In the spring of the thirty-third year of Yongchang, on the twenty-fourth day of the second lunar month, Crown Prince Zhao Sui finished recuperating from his injuries at his former residence and moved back to the Eastern Palace with his wife and child.
During the early morning court session the following day, Emperor Yongchang, in celebration of the Crown Prince's legs being fully healed, issued an imperial decree for a general amnesty across the land. He also exempted the common people nationwide from this year's taxes. The stated reason was that Heaven had bestowed its blessings upon the Crown Prince, and both the Emperor and the Crown Prince wished to share this good fortune with the people of the Great Qi dynasty.
The decree also spread throughout every corner of the imperial palace.
When the news arrived, Yao Huang was in the Central Palace. Tomorrow would be Yun'er's first birthday. Empress Zhou had specifically called Yao Huang over to explain the palace regulations and customs for celebrating the birthdays of imperial princes and grandsons. Although the Ministry of Rites and the palace servants would handle the actual preparations, as masters, they needed to have a clear understanding of the proceedings in their hearts.
It was rare for Empress Zhou to be willing to explain things in such detail, so Yao Huang naturally learned with great earnestness.
After the message-bearing eunuch finished reporting Emperor Yongchang's decree for a general amnesty, Empress Zhou noticed Yao Huang looking a bit stunned. She dismissed the attending palace servants and asked with a smile, "Is Yao Yao surprised that the Emperor is so happy he actually declared a general amnesty?"
The emperors of the previous dynasty had issued general amnesties so frequently that it happened every two or three years. The emperors of the Great Qi dynasty did not continue this practice; since the founding of the dynasty, there had only been fourteen general amnesties. This time was even the first general amnesty in Emperor Yongchang's thirty-three-year reign.
Yao Huang shook her head and said, "Imperial Father dotes on the Crown Prince as if he were his own heart and soul, this daughter-in-law has long experienced that. What surprised me is the general amnesty itself. Does it mean that all the prisoners locked up in jails will really be released?"
Empress Zhou replied, "No. First of all, there are the 'Ten Abominations'—unpardonable crimes that emperors of all dynasties have adhered to. In addition to these ten abominations, the Emperor can also list specific crimes or penalties to be excluded from the amnesty. This ensures that the most wicked and evil individuals cannot escape justice and continue to do evil."
Yao Huang felt relieved, and then she became happy for the impoverished commoners who would be exempt from paying taxes this year.
Empress Zhou said, "The Emperor is doing this to accumulate prestige and popular support for the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince was injured for too long, and the common people all knew that Great Qi had a disabled Crown Prince. If the Emperor did not grant this grace, the news of the Crown Prince's recovery today might have a hard time reaching the ears of people in remote areas. With the opening of this grace, all the people in the world benefit from the Crown Prince's recovery. The people will naturally know that the Crown Prince of Great Qi has recovered, and they will subsequently feel grateful to the Crown Prince for the grace he brought them."
For the imperial family, exchanging one general amnesty for the Crown Prince's majesty and the hearts of the people was extremely worthwhile.
Only then did Yao Huang understand Emperor Yongchang's profound intentions.
Empress Zhou said softly, "You are still young, take your time to learn."
Yao Huang smiled and said, "Imperial Mother is also still young. This daughter-in-law will learn a little from Imperial Mother every year. At other times, with Imperial Father and Imperial Mother managing state and family affairs, it won't delay this daughter-in-law from having fun with her younger sisters."
Empress Zhou couldn't help but tap her daughter-in-law's nose.
.
At dusk, the Crown Prince returned to the Eastern Palace. After changing into his everyday clothes, he played with Yun'er first, as usual.
Yun'er was learning to speak, so Yao Huang did not discuss the general amnesty with the Crown Prince in front of him. It was only at night, when the couple was lying alone under the same blanket, that Yao Huang leaned into the Crown Prince's embrace and said, "Tomorrow is Yun'er's first birthday celebration. I saw Prince Qing and his wife on the guest list for the palace banquet. Is this like New Year's Eve, where Imperial Father specially granted them permission to attend the palace celebration, or does Imperial Father's general amnesty also include exempting them from their three-year grounding punishment?"
Zhao Sui replied, "The general amnesty pardons imprisoned criminals. Imperial Father making Prince Qing reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors is a private punishment. Whether they are pardoned or not will depend on how Imperial Father arranges things after tomorrow."
What Yao Huang really wanted to ask was whether Grand Princess Fucheng would have her imperial status restored because of this amnesty.
Zhao Sui said, "No. The Grand Princess being demoted to a commoner was to offset her crime of breaching the dam. Since she is now a person without guilt, she is not among the prisoners who benefit from the general amnesty."
