Chapter 343: Sweetness Can Mask Bitterness
The cause of the Fifth Prince’s sudden death has been found.
Meanwhile, the Emperor suddenly recalled that he had asked Consort Zhang to host Princess Caiyi last time, and it seemed Consort Zhang quite liked the Princess, so he suddenly summoned the Princess into the palace to keep Consort Zhang company.
Jiang Changtian was a bit angry when he learned of this news.
“Your son is gone, and you want my daughter to go comfort her?”
“Can this even be comforted?”
“Isn’t this just asking for trouble?”
Sometimes, he thought, being a subject was truly stifling.
Either way, whatever the Emperor tells you to do, you do.
Fortunately, Saner is in the palace, so there should be someone to look out for her.
Saner likes Sister Yu very much; at the very least, he won’t let her suffer any grievances.
Although Jiang Changtian can enter the palace, he cannot interact with the imperial concubines without a valid reason.
He could only count on Eunuch Yan.
Aunt Yin accompanied her.
Jiang Yu had not expected this either.
With such a major event occurring, she was curiously watching the drama unfold.
She was listening intently as her mother-in-law explained the interpersonal relationships in the capital to her.
She was just wondering how someone could suddenly die after going out for a drink.
Fortunately, Father is fine.
Speaking of which, the person who died suddenly was her relative; she should call him Cousin-Uncle, right?
She never imagined that she would suddenly have so many relatives in the capital, but these relatives were just too fragile.
As it turned out, the drama she was watching ended up involving her.
The Emperor summoned Princess Caiyi to keep Consort Zhang company.
As expected, benefits obtained for no reason must be repaid.
Although she never wanted to be this Princess, once she held the title, she had to do the work.
On that day, she dressed very plainly.
She couldn’t wear mourning clothes directly, as that would likely provoke Consort Zhang too much.
But wearing floral patterns definitely wouldn’t do either; at a time like this, dressing in bright, colorful clothes would be like looking for death.
Madam Meng and Old Madam Meng were also unhappy.
Their daughter-in-law was very good, but going to comfort Consort Zhang was a super high-risk task.
Who could be happy after losing a son?
It was a thankless task, and she might even end up being resented.
That damned Emperor is not acting like a human.
Old Madam Meng wished she could splash a ladle of manure on the Emperor to wake him up.
Anger aside, since the Emperor had summoned her, Jiang Yu had to go.
At the very least, Princess Caiyi had a rank; upon entering the palace, apart from seeing Consort Zhang, she shouldn’t be casually harassed.
When Jiang Yu saw Consort Zhang, she was startled.
They had just met a short while ago, and she had been a spirited, beautiful woman, looking radiant and healthy; seeing her again now, she suddenly looked aged.
When she saw her a while ago, she looked as young as her mother-in-law, but now she seemed to have aged a generation, appearing like a grandmother.
Jiang Yu was a person who teared up easily; before she even said anything, seeing Consort Zhang’s appearance, her tears fell.
Even Aunt Yin was impressed; was this the child she had taught? How did she suddenly become so capable?
Consort Zhang had made a scene before the Emperor, and the Emperor had ordered a thorough investigation; she also learned of what Second Young Master Jiang had said to persuade the Emperor.
As a veteran in the palace, Consort Zhang naturally had her own sources of information.
In her heart, she was quite grateful to Jiang the Second.
She knew the Emperor likely didn’t feel much grief over the Fifth Prince’s death; the Emperor was hard-hearted. Even when his favorite son, the Crown Prince, died, he hadn’t grieved much. He only thought about cultivating immortality and wanting to live forever, and he even claimed that to cultivate immortality and live forever, one must sever all emotions, believing it was only natural for him to outlive his sons.
At the very least, Second Young Master Jiang had made the Emperor put on a facade of pity for the Fifth Prince.
However, with the case being solved so quickly, Consort Zhang instead felt that things were not that simple.
People in the palace felt that one had to look at the results.
The Sixth Prince had such high support; what could he gain by killing the Fifth Prince other than ruining himself? Moreover, it being found out so easily was too coincidental.
But the Sixth Prince wasn’t innocent either.
Consort Zhang naturally wouldn’t go to clear the Sixth Prince’s name, but she wanted even more to know who the real killer was.
Her emotions were constantly on edge; she hadn’t even dared to look at her son.
It was as if, if she didn’t look, he would still be alive.
And that saying he was dead was just a rumor.
At that moment, seeing Jiang Yu cry.
Consort Zhang also hugged her and wailed loudly.
An old woman who had lost her son—what hope did she have left in this life? What hope did she have left?
Jiang Yu wailed, and while crying, she saw three little girls and one little tot sitting in the room.
She spoke up: “Great-Aunt-in-law, I brought some delicious food. Let them eat some. Children get hungry so easily. Eating something will keep them full. You should eat a little too, okay?”
Jiang Yu let go of Consort Zhang, blew her nose, wiped her hands, and had Aunt Yin help set out the food.
“Eat, everyone try some. It’s delicious.” As she said this, she took a piece of sweet cake herself first.
While eating, she choked back sobs and said: “Eat more sweets, and you won’t feel that life is so bitter.”
Consort Zhang hadn’t eaten much in the past few days, and naturally, the children hadn’t eaten much either; firstly, they were frightened by suddenly entering the palace, and secondly, hearing that their Father had been poisoned left them with a trauma regarding food.
At this moment, seeing Princess Caiyi eating it herself.
Consort Zhang had a piece of pastry stuffed into her mouth; it was cloyingly sweet. She chewed it while tears streamed down her face—it was indeed very sweet.
Then, she revealed a smile and shared it with the children.
Seeing that the adults were eating, the children finally grabbed some and started to eat.
They were famished, both scared and hungry.
Perhaps, these children who had never known hardship would remember this meal of pastries for the rest of their long lives—very sweet, very cloying, enough to mask the bitterness of life.
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