The Crown Prince entered the room and saw Grand Tutor Du lying against the headboard, his eyes unusually bright. He had a sense of foreboding in his heart.
"Has the Crown Prince arrived?" Grand Tutor Du saw the Crown Prince and a kind smile appeared on his face, "It's late at night. Was the journey smooth?"
"The journey was smooth," The Crown Prince walked to the bedside and performed a junior's courtesy to Grand Tutor Du.
This time, Grand Tutor Du didn't avoid it but instead beckoned to the Crown Prince, "Your Royal Highness, ruling a country is like walking in the night. If you have a clear direction in your heart, the path will naturally be smooth. If you're lost, you'll encounter obstacles at every turn. I, as an old servant, have exhausted my abilities and can no longer see the prosperity of our Great Jin Kingdom. I only hope that in the future, Your Royal Highness will love the people like your own children and govern with benevolence and virtue."
The Du family members dared not speak as they all kneeled on the ground.
In the old man's words, he always seemed dissatisfied with the Crown Prince, but in his heart, the Crown Prince had always been the legitimate heir to the throne.
At this moment, Hua Liuli didn't approach. She silently stood on the side, allowing the Crown Prince to have a quiet conversation with the old Grand Tutor.
"Grand Tutor, Gu knows you are concerned about the prosperity of the Great Jin Kingdom. Take good care of your health. If there is anything Gu has done improperly, please point it out to Gu," The Crown Prince touched Grand Tutor Du's slightly cool hand and sighed softly in his heart.
This was a sign of impending death.
"Your Royal Highness, I'm old and should rest," Grand Tutor Du rarely smiled in front of the Crown Prince, but today, he smiled particularly kindly. He looked at Hua Liuli standing beside him, "Is this young lady the future Crown Princess?"
"Yes, she is the future Crown Princess. Her name is Liuli. Gu brought her here today to meet you," The Crown Prince turned and looked tenderly at Hua Liuli.
"A daughter raised with Hua Yingting and Wei Mingyue's teachings won't be inferior," Grand Tutor Du had never shown much liking for Hua Yingting, but when the court officials tried to impeach the Hua family, he stood up in support of them.
"She is a good girl," Grand Tutor Du thought of the relationship between the late Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and sighed softly, "Don't disappoint her."
The descendants of the Du family saw that the old man's spirit was getting better and that he had the strength to speak. Their initial joy turned into worry, and some even silently shed tears, covering their mouths.
The news of Grand Tutor Du's deteriorating condition quickly spread to the imperial palace. Although Grand Tutor Du had little power in the court, he was His Majesty's mentor and had considerable prestige among the scholars. When the consorts and concubines heard the news, they quickly sent people to notify their sons to visit the Du Family Estate.
"Your Highness, Ning Wang is already asleep at this hour. He must not be able to wake up at this time," after the banquet, Ning Wang looked tired. Consort Rong felt sorry for her son and let him rest in her palace.
Unexpectedly, Grand Tutor Du was on the verge of passing away, but her own son couldn't wake up. She glared at the palace maid who spoke, "If he doesn't wake up, splash him with water until he does."
The palace maids and eunuchs knew they wouldn't dare to actually splash water on an imperial prince. Consort Rong lifted her skirt, grabbed a bucket of water with one hand, and rushed into Ning Wang's bedroom, pouring all the water onto him.
"Ah!" Ning Wang let out a miserable cry and jumped up from the bed, "What happened?!"
"Change your clothes and go visit Grand Tutor Du at the Du Family Estate. The Crown Prince went to the Du Family Estate after the banquet. Ying Wang should be on his way there too. Leave the palace immediately, don't delay," Consort Rong threw the wooden bucket to the ground and pointed to a set of plain clothes on the tray, "His Royal Highness has already gone to the Du Family Estate. Now it's your turn."
Consort Rong sighed as she turned around and left her son's bedroom.
The Du family's stance at the banquet today was clearly in support of the Crown Prince. It turns out that despite the Grand Tutor being so critical of the Crown Prince for so many years, he still regarded the Crown Prince as the legitimate heir. No wonder His Majesty and the Crown Prince endured him for so long.
"Your Highness," A palace maid handed her a coat to put on, "It's chilly at night. Let's go back and rest."
