Chapter 1113 - 23: Cuckolding the Prince

Tianmiao had just returned to the Prince Mansion when the Emperor’s gifts arrived soon after.

"For me? Are you sure they weren’t intended for the Prince and sent to me by mistake?" Tianmiao asked, uncertainly pointing at herself, as the Chief Eunuch, whose face was full of smiles, assured her that the gifts were indeed meant for her. This Eunuch Wang was deeply trusted by the Emperor, having served as the Chief Eunuch for many years. Everyone who saw him would courteously yield a few steps, and there were many who sought to curry favor with him.

Now, with a flattering smile on his face, the Chief Eunuch brought her so many things. What was the Emperor aiming for? Was he compensating her on behalf of Prince Kang?

"The Emperor said these are not compensation from Prince Kang; he simply wanted to give them to you directly to make you happy," the Chief Eunuch suddenly conveyed.

"How do you know what I’m thinking?" Tianmiao questioned, more confused.

"A servant does not know such things. It’s the Emperor who instructed me to say this when meeting with the Princess." The Chief Eunuch answered with a smile. In fact, when he first heard this instruction from the Emperor, his heart was overwhelmingly shocked. What did the Emperor mean? Could it be there was an interest towards Prince Kang’s Princess? But Prince Kang’s Princess is Prince Kang’s wife. What is the Emperor trying to do? If the Emperor truly fancies Prince Kang’s Princess, it would mean fraternal conflict, and absolutely a royal scandal. The Chief Eunuch dared not think further. But then he reconsidered; as the Emperor, the entire world belongs to him. If he truly wants to do something, there are many ways to conceal it. Besides, concerning the Tian Family’s matters, who dares to interfere?

Tianmiao became even more perplexed after hearing this. Could the words the Emperor spoke at Gushan Temple be true? Did he truly feel remorseful and guilty for pushing her into a pit of fire?

"Then, I shall take my leave now. The Emperor is waiting for me to report back." The Chief Eunuch saluted Tianmiao, then made a hasty departure with his entourage.

Tianmiao gestured for someone to move the things inside.

Upon entering, she noticed some items were food — a few food boxes neatly arranged, filled with her favorite dishes. There were also some silks and satins, jade and jewelry, along with some books. These books contained some intriguing storytelling accounts.

Tianmiao casually browsed through one book and found the stories inside quite interesting. She became more puzzled, wondering if the Emperor also read such things. From childhood, she remembered the Emperor saying these were just frivolous tricks unworthy of presentation. She was even scolded by the Emperor for reading such things as a child, but now he had sent this for her to read?

She should have asked the Chief Eunuch earlier whether some wandering sorcerer in the palace was making strange pills for the Emperor, tricking him into eating them and affecting his mind. Otherwise, the Emperor’s actions were too abnormal and strange.

Prince Kang also heard about the Emperor bestowing numerous items upon the Princess. He regarded it merely as the Emperor’s way of soothing and compensating the Princess, not giving it much thought, completely unaware that the crown upon his head had begun to change in color.

At this moment, he patiently explained to Concubine Qin about the Palace Maid’s teaching her the rules.

"You look down on me. You think I’m coarse, lowly, right?" Concubine Qin cried pitifully, nestled in Prince Kang’s embrace with a coy reproach.

"No, how could I think that? But some rules must be known to avoid mishaps in the future." Prince Kang reassured her, "There are many royal protocols and ceremonies, banquets, and whatnot. You have to attend them. Learning early means avoiding mistakes then, isn’t that so?"

"Well... alright then." Upon hearing this, Concubine Qin thought about eventually replacing that abandoned woman. When she becomes the Princess, she’ll indeed need to attend many ceremonies. Learning those things earlier might be beneficial, thus she agreed.

However, Concubine Qin didn’t expect that learning the rules would be such a tedious affair. The most unbearable part for her was having to salute the Main Wife!

(Today, there should still be more, right?)