Yao Huang didn't say anything further, merely stroking the Crown Prince's chest a few times.
Zhao Sui covered the Crown Princess's hand, looked at her, and asked, "Do you want her punishment to be waived?"
Yao Huang shot him a direct glare. Was she a living bodhisattva? Why would she ever hope for a Grand Princess who wanted to frame her husband and harm countless commoners to successfully escape punishment unscathed?
The fact that she hadn't burst out laughing upon hearing the Crown Prince's answer earlier was already a sign of her kindness.
Zhao Sui felt the Crown Princess's true feelings through that glare.
He leaned in and pressed his lips directly against hers.
Yao Huang smiled, raising her arms to embrace her Crown Prince, who seemed very good-tempered but would actually never be soft-hearted toward his wicked aunt.
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Although it was the Zhuazhou ceremony for the young master of the Eastern Palace, Emperor Yongchang decreed that the ceremony for his young imperial grandson be held in the Qianyuan Hall.
Not to mention that Yun'er was the first among Emperor Yongchang's grandchildren to receive such grace, even if Emperor Yongchang's own children were included, Yun'er was the very first among all the Emperor's descendants to have his Zhuazhou ceremony in the Qianyuan Hall. Previous imperial princes and princesses had all held their ceremonies in their respective mothers' palaces.
Outside the West Hua Gate, Prince Qing helped Zheng Yuanzhen step down from the carriage. Over at the carriage behind them, the wet nurse had already placed Sanlang into a new stroller recently delivered by the Yaju Workshop.
Prince Qing and his wife both knew that the Yaju Workshop occasionally delivering new strollers was all done under the verbal orders of the Crown Princess.
The more it was a favor from the Crown Princess, the less Zheng Yuanzhen wanted to use it. However, their current circumstances were inferior to others, so she had to use it to demonstrate her and Prince Qing's gratitude toward the Eastern Palace.
On the way into the palace, the wet nurse pushed Sanlang alongside the couple.
The last time Sanlang entered the palace was during the New Year's Eve banquet. Having had that one experience of going out, Sanlang's gaze as he looked around this time held less shyness and more curiosity.
Prince Qing looked at his handsome and beautiful son. Thinking back to the Zhuazhou ceremony he and his wife had held privately for their son a while ago, a wave of bitterness welled up in his heart. That day, Imperial Father and Imperial Mother had bestowed a reward upon Sanlang. Initially, Prince Qing had been quite happy, but when he opened the name Imperial Father had bestowed upon Sanlang, Prince Qing felt as if Imperial Father had kicked him in the chest once again.
Lian, Zhao Lian.
The heir of his eldest brother's family was named Zhao Dun, and the second son born of a concubine was named Zhao Jing. Although the meaning of Jing was not as good as Dun, it still sounded much better than the Lian given to his own Sanlang.
Imperial Father was really something; kicking him once wasn't enough. Today, the Zhuazhou ceremony for his second brother's Yun'er would surely be held in grand style, and Imperial Father would absolutely bestow a great name upon Yun'er. It would have been enough to just let his second brother be happy about this, but Imperial Father insisted on making him enter the palace to force a smile.
Prince Qing dared to resent but did not dare to speak out. Upon arriving at the Qianyuan Hall and seeing Imperial Father, he knelt and bowed even more sincerely than Prince Kang.
Emperor Yongchang picked Sanlang up in his arms as usual, smiling and calling out "Lian-ge'er" a few times.
Little children usually react to their own names, but when Emperor Yongchang called "Lian-ge'er," there was only blank confusion in Sanlang's eyes.
Emperor Yongchang looked meaningfully at his third son and his niece.
Cold sweat poured down Prince Qing's back. He never expected his Imperial Father to be waiting for him here!
On this day of great joy for the Eastern Palace, Emperor Yongchang did not lose his temper at his third son. He merely squeezed Sanlang's little hand and said with a smile, "Those brimming with talent must learn to restrain their sharp edges; this is to be humble and amiable. Those with shallow talent must especially learn to restrain the arrogance brought by their status, so that they can learn from the strengths of others. Your Imperial Grandfather has chosen a good name for you. I hope that when you grow up, you will understand your Imperial Grandfather's expectations of you."
Prince Qing, filled with trepidation, led Zheng Yuanzhen to kneel down: "Rest assured, Imperial Father. This son will definitely teach Lian-ge'er well and absolutely will not let Lian-ge'er disappoint Imperial Father's expectations."
Emperor Yongchang couldn't be bothered to pay attention to him. He had given this son so many chances, but he was simply useless.
Yao Huang sat on Empress Zhou's side. After hearing Emperor Yongchang's explanation of the character Lian, she became even more curious about what name this monarch of restoration would bestow upon her own Yun'er.