Consort Rong rubbed her forehead, "Tonight at the banquet, did Consort Xian suddenly go out for a while and then return with Fushou Junzhu?"
The palace maid nodded, "Yes."
"I suspect that foolish Consort Xian has been manipulated," Consort Rong's temples throbbed. She really didn't want to get involved in these matters, but in the palace, with only a few consorts and concubines like them, if any one of them caused a major incident, considering His Majesty's regard for the Crown Prince, none of them would fare well.
"Your Highness, shall I go and inquire about what happened tonight?" The palace maid noticed Consort Rong's displeased expression and had the intention to find out.
"No need," Consort Rong shook her head with a grave expression, "From now on, let our people have fewer interactions with those from other palaces, especially... the side of Consort Lin and Consort Shu."
The foolish Consort Xian wasn't the least bit frightening, the frightening ones were the clever ones.
Meanwhile, Consort Xian, who was regarded as foolish, couldn't sleep because she was infuriated. At first, she didn't understand, but later, she realized that she had been made a scapegoat.
When she saw the Crown Prince in the rear hall, something was obviously amiss, but judging by the expressions of the Crown Prince and Fushou Junzhu, the situation seemed to have been temporarily resolved.
What if it hadn't been resolved?
With her straightforward and outspoken nature, she might have uttered a few words of criticism. Would the Crown Prince then suspect her of being behind it?
"It's already Changlong Dynasty, yet people are still using such disgusting tactics," Consort Xian drank two cups of calming tea but couldn't calm down her anger, "I knew it, in the harem, as long as there is power, there will be struggles."
"Your Highness, what should we do then?" The palace maid was somewhat afraid.
"What can we do?" Consort Xian slammed the table, "I need to find His Majesty."
"Ah?" The palace maid was shocked.
"If not His Majesty, then who else should I find, the Empress Dowager?" Consort Xian spoke confidently, "The Empress Dowager is old and can't handle disturbances. It's late at night, I can't go bother her."
The palace maid: "..."
But what did His Majesty do wrong? In the middle of the night, he had to worry about the critically ill Grand Tutor and also face the complaint-prone Consort Xian.
Unfortunately, Consort Xian was associated with virtue in every aspect of her body and had no solutions. Having suffered such a big loss and not being able to find a way to resolve it, and fearing that His Majesty and the Crown Prince would misunderstand her, she had no choice but to go to Emperor Changlong and plead her grievances. She had no other means left.
The palace was in chaos, however, the Crown Prince at the Du Family Estate was unaware of it. He looked at Grand Tutor Du, whose gaze was growing brighter, seemingly as if he was burning with the last glimmer of life. His tone was gentle as he said, "Grand Tutor Du, is there anything else you need Gu to convey to Father Emperor?"
This was the Emperor's promise to a court official. As long as the Grand Tutor Du's requests were not excessive, Emperor Changlong would fulfill them.
Grand Tutor Du's gaze swept over all his sons and grandsons, finally falling on his significantly emaciated granddaughter.
"Your Royal Highness, I have no requests. I only wish for the peace and prosperity of Great Jin, and for favorable weather," Grand Tutor Du withdrew his gaze and a smile appeared on his face, "His Majesty is the Emperor and my best student."
The Crown Prince's expression showed a hint of emotion as he looked at the Grand Tutor Du, "Besides these, is there anything else?"
"My children and grandchildren will have their own fortunes. Before I depart, it would be my greatest blessing if His Majesty could accompany me on my final journey," The Grand Tutor smiled with a carefree demeanor, "I was wrong before. Your Royal Highness is the most qualified to be the Crown Prince."
Just as Ying Wang entered the room, he heard these words and paused in his steps.
Hua Liuli sensed someone entering and turned her head to glance at the person.
Ying Wang and Hua Liuli's eyes met. Ying Wang's expression slightly changed as he quickly averted his gaze.
"Grand Tutor Du," the Crown Prince spoke softly to the Grand Tutor Du, "The Hundred Nations Banquet tonight was very lively. When Gu thought about Grand Tutor Du being unwell and unable to witness the grand occasion in person, Gu brought two scrolls depicting the banquet."
He stepped aside, allowing Grand Tutor Du to see the scrolls being unfolded by the eunuchs.
"Grand Tutor Du," the Crown Prince grasped the Grand Tutor's hand, "Great Jin will continue to prosper."
