The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

Xiao Tingkai was very displeased. He had no intention of chasing after Song Huilan, but then he thought: Song Huilan's grandfather was a smart man, and he couldn't do without the Song family's help right now.

Without thinking twice, he simply lifted his foot and chased after her.

Fortunately, Song Huilan hadn't boarded the car yet. Xiao Tingkai quickly stepped forward and grabbed Song Huilan's hand, saying without hesitation, "Lan'er, it's my fault. I was really out of my mind. Don't be sad."

Song Huilan tried to pull her hand away, but Xiao Tingkai held it tightly. After a struggle, Song Huilan finally burst into tears.

Xiao Tingkai quickly pulled his wife into his arms and gently apologized, "Lan'er, I've really been busy lately. There's been so much going on at the Ministry of Revenue, and before I even got back today, my fourth brother made fun of me. He was really mocking us for not being able to have a son. I thought to myself, if it weren't for their scheming back then, things wouldn't be like this now."

Xiao Tingkai blamed all the mistakes on the fourth son and his wife.

"When I think about the methods those two used back then, I feel an intense hatred in my heart. That's why I started saying things I didn't mean when I came back. Lan'er, you understand me best. You know better than anyone how hard it has been for me all these years as husband and wife. Father favors the third son, and the Empress secretly helps them as well. And Aunt, even though she should be impartial, she still blindly sides with the third son and his wife." Xiao Tingkai used their common enemy to divert Song Huilan's attention.

Then, Xiao Tingkai offered a self-analysis: "I've always been a straightforward person, and even Grandpa has advised me to be low-key and patient. It wasn't until my last conversation with Grandpa that I realized how impulsive and foolish I've been. So, Lan'er, for our future, let's not argue, okay?"

He gazed deeply into his wife's eyes, as if trying to imprint her entire being into the depths of his soul. Time seemed to stand still at that moment, and everything around him became insignificant.

Since marrying Xiao Tingkai, Song Huilan had spent many years together. However, apart from their first year of marriage, she had rarely felt such tenderness and affection from her husband. At this moment, facing Xiao Tingkai's deep gaze and rare tenderness, her heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and something suddenly seemed to be stuck in her throat, rendering her unable to utter a single word.

Xiao Tingkai led his wife back into the courtyard.

Wang Xiyun breathed a sigh of relief: she remembered her father's words before she got married: "It doesn't matter if you suffer a temporary grievance; what matters is the future of the Second Prince."

The Second Prince's future is uncertain. He is now a prince and a duke, and the position of crown prince is already secured. If he doesn't compete or fight for it, he can expect to get the position of a prince.

But Wang Xiyun knew very well that from the moment Xiao Tingkai decided to marry her as a concubine, he would never be the kind of person who didn't fight for anything.

And his father didn't want Xiao Tingkai to be passive and unambitious.

At the same time, her father had also said that the Song family could currently help Prince Rui, so he warned Wang Xiyun not to engage in the intrigues of the inner quarters.

Ultimately, the only important person in this mansion is the Prince. Only when he ascends to heaven can everyone else be enshrined among the immortals. Otherwise, all they can fight for are leftovers.

So when she saw the princess return, Wang Xiyun quickly stepped forward to apologize: "It's all because I didn't know how to speak, which made the prince and princess unhappy. I will go back and reflect on my mistakes."

Song Huilan remained silent. Xiao Tingkai, wanting to appease his wife, coldly said, "Go down. From now on, you must listen to the Princess."

"Yes, I understand." Wang Xiyun took her leave and walked out the door, a cold smile appearing on her lips: she remembered every grievance she had suffered at Song Huilan's hands, and she would definitely find a way to get revenge when the prince achieved great things in the future.

Now is not the time for internal strife.

The next day, Song Huilan began copying scriptures, and Wang Xiyun quietly accompanied her, picking up Buddhist beans.

With Song Huilan's voluntary sacrifice, Daiyu is now living a very comfortable life.

Even so, once October arrived, the Empress directly ordered that no one in the inner palace should go to Delin Palace, lest they disturb the fetal spirit.

When this news spread, it naturally displeased Song Huilan, who was copying scriptures. She simply couldn't believe that the Crown Princess could be so lucky as to give birth to a son.

Meanwhile, Princess Consort Li was being watched by Granny Yang, and with Jin Jiazhu's pregnancy making her increasingly precious, she was in a very bad mood and had no interest in paying attention to how the Crown Princess was doing.

As the date drew closer, Xiao Tingjun became even more nervous than Daiyu. He dared not let his wife see his nervousness, so he forced himself to remain calm.

On the eighth day of the tenth month, the emperor summoned the crown prince, Prince Li Xiao Tingfeng, and several ministers from the Ministry of Works to discuss the repair of river embankments in Zhejiang.

