Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 718 Prince Rui, Zhu Changhao

The palanquin came to a steady stop, and Shi Fuming stepped forward and lifted the curtain.

The emperor stepped down from his imperial carriage, his tall figure casting a long shadow in the morning light. He did not answer, nor did he glance at Li Zhulan kneeling on the ground. Instead, he walked straight to Li Zhulan's side, to that small figure.

The emperor bent down, scooped her up with his large hand, and with a soft gasp, easily lifted Zhu Huiti's soft body into his arms.

"Ti'er." The emperor lowered his head and rubbed his chin against the girl's delicate face. "Did you miss your father?" the emperor asked softly, a fatherly smile on his face, his voice deliberately gentle.

"Yes! I miss my father every day!" Zhu Huiti nodded her little head vigorously, her voice clear and crisp: "Father, could you come to Mother's place more often? I want to see you more often."

The emperor's smile remained unchanged, but his gaze swept over the girl's head, looking down at Li Zhulan, who was still kneeling on the ground. "Oh?" The emperor's tone carried a teasing smile: "What did Ti'er just say? Did your mother teach you to say it?"

Li Zhulan, who was kneeling, suddenly stiffened! As if pricked by an invisible needle, her beautiful eyes narrowed abruptly, and her shoulders trembled almost imperceptibly.

“It wasn’t Mother who taught me!” Zhu Huiti immediately shook her head, her little mouth pouting in grievance, her eyes reddening slightly. “It was what I wanted to say myself. Father Emperor has only come once in a long, long time lately, and he won’t even let me into the Qianqing Palace. Father Emperor… Father Emperor, do you not like me anymore?” Zhu Huiti became more and more aggrieved as she spoke, and her clear eyes quickly filled with tears.

The emperor smiled helplessly and rubbed his chin against the girl's cheek. "Ti'er is so well-behaved, how could your imperial father not like her? Your imperial father loves you the most!" He then changed the subject, asking casually, "Ti'er is usually a sleepyhead, why are you up so early today? Did your mother force you to come and pay your respects to your father?"

"No!" Zhu Huiti raised her head and explained earnestly, "It's because I knew that Father Emperor would be passing by Yikun Palace this morning, so I woke up early to come! I wanted to be the first to see Father Emperor!"

The emperor gently pinched the girl's chubby little face: "Now that you've seen it, are you sleepy?"

As if reminded by those words, Zhu Huiti immediately yawned widely, rubbed her eyes with her little hands, and nodded honestly: "Hmm... I think so."

“Children who don’t sleep well won’t grow tall.” The emperor smiled, carefully placed Zhu Huiti back on the ground, and gestured to the palace maid standing beside him, “Take Ti’er back.” After saying that, the emperor smiled and said to Zhu Huiti, “Good girl. Father wants to have a private talk with your mother.”

The palace maid responsible for taking care of Zhu Huiti immediately stepped forward and respectfully extended her hand. But Zhu Huiti did not follow immediately. "Isn't Your Majesty coming in?"

"Your Majesty also wants to spend more time with Ti'er," the Emperor said with a regretful expression, "but Your Majesty has many important matters to attend to. I can only come over when I have free time."

“Alright then,” Zhu Huiti nodded sensibly and looked at her mother. “Mother, I will go in first.”

Li Zhulan's heart was pounding like a drum, almost bursting out of her chest. She forced a gentle smile, straightened up slightly, and nodded to her daughter: "Go on, Ti'er. It's good to go back and sleep a little longer."

"Father, please find some free time as soon as possible." Zhu Huiti looked up at her father with anticipation.

"Alright," the emperor readily agreed.

Zhu Huiti's small figure disappeared, and the smile on the emperor's face gradually faded. "You may get up too."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Li Zhulan rose as instructed and gave a graceful bow. Her movements were elegant, but the slight tremor in her fingertips betrayed her inner nervousness. She raised her head and met the emperor's unfathomable, enigmatic eyes, which seemed to be both smiling and not smiling. A chill instantly crept up her spine, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

"I ask you," the emperor's voice was not loud, but carried an invisible pressure, "how did Ti'er know that I was going to pass by Yikun Palace this morning? Did you, as her mother, deliberately tell her?"

Li Zhulan was taken aback at first, then raised her head, pouted her small mouth, and looked at the emperor with her beautiful eyes that seemed about to cry: "Your Majesty is right. It was I who told Ti'er that her father was passing through here this morning. But I didn't force her to get up; she wanted to come along on her own. Is there anything wrong with a daughter wanting to see her father?"

The emperor did not answer her question directly, but instead pressed on, "How did you know I was going to pass by here this morning?"

