Yin Hui wiped away non-existent tears in the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, feeling deeply emotional.
Maybe at the moment when the urgent report came, there were indeed people in the palace who were genuinely saddened, including King Yan, who should have harbored some brotherly sentiments towards the prince. However, after the initial expressions of grief, the entire palace resembled a stirred lake, with waves rippling through its layers.
Emperor Jianlong had four sons, with the Empress-born prince being the eldest. The other three were born of concubines. Among them, King Yan was the second son, renowned for his military achievements and praised by both the government and the public.
With the prince’s passing, even common people speculated that the position might now fall into the hands of King Yan.
Yin Hui believed that her father-in-law should have shared the same expectation. Therefore, three months later, when the imperial decree arrived, appointing the eldest son of the late crown prince as the new crown prince, her father-in-law would appear outwardly calm, but in reality, he would be simmering with anger over trivial matters.
Following the crown prince’s death due to illness, the court ordered subjects to observe a mourning period of half a month as a mark of condolences.
During the mourning period, marriages were not allowed, and according to etiquette, husbands and wives should refrain from engaging in intimate activities. Of course, if such activities were done discreetly under the covers, as long as no one knew, it was overlooked.
In Chengxin Hall, Yin Hui had already recovered from her illness, but Wei Luo refrained from sleeping in the backyard for half a month due to the mourning period, demonstrating great self-discipline.
This was true for all, especially for the eldest son, Wei Yang, who had always been praised by the people of Pingcheng for his virtuous reputation. However, Wei Yang found it challenging to contain his excitement and ambition.
With the prince’s death, if his father were named the crown prince, they could return to the capital, residing in the East Palace. In a few years, the Emperor, his grandfather, would pass away, and his father would ascend the throne. His son would become the new crown prince and future Emperor.
Despite the prohibition on sharing the same room at night, Wei Yang encountered Xu Qingwan during the day. His eyes couldn’t conceal his excitement and ambition.
Xu Qingwan harbored similar thoughts. As she looked into Wei Yang’s bright eyes, she pondered her own desires.
She had once envied the Second Master’s love for Ji Xianxian and envied Yin Hui for having the exceptional Third Master in the palace as her husband. In those moments, she could only console herself by taking solace in Wei Yang’s status as the eldest son. Yet, people tended to desire what they did not have. She still hoped that Wei Yang could lavish her with the same affection, wishing he could be as exceptional as the Third Master, allowing her to genuinely admire the man.
But Wei Yang’s future seemed to hold even greater prospects. If the day came when he became a prince or an emperor, the honor would likely drown out all her envy and discontent. Even if Wei Yang never sought her out again, providing only the respect due to her position, Xu Qingwan wouldn’t mind anymore.
In Changyuan Hall, the Second Master, Wei Yan, was also deep in thoughts on the matter. He anticipated his father becoming the crown prince and returning to the affluent and noble surroundings of the capital. However, it would be even better if his elder brother wasn’t there, allowing him to be one step closer to those privileges.
Suddenly, Ji Xianxian sighed.
Wei Yan asked, “What are you sighing for?”
Ji Xianxian leaned into his arms, expressing her discontent, “I just feel uncomfortable. You are no less capable than your elder brother, and my natal family is not much inferior to the Xu family. Even if your father assumes that position, all the benefits will still pour into the eldest brother’s household, and we won’t get anything.”
Wei Yan laughed at himself, saying, “We can still get it; I can be the county king.”
Ji Xianxian replied, “Can it be the same?”
Initially, when the crown prince position seemed unrelated to them, being a county king might have seemed appealing. However, once they were only a step away from such a position, who would want to settle for being a county king?
Wei Yan patted her and advised, “Forget it, don’t think so far ahead. Let’s take one step at a time. I am the second brother; there are people who should worry more than me.”
In Chengxin Hall, it wasn’t until the end of the half-month mourning that Wei Luo returned to the backyard.
Counting from Yin Hui’s illness at the beginning of the month to the two weeks of mourning, the two of them hadn’t been together for more than twenty days.
Yin Hui sensed that Wei Luo was more intense that night than she had anticipated, as if he had saved the passion from every night before and unleashed it then.
However, Yin Hui also understood that it wasn’t solely due to the couple’s separation; it was likely influenced by the urgent report from the capital. If his father became the crown prince, it might lead to a more prominent position, and being his son would be a favorable outcome, right?
Despite Wei Luo’s reluctance to sleep, he continued fidgeting with her hair.
Feeling drowsy, Yin Hui grabbed his hand and said, “You may not want to sleep, but I do.”
Observing Yin Hui’s closed eyes, frowned brows, and pouting mouth, Wei Luo realized that she truly wanted to sleep.
Wei Hao was surprised.
With the passing of the crown prince, an undercurrent flowed through the palace. Everyone seemed to be anticipating something, and it was an unspoken agreement among them. Was she the only one oblivious to it, just eating and sleeping without other thoughts?
Born into a business family, did she not contemplate the future?
Or perhaps she was content with the status quo and harbored no ambitions?
“Go to sleep,” Wei Luo said without disturbing her. Returning to his own bed, he heard her regular and shallow breathing. Eventually, Wei Luo drifted into a peaceful sleep, experiencing the first good night’s rest in half a month.