She lost the mood to go shopping and returned to the manor in a huff. Arriving at the entrance of the Fifth Prince's study, she remembered that he had instructed no one to enter his study easily. However, Zhang Tiehua had suffered such a great grievance after so many years that she had a fire in her heart she couldn't vent, feeling stifled and somewhat reckless.
Just as she reached the study door, she was stopped. The Fifth Prince was discussing matters with his advisors. Upon hearing that Wu Caiwei requested an audience, he waved his hand, telling the messenger to withdraw, and continued his discussion.
Zhang Tiehua, who had now reverted to her original name, Wu Yuneng, paced anxiously outside the study. Although she knew the Fifth Prince had special feelings for her, she dared not barge in. If the Fifth Prince lost his patience, the loss would outweigh the gain.
After waiting for an unknown amount of time, the Fifth Prince finally emerged. The moment she saw him, Wu Yuneng immediately put on a smile, "Are your matters settled? Are you tired?"
The Fifth Prince rubbed his forehead wearily and said weakly, "I've encountered some difficult matters recently, but they will be resolved soon. By the way, you came to my study, you must have something urgent, right?"
As he spoke, he led Wu Yuneng inside, his study now empty, clearly his advisors having left through the back door.
"Quickly tell me what you want to say. There's no one else here. I'll help as much as I can."
Wu Yuneng's fate with the Fifth Prince could be traced back over a decade. At that time, he was swapped for another prince and brought to a farming family in the north. The farmers, who had no children of their own, treated him reasonably well, as they would eventually rely on him in their old age. After about five years, the couple finally had their own child, and the Fifth Prince became redundant.
Being beaten and going without food was commonplace. In the end, the couple sold him to pay for their own child's medical treatment.
Wu Yuneng was around six or seven years old at the time. Out of a crowd, she took a liking to the frail boy. She took special care of him, assigning him the lightest chores and instructing the overseer not to bully him. She would visit him often to play. During that time, the Fifth Prince was carefree and deeply grateful to her.
When she went to attend a girls' school, she even brought him along. To live up to her kindness, the Fifth Prince studied diligently. Two years later, when he was brought back to the palace, he was not completely ignorant. The Emperor was very pleased with this.
The incident of the swapped prince was orchestrated by Consort Ru. When she discovered that the wet nurse who had raised her was keeping secrets and was wary of her, she suddenly realized that the other woman knew too much. Fearing that Consort Ru would discard her once she was no longer useful and had left her a way out, she decided to act first. Although her plan was still in its early stages, the wet nurse had watched her grow up and could guess her every move. With just a few glances from Consort Ru, she knew she was in danger.
She harbored some resentment. Having served the Consort for so many years, she couldn't even retire peacefully and enjoy her old age. In the end, she had no choice but to take a risk and make a deal with the Empress.
She would expose Consort Ru's wrongdoings and provide evidence. In exchange, the Empress would ensure her safe departure from the palace.
The Empress agreed, deeming the deal very worthwhile, especially since Consort Ru had been favored by the Emperor for so many years, blocking her path.
When the wet nurse revealed the truth about the swapped prince, even the Emperor, who usually doted on Consort Ru, was furious. He could tolerate or cover up other matters, but the confusion of royal bloodlines was unacceptable. Of course, the Emperor did not order her death but instead banished her to the cold palace.
An investigation into the events of that year followed, eventually leading to him at the Wu family. The local magistrate was discreetly enlisted for help. The magistrate claimed the boy was a relative's child who had been lost in childhood and was now being taken back. He personally went to the Wu family and, after discussing with Master Wu, took the child away.
It was at this time that the Fifth Prince learned of his true identity. However, his birth mother had already committed suicide, unable to bear the truth. With no one to protect him, he entered a tense period of study as soon as he entered the palace. After all, although the people in the palace appeared cordial, they were constantly vying for power in secret.
The palace was rife with intrigue. Initially, he stumbled many times, but later he became clever, gradually developing a survival strategy. For instance, he consistently maintained a mediocre academic performance, neither excelling nor falling behind. He was also cautious in his words and actions, avoiding close contact with others.
He lived in the palace for nearly ten years like this. When he reached marriageable age, the Emperor personally arranged his marriage. Three days after his wedding, the couple was instructed to move out of the palace and into their own residence.
Only then did the Fifth Prince secretly breathe a sigh of relief. On his own territory, he felt much more at ease and could go out every day.
Over the years, as the Emperor grew older, the struggle between the princes intensified. The Fifth Prince was inevitably drawn into it. Although he wasn't overly ambitious for the throne, sometimes one had to participate. Even if you didn't strive for it, others would target you. In such cases, it was better to fight with all your might.
He spent every day trying to fathom the Emperor's thoughts and engaging in open and covert battles with other princes. In the quiet of the night, he would often wake up in a fright, thinking that if he failed, he would lose his head, and his family would be destroyed. He would toss and turn sleeplessly.
But as soon as dawn broke, he would rally his spirits with renewed vigor, knowing that any slight mistake could lead to utter ruin.
One day, he saw Wu Yuneng on the street. His heart was filled with joy and a long-lost sense of peace. It was as if seeing her brought him back to his childhood, and he could imagine himself living a carefree life again. Learning that she was still unmarried, he asked if she would be willing to enter his princely residence.
For Wu Yuneng, this was like a godsend. She was overjoyed, never imagining that her childhood playmate was the Fifth Prince, a son of the Emperor. Was there anywhere more noble to enter than the imperial family? She hesitated for only a moment before shyly nodding her head.
To ensure she wouldn't feel inferior upon entering the residence, the Fifth Prince went to the palace and recounted his childhood experiences to the Emperor. He also spoke of Wu Yuneng's role in his childhood and finally stated his intention to take her as a secondary consort.
The Emperor hesitated for a while before agreeing. Although her background was not considered high in the imperial family, the Emperor was grateful to her for saving his son. However, he also cautioned the Fifth Prince not to go too far and to always remember that the Fifth Princess was his legitimate wife.
The Fifth Prince immediately expressed his gratitude, promising that the Fifth Princess would always remain the Fifth Princess and that Wu Yuneng would never surpass her. The Emperor was satisfied, and she successfully entered the royal family.
Zhang Tieshan was delighted by this, dreaming of becoming royalty and waking up with a smile. This was something he had never dared to imagine before.