Li Zhulan gave a bitter smile and pointed in the direction of Chuxiu Palace: "Your Majesty, Chuxiu Palace is right above Yikun Palace. With such a big commotion as the Emperor's relocation, how could the people in Yikun Palace not know?" She paused, met the Emperor's scrutinizing gaze, and asked in return, "Does Your Majesty suspect that I sent someone to spy on Your Majesty's whereabouts?" The Emperor's blatant accusation caused Li Zhulan's heart to ache again and again.

"Then how do you know that I will definitely enter Qianqing Palace through Longfu Gate this morning, instead of taking the route through Yongshou Palace and entering through Yuehua Gate?" The emperor's gaze seemed to casually sweep over Shi Fuming, the chief eunuch of Qianqing Palace, who was standing beside him.

"Hmph." Li Zhulan snorted. "Your Majesty, don't you change your clothes and do your morning exercises every day? Wouldn't taking the long way around by going through Yuehua Gate? Your Majesty, you shouldn't dislike us mother and daughter that much, right?" Li Zhulan became more and more aggrieved as she spoke, and her voice choked with sobs.

"Ha, you really are clever. You calculated the route and brought a child out to stop the emperor. Wouldn't it be better to use this energy elsewhere?" The emperor rolled his eyes, and as he looked away, he saw what appeared to be a pair of large, bright eyes peeking at them from behind the palace gate directly opposite.

Overwhelmed by a surge of grievance and heartache, Li Zhulan's eyes instantly reddened. She stepped forward, her voice trembling with sobs, and questioned, "Your Majesty! I only ask you one question. If I hadn't brought Ti'er out today, and had waited for you alone at the palace gate, would you... would you have stopped your imperial carriage for me?!" Tears welled in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to fall. Her already stunningly beautiful face was now streaked with tears, her eyes conveying a breathtaking sorrow and vulnerability. Even the emperor, with his cold heart, was momentarily stunned by this extreme beauty and grief.

The emperor subconsciously looked away, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. After a moment of silence, he whispered, "...No."

"Ha! Of course you wouldn't, you didn't stop last time!" Li Zhulan keenly caught the emperor's momentary change in emotion and the softening of his tone. She steeled herself, not only not retreating but taking another step forward, almost pressing herself against the emperor. She looked up at her beautiful face, still wet with tears, and continued the emperor's question: "Your Majesty just reprimanded me, telling me to focus my attention elsewhere. But I am but a woman in the deep palace; if I don't focus my attention on my own man, where else can I focus it?"

She gripped the emperor's sleeve tightly, her eyes glistening with tears. "Unlike that ugly girl, I don't have any outside duties to distract me! Even if I put all my effort into practicing new pieces and learning new dance steps, who will I play them for? Who will I dance for?"

The Emperor was slightly jolted by her sudden embrace, his brow furrowing slightly. He gave her shoulder a token, albeit somewhat helpless, push. "Are you still complaining that I made you move out of the Qianqing Palace?" Li Zhulan pouted her red lips, tilting her head back to wrap her arms around the Emperor's shoulders, her eyes filled with undisguised possessiveness. "Yes! I am complaining! I will complain not only today, but tomorrow, and I will keep complaining forever! What wife in this world doesn't want to stay by her man's side day and night!"

The emperor looked at her like this, feeling both a headache and a strange sense of unease. He sighed, "If all the women in the three palaces, two circuits, and twelve courtyards were to stay by my side, how could I possibly manage state affairs?"

Li Zhulan didn't want to dwell on this question that was destined to have no answer. She just snorted through her nose in a huff and buried her face in the emperor's chest. "You stinky man," she murmured, her shoulders trembling slightly, as if she were sobbing silently. "...You smell like someone else."

The emperor felt the soft, warm body tremble in his arms, and his heart softened. He reluctantly placed a soothing kiss on her smooth forehead. "Tsk. Alright, let go now, so many people are watching. I'll come see you another day."

Li Zhulan immediately lifted her head from his embrace, her previous sobs instantly turning into hopeful eyes: "When is 'another day'?"

Li Zhulan asked urgently, but Shi Fuming secretly breathed a sigh of relief. With this question, he no longer needed to explain himself.

The Emperor looked into Li Zhulan's eyes, which lit up instantly, filled with cautious anticipation. A flicker of emotion stirred within him, a momentary surge of passion rising within him, but he quickly suppressed it with a deeper sense of reason. He raised his hand and gently wiped away the remaining tear tracks on her cheek with his fingertips. "Anyway, not today."

Li Zhulan closed her eyes, stood on tiptoe, and kissed the emperor goodbye. In the main hall of Yikun Palace, Zhu Huiti saw this scene of paternal and maternal love and couldn't help but smile.

