The most dissolute couple in the capital

The prince's residence was much quieter than before.

Li Zhaocheng moved out long after his marriage, as did Li Han. Although Li Ye was not married, this third prince spent most of his time in the military camp, and he rarely spent more than ten days a year in his room in the palace. Now that he has been granted the title of king, it is perfectly legitimate for him to leave the palace and establish his own residence.

With the imperial decree issued, only one of the older princes' children remained in the princes' quarters.

When Li Yu returned from the Imperial Academy, it was already quite dark. Only two lanterns were lit under the eaves, their dim yellow light illuminating the bluestone floor and casting his thin shadow.

A young eunuch approached and whispered, "Your Highness, Consort Jieyu sent two messages today, asking why you haven't gone there yet."

Li Yu paused slightly, handing the scroll in his hand to the eunuch beside him: "Let's go."

Although she was called a Jieyu, it was really just a nicer title. Zhou came from a poor family; her father was only a county magistrate. She entered the palace as a Cai Nu (a low-ranking concubine), and only rose one rank after giving birth to Li Yu. Over the years, with so many concubines in the emperor's harem, favor came and went, but she was never favored.

Before Li Yu even entered the room, a suppressed sob could be heard from inside.

He raised an eyebrow and quickened his pace.

He lifted the curtain and went in, and saw Consort Jieyu sitting on a low couch by the window, clutching a handkerchief in her hand, her eyes already red-rimmed. The palace maids beside her were busily serving tea and water, but when they saw Li Yu enter, they retreated to the side as if granted a pardon.

"Mother," Li Yu stepped forward and sat down beside her, "What's wrong?"

When Jieyu raised her head and saw her son, her tears only intensified.

She reached out and grabbed Li Yu's sleeve, choking back tears, "Yu'er, it's my fault, it's my fault for letting you down..."

Li Yu sighed inwardly, but remained outwardly calm, speaking in a very soft and gentle voice: "Mother says such things again."

"Don't try to persuade me!" Jieyu covered her mouth with a handkerchief, choking back tears. "Your older brothers and sisters all have titles: Prince Yan, Prince An, Prince Hui... even the eldest prince and the fourth prince who died young have been posthumously granted titles. You alone have nothing."

Li Yu reached out and gently patted his mother's hand: "Your son is only fifteen this year, not even sixteen yet—"

"Don't try to fool me with age," Jieyu interrupted him. "The Third Prince isn't that much older than you. What makes you inferior to him? It's all because your mother is useless, your family background isn't good enough, and you don't even have anyone from your maternal family to speak up for you."

She grew increasingly distressed as she spoke, her voice gradually becoming shrill: "If I hadn't become pregnant with you and my body hadn't changed shape, the Emperor wouldn't have stopped favoring me. You were frail and sickly from childhood; which imperial physician wouldn't come only after I pleaded with them three or four times? And those high-ranking concubines, which one of them even gave us, mother and child, a second glance?"

Li Yu's fingers tightened slightly, but his face remained gentle and submissive.

"Mother……"

"I know you're kind-hearted and don't want to hear these things," Jieyu said with a tone of self-reproach. "But if your mother doesn't say it, it's really suffocating. Think about it, from the day you were born, every single day has been filled with my anxiety and worry as I raised you. When you were three, you had a high fever that wouldn't go down, and I knelt before the Buddha all night long, my knees were swollen from kneeling. When you were five, you coughed up blood, and the imperial physician said the chances of survival were slim. It was my own savings that I used to beg for medicine..."

As she spoke, she began to cry again: "In my whole life, I have nothing but you. If even you are looked down upon, what's the point of my life?"

Li Yu lowered his eyes and remained silent.

Consort Zhou's confidante, Linglong, stood outside the door, listening to the commotion inside. She then lifted the curtain and entered, smiling and bowing, saying, "Your Majesty, please don't cry yourself sick. If I may be so bold, our Fifth Prince is only fifteen this year, not even sixteen yet. He's still several years away from his coming-of-age ceremony. The Second and Third Princes were only granted such titles because they reached the appropriate age, and the First Prince and Princess have already achieved considerable political success. His Majesty is wise; how could he forget the Fifth Prince?"

