Chapter 1560: Chapter 1567: Going into Labor (2)
The ceremony concluded, and the Old Madame looked anxiously at Cai Wei’s terribly massive stomach, saying, "Her Majesty is soon to give birth; it wasn’t appropriate to trouble Her Majesty’s Luojia for the Old Master’s birthday!"
Cai Wei laughed and said, "It’s no matter, I am still seven or eight days away from the due date. Exercising a bit more will help ensure a smooth delivery."
"Though that may be true, staying in the palace would be far more prudent. His Majesty is far too careless."
The Old Madame grumbled, and as soon as her voice fell, a voice answered, "Her Majesty the Empress is the True Phoenix Reincarnation herself, surely she is blessed by the heavens. Madam need not worry!"
Cai Wei, hearing the voice, turned to look, only to see Lady Hu of the Auxiliary Duke’s Mansion smiling ingratiatingly at her. Upon catching Cai Wei’s gaze, Lady Hu hurriedly bent down and said, "Your Majesty the Empress, this humble concubine has failed to raise her son properly. My unworthy son, under the influence of liquor last month, offended Eunuch Liu who serves by Your Majesty’s side. I only recently learned of this matter and plead for Your Majesty to spare him this once, considering it is his first offense."
Cai Wei said, "Madam, you worry too much. If the Crown Prince offended Eunuch Liu, that was a matter between them. How does that concern us? Let us simply enjoy ourselves—drink, watch plays, and eat. Their disputes should be left for them to resolve on their own!"
Upon hearing Cai Wei’s response, Lady Hu dared not say anything more. With visible unease, she muttered, "Yes," and promptly fell silent.
At that moment, her heart was pounding with unrest as she nervously adjusted her plans while sipping milk. She thought, if it weren’t for fear of losing face—for both the Old Master and the Auxiliary Duke’s Mansion—she would have already knelt down to kowtow and beg Her Majesty the Empress for mercy, pleading for forgiveness for her family.
In the capital, all the aristocrats were well aware that Liu Xi was the Empress’s most trusted confidant. Even Eunuch Steward Yang Yong deferred to his authority. Yet, her reckless son, emboldened by alcohol, had humiliated Liu Xi by forcing him to endure the ultimate humiliation.
Once sober, Crown Prince Jing grew fearful—dreading not only the Empress’s retaliation but also Liu Xi’s vengeance, secretly sabotaging or provoking the Auxiliary Duke’s Mansion in the future. He was most terrified of his father discovering this incident and stripping him of his title as Crown Prince.
After all, the Auxiliary Duke’s Mansion had more than one young master. Among the grown sons alone, there were four or five who could contend honorably. Measured by scholarship or martial arts, he wasn’t the most exceptional. He was chosen only because he was the legitimate heir, yet the Auxiliary Duke’s heart favored another candidate for Crown Prince.
Crown Prince Jing understood his father’s thoughts all too well. Thus, he kept the matter tightly concealed, ensuring it would never reach the ears of the Auxiliary Duke.
However, there is no wall in this world that can block the wind. The matter eventually came to light, and when the Auxiliary Duke learned of it, he flew into a rage—beating him nearly half to death and threatening to tie him up and personally present an apology to Her Majesty the Empress. Yet the Empress was nurturing her fetus and refused to see anyone. Even when his wife attempted to send tokens to request an audience, they were all turned away.
At this juncture, the Auxiliary Duke and his wife were truly panicked. If Her Majesty the Empress were to issue a decree punishing them, they might have found some solace. The problem lay in the lack of punishment or acknowledgment; she refused to see them entirely. Being left suspended in such uncertainty—neither up nor down—filled them with deep dread.
Thus, the Auxiliary Duke issued an order to strip Jing of his title as Crown Prince to quell Her Majesty the Empress’s anger. He intended to pass the title to another favored son born of a concubine. Upon hearing this, Lady Hu was so alarmed that she fell to her knees, begging profusely and vowing to find a way to procure forgiveness from Her Majesty for Jing Sa.
The Auxiliary Duke, mindful of their bond as husband and wife, temporarily set the matter aside. However, he clearly stated that if Her Majesty refused to pardon Jing, his title would be revoked. Jing would then be sent back to the family’s old home in Qiongzhou to oversee their ancestral estates.