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At six quarters past Chen hour, Zhu Changluo finished his morning exercise and was being helped by palace maids to cleanse and change his clothes in the main hall of Qianqing Palace. Shi Fuming stood by with his hands at his sides, carefully handing him a clean silk handkerchief.

Just then, a series of hurried but deliberately light footsteps sounded outside the hall. Shi Fangda hurriedly walked to Shi Fuming's side and whispered in his ear, "Godfather, His Highness Prince Rui has arrived and is waiting outside the Qianqing Gate."

Shi Fuming nodded, turned around, walked to the emperor's side, bowed and reported: "Your Majesty, His Highness Prince Rui requests an audience and is waiting outside the Qianqing Gate."

The emperor was about to stretch out his arms to help with dressing when he heard this, he paused, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. He pondered for a moment, then said calmly, "Let him in."

"Yes." Shi Fuming turned around and winked at Shi Fangda. Shi Fangda immediately ran out to deliver the decree.

Before long, Prince Rui, Zhu Changhao, dressed in the everyday robes of a prince and wearing a winged crown, entered the main hall of the Qianqing Palace with steady steps, led by Shi Fangda. At this time, the emperor had already changed his clothes and was lazily leaning on a soft couch, sipping a bowl of salty milk tea with half a spoonful of salt added.

Zhu Changhao walked a few steps to the imperial bed, lifted his robe and knelt down, performing the five bows and three kowtows, his voice loud and respectful: "Your subject, Changhao, pays his respects to Your Majesty and wishes Your Majesty good health!"

"Get up." The emperor put down the blue and white porcelain bowl in his hand, his voice still a little dry.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhu Changhao bowed again and rose.

"Fifth brother, come and sit down," the emperor said, gesturing to a rosewood armchair placed beside the soft couch. "No need for formalities."

Zhu Changhao quickly bowed again: "Your subject dares not."

"We are not only ruler and subject, but also brothers. There's no need for such formalities." The emperor smiled and beckoned. "Come, sit."

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!" Zhu Changhao expressed his gratitude again, then carefully walked to the armchair and slowly sat down. Zhu Changhao only sat on half of the chair, his back ramrod straight, without even touching the armrests.

A palace maid served tea and snacks. Zhu Changhao bowed to the emperor in thanks, but only took a small sip. The hall fell silent for a moment.

The emperor picked up his milk tea and took another sip, breaking the silence. He asked casually, "Fifth brother, how have you been lately? Is everything going well?"

"Thanks to Your Majesty's great fortune, I am doing well in the Tenth Prince's residence." Zhu Changhao immediately put on a grateful smile: "My food, clothing and daily necessities are all thanks to Your Majesty's kindness, and there is nothing lacking."

"That's good." The emperor nodded, a warm smile appearing on his face. "There's no need for formalities between brothers. If you need anything or want anything, just ask your brother."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty!" Zhu Changhao quickly cupped his hands, his face filled with even deeper gratitude. He paused, seemingly considering his words, before speaking with a mixture of caution and anticipation: "Your Majesty's kindness to my brother is as heavy as a mountain. However... I dare to ask Your Majesty, when will my brothers Changrun and Changying, and I, be able to depart for our fiefdoms?"

The emperor's smile faded slightly, and he raised an eyebrow with a hint of amusement: "Fifth brother, are you finding the Tenth Prince's residence uncomfortable?"

Zhu Changhao was startled and hurriedly rose from his seat, bowing deeply. "Your Majesty, please understand! I had no such intention! The Tenth Prince's residence is grand in scale and provides for all needs. I am more than grateful, how could I dare to have the slightest dissatisfaction? However," he raised his head, his expression earnest, "I am now thirty years old, and have held the title of prince for nearly twenty years. According to the old precedents of our dynasty, it is extremely rare for a prince to remain in the capital for so long after being granted the title. If we, your brothers, stay in the capital for so long, firstly, I fear it would violate the established laws of our ancestors, and secondly, I fear it would also implicate Your Majesty, and invite criticism and disturbance from the lower officials of the court."

After listening, the emperor remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded: "Fifth brother is right." Zhu Changhao was overjoyed and was about to speak again when the emperor changed the subject, his tone filled with helplessness: "However, when Father was alive, he favored Third Brother above all others, and for decades, all the wealth and resources were poured into the Fu Prince's residence in Luoyang. As for the three princely residences in Hanzhong Rui Prince's residence, Jingzhou Hui Prince's residence, and Hengzhou Gui Prince's residence, according to the reports from the local inspectors, their construction is far behind schedule. If you go there now, you'll probably only be able to sleep on the floor."

(End of this chapter)