Chapter 11
[Your legitimate elder brother has earned modest praise from Palace Tutor Lu Zhen (Middle Rank), gaining 20 points in the palace struggle.]
[Your legitimate elder brother has earned modest praise from the Emperor Xiao Yunzhou (High Rank), gaining 50 points in the palace struggle.]
[Your legitimate elder brother has gained significant favor from Sixth Prince Cheng Shan, gaining 30 points in the palace struggle.]
Xiao Chuchu was admiring her mother Lower Concubine Liu embroidering flowers in the main hall, struggling to keep her eyes open from drowsiness.
Suddenly, she was jolted awake by three consecutive system prompts.
Just as she was pondering this, she heard the steady voice of a young man.
"Prince Cheng Qian greets Mother."
It was her brother!
Xiao Chuchu made an effort to prop herself up and looked toward the handsome young Fifth Prince entering the room.
[Did Brother pass the examination?]
Fifth Prince Cheng Qian had just entered the room when he heard his sister's thoughts. Although he had maintained a stern expression all the way from the Palace Tutor's chambers, unable to show his emotions to ordinary people, he now couldn't help but crack a slight smile.
"Mother, the tutor did indeed test us on our recent lessons this afternoon."
Cheng Qian smiled at his sister, but quickly turned to Lower Concubine Liu and said, "I did reasonably well. The Emperor has rewarded me, Elder Brother, Second Brother, and Sixth Brother with a mutton hot pot for dinner."
Lower Concubine Liu was overjoyed. "Cheng Qian has done well."
Although she had heard her daughter's thoughts and was not at all impressed by the reward from the 'Emperor who had almost gotten her buried alive', she was very happy that her son had passed the test safely and avoided getting his palms beaten.
"Quickly wash your hands, warm yourself up, and come see your sister. She has just nursed and is feeling sleepy."
It was all thanks to this young girl, a reincarnated immortal, that her son had avoided the crisis.
Cheng Qian didn't need to be told and had already warmed his hands.
He stood eagerly in front of the cradle, gazing at his sister's adorable appearance.
"Mother, if you or Sister ever lack anything, just send someone to let me know."
"No matter what, you must not be shortchanged."
It was all thanks to his sister that he knew the examination points today.
He did not think his sister had any evil powers, or that she was a calamity. On the contrary, he felt she was a blessing from Heaven.
His kind and fortunate sister had protected him.
[Wow, did Brother gain the tutor's favor?]
[The Palace Tutor is very powerful, and he was even the Emperor Father's teacher, it seems.]
Cheng Qian silently agreed.
Today, when Scholar Lu returned from the Qian Qing Palace, he not only brought rewards and punishments, but his expression when looking at Cheng Qian also showed a degree of approval that was unusual.
Normally, although Scholar Lu was very attentive to all the princes, he still taught the older first three princes more.
He was not good with words, and did not treat Cheng Qian specially.
But today was different.
After returning, Scholar Lu looked at him several times.
"Do not be arrogant or hasty. Cheng Qian, do not slack off in your studies, but..."
Lower Concubine Liu couldn't help but worry about what her daughter had said about her son's fate.
"But a tall tree in the forest will be blown down by the wind."
Before he had even grown up, he would face envy and hatred, which was a calamity.
Cheng Qian nodded in agreement. He knew.
In this life, until the succession to the throne was assured, he would remain cautious.
"Rest assured, Mother. Today's reward was not just for me..."
But as he said this, he faltered in sudden alarm.
His mother now had such great wisdom.
The tragic fate his sister had mentioned seemed to have been calculated step by step by his mother, first using his grandfather to test and warn the grandsons, and now reminding him not to reveal his abilities too openly.
Could it be that his mother could also hear his sister's thoughts?
Cheng Qian couldn't help but study his mother's expression intently.
Just as he was contemplating this, he was interrupted.
"Madam, the Clan Ministry has sent over the three wet nurses you selected this morning for your careful inspection."
In an instant, a palace maid announced from outside the door.
"Let them in."
Lower Concubine Liu and Fifth Prince both quickly composed themselves.
When they looked up again, their faces were perfectly calm, as if nothing had happened.
*
In the main hall of the Donghua Palace.
Consort Min was about to close the door and secretly eat a chicken leg braised in onions that her personal palace maid had bought from the kitchen.
But suddenly, there was a loud knocking on the door.
"Mother, I've come to see you!"
"Open up! Mother, what are you doing? Locking the door in broad daylight!"
Consort Min: "...!"
She had sinned.
Just when she had finally managed to sneak off and eat some meat, her son had interrupted her.
Giving birth to children was like inviting debtors.
Consort Min quickly finished the chicken leg in a few bites, wiped her oily mouth with a handkerchief, picked up her prayer beads, and then let her personal maid open the door.
"Hmm? Mother, what's that smell?" Sixth Prince Cheng Shan had barely entered when he sniffed the air.
He was hungry.
"Smells like chicken legs braised in onions?"
Consort Min held her breath.
Her son had the same love for food as she did, with a nose more keen than a dog's.
