Chapter 31 There is no uncle that Lingling mentioned

September 15th, the emperor’s birthday banquet.

Qi Yuning had prepared a gift for the birthday banquet early in the morning, which was a top-quality red coral that was taller than a person.

Qi Yuning put a small veil on Lingling and said, "Lingling, when you go to the palace today, you are not allowed to take off the veil."

Lingling pouted and asked, "Why?"

Qi Yuning said: "There is a bad aunt who will definitely bully you when she sees your appearance. If you wear a veil, no bad people will bully you. Also, you can only follow your mother today, and you cannot call grandma, grandfather, aunt, or daddy when you see them."

Lingling said, "Can I see my uncle when I go to the palace today?"

Qi Yuning chuckled and said, "Yeah."

Lingling raised her hands and said, "That's great. Lingling misses uncle so much. I haven't seen him for a long time."

Qi Yuning carried Lingling into the palace early in the morning to pay respects to the Queen and His Majesty.

Lingling followed Qi Yuning's instructions, clasped her hands together, bowed to Emperor Shiyuan and said, "Lingling wishes your majesty good fortune as vast as the East Sea, a long life as long as the Southern Mountains, and happiness every day."

Emperor Shi Yuan stroked his gray beard, and seeing his great-granddaughter's cute appearance and babyish voice, he laughed heartily and said, "Lingling is really smart."

Qi Yuning held Lingling and stood aside, waiting for the princes to come with their children to celebrate the birthday. Qi Yuning asked Lingling if there was anyone who looked like her uncle.

Lingling shook her head, "No uncle."

According to calculations, the little uncle Lingling mentioned should be three or four years old this year. Among His Majesty's grandchildren, there are four little princes who are three or four years old.

After the birthday celebration, Qi Yuning took Lingling to meet his uncles one by one. Lingling was a stranger to them all.

Lu Ze saw Qi Yuning and Lingling chatting with the princesses from afar, so he walked up to Qi Yuning and asked, "Did you find the uncle Lingling mentioned?"

Qi Yuning said: "Among your majesty's grandchildren, only four are about the same age as the uncle Lingling mentioned. Lingling didn't recognize any of the three when she saw them."

Lu Ze raised his eyebrows and asked, "What about the other one?"

Qi Yuning said, "The other one is the young Prince Duan from the Third Prince's family. The princess and the young prince are still guarding the body in the imperial mausoleum, and they did not come to the birthday banquet today."

Lu Ze said: "I have to take Lingling to the imperial mausoleum tomorrow."

The two of them talked familiarly.

Qin Yuli, who was far away, saw this and clenched her handkerchief and said, "Baozhu, when did cousin Ze get so close to Princess Qi?"

Lu Baozhu thought of what Qi Yuning had told her, and she made up a story: "My elder brother dotes on me. He wants to help me marry Qi Yuning home to be my sister-in-law. Then Qi Yuning will have to take care of me, her sister-in-law. Didn't you come up with this idea for me?"

Qin Yuli said: "But shouldn't you call Qi Yuning sister-in-law? You should let Lu Yun return to secular life and marry Qi Yuning, so that she will call you sister!"

"Sister-in-law and sisters-in-law are all fine, but Qi Yuning should marry in and serve me, the elder sister-in-law or younger sister-in-law!" Lu Baozhu said.

Qin Yuli was anxious, and looked at Lu Baozhu sideways and said, "Isn't it a pity for a person like cousin Ze to fall into the hands of Princess Qi?"

Lu Baozhu said: "It's not a pity! Qi Yuning is so beautiful. The nephews and nieces she and my brother have will definitely be the cutest in the world!"

Lingling is the best proof. There are many little cousins ​​from the royal family who came today, but none of them can be as cute as Lingling.

Qin Yuli frowned and said, "How can Qi Yuning be a good match? She has always been at odds with you. If you let her become your sister-in-law, will you be able to have a good life?"

Lu Baozhu said: "It is only natural for a sister-in-law to serve her sister-in-law!"

Qin Yuli added: "She also has a bastard daughter!"

When Lu Baozhu heard the bastard frown, she said unhappily, "Lingling is the Princess of Xichang appointed by His Majesty himself, you have to bow to her whenever you see her!"

Qin Yuli said unwillingly: "Lu Baozhu, what's wrong with you? Did Qi Yuning drug you? Don't forget how Qi Yuning fought with you for what you wanted!"

Lu Baozhu said: "Of course I haven't forgotten, that's why I want her to be my sister-in-law, so that she can serve me legitimately!"

