Prince’s death, and as his mother, along with Mingda, given their physical condition, they might face death as well.
The Emperor couldn’t see these things, but the Empress could.
That was why she was so heartbroken.
She was his biological mother, the Crown Prince and Mingda were his siblings, yet he was so selfish and narrow-minded. How could he possibly possess love and benevolence for the people?
Though he possessed the ruthlessness necessary for an emperor, he lacked the affection that an emperor should have.
Thus the Empress always disapproved of him, preferring to suppress him rather than let him surpass the Crown Prince even without an heir.
Now, Prince Gong no longer had any opportunity. If there were further conflicts, it would be between the Emperor and the Crown Prince.
This conflict between the two is potentially more deadly. The Empress did not want the Emperor to nitpick the Crown Prince, nor did she want the Crown Prince to harbor resentment against the Emperor, which was why she exposed certain truths.
She clearly informed the Emperor that there was a life lost between the Crown Prince and Prince Gong. To truly restore their relationship as Mingda and Zhou Man suggested was not something that could be achieved overnight. She did not want the Emperor to hold too many illusions.
The Emperor, who was holding such illusions and had already envisioned a harmonious family outing, was doused with a bucket of cold water and promptly left, no longer speaking to the Empress.
The Empress did not stop him, letting him be.
With his hands behind his back, the Emperor wandered aimlessly in the palace, ultimately finding himself outside the Empress Dowager’s palace.
It was evening, around meal time, and the Empress Dowager’s palace was bustling with activity.
He paused and asked, "Who’s inside?"
"It’s Commandery Princess Yunfeng, she’s in the palace attending to the Empress Dowager. She usually leaves after the evening meal."
The Emperor then thought of his relationship with the Prince of Yizhou and his mother’s attitude towards him and the Prince of Yizhou, feeling increasingly uncomfortable in his heart.
The next day at court, seeing the Censorate’s impeachment and punishment suggestions, though it pained him, he nevertheless signed off on them.
Not just the Crown Prince, the court officials were taken aback, exchanging glances, questioning if the Emperor was bewitched, to have agreed to punish Prince Gong?
And with such severe punishment?
Even Lord Tang felt uneasy as he had casually written the suggestion, thinking it wouldn’t be taken seriously by the Emperor. Who knew the Emperor would approve of it, this...
