Nowadays, few noble ladies in the Eastern Capital can claim a more distinguished status than her, thus her marriage is bound to be Emperor Qi's pawn.
He would not agree so readily, so there was no need to rush.
Feng Jinyao's marriage became a fulcrum for Emperor Qi to balance the court, one that would not be easily deployed.
As for his journey to Fahua Temple to pray for the disaster victims, it proceeded quite smoothly under the arrangements of the Ministry of Rites.
In the Prince Li's manor, the Ninth Prince, who had been beaten with canes, still felt pain when walking, but otherwise had recovered quite well.
However, his heart grew increasingly grim. After meeting with the Duke of Wei, the Princess Consort Li informed him of her pregnancy.
He showed no great emotional fluctuations, merely instructing her to take good care of herself. Afterward, he seemed to have forgotten about the other concubines and maids in his inner chambers, spending his days wanting to go out, though his purpose remained unknown.
They might not know, but the Duke of Wei certainly did.
The Ninth Prince was discreetly and overtly searching for the whereabouts of Long Guang, and the Duke of Wei was thoroughly disappointed in him.
He was plotting grand strategies, yet the Ninth Prince was so unsupportive.
Thus, he found a day and summoned him, speaking with a displeased tone.
"Your Highness, are you going to ruin our years of planning for an insignificant guard?"
He did not directly reveal Long Guang's true identity, wishing to spare the Ninth Prince some face. Upon hearing the Duke of Wei's words, the Ninth Prince understood that the matter could no longer be concealed.
He felt somewhat awkward and hesitant.
"Grandfather, he is not an ordinary guard; he saved my life."
"Hmph, aren't guards born to shield princes from swords? If they lack such awareness, what kind of guards are they!"
The Ninth Prince could not refute him. In front of the Duke of Wei, his attitude was never assertive.
Moreover, with such a scandal now in his hands, he had no choice but to comply.
Although the Duke of Wei had considered abandoning him, he was, after all, his grandson whom he had watched grow up, and had revolved around him for so many years. Therefore, seeing his grandson's troubled expression, he didn't press the matter further.
Instead, he shifted the topic to Emperor Qi's planned pilgrimage to Fahua Temple.
"The Ministry of Rites has made most of the arrangements. In ten days, His Majesty will personally visit Fahua Temple. Your Highness, have you considered that this is a rare and golden opportunity?"
Opportunity?
The Ninth Prince quickly understood.
"His Majesty did not implicate the Wei family in the matter of the漕运司 (Cao Yun Si - Grain Transport Department), not out of kindness, but to seek more. I always feel that Prime Minister Bai's hand is behind this, and he is likely gathering more evidence to catch us all in one net."
The Duke of Wei understood Emperor Qi and Prime Minister Bai very well, which led him to this conjecture.
"Rather than waiting to be slaughtered, let's strike a decisive blow."
"So, Grandfather's intention is to take advantage of Father Emperor's absence to…?"
The Ninth Prince made a throat-slitting gesture. The Duke of Wei smiled sinisterly and nodded slightly.
"Then we can blame this on our enemies. At that time, we can eliminate the First Prince, and with the Sixth Prince thousands of miles away, Your Highness will be the sole candidate for the throne. A simple call to arms will surely earn you the praise of all officials."
His words deeply moved the Ninth Prince.
He had never considered taking the initiative before.
Given his Father Emperor's health and age, he had always thought it would take more than ten years to have a chance to inherit the throne.
Unexpectedly, such a heaven-sent opportunity presented itself, and his excitement was already uncontrollable.
Joy radiated from his face, as if he couldn't wait to be at Fahua Temple guarding the place.
Royal kinship truly seemed indifferent at such times, filled only with schemes and calculations.
Unfortunately, the Ninth Prince was unaware that behind his jubilant expression, the Duke of Wei's gaze was filled with complexity and contradiction.
For this trip to Fahua Temple, Emperor Qi brought only the Empress; none of the other imperial consorts accompanied him.
As for the First Prince, he was naturally expected to escort his father and mother.
In the small courtyard where Wen Yuwei resided, her days had not been very pleasant recently.
The嬷嬷 (momo - elderly female attendant) sent by the Empress constantly supervised her, causing the First Prince to lose his usual joy there. Consequently, he visited her less and less.
She spent the Mid-Autumn Festival alone, feeling exceptionally desolate.
When the mother's condition was poor, the child naturally suffered as well.
The pregnancy, which had been stable, suddenly showed signs of bleeding, frightening the attending嬷嬷s.
When the First Prince rushed over, he saw Wen Yuwei lying on the bed, her face pale.
The concern and worry in his eyes were genuine.
"What happened? Didn't we pass the first three months? Why is it still so unstable?"
"Your Highness is not here, and I am frightened, which has affected the child in my womb."
"Aren't there嬷嬷s? Did they not take good care of you?"
His tone suddenly sharpened. The people standing outside the courtyard exchanged glances, their eyes filled with worry.
They had not treated Wen Yuwei well, not in terms of food or clothing, but in their demeanor.
Ever since they entered this small room, they had rarely shown a smile, and even when Wen Yuwei tried her best to please them, she was met with cold indifference.
Therefore, they were afraid that if Wen Yuwei complained, they would suffer greatly.
With their hearts filled with apprehension, they strained their ears to listen to the conversation inside the room.
Wen Yuwei put on an expression of being bullied but afraid to speak. Although she spoke well of the嬷嬷s, her pallor betrayed her.
The First Prince was no fool and saw through it at a glance.
Thinking of the Princess Consort's pregnancy, he couldn't help but suspect that she might have been involved in this matter.
Therefore, he said calmly,
"Don't worry, I will stay here to look after you these past few days. I want to see who dares to neglect you, and neglect the child of this Prince."
After saying this, he ordered the嬷嬷s serving outside to guard the outer courtyard and not to enter without his permission.
This put the嬷嬷s in a difficult position.
On one hand, there was the Prince's order; on the other, the Empress's instructions.
One of the bolder ones immediately invoked the Empress's name. The First Prince, with a poker face, had her given ten lashes.
The old嬷嬷 was beaten until her flesh and blood flew, nearly costing her life.
"Who is in charge of this courtyard? I think you should all think clearly."
His words made the嬷嬷s dare not act rashly again. The attendants serving Wen Yuwei returned to their original positions.
They were comfortable and to her liking, and her complexion gradually improved.
Soon, ten days passed.
During this period, the First Prince had not returned to the Prince Ke's manor much. Today, he rose in the small courtyard, was attended by Wen Yuwei for his grooming and dressing, and then headed straight to the imperial palace to escort the Emperor to Fahua Temple.