Qin Yuli cursed him in her heart as an idiot, and looked at Lu Ze with jealousy as he gently touched the twin buns of the child next to Qi Yuning.

When the banquet began, everyone presented birthday gifts.

Hong Shanhu, who was taller than others in the Qi Palace, overwhelmed all the birthday gifts and made Emperor Shi Yuan very happy, "Yuning, you are thoughtful."

Qi Yuning smiled and said, "My brother and I have been without elders since we were young. Thanks to your majesty's care, this red coral is rare, but as long as your majesty likes it, the Qi Palace will offer it to you, no matter how hard it takes."

Emperor Shi Yuan sighed and said, "Speaking of taking care of me, I really feel guilty towards my brother Prince Qi. You two have not yet found a marriage."

As soon as Emperor Shi Yuan said this, all the young men at the palace banquet shrank their heads. It was not that they did not want to marry the beautiful Princess Qi, but they were really not worthy of her. Even the Eighth Prince's legs could be broken at any time.

Even the little bully of Shengjing like Lu Yun didn't dare to marry and became a monk, so they didn't dare to marry this ancestor home.

When Qi Yuning saw the engaged Lin Jiang, she lowered her head, fearing that he would be noticed by Emperor Shi Yuan. She actually regretted praising Lin Jiang that day. Those who could be friends with Lu Ze were all birds of a feather.

Emperor Shi Yuan looked at Lu Ze and said, "Yu Ning, what do you think of my grandson?"

Qi Yuning was stunned. She couldn't say bad things about the emperor's grandson at the palace banquet, but she was afraid that the emperor would directly grant the marriage if she said anything praising him.

Although Qi Yuning has slowly accepted the fact that they will get married in a year, he didn't want to get married so soon.

Crown Prince Zhao Chong looked at Qi Yuning and helped Qi Yuning out, saying, "Father, Ze'er is naturally good, otherwise you wouldn't have appointed him as the Junior Minister of the Dali Temple. Speaking of marriage, Prince Qi has been in the North City for many years, and he is almost twenty-one now. It's time to carefully choose a Princess for him."

Unlike the young men from aristocratic families who bowed their heads just now, the daughters of aristocratic families inadvertently adjusted the gold and silver hairpins in their hair and looked at Qi Yuning.

Emperor Shi Yuan asked: "Yuning, do you have a suitable candidate for sister-in-law?"

Qi Yuning smiled and said, "I have it. I will tell His Majesty the good news after my brother replies and makes a decision."

When Emperor Shiyuan heard this, he smiled and said, "The sister-in-law that Yuning has chosen must be a good one. I am waiting for the wedding banquet."

After the longevity banquet.

Qi Yuning went back to the mansion to prepare the sacrificial items for the imperial mausoleum. Fearing that the journey to the imperial mausoleum was too long and he would not be able to return in one day, he also prepared a lot of things needed for the overnight stay. This trip would probably require three large carriages.

Hearing the maid come to report that Lu Ze wanted to see her, Qi Yuning frowned and let him in.

Lu Ze saw the boxes and cages facing Qi Yuning in the courtyard and asked, "Princess, are you moving?"

Qi Yuning said: "No, I am preparing to go to the imperial mausoleum tomorrow."

Lu Ze really couldn't understand why he had to prepare so many boxes and crates for a trip to the imperial mausoleum. He chuckled and said, "The princess said that Prince Qi has already been engaged. I wonder which girl he has been engaged to?"

Qi Yuning raised his eyes and asked, "Why are you asking this?"

Lu Ze said, "I have a sister who has admired Prince Qi for a long time. Is she asking me to come and ask if this is an excuse or if she has really arranged a marriage?"

Qi Yuning looked at Lu Ze and said, "Did Lu Baozhu ask you to come and ask this?"

Lu Ze smiled and said, "If it was Baozhu, I would have rejected her directly. It's Baoxue."

Qi Yuning had a very good impression of Lu Ze, her little cousin, so she said, "The marriage has not been decided yet. It was because the Song family's daughter was plotted against by her stepmother, so I used my brother's marriage to help her delay it for a year or so.

Although the Northern Desert has surrendered for more than ten years, there are still many Northern Desert remnants who want to restore their country. Twenty people in our Qi family were buried in Beicheng. It is absolutely impossible for the Northern Desert remnants to restore their country in Beicheng. I am afraid that my brother will have to guard Beicheng forever.

That place was filled with yellow sand, so dry that it made people bleed from their noses. It was such a miserable place. Baoxue was a pampered daughter of a duke's mansion. Could she endure such suffering?"

(End of this chapter)