Chapter 79 - Father and son

“Shizi, My Lord asks you in.” In front of the study of Prince Regent’s Mansion, a reading attendant slightly bowed his head and opened the door for the young man in fine clothes in front of him.

Gongxiang Xiao took a deep breath quietly before striding forward.

This study was where the Prince Regent handled official business and discussed with his confidantes for political issues, so it was very spacious.

Entering the door was a Hua Hall with tables, chairs, a set of tea sets, potted plants and antiques. People could take an occasional break here. Lifting the bead curtain after the Hua Hall, one could enter the study.

The Prince Regent was also famous for that he had been studious since he was young. His status was distinguished. There were many books in this study. There were bookshelves made of yellow pear wood around. There were many books on these bookshelves engraved with floral scrolls.

In a slightly rear position, a screen with a picture of several beautiful women going on a spring outing was displayed. After the screen, the Prince Regent, in gorgeous silk clothes and a jade crown, sat up straight at a desk.

The Prince Regent, named Gongxiang Mao, was in his forties, the prime of his life. He was tall and strong with thick beard and bright piercing eyes, looking imposing.

Before Gongxiang Xiao came here, he had discussed with Qi Jiulu for several times. At this moment, Gongxiang Xiao could not help avoiding his father’s direct gaze subconsciously. He bowed down and saluted, “Father.”

“Sit.” Because of his early experience in military training, the Prince Regent acted quite well as a veteran. He was the most decisive and did not like red tape. At this moment, he lifted his chin towards a chair not far away and watched his son sit respectably. He asked directly, “Why are you close to Qi Jiulu? Why did you take him to the palace to meet His Majesty?”

Gongxiang Xiao lowered his eyes and said, “Xinyun and I are at the same age. He is outright and generous, and he is a typical valiant fighter of the north. I like to be with him. The reason why I took him to the palace and met His Majesty is that I lost the guessing game when I entered the palace last time…”

The Prince Regent interrupted him, “You can tell this to the outsiders. I want to know the truth.”

“… I want to go to the north.” Gongxiang Xiao was silent for a moment and then said, “Xinyun is from the north, and he has been praised by you. I want to try if he can help me.”

“What do you want to do in the north?” The Prince Regent said tepidly, “You are even at the bottom of a guessing game. Even if I allow you to go to the north, will you make great achievements? Or do you plan to show off in my name?”

Gongxiang Xiao clenched his fists and said, “If you allow me to go to the north, I will never dare to show off in your name! Furthermore, because I have accomplished nothing in Dijing City all these years, I want to follow your example and go to the north to steel myself! In the future, I can help you…”

The Prince Regent said lightly, “I know you are filial, but I only have two children. I will be loath to part with you. More importantly, your mother repeatedly told me to take good care of you on her deathbed. If she knew that you go to the north of bitter cold, he would turn in her grave. There is no need to discuss this. Do not take Qi Jiulu into the palace again. You just go back to your yard to reflect for a few days.”

Gongxiang Xiao suddenly raised his head to look at him. He wanted to ask his father, “If you still remember your first wife, why do you allow Ms. Lu to push me aside?”

After watching the Prince Regent for a while, he finally got up in silence and left without a word after saluting.

When Gongxiang Xiao went out, he heard a faint sigh coming from behind.

However, Gongxiang Xiao didn’t even bother to comprehend the meaning of this sigh but strode back to the courtyard where he lived. Qi Jiulu was already waiting here and pouring tea, When Gongxiang Xiao saw that, he grabbed the tea cup from Qi Jiulu’s hand and tossed it off. Blushing, he said indifferently, “Once again, he does not agree!!!”

“Shizi, perhaps the Prince Regent loves you genuinely and sincerely.” Qi Jiulu explained unhurriedly, “After all, it seems that Marquess Qingping wants to get his hands on these big clans in the north. If something ever happens to you after joining the army, the Prince Regent will not be able to offend Ms. Lu openly for the overall situation and your brother. Therefore, the best option is to put you under his protection to prevent all accidents.”

