MCSCPM -Chapter 354 The Time Is Still Early

Chu Ling had no choice but to quickly change his clothes and enter the palace.

Unexpectedly, this time the Emperor did not summon him to the Imperial Study. Instead, he was received in a pavilion within the Imperial Garden.

Dressed in princely robes, Chu Ling looked far more spirited. Standing before Chu Helian, if not for his usual flippancy, he actually carried a bit of the bearing of a future heir.

“This son greets Father Emperor,” Chu Ling said, performing the proper salute.

Chu Helian was in the middle of a game of chess. He gestured with his hand and said, “You’ve come at just the right time. Sit and play a game of chess with me.”

Naturally, Chu Ling dared not refuse. Even though he was unwilling and uninterested, he had no choice—after all, the man before him was his father, the reigning Emperor.

So he sat down and began playing chess with Chu Helian, saying as he did, “Father Emperor seems to be in quite a good mood today, to think you’d want to play chess. In the past, whenever this son entered the palace, I only ever saw Father Emperor in the Imperial Study.”

As he placed his pieces, Chu Helian smiled and said, “Your father is getting old. I can’t stay cooped up in the Imperial Study all day. Sometimes, it’s good to come out and take a walk.”

“What Father Emperor says is true,” Chu Ling nodded.

Chu Helian placed another piece and continued, “I don’t know how long it’s been since I last saw you brothers enter the palace together.”

There was a trace of sadness in his words—something that naturally came with age.

Chu Ling glanced up at his father. He truly had aged a great deal; his hair had turned much whiter.

Over the years, Chu Ling rarely entered the palace unless summoned. Seeing his father now, so much older than before, stirred a bit of heartache in him.

“If Father Emperor likes,” Chu Ling said, “this son can come to the palace every day to pay his respects.”

“You may be mischievous and somewhat unlearned,” Chu Helian said, “but when it comes to filial piety, your two elder brothers can’t compare to you.”

“This son dares not accept such praise,” Chu Ling replied. “Compared to my imperial brothers, I am nothing.”

“At the mention of your two brothers, I grow angry,” Chu Helian said. As he spoke, he dropped a chess piece heavily onto the board and said in disappointment, “Your eldest brother disgraced me with what he did. I’ve sent him off to the countryside—if he still refuses to repent, he need not ever return. As for your second brother, he actually dared to oppose me over a woman. The two of them together have left me utterly disappointed and heartbroken.”

Chu Ling frowned slightly. He knew all this already, but hearing his father speak so forlornly still moved him.

“Father Emperor, your two sons did not act with ill intent. Please don’t let this anger damage your health.”

“Hmph. If only they were as sensible as you.”

Sensible? Hearing his father praise him like that, Chu Ling couldn’t help but smile bitterly inwardly. If he were truly sensible, he wouldn’t have been barred from returning to the capital for so long, nor would his mother have worried and grieved over him.

But he kept those thoughts to himself.

“Father Emperor,” Chu Ling asked, “may I know why you summoned this son to the palace today?”

“Ling’er,” Chu Helian said, “let me ask you—do you wish to stay by my side?”

“What?” Chu Ling was startled.

Chu Helian fixed him with a serious gaze and said slowly, “I’m giving you an opportunity.”

At that moment, Chu Ling fell silent.

No one could have imagined that from that day on, Chu Ling would be ordered to accompany the Emperor, to study at his side, and even to try his hand at reviewing memorials. This move naturally shocked the court officials.

Speculation spread rapidly—had the Emperor already decided to establish Prince Ling as Crown Prince? Many of the forces that once supported Prince Yi also began gravitating toward Prince Ling.

Yet Chu Ling had no interest in these factions. If anything, he wanted to escape. He had never wished to be involved in such matters, but with Prince Jing and Prince Yi both failing so badly, this mess had landed squarely on him.

Now, even the freedom he longed for was gone. He felt lost and irritated, but at this point, what choice did he have?

Of course, where there was worry, there was also joy—and that joy belonged to Liu Sishui.

Her son had been ordered to stay by the Emperor’s side and was even allowed to review memorials—an honor that even Prince Jing had never received.

She had originally only hoped that her son would be a good prince and secure his position, but now he had taken another step forward.

Liu Sishui’s status rose sharply, and her conduct in the harem became far more high-profile.

One day, as she was resting in her palace, a maid came to report, “Your Highness, Noble Consort Lan is feeding fish by the small pond.”

“Is that so?” Liu Sishui said. “Then I shall go as well.”

