The Noble Consort is the most favored in the harem

Chapter 100 - Posthumous Title

"Mm, that makes sense."

As they spoke, Xia'an brought in a bowl of chilled sour plum soup. It was refreshing and thirst-quenching.

The emperor took it, downed it in one gulp, and felt somewhat unsatisfied, yet he didn't ask for another bowl. As an emperor, he had long been accustomed to controlling his desires. Seeking coolness in the summer was not a good thing.

After chatting casually for a while, they saw Du Momo walking in from the back courtyard with the Second Prince. She entered the inner room and properly paid her respects to the emperor.

The emperor frowned helplessly and said, "Momo, I've told you before that you don't need to be so formal."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your understanding, but the rules cannot be disregarded."

He then waved to the Second Prince, softening his tone as he said, "I haven't been here these past few days; you look much better than before."

"Thank you for your concern, Father. Lin Changzai, Du Momo, and everyone in the Hui Fang Courtyard have treated me very well, so I've been able to eat and sleep well."

The emperor reached out to pat his round little head, smiling with satisfaction. He truly felt that children, like orange trees, need the right soil and careful nurturing. Otherwise, how could there be the saying, "Oranges grown south of the Huai River are sweet, while those grown north are bitter"?

"I came today to discuss something with you."

"Please, Father, go ahead."

"Lin Guifei wants to hold a birthday banquet for you at the Lotus Lake pavilion not far from here. What do you think?"

Lin Guifei? The Second Prince's face filled with confusion; he had little interaction with her. Including her daughter, the only princess, he felt equally unfamiliar with her.

It felt strange for someone so unfamiliar to suddenly want to throw him a birthday banquet, especially since it seemed to be a grand affair. He understood that there was likely something ulterior at play.

He felt an instinctive aversion to the idea.

After a moment of silence, he slowly replied, "I do not like the idea of a grand birthday banquet; I hope Father can understand."

"Why is that?"

"My... biological mother passed away during childbirth, so my birthday is also the anniversary of her death. A small gathering in the courtyard would be acceptable, but a grand celebration would make me feel unworthy as her son."

The Second Prince's words were reasonable and well-founded. It had been too long since Su Pin's departure, and everyone had somewhat overlooked her memorial day. Or perhaps no one in the palace had remembered it at all.

Thus, when he suddenly brought it up, everyone fell silent.

Especially the emperor.

At this moment, he even had a vague recollection of Su Pin's appearance; in his memories, she had been very low-key. He didn't even know what she liked to eat or use, let alone other details.

Seeing a flash of guilt in the emperor's eyes, Du Momo suddenly spoke up to comfort him. "Your Majesty, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."

"Momo, please speak freely."

"I believe what the Second Prince said is reasonable, but Lin Guifei's intentions are also good. If we refuse her outright, it might cause some unnecessary misunderstandings. Why not, in the name of the Second Prince, chant sutras for seven days for Su Pin from today onward, wishing her early entry into the Pure Land? This way, it can also show the Second Prince's filial piety."