Chapter 1007: Chapter 845, Please Confer the Title of Princely Heir

Because of the upcoming palace banquet for the Mid-Autumn Festival, Daohua and Xiao Yeyang went to the Yan Residence a day earlier. Besides the festival gifts, Daohua brought with her a generous amount of grain and medicinal materials produced in her own space for Madam Yan and Madam Li.

Thanks to the regular consumption of food from her space, Madam Yan looked exceptionally healthy, and when standing with her contemporaries, appeared several years younger.

Madam Li also had a rosy complexion and was full of energy, possessing a dignified aura surpassing that of Aunt Lin and a charm exceeding that of the younger Aunt Liu. This made Yan Zhigao increasingly reluctant to visit his concubines’ chambers.

Daohua chatted with both Madam Yan and Madam Li for a while before going to see Zhou Jingwan.

Zhou Jingwan’s expected delivery date was in the next few days. When Daohua arrived, Yan Wentao was accompanying her for a walk in the courtyard.

“Third brother, didn’t you go to the office today?”

Zhou Jingwan smiled and pulled Daohua along, “Your third brother is worried he might not be around when the baby is born, so he took a few days off especially.”

Daohua playfully looked at Zhou Jingwan, “Third brother isn’t just worried about missing the baby’s arrival; he’s worried about you being scared.” As she spoke, she handed Yan Wentao a wooden box.

“I brought a ginseng for you, Jingwan. If you feel weak during labor, slice it and keep it in your mouth.”

Yan Wentao smiled and took it, “Then third brother won’t be polite.” The quality of the medicine from big sister’s hands is better than what’s available outside, the kind you can’t buy even with money.

Zhou Jingwan pulled Daohua inside, “I haven’t finished the supplements you sent last time. You should send less in the future; your expenses at the Prince Residence aren’t small.”

Daohua patted Zhou Jingwan’s belly, “There’s still plenty for my little nephew.”

After knowing Xiao Yeyang had arrived, Yan Wentao excused himself to Daohua and went to the front courtyard.

As soon as he left, Zhou Jingwan began speaking to Daohua, “After this visit, until Yile gets married, you better not come back.”

Daohua raised an eyebrow, “What’s the matter?”

Zhou Jingwan pursed her lips, “Your second uncle and aunt are thinking about the dowry you promised for Yile.”

Daohua let out a chuckle.

Zhou Jingwan continued, “The dowry management was handed directly to the second aunt and sister-in-law by the great aunt. I checked it out, and over half of the sixty-four chests are not full.”

Daohua was shocked, “How come?” Although mother didn’t handle Yile’s dowry, she had given the second uncle and aunt five thousand taels of silver. With the second family contributing a bit more, arranging sixty-four chests should not have been an issue.

Zhou Jingwan explained, “It’s all because of Yile herself. When picking out her jewelry, she chose only the expensive pieces. How much silver could the second family provide for show? If the sister-in-law hadn’t been observing, they couldn’t have managed even the sixty-four chests.”

“Now they are also embarrassed by the dowry appearance; aren’t they just waiting for you to add more?”

Daohua snorted, “They wish.”

I could have let it go for Yi Huan, who’s sensible, knows propriety, and is grateful; I would willingly add more. But Yan Yile is an ungrateful wretch, besides what’s customary for gifts, I won’t provide a thing extra.

Daohua and Xiao Yeyang stayed for dinner before leaving. During the meal, both Yan Zhiyuan and the Sun Family attempted to speak with Daohua, but were aptly intercepted by Madam Li.

Until they boarded the carriage and departed, Yan Zhiyuan and the Sun Family hadn’t found the chance to talk about augmenting the dowry.

…

At the Mid-Autumn palace banquet, princes, princesses, and ministers all participated. When Prince Ping led Daohua and Xiao Yeyang there, seeing everyone distancing themselves from them was particularly displeasing.

At the birthday feast of the Empress Dowager, the moment when Kang Naixin greeted Daohua, only to be publicly embarrassed by the Empress Dowager, was etched in everyone’s mind, fearfully ensuring no repetition of such a mistake.

Watching Xiao Yeyang and Daohua being isolated pleased the Empress Dowager greatly.

No matter how capable Xiao Yeyang was, once isolated in the complex web of court relations, he could achieve nothing substantial.

The Empress Dowager, delighted, engaged the princes and princesses in laughter and talk, during which the third prince and his consort were praised several times.

Daohua, observing this scene, whispered to Xiao Yeyang, “Does the Empress Dowager think the third prince is easy to manipulate?”

Xiao Yeyang’s eyes narrowed, “I’m not sure if the third prince is easy to control, but among the princes, he’s the least favored by the imperial uncle.”

Reflecting silently, he found Daohua’s point sensible. A grown prince, only with leverage, could be better controlled. He decided to have the Hidden Guard investigate the third prince.