Gongxiang Xiao sneered, “Then my safety and grace are both relying on him?!”

If he were still young and he had a close relationship with his father, he could still firmly believe that the Prince Regent would never hurt him.

However, later Ms. Lu married in, and Gongxiang Zhen was born… It was hard for Gongxiang Xiao to believe that his father valued him that much.

He needed people and power to ensure his sense of security.

The problem was that this was exactly what the Prince Regent restricted him.

Gongxiang Zhen, his half-brother, however, was being a disciple of Mr. Lingshan at such a young age. His treatment of inviting teaching was much better than that of him. His first teacher was an ordinary Ju Ren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations at the provincial level). Later, as a reading partner, he was taught by the same teachers of the Emperor, who were surely the academic talents. But they only paid most of their attention to the Emperor. Gongxiang Xiao and other reading partners were not their concerns.

In recent years, the most concerned Emperor Chunjia had been focusing on studying. Not to mention Gongxiang Xiao and other reading partners had no chance to make achievements. They were just wealthy unoccupied persons with noble identities.

Gongxiang Xiao couldn’t help but doubt that because of Marquess Qingping’s Mansion, the Prince Regent did not want him to be outstanding and powerful.

Looking on the bright side, his father still loved him. However, because now the Prince Regent needed the support of Ms. Lu’s family, he had to treat them courteously but without sincerity inwardly. Therefore, the Prince Regent had to trounce him, or Ms. Lu would be suspicious. While looking on the worst side, although the Prince Regent still loved him, the relationship between them was not as close as before. The Prince Regent did not want his two children on bad terms in the future, so he firmly took the initiative.

He did not worry about his younger son Gongxiang Zhen, because Gongxiang Zhen was still young.

To the Prince Regent, if his grown-up son Gongxiang Xiao became powerful, he would not be able to control him effectively… Therefore, the Prince Regent would not allow Gongxiang Xiao to follow his example and join the army to steel himself. At that time, Emperor Xiaozong tried to pass the throne to the Prince Regent. Why did Emperor Xiaozong do that? The reason was that Emperor Xiaozong believed that his brother had rich experience and talents, and he would not let the royal power fall after he took the throne.

Gongxiang Mao was a beneficiary after joining the military, so when he wanted to control his son, he would naturally not give him a chance.

The above possibilities all meant that Gongxiang Xiao could not master his own destiny.

This was intolerable for him.

Even the person who tried to control his life and grace was his father.

“Therefore, we have to sound the Prince Regent out.” Qi Jiulu took over the empty tea bowl from Gongxiaong Xiao’s hand, returned it to Gongxiang Xiao after refilling it, and calmly said, “Shizi, you are not powerful now. Only supported by Dou’s Family, you cannot make great achievements. Needless to say, the Prince Regent acquiesces that you are supported by Dou’s Family. If the Prince Regent changes his mind, whether these people can continue to serve you or not is unknown.”

Gongxiang Xiao exhaled slowly, clenched his fists, and nodded, “I… understand.”

When he said that, he gritted his teeth.

Qi Jiulu added again, “The Prince Regent does not want you to make great achievements, so you can be appropriately reckless, and occasionally reveal your dissatisfaction of the Prince Regent. It is okay. However, Shizi, please remember. You have no other intentions. You think it is time for you to share the Prince Regent’s worries and set an example for your younger brother. You have to show that you admire the Prince Regent and project your younger brother. You still respect your father and love your brother. It’s just because you have less contact with the Prince Regent and seldom have the chance to meet your younger brother, you are not good at expressing your feelings.”

“… I know.” Gongxiang Xiao sighed and said, “I am not qualified to fight against my father now.”

So, no matter what he thought, he still needed to do his part as a Shizi. By doing so, even if he did something wrong and was caught by Ms. Lu, he could still bluff it out depending on the kinship.

