frightfiction Chapter 577 Those worries are unnecessary
Chapter 577 Those worries are unnecessary
The Concubine Shu tonight was different from the one the emperor usually saw.
She was not wearing a gorgeous palace dress, nor did she have a head full of pearls and jade. She seemed to have just bathed and was getting ready for bed, and her whole appearance was very plain.
This stunningly beautiful face, without any makeup on it, is as white as the morning glow reflecting on snow, and her skin is as smooth and tender as a baby's.
Concubine Shu had a very good appearance, and she was very confident about it. Every time she met the emperor, she dressed up carefully and was extremely beautiful.
The emperor couldn't remember how long it had been since he last saw her without makeup. He thought that Concubine Shu looked more pleasing to the eye than when she was dressed up.
However, Nangong Xuanyu had no intention of appreciating the beauty tonight. He just nodded indifferently, said "stand up", and strode in.
Habit is really a terrible thing.
The former concubine was accustomed to the emperor's special treatment of her. Every time, before she finished her ceremony, the emperor would help her up with a doting look on his face.
She didn't know when His Majesty stopped treating her like this. Whenever she saw His Majesty go in alone, she would feel a sense of loss in her heart.
But gradually...until now, Concubine Shu has become accustomed to His Majesty's alienation.
A smile appeared on her beautiful face, and she followed him in, saying with concern, "Your Majesty, I heard from the imperial kitchen that you didn't have dinner tonight."
"I have specially asked the small kitchen in the Mingshou Palace to prepare your favorite meals. Would you like to have some?"
Nangong Xuanyu raised his eyes and looked at her: "I didn't tell you before that I would come to Yongshou Palace tonight, why are you so prepared?"
Concubine Shu bit her lips lightly, lowered her eyes and said nothing.
Cui Zhu said respectfully, "Your Majesty, the Queen has always been very concerned about your health. Every time she heard from the imperial kitchen that you didn't eat well, the Queen would ask the small kitchen to prepare it."
"The Queen said that it would be fine if you didn't come. If you ever think of her and come to Yongshou Palace to see her, you can eat more..."
Nangong Xuanyu was silent for a moment, and his eyes softened when he looked at Concubine Shu: "You are thoughtful."
Concubine Shu smiled lightly, with tears in her eyes: "Being able to serve Your Majesty is the greatest happiness for me..."
The emperor couldn't bear to let her down. He said, "In that case, let the kitchen serve the meal."
"Yes!"
Cuizhu immediately gave the order.
The concubine sat beside the emperor, and a feeling of sadness welled up in her heart...
She had done these things for His Majesty silently before because she truly loved His Majesty and cared about His Majesty. When His Majesty didn't eat well, she would be more anxious than anyone else.
Since when... She still does the same things, but her mentality has changed. She just wants to win favor...
When the palace servants served the dishes, the emperor asked, "Where are Yun'er and the Third Prince?"
Concubine Shu said, "Your Majesty, Yun'er has already gone to bed at this hour."
"The nurse came to report not long ago that the Third Prince drank the milk and fell asleep."
Nangong Xuanyu concealed the complex expression in his eyes: "Send someone to bring the third prince over. I want to see him."
Not only Shufei, but even Cuizhu and the others felt it was a little strange.
The third prince is in Yongshou Palace. Your Majesty can come to see him at any time. Why must he come so late at night?
Moreover, the Third Prince had already drunk the milk and fell asleep, but Your Majesty still wanted to watch him.
Although Concubine Shu was a little confused, she still said, "Yes."
"Someone, ask the nurse to bring the Third Prince over."
Xiao Huazi said: "I obey your command!"
Soon, the nurse carried the sleeping Third Prince to the main hall and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. Long live your Majesty!"
"Be flat."
Nangong Xuanyu stood up and walked over.
The third prince was born in March last year and is now ten months old.
But his body shape doesn't look like a ten-month-old baby at all, and people would believe he is seven or eight months old.
Even when asleep, the special facial features still looked very obvious.
The child was innocent. Nangong Xuanyu really didn't understand why the third prince had done nothing wrong but was born an idiot?
And...the possibility of death is much greater than that of ordinary babies.
Looking at the peaceful sleeping face of the Third Prince, Nangong Xuanyu felt a pain in his heart and reached out to take him from the wet nurse's arms.
Seeing this scene, not only the wet nurse and the palace maids were shocked, even Concubine Shu’s beautiful eyes could not hide the astonishment!
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, there was a custom of embracing grandchildren rather than sons, because the father was afraid that the sons would be spoiled too much and would not achieve great things in the future.
This is especially true in the royal family.
Throughout the dynasties, there were only a few princes who were held in the arms of their fathers.
But now... His Majesty actually took the initiative to pick up the Third Prince? !
"Plop-plop-"
Concubine Shu's heartbeat suddenly accelerated.
This kind of treatment was something that neither the eldest prince nor the second prince had ever enjoyed before.
Did His Majesty finally understand how special the Third Prince's status was as his eldest son? !
She said that even ordinary noble families value the eldest son, let alone the royal family?
The third prince is far superior to other princes because of his superiority!
Originally, seeing that His Majesty's favor for the Third Prince was not as great as that for the Fourth Prince, Concubine Shu felt somewhat regretful that the Duke Dingguo's Mansion had used military power in exchange for her raising the Third Prince.
At this moment, Concubine Shu's mind became active again!
It seems that the Third Prince not only has a hope for the position of Crown Prince, but also a very high hope!
Concubine Shu walked over and looked at the Third Prince with much more eager eyes: "Your Majesty, look, the Third Prince looks so cute when he is sleeping."
"During the time he has been in Yongshou Palace, I have done everything myself. Every time the Third Prince wakes up, he insists on being held by me."
Nangong Xuanyu held the Third Prince for a long time before handing him over to the wet nurse, warning her, "Take good care of the Third Prince."
"If anyone fails to serve the Third Prince well, I will make you pay with your head!"
The nurse didn't know why His Majesty suddenly attached so much importance to the Third Prince, so she quickly bowed her head and assured him, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, we will serve the Third Prince with all our heart!"
The more the emperor cared about the third prince, the happier the concubine was.
She smiled and said, "Your Majesty, if you look at how well Yun'er is taken care of by me, you will know that no one in Yongshou Palace dares to neglect the heir to the throne."
Nangong Xuanyu glanced at Concubine Shu, pursed his thin lips and said nothing.
He also knew very well that the Duke Dingguo's Mansion was willing to hand over military power in order to let Concubine Shu raise the third prince. What kind of evil ambition was hidden in this!
Precisely in order not to foster the ambitions of the Duke Dingguo's Mansion and to prevent certain officials in the court from siding with the Third Prince, the Emperor visited him less frequently in the Yongshou Palace.
In the past, he had thought about how he should treat the Third Prince when he grew up, so that he could be given the honor that a prince deserves, but at the same time not be used by the Duke Dingguo's Mansion.
But now... those worries are unnecessary.