After setting off the river lanterns, Qi Yuning sent little Zhao Jie back to the palace and took little Chu Qing back to the princess's mansion.

Today is the Lantern Festival. Qi Yuning let Ali go back so that she can reunite with the children for a while. She personally took care of Lingling to sleep today.

Lu Ze did not refuse. He did not think Qi Yuning could take care of a four-month-old baby at night. Sure enough, when Lingling just fell asleep, she cried loudly.

Qi Yuning held Lingling and coaxed her softly for a long time: "Good boy Lingling, it's time to sleep."

Lingling's crying became louder and louder.

Qi Yuning had no choice but to hand Lingling to Lu Ze. Lingling cried even louder in Lu Ze's arms.

Lu Ze looked at Lingling with tears in her eyes and felt very pitiful. He asked, "Is she hungry?"

Qi Yuning held Lingling in her arms and let Lichun invite another wet nurse over. The other wet nurse was the daughter-in-law of the nanny who served Princess Pingrou. Her name was Xiuxiang and she worked in the kitchen of the princess's mansion. She was a reliable person.

Xiuxiang carried Lingling to the small room to feed her, and Qi Yuning heard Lingling's crying getting louder and louder.

Qi Yuning frowned and asked, "What's going on?"

Xiu Xianglian was so scared that she trembled and said, "Princess, this little princess started to recognize people after four months. She only likes Sister Ali to feed her. Why not ask Sister Ali to come over."

Qi Yuning held the crying Lingling in her arms, and had no choice but to go back on her word and let Ali come back.

When Ali returned this time, she was holding her son Chu Che, who was just half a year old. Ali took the crying Lingling from Qi Yuning's arms, and after comforting her, Lingling gradually stopped crying in Ali's arms.

Qi Yuning saw little Chu Che. He was only half a year old but he was much more handsome than other babies.

Qi Yuning reached out and touched little Chu Che's face and said, "This little Chu Che is really good-looking. Speaking of which, his father seems to be quite handsome as well?"

Speaking of which, Ali's four children all have excellent looks.

Especially little Chu Chi, who is only nine years old after the Chinese New Year, and she is already a beauty. Chu Qing is also a handsome young man.

Ah Li thought of her husband and said, "Their father is indeed very handsome. If he wasn't handsome, he wouldn't have been bought by my parents-in-law. Their father was previously intended to be sold to a Chu brothel to be a handsome young man. My parents-in-law bought him because they had no children."

Qi Yuning asked: "I remember that Mr. Chu had a son before?"

Ali said, "Yes, there was one before, but he fell into a well and died because he was too playful, and then he bought a son."

Qi Yuning said: "I originally wanted you to spend the Lantern Festival with the children, but I didn't expect Lingling to be so attached to you."

Three-year-old Lingling was actually very attached to her nanny. When she first came, she often asked her about it, but later she gradually stopped bringing it up.

Qi Yuning said: "By this time next year, Lingling will no longer be breastfeeding, and you can spend the New Year with your child."

Ali said, "The princess took us in, and allowed Chu Qing to study with His Majesty. We are already very grateful. It's just a Lantern Festival, it's nothing."

…

Near the end of the first lunar month, a major event occurred in the court in the new year: Zhou Guojiu was transferred from the Minister of Rites to the Governor of Yangzhou.

This was a demotion of several ranks, and a demotion from a Beijing official to a post outside the capital.

There was not a single official in the court who pleaded for Uncle Zhou. After all, everyone knew that the Zhou family was demoted because they had offended Qi Yuning. If anyone spoke for the Zhou family at this time, they would be the ones who would offend Princess Qi and be demoted.

In the harem, Queen Mother Zhou clenched the Buddhist beads in her hand when she heard that Uncle Zhou had been demoted.

Zhou Jiayun, who was standing by, said to Queen Mother Zhou: "Aunt, I think the Qi family really doesn't take His Majesty seriously at all."

