klisemfg Chapter 13 His Majesty is quite stingy.
Chapter 13 His Majesty is quite stingy.
"So the Crown Prince suddenly attacked the former Marquis of Nanyang's residence that day because the Lady of Heyi Township mentioned...the Empress Dowager?"
Lin Shihe nodded, "Crown Prince Huamin is the Crown Prince's own elder brother. Lord Heyi's words are like stabbing the Crown Prince in the heart."
Lin Shiming sighed deeply and remained silent for a long time.
The atmosphere in the main hall was heavy, and Zhang Ting's face was filled with suppressed sorrow.
Lin Yunyue was still furious and resentful when he revisited the incident, but when he saw the expression on his wife's face, he winked and gestured to Lin Shihe.
Lin Shihe naturally understood his father's look, shook his head helplessly, and turned the topic back to his younger brother, "Shiming, it was fine if you didn't know the details before, but now that you do, you have to pay attention to these things. Mother and the Empress are also close friends, so when you marry into the Empress's family, you should visit and comfort her at Fengyi Palace more often."
"I remember."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ting immediately looked up and said, "That's right. You and the Crown Prince should spend more time with Qiongzhu. For the sake of the country's stability, she swallowed her pride and allowed the Qin family to live a life of comfort and security under the Empress Dowager's protection."
Seeing that his wife's complexion had improved, Lin Yunyue finally breathed a sigh of relief. He then started winking at Lin Shihe, urging him to speak more if he could!
"..." Lin Shihe was speechless, rolled his eyes at his father, and then took it out on his younger brother again. "When I discussed this with His Majesty, he revealed that the Empress's health has been poor for more than a year, but His Majesty is unwilling to let other concubines take power, which would disrespect or hinder the Empress. Therefore, the Empress's palace affairs are assisted by several nannies around her and a eunuch from His Majesty's side."
“But this is not a long-term solution,” Lin Shihe said in a serious tone. “So His Majesty and the Empress have discussed that after you marry into the family, you will take charge of the palace affairs as the future Empress.”
"...I didn't hear you clearly, brother, could you say it again?"
Lin Shihe succinctly replied, "You, palace affairs."
Lin Shiming jumped up on the spot, "Me, a man! Being the Crown Princess and getting married is already outrageous enough, but you want me to manage a bunch of women? And they're the Emperor's concubines!"
Zhang Ting slammed her hand on the table, and Ji Tiao glared at her angrily, "What, you look down on women?"
Lin Shiming chuckled and quietly sat back down.
"...No, I just feel that it's not suitable."
“There’s nothing inappropriate about it. Palace affairs are of great importance, and they can’t be left in the hands of a few servants forever.” Lin Shihe made the decision. “You have no room to resist. Don’t even think about going out to play before the wedding. After the betrothal ceremony tomorrow, you will learn how to manage the household affairs with the nannies, your mother, and your sister-in-law.”
"No..." Lin Shiming stubbornly resisted.
"Uncle Lin? How's lunch?" Ji Tiao got up and went to the door to greet him.
"Madam, the side hall is ready."
"I don't want to study..." she stammered.
Zhang Ting followed him outside, saying, "Let's eat then, I'm hungry."
Lin Yunyue and Lin Shihe immediately followed and walked towards the side hall, without even glancing at Lin Shiming, who was still unwilling to give up.
"..."
Life is unpredictable; I must have been punished for this.
"...Hey! Wait for me, I'm hungry too."
*
Another heavy snow fell, and the wolf cubs that Lin Shiming brought back had grown quite a bit, their furry texture feeling wonderful to the touch.
Lin Shiming, who was playing with them, was actually distracted.
Since the day of the betrothal, he was indeed forced by his parents and elder brother and sister-in-law to learn household affairs for more than ten days. Even the old nannies changed their usual obedience and began to show their true colors as headmasters.
"Ah! Let go! Let go!"
Lin Shiming quickly pinched Lin Qi's scruff of the neck to make him open his mouth, "Hiss—you little brat! I just used a little too much force, and you bit me! Do you even remember who your benefactors are?"
Lin Qi didn't understand, and licked his teeth with a lingering sense of satisfaction.
I don't know what happened, but Lin Qi, who was originally the smallest of the three wolves, seemed to have been given hormones, and after a month he actually became the largest one.
"Luckily, my skin wasn't broken, otherwise, with the medical care here, I wouldn't even have a place to get a tetanus shot or a rabies vaccine!"
Lin Shiming glanced at the saliva marks on his hand, then, with a quick thought, wiped them all over the drowsy Lin Ha beside him.
"You've been bullying your wolf cubs again?" Lin Shihe walked slowly in from the doorway, his posture upright. "It's only because they have good tempers that you don't know how many more holes you'd have on your hands."
Lin Shiming guiltily withdrew his hand, his eyes darting away.
"Alright. I didn't tell you to go study." Lin Shihe bent down gracefully and picked up Lin Shilai, who was chewing on a ball, to warm his hands. "I came to remind you that tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and our whole family will be going to the palace for a banquet. Remember to prepare in advance."
A royal banquet! I've never had one before.
Lin Shiming awkwardly moved closer to his older brother, "Is it lively? Are there any pretty girls dancing?"
Lin Shihe glanced at him but didn't say anything.
"Tell me about it. I used to read TV dramas... They always described palace banquets with all sorts of performances, and even daughters of high-ranking officials would come on stage to perform!"
"What does it have to do with you, the engaged man, whether they act or not?"
"Everyone has a love for beauty. I don't have any bad intentions. I'm just looking and appreciating. Appreciation, you understand?"
Lin Shihe ignored him.
"Brother! Tell me quickly, do you have it?" Lin Shiming's excitement was palpable.
