Chapter 244: Chapter 244: The Final Outcome
Consort Zhang listened to her son’s words and recalled that distant event.
It was indeed amusing at the time, but if it happened to her own son, there would be no joy in it for her.
"It’s just a distant relative, is it worth all this?" Consort Zhang was still somewhat unwilling.
"Seventh Prince," he said, "Does Mother want to gamble my safety and future? Not to mention the benefits if we win, those benefits are just wishful thinking. What if we lose? Is it worth it? Right now, we have no grudges; let’s not create any grievances, turning the Pei Mansion into our enemy would be a great loss."
Seventh Prince was not like the loser that was the Eighth Prince, who easily caused trouble through impulsiveness.
Consort Zhang was quickly persuaded. Whenever she saw the Grand Princess, anger consumed her; she was overly eager to suppress the opposition, and in thinking of things she became impulsive. No matter when, gambling her son’s future was certainly not worth it.
The Emperor had more than ten sons. People often say, "The Emperor loves the firstborn, the commoners love the youngest," but now the Seventh Prince was neither the eldest nor the youngest, and although she was a favored consort, that affection wouldn’t be extended more to the Seventh Prince.
Moreover, it seemed the Emperor didn’t particularly love the firstborn either, as he hadn’t yet declared a Crown Prince, which was the best proof. So no one knew which son the Emperor truly cherished.
Even those directly involved didn’t know, let alone Qu Fulan, who had read the original work.
Because the original work wasn’t focused on political schemes, it mostly depicted the hardships and pains of the female lead.
So by the end, the position of the Crown Prince hadn’t been decided.
But that didn’t prevent Qu Fulan from recognizing the Emperor’s grand vision; he was someone who could expertly play the arts of the kingship, balancing the various factions perfectly.
Qu Fulan couldn’t help but think of the TV drama "Iron Teeth and Bronze Tooth Ji Xiaolan," where Emperor Qianlong skillfully played with the arts of kingship, using the two powerful ministers He Shen and Ji Xiaolan to restrain each other and balance the court.
Now Pei Ji’an and Xiao Shiqing had a similar relationship, both capable men who were adversaries yet could restrain and collaborate with each other, which was perfect.
In the next two days, Qu Fulan neither saw Xiao Shiqing nor the Heir Pei, assuming they were busy with hunting, leaving early and returning late.
She mingled with Madam Pei and a few others, eating, drinking, and occasionally hunting, living a fulfilling life.
Every time the Grand Princess insisted on roasting rabbits at the gate, it made Consort Zhang jump with rage.
In private, the Grand Princess confided, wanting Consort Zhang to think of the taste of rabbit meat whenever she saw a rabbit, tormenting her for seven days, so she would remember. Wouldn’t the sight of her holding her own rabbit make her salivate afterward?
Just imagining that scene made the Grand Princess burst into laughter, as if she could easily find her joy.
Yet privately, Qu Fulan heard from Madam Pei that the Grand Princess cried in secret.
Because publicly, people believed it was the Grand Princess who spoiled Consort Zhang’s marriage arrangement with that man, leading to his death in battle.
But it wasn’t so; the man himself refused the Zhang family’s proposal just as the princess’s matchmaker arrived that day.
What did it matter if Consort Zhang had known him first or fell in love at first sight?
The man didn’t like her.
Nor did he like the princess.
He had someone he loved.
It was just that the girl’s status wasn’t high enough, and the man’s family disapproved.
The man intended to make a name for himself in battle so he could request the Emperor’s assistance in granting his wish.
The Grand Princess witnessed the love between that man and that woman.
She didn’t destroy their love. Perhaps if it were another man and woman, she wouldn’t have resisted using her status to ruin it.
But they truly seemed like a perfect match made in heaven, the man was good, the woman good too, even she couldn’t bear to disrupt them, especially being young and proud at the time.
A princess of noble standing being refused, how could her self-esteem tolerate it?
But because of her high status, very few men could reject her, and this man achieved it, seeing only that woman and not the princess.
Such resolve and principles deeply attracted the princess, who silently admired him.
After the man died, the woman followed him in death.
The name engraved in the princess’s heart could never be erased.
She always remembered him softly speaking under the cherry blossoms, "Miss, you dropped your hairpin."
The taste of unrequited love only those who deeply experienced it could understand.
Time passed unconsciously, and suddenly it was the seventh day.
This was the last day of the competition, the day to determine the winner.
The Emperor set the time limit at one shichen (two hours), after which everyone’s game would be tallied, and the one with the greatest count would win.
Soon, one shichen passed, and not all the hunters had returned, though news from the front lines had already arrived.
"Your Majesty, all the game has been tallied," the person in charge reported.
The Emperor excitedly said, "Then announce the results."
Afterward, the game numbers for each prince, heir, and young lord were read out.
In the final results, both Pei Ji’an and Xiao Shiqing had the same count, but soon someone approached the recording official, whispering something that left the official surprised, who then truthfully reported to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, Prince Xiao’s count needs to be reduced by one."
Thus, Heir Pei emerged as the winner.
But the sudden deduction puzzled many, and the Emperor asked, "What happened?"
The recording official said, "Reports from the front lines came in that Prince Xiao captured a live rabbit at the end. It was intended to be brought back, but since it was a pregnant doe, it was released."
This remark caused a stir, with voices of astonishment and opposition, and the discussions were heated.
The Emperor found it amusing, and without making a decision himself, he tossed the question to the ministers below, "This is interesting; how do my beloved ministers think this should be judged?"
Immediately, someone stepped forward, saying, "Prince Xiao should be declared the winner, as the etiquette of ’Tian Lie’ dictates not capturing young animals, not collecting bird eggs, not killing pregnant animals, nor harming immature animals, nor destroying bird nests during hunting. Prince Xiao’s compassion is a model for us all."
But another said, "You mentioned ’Tian Lie’ etiquette, which is for spring hunting rules. This is ’Winter Hunt,’ which doesn’t require such rules. Moreover, the competition rules were set, with victory based on numbers. Rules are rules, if he was truly compassionate, wouldn’t he refrain from joining the hunt to be more merciful? Since it’s all about killing, why distinguish compassion?"
"Rules also require flexibility; otherwise keeping that game, factoring in the creature inside, would have exceeded Heir Pei’s count, so Prince Xiao should win."
"But didn’t he release it? The fact remains there is one less, and this is a competition, not a contest of compassion. Talking about showing kindness to animals in hunting is laughable; it’s as if animals without offspring deserve to die?"
"You’re being unreasonable!"
"You’re the one being absurd!"
The factions argued fiercely, neither side yielding.
The Emperor found it a headache and a dilemma, unable to easily decide the outcome.
Just then, Heir Pei and Prince Xiao returned.