If not abolished

Chapter 137 Turning the corner into safety

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night. Zhu Di was worried that his daughter couldn't sleep, Zhu Gaosui was beaten and had to copy scriptures so he couldn't sleep at all, and Zhu Zhanji was also worried about Princess Yong'an's condition. If she didn't get better after tonight, then...

"Your Highness, the prince is outside asking for an audience."

"Then let someone in quickly." Zhu Zhanji said.

"Your Highness." Zhu Zhanhe asked anxiously after entering the room, "I heard that Your Highness went to Aunt Yong'an's house today. How is Aunt Yong'an?"

"The doctor said that after tonight..." Zhu Zhanji said to him, "It's because of you that I..."

"Your Highness, don't say that. It was just a coincidence. It was your sharpness that enabled you to discover it in time. It should be your credit." Zhu Zhanhe naturally did not dare to take credit for it. It was just a coincidence.

"I'm afraid the emperor won't be able to sleep tonight. Alas, I didn't even want to tell him and make him worry." Zhu Zhanji said with a sigh.

Zhu Zhanhe also heard about what happened in front of the palace and said, "You have good intentions, but Third Uncle doesn't know the whole story and acted like that in a moment of urgency. Your Highness, please forgive me..."

Zhu Zhanji immediately interrupted him: "What are you talking about? We are all family. I just pleaded for Third Uncle in front of the Emperor, but the Emperor was angry at the time and I couldn't persuade him. I am also a little sorry for Third Uncle."

"Your Highness has done his best, so don't blame yourself." Zhu Zhanhe didn't know what to say after seeing Zhu Zhanji say that.

Early the next morning, Zhu Di sent someone to Princess Yong'an's mansion to inquire about the situation.

"Your Majesty, the people who went to the princess's mansion came back and said that Imperial Physician Liu said that Princess Yong'an's fever has subsided, but she still needs to be well cared for in the next few days." Wang Jinghong came to tell Zhu Di as soon as he received the news.

"Good, good, it's such a blessing. It must be Yong'an who was blessed by the Queen. Tell Liu Guan that he can get any medicinal herbs he needs directly from the palace." Zhu Di finally felt relieved after hearing this.

"Yes, I will arrange it right away. Your Majesty, would you like to take a rest? You didn't get much rest the whole night." Wang Jinghong said with concern.

After hearing what he said, Zhu Di was indeed a little sleepy. He stood up and said, "Now that you ask, I am really a little sleepy. I am really old. When I was young, I could fight the enemy for a whole day and night without rest. Now I can't do that anymore."

"Your Majesty is still in good shape."

"You are the only one who can flatter."

"I'm afraid Agui didn't get enough rest. Tell him that everyone should take a day off today. Oh, except for King Zhao. Let him finish copying tomorrow."

"The slaves obey the order."

Zhu Zhanji was also very happy when he received the news.

"Your Highness can rest assured now. You were worried all night last night." Wu Cheng said, looking at Zhu Zhanji's tired expression.

"That's right." Zhu Zhanji said with a yawn.

"I now feel that Your Highness is truly a god. He actually knows about Princess Yong'an's illness. If it weren't for Your Highness, Princess Yong'an might..." Wu Cheng didn't even dare to think about the worst outcome.

"Maybe it was arranged by God." Zhu Zhanji said while looking at the sky. This time, the incident of Aunt Yong'an also gave him a reference. In the previous life, Aunt Yong'an died suddenly during the Lantern Festival this year. Grandpa stayed away from court for four days for her and the Lantern Festival was not celebrated. This time, if Aunt Yong'an can survive, then he and Shanxiang's daughter can change the ending in the future.

After Zhu Zhanji finished his breakfast, he felt a little exhausted and took a short nap.

He didn't know if it was because of the incense lit in the temple, but he had another dream, a dream about the past. In the dream, he was playing with Changde in the garden.

"Father, that flower is so beautiful." Zhu Zhanji said when he saw his daughter pointing at the flower.

Zhu Zhanji had always doted on his daughter, so he picked the flower and handed it to Princess Changde without saying a word.

"Here, take it."

"It smells so good." Princess Changde put the flower under her nose and smelled it and said.

"Okay, we've had enough fun, it's time to go back." Zhu Zhanji held her hand and read.

"Father, please hug me." Princess Changde stretched out her arms to Zhu Zhanji.

"Okay, Father, hold me."

Princess Changde played with her hands in Zhu Zhanji's arms and said, "Father, why did my mother and I move to Kunning Palace after my younger brother was born?" She was so young that she naturally didn't understand what was going on between adults. She just simply felt it was strange that many things had changed after her younger brother was born.

"You will understand when you grow up. Is your brother cute?" Zhu Zhanji had no way to explain all this to his daughter, so he had to change the subject.

"He cries all the time. It would be okay if he stopped crying, but he can't talk now and can't play with me. It's boring. I want to play with my two sisters, but mother won't let me," said Princess Changde.

"Why didn't your mother let you play with your sister?" Zhu Zhanji suddenly frowned. Although he didn't like Hu Shanxiang and even deposed her, his daughters in Shunde and Yongqing were not as favored as Changde, but they were his biological daughters after all, so he wouldn't treat them badly.

