Li Hong Ming very quickly learned from his subordinates Jing Wan’s identity. After learning that she wasn’t the first branch’s, but the second branch’s miss, he was somewhat disappointed. However, she was the only one of the grandchildren, aside from the Luo family’s fourth branch, to be intentionally left by Luo Old Madam’s side. It can be seen how deeply Luo Old Madam dotes on her. Even if her political marriage value wasn’t that high, in the future, perhaps there will be some other uses for her.

Luo Pei Shan currently occupied the Head Minister of Rites position, his usage value wasn’t very high. But he knew that Luo Pei Shan’s abilities were not bad, just lacking some luck. Else, he would’ve sat on the position of the Head Minister of War.

The Head Minister of Appointments was getting old, and in the past year, he’s been further plagued by illness, taking a leave from time to time. It was very possible that he will retire from his post after the imperial civil service examination this time. He and his brothers were all secretly fighting to push their own people onto that position. However, right now, he didn’t have a suitable candidate. He was even considering pushing someone from the neutral faction up there, thereby pinning his label onto them. In his head, he filtered through one by one all the people that had that ability and discovered that Luo Pei Shan was actually a really good candidate. After pushing him up there, he can then marry a Luo family miss as his side consort[1], and basically, have Luo Pei Shan firmly tied to his side.

When he thought through all of this, Li Hong Ming’s mood increasingly improved. It’s not that he didn’t consider the possibility of his other brothers also making the same decision, but he believes that once he makes a move, no one else will be able to interfere.

There wasn’t a morning court session today, but the things that should be done still needed to be done. Li Hong Ming first went to the office of the Ministry of Revenue to finish the tasks in hand. Because he was a prince, a qingwang, in the Ministry of Revenue, he was only a temporary assignment[2]. The things that he personally needed to take care of wasn’t much. The only thing he really needed to do was to know the Ministry of Revenue’s situation in detail. After all, even with his noble status, there were some things that he couldn’t touch. This required him to slowly draw people to his side, slowly get a clear feel of the situation, and slowly infiltrate.

After he finished handling the Ministry of Revenue’s affairs, Li Hong Ming entered the palace and directly went to see Noble Consort Su.

In Noble Consort Su’s place, Li Hong Ming felt a rare sense of relaxation. After sitting down, his entire body even appeared somewhat lazy.

Although he didn’t have Li Hong Yuan’s level of peerless good looks, he was still valiantly handsome. Even if he was dressed informally, he didn’t lack the presence and bearing of an imperial son and descendant of dragons. It can be said to be the ‘grace of a dragon and posture of a phoenix’, an imposing and impressive appearance.

“Ming’er, recently, Yuan’er’s temper has been really bad, and has continued for so long, who is it that provoked him?” Wearing a wide dress, Noble Consort Su sat in the high seat of Yu Cui Palace’s main hall. Her slightly lowered pupils contrasted her raised eye corners, forming an unique charm. She absentmindedly fiddled with her long and meticulously trimmed fingernails. And on her fingernails, was not nail polish, but a natural pink color. She was already forty plus years old, yet on her body, one was unable to see any traces left by time, especially that pair of hands, slender and beautiful, and her fingertips, plump and smooth.

“Who knows.” Towards Noble Consort Su inquiring about that person he hated first thing, it made him feel discontent. He couldn’t help putting on a bit of indifference and disinterest.

Noble Consort Su swept a glance at her own son, “Your imperial father forbidden him from entering the palace, so consort-mother can’t see him. You, as the older brother, should naturally care about your little brother more. After leaving the palace, go check on him.”

“Who does he…..” His lazy posture became somewhat violent, and he couldn’t help raising his voice.

“Ming’er…..” Noble Consort Su, neither lightly nor harshly, interrupted him. That usual gentle gaze contained a trace of sharpness.

Li Hong Ming met with her line of sight. The loftiness from his body immediately vanished, and he somewhat unnaturally turned his head away. He didn’t want to admit that towards this woman, who’d birthed him, raised him, and also pampered him, he both revered and feared. He furthermore didn’t want to admit that at this moment, his heart was still in fear.

“Ming’er, towards you and Yuan’er, I’ve always been impartial. You can’t just, because he didn’t crawl out from my stomach, rightly expect that I should be partial to you. He’s been raised at my side ever since he was tiny. In my eyes, he’s the same as you. You’re already someone who’s established a family, has a wife, has a daughter. How can you still be jealous like a little delicate girl, too much vinegar?” Noble Consort Su gently smiled, “After leaving the palace, go check on him, understand?

Li Hong Ming fixedly stared at Noble Consort Su for a while and stored away all his moodiness. Like a modest gentleman, carrying a perfect gentle smile, he replied, “Yes.”

The mother and son pair then merrily and harmoniously talked about some other things, occasionally throwing in a light laugh. The atmosphere appeared very good.

The palace maids to the side all felt Noble Consort Su, as expected, was a gentle and good mother. Even if, at the same time, she would secretly fight with the Empress and the other imperial concubines to the brink of death. It can’t erase the fact that she’s still the best mother of the inner palace. Just think about that extremely bad tempered, ruthlessly cold, and unruly Jin Qinwang, who sometimes would even dare to talk back to his Majesty. But even he was the most obedient in front of her Highness.

“In the afternoon, let Liu-shi bring this consort’s two granddaughters into the palace.”