The auspicious time for the Zhuazhou ceremony arrived, and Emperor Yongchang personally placed Yun'er onto the red silk spread out with various auspicious objects.
Yao Huang had learned from her mother that during her own Zhuazhou, she had grabbed a small gold-lacquered bowl. A bunch of relatives around them immediately praised her for being blessed and destined for great wealth and honor in the future. It sounded as if Zhuazhou was quite accurate, but Yao Huang's older brother, Yao Lin, had grabbed a calligraphy brush...
Therefore, Yao Huang didn't really care what Yun'er grabbed. She was purely doing it for the lively atmosphere; after all, no matter what he grabbed from the red silk, people would find a way to shower him with flowery praises.
Compared to her relaxed expression, Emperor Yongchang and the Crown Prince were both very solemn. Even Prince Kang and Prince Qing, who stood shoulder to shoulder not far away, stared fixedly at Yun'er.
Soon, Yun'er grabbed a small wooden sword carved from golden thread nanmu. He picked it up, turned his head to look around, and upon seeing his mother, he waved the little wooden sword and smiled.
Yao Huang: ...
The surrounding imperial relatives immediately began to offer their praises one after another, saying things like Yun'er would surely possess unparalleled martial arts skills when he grew up, that he would be resolute and decisive, and so on.
Accompanied by a loud laugh from Emperor Yongchang, the crowd quickly quieted down.
At this time, Emperor Yongchang picked Yun'er up and said to the Crown Prince, "Just last night, I decided to name Yun'er Jun, hoping that he will grow up to be a pillar of the state and an important vessel for the nation. Today, Yun'er grabbed a sword. It shows that this boy shares a connection with my heart even at such a young age, telling me that he can bear my high expectations!"
The second son was just like his name, elegant as beautiful jade, but his temperament was too submissive. He was pitiful when he was young, and when he grew up, he was even too embarrassed to ask his imperial father to make two gold wheels for him.
Emperor Yongchang hoped that Yun'er would have a bit more of a sharp, competitive spirit than the second son, so when naming him, he replaced the elegant bamboo radical with the gold radical.
Zhao Sui respectfully voiced his thanks.
Prince Qing looked with mixed feelings at his cousin, the only one who could understand his current mood, only to see that Zheng Yuanzhen's gaze was actually fixed on the Crown Prince's legs.
Prince Qing: ...
.
After the luncheon at the Qianyuan Hall, Yun'er's Zhuazhou ceremony officially came to an end.
It wasn't far from Qianyuan Hall to the Eastern Palace, so Zhao Sui carried Yun'er directly back.
Yao Huang followed beside them, teasing the little guy: "Your imperial grandfather bestowed a name upon you. From now on, you will be called Jun-ge'er, do you understand?"
With the examples of Prince Qing and Sanlang before them, Yao Huang was determined to make Yun'er get used to his new name, Jun-ge'er, as soon as possible.
Yun'er didn't remember it that quickly, so Yao Huang called it out a few more times. As she called it, Yao Huang suddenly burst into laughter. Meeting the Crown Prince's gaze, Yao Huang said, "Jun-ge'er, Jun-ge'er, doesn't it sound like Handsome Jun?"
Zhao Sui: ...
Yao Huang: "Imperial Father really chose a good name. Our Jun-ge'er has such a handsome imperial father, he will definitely grow up to be a true little Handsome Jun."
The very handsome Crown Prince immediately stared straight ahead and slightly quickened his pace.
After a busy morning, Jun-ge'er was tired and was carried to the side room by his wet nurse to rest.
The Crown Prince and his wife went directly into the inner chamber of the backyard. Zhao Sui was standing in front of the washstand washing his hands when the Crown Princess suddenly hugged him from behind. With her face pressed against his back, she called out Handsome Jun with a sweet smile.
The Crown Prince's entire body stiffened.
Yao Huang felt it, peeked over, and discovered that the elegant and reserved Crown Prince actually had his face turn red from her extremely vulgar form of address.
Yao Huang continued to tease him: "I didn't call you wrongly. Your Highness is extremely handsome to begin with."
Zhao Sui silently pulled the Crown Princess to the front and helped her wipe her hands.
Yao Huang felt a guilty conscience as if she had bullied an honest man, and whispered an idea to help him: "Your Highness can call my childhood name and be vulgar to me for once."
If anyone called her Little Flower now, she would be so embarrassed that her scalp would tingle.
The Crown Prince could not bear to hear Handsome Jun, nor could he bring himself to call out Little Flower.
His only way of taking revenge on the Crown Princess was to make her sob uncontrollably in bed.
