Chapter 122: The Struggle for the Heir Apparent

Chapter 122: The Struggle for the Heir Apparent

Because of her stubbornness, her brother and sister-in-law had set their sights on Zhang Meiren. It was perfect, as Zhang Meiren was carrying a child, making her status suitable—neither too humble nor too noble. If she were too noble, even if they succeeded in taking the prince away, how could they be sure that Zhang Meiren wouldn’t win him back in the future?

Even if Zhang Meiren didn’t try to win him back, when the adopted son grew up and realized that his adoptive mother, the Empress, only held an empty title and could offer him no help in the court, he would naturally turn to his birth mother. Then, the point of adopting him would be lost.

Although she had thought it through clearly, when the moment came, Empress Xu still hadn’t made up her mind.

She wanted Zhang Meiren’s child, but at the same time, she didn’t.

She couldn’t accept why she should raise another woman’s child, acknowledging it as her own and raising it as if it were more important than the child’s birth mother. Would the child then belong to her or Zhang Meiren?

Following the plan she had agreed upon with her brother and sister-in-law, she had been trying to build a rapport with Zhang Meiren before she gave birth, hoping to persuade her to agree to the adoption. During this time, Empress Xu thought about it a lot but still couldn’t reach a decision.

One day, Empress Xu sent Zhang Meiren away again without saying anything, and Li, the female court official, worriedly said, “Zhang Meiren is about to give birth. How come you haven’t mentioned the matter to her yet?”

Empress Xu was lost in thought, not saying anything.

Seeing this, Li hurriedly said, “If you don’t convince Zhang Meiren first, how will you request the emperor’s permission for the adoption?”

“Will she agree?” Empress Xu sounded somewhat gloomy.

“She won’t immediately agree, but as a mother, she knows what’s best for the little prince. A prince raised by the Empress is far more noble than one born to a mere Meiren. For the sake of the prince, she will agree,” Li said matter-of-factly, believing her reasoning to be true.

Empress Xu felt a mix of emotions but couldn’t articulate them, remaining silent.

Li, growing anxious, stepped forward and earnestly advised, “Your Majesty, have you forgotten the person in the Spreading Fragrance Hall? Watching the first prince grow day by day, he’s now running around. Time flies, and soon he’ll be learning to read and write. With the emperor’s favor towards Zhaoyi, the tutors appointed for the first prince will be excellent. It won’t be long before he becomes famous. The world will know only of the first prince and his birth mother, Zhaoyi. The emperor will make him Crown Prince. By then, Your Majesty, how will you position yourself?”

Hearing this, Empress Xu thought, “Yes, the emperor will make that child the Crown Prince. And Zhaoyi will become the Empress Dowager? I could never accept being on equal footing with that woman.” Finally, she made up her mind.

A few days later, Empress Xu had the heavily pregnant Zhang Meiren invited again, preparing a sumptuous spread of tea and fruits to entertain her.

Previously, Empress Xu’s attitude had been very contradictory—summoning her frequently but not very warmly. Zhang Meiren had long been feeling very uneasy about this.

So now, seeing Empress Xu’s kind smile, Zhang Meiren thought, “Here it comes.”

After tea, Empress Xu suddenly spoke, “Zhang Meiren, this child you’re carrying is in a good position.”

Why did she say that out of the blue?

Zhang Yiyun replied, “Yes.”

Looking at her, Empress Xu slowly said, “I wonder, does Zhang Meiren have any expectations for this child?”

Zhang Yiyun was taken aback. Expectations? Her eyelid twitched as she cautiously replied, “I do have some. I only hope he can grow up safely, free from illness and disaster.”

Just to grow up safely, free from illness and disaster?

Empress Xu sneered, and Zhang Yiyun, not knowing why she was being mocked, felt her face flush red.

“With the first prince around, it’s true he can only grow up safely, free from illness and disaster,” Empress Xu said with some sarcasm.

Zhang Yiyun’s expression froze.

Empress Xu didn’t want to beat around the bush anymore and directly said, “I intend to adopt the prince you’re carrying. You should know that if I adopt him, he will be considered my half-son and can compete for the position of heir with the first prince. If you’re unwilling, I won’t force you. The emperor’s health is fine, and with both Zhaoyi and you giving birth to sons, others will conceive in the future too. It’s not like we must have your child. But if you don’t agree, your son, born to a mere Meiren, will have no chance at the throne. In the future, you might regret not agreeing. And he might blame you for not agreeing.”

