Naming the Crown Prince (Part Two)
“Where is the princess?”
The second prince strode into the western palace. He was surrounded in such a joyous aura that even the palace maids could tell.
Immediately after setting foot inside the palace, he began looking for Princess DanYang. It looked like he had some good news to tell her.
One of her personal maids, Tian’er, said: “Replying to second prince, princess is in the inner room. Please have some tea, while this servant goes to report.”
“Go quickly. Tell DanYang that I have some good news to share!”
The second prince clenched his fist with emotion. He placed his hands on the table and left some damp spots on the light-yellow covering.
It was only then that he realized that he was so nervous that his palms were sweaty.
Tian’er brought out a cup of tea and noticed the wet patches left by his palms. Her mouth opened slightly in shock, as she quietly retreated from the room.
What sort of joyous event had just occurred?
She had served at Princess DanYang’s side for many years, thus she had a decent understanding of the second prince, yet she had never seen him so flustered before.
“Second brother, what sort of good news could make you so excited?”
With the sound of the bead curtains, Princess DanYang lazily walked out. Her hair was down, and she looked as if she had just woken up.
“Father Emperor handed the position of prime minister to Yin Shuo, and second brother does not have much of a relationship with him. This isn’t anything good. Could it be that second brother has some method to get along with this new prime minister?”
The second prince mockingly laughed, “Who cares who holds the position of prime minister? Even if Yin Shuo was part of YiZhao’s faction, this prince does not care.”
Princess DanYang looked at him seriously and suddenly had a strange feeling.
She pushed the second prince’s hand and found that his palms were wet with sweat.
“What exactly is this good news? Second brother, quickly tell me!”
The second prince looked around, and Tian’er understandingly waved her hand, leading the palace maids and eunuchs out of the room.
The doors were closed, and Princess DanYang looked at him expectantly.
He smiled and said: “The wish that you and I have had for many years has finally been realized. None of our efforts were wasted. It was only today that I realized that there’s no point in competing with YiZhao for the support of the court’s officials. The most important person is still father Emperor!”
Princess DanYang was both shocked and joyous, “Father Emperor wants to appoint you as the crown prince?!”
“He still has not for the time being, but it should be soon.”
The second prince cheerfully picked up his cup of tea and gently blew away some of the bubbles at the surface of the tea, “Father Emperor called me into the palace today and asked me to accompany him on a walk around the palace. As we walked, we arrived at mother Empress’ former palace. Take a guess, what do you think father Emperor said to me?”
“What did he say?”
“He said, ‘That We did not promote a second empress after all of these years, you should understand the reason.'”
Princess DanYang furrowed her brow, not knowing what these words meant.
The second prince said: “DanYang, do you still not understand? Imperial Consort Xian has been managing the inner palace on mother Empress’ behalf all of these years, pretending to be virtuous and benevolent. If father Emperor wanted to appoint Ning YiZhao as the crown prince, he would have appointed her as the empress. That would be the proper way of doing things. But father Emperor never did it, and Imperial Consort Xian remains an imperial consort. She could not become the empress and will never end up the empress dowager!”
Princess DanYang seemed to have reached a revelation and joyously grabbed his hand.
“Since father Emperor revealed his intentions to you, has he told you when he plans to prepare the crown prince’s palace?”
The second prince smiled: “There’s no rush. The court just had a new prime minister appointed, and the situation in court is unstable. It will be a bit longer before father Emperor can begin preparing the crown prince’s palace. When the situation starts to calm down, how long much longer would it take to prepare the crown prince’s palace?”
Princess DanYang hugged his arm and cheerfully said: “I knew it! Second brother is the son that mother Empress gave birth to, thus the crown prince’s position would definitely belong to you. Just looking at the names, it was immediately clear. Father Emperor chose the name ChengZhi for you. With the blessing of the heavens, provide peace and prosperity for the country. If it wasn’t you, who else could it be!”
The second prince patted her head. He showed some rare kindness to his younger sister from the same mother.
“Mother Empress is no longer around. We siblings have relied on each other for survival for many years. Now, we’ve finally made it, but we can’t tell anyone about this for now to keep Ning YiZhao’s faction from finding out and causing trouble.”
“I understand! Second brother, I will be going out of the palace. Tian’er, quickly prepare this princess’ clothes!”
Princess DanYang immediately wanted to run into the inner room but was grabbed by the second prince, “What are you going out at a time like this for?”
“I am going to look for brother ShuBai!”
The second prince furrowed his brow, “I only just said that you can’t tell anyone. Have you put any consideration into my words? All you think about all day is brother ShuBai this, brother ShuBai that.”
Have you already forgotten that your brother ShuBai was almost engaged to another girl?
Thinking a little, he chose not to say the most hurtful last part.
Princess DanYang’s eyes were filled with joy, “Second brother, when did you become so overly cautious? Could it be that you’ve forgotten that father Emperor would definitely have sought out Marquis Gu prior to making as big a decision as appointing a crown prince? Brother ShuBai probably already knows about it!”
After saying this, she rushed into the inner room. The second prince just listened to her tell the palace maids to look for clothes and a hairpin.
What she said was indeed true. Emperor Ning even asked Gu HuaiJiang when it came to something like appointing a new prime minister, much less something like appointing a crown prince?
Marquis Gu’s Manor had always maintained a neutral stance, neither supporting him nor the eldest prince. There was nothing for him to feel uneasy about.
He flicked his sleeve and left the Western Palace.
Behind a tall column nearby, someone dressed like a palace maid clearly heard the second prince’s conversation.
She looked around and saw that there were no others nearby. Turning around and leaving the Western Palace, she walked toward the inner palace…
Naming the Crown Prince (Part Two)
“Where is the princess?”
