Chapter 45: The Prince and Guan Zhiyi are boating on the lake

Qi Yuning had been injured in his foot for many days and had to postpone all kinds of banquets.

The noble families of Shengjing learned that Princess Qi had sprained her ankle, and quite a few of them came to visit and give gifts.

However, Qi Yuning did not see any of the guests who came to visit except Princess Pingrou.

When Princess Pingrou came, she unexpectedly was accompanied by Princess Pinghe.

Princess Pingrou sent a lot of supplements over. Seeing Qi Yuning's swollen ankle, she said, "Poor thing, how could it be so badly injured?"

Qi Yuning said, "Your Highness, I'm fine. The imperial physician said I'll be well in half a month at most. I've been feeling much better these past two days."

Princess Pinghe said, "I came to my sister's house and learned that you were injured. I didn't bring anything with me."

Qi Yuning said: "It is my blessing that the princess comes to visit me."

"Grandma!" When Lingling saw Princess Pingrou, she excitedly threw herself into her arms.

Princess Pingrou hugged Lingling and smiled softly: "Do you miss your grandmother?"

Lingling nodded and said, "I miss grandma so much!"

Lingling made a gesture and Qi Yuning chuckled. It was obvious that after Lingling was born, Lu Ze's whole family treated Lingling very well, otherwise Lingling would not have been so attached to Princess Pingrou.

Princess Pinghe had already heard the gossip outside, and when she heard Lingling calling her grandmother, she realized that she was really the daughter of the Lu family.

"Lingling looks exactly like Ze'er when he was young. They are like two peas in a pod. My sister is so lucky to have such a cute and clever granddaughter."

Lingling felt a little strange when she saw Princess Pinghe in front of her. Princess Pingrou smiled and said, "This is your great aunt."

Lingling said, "Grandma."

Princess Pinghe smiled and said, "I didn't expect that I would become a grandmother at my age?"

Ping Rou said: "You are already 28 years old. If you got married earlier, you would have to prepare marriages for your children."

Princess Pinghe smiled and said, "That's right. When Yuning reaches my age, Lingling will be thirteen or fourteen years old. It's time to prepare a marriage for my daughter."

Qi Yuning listened to Princess Pinghe's words and smiled calmly.

But Lingling didn't know Princess Pinghe. It couldn't be that a princess older than Princess Pinghe married her brother?

Could it be that Lingling was too young to remember it correctly? Or maybe her aunt was not Her Highness?

But she shouldn't have done that. Although Lingling was young, she wasn't the one to confuse the titles of Princess and Your Highness.

"Mother, aunt."

When Lu Ze entered Qi Yuning's courtyard, he saw Princess Pingrou and Princess Pinghe bowing.

Princess Pinghe looked at Lu Ze in front of her and said, "Ze'er has become more and more handsome. He really has the character of your grandfather when he was young. Ze'er looks more like father. No wonder father and mother love Ze'er so much."

Lingling walked up to Lu Ze and said, "Daddy."

Lu Ze picked up Lingling, walked to Qi Yuning and asked, "Is the princess's foot feeling better?"

"The swelling has gone down a lot, but it still hurts when I land."

Princess Pingrou smiled and said, "Yuning, I am at peace with you and will not disturb you any more. You should take good care of yourself. If you cannot take care of Lingling, just send her to the princess's residence."

Qi Yuning stood up and said, "Yes, Your Highness."

After the two princesses left, Lu Ze said to Qi Yuning, "Why is Aunt Pinghe here too?"

"Maybe she went to the Princess's Mansion next door today for something?"

Lu Ze asked: "Does Lingling know Aunt Pinghe?"

Although he knew that it was unlikely that Pinghe would marry Qi Yu'an, Lu Ze was so scared that he wanted to call Qi Yu'an uncle.

Qi Yuning shook his head and said, "I don't know him."

Lu Zeqian breathed a sigh of relief.

Lingling put her arms around Lu Ze's neck and said, "Daddy, are you taking a day off today? Lingling wants to go out and play!"

Lu Ze nodded lightly and said, "Nothing to do in the afternoon."

Lingling said to Qi Yuning, "Mom, please take the sedan chair and let's go to the street to play together."

Qi Yuning was a little craving for the honey-roasted pigeon in Qingshan Tower. She didn't want to eat it so much when her feet were fine before, but now that she couldn't walk, she missed this food a lot.

But the honey-roasted pigeon tastes best when it is freshly roasted. If the maid brings it back to the palace, it will become cold and tasteless. The chef from the restaurant is asked to come back to the palace to make it, but he doesn't have the stove in the restaurant. The stove is different, the heat is not right, and even the taste is different.

Qi Yuning smiled and said, "Okay, let's go to Qingshan Tower to eat squab."

Qingshanlou is one of the most famous restaurants in Shengjing. It is located at the intersection of Zhuque Street and Xuanwu Street, the most prosperous place.

This restaurant is very expensive, and the guests who come here are either rich or noble.

In the past, Qi Yuning would have gone to the quiet private room on the second floor, but today her legs were not handy and it was difficult for the sedan chair to go upstairs, so she asked for a screen in a corner of the lobby to dine.

As soon as Qi Yuning finished ordering the dishes, she heard several officials talking about Lu Ze in the back.

"When Prince Lu returns from Shanzhou this time, I'm afraid he will become the youngest Dali Temple Minister in Dasheng!"

"Minister He will retire after the new year. Who in the Dali Temple can compete with Prince Lu for the position of Minister of the Dali Temple?"

Qi Yuning heard this from behind the screen and said calmly, "Congratulations to Mr. Lu for getting promoted and getting rich."

Lu Ze said slowly, "It has not been decided yet. His Majesty thinks I am too young and will not entrust this important task to me unless I can get married before He Siqing retires."

When Lu Ze was the Shaoqing of the Dali Temple, many people said that he was young and incompetent. Although he is now an adult, he has not yet married.

Behind the screen, everyone was still discussing the matter loudly, just as Lu Ze said.

"This Lu Shizi is too young after all, and he hasn't even married yet. Even if Your Majesty loves this grandson, he won't hand over the Dali Temple to his nephew."

"But now in the Dali Temple, no matter who becomes the temple minister, Prince Lu will not accept it."

"Who knows if Lord Lu will marry for the position of Dali Temple Minister? If it weren't for Qin Wuye's love being snatched away, I'm afraid it won't be long before we all have to attend Lord Lu's wedding."

"What does it mean to steal someone's love?"

"You don't know yet, do you? Some time ago, a group of junior officers from the Capital Guard went around saying that Prince Lu was a coward and that his beloved was taken away by their General Qin."

"The daughter of the Guan family? Speaking of which, the Guan family is quite impressive. So many of their daughters married high-ranking men, and the youngest daughter even managed to marry Master Qin Wu."

"Originally, the marriage of Miss Guan Liu was arranged with Master Lu. Unfortunately, it was just a verbal agreement. The marriage was not finalized yet, and Master Qin Wu got there first."

"This Fifth Master Qin is too shameless, stealing the love of his nephew. I heard that Master Lu used to have secret meetings with Sixth Miss Guan on the lake while boating, playing the piano and flute in the plum forest, and reciting poems in the pavilion. They were truly a perfect couple, but Fifth Master Qin got in the way."

Qi Yuning listened to what the minor official said and looked up at Lu Ze. "The prince and Miss Guan Liu are boating on the lake? Playing the piano and flute in the plum garden? Reciting poems and composing couplets?"

He went boating on the lake with Guan Zhiyi and went to the Plum Garden for a tryst, but he took her to either a tomb or a place where people were killed...

(End of this chapter)