Grand Tutor Du's eyes greedily observed every detail in the scrolls, seemingly unwilling to miss any slightest detail. Finally, his gaze settled on Emperor Changlong seated at the head.
He recalled the glory of his youth when he passed the imperial examinations, the uneasiness when he first entered the court, and the anticipation and nervousness when he first met Emperor Changlong.
From that moment he was called "Teacher", it had been half his life.
His vision gradually became blurred, but he strained to keep his eyes wide open, seemingly as if he saw flashes of peculiar light in the vast white sky.
A scroll was placed in his palm, and he knew that it was the Crown Prince's hand helping him grip it.
"Grand Tutor Du, the prosperity of Great Jin today is thanks to your contributions."
The Grand Tutor exerted all his remaining strength to tightly grip the scroll in his hand, a smile lingering on his lips as he slowly closed his eyes.
"Father!"
"Grandfather!"
In an instant, the cries of grief filled the Du Family Estate.
The Crown Prince stared at the old Grand Tutor who held his hand and departed with a smile, feeling a complex mix of emotions in his heart.
He gently released the old man's hand, tucked it into the bedding, tidied the covers for him one last time, took a few steps back, and bowed deeply to the Grand Tutor Du.
Ying Wang silently walked behind him and also performed a deep bow.
The members of the Du family reciprocated the bow while crying. The Crown Prince looked at the grieving younger generations of the Du family and said, "Please accept Gu's sincere condolences. You don't have to worry about us. Prepare for the Grand Tutor Du's final rites."
The descendants of the deceased prepared the body, changing it into burial garments. As outsiders, the Crown Prince and Hua Liuli couldn't watch. They moved to the courtyard and listened to the sound of wailing. After a long silence, the Crown Prince spoke, "If Father Emperor knew that the Grand Tutor Du had passed away, he would be deeply saddened."
"Grand Tutor Du was already in his eighties and died at an advanced age. It can be considered joyful mourning," Ying Wang remarked, "With the Crown Prince here, Grand Tutor Du departed with a smile. When Father Emperor hears about it, he will find some solace."
Grand Tutor Du used to criticize the Crown Prince all the time, but would occasionally praise him, the eldest son. Ying Wang thought that Grand Tutor Du had higher expectations of him. However, he didn't expect that despite Grand Tutor Du's constant pickiness, he still wished for the Crown Prince's well-being. After all, what significance did he, the eldest son of the Emperor, hold?
"Your Royal Highness, you shouldn't be too saddened," Hua Liuli reached out to grab the Crown Prince's hand, but he avoided her touch.
Hua Liuli looked at him with surprise.
"Gu hasn't washed my hands yet, it's not auspicious," the Crown Prince said, though he wasn't superstitious, he was concerned that Hua Liuli might be.
"Your Royal Highness is the Crown Prince, carrying the Emperor's dragon energy within you. Your whole being is surrounded by auspiciousness," Hua Liuli firmly grabbed the Crown Prince's hand, "Don't say such things."
The Crown Prince forced a smile, "It's getting late. Gu will handle the matters concerning Grand Tutor Du here. You should go back and rest."
Hua Liuli shook her head, "Didn't I say it earlier? I will accompany Your Royal Highness tonight. I won't leave halfway," She noticed that the Crown Prince's mood was not good and held his hand to comfort him, "Your Royal Highness, I will be by your side."
The Crown Prince blinked his eyelids, "Alright."
Ying Wang, who was standing by the side: "..."
Why did he feel like he was standing there alone, resembling a stray dog that was being ignored on the roadside?
After a while, Ning Wang also hurriedly arrived. Upon hearing that Grand Tutor Du had passed away, he paused for a moment, went to the memorial hall to offer incense, then turned to find the Crown Prince and Ying Wang before finally feeling relieved.
He couldn't feel at ease if he didn't accompany his eldest brother or the Crown Prince in their activities.
The stubborn Grand Tutor Du had offended many people during his lifetime. As he reached the end of his life, having the Crown Prince and other princes come to bid him farewell was considered a great honor.
However, for the Du family members who genuinely respected and loved Grand Tutor Du, no amount of glory could compare to having their old master still alive.
Du Xiuying changed into mourning clothes made of coarse fabric and knelt in front of the memorial hall, crying so hard that she could hardly catch her breath. Madam Du was worried about her health and tried to console her, but to no avail. She was filled with anxiety.