But he was guileless, spoiled by her and Consort Qi since childhood, unable to hide anything.
"Nonsense! How could your mother secretly eat meat?"
"That's true, Mother, you chant scriptures and pray to Buddha, you don't like meat. It was probably one of your attendant eunuchs sneaking food."
Consort Min's eye twitched as she looked at her seven-year-old son, whose chubby cheeks already showed signs of a thick neck.
"Why aren't you reviewing your lessons at the Qian Xi Palace? What are you doing here?"
She and Consort Qi had agreed that on odd-numbered days, her son would dine with Consort Qi, and on even-numbered days, he would dine with her.
Today was the third day of the month, and her son was not supposed to be here. Consort Min had been tempted by the beef pancakes served to Lower Concubine Liu at breakfast, and her craving had resurfaced, prompting her to lock the door and eat meat in the evening.
"Don't spend all day complaining about headaches and eye strain from reading, only thinking about eating."
"If your nose is so keen, if you can get a word of praise from the tutor for your lessons, Mother will prepare snacks for you every day!"
Sixth Prince Cheng Shan's eyes lit up, and he smiled mysteriously.
"Mother, my essay earned praise from Father Emperor today, and a reward dish."
Consort Min was stunned. "The sun has risen from the west?"
Had the Emperor gone blind today?
"Mother!"
"Has your father lost his mind today? No, he's in an exceptionally good mood?"
"...Mother," Sixth Prince Cheng Shan pouted. Was he really that bad? "It was Fifth Brother who helped me review!"
Consort Min was taken aback. "Fifth Prince?"
Lower Concubine Liu's son Cheng Qian?
"Yes, Mother, you should be nicer to Fifth Brother's mother from now on. Don't bully him."
"If it weren't for Fifth Brother today, I would have been beaten on the palms like Third Brother and Fourth Brother!"
Sixth Prince puffed out his chest.
Consort Min immediately felt fear in retrospect. Their palms had been beaten too?
She knew her own son's abilities; in terms of lessons, he was probably only slightly better than the youngest Seventh Prince, who was only five years old.
If it weren't for Fifth Prince's help, her son's palms would most likely have been beaten to the point of resembling pig trotters today!
Consort Min immediately became appreciative. "The tiger inkstone set I gave you last time, there's another one. Pack it up later and deliver it to your Fifth Brother yourself."
As she spoke, her face also showed joy.
At first, she didn't believe it, but now that she knew the reason, she felt the elation of her son being praised.
Who wouldn't want a son who excels in both literary and martial arts?
"Later, I'll also send a bolt of Sichuan silk to Lower Concubine Liu."
"That's appropriate!" Cheng Shan was also delighted, patting his chubby face.
"Mother, I'll have the reward dish sent here. Tonight, I'll eat Father's rewarded mutton hot pot, and you can have the cabbage."
Consort Min: "...?"
Damn it, raising a son is not as good as raising Lower Concubine Liu!
In the Kunning Palace.
The Empress was overjoyed by the reward dish and praised the Crown Prince as she stroked his arm, "You've lost weight from studying hard recently."
"Your father has rewarded you with this dish, and Mother will also reward you with an embroidered lion head ornament."
"By the way, is that hot pot just for you, or do your brothers also get one?"
The Crown Prince immediately replied, "In addition to me, Second Brother, Fifth Brother, and Sixth Brother also received one."
A flash of thought crossed the Empress's gentle eyes.
Fifth Prince had also received a reward?
"Mother, Father likely rewarded them because of their young age."
The Empress nodded in agreement. That was probably the reason.
However, the fact that Noble Consort's Third Prince had been beaten on the palms and stripped of the right to officiate at the Winter Sacrifice was an unexpected delight!
She could eat an extra half-bowl of rice tonight!
"As the eldest brother, you should also provide guidance to Fifth Prince and Sixth Prince in the future."
"They are young, and your father pays close attention to their studies as well."
The Empress suddenly discovered a new perspective.
The younger Fifth Prince Cheng Qian and Sixth Prince Cheng Shan excelled in their studies, making the older Third Prince and Fourth Prince look even more useless!
How could that arrogant Mr. Fucha dare to challenge her?
The Third Prince born to Mr. Fucha was nothing but a worthless lump!
*
"Xiao Chuchu, Consort Min has sent you some Sichuan brocade and a bowl of bird's nest soup."
The gratitude from the neighboring room was quickly delivered to Xiao Chuchu.
The eunuch Liu from the Imperial Clan Household lowered his head as he accompanied the wet nurses.
He could not help but be astonished once again.
How did Xiao Chuchu suddenly gain such favor in the harem?
Consort Min was showing concern.
The Fifth Prince was here too!
Eunuch Liu thought to himself, then respectfully paid his respects to Xiao Chuchu and the Fifth Prince.
But as he was about to introduce the three wet nurses behind him, Xiao Chuchu and the Fifth Prince's expressions changed.
["Oh no, Mother, Brother, the wet nurse with the mole at the corner of her eye must not be employed!"]
["She was planted here by the Noble Consort!"]