Zhang Yiyun was completely dumbfounded, not expecting Empress Xu to bluntly say such things.

What did this mean?

Her mind almost couldn’t process it. Was Empress Xu saying she wanted to adopt her son to compete with the first prince for the throne?

Zhang Yiyun’s face flushed with excitement, not shame or anger this time, but excitement.

But—

Zhang Yiyun straightened her expression and carefully said, “This matter is very significant. Please allow me some time to consider, Your Majesty.”

Empress Xu waved her hand, dismissing her impatiently. She thought that if Zhang Yiyun were smart, she would agree.

Returning to her palace, Zhang Yiyun was still dazed and absent-minded, with Xiao Yu and Hong Luo, the palace maids, quickly coming forward to serve her. Even after sitting down, Zhang Yiyun remained lost in thought.

Xiao Yu and Hong Luo silently served the tea and then retreated to the side. This was Zhang Yiyun’s rule; she had set strict rules for the maids in her palace from the beginning. They were to adhere to etiquette, not shout or make a fuss, and unless summoned, they were to remain quiet.

Zhang Yiyun had always believed this was good, distinguishing between master and servant, avoiding situations where servants became too familiar and disrupted the rules.

She looked down on those who had harmonious relationships with their maids, creating deep master-servant bonds. As a master, one should maintain dignity and punish servants when they made mistakes. A master discussing emotions with servants would only damage their reputation and allow the servants to become unruly, even daring to defy their master.

Thus, Zhang Yiyun always kept herself distinct from her servants. Even maids who had been with her since childhood didn’t share much emotional connection.

But at this moment, she wanted to disregard the hierarchy, as her heart was too unsettled. She even wanted to confide in the very maids she looked down upon.

However, neither Xiao Yu nor Hong Luo possessed Fan Xueyao’s mind-reading abilities, so they couldn’t hear Zhang Yiyun’s chaotic thoughts or sense her panic.

The palace makeup, with its thick, vibrant powder, concealed Zhang Yiyun’s pale complexion. The maids noticed her serious mood but didn’t ask what was wrong, as it was something Zhang Yiyun didn’t allow them to inquire about. So, they remained silent.

Sitting for a long time, Zhang Yiyun wanted to say something but didn’t know what or how to say it. She had never discussed her thoughts with servants before. Perhaps she had when she was younger, but she had forgotten. After elevating her position for over a decade, she couldn’t lower herself now.

After a long while, she thought, “Forget it. There’s no point in discussing such things with these maids. They would at most offer some comforting words. I’ll talk to my mother when she visits the palace next time.”

Inwardly deciding this, Zhang Yiyun’s hand unconsciously rested on her heavily pregnant belly.

While both Empress Xu and Zhang Meiren were troubled, Fan Xueyao was leisurely enjoying the autumn. Around August, Chu Nan was very busy, first with the Ghost Festival to honor ancestors and then the sacrifices to the nation. Right after the Mid-Autumn flower banquet, tens of thousands of carefully cultivated autumn chrysanthemums were distributed to various palaces, with Fan Xueyao receiving dozens of pots.

After Mid-Autumn, the crabs were fat, and fruits like pears and jujubes were abundant. Fan Xueyao spent her days appreciating chrysanthemums, eating succulent crabs, fresh fruits, and occasionally drinking a little wine. Her life was incredibly pleasant.

Chun Die entered carrying a tray of sugared water and said brightly, “My lady, another three baskets of fine crabs have been delivered. The kitchen maids sent me to ask how you would like them prepared.”

Fan Xueyao listened and put down the small garment she had been sewing, smiling as she said, "How much is there?"

Chun Die thought for a moment and replied, "Your servant has looked, and there are about twenty-five to twenty-six jin in one basket. These crabs are quite heavy this time. Two of them already weigh about one and a half jin."

"With so many, how can we possibly finish them?" Fan Xueyao couldn't help but laugh upon hearing the quantity.

Tiao'er, who was working on the tassel of Chu Xu's small hat, looked up and said with a smile, "It's because we know you love eating crabs that they've been sent over specially. Others would love to eat them but can't!"

Fan Xueyao thought for a moment and then suggested with a smile, "Crabs are best eaten fresh. Once they're dead, they can't be eaten. It would be a waste to pickle them or make sauce. Since there are so many, why don't we be fair and invite Meng Cai-nv and Cao Cairen to a crab feast?"