He was silent for a while and suddenly asked, “Xinyun, you came to Dijing City for… You know that your family is cultivating a younger brother in your clan as the future master. Are you worried that you will have nowhere to go when you get nothing in Dijing City and your family has a new master?”

Qi Jiulu said, “You can’t have your cake and eat it too.”

Looking at Qi Jiulu who kept cool, Gongxiang Xiao suddenly envied Yun Fenghuang, which was not because he loved Qi Jiulu but because no one in his life had helped him desperately as Qi Jiulu did for Yun Fenghuang.

The distant scene that he was loved by his parents when he was young was like an illusion. Then… Gongxiang Xiao knew clearly there were two reasons that Dou’s Family was now standing on his side. One was because of the bloodline. The other, which was more important, was because they wanted power.

“Pin Yun is really cruel.” Gongxiang Xiao thought to himself. Qi Jiulu had said that before. “To a loyal old lover like Xinyun, she still tries to make a clean break with him… I do not know what she was thinking.”

Yun Fenghuang was in Zi Quan Hall right now. She did not know that Gongxiang Xiao was trying to speculate on her thoughts. At this moment, she was facing a maid who was crying in front of her. “Save you? You are a maid in Yan Lan Palace. You can turn to Noble Consort Gui for help. Why come to Hu Zhu Palace and beg me for help?”

“Noble Consort Gui… Noble Consort Gui…” The maid cried out breathlessly and choked for several times before making it clear. “Noble Consort Gui is pregnant now, and no one is allowed to disturb her in Yan Lan Palace! I am humble. After I was sent away, I am not allowed to get close to the main palace. Then Noble Consort Gui sends me to Hu Zhu Palace… Please save me, Pin Yun! I will be at your service all my life and I will remember your great kindness forever.”

No wonder she was anxious like this. Yuan Lianniang was the famous “maid killer” of this dynasty. She perhaps did not remember how many maids she had killed.

This maid was originally in Yan Lan Palace, responsible for massaging Noble Consort Gui. Emperor Chunjia went to Yan Lan Palace after he got out of Yan Fu Palace. When talking with Noble Consort Gui, the Emperor casually mentioned that he had a pain in the back after practicing riding and shooting. Noble Consort Gui called her out to massage the Emperor.

Perhaps because the maid was good at massage, the Emperor praised her.

Then Noble Consort Gui gave the maid to the Emperor.

But Emperor Chunjia refused to accept, saying that he had some servants in Tai Chu Palace, and it was Noble Consort Gui who needed the maid’s service the most because she was pregnant.

Because Noble Consort Gui insisted to give him the maid, the Emperor said some thoughtful words. He said, “You are pregnant. Although I am a man, I also heard that pregnancy is hard, so just keep this maid…”

Then Noble Consort Gui didn’t mention it again.

The Emperor probably thought it was all right, so he said goodbye and went back to Tai Chu Palace.

However, Noble Consort Gui sent the maid to Hu Zhu Palace with the excuse that after hearing what His Majesty said, she decided to send the maid to serve Jie Yu Yue who was also pregnant.

Moreover, a maid of Jie Yu Yue was punished some time ago for “murdering Yun Fenghuang”. At this time, she believed that Jie Yu Yue needed more servants.

In order to make Yuan Lianniang more comfortable during pregnancy, in order to make her breed an heir in a better way, in order to… In short, Noble Consort Gui generously decided to give the maid praised by the Emperor to Jie Yu Yue!

The reason why Noble Consort Gui did this was that she wanted to annoy Yuan Lianniang, or she had other aims, which was not important. In short, the maid was terrified after hearing the news. She was sent to Hu Zhu Palace. Because Yuan Lianniang was sleeping, she was arranged in a side hall to wait. She was on pins and needles, finally dared to sneak out and ran to Zi Quan Hall for help.