As Daohua and Xiao Yeyang whispered to each other, the fourth prince approached with a wine glass and toasted the Prince Ping.

Prince Ping looked at the fourth prince with satisfaction, feeling that his brother’s son was quite commendable, not one to go with the flow.

The fourth prince toasted Prince Ping, which did not surprise anyone. However, when he also drank with Xiao Yeyang and his wife, everyone turned their gazes toward the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager huffed, keeping her composure due to the Emperor’s presence, and refrained from speaking.

The Crown Prince and his brothers hesitated upon seeing this.

During this time of paying respects to the Empress Dowager, it was not that they had gained no advantage–officials had come over to their side.

Having benefited, it was difficult to act against interest.

Therefore, they could only forcefully ignore Prince Ping, their uncle, and also inwardly cursed the fourth prince.

Why toast Prince Ping in the first place, let alone drink with Xiao Yeyang and his wife?

By the time the royal banquet was nearly over, Prince Ping stood up, bowed to the Emperor, and then said loudly, “Brother Emperor, on this Mid-Autumn Festival, I wish to request the position of Princely Heir for Yeyang. I hope Brother Emperor will grant my wish.”

“No!”

Before the Emperor could speak, the Empress Dowager sharply refused.

Everyone present had not anticipated that Prince Ping would request the title of Princely Heir for Xiao Yeyang at this time, nor expected the Empress Dowager to be the first to oppose it.

All eyes turned to the Empress Dowager, none missing the anger on her face.

Prince Ping frowned, “Empress Dowager, the title of Prince Ping’s Residence inherently belongs to Yeyang. I did not request it before because he was not in Beijing. Now that he has returned and married, it is appropriate to request the title of Princely Heir.”

Hearing Prince Ping address her as ‘Empress Dowager’, the Emperor raised his eyebrows, amusement flashing in his eyes.

The power of the Jiang Family was almost assessed, and after sidelining them, it was time to restore his mother’s honor. He was thinking about how to reveal the truth of Xiaojiu’s origins to him, and now that Xiaojiu was displeased with the Empress Dowager, things might be easier.

The Empress Dowager, holding back her anger, looked at Prince Ping, “Weren’t you always most fond of Yechen? For his legitimate son status, you even legitimized the Ma Family. Don’t tell me you weren’t intending to make Yechen the Princely Heir?”

Hearing the Empress Dowager say this, Prince Ping immediately frowned, “Empress Dowager, I never intended to make Yechen the Princely Heir. When I legitimized the Ma Family, wasn’t it at your suggestion? How did it become about me granting Yechen legitimate son status to legitimize the Ma Family?”

Prince Ping’s public denial made the Empress Dowager even angrier, and she became more convinced that Prince Ping was an ungrateful wretch.

“Are you defying me?”

At this moment, the Emperor spoke with a smile, “Empress Dowager, you’re taking it too seriously. The title of Prince Ping’s Residence belongs to Xiaojiu, and he decides whom to give it to; we can’t make decisions for him.”

Prince Ping quickly said, “Brother Emperor, Yeyang has been the Little Prince since he was young, and the title naturally belongs to him.”

Ignoring the Empress Dowager’s livid expression, the Emperor laughed heartily, “Alright, I approve. The decree for appointing the Princely Heir will be sent to the Prince Residence tomorrow.”

Prince Ping immediately said, “Brother Emperor is wise.” Turning to Xiao Yeyang and Daohua, he added, “What are you waiting for? Hurry and express your gratitude.”

Xiao Yeyang and Daohua quickly stood up to thank the Emperor, then exchanged a surprised look, both quite astonished by Prince Ping’s actions.

“Father wants to compensate your mother? Because she likes you, so he’s compensating through you?”

Xiao Yeyang shrugged; he too was unsure what his father was thinking.

The Empress Dowager, face ashen, watched the Emperor and Prince Ping, then suddenly stood up, fury contorting her face, “Fine, you all defy me, now I can’t even…”

At this point, she ran out of breath and collapsed backwards.

Fortunately, she was caught by a palace maid nearby.

The Emperor watched the Empress Dowager’s performance indifferently, a chill passing through his eyes. This was an attempt to smear him and Xiaojiu during the Mid-Autumn Festival, claiming the Emperor and Prince Ping had caused the Empress Dowager to faint from anger–how unfilial?

“The Empress Dowager’s old ailment has relapsed. Xiaojiu, come with me to escort the Empress Dowager back to Cining Palace.”

The bowing nobles kept their heads down, not daring to utter a word, only breathing a sigh of relief after the Emperor and his party had left.

Xiao Yeyang and Daohua walked out last, frowning.

Daohua: “The Empress Dowager was probably pretending just now.”

Xiao Yeyang: “She’s just trying to tarnish the Emperor’s reputation to facilitate what the Jiang Family plans to do next.”