"A crab feast?" Hua Ping repeated, hesitating. "If crabs are the main dish, won't it be too cooling? Eating too many crabs can cause stomach aches. It would be better to eat some crabs after the meal while enjoying the flowers. That would be quite enjoyable too."

Fan Xueyao waved her hand dismissively and said, "It's fine. We'll eat them with ginger and vinegar and warm some wine. It'll be alright. Have the kitchen prepare a feast with the crab dishes I've been eating these days. They're familiar with them. Then, Fan Xueyao counted a few people and asked Hua Ping to take a few people to send invitations.

"Oh, right," thinking of women's monthly cycles, Fan Xueyao instructed Hua Ping, "Remember to ask if they are convenient. If they're not feeling well and can't come, it's alright."

Hua Ping agreed and went out, calling Chun Die out as well.

Outside, Hua Ping sent the young maids to invite people and said to Chun Die, "I won't go to the kitchen. You go and tell them what the lady means. The lady is hosting seven people, making it an eight-person banquet. Have them come up with a plan. Give them whatever they need. If there's a shortage of manpower, let us know early so we can arrange for more. Don't delay the lady's matters; that wouldn't be proper."

Chun Die nodded and asked, "What if we need to open the storeroom?" The key to the storeroom was held together with Hua Ping, but generally, whenever the storeroom needed to be opened, Hua Ping made the decisions. Chun Die's key wasn't used much.

Without hesitation, Hua Ping said, "If it's not urgent, wait for me to come back and we'll open it together. If it's urgent, you can open the storeroom yourself. Just take what you need and go where you need to. Don't touch anything else. The young maids are inexperienced and might make mistakes. Watch over them carefully so they don't get hurt or break anything. If something goes missing, we can't afford the responsibility."

Chun Die nodded in agreement. "I understand." The items in the storeroom were of varying grades, but they were all palace property. Even the smallest item had a record. If something was lost, she and Hua Ping would be held accountable first. She certainly took it seriously. Although the lady was lenient with them, her standards were strict. Chun Die could take punishment but couldn't afford to lose the lady's trust.

Hua Ping took a few young maids and left. It would take some time to visit several places, so she wouldn't be back soon. Chun Die, on the other hand, focused on informing the kitchen about the crab feast.

In the kitchen, the person in charge, Zhou Fuir, was washing her hands and trimming her nails as she asked Chun Die, "Did the lady specify which dishes to prepare?"

Hua Ping and Chun Die frequently interacted with the kitchen, visiting at least four or five times a day. Chun Die carefully instructed, "The lady didn't provide a detailed list. She just said to prepare a crab feast with the dishes you've been making recently. Be prepared, as the lady is hosting people like Zhang Chongyuan and Yang Jieyu. Be more careful and meticulous; don't lose the lady's face."

Zhou Fuir smiled and said, "Put your heart at ease. Who are we? We were promoted by the lady! Would we make mistakes with this? It will be done perfectly!"

"Then I'm relieved. Our lady loves eating steamed crabs. There must be this dish at the feast. The lady said crabs should be eaten hot, as they are harmful when cold. Just like before, steam two and send them up first. If it's not enough, steam more. If they are steamed too long, the meat will become dry and tough, wasting such good crabs."

Zhou Fuir said, "I understand. The lady has already instructed us, and we've engraved it in our hearts. How could we forget?"

Chun Die pinched her arm and said with a smile, "Am I being too noisy? Isn't it better to give thorough instructions? If something goes wrong, won't I be the one punished? It's better to be cautious."

Zhou Fuir rolled her eyes. "If not you, who would be noisy? You're already talking a lot without me saying anything. If I actually said something, I wouldn't be able to live."

"Oh, your mouth really doesn't spare anyone. What do you eat to make it so sharp?" Chun Die reached out to pinch her mouth, and Zhou Fuir laughed as she dodged, calling the kitchen staff over to discuss the crab feast.

Fan Xueyao was playing with her son when Chun Die came in and asked, "Lady, where should the feast be set up?"

