CHAPTER 252: CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-FIVE

"Precisely because he doesn’t understand that he needs to be told, desiring beauty is wrong."

"Aren’t you afraid the Tenth Prince will grow increasingly afraid of you?"

"Tenth brother knows I’m doing it for his own good."

On the other side, Consort Li also ate the wild vegetable-filled dumplings sent by Liang Zhaoyi.

She usually ate very little in the evening, but today she rarefully finished all twenty dumplings.

"These wild vegetable dumplings taste really good."

"Madam, if you like them, I’ll take some people to gather more tomorrow and bring them back to the palace."

"Tomorrow, gather some more," Consort Li said with a smile. "Liang Zhaoyi and her group know how to enjoy such things."

"Liang Zhaoyi and the others really know how to eat; they even grow their own vegetables, which in this palace, only they do."

"There’s nothing wrong with that." Everyone in the palace looked down on Liang Zhaoyi and her group for growing vegetables, but not Consort Li. She believed that planting vegetables and flowers were the same and that neither was nobler than the other. "I’m feeling a bit full; accompany me for a walk."

"Madam, shall I call his highness to accompany you on a walk?"

"Yes, go call him."

The Fourth Prince also ate a bit too much and was preparing to take Zhao Yao for a walk to aid digestion after Zhao Yao finished eating. Seeing Qiu Sang come to find him, he then accompanied Consort Li for a walk.

By this time, it was already dark, and the night sky was full of stars.

Consort Li and the Fourth Prince did not walk far, just strolling nearby the camp.

The mother and son initially chatted about reading. Both of them liked reading, and even when coming out for spring hunting, they brought books to read in the evenings.

The Fourth Prince’s love for reading was influenced by Consort Li. Consort Li had loved reading since childhood and was very talented. Before entering the palace, she was famous as a talented woman in the capital. Her poetry and essays were highly praised by scholars and literati. People offered great sums just for one of her poems.

Her poetry was bold and magnificent, unlike the delicate style of other female poets. Her works carried a bold generosity combined with compassion, making them very popular among the literary and scholarly circles.

The poetry and essays written by Consort Li would be snatched up as soon as they were printed. Everyone among the literati in the capital owned a collection of her poetry.

Princess Shu was also a talented woman, but her talent lay in painting. Therefore, in the eyes of the world, her talents could not match those of Consort Li.

In this palace, the person Princess Shu truly felt envious of was not Noble Princess Rong, nor Princess De and Princess Liang, but rather Consort Li. She had been a talented woman before entering the palace, and hence there were frequent comparisons between her and Consort Li. No matter how they were compared, she fell short of Consort Li. Some even said she was not worthy of comparison because Consort Li was a true talented woman, while she only mastered "unorthodox arts."

Even though Princess Shu was uneasy about it, she had to admit that in terms of poetry and essays, she was indeed not as good as Consort Li. Fortunately, her family background was better than that of Consort Li. However, in the eyes of the literati, Princess Shu’s family background was not better than Consort Li’s. The Li Family was a genuine scholarly family, whereas the Xun Family was merely an aristocratic family.

Returning to the topic, after talking about reading for a while, Consort Li and the Fourth Prince began discussing other matters.

Consort Li asked the Fourth Prince if he had any thoughts about his marriage.

This was the first time Consort Li had asked the Fourth Prince about this matter. Previously, she had never delved into such subjects with him.

The Fourth Prince was taken aback by the question, then immediately replied, "I have no thoughts." His marriage was not something he could decide, so he had no thoughts about it. "Why does Mother suddenly ask me this question?"

"In two years, you will come of age, and I thought it was time to discuss this with you." Consort Li asked with a gentle expression, "What kind of girl do you like?"

"Mother, my preference doesn’t really matter," the Fourth Prince said with a very calm tone. "Besides, I have no one I like."

Consort Li was not surprised by this answer from her son though she felt helpless inside.

"Haven’t you thought about what kind of girl your future princess would be?"

"Not really."

"Do you like gentle girls or those with a bit more lively personality?"

The Fourth Prince replied expressionlessly, "I don’t know."

Consort Li looked at the Fourth Prince in astonishment, "You surely can’t be..." Could this child really have not matured in matters of the heart?

"Mother, as I said, whether I like someone isn’t important. Even if I had someone I liked, I couldn’t marry her as my princess." The Fourth Prince was utterly unconcerned about his marriage, "When I come of age, Father will grant me a marriage; why should I worry about it?"

Consort Li: "..." For a moment, she didn’t know what to say.

"I trust Father will arrange a good marriage for me and appoint a suitable princess for me."

Consort Li was taken aback, then rubbed her forehead with helplessness, "You don’t have the slightest interest in women?"

The Fourth Prince interrupted Consort Li’s words, "None." After saying this, fearing Consort Li might misunderstand, he added, "I don’t like men either, Mother, so don’t overthink."

Consort Li wasn’t overthinking; she only felt that the Fourth Prince hadn’t matured in affairs of the heart, hence he would say such things.

"Your father currently has no plans to grant you a marriage."

"I haven’t come of age yet; naturally, Father wouldn’t give me a marriage now."

"What I mean is your father still hasn’t arranged a marriage for you," Consort Li had tentatively asked the Emperor before, and he said it wasn’t urgent and they would talk in a few years. So she knew the Emperor hadn’t decided yet.

"What does Mother mean?"

"Your maternal grandfather and uncle hope you could marry Xiao Ci as your princess. What do you think about that?"

Since childhood, the Fourth Prince had known that his grandfather wished for Xiao Ci to marry him. He didn’t see anything wrong with this, and of course, nothing particularly great either. Xiao Ci often came to the palace, and they had grown up together. He found her quiet nature very agreeable. If he had to marry a girl as a princess after coming of age, Xiao Ci would be a good choice, so he didn’t reject it.

"Sure."

"Do you like Xiao Ci?"

"I don’t dislike her."

"Xiao Ci is a good girl, gentle and quiet, very suitable for you. However, marrying her as your princess won’t bring you much benefit."

Upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince looked at Consort Li in surprise, "Mother, you don’t agree with Xiao Ci becoming my princess?"

"I have no dissatisfaction with Xiao Ci; on the contrary, I like her very much. But I hope your princess can be from a military family lineage."

In an instant, the Fourth Prince understood Consort Li’s meaning. "Mother, you are thinking..."

"I know the daughters of the four Great Generals are impossible, but I want to try their subordinates." Consort Li said, "The deputy generals under General Shen have daughters, and they are about your age."

"It’s impossible; Father won’t agree." None of the daughters of the four Great Generals married into the royal family, nor did any have alliances with aristocratic families. The daughters of their generals were the same.

They did not participate in royal struggles or noble affairs. They were merely pure subjects, solely loyal to the Emperor.

"I want to try."

"Mother, I advise you not to make this request." The Fourth Prince’s expression suddenly turned serious, and his tone was very solemn, "For my sake, it would be best if you didn’t make this request."