I am the prince of the Ming Dynasty, I don't give up

Chapter 9 Mother and Son
"Brother Zhan, you are still open-minded! I just can't get over this hurdle. It's a pity that I, Shi Lu, a distinguished Jinshi, have to live in this palace for a long time. My peers have already risen to the top, but I am the only one wasting my time here." Shi Changshi sighed.

Shi Lu's words mostly killed Zhan Bin's interest. As a third-class Jinshi, Shi Lu was indeed the one with the highest honors in Jing Mansion. He stood out among a bunch of officials in the palace who were also Juren and Xiucai. But he could not help but often acted like he was not appreciated for his talent.

Although Zhan Bin was complaining in his heart, he still said to comfort her:
"Think positively! We are in this situation, we can't force it! In fact, being an official in Jingfu is pretty good. There is no paperwork to deal with, and there are not so many intrigues in the officialdom. Although we are distant relatives, the late king and the queen dowager are kind and often reward us. The young prince is also a talented, loyal and humble person."

Shi Changshi nodded as he listened, but he was thinking with disdain in his heart: This person really has no ambition. The highest position he can hold as an official in a royal palace is just to manage the affairs of a royal palace. That's not much power he can get.

However, when he heard Zhan Bin mention the young prince, his face suddenly turned gloomy.

"The young prince is indeed very talented, but I'm afraid he will go astray. Do you know what I saw him doing today?"

"Oh? Please tell me in detail, Brother Shi."

So Shi Changshi recounted what he had seen and heard today, of course leaving out the embarrassing part that had made him feel embarrassed.

"I didn't think it was a big deal. It's just that I got a little close to a few craftsmen," Zhan Bin said nonchalantly.

"Isn't this a big deal? Isn't it a big deal that the young prince doesn't study and works as a blacksmith?"

"Actually," Zhan Bin suddenly lowered his voice, "this is not a big deal in the royal family of this dynasty! The princes of this dynasty like to drink and get close to women, and they can be called virtuous kings. I think our little prince has the appearance of a virtuous king."

"Besides, the young prince is still a teenager, his mind is not settled yet, and he will be uninterested in blacksmithing in a few days. So relax and have a drink."

After Shi Changshi finished the wine in his glass, he still felt a blockage in his heart. The scene of him bowing to the little prince today replayed in his mind over and over again.

After finishing the meal, Shi Changshi was about to return to his own room, but he stopped at the door of the room, hesitated for a moment, and then walked towards the harem of the palace.
Zhu Houxuan got up very late the next day. He felt a little sore after working for so long the day before.

While they were having dinner, Hou Sen rushed in and said, "Your Highness, I just took your Highness's warrant to the account office to withdraw 100 taels of silver, but the accountant refused and only wanted to withdraw taels."

"Is this true? Didn't the accountant tell me why he refused to withdraw the money?"

"I did, but..." Hou Sen suddenly became hesitant.

"Hurry up and tell me! Don't keep me in suspense!"

"It was the Concubine Dowager. She sent someone to the accounting office yesterday to pass on the message that if Your Highness goes to the accounting office to withdraw money, he can only be given 100 taels per month."

"My dear Concubine." Zhu Houxuan murmured.

"There is one more thing. I ran into Jin Tong and his friends on my way back. They were carrying their luggage and walking out of the mansion. They said that the Concubine Dowager had ordered them to be expelled from the mansion."

"It must be Shi Lu's fault." Zhu Houxuan quickly figured out what was going on.

"Your Highness, what should we do?"

"I'm going to see the Concubine Dowager, and you go and bring Jin Tong and the others back." Zhu Houxuan stuffed a bun into his mouth and rushed out of Cunxin Hall.

Hou Sen stamped his feet and chased after him, "Your Highness, please slow down. You may not be able to quarrel with the Concubine Dowager."

The group soon arrived at the door of the concubine's palace. The eunuch at the door saw them and hurried into the palace to pass on the message. Zhu Houxuan did not go in directly, but adjusted his breath and tidied his appearance at the door.