Fan Xueyao was teaching Chu Xu to play with a top and looked outside. Seeing the clear weather, she smiled and said, "The weather is sunny outside today, so let's set it up in the courtyard. It'll be nice to enjoy the flowers and the sky under the blue sky and white clouds. It'll clear our eyes and hearts. It's been hot lately, and we've only been coming out in the early morning or late evening. It's been quite stuffy staying indoors all day. We need to absorb some of the clear energy of heaven and earth."

Chun Die agreed with a smile. "Yulu and Yuegu have some skill in gardening, and the chrysanthemums in the courtyard are blooming beautifully. In a few days, after a few autumn rains, the chrysanthemums will start to wither. If the lady is happy with the flowers today, it will be a credit to them."

"I give you many new palace flowers every day, aren't they enough for you to change styles? Why do you want to ruin those fresh flowers?"

"Palace flowers and fresh flowers are different. Fresh flowers have a fragrance."

Fan Xueyao gave her a sideways glance and smiled. "It's easy to be generous with things that aren't your own. They work hard to care for those chrysanthemums, wiping each leaf meticulously every day, making sure not a speck of dust touches them."

"Once the flowering period is over, they'll wither anyway. It's better to pluck them and enjoy their beauty. Even if we can't see the flowers on our heads, we can smell the fragrance. When serving you, if you smell them, you'll feel better too." Chun Die said with a smile.

Fan Xueyao was amused by her and noticed that Chu Xu, who had been playing with a puppet, had stopped at some point. Unhappy that his mother's attention was being diverted, he pouted and forcefully turned Fan Xueyao's face back towards him, wanting her to look at him to be happy.

"This child is so domineering." Fan Xueyao's fair cheek was reddened, and she scolded helplessly.

Chun Die smiled. "The first prince has always been closest to you. He doesn't want you talking to us."

Fan Xueyao murmured, "I wonder who he takes after." Chu Nan was gentle and broad-minded inside and out. As for herself? She was possessive and had to get what she wanted to be satisfied. Chu Xu was just like her.

Hua Ping went out and returned after a while to report to Fan Xueyao that all seven invited guests said they would come.

It was nearly noon by then, and Hua Ping, Chun Die, and a few other senior maids were busy in the courtyard, directing the young maids around. Fan Xueyao could hear them calling out commands inside the hall. She turned to the wet nurse and said, "We're hosting guests today, so the first prince won't be dining with me. Go to the kitchen and have them prepare something for the first prince to eat first." Chu Xu had eaten two rice cakes while playing in the morning.

The wet nurse asked, "What would the first prince like to eat?"

"They're busy right now, so ask what's available and prepare something suitable for the first prince to eat."

The wet nurse went to the kitchen and returned with Chu Xu's lunch: a bowl of minced meat and vegetable soft rice, a plate of minced meat with green beans, a plate of braised duck breast with mushrooms, and a boiled egg.

The wet nurse set up the table and chair and strapped Chu Xu into his bib. Chu Xu had been hungry and was clamoring to eat as soon as he saw the food.

Fan Xueyao washed her hands, peeled the boiled egg, and then mashed it with a spoon to mix it into the porridge. For some reason, Chu Xu always choked on boiled eggs and could only eat them if they were mashed. After mixing, the porridge was at a suitable temperature, and she placed the bowl in front of Chu Xu, who had already grabbed the spoon and eagerly started eating.

Chu Xu liked to eat one thing at a time, finishing it before moving on to something else. He grabbed the bowl and took spoonfuls, splashing his bib with soup and water.

In the middle of his hearty meal, Chu Xu suddenly looked up, his innocent face covered in soup. He scooped a spoonful and raised his hand, splashing the soup. "Mother, eat!"

"No, mother isn't eating." Fan Xueyao smiled and shook her head.

Chu Xu insisted and raised his hand a little higher, bringing the spoon to Fan Xueyao's mouth. He didn't notice that half of the porridge had already spilled from the spoon. His expression showed determination, and he would cry if she didn't eat it.

"...Alright." Fan Xueyao had no choice but to accept and eat the cold porridge.

Once she ate it, Chu Xu wanted to feed her again, spooning two or three more mouthfuls into her. When she said, "I'm full. Xu'er, eat by yourself. The food will get cold, and if you don't finish quickly, your stomach will hurt," he was satisfied and obediently ate his meal.

He soon finished eating, and Fan Xueyao removed his bib, picked up Chu Xu, who was covered in food, and had the wet nurse clear away the leftovers.

