Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!-Chapter 1250 Establishing the Crown Prince is Fundamental to the State

Chapter 1250: Chapter 1250 Establishing the Crown Prince is Fundamental to the State

After leaving the palace, Zhulan took off her heavy decree robe, and her inner garments were already soaked through. When there was no one around during her bath, she became really curious—following the procedure, the Empress must wake up extremely early and wear the thick Phoenix robe, enduring the entire morning. How did the Empress manage that?

Moreover, it was inconvenient for the Empress to use the restroom while wearing the Phoenix robe; her endurance was not something ordinary people could compare with.

Zhulan thought about it and chuckled to herself; indeed, not everyone could bear the weight of the crown.

Feeling much better after the bath, Zhulan also ate a bowl of wonton soup and drank a large glass of fruit juice.

Qing Xue had a look of helplessness in her eyes. When trying on the decree robe, her mistress clearly stated she wouldn’t have extra meals. Yet, on the carriage ride back, she had already had some pastries, and now, she’s eaten wonton soup again; Qing Xue felt that her mistress’s intention to control her food intake was impossible.

Zhulan felt Qing Xue’s gaze and froze with her hand on her stomach, feeling guilty as she looked at the bowls and chopsticks on the table, her confidence waning, "I was too tired today."

Qing Xue, "..."

Any explanation would just prove the adage about protesting too much, as if there were really "three hundred taels of silver not hidden here."

Early the next day, at the Qin Prince Residence, Rongchuan watched his wife hastily finish her breakfast, "You’ve left too early, Mother hasn’t had her breakfast yet!"

Xue Han sat down again, "Ah, you can’t understand my feelings. Do you know how many days I’ve been holding back? I’ve been looking forward to today’s conferral ceremony!"

Heaven knows she wanted to share her excitement with someone!

Rongchuan smiled warmly, deciding not to tell his wife—his mother sometimes particularly enjoyed teasing his wife. The advance information was surely a deliberate act by the Empress, "By the way, Mother and Father will come to stay at the residence in a few days."

Xue Han’s eyes widened, "Ah?"

Rongchuan was also startled yesterday—the Crown Prince had just succeeded the throne, and the Emperor and Empress were planning to leave the palace for a stay.

Xue Han asked, "Why?"

Rongchuan whispered, "I think it’s because Mother is used to the peace and quiet, and Father doesn’t want to stay in the harem. So, they used the excuse of owing me, wanting to spend more time with me to persuade my brother. My brother knows that Father and Mother leaving the palace isn’t just for my sake. He probably also took Father’s abdication into consideration, thinking that staying in the Qin Prince Residence for a while would be better for Father."

He paused, then continued, "That’s why my brother didn’t persuade them otherwise and agreed."

After listening, Xue Han whispered, "But is it really okay for the Retired Emperor not to reside within the palace?"

Rongchuan chuckled, "Who mandated that the Retired Emperor must live inside the palace? Father abdicated voluntarily, leaving all power to my brother. Moreover, Father isn’t holding onto power and pressuring my brother after his abdication. Where Father and Mother choose to live, no one dares to gossip, especially with their reasonable excuse. They always feel they owe me."

Xue Han’s heart skipped a beat, oh, she had an ominous premonition. She didn’t believe that the Emperor and Empress would just stay shut away from the world!

At the Zhou residence, early in the morning, Xue Han heard the shocking news and returned to her maternal home in a daze. Of course, before she left, she gave her husband a twist—such an important matter and he only told her this morning!

Zhulan, "Did you come back to your maternal home to showcase sitting postures?"

That posture was too textbook perfect; her daughter really had ingrained the etiquette to her bones. Being a Princess Consort was not so easy.

Xue Han came back to her senses and softly shared what Rongchuan told her.

Zhulan, "..."

Ah, she also had a bad premonition. The Retired Emperor had completely let go and now that he couldn’t leave the capital to live unconstrained, he naturally had to find something to distract himself with and the thought was frightening!

In the harem, today’s edict for the Concubines’ investiture was read. The Empress, looking at Lady Liu and the others’ ecstatic expressions, said, "The palace is happy for you sisters, look at how excited everyone is, they’ve lost themselves in their joy."

