APSIL -Chapter 176 The Crown Prince’s Wife and the Child Bride

Although Lu Sanlang had initially looked utterly dejected, completely losing the passionate confidence he had displayed in front of his parents moments ago, now resembling Sun Wukong desperately struggling beneath the Buddha’s palm yet unable to escape, his greatest virtue was that he never obsessed over things too much. His emotions came quickly, but they disappeared even faster.

The moment he heard Zhang Shou say that tomorrow he would accompany Lu Sanlang’s father to the Liu family to formally arrange the marriage proposal, Lu Sanlang immediately brightened up.

“Fortunately, I met her tonight. Otherwise, if I had gone in blind, I might have developed some rebellious thoughts! And if I hadn’t happened to be there, Miss Liu Fourth might have run into the Second Prince. In that case, who knows whether there would have been a warm-hearted gentleman like me stepping forward to save her!”

Looking at the smug and proud Lu Sanlang once again, Zhang Shou suddenly felt an urge to poke the little fatty’s face and see whether his skin was actually as thick as pigskin.

Remembering that Lu Sanlang had previously protested that “when hitting someone, you shouldn’t hit their face,” Zhang Shou reluctantly abandoned the idea. Instead, he thoughtfully changed the subject.

“However, since your father has arranged for me to stay with you, there is indeed something important I need your help with.”

If it were anyone else, having their sweet romantic fantasies interrupted by serious business would certainly make them unhappy and cause endless complaints. But Lu Sanlang immediately became energetic. He rolled up his sleeves and asked eagerly: “Has Little Teacher discovered another clue? Quickly tell me! I’ll help you analyze it. Let’s solve it tonight!”

Then tomorrow morning he could go to Jiuzhang Hall and show off the abilities of their great head of the study hall!

Zhang Shou could not help but tap the little fatty’s forehead before lowering his voice.

“You should make a trip to Marquis Weinan’s residence. Ideally, check whether A-Liu has already returned from the Liu family, and have him accompany you. You made too big a splash today by openly standing up against the Second Prince in the street. You need to guard against someone taking revenge on you out of embarrassment.”

“When you see Marquis Weinan, ask about this matter first…”

When Lu Sanlang happily slipped out of his small courtyard to find A-Liu, something else was happening inside Qingning Palace.

The Empress Dowager, who usually slept early and rose early, had unexpectedly not gone to bed.

The reason was that after the Qingning Gate had been locked for the night, the Emperor suddenly arrived, bringing Zhu Ying with him.

This grand-niece of hers, whom she normally loved dearly, was actually hiding behind the Emperor, looking like a child who had caused trouble and did not dare face her.

The Empress Dowager had long grown accustomed to Zhu Ying’s occasional troublemaking. She did not even bother getting out of bed. She simply had the palace maid Yuquan place a large pillow behind her and leaned against it.

Then she asked unhappily: “Yingying, tell me. What trouble have you caused this time?”

“It wasn’t me who caused trouble!” Zhu Ying immediately poked her head out from behind the Emperor and spoke righteously.

Then she coughed awkwardly.

“Although… it is somewhat related to me.”

“If it had nothing to do with you, would you come into the palace to see the Emperor in the middle of the night, and then come to see me?”

Although the Empress Dowager sounded annoyed, she did not truly take it seriously. After all, the Emperor was still smiling faintly, meaning it probably was not a major matter.

Sure enough, Zhu Ying soon explained seriously: “Lu Sanlang was worried that his father would randomly arrange a marriage for him, so he anxiously begged A-Shou to help him find a suitable match. Coincidentally, the Fourth Miss of Minister Liu from the Ministry of Works was rather interested in him, so I helped introduce them.”

“It absolutely wasn’t a secret meeting or anything improper. They merely met face-to-face in public.”

The Empress Dowager knew that although Zhu Ying was mischievous, she would not normally speak nonsense about such serious matters. She glared at her daughter-like granddaughter.