"I don't know either. My mother told me not to play with them, but my brother is too young to play with me." Princess Changde said distressedly.

"Then father, please go talk to mother." Zhu Zhanji said, looking at his daughter's distressed expression.

"Okay." She thought that her father would speak for her, and her mother would definitely agree.

When they arrived at Kunning Palace, Zhu Zhanji asked the palace servants to take Changde away first.

"His Majesty."

"Empress, Changde just said that you don't allow her to play with Shunde and the others. Why? I only deposed Hu. Shunde and the others are still princesses. You can't blame them."

"God and Heaven are my conscience. When have I ever criticized the two princesses? Even for Sister Hu, I have treated her the same as before."

"Then why don't you let the three children play together." Since there was no blame, Zhu Zhanji said he couldn't understand such behavior.

"Well... Your Majesty, you can't blame me. I tried several times to let Shunde and the others play with Changde, but Shunde refused. You said the children are still so young. Could it be that someone deliberately asked them to do this..." Empress Sun said half and left the other half, deliberately leaving Changde to guess.

"What you said is possible. Maybe it was the palace servants gossiping in front of the princess." Zhu Zhanji also knew that Shunde and the others were not feeling well because of their sudden change of status from the eldest princess.

"Your Majesty is right. It's not just the palace people who are at risk. It could be adults as well." These words were basically directed at Hu Shanxiang.

"She is not that kind of person. Don't make any assumptions." As a couple for many years, Zhu Zhanji understood Hu Shanxiang's character.

"Yes, I spoke nonsense."

"If that's the case, then forget it. However, there are few children in the palace, and Changde doesn't have a playmate."

"Your Majesty, I have also thought about what you said. I do have an idea, but I wonder if it will work."

"You said."

"Changde is getting older now. I wonder if we can pick a few daughters of officials to come to the palace to accompany her in school."

"Then let's do as you say." Zhu Zhanji listened and thought there was no problem.

"Yes."

"I still have something to do, so I'll leave first."

"Farewell to Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty, His Majesty still favors our princess." After Zhu Zhanji left, the palace maid beside him said.

"Of course, but Your Majesty actually suspected that I was harsh on the two princesses. Even if I wanted to do that, I couldn't do it. The Queen Mother is watching over me. Although Hu Shanxiang was deposed, her treatment is no different from before. Moreover, she has the Queen Mother's support. Apart from the title, everyone in the palace still treats her as the Queen. I am really a empress..."

"Your Majesty, don't worry. The Queen Mother can't protect Hu for her whole life. So... Aren't you the only one who makes the decisions in the harem?"

"You're right. I can't outlive that old woman. When she's gone, Mrs. Hu will be at my mercy. But I didn't expect your majesty's trust in her. Just now, your majesty immediately rejected my opinion. Mrs. Hu has always been hypocritical." Empress Sun felt a little angry when she thought of Zhu Zhanji's rejection just now.

In his previous life, Zhu Zhanji had passed away, so he naturally did not hear all of this. But now in his dream, he heard every word of it. Sun actually cursed his mother, which was extremely abominable.

"Your Majesty, don't worry about this. You are the queen now, so what is she?"

"It's nothing. Didn't you see it? At the palace banquet, the Queen Mother still let Hu sit in front of me. She didn't take me, the Queen, seriously at all. Your Majesty is kind and filial. He owes Hu, but he turned a blind eye to this matter. I get angry every time I think about it."

"You can say that Hu Shi is shameless. How can she still have the nerve to attend the palace banquet after being deposed?"

The dream changed, and Zhu Zhanji was walking and suddenly found himself at Chang'an Palace. Somehow, he walked in uncontrollably without notifying anyone. As soon as he entered, he smelled a strong scent of sandalwood and heard the sound of wooden fish being struck.

When the palace servants saw him come in, they wanted to bow, but he stopped them one by one.

The palace maids exchanged glances and thought, why did His Majesty come to Chang'an Palace for no reason? If the Empress knew about this, there would be a big fuss.

Zhu Zhanji walked to the main hall and saw Hu Shanxiang chanting scriptures and praying, so he did not disturb her and sat aside. The palace servants naturally did not dare to neglect her and served her tea.

After a long while, Hu Shanxiang finished reciting the sutra, stood up and turned around. When she saw Zhu Zhanji, she almost thought she was dazzled. She was stunned for a long time before she reacted and saluted: "Your Majesty."

"Get up."

After Hu Shanxiang got up, she lowered her head and didn't look at him. Zhu Zhanji looked at her and didn't know what to say for a moment. He didn't even know why he came in, so the two of them were silent for a long time and no one spoke.

Finally, it was Zhu Zhanji who spoke up: "Well, I was planning to come and see Shunde and Yongqing. Are they with you?"

"Your Majesty, they went to pay their respects to the Queen Mother, and they haven't returned yet?"

"Oh, is that so? In that case, I'll leave first and come back next time." After saying that, Zhu Zhanji walked out the door.

"Farewell to Your Majesty."

As soon as Zhu Zhanji reached the door, he saw his two daughters coming back.

"Father." Shunde also saw him at a glance and shouted in surprise.