Chapter 210: Chapter 209: Slapping the Green Tea Empress Dowager 26
Although the Empress Dowager said she would not pursue the matter, deep down she harbored a grudge against Emperor Jianwu, and the maternal affection of the past could no longer be found.
After her miscarriage, she was busy returning to the palace before the end of her confinement.
Once back in the palace, the Empress Dowager began a prominent campaign to remove the people Emperor Jianwu had previously installed.
The constant troubles in a short span of time had the palace maids and eunuchs living in fear, each scared out of their wits.
With consecutive purges within the palace, Emperor Jianwu and the Empress Dowager reached a point where there was nothing left to say, barely even seeing each other.
Prince Kang was also informed about the miscarriage of the Empress Dowager.
He was greatly shaken and hurriedly entered the palace to see the Empress Dowager.
Upon seeing Prince Kang, the Empress Dowager burst into tears and threw herself into his arms.
Clinging to Prince Kang, she sobbed breathlessly, "Tingzhang, I... I couldn’t save our child; the child is gone, gone."
Prince Kang also felt some pity for the Empress Dowager.
Although his affection for the Empress Dowager had faded, the habit of long-standing familiarity remained; whenever the Empress Dowager cried, he couldn’t help but feel distressed.
"Don’t cry, if the child is gone, it’s gone, as long as you are alright, that’s what matters."
Prince Kang comforted the Empress Dowager gently, soothing her until she finally stopped crying.
Prince Kang asked her softly, "How’s your health now?"
The Empress Dowager, pale-faced and looking pitiful, replied, "The Imperial Physician said I need to recover well."
"You’ve suffered." This remark from Prince Kang almost brought her to tears again.
Snuggled in Prince Kang’s embrace, she expressed her grievances, "Tingzhang, I never expected, really never expected the Emperor to harm me. I did everything for him, yet he treated me this way. Now, the Emperor barely speaks to me when we meet. In this whole Imperial Palace, I have no one to talk to, Tingzhang, I am truly suffering."
Prince Kang’s heart ached again.
When he was about to leave, the Empress Dowager clung to him reluctantly, "Tingzhang, I only have you now, do not abandon me."
The Empress Dowager’s tender affections and heartfelt reliance made Prince Kang’s wavering heart firm up once again.
He felt he must have been mad before to think that the Empress Dowager he loved for so many years was not good enough, to think that Anning was better. In the future, he assured himself he would never think like that again. The Empress Dowager, betrayed by her own son, now truly lived a solitary and desolate life. If he were to let her down again, she might not be able to survive.
Prince Kang assured the Empress Dowager resolutely, "Don’t worry, I will never abandon you."
Only then did the Empress Dowager feel at ease.
After Prince Kang returned, he also began working against the little Emperor.
He found several teachers and had the little Emperor study every day, barely allowing him to take part in state affairs.
What Prince Kang was planning inside his heart, nobody knew.
But Anning had a hunch.
Prince Kang had become wary of the little Emperor.
After all, how could he commit his loyalty to someone who could harm even his biological mother? Prince Kang was scared.
He feared that all his efforts would come to naught in the end, that not only would the little Emperor not be grateful, but he would also harbor hatred towards him.
If the Emperor were to rule in his own right one day, Prince Kang might well be the first one he would strike down. By then, not just himself, but the entire Prince Kang Mansion could be destroyed.
However, it was a bit late for Prince Kang to be cautious now.
The little Emperor was not yet a cause for concern, but He Zhenyu was gradually growing stronger.
Thus, as the relationship between the Empress Dowager and the little Emperor froze to an all-time low, Prince Kang was also steadily reclaiming power, and time ticked away.
Soon, two years had passed.
During these two years, Anning patiently dealt with Prince Kang while also nurturing He Zhenyu and Helan Zhi.
Now the siblings’ martial arts skills had become incredibly strong, such that they were ranked among the top masters in the worldly society.
Anning’s martial arts expertise was also very formidable, but just how formidable, no one knew.