“You spend too much time with your Third Aunt. You’ve learned bad habits from her!”

“Forget it. Since they merely met each other, it is not a big issue…”

Zhu Ying coughed again.

Then she lowered her voice.

“But afterward… afterward the Second Prince suddenly arrived with people aggressively.”

Seeing the faint smile that had appeared on the Empress Dowager’s face instantly freeze, Zhu Ying simply recounted everything that happened afterward.

Of course, she naturally toned down Lu Sanlang’s stubbornness several levels and exaggerated the Second Prince’s arrogance several levels.

Finally, she said: “Later, the First Prince arrived as well. With only a few words, he frightened the Second Prince away, and everything finally ended.”

“Those two wretched children… those two wretched children!”

The Empress Dowager had once ruled from behind the curtain. Naturally, she had a deep understanding of human nature. How could she not see the hidden issues?

She angrily cursed twice.

Seeing the Emperor’s calm expression, she stopped herself.

She did not know whether the Emperor truly viewed this as nothing more than a minor conflict between brothers, or whether he had already reached the point where disappointment had become complete despair.

After taking a deep breath, she forcibly changed the subject.

“The Ministry of Rites has only just produced an initial list of candidates for the imperial consorts. Perhaps they were misled by rumors and misunderstood the situation…”

“Mother, there is no need to defend those two.”

The Emperor interrupted coldly.

“Second Son actually dares to think the daughter of a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works is not noble enough?”

“Other than being my son, what else does he have to be proud of?”

“Does he possess literary talent unmatched under heaven? Military strategy capable of governing the world? Or the ability to win the hearts of people?”

“The painstaking intentions of the Great Ancestor Emperor, who established the rule that princes should not casually be granted noble titles, seem to have been completely forgotten by them!”

The Emperor sneered.

Then he continued coldly: “Back then, there were people who proposed that imperial consorts, princess husbands, and noble wives should all come from common families, to prevent maternal relatives from interfering in politics. But Great Ancestor Emperor rejected that idea.”

“Great Ancestor Emperor said that daughters from small households often continued those narrow-minded habits when educating their children, making it easy to raise flawed offspring.”

“And if princes and princesses were handed over to eunuchs or officials while being separated from their mothers, that would also be inappropriate and often create serious personality defects.”

“Furthermore, the bond between mother and child is natural. Our dynasty could never commit the act of killing the mother while keeping the child alive.”

“Therefore, since the era of the Great Ancestor, imperial consorts have generally been selected from families of officials below the third rank.”

Although Zhu Ying knew she should not interrupt in such a situation, she could not help muttering: “The Great Ancestor Emperor’s compassion has completely changed over the years.”

“Back then, it was officials below third rank. But later, weren’t candidates chosen from first and second rank officials, even noble duke families?”

“When princes married, it all became a competition between maternal family backgrounds. The entire thing became chaotic and ridiculous.”

Seeing the Empress Dowager’s expression darken immediately, Zhu Ying quickly hid behind the Emperor.

But then she heard the Emperor laugh.

“Yingying is right.”

“So, although Second Brother’s public humiliation of Minister Liu’s daughter deserves severe punishment, I want to discuss something with Mother.”

“From now on, imperial princes shall only choose wives from families of officials below seventh rank, successful scholars, students of the Imperial Academy, and other upright scholarly households.”

The Emperor’s lips curved slightly.

“Each time there are several princes needing wives, we shall select several girls around twelve years old.”

“If there are concerns about problems later, selecting more candidates is acceptable.”

“Then the palace will send people to teach them history, etiquette, household management, and how to command servants.”

“After observing their character, temperament, and bearing, they will be trained for three or four years before selecting suitable matches for the princes.”

The Empress Dowager immediately sucked in a cold breath.

Choosing an imperial consort would now require three or four years of education?

She instinctively glanced at Zhu Ying.

Seeing that even this headstrong girl looked completely stunned, she understood that the Emperor had clearly planned this for a long time.

After remaining silent for a moment, she sighed.