The courtyard was in a bustle, with everything needing the attention of the senior palace maids. Fan Xueyao simply carried Chu Xiaoxu out, leaning on the doorframe as she called out, "Xiaoyue, Qionghua—"

"At your service!" The young maids in the tea room, hearing the summons, hurriedly dropped what they were doing and ran out, preparing to approach.

"The first prince has had his meal. Prepare some hot soup and washing water," Fan Xueyao said, waving her hand to indicate that they didn't need to come all the way.

"We will prepare it right away," the three young maids responded and went back to the tea room to get things ready.

Sanhua and Lingxiang found the scented soap for washing Chu Xiaoxu's face and his special toothbrush.

Feeling a bit tired and knowing she would soon need to put him to bed, Fan Xueyao had Qiaoqiao and the wet nurses help him with his grooming while she sat down to rest for a moment.

Xiaolian and Huigu, who were the most idle at the moment, hurried over to ask, "My lady, would you like some tea?"

Fan Xueyao nodded. Usually, it was Hua Ping and Chun Die who served her tea, so she added a reminder, "Brew a cup of plain tea with boiling water."

The two girls took their leave and soon returned with the tea, along with a plate of tea snacks brought from the kitchen. Fan Xueyao saw that they were indeed her preferred light flavors, neither too sweet nor too salty.

Leaning comfortably in the chair with a brocade cushion, Fan Xueyao slowly sipped the plain tea, savoring the sweet aftertaste that followed the initial bitterness. She picked up a piece of yam and red bean paste roll, took a bite, and found the sweetness to be just right. She loved sweets but couldn't handle overly sugary items. The soft texture was also delightful.

Enjoying the refreshing tea and snacks comfortably, she rested for a while before a young maid came in to report, "Meng Cai-nv is here."

Fan Xueyao put down the teacup and said, "Please bring her over."

The young maid agreed and went out, soon returning with Meng Changniang. When Hua Ping went to deliver the message, she mentioned who else would be invited, so Meng Changniang had dressed up carefully for the occasion. She wore a deformed Japanese-style bun, with a pearl and red coral bead tasseled peacock-feathered step-shake hairpin in front and a yellow gold hairpin slanted on the side. The hairstyle suited her face shape well, giving her an air of elegance and serenity. A palace maid followed behind her.

Fan Xueyao and Meng Changniang exchanged greetings and had tea and tea snacks served.

"Why is Zhaoyi in such a mood today to suddenly host a crab feast?" Meng Changniang asked, her sleeves of her robe slipping down as she smiled, her round face puffing up.

She loved sweets, and Fan Xueyao, knowing this, always had the kitchen prepare some pastries and desserts for her. She enjoyed them immensely, and each time she came for tea, the snacks from the kitchen would be significantly reduced.

Palace consorts didn't move around much and were prone to gaining weight, especially with a sweet tooth like hers. Fortunately, her childlike appearance made the extra weight look cute.

Fan Xueyao liked children and had a particular fondness for the childlike Meng Changniang. Every time she came, Fan Xueyao would give her small gifts, such as rouge, powders, fabrics, or jewelry. She didn't do this for her other friends. It was simply because she enjoyed seeing Meng Changniang's innocent and carefree smile.

Fan Xueyao liked that Meng Changniang was so openly appreciative, and it made her happy.

Meng Changniang smiled and said, "I know Zhaoyi cares for me. I will drink plenty of hot wine, but my capacity is small, so I might get drunk quickly and become unruly or impolite."

"What if you do get drunk? Do you think I would just leave you be? Just drink as much as you want. If you really get drunk, you can rest on the couch for a while. Wait until the alcohol dissipates before going back." Fan Xueyao said, not concerned at all.

Today's crab feast was in her own hall. Even if Meng Changniang really did get drunk and misbehave, as the hostess, Fan Xueyao wouldn't be angry. How could the guests be upset? Even if there were some who didn't understand the situation, no one would dare to make a fuss in front of her.

Meng Changniang probably knew this too. Ever since she had become close with Fan Xueyao, she had become quite popular. Not only was her hall mistress kind to her, but even some of the consorts of similar rank were warm and fawning. She wasn't so foolish as to not understand why.

Becoming friends with Zhaoyi had been a stroke of luck for her. She expressed her gratitude again and again, secretly thankful. Unfortunately, her status was too low, so she could only benefit from Zhaoyi's kindness and couldn't give anything in return.