But He Zhenyu and Helan Zhi knew that Anning’s martial arts skills were much higher than theirs.
Another thing was the high-yield crops that had been cultivated on the manor Anning brought as her dowry.
This was something Anning had already mastered; she had cultivated high-yield crops several times in ancient times. She had plenty of experience, so naturally, it was easy for her to cultivate them again.
She had produced high-yield wheat and hybrid rice; additionally, she bought various seeds from merchants from the Western Regions to plant.
Once the high-yield crops were cultivated, Anning began to spread the word everywhere.
She found not only storytellers in restaurants and teahouses, performers in workshops and the city, but even beggars and children on the streets, whom she taught songs to. Suddenly, the whole Capital was abuzz with news about how the Heir of Prince Kang had cultivated high-yield crops, with winter wheat yielding over 500 catties per mu and hybrid rice yielding five to six hundred catties.
You must know, at that time, even the best land only yielded two to three hundred catties of grain per mu, so the figures of five to six hundred catties were astonishing to the common people.
The news quickly spread throughout Dayong via traveling merchants.
Prince Kang naturally heard about it.
After hearing the news, he sought out Anning.
He hadn’t seen Anning for a long time, as she had been somewhat avoiding him lately, and the Empress Dowager had been employing various tactics to entice Prince Kang, leading him to frequent the palace, which meant he visited Anning less often.
Having not seen her for quite some time, Prince Kang was once again stunned by Anning’s beauty when he saw her.
Anning was becoming more and more attractive as time went on; in her, Prince Kang felt as if he could see time flowing backward.
He gazed at Anning in a daze for a good while.
Anning was busy reviewing account books, so when Prince Kang didn’t speak, she prompted him, "Does Your Highness have something on your mind?"
A young maid brought over some tea.
Prince Kang didn’t drink it.
"I’m asking you, what’s this about the high-yield crops? Why did you spread the word without discussing it with me?"
Anning blinked her eyes, "Is Your Highness blaming me? I have observed Your Highness’s actions over the past two years; you have long held grievances against His Majesty. Considering this, what difference does it make whether I tell Your Highness or not? Even if I did tell Your Highness, you would not give credit to His Majesty. It is just the same whether I inform you or not."
"But..."
Prince Kang wanted to retort.
Anning cut him off, "Your Highness only has Zhenyu for a son, and in the future, everything in Prince Mansion will be his. Is there anything wrong with crediting the achievement to him? Or is it that Your Highness has other sons outside? If so, please tell me sooner rather than later, so that Zhenyu, Lanzhi, and I can make room for your new love early."
Prince Kang was stopped in his tracks.
He didn’t know what to say.
After some thought, he found Anning’s words reasonable.
Indeed, he only had He Zhenyu as a son, his confirmed heir, so the credit for cultivating high-yield crops could go to either father or son; either way, it would earn merit and reputation for Prince Kang Mansion.
With this in mind, Prince Kang’s demeanor softened, "I am only upset that you did not tell me, not that you should not promote Zhenyu in such a manner."
"I would need to find the opportunity to tell Your Highness."
Anning couldn’t help but add sarcastically, "Your heart, nowadays, is hooked by that person in the palace. You’re entering the palace every single day, never sparing a thought for us."
Prince Kang touched his nose.
He felt guilty.
Seeing Anning’s charming demeanor, Prince Kang patiently tried to coax her.
He gestured for the maids to leave and approached to put his arm around Anning’s shoulder.
Anning sidestepped, looking disdainfully at Prince Kang, "Don’t use the same tricks on me that you use on her in the palace. I’m not buying it. As long as you keep entangling with that one inside the palace, stay away from me in the future. It will save me from being in a bad mood. I’m not like her; I’m fine without a man, I’ll do whatever I need to do."
Prince Kang, rebuffed by Anning, felt very conflicted.
He didn’t dare push Anning, as she had beaten him up more than once; there was nothing he could do but leave sullenly. Every other day, he went to the palace seeking comfort.