"Madam Du," Hua Liuli arrived at the Du Family Estate without enough time to change her clothes. She was still wearing the elegant attire she had worn to the banquet. Luckily, Yurong was quick-witted and brought out a plain garment. Hua Liuli hurriedly changed into it, removed her hair accessories, and then went to find Du Xiuying at the memorial hall.
Seeing Du Xiuying so heartbroken, Hua Liuli felt a pang in her own heart. She walked over, squatted down beside Du Xiuying, and said, "Sister Du..."
"Junzhu..." Du Xiuying looked at Hua Liuli in a daze, then suddenly reached out and hugged her, no longer caring about her own image, and began to sob uncontrollably.
Hua Liuli gently patted her back, comforting her in silence.
At this moment, words seemed futile. Silent companionship was the best comfort.
Ning Wang looked at Du Xiuying and Fushou Junzhu embracing each other. It was said that Du Xiuying had almost become the Crown Princess. However, seeing the trust Du Xiuying placed in Fushou Junzhu and the gentle and considerate manner of Fushou Junzhu towards Du Xiuying, it seemed that they didn't hold any grudges over that matter.
Then he turned his head and glanced at his third brother, who pretended as if nothing had happened. Suddenly, Ning Wang understood something and nodded in realization.
As a man, if he wanted to live a tolerable life, he had to pretend not to feel wronged.
He then looked at his eldest brother, whose complexion wasn't looking too good. Fushou Junzhu had also almost become Ying Wang's Wangfei, but unfortunately, his eldest brother had not agreed, and their father hadn't brought up the marriage proposal again.
Upon careful consideration, the relationships between the men and women here seemed a bit complicated.
The only one without any relationship seemed to be him.
"Sister Du!" Yao Jiamin, dressed in plain clothes, hurriedly ran in.
Ning Wang looked at Ying Wang once again; the situation became even more complicated.
Krish728
Author's Note:
Ning Wang: Quack quack, Benwang like to eat, including melons[modern_footnote]Eating melons can also mean gossiping.[/modern_footnote].
The Crown Prince entered the room and saw Grand Tutor Du lying against the headboard, his eyes unusually bright. He had a sense of foreboding in his heart.
"Has the Crown Prince arrived?" Grand Tutor Du saw the Crown Prince and a kind smile appeared on his face, "It's late at night. Was the journey smooth?"
"The journey was smooth," The Crown Prince walked to the bedside and performed a junior's courtesy to Grand Tutor Du.
This time, Grand Tutor Du didn't avoid it but instead beckoned to the Crown Prince, "Your Royal Highness, ruling a country is like walking in the night. If you have a clear direction in your heart, the path will naturally be smooth. If you're lost, you'll encounter obstacles at every turn. I, as an old servant, have exhausted my abilities and can no longer see the prosperity of our Great Jin Kingdom. I only hope that in the future, Your Royal Highness will love the people like your own children and govern with benevolence and virtue."
The Du family members dared not speak as they all kneeled on the ground.
In the old man's words, he always seemed dissatisfied with the Crown Prince, but in his heart, the Crown Prince had always been the legitimate heir to the throne.
At this moment, Hua Liuli didn't approach. She silently stood on the side, allowing the Crown Prince to have a quiet conversation with the old Grand Tutor.
"Grand Tutor, Gu knows you are concerned about the prosperity of the Great Jin Kingdom. Take good care of your health. If there is anything Gu has done improperly, please point it out to Gu," The Crown Prince touched Grand Tutor Du's slightly cool hand and sighed softly in his heart.
This was a sign of impending death.
"Your Royal Highness, I'm old and should rest," Grand Tutor Du rarely smiled in front of the Crown Prince, but today, he smiled particularly kindly. He looked at Hua Liuli standing beside him, "Is this young lady the future Crown Princess?"
"Yes, she is the future Crown Princess. Her name is Liuli. Gu brought her here today to meet you," The Crown Prince turned and looked tenderly at Hua Liuli.
"A daughter raised with Hua Yingting and Wei Mingyue's teachings won't be inferior," Grand Tutor Du had never shown much liking for Hua Yingting, but when the court officials tried to impeach the Hua family, he stood up in support of them.