Consort Jieyu dabbed at the corner of her eye with a handkerchief: "You came to comfort me... but didn't you see the way those concubines looked at me today?"

"Mother," Li Yu finally spoke after a long silence, "My second brother was granted the title of Prince An."

Jieyu was stunned for a moment.

Li Yu looked up at her: "Elder sister has been granted the title of Prince of Yan, but this matter of being granted a title is not as simple as you think..."

Jieyu was caught off guard and could only shake her head repeatedly, saying, "I don't understand these things..."

Li Yu said gently, "It's alright. You just need to know that your son is still in the palace and can come to pay his respects to you every day. If you have any headaches or fevers, the imperial physicians will be there at any time. Compared to my brothers who left the palace to establish their own residences, I am closer to Father Emperor and closer to you. Isn't that good?"

Jieyu's tears slowly stopped, but she was still a little worried: "But people outside will gossip..."

"What are you saying? That the Fifth Prince is too young to be granted a title?" Li Yu smiled. "That's the truth. My son is the youngest, so what's there to say? It's actually a bad thing that he was granted a title early and is far from his father's sight."

Linglong quickly chimed in, "That's right! Your Highness, think about it. The Fifth Prince sees His Majesty every day in the palace. This closeness is a blessing that those princes would beg for. Besides, His Highness's health is of utmost importance, and the Imperial Hospital is right next door. If he were to build his own residence outside the palace, it would be much farther away."

Jieyu hesitated and nodded, the sorrow on her face fading somewhat, but a touch of heartache appeared: "It's just that you've suffered, in this palace... there's no one you can talk to."

"With Mother here, I'm not suffering." Li Yu stood up and straightened her shawl, which had slipped down. "Mother, please rest early. I'll come to see you again after school tomorrow."

Jieyu held his hand tightly, refusing to let go, and gave him further instructions: "Remember to take your medicine tonight, don't be careless just because you haven't coughed these past two days. Also, be careful when reading at night, it's hard on your eyes..."

"Son understands."

"You always say you know, but when it comes to yourself, you don't take it seriously at all," Jieyu started nagging again. "I haven't enjoyed any good fortune in my life, and all I've got is a host of illnesses. You can't end up like me..."

"Mother," Li Yu interrupted her softly, "I promise I'll take my medicine as soon as I get back."

Jieyu then released her grip and wiped her face, saying, "Go on, go on, don't keep the people outside waiting."

He then gestured to Linglong to see him out.

Li Yu bowed, turned and left.

As he reached the courtyard gate, a gust of night wind blew, and he coughed lightly twice. His gentle and respectful expression remained, but his steps were unhurried.

Linglong followed closely behind and whispered, "Your Highness, there's actually another matter today. Prince Hui has left the palace to establish his own residence, and the Imperial Household Department has allocated quite a few good things, making things quite lively at Prince An's residence as well. People in the palace are gossipy, and those little eunuchs serving below him are probably bound to have some sarcastic remarks..."

Li Yu remained expressionless; "Replace them all."

Linglong responded with a "yes".

Li Yu thought for a moment: "Take good care of her these days. Mother is gentle and prone to overthinking. Keep an eye on her daily life, including her diet and routine. If anything seems amiss, or if anyone says anything they shouldn't, immediately send someone to inform me."

Linglong hurriedly replied, "This servant understands. I dare not relax my guard for a moment on Your Highness's side."

He took a few steps forward, then stopped.

"And another thing," he tilted his head slightly, "the palace has been quite lively lately because of the investiture of princes. You need to keep a close eye on things with Mother."

Linglong's heart skipped a beat, and she whispered, "Yes."

Li Yu said no more and slowly walked towards the direction of the prince's residence with his hands behind his back.

As dusk settled, the evening breeze swept through the corridor, causing his blue robe to billow slightly.

The palace suddenly felt much emptier.