“Perhaps this can work in the future. But your sons are already grown. They cannot wait three or four years.”

“Three or four years is impossible, but two years is still manageable.”

“Besides, their mother loves them dearly. They are not lacking women around them.”

The Emperor’s expression remained calm.

“I ascended the throne when I was young. Mother was strict with me. Before the age of fifteen, I had never even been close to women.”

“But those two, from the age of thirteen, have already experienced countless women. They only lack giving those women official status.”

The Empress Dowager understood.

Although the Emperor looked calm, he was actually furious.

Otherwise, he would never attempt such a drastic change to the imperial marriage system.

After thinking carefully, she finally nodded.

“Very well. Let it be done.”

“Let my maid Yuquan, along with Chief Eunuch Chu Kuan of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs and officials from the Ministry of Rites, handle the selection.”

“Do not disturb the common people excessively. Ultimately, selecting three to five girls will be enough.”

“As for those who are not chosen, they may be married into the imperial clan as wives. Their status will not be insulted.”

Seeing that the Empress Dowager had finally agreed, the Emperor, who had already expected this outcome, remained composed on the surface, but was quite satisfied inside.

Noticing Zhu Ying’s clearly confused expression, he smiled.

“Actually, I learned this method from your father.”

“Unfortunately, raising a child bride son-in-law from nothing takes far too long.”

“So I can only reluctantly raise future daughters-in-law for three or four years.”

“It can also be considered another form of a child bride.”

“Actually, I would prefer raising them from the age of six or seven.”

A serious political matter involving enormous consequences had suddenly been described by the Emperor in such a joking tone.

The Empress Dowager immediately choked.

Zhu Ying became even more furious.

“Your Majesty, what nonsense are you saying? When was A-Shou ever my father’s child bride son-in-law?”

“My father merely spent some money. He learned everything himself from Grandpa Ge’s books!”

“Originally, it was my family that owed him and his mother!”

“Alright, alright.”

“Your A-Shou is not a child bride son-in-law…”

“He is your fiancé. Happy now?”

The Emperor, just as he had done when she was young, gently patted Zhu Ying’s head.

Then he smiled.

“Yingying came tonight to complain. Meanwhile, Second Son, knowing he caused trouble, has already gone to Kunning Palace to cry to his mother.”

“But his elder brother went there too.”

“I’m afraid Mother will not sleep well tonight.”

You actually have the nerve to say that?

The Empress Dowager was already annoyed.

Then the Emperor calmly said: “Send orders. Qingning Palace is sealed for the night.”

“Tonight, I will stay with Mother and chat. Whatever happens can wait until tomorrow.”

“Yingying, go sleep in the Eastern Warm Pavilion with your Grandmother. Girls should not stay up late.”

Back then, when he respected his wife deeply, he had not touched any other consorts during the first two years of marriage.

Even when the Empress was pregnant, he often stayed in Kunming Palace to accompany her.

However, after the Empress gave birth to the Second Prince, she seemed to believe her position was secure.

From then on, palace consorts were punished for the slightest mistakes, and palace servants lived in constant fear.

When she eventually ordered a personal servant beaten to death over a trivial matter, the Emperor finally lost patience.

After ordering the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs to investigate the servant, he eventually expelled the Empress’s favored attendant from the palace.

The imperial physician he sent to treat the Empress was also driven away by him.

After that, he rarely entered Kunming Palace.

Instead, he often visited the consorts who had once spent lonely nights waiting for him.

Among them, the Virtuous Consort, who loved martial arts and horseback riding, was the one who gained the Emperor’s greatest favor.

Now, the two princes had been raised by the Empress as the treasures of her life for many years.

Although the Emperor often summoned them and personally lectured them, he could tell that they only acted obedient in front of him while secretly following their own ways.

Even their teachers had been carefully chosen by the Empress, then recommended through ministers until they reached him.

He had seen that they were respectable old scholars and agreed without much thought.

Yet somehow…

They had grown into this.