Free Web NovelChapter 280: Chapter 280: Granting the Wish
Rong Ruiyuan calmed himself and thought carefully, this was indeed a good idea, "Do you think the Emperor will agree to...?"
"Your Highness, you are a Prince, you just want a woman, also for the royal family’s continuation, why would His Majesty stop you?"
"What you say makes sense, the Eldest Imperial Brother and the others already have offspring, while I am without. I believe the Emperor will fulfill my ’sincere desire’."
He looked at the other advisors again and found them also pondering the feasibility of this, after discussing for a while, as daylight broke, they dispersed.
Rong Ruiyuan did not sleep all night, but was still energetic. After changing clothes, he headed towards the Imperial Palace.
After court adjourned, he did not rush to leave the palace but went to find Consort Liang first.
The mother and son dismissed those around them and spoke for a good while.
When it was time for a meal, Consort Liang specifically sent someone to invite the Emperor, saying she had personally prepared some of her specialty dishes for His Majesty to taste.
The movements in the palace couldn’t be kept from the Emperor, but he also wanted to see what remedy Rong Ruiyuan was planning.
After finishing the meal, Rong Ruiyuan was already kneeling before him, requesting his approval.
The Emperor looked at this mother and son duo, thinking he might have given too much favor lately, leaving them a bit unsatisfied.
But when he thought of his other sons still bouncing around, the Emperor held his temper, "So the rumors are true, you really have taken a fancy to that Gu Baijiang’s granddaughter."
"Tong Er is fond of this son, and I have already promised to bring her into the mansion. I do not want to break my word."
"So you want to make me break faith with the world. You’ve been running around all this time, just to bring the Gu Family back to the capital, you’re quite good."
"Calm your anger, Your Majesty," Consort Liang quickly knelt beside her son, "Yuan Er was momentarily dazzled. The unattainable is always restless. Why not grant his wish to set his mind at ease and help ease your burdens."
"Seems like there’s no feast without trouble, is this mother and son duo trying to force me to agree?"
"Your Concubine dares not,"
"This son dares not,"
"Dares not? Then what is it you are doing?
Rong Ruiyuan, you are already married with concubines, aren’t the women in your backyard enough?
For a single woman, you have your mother consort kneeling here with you, is this your understanding of filial duty?"
Consort Liang quickly bowed her head, "Your Majesty, this has nothing to do with Yuan Er. As his mother consort, I feel for my son, fearing he will have regrets in life which is why I seek Your Majesty’s favor.
Born into the royal family, there are many things we cannot help. Yuan Er only wants a beloved to accompany him. We as mother consorts simply seek to grant his wish."
"Rise," the Emperor’s voice softened. He remembered when he too had a favored woman, but ultimately gave her up for the throne. Though now her image had long faded, the sense of personal loss was irreparable.
If today Rong Ruiyuan were here to plead for a pardon for Gu Baijiang, he would indeed be disappointed in this son. But as it was for a woman, as a father, he could consider it.
"Consort Liang, is that Gu Baijiang’s granddaughter quite attractive?"
Consort Liang felt relieved, it seemed this move was correct, "In the capital, she is known for her virtues. It’s said she is filial to elders at a young age and helps her mother manage the entire Gu Family. I once thought to reserve a side consort position for her, but then an unexpected incident occurred..."
"Oh, so they already had mutual feelings. Why wasn’t this mentioned when the marriage was arranged before?"
Rong Ruiyuan, "This son knew that the position of primary consort was decided by Father, but did not expect an unforeseen incident later..."
This explanation seemed reasonable, the Emperor recalled the time this young lad went with the exiled group, entering and exiting with the Gu family girl. So the root lied here.
He now somewhat understood why Gu Baijiang sided with Gu Kai Yuan, if the Gu family intended to join a Prince Mansion, they would naturally align.
Unexpectedly, old third turned out to be quite passionate, while other matters couldn’t be fulfilled, this one could.
"Just a woman," once Emperor had thought it through, he said indifferently, "Since you desire, have someone bring her into the mansion to serve you."
"Father, but her status..."
"She can serve as a concubine with you for now, and after bearing children, consider raising her rank." To the Emperor, this was already a monumental favor, the Gu Family should be grateful, having their granddaughter serve the Third Prince well.
"But I cannot bear to," Third Prince appeared troubled, "Due to her and this son’s matter, the families of those women in my backyard have started taking action. Were it not for arranging protection before, Tong Er might have already..."
Rong Ruiyuan’s tone revealed his anger, "Were she to enter the mansion at such a lowly status, I’m afraid she’d endure much hardship."
"Can you not even manage a household?" Of course, the Emperor was aware of these events, the royal family’s inner fights have always been brutal, even if Rong Ruiyuan were to be an idle Prince, for that title, there would be deadly struggles in the backyard.
"Father, this son deserves death," Rong Ruiyuan admitted fault regardless of right or wrong.
"You, you’re too soft-hearted, although the primary and side consort were chosen by me and your mother consort, as the head of the family, you should discipline when necessary."
"But my few Yue Families..."
The Emperor also thought back to yesterday in court, the families of those women in son’s backyard were relentless in hindering his son.
Looking at Rong Ruiyuan, his gaze carried some sympathy, while also feeling much at ease, the third son might be ambitious but not without flaws.
Now for a woman, he had ended up offending several other aides, which was a bit of a loss.
Thinking about it this way, blessing him seemed no harm, the Gu family girl entering the backyard, alone facing so many families, likely wouldn’t last long before fading quietly.
He finally understood why Rong Ruiyuan spared no effort to bring Gu Baijiang back, not just for the silver, but likely to provide that Gu family girl some support.
"Your grandmother’s sixtieth birthday approaches, do prepare well." After speaking, the Emperor rose and left.
Rong Ruiyuan looked dejected, today’s matter would not conclude as hoped.
Consort Liang, on the other hand, was excited; she felt there was indeed something different between her mother and son in the Emperor’s eyes, "Indeed, we should prepare a substantial gift for the Empress Dowager."
Rong Ruiyuan, "Mother Consort, I have nothing to present as a substantial gift."
Rong Ruiyuan was a bit unwilling, for the Imperial Grandmother always favored the Eldest Prince. She even wanted the Emperor to establish the Eldest Prince as Crown Prince. How could he send her a substantial gift?
"You truly are stuck," Consort Liang, although usually fond of her son, couldn’t help wanting to hit him at this moment, "Your Father has made it so obvious, yet you didn’t catch on."
Rong Ruiyuan, "..."
"Isn’t an amnesty issued when your grandmother turns sixty?" Consort Liang, resentful that her son couldn’t meet her expectations, asked.