In truth, this maid had been deliberately arranged to keep watch on Noble Consort Lan. Any movement on Lan’s part would be reported immediately. Ever since Prince Ling rose to prominence, Noble Consort Lan had stayed cooped up in her palace, giving Liu Sishui no chance to mock her—until now.

Soon, Liu Sishui arrived at the pond. Pretending it was a chance encounter, she saw Noble Consort Lan looking utterly listless, which pleased her immensely.

Seeing Liu Sishui appear, Lan Rao shot her a glare and prepared to pack up and leave—but Liu Sishui blocked her path.

“Noble Consort Lan just arrived, didn’t you?” Liu Sishui said with a smile. “Why leave so soon? Why not stay a while longer?”

Lan Rao sneered. “With Lady Liu here, these fish won’t dare swim over. Even with bait, you won’t lure them.”

“Is that so?” Liu Sishui scoffed lightly. She tossed some fish food into the pond, and at once many fish swam over. “Looks like Noble Consort Lan miscalculated—and misspoke as well. See? Aren’t the fish all here? It’s just that Noble Consort Lan is too impatient.”

“Oh, is that so?” Lan Rao, already angry, decided not to leave. Since Liu Sishui had clearly come to mock her, avoiding it was pointless—better to confront it head-on.

“What wind is blowing today,” Lan Rao said coldly, “to bring Lady Liu, who never comes here, to this place?”

“Do I need your permission to go anywhere?” Liu Sishui retorted. “This palace is vast. I go wherever I please. Noble Consort Lan doesn’t get to interfere.”

“Of course,” Lan Rao replied pointedly. “Some things are best left unmanaged. Otherwise, one might end up covered in filth. Don’t you agree, Lady Liu?”

Liu Sishui was no fool. She dropped all pretense and said bluntly, “You’re right. What’s yours, you manage; what’s not, you don’t. I’m not like you—raising someone else’s son as your own. And now look, your towering tree has fallen. This wind came at just the right time.”

“Lady Liu, don’t spout nonsense,” Lan Rao snapped.

“Nonsense? I never speak nonsense,” Liu Sishui said. She flung all the fish food into the pond, turned proudly, and continued mockingly, “Didn’t Noble Consort Lan believe the Emperor doted on Prince Jing and would surely make him Crown Prince? That’s why you tried every means to curry favor with him. But fortune turns—Prince Jing pulled out his own pieces. You can blame no one. As for you, you’ve lost both husband and troops.”

Lan Rao’s face turned livid. She suppressed her anger and forced a smile before finally saying, “I advise Lady Liu not to celebrate too early. The future is uncertain, is it not? Prince Ling may be favored now, but what kind of material he is—everyone can see.”

“I know my son better than you do,” Liu Sishui replied calmly. “Even if he’s not perfect, he won’t end up like Prince Jing or Prince Yi. With the Emperor so disappointed in them, all hope rests on Ling’er. Even if he isn’t born to be Crown Prince, does Northern Hao lack capable ministers to assist him?”

Liu Sishui knew very well that Lan Rao had a point—her son was no natural emperor. But no emperor became great overnight; it was through guidance and time that one grew into the role.

Lan Rao snorted disdainfully and looked at the fish in the pond. “Lady Liu is quite the speaker. But look at these fish—wherever there’s bait, they swim. Today, Prince Ling holds the bait, so the ministers defect to him. But once the bait is gone, those big fish may swim away again. And fish only remember for three seconds—they won’t remember your kindness.”

“What do you mean by that?” Liu Sishui demanded.

“I mean,” Lan Rao said coolly, “don’t be happy too soon. As long as the Emperor hasn’t named a Crown Prince, the position remains uncertain.”

“Isn’t the situation obvious enough already?” Liu Sishui said firmly.

Turning away, Lan Rao left behind four words: “The time is still early.”

With that, she departed.

Not only did Liu Sishui fail to gain the upper hand, she was left seething with rage. In a fit of anger, she flung the entire tray of fish food onto the ground and shouted, “What’s the point of feeding them? A bunch of beasts—you can never tame them!”

The maids dared not speak or even pick up the scattered food, standing silently to the side.

Liu Sishui looked furious, almost vicious.

Yet what she didn’t know was that Lan Rao herself was deeply anxious. Though Prince Yi was gone, Prince Jing had also fallen from favor—cutting off her own retreat.

Lan Rao knew the Emperor’s actions were due to Prince Jing’s stubbornness over Yin Qingyue, which had displeased the Emperor and led to his distancing.

At this thought, she halted mid-step.

No—His Majesty’s anger had not yet subsided. If she acted now, it would only add fuel to the fire.