An Jing, once tasked with the revision of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, became busy at once, almost daily going to the Editorial Academy, bringing several editors with him to embark on the revision work.
In truth, there was no need to rush with the revisions; they could be done slowly, but An Jing felt that if they finished earlier, they could use the Twenty-Four Solar Terms sooner to guide local agricultural production, which would be greatly beneficial to the people. So, it was fine to be a bit busier.
While An Jing was busy with the revisions, on the other side, a visitor came to the Fifth Prince’s Mansion, that visitor was none other than Su Chengjin’s maternal grandfather—Duke Tao.
Duke Tao had spent his life in military service and was appointed by the late Emperor as Lord Protector. His eldest legitimate daughter entered the palace as a consort, climbed her way up through the ranks, and eventually became the imperial consort second only to the Empress, who was Su Chengjin’s mother—Imperial Noble Concubine Tao.
Yet Imperial Noble Concubine Tao had not been an imperial consort for two years before she fell ill and passed away.
"Grandfather, why have you come?" Su Chengjin, upon seeing Duke Tao, was very happy. His health had always been poor, and he seldom left the house. Even though he was not favored by the Emperor of Xiyun, people from his mother’s family still often came to see him.
Especially this grandfather of his.
Duke Tao wore an expression of disappointed frustration, "Fifth Prince’s health is continually improving, yet you still spend all day idling at your mansion and don’t go out to socialize. This old official can only come here to see you."
Su Chengjin furrowed his brows and said, "Grandfather, what do you mean by this?"
"Didn’t this old official say last time, I told you to draw more attention from the Emperor. If you continue , you’ll remain just a Prince for the rest of your life."
He paused, then Duke Tao continued, "Previously, when the residual poison hadn’t been cleared from your body and your health was very poor, this old official didn’t want to say these things and make you feel unhappy. But now, your health is getting better day by day, and I truly don’t want to see you continue . I’ll speak plainly to you—by now, at your age, you’re still just a Prince who has not been granted a kingdom, many people laugh at you behind your back!"
Su Chengjin sighed, "Everything Grandfather is saying, even if Chengjin hasn’t heard from others, I could guess as much. However, Father Emperor doesn’t seem to hold Chengjin in his good graces. Chengjin has tried to request an audience with Father Emperor in the palace several times recently, but hasn’t been granted a single audience. Father Emperor only had Eunuch Fu send Chengjin back to continue recuperating. Besides returning to recover, Grandfather, what else could Chengjin possibly do?"
Duke Tao also let out a sigh, "If only you hadn’t pushed the Fourth Imperial Brother into the lotus pond back then, causing him to drown, the Emperor would probably still favor you as before and would not refuse to see you."
If it hadn’t been for the substantial power of his Tao family, and the Emperor of Xiyun’s wary consideration of them, his grandson would not have been spared at all.
Su Chengjin felt deep regret, "Back then, I just wanted to bully the Fourth Imperial Brother and push him into the lotus pond to swallow a bit of water. I never thought he would actually lose his life like that."
Duke Tao said, "You were naive back then, but now you cannot afford such naivety. Your health was poor before, and you always appeared as though you could pass away at any moment, so the Crown Prince didn’t see you as a threat. But today, as your health improves greatly, and with your mother’s family being much stronger than the Crown Prince’s, the Crown Prince has probably started to dread you, fearing that you could threaten his position."
Su Chengjin hesitated slightly, but then said, "Grandfather, the Crown Prince... he has been quite good to Chengjin."
In the royal family, apart from Su Chengyu, the Crown Prince who came to see him from time to time, no one else came to visit him.
Even his recovery had been thanks to Su Chengyu.