The Job Of An Imperial Concubine

121: extra 4: the crown prince

Feng Qi had only been six years old when he was conferred the position of crown prince. He had two healthy older brothers, yet the one to become the crown prince was him.

He had often heard other people say that his imperial father favored his consort-mother greatly, that his imperial father attached much importance to him. But he never took those words to heart. The only thing Feng Qi remembered was what his consort-mother had told him when he became the crown prince.

She had said, "You are now the crown prince, but do not forget that you are a son."

His youthful self thought that she was telling him to be filial. However, later on, he understood that she was reminding him how to be a good crown prince.

His consort-mother had never forbidden him from doing anything. Rather, she asked Feng Qi what he wanted to do. His childhood had not been as full of pressure as others imagined; on the contrary, it had been full of joy.

His imperial father had once said that Feng Qi possessed something he never did. Feng Qi still did not understand what that meant. His imperial father's words had always been somewhat profound. But he treated Feng Qi very well.

In the year that the empress dowager passed away, Feng Qi was only seven years old. The empress dowager had treated his consort-mother neutrally, but had treated him well. On the day she was buried, he discovered that sorrow painted his imperial father's face, one that he could not understand. Afterward, when he asked his consort-mother, she replied that she also did not understand.

In the year that his consort-mother fell gravely ill, Feng Qi understood for the first time what it was to feel sad. He heard the palace servants say that without her, his imperial father would treat him coldly. That without her, the other imperial concubines would definitely frame him and harm him. In reality, he wasn't afraid of such things. This was because his consort-mother had once said the following: When truly capable people faced a predicament, what they should be doing was how to handle the matter, not worry about how others would treat them.

But Feng Qi was afraid of his consort-mother leaving the world. He liked when she would give him different snacks and food every day, told him stories, and taught him how to write characters. And he liked how gentle she appeared when she called him "Baozi." His imperial father had many imperial concubines, but Feng Qi only had one consort-mother.

On the day his consort-mother woke up, he seemed to catch the eyes of his imperial father growing red. But later on, he thought that his imperial father was a man who could support heaven and earth. How could such a man have reddened eyes?

There were many women in the imperial harem. Sometimes, he would hear that his imperial father went to a different woman's residence. Each time that happened, Feng Qi would go to his consort-mother and listen to her stories. The stories she told were very novel and interesting. His consort-mother's expression would also be gentle and soft to a great degree, as though she were not broken-hearted that his imperial father was not around.

"Consort-Mother, today, the Imperial Tutor gave a lecture about the 'Doctrine of the Mean.' Son feels that the doctrine of the mean is not at all suitable for Son-Official. I am the crown prince. What's the use of following it?" After Feng Qi had said this, he noticed something strange about his consort-mother's gaze. As if her thoughts were elsewhere.

"The Four Books and the Five Classics of Confucianism only help you comprehend the reasoning and principles of literature and philosophy. But it is up to you how to do things," said his consort-mother, placing her hand on the top of his head. It felt very warm. "As long as you understand whether an action is advantageous and suits the current situation."