The first meeting between Chunjia and Yuan Niang was not very harmonious. Queen Mother Yuan thought that children are forgetful. Besides, Chunjia was not a stingy person, so she could just coax her.
In fact, this was actually the case.
If Chunjia hadn't heard Concubine Zhuang say in a contemptuous tone that Yuan Niang was a girl who was "not even qualified to manage the affairs of the prince's palace".
After hearing her grandmother's comments about Yuan Niang, and seeing in person that Yuan Niang was indeed inferior to many maids in the palace except for her birth, it was hard for Chunjia not to believe Zhuang Taifei's words.
And no matter how cautious he lived, he was still the only male heir in the palace and the vassal king who succeeded to the throne at a young age... How could he accept Yuan Yuniang
When she grew up, Chunjia had doubts that Concubine Zhuang had such a bad relationship with her daughter-in-law that even when she was about to die, she was still unwilling to give in. She specifically went to him to say those words so that he could have sex with the fiancée chosen by Empress Dowager Yuan. No, I thought it was revenge.
But the fact is that no matter what the grandmother's intentions were, Chunjia believed that what she said about Yuan Niang was the truth.
Although he believed in Concubine Zhuang at that time, he still had hope for Empress Dowager Yuan.
Therefore, he tactfully expressed his dislike for Yuan Yuniang in private and did not want her to stay in the palace.
Empress Dowager Yuan tried her best to coax him, and then told many allusions about how heaven would confer great responsibilities on people. In short, she asked him to endure it and advised him to sharpen his character.
He obeyed very obediently. As Empress Dowager Yuan said, he was too young at that time. In name he was the new owner of the palace, but in fact he had to rely on Empress Dowager Yuan for everything... He could only obey.
Later, Chunjia thought that if he had acted coquettishly, or even acted brazenly, and had a tougher attitude, perhaps Empress Dowager Yuan would consider his ideas and agree to change to someone he could accept.
But he didn't.
Because he was not the biological son of Empress Dowager Yuan, his title of Crown Prince and the title at that time were all worked out by Empress Dowager Yuan and the Yuan family in Fuyang. He had no confidence to lose his temper, and he did not dare.
From then on, he never once said that he didn't like Yuan Yuniang in the palace.
Even when Empress Dowager Yuan couldn't stand her niece's unruly behavior, he would comfort her in a gentle voice, saying that Yuan Yuan was young and naive, had no bad intentions, and that it would be better if she grew up... He often thought of Kunze when he said these words.
His only biological sister, according to the rules at this time, Kunze is the legitimate daughter of Empress Dowager Yuan.
But Empress Dowager Yuan didn't even raise her personally. She said she was caring about the separation of mother and son and gave her to Qu to raise. In fact, she didn't care about her at all.
Chunjia looked at her coldly, wondering how much better Yuan Yuniang's treatment in the palace was than that of Kunze, the official daughter of the palace.
Queen Mother Yuan knew all this, but she let it go as a matter of course.
So it was hard for him not to feel threatened.
He spent more time on his schoolwork. Although he fulfilled the teacher's requirements to the letter, he would also try his best to do whatever the teacher did not ask for. The teacher was pleased and praised him to the Queen Mother Yuan. Empress Dowager Yuan felt distressed and advised him not to work so hard. After all, he was a vassal king, and he didn't want to take the No. 1 exam like ordinary people.
Just think what you mean.
When you have free time, wouldn't you like to spend more time with Yuan Yuniang
Perhaps Empress Dowager Yuan was giving the example casually, not wanting him to be too capable, but Chunjia broke out in a cold sweat and said quickly: "My child wants to make his mother proud."
Looking at Queen Mother Yuan's happy smile after hearing this, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself, if one day he fails to become a vassal king, he will not even be able to keep this palace and its property... If he studies hard, he will have a skill, and he can Make a living.
He was in his early tenth year.
To outsiders, he looked like a very lucky little nobleman. As a concubine, he had to make an exception to become a nobleman. He inherited the beauty of his biological mother but not the weakness of his biological father. His aunt was gentle and virtuous and treated him as her own. His fiancée, although not beautiful, was lively and cheerful. And getting along with each other day and night since childhood... is a beauty that many people dream of and never dare to imagine in ten lifetimes.
But Chunjia felt that, as if he had echoed his grandmother's words, he actually had nothing.
Only his handwriting that became more and more fluent day by day, the collection of classics and history that became more familiar with him day by day, and his skill in bowing, horse riding, and shooting could give him a moment of peace of mind.
After that, he was forced by the sense of urgency and continued to work hard.
Empress Dowager Yuan, however, was occupied by her difficult niece who took up most of her time and energy. Listening to the teacher's praise, she didn't feel that her son needed to worry too much - even occasionally she would follow Chun Jia when she saw that he was calm and relaxed and not too tired. He complained that Yuan Niang was not well-behaved and ignorant.
She didn't know that in Chunjia's opinion, those complaints were worded in an unpleasant way, but their tone revealed intimacy and connivance.
This is both cruel and callous for a child who doubts his status in the eyes of his legitimate mother.
If it were Yun Fenghuang, she would cry, make trouble, and resort to tricks to win favor... If it didn't work, she would kill Yuan Yuniang.
But Chunjia was very patient, and repeatedly persuaded the Queen Mother Yuan to forgive Yuan Nian Niang, and asked the Queen Mother Yuan not to argue with her cousin, so the Queen Mother Yuan thought that he and Yuan Nian Niang had already ended their relationship.