Queen Mother Zhou sighed and said, "Alas, now we can only wait for Jie'er to grow up and take power as soon as possible, so that our Zhou family can have a chance to rise."

Queen Mother Zhou moved a Buddhist bead and said to Zhou Jiayun, "Don't offend Qi Yuning in the future. It's never too late for a gentleman to take revenge. One day, the Zhou family will be able to get rid of this anger."

Zhou Jiayun looked towards the Purple Palace and thought of the first time she met Lu Ze.

When she was in Jiangnan, her grandfather had warned her not to despise the position of concubine and to marry the Prince Regent as a concubine, so that she could keep Lu Ze's loyalty to the young emperor.

Before Zhou Jiayun met Lu Ze, she had only heard people talk about him. He was the youngest Shaoqing of the Dali Temple and the most beloved grandson of the late emperor.

At the age of 22, he was already the regent second only to the emperor. It was also said that he was an expert in solving cases and had excellent calligraphy and painting skills.

When she first entered Shengjing City, she was unfamiliar with everything in Shengjing City.

After entering Shanglin Street, Zhou Jiayun saw Lu Ze in the carriage. He was wearing a red official robe embroidered with python patterns, a black gauze hat, and riding a horse. The image of him riding a horse on the streets of Shengjing was deeply imprinted in Zhou Jiayun's heart.

After Zhou Jiayun learned that he was Lu Ze, she was no longer nervous. She was willing to be the concubine of such an outstanding man.

Unexpectedly, Lu Ze had already married a jealous woman.

All she wanted was a concubine position, and she didn't want to shake Princess Qi's status in the slightest.

But what about Qi Yuning? She schemed to bring disgrace to the Zhou family, and now she has banished her father from the capital...

Zhou Jiayun clenched his fists tightly. Ten years. After ten years, His Majesty will get married and rule the country. There will be plenty of opportunities to settle accounts with the Qi family.

…

Qi Yuning also heard about Uncle Zhou in the princess's mansion, and she felt happy.

In the afternoon, when the sun was shining brightly, Qi Yuning carried Lingling to Chen Nian's courtyard to visit her.

Chen Nian and Lu Yun were playing with Han Ge'er in the room, and the sound of their playfulness could be heard from far away.

Qi Yuning carried Lingling inside, and seeing that Shen Nian had recovered his complexion, he smiled and said, “I heard Han Ge’er’s laughter from a long distance away.”

Chen Nian thought: "Lu Yun took him to play with lifting. He really likes being lifted up."

When Lingling saw Lu Yun lifting Han up high in the air, she pointed her two little hands towards Lu Yun and said, "Ahhhhhh."

Lu Yun walked up to Lingling and said, "You want to lift it up too?"

Lingling stretched out her hands to ask Lu Yun to hold her, but Qi Yu would rather not give Lingling to Lu Yun. She whispered to Lingling, "Wait for your father to come back and hold you high. Mother doesn't trust your uncle."

Lu Yun snorted, "I'm holding her steady. If Lingling falls, my mother will twist my head off first."

Even though Lu Yun said this, Qi Yuning still didn't believe the unreliable little bald donkey. The only person she could trust was Lu Ze.

Shen Nian said to Qi Yuning: “Yes, you should trust Lu Yun, he is very careful in taking care of children, and Brother Han has never fallen.”

"You can rest assured about him, but I can't." Qi Yuning hugged Lingling tightly and said, "I'll take you to play when your father comes back."

In order to show how reliable he is, Lu Yun threw Han Ge'er high up and then reached out to catch him. "See, you can catch it. I won't drop Lingling."

Han Ge'er was frightened by being thrown up so high, and he immediately burst into tears, "Wow wow wow."

Chen Nian frowned and took Han Ge'er back from Lu Yun's arms, saying unhappily: "How can you scare Han'er like this? Han'er is weak to begin with, what if you scare him to death? He is really not my biological father..."

Lu Yun listened to Shen Nian's complaints, angrily turned his sleeves and walked out, not forgetting to turn around and say: "White-eyed wolf!"