"She is a good girl," Grand Tutor Du thought of the relationship between the late Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and sighed softly, "Don't disappoint her."
The descendants of the Du family saw that the old man's spirit was getting better and that he had the strength to speak. Their initial joy turned into worry, and some even silently shed tears, covering their mouths.
The news of Grand Tutor Du's deteriorating condition quickly spread to the imperial palace. Although Grand Tutor Du had little power in the court, he was His Majesty's mentor and had considerable prestige among the scholars. When the consorts and concubines heard the news, they quickly sent people to notify their sons to visit the Du Family Estate.
"Your Highness, Ning Wang is already asleep at this hour. He must not be able to wake up at this time," after the banquet, Ning Wang looked tired. Consort Rong felt sorry for her son and let him rest in her palace.
Unexpectedly, Grand Tutor Du was on the verge of passing away, but her own son couldn't wake up. She glared at the palace maid who spoke, "If he doesn't wake up, splash him with water until he does."
The palace maids and eunuchs knew they wouldn't dare to actually splash water on an imperial prince. Consort Rong lifted her skirt, grabbed a bucket of water with one hand, and rushed into Ning Wang's bedroom, pouring all the water onto him.
"Ah!" Ning Wang let out a miserable cry and jumped up from the bed, "What happened?!"
"Change your clothes and go visit Grand Tutor Du at the Du Family Estate. The Crown Prince went to the Du Family Estate after the banquet. Ying Wang should be on his way there too. Leave the palace immediately, don't delay," Consort Rong threw the wooden bucket to the ground and pointed to a set of plain clothes on the tray, "His Royal Highness has already gone to the Du Family Estate. Now it's your turn."
Consort Rong sighed as she turned around and left her son's bedroom.
The Du family's stance at the banquet today was clearly in support of the Crown Prince. It turns out that despite the Grand Tutor being so critical of the Crown Prince for so many years, he still regarded the Crown Prince as the legitimate heir. No wonder His Majesty and the Crown Prince endured him for so long.
"Your Highness," A palace maid handed her a coat to put on, "It's chilly at night. Let's go back and rest."
Consort Rong rubbed her forehead, "Tonight at the banquet, did Consort Xian suddenly go out for a while and then return with Fushou Junzhu?"
The palace maid nodded, "Yes."
"I suspect that foolish Consort Xian has been manipulated," Consort Rong's temples throbbed. She really didn't want to get involved in these matters, but in the palace, with only a few consorts and concubines like them, if any one of them caused a major incident, considering His Majesty's regard for the Crown Prince, none of them would fare well.
"Your Highness, shall I go and inquire about what happened tonight?" The palace maid noticed Consort Rong's displeased expression and had the intention to find out.
"No need," Consort Rong shook her head with a grave expression, "From now on, let our people have fewer interactions with those from other palaces, especially... the side of Consort Lin and Consort Shu."
The foolish Consort Xian wasn't the least bit frightening, the frightening ones were the clever ones.
Meanwhile, Consort Xian, who was regarded as foolish, couldn't sleep because she was infuriated. At first, she didn't understand, but later, she realized that she had been made a scapegoat.
When she saw the Crown Prince in the rear hall, something was obviously amiss, but judging by the expressions of the Crown Prince and Fushou Junzhu, the situation seemed to have been temporarily resolved.
What if it hadn't been resolved?
With her straightforward and outspoken nature, she might have uttered a few words of criticism. Would the Crown Prince then suspect her of being behind it?
"It's already Changlong Dynasty, yet people are still using such disgusting tactics," Consort Xian drank two cups of calming tea but couldn't calm down her anger, "I knew it, in the harem, as long as there is power, there will be struggles."
"Your Highness, what should we do then?" The palace maid was somewhat afraid.
"What can we do?" Consort Xian slammed the table, "I need to find His Majesty."
"Ah?" The palace maid was shocked.
"If not His Majesty, then who else should I find, the Empress Dowager?" Consort Xian spoke confidently, "The Empress Dowager is old and can't handle disturbances. It's late at night, I can't go bother her."
The palace maid: "..."
But what did His Majesty do wrong? In the middle of the night, he had to worry about the critically ill Grand Tutor and also face the complaint-prone Consort Xian.