The second prince strode into the western palace. He was surrounded in such a joyous aura that even the palace maids could tell.
Immediately after setting foot inside the palace, he began looking for Princess DanYang. It looked like he had some good news to tell her.
One of her personal maids, Tian’er, said: “Replying to second prince, princess is in the inner room. Please have some tea, while this servant goes to report.”
“Go quickly. Tell DanYang that I have some good news to share!”
The second prince clenched his fist with emotion. He placed his hands on the table and left some damp spots on the light-yellow covering.
It was only then that he realized that he was so nervous that his palms were sweaty.
Tian’er brought out a cup of tea and noticed the wet patches left by his palms. Her mouth opened slightly in shock, as she quietly retreated from the room.
What sort of joyous event had just occurred?
She had served at Princess DanYang’s side for many years, thus she had a decent understanding of the second prince, yet she had never seen him so flustered before.
“Second brother, what sort of good news could make you so excited?”
With the sound of the bead curtains, Princess DanYang lazily walked out. Her hair was down, and she looked as if she had just woken up.
“Father Emperor handed the position of prime minister to Yin Shuo, and second brother does not have much of a relationship with him. This isn’t anything good. Could it be that second brother has some method to get along with this new prime minister?”
The second prince mockingly laughed, “Who cares who holds the position of prime minister? Even if Yin Shuo was part of YiZhao’s faction, this prince does not care.”
Princess DanYang looked at him seriously and suddenly had a strange feeling.
She pushed the second prince’s hand and found that his palms were wet with sweat.
“What exactly is this good news? Second brother, quickly tell me!”
The second prince looked around, and Tian’er understandingly waved her hand, leading the palace maids and eunuchs out of the room.
The doors were closed, and Princess DanYang looked at him expectantly.
He smiled and said: “The wish that you and I have had for many years has finally been realized. None of our efforts were wasted. It was only today that I realized that there’s no point in competing with YiZhao for the support of the court’s officials. The most important person is still father Emperor!”
Princess DanYang was both shocked and joyous, “Father Emperor wants to appoint you as the crown prince?!”
“He still has not for the time being, but it should be soon.”
The second prince cheerfully picked up his cup of tea and gently blew away some of the bubbles at the surface of the tea, “Father Emperor called me into the palace today and asked me to accompany him on a walk around the palace. As we walked, we arrived at mother Empress’ former palace. Take a guess, what do you think father Emperor said to me?”
“What did he say?”
“He said, ‘That We did not promote a second empress after all of these years, you should understand the reason.'”
Princess DanYang furrowed her brow, not knowing what these words meant.
The second prince said: “DanYang, do you still not understand? Imperial Consort Xian has been managing the inner palace on mother Empress’ behalf all of these years, pretending to be virtuous and benevolent. If father Emperor wanted to appoint Ning YiZhao as the crown prince, he would have appointed her as the empress. That would be the proper way of doing things. But father Emperor never did it, and Imperial Consort Xian remains an imperial consort. She could not become the empress and will never end up the empress dowager!”
Princess DanYang seemed to have reached a revelation and joyously grabbed his hand.
“Since father Emperor revealed his intentions to you, has he told you when he plans to prepare the crown prince’s palace?”
The second prince smiled: “There’s no rush. The court just had a new prime minister appointed, and the situation in court is unstable. It will be a bit longer before father Emperor can begin preparing the crown prince’s palace. When the situation starts to calm down, how long much longer would it take to prepare the crown prince’s palace?”
Princess DanYang hugged his arm and cheerfully said: “I knew it! Second brother is the son that mother Empress gave birth to, thus the crown prince’s position would definitely belong to you. Just looking at the names, it was immediately clear. Father Emperor chose the name ChengZhi for you. With the blessing of the heavens, provide peace and prosperity for the country. If it wasn’t you, who else could it be!”
The second prince patted her head. He showed some rare kindness to his younger sister from the same mother.
“Mother Empress is no longer around. We siblings have relied on each other for survival for many years. Now, we’ve finally made it, but we can’t tell anyone about this for now to keep Ning YiZhao’s faction from finding out and causing trouble.”
“I understand! Second brother, I will be going out of the palace. Tian’er, quickly prepare this princess’ clothes!”
Princess DanYang immediately wanted to run into the inner room but was grabbed by the second prince, “What are you going out at a time like this for?”
“I am going to look for brother ShuBai!”
The second prince furrowed his brow, “I only just said that you can’t tell anyone. Have you put any consideration into my words? All you think about all day is brother ShuBai this, brother ShuBai that.”
Have you already forgotten that your brother ShuBai was almost engaged to another girl?
Thinking a little, he chose not to say the most hurtful last part.
Princess DanYang’s eyes were filled with joy, “Second brother, when did you become so overly cautious? Could it be that you’ve forgotten that father Emperor would definitely have sought out Marquis Gu prior to making as big a decision as appointing a crown prince? Brother ShuBai probably already knows about it!”
After saying this, she rushed into the inner room. The second prince just listened to her tell the palace maids to look for clothes and a hairpin.
What she said was indeed true. Emperor Ning even asked Gu HuaiJiang when it came to something like appointing a new prime minister, much less something like appointing a crown prince?
Marquis Gu’s Manor had always maintained a neutral stance, neither supporting him nor the eldest prince. There was nothing for him to feel uneasy about.
He flicked his sleeve and left the Western Palace.
Behind a tall column nearby, someone dressed like a palace maid clearly heard the second prince’s conversation.
She looked around and saw that there were no others nearby. Turning around and leaving the Western Palace, she walked toward the inner palace…
