That Imperial Concubine is both wicked and cunning! Your Majesty, wake up!

The second prince remained playful, so the empress had no choice but to confine him to the Phoenix Palace every day, hoping that he would settle down and study more.

That afternoon, chaos suddenly broke out in Fengyi Palace.

First, a young eunuch rushed in, saying that the Second Prince had broken the Empress's most beloved glass vase and was hiding in fear. Then a palace maid came to say that a pool of blood had been found in a side hall, and she wondered if His Highness had been injured.

For a moment, the wet nurse and palace maids in charge of the second prince were thrown into chaos.

On one hand, he had to find the person, on the other hand, he had to report to the Empress, and on the other hand, he had to deal with the broken glass bottle.

Half of the staff in Fengyi Palace were mobilized.

Amidst the chaos, a small figure darted past a rarely visited side gate of the Phoenix Palace.

The second prince dusted himself off, his face showing no sign of panic, but rather full of smugness.

During this period, Consort Jiang kept a close eye on the movements in Fengyi Palace.

Since the Second Prince arrived at Fengyi Palace, the Empress has not allowed her to have any contact with him. Therefore, this is the only way she can get close to him.

Upon hearing the palace maid's report, Consort Jiang immediately got up and, accompanied by her trusted maid, hurried towards the artificial hill.

Soon, she spotted the Second Prince darting around like a monkey at the foot of the artificial hill.

Consort Jiang remained silent, instructing her trusted aides to keep an eye on their surroundings as she slowly approached the Second Prince.

The second prince was hopping around on the artificial hill when he saw Consort Jiang and waved excitedly, "Mother Consort Jiang! Mother Consort Jiang!"

Consort Jiang smiled gently, "Your Highness, why are you running so high? Come down quickly, be careful."

The second prince poked half his head out, pouted, and said, "No, I won't go down there. It's not fun down there."

As he spoke, he deliberately jumped twice on the flatter stone surface.

Seeing this, Consort Jiang was not angry at all; instead, she smiled.

She changed the subject, "Your Highness, are you settling in well at Fengyi Palace? Is Her Majesty the Empress treating you well?"

The second prince slumped down, and a muffled, aggrieved voice came from within, "It's not good at all. All Mother knows is to make me study and learn to read."

"My mother won't let me go out to play, won't let my sister play with me, and won't let me eat pastries. I don't like Fengyi Palace, and I don't want to stay by my mother's side anymore. Jiang, I miss my mother. Where did my mother go?"

The second prince said to himself, "When my mother was alive, she would take me out to play and let me eat pastries. She wouldn't force me to study and learn to read. I miss my mother so much."

Consort Jiang sneered. She disliked the child from the bottom of her heart. She had only been kind to him in the past because of Amu (Yun Shi).

But after Amu was banished to the Cold Palace, the child seemed to have no feelings. Not only did he not cry and beg for his mother, but he also adapted to life in the Phoenix Palace very quickly.

Now, having barely eaten any pastries and lost interest in playing, he finally remembers his mother, the concubine who gave birth to him.

What a selfish and heartless ingrate!

Consort Jiang adopted a gentle expression. "Your Highness, do you wish to return to your mother's side?"

The second prince nodded. "Mother Consort Jiang, do you have any way to get me back to your side?"

"certainly!"

Consort Jiang agreed readily, and the Second Prince excitedly ran to her side.

"Your Highness, have you ever thought about why you were separated from your mother, and why you were sent to the Phoenix Palace to live such a life where you can't even leave the house comfortably?"

The second prince shook his head. "I don't know."

The Empress once ordered all palace servants, from wet nurses to cleaning maids and eunuchs, not to mention Lady Yun in front of the Second Prince, or discuss the reasons why Lady Yun was banished to the Cold Palace.

Consort Jiang's voice turned cold. "Your Highness, listen carefully. Your mother was harmed by Consort Yuan."

She didn't give the second prince time to process it, and continued, "If it weren't for her, you wouldn't have been separated from your mother, wouldn't have been sent to the Phoenix Palace, and wouldn't be living this dull life where you can't even get a piece of pastry!"

"You, your mother, all your misfortunes are her doing!"

Seeing the Second Prince's expression change from confusion to shock and anger, Consort Jiang grasped the Second Prince's shoulders and lowered her voice even further.

"Your Highness, do you miss your mother very much?"

"Do you want to go back to your mother's side? But if you want to go back, you must trust me and follow my arrangements. Because only I will help you."

The second prince nodded angrily, "I'll listen to Consort Jiang!"

Consort Jiang whispered in his ear.

The words were spoken.

Consort Jiang patted his head. "Good boy, remember, no one else can know about what happened today, not even the Empress, understand?"

"Okay! I understand!"

The second prince pouted, his eyes filled with disgust and hatred for Consort Yuan!

*

As soon as the Second Prince returned to Fengyi Palace, he went to apologize to the Empress.

The Empress's face was frosty, and her anger was almost overflowing. She even wondered if it was a mistake to have gone to such lengths to bring the child back.

But when she saw the Second Prince crying and apologizing, she couldn't help but soften.

She helped the second prince up. "Alright, I won't punish you this time, but if there's a next time, I'll really be angry."

The second prince nodded vigorously, then crawled to the empress's feet, looked up, and said, "Mother, I will never dare to do it again. I will study and practice writing diligently, just like my third brother."

A smile finally appeared on the Empress's face.

The second prince became even more obedient, tugging at the empress's sleeve and pleading, "Mother, may I... go study with my third brother? I want to study with him!"

The Empress frowned slightly. "Wouldn't it be better if your mother taught you herself?"

"Mother~" the second prince drawled, tugging at the empress's sleeve as he continued to plead, "Your subject just wants to be with your third brother. Mother, think about it, with your third brother by my side, I won't feel bored when I study, and I'll definitely learn more and be more diligent!"

Seeing his rare willingness to study and practice writing, the Empress finally agreed, "Very well, Your Majesty grants your permission."

With Hongcheng (the Third Prince) by his side, Hongtai might actually become more serious.

Consort Shao and Consort Xu were also very good at teaching children.

"But remember this: when you go to the Third Prince's place, you are only allowed to study and practice writing, and you are not allowed to cause trouble! If the Empress Dowager finds out that you are causing trouble with your younger brother, you can forget about eating pastries and going out to play."

"Your subject obeys!" the second prince replied readily.

"Go down."

The second prince dashed out in a flash.

Qingdai smiled and said, "Your Highness, the Second Prince has become much more sensible."

The Empress shook her head and sighed, "I hope Tai'er is truly willing to study and learn to write."

"Have the wet nurse accompany him, and don't let Tai'er run wild."

"Yes."

For several days in a row, the Second Prince went to Consort Shao's Xuefu Palace every day to study and practice calligraphy with the Third Prince.

Even Consort Shao couldn't help but praise the Second Prince to the Empress, saying that he could not only sit still, but also read and write with great care, showing no trace of his former mischievousness.

These words were like a reassuring pill.

The Empress was reassured; in her eyes, Tai'er had truly become sensible.

That day, the second prince held the Analects and read it to her, though he stumbled and hesitated, he was earnest.

After finishing his studies, the second prince tugged at the empress's hand. "Mother," he said, "I've been studying very hard these past few days. Could I go to the Imperial Garden with my third brother for half a day, just half a day?"

Seeing how obedient he had been these past few days, the Empress nodded in agreement.

The second prince jumped up with joy.