The Sixteenth Prince had humble maternal relatives, with his mother being merely a Fifth-Rank Consort, making him the lowest-born among the many princes. However, he was adorable and had always been well-behaved and sensible, so Emperor Huian also favored him a bit. Because he was young and lacked backing, the older Princes did not see him as a threat, allowing him to lead a rather peaceful and comfortable life in the palace.
Such a young prince of modest status could have been easily refused by Xiao Ruiyuan if the request had been made in private, but in the presence of Emperor Huian, he could only remain silent.