Just as he was about to go in, a tall beauty in palace dress walked out of the bedroom.

"Your Highness, you are here." The beauty in palace dress bowed to Zhu Houxuan. The bowing ceremony in the Ming Dynasty was very beautiful, especially when performed by a beauty.

Zhu Houxuan only felt as if flowers were blooming in front of his eyes, and for a moment his eyes were not enough, but he still remembered the purpose of coming today, so he looked away after just one glance, and said to the front: "Sister Rong, mother is in the bedroom."

The beauty in palace dress is a baby girl adopted by Concubine Liu since she was a child. Her name is Liu Yourong. She and Concubine Liu are like mother and daughter, but Concubine Liu did not give Liu Yourong a formal status, so now Liu Yourong serves as Concubine Liu's personal maid.

"Brother Xuan, how did you offend the Concubine Dowager again? Ever since Shi Changshi asked to see the Concubine Dowager yesterday, she has been sulking and went to weave early this morning." Liu Yourong said in a low voice. She had a good relationship with Zhu Houxuan.

"Nothing, it's Shi Changshi who is causing trouble."

Liu Yourong curled her lips secretly. She didn't believe what Zhu Houxuan said, but she still reminded him: "Brother Xuan, go in and persuade the concubine to admit her mistakes."

Zhu Houxuan was too lazy to argue with Liu Yourong and walked straight into the bedroom. As soon as he entered, he lowered his footsteps and saw that there was no one else in the bedroom except Concubine Liu, who was sitting in front of a loom with her back to him, skillfully weaving cloth. The rhythmic sound of weaving echoed in the bedroom.

Zhu Houxuan walked quietly to the side of Concubine Liu, knelt on one knee and said softly: "Your son greets you, mother! I wonder if you are in good health."

The sound of the loom stopped immediately. Concubine Liu turned around and looked at Zhu Houxuan expressionlessly, saying coldly: "Not good!"

"Please give me your instructions, mother." Zhu Houxuan said with a stiff face.

"Then tell me what you have been doing in the past month or so? Have you been neglecting your studies?"

"My son has been recuperating for the past month or so, so his studies have been put on hold for now. Once he's recovered, I'll ask for your advice again."

"You still know that your body is not well taken care of! You go to work as a blacksmith without taking good care of your body? And you hang out with those craftsmen?" Concubine Liu's voice suddenly became three points louder.

So Zhu Houxun brought out his rhetoric about forging iron and forging people.

After hearing this, Concubine Liu's expression eased a little. "I often see the guards in the palace lifting heavy objects like stone locks to strengthen their bodies. I think it's the same principle. Then my son, go and train with the guards in the palace. As for those craftsmen you found, I will help you drive them out of the palace!"

"Absolutely not!" Zhu Houxun hurriedly stopped him, knowing in his heart that Concubine Liu was not easy to fool.

At the same time, he also heard the crux of the problem, which was that he went to forge iron himself yesterday. He did not expect that Concubine Liu would react so strongly to this matter. He believed that Shi Changshi must have exaggerated it.

He wanted to promise Concubine Liu that he would never go to work as a blacksmith again, but he immediately realized that it was useless. Concubine Liu obviously regarded Jin Tong and the others as the ones who instigated him to work as a blacksmith.

"Why not?" Concubine Liu pressed on aggressively.

Zhu Houxuan glanced at the Buddhist shrine behind the loom. There was a golden Buddha inside. There were burning incense sticks in the incense burner in front of the Buddha. The faint scent of sandalwood filled the entire room.

He immediately made up his mind. Concubine Liu believed in gods and Buddhas, so this was the right place to start.
"Mother, you don't know that your son fell into the water and was unconscious two months ago. He narrowly escaped death. In fact, there is a secret that you haven't told your mother yet."

A trace of fear flashed across Concubine Liu's eyes, and the aggressive light in her eyes disappeared.
(End of this chapter)