Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 387

“Your Majesty, the concubine didn’t do it on purpose!”

In the Duke Ying’s residence, the household staff withdrew, leaving only the family members gathered in the main courtyard.

Gu Ye, now pulling his collar up to his shoulders, knelt on the ground, his voice trembling with a hint of sorrow, “I didn’t realize there were others around…”

However, his tone soon became firmer, with a trace of authority. “You are indeed arrogant, but there is no one else in this hall except Prince Lie.”

He then glanced at Song Shiliu and Wu’an, whispering, “Quick, help me up! What are you waiting for?”

Song Shiliu and Wu’an exchanged sardonic smiles and immediately grabbed Gu Ye’s arms, dragging him towards the door.

As Gu Ye was being pulled towards the exit, he spoke again, “Your Majesty, the concubine has made a mistake. While you may not care about my dignity, you should at least consider Xu’er’s honor.”

With that, he gently freed himself from Song Shiliu and Wu’an, declaring, “Well then, Your Majesty, you may proceed to dismiss me.”

Gu Yin and Mrs. Wang had been waiting for Gu Ye to return and share the palace’s events. Despite hearing Wu Qingyi’s brief account, they still yearned to hear the full story from Gu Ye himself before finding relief.

Gu Ye assured them that everything had proceeded smoothly. Emperor Zhengyuan had expressed his desire to grant him the title of prince. However, a censor had protested, stating that there was no historical precedent for such a young prince. It was suggested that they should raise the palace’s eldest son and make the preparations more significant.

But Old Master Wen had swiftly countered that argument.

Gu Ye, mimicking Old Master Wen’s demeanor, placed one hand behind his back and used the other to pretend to stroke an imaginary beard on his chin. He sneered, “What history? Are we talking about the previous dynasty?”

The imperial censor was indeed an official from the former dynasty and had been retained by Emperor Zhengyuan due to his shrewdness.

Old Master Wen’s retort implied that the censor was an advocate for the old system of the former dynasty within the new dynasty, and this silenced the censor, who dared not say another word. He was terrified and began pleading for forgiveness.

Gu Ye later mentioned that Concubine Feng had only said a few words and was dismissed by Emperor Zhengyuan. Mrs. Wang found this peculiar and asked whether the concubine was not well-favored, as it seemed that the Feng family’s status had been shaky before.

Gu Ye, enjoying his acting, imitated Concubine Feng’s seductive attitude, causing everyone in the room to burst into laughter.

Gu Yin quickly intervened, urging him to stop acting and get to the point, as they all knew the outcome.

Gu Ye, sitting beside Gu Yin, defended himself, “I didn’t act like this there. I know I can’t behave like this outside! I performed well today, and His Majesty praised me!”

Glancing at his uncle, Wu Qingyi, Gu Ye said, “Indeed, Uncle Wu, I was like a different person in there—my appearance, style, and the way I spoke.”

With everything proceeding smoothly, Gu Ye was in high spirits, and he exhibited more liveliness than usual. When it grew late, everyone retired to their rooms. After taking a bath, Gu Ye entered Gu Yin’s room.

“It turns out that I’ll be seven years old next month,” Gu Ye said, kicking his shoes onto the bed and counting on his fingers, “I celebrated my birthday last September, and it’s only been a few months, and I’ll have another birthday in March.”

Gu Yin used a towel to dry his hair. “Isn’t that wonderful? You can have one birthday in the palace in March and another with us privately in September. Most people only have one birthday, but you get two.”

Gu Ye was worried about his mother’s feelings because he had previously vowed that the day he met her would be his only birthday. Upon hearing her response, he immediately smiled and nestled his head in Gu Yin’s hand, saying, “Mother is the best.”

After a while, Gu Yin dried his hair and was about to put him to bed when Gu Ye suddenly asked, “Mother, what do you think about me being the emperor?”

Gu Yin, nearly dozing off, was startled by the question. He had only just become a prince; why was he already thinking about being an emperor? Suspicion crept into her mind, and she asked if someone had talked to him about it.

Gu Ye replied, “No one told me; I just thought of it on my own.”

Relieved that he hadn’t been influenced by someone else, Gu Yin responded, “I know you’re a bit smarter than most kids your age, which is great, but you shouldn’t be thinking about these things at your age.”

Gu Ye sighed and said, “If only I could grow up faster. You don’t understand, but today I realized what it’s like to be an emperor.”

While Gu Ye had interacted with Emperor Zhengyuan for some time, his identity had not been disclosed to the public during that period. He couldn’t appear in front of others and could only meet with the emperor in private. The emperor’s busy schedule meant that he had little time to spend with Gu Ye. The palace meals were unappetizing, and the days seemed pitiful.

However, on that particular day, it was different. There were hundreds of civil and military officials present, and even people like Old Master Wen had to kneel before Emperor Zhengyuan and respond with great respect. Gu Ye was especially struck by how Concubine Feng, described by Mrs.Wang as arrogant and domineering, was utterly obedient in front of Emperor Zhengyuan, resembling a meek rabbit.

It dawned on Gu Ye that being an emperor was much more glamorous than when he had been a child king.

In such a position, Concubine Feng and Mrs. Qin wouldn’t dare to create problems for his mother and grandmother. He was captivated by the idea, his face lit up with excitement.

Observing his eager expression, Gu Yin couldn’t help but feel a sense of worry. After all, the little prince was destined to be drawn into the intricacies of the throne, and as the eldest son, he would always be a target. Even if he didn’t actively pursue the throne, his younger brothers might pose a threat.

Fortunately, Emperor Zhengyuan’s harem had few concubines and even fewer children. The other two princes were less than four years old. Had the situation been different, Gu Yin would likely have trouble sleeping at night just thinking about it.

Gu Yin took a deep breath and tried to impart some wisdom. “It’s not just about what you want,” she began, speaking in a measured tone, “You need to be a good prince first. Once His Majesty grows old or leaves this world, it might become your turn. But, for now, you must not think about these things and never utter a word of it to anyone.”

She paused for a moment and added, “Especially not in front of the Empress.” Gu Yin didn’t want to create any distance between Gu Ye and Empress Zhou, but Empress Zhou had another son, and the future was uncertain.

Gu Ye nodded eagerly, promising, “I understand. If I tell others, they might think I’m eagerly awaiting the end of my emperor father’s reign. So, I’ve only told you. You know I’m not that kind of wicked child.”

Gu Yin hugged him, patted his back, and heard him mumble as he was drifting to sleep, “My emperor father is actually quite good, and he’s not too old. Well, let’s set a small goal for now—to be a prince first.”

Gu Yin couldn’t help but chuckle.

Indeed, what a “small goal”!

Really a “small goal”, eh!