The Virtuous Concubine

Malu was extremely worried. It seemed that Wen Xian was planning to take the initiative and get Kangxi's consent, so that the Fourth Prince would have to take her to Jiangnan.

She was worried that Wen Xian was acting too rashly, but she also hoped that Kangxi would understand Wen Xian. Time passed by, and Ma Lu could no longer sit still, but she couldn't go to the Qianqing Palace.

After an unknown amount of time, Wen Xian returned directly from the Qianqing Palace to the Yonghe Palace. Ma Lu hurriedly had Wen Xian brought to him.

Seeing Wen Xian's happy face, it was obvious that this request to see the emperor had a good result.

"You kid! Have you discussed this with your fourth brother? You went to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and your ideas are getting bigger and bigger."

Wen Xian smiled and sat down, taking a gulp of water. "The Emperor didn't agree right away, but he didn't refuse either. He said he would think about it."

Oh?

Malu felt that this was not like Kangxi's style. He would either refuse directly or agree only after being annoyed by the request. How could he say that he would consider it?

Malu had some doubts in her heart, but Wen Xian answered her before she asked, "Mother, I didn't go there empty-handed. I brought the flood control strategy I wrote. The emperor originally thought I was joking, but it was only after the second prince read my strategy and read it to him that the emperor was willing to consider it."

Malu felt happy. The prince was... loving the whole family?

She smiled and teased Wen Xian: "If I help you, he will be your second brother, the crown prince. I remember that you usually just call him Your Highness."

Wen Xian's face didn't even turn red, and he smiled so hard that his eyes could not be seen: "Of course, it is polite to call me Your Highness the Crown Prince on weekdays. He loves me and his family, and he helps me to get along with the Emperor because of my mother, so naturally I should call him Second Brother."

Malu looked at Wen Xian, who was as happy as a fledgling flapping its wings for the first time, and felt helpless but also doting. "You kid, you have no shame."

Wen Xian came up to Malu with a smile and said, "Thank you, mother. If you didn't have a good relationship with the prince, the prince probably wouldn't have paid any attention to us. Mother, do you think the emperor would agree to let me go to Jiangnan?"

When Malu heard her say this, his face turned red - he probably really liked her very much, right?

But after hearing Wen Xian's question, Ma Lu was unsure: "It's hard to say, but since the emperor said he would consider it, there is still hope. You should wait patiently, and don't be idle during this period. Think more about whether there is anything that needs to be improved in your flood control strategy."

Wen Xian nodded, "My daughter knows."

But within two days, a palace maid suddenly came to report that Princess Wenxian was heading towards Yonghe Palace, still crying.

Malu's heart tightened and he quickly stood up and prepared to go outside to greet Wen Xian.

Soon, Wen Xian ran into the palace crying. Ma Lu hugged her daughter distressedly and asked softly, "What happened? Who dares to mess with our Wen Xian?"

Wen Xian sobbed and said, "Mother, the Third Prince said that I overestimated my own abilities. A woman who wanted to go to Jiangnan to control floods would definitely cause a big mess. In front of the Emperor, he asked if someone else had helped me write the flood control strategy, and asked if I had taken on the credit of Yinzuo."

Malu frowned, patted Wen Xian's back gently and consoled him, "What nonsense is he talking about! Don't take it to heart."

Wen Xian wiped his tears and said, "But what he said was so rude, I felt bad even if I didn't take it to heart. Although I scolded him on the spot, saying that he only knew how to recite those sour poems, and that he had no real ability to be useful to the world and was still jealous of others, I was still very sad."

Malu held his forehead with his hand, feeling extremely helpless.

My daughter, your words are so hurtful. The harm he has caused to Third Prince is probably no less than the harm he has caused to you.

Malu suppressed his laughter and said, "There are always people in this world who like to accuse others without reason. You can't give up your goal just because of what they say. Come on, wipe your tears. The more you cry, the more they will think you are weak. What did your royal father say?"

Wen Xian sniffed, his eyes flashing with ferocity.

"Although the Emperor didn't say anything, his words implied that I should give the water control strategy to my fourth brother or Yinzuo, and that it was their intention. I was so angry that I had a quarrel with the Emperor and came directly to my mother."

Malu thought these people were disgusting, just like when he was researching wool. At that time, he was still a small noble, so he naturally had no way to resist and protect himself.

But no one expected that Wen Xian, who had Aisin-Gioro blood, would still have to suffer the same hardships in front of his father and brothers!

Malu thought for a moment and said, "Don't be anxious or sad. Since you are determined to go to Jiangnan to control the floods, you can't be defeated by these words. Don't take the Third Prince too seriously. If you want to punish him later, you can just move your fingers in the palace affairs. But... are you willing to attribute your flood control strategy, your achievements and the credit for going to Jiangnan in the future to others?"

Seeing Wen Xian pursed his lips and said nothing, Ma Lu directly pointed out a more difficult reality: "If you don't want to, you probably can't even go to Jiangnan. Your royal father can't accept the princess going directly to Jiangnan, which is equivalent to letting women participate in political affairs. Now he probably thinks that you want to go out and have fun, and you don't know how high the sky is and how deep the earth is, and he doesn't take your going to Jiangnan seriously, so you have a chance to be taken to Jiangnan!"

Wen Xian frowned. She was naturally unwilling to attribute the results of her hard work to others, even if it was her brother!

It's not that she is selfish, but she needs to prove her ability to Kangxi, the court officials, and the people more than Yinzhen and Yinzuo.

And why?

Why can some people take away the glory that originally belonged to her without doing anything!

But Wen Xian also knew that he desperately needed an opportunity to break the situation that the princess could not participate in political affairs like the prince.

Malu felt distressed when he saw Wen Xian's conflicted look.

But since Wen Xian chose to take a different path from other princesses, marrying far away or marrying into powerful families in the capital, she had to learn these things.

Wen Xian was silent for a long time before he made up his mind: "Mother, I will make sure that this sacrifice will be rewarded to my satisfaction!"

Seeing that Wen Xian, who had always been proud and straightforward, had figured it out and began to learn to bow his head and endure temporarily, Ma Lu was very relieved and hugged Wen Xian: "Good boy."

My daughter has grown up!

Malu had never taught Wen Xian to be patient or compromise because he hoped that she could retain the outspokenness and unyielding spirit in her nature and not become a submissive and vain princess who could not even be suppressed by servants. He also let her handle palace affairs to exercise her abilities.

Now that her character has been determined, Malu will guide Wen Xian to learn how to be flexible and adaptable.