Unfortunately, Consort Xian was associated with virtue in every aspect of her body and had no solutions. Having suffered such a big loss and not being able to find a way to resolve it, and fearing that His Majesty and the Crown Prince would misunderstand her, she had no choice but to go to Emperor Changlong and plead her grievances. She had no other means left.
The palace was in chaos, however, the Crown Prince at the Du Family Estate was unaware of it. He looked at Grand Tutor Du, whose gaze was growing brighter, seemingly as if he was burning with the last glimmer of life. His tone was gentle as he said, "Grand Tutor Du, is there anything else you need Gu to convey to Father Emperor?"
This was the Emperor's promise to a court official. As long as the Grand Tutor Du's requests were not excessive, Emperor Changlong would fulfill them.
Grand Tutor Du's gaze swept over all his sons and grandsons, finally falling on his significantly emaciated granddaughter.
"Your Royal Highness, I have no requests. I only wish for the peace and prosperity of Great Jin, and for favorable weather," Grand Tutor Du withdrew his gaze and a smile appeared on his face, "His Majesty is the Emperor and my best student."
The Crown Prince's expression showed a hint of emotion as he looked at the Grand Tutor Du, "Besides these, is there anything else?"
"My children and grandchildren will have their own fortunes. Before I depart, it would be my greatest blessing if His Majesty could accompany me on my final journey," The Grand Tutor smiled with a carefree demeanor, "I was wrong before. Your Royal Highness is the most qualified to be the Crown Prince."
Just as Ying Wang entered the room, he heard these words and paused in his steps.
Hua Liuli sensed someone entering and turned her head to glance at the person.
Ying Wang and Hua Liuli's eyes met. Ying Wang's expression slightly changed as he quickly averted his gaze.
"Grand Tutor Du," the Crown Prince spoke softly to the Grand Tutor Du, "The Hundred Nations Banquet tonight was very lively. When Gu thought about Grand Tutor Du being unwell and unable to witness the grand occasion in person, Gu brought two scrolls depicting the banquet."
He stepped aside, allowing Grand Tutor Du to see the scrolls being unfolded by the eunuchs.
"Grand Tutor Du," the Crown Prince grasped the Grand Tutor's hand, "Great Jin will continue to prosper."
Grand Tutor Du's eyes greedily observed every detail in the scrolls, seemingly unwilling to miss any slightest detail. Finally, his gaze settled on Emperor Changlong seated at the head.
He recalled the glory of his youth when he passed the imperial examinations, the uneasiness when he first entered the court, and the anticipation and nervousness when he first met Emperor Changlong.
From that moment he was called "Teacher", it had been half his life.
His vision gradually became blurred, but he strained to keep his eyes wide open, seemingly as if he saw flashes of peculiar light in the vast white sky.
A scroll was placed in his palm, and he knew that it was the Crown Prince's hand helping him grip it.
"Grand Tutor Du, the prosperity of Great Jin today is thanks to your contributions."
The Grand Tutor exerted all his remaining strength to tightly grip the scroll in his hand, a smile lingering on his lips as he slowly closed his eyes.
"Father!"
"Grandfather!"
In an instant, the cries of grief filled the Du Family Estate.
The Crown Prince stared at the old Grand Tutor who held his hand and departed with a smile, feeling a complex mix of emotions in his heart.
He gently released the old man's hand, tucked it into the bedding, tidied the covers for him one last time, took a few steps back, and bowed deeply to the Grand Tutor Du.
Ying Wang silently walked behind him and also performed a deep bow.
The members of the Du family reciprocated the bow while crying. The Crown Prince looked at the grieving younger generations of the Du family and said, "Please accept Gu's sincere condolences. You don't have to worry about us. Prepare for the Grand Tutor Du's final rites."
The descendants of the deceased prepared the body, changing it into burial garments. As outsiders, the Crown Prince and Hua Liuli couldn't watch. They moved to the courtyard and listened to the sound of wailing. After a long silence, the Crown Prince spoke, "If Father Emperor knew that the Grand Tutor Du had passed away, he would be deeply saddened."
"Grand Tutor Du was already in his eighties and died at an advanced age. It can be considered joyful mourning," Ying Wang remarked, "With the Crown Prince here, Grand Tutor Du departed with a smile. When Father Emperor hears about it, he will find some solace."
