Consort De's eyes widened, thinking she had misheard.
"I say, Commander Kong, you either don't return to the palace for years, and then suddenly you're back and want to take my son away. What are your intentions?" Consort De pulled Xiao Junbao behind her, her expression wary.
Kong Xingzhu smiled faintly at this. "Your Highness, there's a saying, you can't have both fish and bear's paw. You can't keep His Highness the Seventh Prince tied to your side forever. How will he grow then?"
"Besides, the Crown Prince wants His Highness the Seventh Prince to leave the palace for his own good. The world outside the palace gates is bustling, with all sorts of joys and sorrows. Isn't it better than staying in the palace to broaden his horizons?"
Consort De: "......"
This was utter nonsense.
If Junbao looked like a normal boy, she wouldn't be so worried.
But with his current 'stunningly beautiful, delicate and moving' appearance, it was no wonder he'd be bullied if he went out.
"No, absolutely not!" Consort De said sternly, refusing outright.
Kong Xingzhu was slightly taken aback, then shook his head with a wry smile. "If that's the case, Your Highness doesn't need to take diet pills anymore. You can just continue to get fatter..."
She could only choose one between the diet pills and her son.
Consort De was so angry she was sputtering, pointing at Kong Xingzhu. "You, you, you... You're outrageous! How dare you negotiate terms with me!"
"It's not that your humble servant is negotiating with you!" Kong Xingzhu said with a smile. "It's His Highness the Crown Prince who has a request, and we hope Your Highness will cooperate!"
"Give me the medicine!"
"Why should I give it to you?"
"Because I am Consort De, and the birth mother of Junbao!"
"So what? Love whoever you want, but I am His Highness the Crown Prince's man, and you can't control me!"
Consort De: "......"
Well, it seemed this fellow was prepared.
Xiao Junbao blinked his beautiful eyes. Seeing his mother about to cry, he thought of going forward to comfort her.
Before he could even take his mother's hand, he heard shouts from outside the hall, "The Emperor has arrived..."
Consort De: "???"
Why did the Emperor suddenly come to her place?
Kong Xingzhu didn't react much. He walked to the center of the hall and bowed.
A moment later, Emperor Cheng, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, walked in unhurriedly.
"Hmm? Commander Kong, why are you here too?" Emperor Cheng asked in surprise.
He had come to check if Consort De had eaten her diet meal and to see Junbao.
After all, he was his son, flesh and blood on both sides of his hand.
Kong Xingzhu glanced at Consort De and briefly explained the situation, adding, "If His Highness the Crown Prince didn't have an urgent matter, he wouldn't have asked His Highness the Seventh Prince for help. But Consort De is holding onto His Highness the Seventh Prince so tightly, and I can't do anything about it..."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor instantly became angry.
He was angry that that brat Xiao Jinheng didn't ask him for help but asked his brother instead.
"This unruly child, does he still have me in his eyes?" Emperor Cheng stamped his foot.
Kong Xingzhu: "......"
Your Majesty, now is not the time to talk about this, is it?
"Junbao, tidy yourself up and leave with Commander Kong immediately. Do not delay!" Emperor Cheng issued the order.
If Junbao could really help Jinheng, he couldn't stop it.
Xiao Junbao's eyes lit up, and he cupped his hands in a bow. "Understood, Father Emperor!"
After speaking, Kong Xingzhu put down his baggage and pulled Xiao Junbao out of the hall.
Consort De's eyelids twitched. "Emperor, Emperor, do you know what the Crown Prince is sending Junbao to do? If something happens to Junbao, who will take responsibility..."
"Isn't it enough for me to take responsibility?" Emperor Cheng looked at the simple fare on the table and asked, "Why aren't you eating?"
If she got any fatter, her body would collapse.
"Your humble servant, your humble servant can't eat it..." Consort De lowered her head.
All coarse grains and vegetarian dishes, how could she eat them?
Emperor Cheng heard this and sneered, "Then shall I have the imperial kitchen make you a braised pork knuckle with rock sugar or sweet and sour pork ribs?"
Consort De heard this and suddenly looked up, tears of excitement streaming from the corners of her eyes. "Really... really? Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty!"
She knew that the Emperor cared about her.
Emperor Cheng grunted and stroked his chin. "I heard you like to eat venison. Shall I have the imperial chefs roast you a deer leg, and also a pot of beef stewed with radishes and boiled mutton?"
"Oh, none of that is necessary. The braised pork knuckle with rock sugar is enough!" Consort De was so excited she was about to fly.
Unexpectedly, Emperor Cheng's face darkened, and he snorted coldly, "How do you think my body looks? All bones, no flesh. Do you want to stew me and eat me too?"
Even now, she still didn't know how to lose weight.
Consort De: "......"
So you said all that just to trick me?
"Continue eating your diet meals. Stick to it for a year, otherwise, you'll never be allowed to eat meat again, hmph!"
After speaking, Emperor Cheng flicked his sleeves and strode away.
Looking at the table full of cornmeal flatbreads, buckwheat dumplings with vegetarian filling, and sorghum water rice, Consort De felt like crying but had no tears.
At the same time, inside the Yun Mansion.
"Second nephew, congratulations! Study hard in the capital from now on and bring glory to our old Yun family!"
Little Xi Tian held Yun Jinshan's hand and encouraged him with a smile.
Censor Qin was to be appointed in the capital, so he brought Yun Jinshan along to study there.
The group had endured a bumpy journey for more than half a month, and they had finally arrived today.
"Little Aunt, is this your home in the capital? It's so big!" Yun Jinshan looked at the furnishings and layout of the courtyard, his eyes wide with wonder.
Little Xi Tian smiled. "This house was bought by your Uncle Jiang Tun. Jinshan can come anytime he wants..."
After speaking, Little Xi Tian pulled Yun Jinshan into the pavilion. "Second nephew, what are your plans now? Are you going to study at the Imperial College, or just find any academy?"
Now Jinshan and Jinhe were on equal footing, both having passed the xiucai examination.
It remained to be seen who would pass the juren examination first.
The imperial examinations were divided into four stages: the college examination, the provincial examination, the metropolitan examination, and the palace examination.
To be precise, there were county and prefectural examinations at the very beginning, and those who passed were called tong sheng.
Those who passed the college examination were called sheng yuan, or xiucai. Then, xiucai would participate in the provincial examination, and those who passed would become juren.
After becoming a juren, they would participate in the metropolitan examination in the capital, and those who passed would become gong shi.
Only gong shi were eligible to participate in the palace examination, and those who passed would become jinshi.
Jinshi were divided into three grades, commonly known as Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua.
So, if Yun Jinshan and Yun Jinhe wanted to follow the path of the imperial examinations, they had a long and arduous journey ahead of them. This was just the beginning.
"Little Aunt, Censor Qin said he plans to have me study at the Imperial College, but... but I'm afraid my grades won't be good enough to get in!" Yun Jinshan said dejectedly.
Little Xi Tian heard this and sighed. Just as she was about to comfort her second nephew, she saw Steward Li hurrying over.