After listening to Xue Hengzhao's words, Concubine Xian smiled implicitly: "Miss Xue, I like you to speak frankly."
"It's precisely because your Majesty doesn't follow customary etiquette that this servant can say anything." Xue Hengzhao looked calm, "I've been bothering your Majesty for a long time, so it's time for me to resign."
"Miss Xue," Concubine Xian called to her, "Since ancient times, good birds have chosen trees to roost in, and they are blameless. But I will not treat you badly, so don't worry about this."
Since Xue Hengzhao is not virtuous, we might as well lure him with benefits.
"I understand, my servant. Thank you, Your Majesty." Xue Hengzhao nodded and expressed his understanding.
As expected, Concubine Xian's information was well informed. Within half a month, the prince moved from Yucheng Palace to Ruifeng Palace.
Although the edict has not yet been issued, everyone has expected that the edict to abolish the crown prince is like a layer of window paper that will be broken sooner or later.
Lin Fufei came over quietly at dusk. When she entered the door, she found that the courtyard was deserted, with only a few old eunuchs moving things to the side hall.
Seeing Lin Fufei walking in, he ignored her. I don't know if it was because he was slow or because he was deliberately pretending to be deaf and dumb.
In the main hall, only the east room is lit, while the rest are dark.
Lin Fufei walked in quietly and didn't see a single servant.
The weather was already very cold at this time, and the house seemed unusually deserted as no one had lived in it for a long time.
There is nothing wrong with the furnishings and decorations, but they are unpopular, empty, and disturbing.
Lin Fufei lifted the flower-strewn soft satin door curtain and saw Zhu Chong sitting in front of the desk reading.
The candles were not very bright, and the dim yellow light enveloped him, like a dream that seemed to be awake but not awake.
"This lamp is too dim, it hurts your eyes." Lin Fufei said as she walked forward, pulled out the hairpin on her head, and turned on the wick, "Your Highness, please rest!"
Zhu Chong's expression was very calm. He put down the book in his hand and smiled before speaking: "What I'm reading is Xianshu. It was given to me by Xu Shaobao when I moved here."
Lin Fufei glanced at the table and saw that it was not a collection of classics and history, but a collection of stories whose real name was "Jade and Gold".
Lin Fufei knew that Xu Shaobao was the most stern and orthodox person. He heard that he had grown up since he was a child. He spoke and acted according to the rules and was strict and never violated the rules.
Even his father did not dare to take a concubine because of him. Every time he went to pay his respects, he wished he would leave quickly, lest he would nag him everywhere in the name of filial piety.
Yao Ziyun put a lot of thought into choosing him to teach Zhu Chong.
His lectures were the most rigorous and his schoolwork was the most arduous. Zhu Chong had complained to Lin Fufei countless times before, saying how Xu Shaobao was so cruel and inhumane.
Now that Zhu Chong has moved away from Yucheng Palace, he no longer needs to study as hard as before.
Xu Shaobao also handed a note to the emperor requesting him to become an official. As a gift to Zhu Chong before leaving, in addition to this storybook, there were also some toys sold in the Tiandu market.
"You don't know, the teacher specially asked their young boy who is about my age to take him to choose." Zhu Chong picked up a bamboo doll and said, "Several young men in their family were attracted by him.
I have been too strictly restrained since I was a child, and I don’t understand this at all.”
Lin Fufei felt her eyes were hot, her throat was blocked, and she was speechless for a while.
Zhu Chong noticed it and chuckled: "This is nothing to be sad about. I have been worried about Xu Shaobao's health before. He worked too hard to teach me. I am really afraid that one day he will use up all his efforts.
In addition, I am really overwhelmed and have long wanted to be freed. Now I seek benevolence and get benevolence, what's wrong with that?"
"What His Highness said," Lin Fufei wiped the corners of her eyes and tried to force out a smile, "is that my eye sockets are too shallow."
"It's very nice here. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable." Zhu Chong said, "You can come here more often and there won't be thousands of eyes staring at me anymore."
"But it's too deserted here. Why is there no one around to serve you?" Lin Fufei looked around and asked.
"How can there be no one? We just moved here. There are too many things to do." Zhu Chong said, "Some of them went to deliver dinner, and some went to pick up things from various places."
Naturally, palace maids and eunuchs have been assigned to this courtyard, but firstly, none of the people from Yucheng Palace can be used, and secondly, there are not many who are willing to be assigned here. After all, the manpower is not enough, and now we can only
At once.
"These are the snacks our talents sent here," Lin Fufei remembered what she had brought, "it's still hot."
"If you're interested, don't forget to thank me when you get back." Zhu Chong said, "How are you these days? Are you used to talking, sister Qiongying?"
"Everything is fine. Cai Ren said it was too late today and she will come over with the tenth princess tomorrow morning." Lin Fufei said, "Cai Ren is always grateful to His Highness."
Even though Ma Chunping hated Yao Ziyun in her heart, she couldn't hate Zhu Chong.
Not only because she watched Zhu Chong grow up, but also because this child had a pure heart and even helped her expose Yao Ziyun.
Zhu Chong smiled bitterly: "How can I be grateful? My mother killed someone else's son. What is the difference between this and my own crime?
Everything I did was just to atone for my sins. Although I was not involved in the sins my mother committed, she did most of them for me."
"Your Highness, please don't be so miserable. No one can really replace the other, no matter your parents or brothers. Your mother didn't ask you what you meant before she made the mistake, and you never thought of letting her do those things."
Lin Fufei explained, "I hope Your Highness will be at peace with the situation and let yourself go."
As he said this, two palace maids came in from outside, apparently assigned to serve Zhu Chong closely.
"Divide half of this box of snacks and send it to Qingyufang." Zhu Chong said, "If my mother insists on refusing to eat it, give it to the people around her."
Yao Ziyun is now imprisoned in the cold palace. Zhu Chong went to the door several times and wanted to talk to her, but was ruthlessly rejected.
Compared to Ma Cairen, Concubine Xian and others, the thing Yao Ziyun cannot forgive the most is his own son.
She still can't understand that the son she raised with all her efforts is actually a white-eyed wolf.
Dinner arrived, four dishes and one soup.
Lin Fufei helped set it up, and when he opened the lid of the soup bowl, it turned out to be a bowl of shredded bamboo shoots and salty pork soup.
Lin Fufei knew that Zhu Chong had refused to eat meat ever since he ate that rabbit. The people in the imperial kitchen should know that, but it happened that he violated the taboo at his first meal here.
However, Zhu Chong said calmly before she could speak: "It doesn't matter, just give this soup to the person below you!"
The calmer he was, the more Lin Fufei couldn't help but feel heartache.
She knew that the prince was a very good person and had always been.
Sometimes she even hated herself, because she had spared no effort to contribute to Zhu Chong's decline to this point.
"Don't think nonsense," Zhu Chong interrupted her thoughts, "You are just a little palace maid. In the great cause and effect, there is no difference whether you are there or not.
What's more, for me, nothing can beat peace of mind. Maybe this is the best outcome so far."