It has been two or three days since the Emperor arranged the marriage for the Fourth Prince, but the second good news the Emperor mentioned has yet to be announced. The ministers feel there is no second good news at all, and the Emperor is merely teasing them.
In Changding Palace, the Fourth Prince is having lunch with Consort Li.
Consort Li personally cooked a table full of dishes that the Fourth Prince loves. She placed a few pieces of meat into the Fourth Prince’s bowl and said warmly, "Eat more."
"Thank you, Mother Consort, you should eat more too." The Fourth Prince also picked up a few pieces of meat and placed them in Consort Li’s bowl, "Mother Consort, you should eat more meat regularly."
Consort Li had been practicing Buddhism for many years and ate mostly vegetarian meals, rarely consuming meat. She only ate meat during important banquets, and not on other occasions.
The meat offered by her son, Consort Li naturally ate.
"Mother Consort, the Tenth Brother said that people should eat more meat, as not eating meat is bad for the body." The Fourth Prince shared what he heard from Zhao Yao with Consort Li, "If women don’t eat meat, they not only lose hair but also age faster."
Upon hearing this, Consort Li’s hand paused, her expression momentarily surprised.
Qiu Sang, recalling Consort Li’s hair loss over the years, became very anxious and grave. She quickly said, "Your Ladyship, you can’t eat just vegetables anymore; you must have meat every day, or else your..." She did not dare mention hair, fearing it might upset Lady Li.
Consort Li had not realized her hair loss was due to not eating meat, she thought it was because of aging.
"Alright, I will eat more meat in the future."
Hearing Consort Li’s decision, the Fourth Prince was reassured.
"In the past few days, have many people been seeking you out?" Consort Li asked.
The Fourth Prince nodded slightly, "Yes, very many." Since Father Emperor arranged the marriage with General Lu’s daughter for him, numerous ministers wanted to support him. "I refused them."
Upon hearing this from her son, Consort Li was not surprised at all. If it had been before, she would have supported her son’s decision, but now she did not agree.
"Yun’er, you can’t refuse people from afar like before."
The Fourth Prince paused his actions and looked up at Consort Li with puzzlement.
Consort Li put down her bowl and chopsticks, seriously telling the Fourth Prince, "Why did the Emperor arrange a marriage with General Lu’s daughter for you?"
The Fourth Prince paused, then after some thought, understood Consort Li’s meaning.
"Is Father Emperor trying to make me come forward?" Read full story at novel~fire~net
"Since you understand, why did you refuse those ministers?" The Fourth Prince was intelligent and mature from a young age, seldom causing Consort Li any worries.
The Fourth Prince frowned slightly and said, "Mother Consort, I do not wish to come forward right now."
"Yun’er, you should know, this is not about whether you wish to or not." Consort Li understood her son’s feelings and gently advised him, "You are about to come of age. Even if you have no such intentions, the ministers will not leave you alone. Besides, do you think the ministers and Crown Prince will believe you?"
The Fourth Prince said nothing.
"Before you come of age, the Crown Prince and Prince Dai, as well as the ministers, may not take you seriously, but now that you are about to come of age, they will no longer ignore you." Consort Li knew very well that the Fourth Prince currently had no desire for that position, but things would not develop as he wished after coming of age, "Not to mention, your maternal family will not allow you to continue ."
The Fourth Prince remained silent.
"The Emperor having you come forward shows he holds you in high regard, and it is also a test for you." Consort Li’s tone became very serious, "Yun’er, you must not refuse the Emperor’s trial."
The Fourth Prince’s expression became solemn, and he nodded, "I understand, but I also have my considerations, so Mother Consort need not worry." He would not accept people without discernment. He would weigh who could be used and who could not in his heart.
Consort Li nodded slightly, "It’s good that you have your considerations." She believed her son could handle this matter well.
The Fourth Prince hesitated for a moment and asked, "Mother Consort, what about Cousin? Now that Father Emperor has arranged a marriage for me, what about Cousin?"
Although he had always regarded Cousin as a sister and never promised her anything, those around him assumed she would marry him and become his Princess. However, now that he had been arranged to marry, it was impossible to marry Cousin as his Princess. Moreover, Cousin could not marry him as a Consort. The Li Family men do not take concubines, and the women cannot become concubines.