Grand Tutor Du used to criticize the Crown Prince all the time, but would occasionally praise him, the eldest son. Ying Wang thought that Grand Tutor Du had higher expectations of him. However, he didn't expect that despite Grand Tutor Du's constant pickiness, he still wished for the Crown Prince's well-being. After all, what significance did he, the eldest son of the Emperor, hold?
"Your Royal Highness, you shouldn't be too saddened," Hua Liuli reached out to grab the Crown Prince's hand, but he avoided her touch.
Hua Liuli looked at him with surprise.
"Gu hasn't washed my hands yet, it's not auspicious," the Crown Prince said, though he wasn't superstitious, he was concerned that Hua Liuli might be.
"Your Royal Highness is the Crown Prince, carrying the Emperor's dragon energy within you. Your whole being is surrounded by auspiciousness," Hua Liuli firmly grabbed the Crown Prince's hand, "Don't say such things."
The Crown Prince forced a smile, "It's getting late. Gu will handle the matters concerning Grand Tutor Du here. You should go back and rest."
Hua Liuli shook her head, "Didn't I say it earlier? I will accompany Your Royal Highness tonight. I won't leave halfway," She noticed that the Crown Prince's mood was not good and held his hand to comfort him, "Your Royal Highness, I will be by your side."
The Crown Prince blinked his eyelids, "Alright."
Ying Wang, who was standing by the side: "..."
Why did he feel like he was standing there alone, resembling a stray dog that was being ignored on the roadside?
After a while, Ning Wang also hurriedly arrived. Upon hearing that Grand Tutor Du had passed away, he paused for a moment, went to the memorial hall to offer incense, then turned to find the Crown Prince and Ying Wang before finally feeling relieved.
He couldn't feel at ease if he didn't accompany his eldest brother or the Crown Prince in their activities.
The stubborn Grand Tutor Du had offended many people during his lifetime. As he reached the end of his life, having the Crown Prince and other princes come to bid him farewell was considered a great honor.
However, for the Du family members who genuinely respected and loved Grand Tutor Du, no amount of glory could compare to having their old master still alive.
Du Xiuying changed into mourning clothes made of coarse fabric and knelt in front of the memorial hall, crying so hard that she could hardly catch her breath. Madam Du was worried about her health and tried to console her, but to no avail. She was filled with anxiety.
"Madam Du," Hua Liuli arrived at the Du Family Estate without enough time to change her clothes. She was still wearing the elegant attire she had worn to the banquet. Luckily, Yurong was quick-witted and brought out a plain garment. Hua Liuli hurriedly changed into it, removed her hair accessories, and then went to find Du Xiuying at the memorial hall.
Seeing Du Xiuying so heartbroken, Hua Liuli felt a pang in her own heart. She walked over, squatted down beside Du Xiuying, and said, "Sister Du..."
"Junzhu..." Du Xiuying looked at Hua Liuli in a daze, then suddenly reached out and hugged her, no longer caring about her own image, and began to sob uncontrollably.
Hua Liuli gently patted her back, comforting her in silence.
At this moment, words seemed futile. Silent companionship was the best comfort.
Ning Wang looked at Du Xiuying and Fushou Junzhu embracing each other. It was said that Du Xiuying had almost become the Crown Princess. However, seeing the trust Du Xiuying placed in Fushou Junzhu and the gentle and considerate manner of Fushou Junzhu towards Du Xiuying, it seemed that they didn't hold any grudges over that matter.
Then he turned his head and glanced at his third brother, who pretended as if nothing had happened. Suddenly, Ning Wang understood something and nodded in realization.
As a man, if he wanted to live a tolerable life, he had to pretend not to feel wronged.
He then looked at his eldest brother, whose complexion wasn't looking too good. Fushou Junzhu had also almost become Ying Wang's Wangfei, but unfortunately, his eldest brother had not agreed, and their father hadn't brought up the marriage proposal again.
Upon careful consideration, the relationships between the men and women here seemed a bit complicated.
The only one without any relationship seemed to be him.
"Sister Du!" Yao Jiamin, dressed in plain clothes, hurriedly ran in.
Ning Wang looked at Ying Wang once again; the situation became even more complicated.
Krish728
Author's Note:
Ning Wang: Quack quack, Benwang like to eat, including melons[modern_footnote]Eating melons can also mean gossiping.[/modern_footnote].
