Marrying the Crown Prince

“The Crown Princess is still young and doesn’t know much.” Ruosong didn’t dare to flatter Zhou Zhou, fearing that saying too much would lower her favor with Empress Chu and cause her trouble. “Your Majesty still needs to teach her more.”

Empress Chu loved to hear this, and her smile grew even brighter. "You're such a smooth talker."

"My greatest use is making you happy," Ruosong said, showering you with flattery.

So, the overjoyed Empress Chu decided to give Zhou Zhou a day off. Of course, she wouldn't admit it—it was just that she herself didn't want to get up early every day anymore.

"Ruosong, go to the East Palace and send a message," Empress Chu said without hesitation. "Tell her that now that the summer solstice has passed, the weather will only get hotter and hotter. Tell her that she doesn't need to come to pay her respects every day, just come on the first and fifteenth of the month."

"Yes." Ruosong knelt down, preparing to retreat.

"Wait," Empress Chu called out to her again.

Ruosong paused, looking at Empress Chu with a puzzled expression, "Your Majesty?"

"The other day, I gave the Crown Princess a pair of hairpins that I think she really liked. Go to my storeroom and see if you can find any similar hairpins to send over as well."

"Yes."

After speaking, Ruomatsu withdrew.

Inside the Changxin Hall of the Eastern Palace, Ruosong bowed and greeted the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

"Aunt Ruosong, is something the Empress Dowager has to say?" Zhou Zhou and Li Ziyan exchanged a glance, both puzzled.

Zhou Zhou publicly humiliated the Imperial Concubine, and Empress Chu sent someone over shortly afterward. Was she pleased? Or was she pleased?

"Her Majesty the Empress noticed that the Crown Princess liked tassel hairpins, so she specially ordered me to find another pair and send them over," Ruosong said, holding the items up with both hands.

Donghe took it and placed it on the table in front of Zhou Zhou.

Zhou Zhou did not open it, but gestured for Dong He to bring a stool over. "It's really troubled for Aunt to make this trip. If you need anything, you can just ask a maid to bring it over."

As soon as he finished speaking, Donghe had already moved a stool and placed it next to Zhou Zhou.

"Auntie, please sit down and have some tea," Zhou Zhou said.

"No, Your Highness has other matters to attend to." Ruosong initially refused, but then continued, "This servant has another matter to attend to today."

"Please speak, Aunt." Zhou Zhou's brow twitched; her intuition told her it wasn't anything bad.

"Her Majesty says that the heat is intense these days, so the Crown Princess need not come to pay her respects every day from now on. She can come on the first and fifteenth of each month."

It was indeed a good thing, but Zhou Zhou didn't agree immediately. Instead, she looked heartbroken and asked, "This... Aunt, did I do something to upset Mother?"

Her eyes were filled with tears, and her figure was delicate and pitiful.

Wakamatsu: “…….”

Don't think that just because you're putting on such a convincing act, I won't know you're faking it.

Her lips twitched, then she quickly put on a kind smile. "Your Highness, you are overthinking this. The Empress knows of your filial piety. She is just showing you concern."

"So that's how it is. I was really scared." Zhou Zhou breathed a sigh of relief.

Having conveyed the message to the two masters of the Eastern Palace, Ruomatsu bowed and took his leave.

After everyone left, Li Ziyan raised an eyebrow and looked at Zhou Zhou, "It seems that the Empress Dowager is very pleased with today's matter."

Well……

Indeed, one should not be too obvious in gloating.

However, Zhou Zhou lowered her eyes—she was not satisfied with her current situation with Empress Chu.

Empress Chu still holds the upper hand in their relationship. If Empress Chu Guang were to suddenly do something foolish, he would have to patiently persuade and coax her.

This made Zhou Zhou feel very passive.

If only I could make Empress Chu fear me.

The road ahead is long, let's take it slow.

The wind and clouds shifted, the sun slanted westward, and the setting sun, like blood, dyed half the sky red. The crimson afterglow spread across the courtyard, and the birds on the eaves hurriedly flew away, hoping to return home before nightfall.

The candles inside the room were lit, their light flickering.

The Queen of Chu picked up a pair of scissors and cut off the burnt-out candle wick.

"The Emperor has arrived——!"

At the sound of a chant, the palace maids and eunuchs in Fengyi Palace all knelt down, saying, "This servant greets Your Majesty."

Having spent so much time in the palace, the palace maids and eunuchs were no different from the rockeries and flowers in the courtyard to Emperor Chenze. They would kneel as they pleased, while Emperor Chenze would walk as he pleased.

Upon entering the inner chamber of the Phoenix Palace, Empress Chu bowed and said, "Your Majesty..."

"Your Majesty, there's no need for such formalities. Please sit down." Emperor Chenze waved his hand and sat down in a chair.

Empress Chu also sat down and leaned against the small steamed bun cushion that Zhou Zhou had given her.

"Your Majesty, this cushion is quite novel." Emperor Chenze noticed the xiaolongbao (soup dumpling) cushion at a glance and said with great interest.

"This thing," Empress Chu sat up straight, pulled the steamed bun over, squeezed it, and then hugged it loosely, "was sent over by Jin You's wife."

At this point, Empress Chu added another explanation, which seemed to imply something was amiss: "This thing looks like it's for children. I don't like it. But it's the first time she's sent something like this. If I don't use it, others might think I have some kind of dissatisfaction with her."

You really have no complaints about her?

However, it would be inappropriate to say that, so Emperor Chenze did not mention it and instead brought up another matter, "I have heard that there are quite a few new Yunyan brocades this year."

Unless something goes wrong, Emperor Chenze does not concern himself with matters of the harem.

However, Empress Chu did not notice this and directly informed him of the result, "Yes, but I have already distributed the extra to Consort Gui and Consort De."

"Yes, Your Majesty is very kind." Emperor Chenze said gently.

Of course he already knew about this, otherwise he wouldn't have brought it up.

This was arguably the first time Empress Chu had ever taken the initiative to reward a favored concubine in the harem, so Emperor Chenze found it quite amazing—who could possibly persuade this stubborn mule?

Emperor Chenze came to Fengyi Palace in high spirits today.

In the past, Empress Chu would have said, "It's good that you know."

But now, Zhou Zhou had already given her a crash course on Emperor Chenze's words. She recalled what Zhou Zhou had said and recited it perfectly, though her tone sounded like she was reciting a poem: "It is my duty to handle the affairs of the harem well and make the Emperor feel at ease and comfortable."

Emperor Chenze glanced at her in surprise, then saw Empress Chu smile gently.

Emperor Chenze: "..."

This world is so amazing! Did the sun rise in the west today?

Regardless, the Empress Chu's change is still something to be encouraged.

So the next day, Emperor Chenze bestowed many gifts upon Fengyi Palace.

Aside from the few days of festivals each year, Emperor Chenze had not bestowed any gifts upon Empress Chu for many years. Now, these gifts were sent into the Phoenix Palace in a grand procession, and the news spread in an instant.

When she heard the news, Zhou Zhou was embroidering her nightgown in Changxin Palace. The pattern was bamboo she had drawn herself, and it didn't look out of place on the dark fabric.