The Crown Prince had just arrived at the Imperial Study when Zhao Bingxin came to report that the Crown Princess had gone into labor.

Now, not only the crown prince, but even the emperor lost interest and waved for everyone to go back.

"Go and take a look." The emperor was naturally speaking to the crown prince.

Chapter 247 Daiyu Gives Birth to a Child, and the Whole Country Celebrates

On his way back, Xiao Tingjun was extremely worried. The last time Yu'er gave birth, he was still in the southeast. Although he would think of his wife and worry about her when he had free time, the feeling was quite different now that she was right in front of him.

He had never realized that the journey from the Imperial Study back to Delin Palace was so long.

Hu Delu was sent by the Emperor to accompany the Crown Prince to Delin Palace. He was following behind the Crown Prince and noticed that the Crown Prince's hurried steps seemed a little unsteady. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn't say anything. After all, it would probably be useless to say anything at this time.

When they returned to Delin Palace, the Empress had already arrived. She was personally overseeing everything, and the palace maids inside were busily working in an orderly manner.

But Xiao Tingjun seemed not to hear a sound, and panic gripped him: "Mother, this..."

The Empress told him to relax: "It's alright. To give Yu'er strength, she'll be biting on a cork. Don't worry, the imperial physician and the female physician both said that the Crown Princess's baby is in a good position and not too big. Besides, she has already given birth once, so there won't be any problems."

Xiao Tingjun felt a little relieved after hearing this. Ever since Yu'er's first pregnancy, he had read some relevant medical books, and that was indeed what was written in the books.

But Xiao Tingjun still felt that time had never felt so long. He took out a gold pocket watch, which was a gift from the emperor last year, said to be an import from overseas. He opened it and checked the time countless times.

Hu Delu also prayed in his heart that the Crown Princess would be blessed with good fortune and would surely give birth safely.

After a while, a flurry of footsteps rushed in from the inner chamber.

Xiao Tingjun, who had been pacing back and forth, suddenly stopped, and the Empress also rushed over.

Granny Xu was visibly excited. She knelt down with a thud: "Congratulations, Your Majesty the Empress! Congratulations, Your Highness the Crown Prince! The Crown Princess has safely given birth to a son!"

Hu Delu and Zhao Bingxin reacted quickly and stepped forward to support the Crown Prince, who was swaying slightly.

The Empress, on the other hand, was calmer and immediately smiled after hearing this.

"Good, very good." The Empress nodded.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty the Empress! Congratulations, Your Highness the Crown Prince!" Everyone knelt down to offer their congratulations.

The sound reached outside the door, and the eunuchs outside all knelt down and kowtowed to offer their congratulations. Hu Delu hurriedly went to personally report the good news to His Majesty.

Finally regaining his senses, Xiao Tingjun asked, "How is the Crown Princess?"

Xu Mama quickly replied, "The Crown Princess is a little weak, but Madam Meng is taking care of her personally, so she should be fine. The medicine that Physician He prescribed in advance has also been given to the Crown Princess."

As they were talking, a maid brought the tidied-up grandson of the emperor to pay his respects to the Empress and the Crown Prince. Seeing that Xiao Tingjun did not reach out, the Empress reached out and took the child from him.

"I'm going to check on Yu'er." Xiao Tingjun lifted his foot to leave.

The Empress immediately smiled and said, "Your Highness should check on your son first. Yu'er must be tired right now. Let her rest properly."

Xiao Tingjun nodded upon hearing the Empress's words, leaned over to look at the child, and was overjoyed to see that the child was chubby, had a rosy complexion, and a full head.

The Empress asked him to hold her, but he tiptoed around and laughed at himself, saying, "I didn't hold his sister when she was born."

By this time, Yueyue had already been brought over by Guo Zhaoyi. Just now, in order to prevent the child from being scared, Yueyue was specially sent to Guo Zhaoyi's place to play with her aunt.

"Father, I want to see my younger brother. Where is he?" Consort Guo had come over after receiving the news.

The Empress was overjoyed. Now that the Crown Princess had a son, the Crown Prince's position was even more secure.

"Today, all the palace servants in Delin Palace will be given three months' wages as a reward," the Empress instructed.

Hu Delu practically ran all the way back to the Imperial Study to report the good news to the Emperor.

The emperor was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Good, good, good, you have all done well, you should all be rewarded." He then handed the words he had written earlier to Hu Delu.

Seeing the character "Cong" written on the white paper, Hu Delu sighed inwardly: "The Crown Prince is really lucky, and the Crown Princess is truly amazing. Last time she gave birth to a little princess, the southeast was a great victory, and this time she gave birth to a grandson of the emperor. Although the Prince of Cheng's mansion already has a grandson of the emperor, it is clear that this is very different for His Majesty."