Lady Liu and the others came back to their senses, Lady Liu’s face somewhat contorted, forced to display happiness, it was unbearable to watch.

Lady Liu was furious. She had the family background, she had a son, yet she wasn’t given the position of Noble Consort, but simply one of the concubines, a Liu Consort without a title.

And Lady Du was struck as if by thunder, her heart’s desires—for she had given up on becoming a Consort but still hoped to be a Concubine—only to end up as a Zhaoyi Consort!

Lady Ran, on the other hand, was stunned. Liu was merely a consort, yet now she herself held the position of a consort—even without a title, this starting point was quite high for her. In truth, she barely had any presence as a lesser consort in the Crown Prince’s harem, and the Crown Prince’s visits to her chambers were mostly to see his daughter.

The ranks of the others were not high either.

The Empress looked refreshed, her face constantly beaming with delight, and she said to the most overjoyed Liu, "Congratulations, my sister."

Liu suppressed the anger in her heart, "This consort thanks the Empress Mother."

All the newly appointed consorts and concubines today, with the exception of Lady Ran, were disappointed. No one had expected the Emperor to be so stingy with the ranks, which also left them feeling uneasy. Already not favored by the Emperor, what should they do as new faces entered the harem in the future?

At the Zhou residence, Zhulan was also aware of the rankings, "Lady Du must be disappointed."

Xue Han, "It’s not just Lady Du who’s disappointed today."

Zhulan whispered, "The Retired Emperor’s harem was peaceful, but this new Emperor’s harem..."

Even though she didn’t finish her sentence, Xue Han understood. Who could fault the young Emperor? Since there were only mother and daughter in the room, Xue Han whispered, "I’ve heard some families are already considering sending their daughters to the palace!"

Zhulan, "It’s not surprising, the Emperor is in his prime, the harem holds endless possibilities."

Xue Han suddenly looked around, then leaned in close to her mother’s ear, "Rongchuan came back and told me that a day ago there was a zhezi suggesting that appointing a Crown Prince was fundamental to the stability of the nation."

Zhulan was surprised, "The new Emperor asked Rongchuan about this? How did Rongchuan respond?" fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

Xue Han said, "The Emperor didn’t ask Rongchuan directly, just mentioned it in passing, saying the zhezi was only to test the waters."

Zhulan thought to herself it couldn’t be the Empress’s family, the Wen family, nor did she know whose hand was behind it. Why did she think so? Because the day before the Empress’s appointment, the Wen family would have to be crazy to submit a zhezi before her coronation.

It was even less likely to be other ministers concerned with state affairs. The new Emperor had just ascended the throne; they would have to wait until he was more secure in his reign before making a move.

Xue Han tugged at her mother’s clothing, "Mother."

Zhulan leaned into her daughter’s ear, "Go back and tell Rongchuan that when it comes to appointing a Crown Prince, if he can avoid it, then avoid it; if not, just play dumb. Right now, Rongchuan has both the rank of Prince and the Silver Coin, and all your Qin Prince Residence needs to do is cling tightly to the Emperor. You must not get involved in the struggle between the Princes."

She was worried, needing to repeat her caution several times. Rongchuan was the prime target for solicitation, anyone with eyes could see that.

Xue Han felt the seriousness in her mother’s voice and tensed up, "Mother, I will tell my husband when I return."

Zhulan nodded, "Let Rongchuan be more vigilant."

Xue Han remembered this well, and then she thought, "If Father Emperor moves into the Qin Prince Residence, he’ll surely instruct my husband."

The Father Emperor was so biased, he would certainly teach her husband how to get along with the new Emperor.

That evening, Zhulan relayed the information she had gotten from her daughter, starting with the zhezi about appointing the Crown Prince.

Zhou Shuren said, "I’m not surprised at all; it’s within expectation."

Zhulan then mentioned that the Emperor was going to stay at the Qin Prince Residence.

Zhou Shuren, who had been lounging lazily, sat up abruptly, "What? Moving out of the palace?"

Zhulan watched her husband with amusement, "Why are you so startled?"

Zhou Shuren, "...Because I know, the Retired Emperor is bound to cause trouble."