The Liu-shi Noble Consort Su spoke of was Rui Qinwang’s wangfei. Li Hong Ming, nodded, “Alright.”

“How’s Qian-shi?” Noble Consort Su faintly asked.

Li Hong Ming glanced to Noble Consort Su, who was absentmindedly drinking tea and slightly lowered his eyes, “She’s fine.” His wangfei was gentle and virtuous, providing everything good for Qian-shi. Moreover, there were two female doctors serving at the side at all times. And every three days, an imperial physician was invited to the manor to check her pulse. There weren’t any worrisome matters in the slightest, making it hard to even be unwell. No matter how ironic he felt inside, he’d never show it on the outside.

“If she gives birth to a boy, is Liu-shi planning to raise him herself, or confer Qian-shi to a side consort position?”

Qian-shi was still only a concubine, so naturally didn’t have the qualifications to raise an imperial grandson.

“Both.”

Noble Consort Su slightly glanced to her own son unexpectedly. Qian-shi’s son will be given to the wangfei to raise, and Qian-shi herself will also become a side consort. Then wouldn’t the future days in Rui Qinwang Manor’s inner courtyard be lively. “It’s fine for you all to decided yourselves. —-Alright, this consort won’t leave you here any longer, you can leave the palace early.”

“This son takes his leave.”

Li Hong Ming stepped out of the Yu Cui Palace’s large door, slowly letting out a breath. This place made him feel relaxed, but also made him feel even more repressed. What was relaxing was that he didn’t need to conceal his various calculations, and the sources of this repressiveness should go without saying.

Even if all his good mood was gone, Li Hong Ming was still that cultured and refined Li Hong Ming who respected the wise. Just, thinking about how he has to go see that bastard, his heart felt extremely suffocated. That devil’s incarnate, even he can’t afford to offend, alright?

Perhaps it was for the sake of dispelling the suffocation in his heart, or perhaps it was in order to meet that bastard a bit later as much as possible, Li Hong Ming deliberately slowed down his pace, appearing increasingly more graceful and noble. Who knows how many little palace maids he made blush. Even those who weren’t on the same path, all made a turn, having a ‘chance encounter’ before him. “Greetings Rui Qinwang.”

Li Hong Ming lost count how many times he’d said ‘you’re excused’. Every time he said it, his heart felt irritated, wishing he could immediately have all these people dragged down and beaten to death. Unfortunately, he wasn’t Li Hong Yuan. The person he had always disdained, in this moment, somehow made him feel envious. Whenever Li Hong Yuan was in a bad mood, he would just kick his foot out. And not only would he not suffer any consequences, there were even a bunch of people coaxing him like an ancestor, only asking for him to calm down. That kind of refreshing feeling, he, Li Hong Ming probably could only ever occasionally enjoy it in private. Too many times, and he would even be afraid that it would get passed to his imperial father’s ears, damaging his image.

He couldn’t help but increase his pace. Even if he was so angered by that bastard till his liver ached, for better or worse, he was still his imperial father’s son. It was still better than getting irritated by these servants here.

Li Hong Ming arrived at the Jin Qinwang Manor. But because he was in a bad mood, after confirming that Li Hong Yuan was in the residence, he didn’t wait to be announced and directly charged in. The residence’s guards naturally didn’t dare to obstruct him. However, of those who held a position in the Jin Qinwang Manor, not one wasn’t without insight. Before Li Hong Ming could even enter the door, the other side already had someone report to Li Hong Yuan.

Li Hong Yuan was in the back garden pavilion, reclining on a couch, and drinking wine. In the surrounding, the sound of qin and flute linger in the air. In midst the hundreds of blooming flowers, the dancers moved their alluring body. The entire scene was like a drunken dream. To say Li Hong Ming wasn’t jealous was a lie. But in his manor, there wasn’t even an acting troupe, not to mention these multitalented and unparalleled beautiful female servants with exquisite bodies. It’s not that he couldn’t afford to have them. At the bottom of it, it was still the problem of his image.

Li Hong Ming somewhat aggressively walked into the pavilion. And seeing Li Hong Yuan’s drunken and hazy appearance, his vigor unconsciously dropped. Regardless of how bad his reputation was, if those noble young ladies saw him now, who knows how many will be infatuated by him till they lost their souls. Unfortunately, in this bastard’s eyes, there wasn’t even his shadow. He was completely disregarded by him. Li Hong Ming forcibly put on a smile, “Sixth brother, you rather know how to enjoy.” He didn’t count on him getting up and greeting him either. He sat down on his own next to him, letting Eunuch Mu send him a cup of good wine without reservation. If he got drunken here, then it was also thanks to his good sixth brother.

[1] Side Consort – Cefei, side consort of a wang; more or less just a very high ranking concubine, second only to the main wife, the wangfei or Princess Consort. Each wang is only allowed to have up to two side consorts.

[2] Temporary Assignment – The original term is ‘gua zhi’ which can literally translate to ‘hanging position’. Back then, officials that worked in a certain department or ministry would have their name plaque hanging on the walls. So ‘gua zhi’ basically means they would have their names plaques hanging there, but they don’t really have any real work. Like an employee in name only. Many sons of nobility or relatives of the imperial family would be put in one of these empty positions. They would collect their salary and be ’employed’ but not have to do any actual real work.