Cong is a ritual vessel used in sacrifices, and the character zong means to inherit the family business. So it is clear that the emperor had chosen this character for this grandson of the emperor long ago.

Jia Cong.

"When the good news spread, all the ministers of the six ministries, as well as the Grand Secretaries and the Grand Generals, were rewarded with a three-tiered box in the shape of a chime, inlaid with zither and peony patterns and made of rosewood and bone."

When the emperor issued this order, Hu Delu was somewhat taken aback: he knew the emperor would be very happy, but he didn't expect it to be a gesture of universal celebration.

Just look at this one reward, it's already extraordinary: sandalwood is not easy to find. The Chinese love sandalwood, so they bought sandalwood from places like Cambodia, Java, Brunei, and Siam. Moreover, sandalwood grows too slowly, and it takes a hundred years to mature.

The so-called "hundred treasures inlay" refers to the use of various precious materials such as jade, agate, coral, lapis lazuli, ivory, and turquoise to create various relief images, which are then inlaid on the sandalwood box.

Therefore, it is quite precious.

Hu Delu immediately sent someone to deliver the message, and as a result, the officials of the previous dynasty all wanted to submit memorials to congratulate the emperor and the crown prince.

Not only that, the emperor also indicated that a court assembly would be held in the main hall the following day.

The emperor of this dynasty held court in two ways: the Grand Court and the Regular Court, with the Regular Court being the most common. There was also a court assembly in the main hall, which almost exclusively appeared in the documents of the Ministry of Rites. It was generally not held except for major national events such as the ascension of a new emperor, the emperor's birthday celebration, or the arrival of foreign envoys.

When His Majesty ascended the throne, when the southeast was victorious, and when the Crown Prince was appointed, a court assembly was held in the main hall.

Now, in order to celebrate the birth of his grandson, the Emperor has decreed that a court assembly be held in the main hall, which shows how much importance he attaches to it.

The emperor's mood is the barometer of the entire country. If the emperor is happy, those below must not be sullen. Thus, for the next month, joy filled the capital.

There was an awkward situation, though. Not all officials were qualified to enter the capital to congratulate the Emperor and the Crown Prince, so generally they would go to the Crown Princess's maternal family.

However, the current Crown Princess's parents are no longer alive. She has a maternal grandparent family, but her two maternal uncles are unable to manage it. Now that the Duke's mansion is gone, the two have separated and are living their own lives.

Everyone could see that the Crown Princess did not have a good relationship with either of her two maternal uncles' families, so no one wanted to visit either of the Jia family's homes, lest they offend the Crown Princess instead of offering their congratulations.

Daiyu and Yueyue in Delin Palace also received wave after wave of rewards.

Hearing the celebratory atmosphere, Daiyu felt somewhat worried.

Then Zijuan came in and said, "His Majesty said that the birth of his grandson is a very auspicious event. Next year, all taxes and levies will be waived for the whole country, which will be a blessing to the people."

Looking at her infant son who knew nothing, Daiyu became even more worried.

Chapter 248 The Child's Third Bath Causes Daiyu Worry

Inside the palace, the emperor personally presided over the child's third-day-old ceremony.

The atmosphere in Delin Palace was even more joyful than elsewhere. Granny Xu and her entourage personally prepared aprons, locks, weights, gold and silver ingots, small mirrors, and other items for the three-day bath.

Granny Gu carefully checked the prepared items, repeatedly instructing, "Don't mix up the raw and cooked eggs, and the green tea leaves too. Oh dear, don't skimp on the new tea now, bring it to me quickly."

Zijuan carried a bowl of soup and served it to Daiyu as she slowly drank it.

Upon hearing the announcement that the Empress had arrived, Daiyu, though still in confinement after childbirth, quickly sat up straight, placed her hands on her sides, and bowed to the Empress from the bed.

The Empress quickly smiled and pressed down, saying, "No need for formalities now. How do you feel?"

The eldest princess followed behind the empress and asked Daiyu if she was feeling well. Seeing that Daiyu was in good spirits, both the empress and the eldest princess breathed a sigh of relief.

After talking with Daiyu for a while, the two of them went out.

Outside, the emperor himself held his grandson in his arms and solemnly presided over the grandson's third-day-old ceremony.

This naturally displeased some people, with Consort Wu being the first. But no matter how unhappy she was, she had to put on a smile and prepare a lavish third-day celebration.

Only after the baby's third-day celebration was over was the child returned to Daiyu's side.

Looking at the innocent baby in her swaddling clothes, Daiyu always felt a little worried: she had never had such worries when she gave birth to Yueyue.

At that time, due to the great victory in the southeast, the emperor bestowed many rewards and personally presided over the child's third-day celebration.

But this time, the grand ceremony, with rewards bestowed upon ministers and the exemption of taxes for the people for a year, made Daiyu uneasy.