Chunjia's idea is that the aunt is not really angry. If he goes along with what she says, it may cause some trouble, causing even more rifts in the already estranged mother-son friendship.
He was just not satisfied with working behind closed doors, and under various pretexts, he asked the teachers from the palace to take him out to increase his knowledge.
In those few years, he personally traveled throughout Fuyang County and saw all kinds of people and things. He grew and transformed through stumbles, and also accumulated his initial reputation and confidants. He even secretly visited the village to express his condolences in private. Toffee.
Because he was afraid that Empress Dowager Yuan would find out, he did not dare to stay longer. He only burned some paper money for the grandmother and told her in a low voice: "My grandson is grateful to you now."
After getting in touch with the Lishu people, Chunjia understood more and more that, not to mention Princess Zhuang's intentions, her advice was really worth listening to.
The king's title can be snatched away, the gold can be scattered, and the people who swear to fight for him through fire and water today may become strangers tomorrow... Only the talents, skills, experience, vision, and courage he has accumulated bit by bit will always be his. .
This was the foundation for him to settle down even when he was demoted to a commoner, and it was also the confidence for him not to be controlled by others when he was the vassal king and the emperor.
I used to have grievances and sadness. I imagined that if I were born by my aunt, I wouldn't need to work so hard, endure a girl I don't like, or feel sad that my aunt would spend more time and energy on her niece. Too much but dare not reveal it at all
But as the discussion in the county became more and more prosperous about the fact that the vassal prince was young but wise, which was a good thing for the fiefdom, and the royal family looked at him with increasing awe, and the fiefdom officials became more respectful every time when they came to report, those sufferings and hardships quickly disappeared. Forgot.
At that time, Chunjia felt that the royal palace that he thought was the whole world when he was young was actually very small.
Outside the palace, just the splendor of the fiefdom was enough for him to stop caring about how much Queen Mother Yuan was sincere or fake about him, not to care about Yuan Yuniang's unruliness, not to care about Princess Zhuang's intentions... not to mention that besides the fiefdom, there was the world.
In comparison, the palace after Princess Zhuang left was simply boring.
Empress Dowager Yuan thoroughly cleaned up the entire palace and dismissed all the old people left behind by the concubine. From then on, she made the final decision in the palace.
She arranged for the housekeeper to take care of the daily routine, leaving her hands free to concentrate on coaxing her wayward niece.
As for the concubine, she left it to the Qu family and raised her in the side courtyard without leaving the house. Both of them were very sensible and would never come out to be an eyesore.
He is so cute that he has no sense of existence.
So every time Chunjia went to pay her respects to Empress Dowager Yuan, the mother and son exchanged greetings with each other. The only topics they could talk about, apart from some boring filial pranks, were none other than Yuan Niang.
It's not like Chunjia didn't try to talk to the Queen Mother about what she saw outside, but the Queen Mother always focused on feeling sorry for him being wronged and persuading him not to work so hard next time.
It seemed to the Queen Mother that she truly cared for her diligent son.
But in Chunjia, he was worried that the Queen Mother would really not let him go out next time if he talked too much, so he decisively shut up and would not mention this topic next time, but would only discuss Yuan Niang with the Queen Mother honestly.
At this time, Empress Dowager Yuan thought that her feelings for her niece were all hypocritical. After coaxing her niece lovingly and amiably, she would turn around and talk to Chunjia heart-to-heart: If her mother-in-law cannot give birth to a legitimate son, she will replace her. My son showed evidence of being tolerant and kindhearted by remembering the old relationship, and sent her away as soon as her usefulness was over. Our mother's indulgence to her over the years was not in vain...
Chunjia responded with a smile on her face, but she was very suspicious in her heart. What would she say to her aunt and nephew in private in front of Yuan Niang
Is he coaxing her with false affection, or is he doing it with all his heart, so that Yuan Yuniang doesn't have to take her too seriously, because: "My aunt is here, even if the emperor is unhappy, Aijia will help you to coax him." Just like... a concubine could inherit the king's title only because the Ai family and our Yuan family contributed money and efforts. Otherwise, how could he have such a great fortune! If Chengjue's matter hadn't left some impression on the court, Xiaozong later Your Majesty has no heir, who would think of him? His existence today is all due to our family, and he deserves it for you to live a more comfortable life!"
Otherwise, either there are no discerning people around Yuan Yuniang, or he could not stand the fiancée's unruliness and even hinted at her many times. Why would she never grow up
During this period, he wanted to have a good and straight-to-point talk with Empress Dowager Yuan several times, but every time he thought about it, he remembered what Concubine Zhuang said before she died.
She said that the tree that hugs each other is born from the smallest grain of wood; the nine-story platform is born from tired soil.
This is a metaphor in "Laozi" about the importance of subtle accumulation and conscientiousness - but Chunjia's understanding is that his grandmother is hinting to him that he should be patient, never let go of his shackles, and never show off his cards.
Because he may not be able to afford the consequences of the showdown.
Under the circumstances at that time, Chunjia weighed the pros and cons. If the Empress Dowager Yuan really loved Yuan Niang more than him, and if the Fuyang Yuan family fell out with him because of his rejection of Yuan Niang... Even if he did not lose the title of king, he would definitely be punished for his actions in the future. All kinds of constraints.
And this will inevitably affect his future.
In contrast, it is safer to endure Yuan Niang.
He has been careful about his words and deeds for so many years, and there is no need to ruin his previous efforts and hard work just for the sake of impulsiveness.