On the second day of June, Daohua sent someone to deliver a jar of rose dew to the Prince of Ping as promised.
Because it was food, Daohua specifically instructed Xiaoliu to ensure it was delivered directly to Huai En. If other people in the Prince Residence wanted to intercept it, it was better to destroy it rather than leave it behind.
Thus, in the sweltering heat, Huai En, drenched in sweat, carried a jar of rose dew into the Prince of Ping’s study.
Seeing him like this, the Prince of Ping couldn’t help but ask, "What have you been up to?"
Huai En, with a wry smile, handed over the rose dew and briefly shared the details of the errand.
After listening, the Prince of Ping looked at the porcelain jar and chuckled, "That girl is indeed efficient, to have sent it over to me so quickly."
Huai En smiled and said, "My lord, you are the future father-in-law of the Countess. Naturally, she is very attentive towards you. Moreover, after you praised the Countess so highly in public yesterday, she must show her filial piety."
The Prince of Ping laughed once and said nothing.
The reason for praising the girl yesterday was, first, to give face to the Emperor; second, not to let outsiders laugh at the Prince Residence; and third, because of the past hardships.
To say that he liked the girl very much would still be an overstatement.
However, he was no longer opposed to the idea of her being his daughter-in-law.
The Prince of Ping had Huai En open the porcelain jar and poured a cup of rose dew. After tasting it, he showed satisfaction, "Miss Yan does have her commendable points."
Just then, Xiao Yechen came over.
The Prince of Ping immediately smiled and had Huai En serve him a cup of rose dew, "This is a token of respect from your brother’s wife to me. Try it, the flavor is quite good."
Xiao Yechen took a light sip and then said with a smile, "If father praises it, it must indeed be good." Looking at Huai En, he then asked with a smile, "You’re all sweaty, what have you been up to?"
Huai En looked up at Xiao Yechen, thinking that the eldest son had indeed come because of the matter concerning the delivery of the rose dew.
Before Huai En could speak, the Prince of Ping spoke first, "He was just fetching the rose dew in the heat."
Xiao Yechen suddenly realized, "So that’s it. I just came back from outside and I heard the gatekeeper’s servants saying that the servants from the Yan Family didn’t trust them, and didn’t want to hand over items to be delivered inside, insisting that only Huai En would do."
Pausing, he then glanced at the Prince of Ping who was looking down and drinking the dew.
"I must say, the Countess of Shengping is rather assertive. She hasn’t even officially entered our family yet, and she’s already ordering people around you, Father. She shows disrespect towards her future mother-in-law, but how can she act this way towards you, Father? Could it be because of my younger brother’s doting?"
The cold rose dew suddenly slid into his stomach, causing the Prince of Ping to shiver. At this moment, he felt somewhat cold inside, unsure if it was the chill from the dew or the sudden realization of the subtle hostility between his legitimate son and his eldest illegitimate son.
Suddenly, fragments of incidents flashed through his mind, as if every time his legitimate son did something, the Ma Family and the eldest son would timely appear, stirring his anger with their words, and then...
He and his legitimate son slowly pushed each other further and further apart.
Seeing the Prince of Ping looking at him with a strange gaze he had never seen before, Xiao Yechen became panicked and nervously asked, "Father, did I say something wrong?"
The Prince of Ping slowly put down the rose dew, his gaze complex as he looked at the eldest son he had cherished since childhood. Could it be just as the Emperor had said, that his favor had fueled the ambitions of the Ma family?
"You’re overthinking; I have other matters to attend to here, you may leave now."
Xiao Yechen hesitated, wanting to say more, but seeing the Prince of Ping had already turned his back to him, he reluctantly left the room.
From the window, the Prince of Ping watched his eldest son leave, recalling the previous day’s harsh words from Miss Yan about his mistreatment of his legitimate son, which aggravated his mood, unquieted by any means.
"Did you just say that the servants from the Yan Family would rather destroy the jar than hand it over to someone else?"
Sensing that the mood of the Prince of Ping was off, Huai En nodded without daring to say anything else.
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