"Yes." Lin Shihe couldn't stand his nagging anymore. "The Crown Prince's marriage is settled, so the court officials have turned their attention to the Sixth Prince. Therefore, someone will definitely perform at the New Year's banquet to win the Sixth Prince's favor."
Lin Shiming's eyes lit up. "Really?"
Lin Shihe glanced at him and said, "What are you doing, a grown man pretending to be cute?" With that, he subtly pulled his cloak to wrap the wolf cub in his arms, turned around and left Jingming Courtyard.
As Shi Feng stepped out of the courtyard, he looked back at Lin Shiming, who was still happily standing in the distance, and couldn't help but feel a little worried.
"Young Master, will the Second Young Master be alright?"
"Go to the East Palace and see the Crown Prince. Tell him what just happened." Lin Shihe smiled nonchalantly, then bent down and rubbed the Lin Shi he had just stolen from his arms. "From now on, you'll follow me!"
Lin Shi blinked his big eyes, completely unaware that he seemed to have been kidnapped by a "wolf trafficker".
*
The 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, Lunar New Year's Eve.
Not long after lunch, Lin Shiming was sent to change his clothes and pulled into a carriage.
"Sit properly! Today's New Year's banquet will be a gathering of many officials, so don't wrinkle your clothes."
Lin Shiming snorted, ignoring his brother who had stolen his wolf cub, and turned to talk to Lin Yunyue, who was sitting next to him, looking calm and collected with his eyes closed.
"Father, it's only 1-3 AM, why are we going so early?" Isn't the banquet supposed to start at 5-7 PM?
"This morning the Crown Prince sent word that the Empress wishes to see you ahead of time. Once you enter the palace, you will go to the Phoenix Palace with your mother and sister-in-law, while your brother and I will go to see His Majesty."
Lin Shiming nodded in understanding. Lu Yuxi had told him about this when he went to express his gratitude last time.
Lin Shihe, who had been giving him a cold shoulder all morning, lifted the curtain and gave the order to set off. Then he turned around and sat up straight. “Before the New Year’s banquet, in addition to those like you who are summoned in, there will be many high-ranking noblewomen who will enter the palace in advance to pay their respects to the Empress. So there will definitely be many noblewomen and young ladies in Fengyi Palace today. After all, you are a man, so be careful and don’t get too close to them, lest you be plotted against.”
Lin Shiming glanced at his brother and snorted again.
"But you don't need to be too humble and yielding. Our family has nothing to fear."
At this point, Lin Shiming suddenly became curious. But looking at his unreliable father who was almost asleep beside him, Lin Shiming hesitated for a long time before deciding to forgive his brother for the time being, and reluctantly began to speak to him.
"What if you encounter a concubine?"
“Our family isn’t even afraid of princes and dukes, so how much airs can those concubines put on in front of you? Not to mention in the Empress’s Phoenix Palace.”
Lin Shiming felt a little disappointed; it seemed he wouldn't get to witness the legendary palace intrigue.
"...Try to tone it down, and stop looking like you're watching a show."
Lin Shiming pursed his lips and turned to play with the jade pendant on his body.
"Also, as I told you, many people are eyeing the Sixth Prince's marriage. Although the princes' birth mothers have a say in their marriages, the final decision rests with His Majesty and the Empress. So it's inevitable that some people will try to get information out of you, the Empress's daughter-in-law. Be careful not to let anyone trick you into revealing anything."
"Those concubines can't even decide their own sons' marriages?"
"The royal family has a clear hierarchy, that's how it is. For example, today's New Year's banquet is a court banquet, and only consorts of the second rank or above can attend. Even Consort Liang, the birth mother of Prince An, cannot go."
"So tragic?" Lin Shiming clicked his tongue twice. "His Majesty is quite stingy. His son has been made a prince, but his birth mother won't even be given a concubine title."
Lin Shihe gave him a warning look, "Stop making fun of His Majesty."
"Oh."
*
The carriage swayed and rattled until it reached the palace gate, where the Empress and the eunuchs sent by His Majesty were already waiting. After exchanging a few words of advice, Lin Shiming followed his mother and sister-in-law into the sedan chair bound for Fengyi Palace.
After walking through the long palace road for a full quarter of an hour, Lin Shiming and his companions finally arrived at the Phoenix Palace, the most prestigious palace in the inner harem.
Before he even got out of the sedan chair, a young woman's voice came from outside.
"Have the two wives and son of the Duke of Zhenguo arrived?"
"Yes."
Lin Shiming got out of the sedan chair, and Zhang Ting and Ji Tiao had already started talking to the young woman.
"Aunt Lianqiu, why did you come to wait for me in person?"
What what what (???.???)???? Jianqiu? ?
"Madam, please don't stand on ceremony!" As she spoke, the aunt's gaze fell on Lin Shiming. "This must be our Lady's future daughter-in-law, right?"
Lin Shiming's smile was awkward.
"Indeed, this is my youngest son who's always running around. Shiming, come here. This is the Empress's head maid, Aunt Lianqiu."
Oh, I was so scared! I thought it was Jianqiu!
"Aunt Lianqiu."
"Second Young Master, you're too kind." Lian Qiu curtsied, smiling broadly. "Her Majesty has been waiting for you all for quite some time. Let's go inside quickly!"
The three followed Aunt Lianqiu inside. As soon as they entered the gates of Fengyi Palace, Lin Shiming smelled a faint medicinal scent. Thinking of what his brother had told him last time, Lin Shiming suddenly felt a pang of sadness.
Lianqiu led the group directly into the main hall.
"Your Highness, the lady and young master of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion have arrived."
"Your Majesty, we pay our respects to Your Majesty the Empress." Zhang Ting and Ji Tiao bowed respectfully.
"Your Majesty the Empress, Your Majesty!" I almost misspoke!