If not abolished

Zhu Zhanji walked out with the imperial edict. The sunlight outside the door shone on his body, and he blocked it with his hand.

Wu Cheng saw him coming out and hurried to his side, "Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine just sent a message to you, asking you to consider it carefully. The most important thing now is your enthronement ceremony in two months."

Zhu Zhanji put down his hand and replied calmly: "I know."

After returning, Zhu Zhanji put the imperial edict in the brocade box, wondering if he would have the chance to take it out.

"Did you find out what I asked you to find out?" Zhu Zhanji asked after putting his things down.

"Your Highness, I have received news that the wife of the Earl of Pengcheng will celebrate her birthday in the capital next month, and there will be a grand banquet at that time." Wu Cheng told him the news he had heard.

"Has mother prepared any birthday gifts?"

"The Crown Princess will definitely prepare it."

"Let's go to the main hall." Zhu Zhanji said as he stood up and walked out.

When Zhu Zhanji arrived, the Crown Princess was still handling official business.

"The son pays his respects to his mother."

"Agui, why are you here so suddenly? Go sit over there for a while." The Crown Princess talked to him while handling the things at hand, "Bring some refreshments to His Highness."

After a while, the Crown Princess finally raised her head and walked to Zhu Zhanji with a smile, "It seems that you really have something to do. Tell me, what is it that made you wait patiently for so long?"

"The son just came to see his mother."

"Don't come here, you never come here for no reason. Apart from the daily greetings, you only come here for something special."

"There is indeed something I need mother's help with."

The Crown Princess looked as if she knew it was going to be like this: "Go ahead."

"I heard that my grandmother's birthday is next month. My uncle's family has been away in the past few years, and it is rare for my grandmother to celebrate her birthday in the capital. It is not convenient for my mother to go since she is in the palace. So my son thought that I would go and send a birthday gift when the time comes, as a way to show my filial piety." Zhu Zhanji stated the purpose of his visit.

The Crown Princess had not expected this to happen. Although she did not know what her son was going to do, she did not have the means to be there. "In that case, I was originally thinking about who should deliver the birthday gift. You have just helped me solve the problem."

"Mother has agreed."

"I didn't expect you to take the initiative to celebrate your grandmother's birthday. I was worried that you might choose a concubine..."

"What are you talking about? No matter what, she is still my son's grandmother. How can a junior like me get angry with the elders? Besides, everything my grandmother does is for my own good." Zhu Zhanji said sympathetically.

"Mother never expected you to think this way."

"I know that my mother has been in a very difficult situation during this period. I will talk to my uncle and others about this when my grandmother's birthday comes."

"Your maternal family also has their considerations. However, if you disagree, no one will force you. I heard that Miss Sun is also a very good girl. Why don't you take this opportunity to go and see her? Maybe you will be destined to be together." The Crown Princess said as she persuaded.

Zhu Zhanji smiled and said, "Well, if there is a chance, it would be okay to meet him."

"It's up to you. We won't force you."

"My son knows."

Pengcheng Bofu

"Mother, the Crown Princess just sent news from the palace that His Royal Highness the Crown Grandson will come in person to celebrate your birthday next month." As soon as Uncle Zhang received the news from the palace, he came to report the good news to the wife of the Earl of Pengcheng, and his words could not hide his happiness.

When Lady Pengcheng heard the news, she was also very happy. "Really? What a great honor! It really said that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is coming in person. Did you hear it right?"

"Really? This is the news that just came from the mother's palace. How could my son have heard it wrong?"

"This is truly a godsend opportunity. Although the palace has promised to recommend Sun, we are still unsure. If we can take this opportunity to let her meet the Crown Prince, she will definitely leave an impression on him once they meet. I am confident in her beauty. Let's make good arrangements and make His Royal Highness the Crown Prince never forget her."

"Everything is up to my mother's arrangement."

"Go call your wife over and I'll talk to her."

"Yes."

"I don't know why the mother asked her daughter-in-law to come here."

"Next month, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will come to celebrate my birthday on behalf of the Crown Princess. This is a rare opportunity. I want His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to meet with Madam Sun. With Madam Sun's beauty, our chances of winning are very high."

"God is really helping us. Maybe Sun and His Highness are destined to be together?"

"Who says it's not true? There is such good news at this critical moment before entering the palace."

"So my mother called me here..."

"We have to plan and arrange this matter carefully. How has Sun's training been going during this period?" asked the wife of the Earl of Pengcheng.

The wife of the emperor's uncle thought for a while and said, "Sun Ruoji has ambitions, but he doesn't have the scheming to match them. He is a malleable talent in terms of etiquette and rules, but his personality is still a little petty and he is a little impatient. However, it should be no problem for him to meet with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. There is still time."

"Well, this is the only card we have now. We have to take a gamble no matter if it works or not. It's okay for women to be a little dumb, but being too smart may not be a good thing."

"That's what mother said."

"That's how it is. You arrange it so that it looks more like a chance encounter. You don't need to tell Sun Ruoji in advance what she's going to meet. This way it will be more realistic."

"it is good."

"Miss, why does it seem like the Queen Mother has become more and more strict recently, and you come back later and later?" Xia Lian saw Sun Ruoji fall asleep as soon as she came back, and wiped her face with heartache.

"The King's wife is doing this for my own good. She really wants them to have something big happen next, but they haven't told me about it." Sun Ruoji said in a daze with his eyes closed.

Xia Lian said distressedly: "Miss, what is the reason for this?"

"Why? To stand out from the crowd, to be extremely rich, to be second to none, that's the ideal of every woman in the world."

"But the Lady of Pengcheng and the others..."

"Of course I know. They just treat me as a pawn. If I can't please His Royal Highness, then I'm useless. They will give up on me. They can continue to send other people into the palace to consolidate their position. But we are just using each other and getting what we need."

"Miss...if the master and his wife knew that you were being wronged here, I don't know how upset they would be."

“It’s possible that my father feels sorry for me, but my mother sent me here so that I could succeed in life. How could she feel sorry for me? No way…” Sun Ruoji fell asleep while talking, with traces of tears still visible on her face.

Xia Lian carefully helped her to rest and stayed by her bedside all night.