Phoenix Cries Return to Court

"I'll give you two choices: either take your five taels of silver and get out of here, or give me back my money."

Shen Jueyan stared at the person in front of him with a gloomy look and said coldly.

The burly man shuddered, then flung his hand away, glared fiercely at the boy, and turned to leave, cursing as he went, his feet barely touching the ground, as if afraid that if he hesitated even a step, Shen Jueyan would snatch the silver away.

After watching him walk away, the child suddenly knelt down with a "plop" and kowtowed to the three people in front of him, repeatedly saying, "Thank you, benefactor, thank you, benefactor."

Lin Xihe stepped forward, helped the boy up, and asked softly, "What's your name? Do you have family at home?"

"My name is Fusheng. My parents died from a plague when I was three years old. There are no other relatives in my family." The boy said respectfully with his head down.

"In that case, you shall come back to the manor with me," Shen Jueyan said slowly, looking at the boy.

Fusheng expressed his gratitude once again.

And so, the original trio became four. But after this incident, Fu Chen lost his previous enthusiasm. He lowered his head, kicked at the pebbles on the ground, and muttered to himself, "So a person is only worth five taels of silver... It's really not easy for ordinary people to live."

Seeing Fu Chen's expression, Lin Xihe patted his shoulder and said softly, "Your Highness, you're right, life is indeed not easy. There is too much suffering and too much helplessness in this world."

She paused, looking at the bustling city and the diverse crowd not far away. "But look," she said, "even though life is so hard, even though fate is so unfair, they still strive desperately for their families and for a better future. What you take for granted is a luxury that others can only dream of; the food you casually discard is a treasure that others covet; the peace and security you take for granted is something that others are fighting tooth and nail to protect."

"As the crown prince, you should be more compassionate towards the suffering of the people and care about their well-being. You should ponder what constitutes the happiness of all people, consider how to stabilize the world, benefit all living beings, and enable the people to live and work in peace and contentment."

Fu Chen listened, a sense of melancholy washing over him. "Master," he said, "I think I finally understand where my problem lay in that article!"

……

Inside the Kunning Palace.

Nine layers of golden tassels hung down everywhere, and a red floral carpet covered the floor. On the gilded screen in the room, mythical beasts from the Classic of Mountains and Seas were depicted with lifelike detail.

On the celadon porcelain table on the east side, there is a small purple-gold incense burner with a beast-shaped mouth slightly open, from which wisps of dragon brain and plum blossom fragrance slowly waft out, the smoke as dark as mist.

Empress Wen Qingyi was reclining on the chaise longue at this moment, her posture languid yet unable to conceal her noble bearing.

She wore a bright red brocade palace dress with phoenix and peony patterns, and a crown with nine dragons and nine phoenixes in red gold and kingfisher feathers. The long string of ruby ​​tassels held by the phoenixes swayed gently with her movements, making her face as bright as the moon, exuding a beauty that was both majestic and captivating.

She fanned herself idly with the peacock-lacquered round fan in her hand, creating a gentle breeze that ruffled a few stray strands of hair that fell beside her temples.

His gaze fell on the rosewood chair beside him, where the Third Prince Fu Jie was sitting.

Today, he wore a light gray brocade robe with dark patterns, which made his face appear even paler. He was thin, but his back was ramrod straight. Even in his frail state, he could not hide the noble bearing of a prince. His thin lips were almost colorless, and the tiny beauty mark under his right eye resembled a drop of ink about to fall. He exuded a faint air of illness.

The hall was silent. Wen Qingyi spoke slowly, "In another half month, it will be the summer hunting feast. Jie'er, how are your preparations going?"

Before he could finish speaking, Fu Jie coughed lightly twice, his voice cold and weary, tinged with helplessness, "How can I possibly prepare with my body like this? I'm on my own every day with medicine, and even getting up to walk a few steps is difficult, let alone the archery and horseback riding at the hunting banquet?"

Wen Qingyi paused in her hand holding the fan, sighed softly, and said gently, "My child, don't panic. I know your health, so how could I let you force yourself?"

Fu Jie lowered his eyes slightly, a complex emotion flashing within them. "Mother, the hunting banquet is what Father values ​​most, and all the court officials and princes are present. If I don't perform well, I will inevitably be looked down upon, and the Crown Prince will have an opportunity to take advantage of me. What should we do now?"

He paused, then slowly said, "Although I am sickly, I do not want to be seen as a useless person by others, nor do I want to hold Mother Empress back."

"I am very pleased that you have this intention. But you must remember that it is useless to be stubborn. Only by protecting yourself can you plan for the long term."

Seeing that Fu Jie was still frowning, Wen Qingyi slowly got up and walked to the table. She picked up a cup of warm tea and handed it to Fu Jie, gently comforting him, "I have already sent word to your Uncle Yu. He will be there to help you at the hunting banquet. Just go there with peace of mind, be careful with your words and actions at the banquet, and do your best. Your Uncle Yu and I will take care of everything."

Fu Jie took the teacup, but upon hearing the words "Prince Yu," his brows furrowed sharply. He said impatiently, "Why does Mother trust Prince Yu so much? In recent years, he has become increasingly ambitious and acted outrageously. Everyone in the court knows his true intentions. Moreover, who can guarantee he isn't a spy planted by the Crown Prince? If he were to secretly make a move at the hunting banquet, wouldn't we be walking into a trap?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Qingyi's smile vanished instantly, and she blurted out, "He won't."

Seeing Fu Jie staring at her with a gloomy expression, Wen Qingyi composed herself and said confidently, "Jie'er, you're overthinking it. In this capital, if we're talking about who most wants you to ascend the throne, your Uncle Yu is definitely number one."

Fu Jie frowned, his confusion deepening. "But I've heard that Prince Yu and the Crown Prince have a very close relationship. Last year, on the Crown Prince's birthday, Prince Yu even sent someone to deliver lavish gifts. Surely Your Majesty isn't unaware of this?"

Wen Qingyi chuckled lightly, "That's just a temporary measure. After all, he's the Crown Prince. Who can openly oppose him? Only by feigning hostility can we secretly accumulate strength and wait for the right opportunity to lend us a helping hand."

Fu Jie seemed to understand but not quite, yet he still replied respectfully as always, "Your son understands, Mother, please rest assured. Once we arrive at the camp, I will certainly follow Uncle Wang's arrangements and will never act willfully or recklessly."

Upon hearing this, Wen Qingyi smiled with relief and softened her tone, "That's my good child. Just focus on recovering and take your medicine on time. Try to be in good spirits at the hunting banquet. Don't push yourself too hard. Your Uncle Yu and I will take care of everything for you."

Fu Jie nodded slightly, saying nothing more. He simply picked up his teacup, took a small sip, his eyes dark, his heart filled with suspicion and disgust.