Mrs. Zhong and Mrs. Zhu looked at each other. They were somewhat disdainful of Wen Yalan's behavior, but as elders they still had to try to persuade her.

Mrs. Zhong: "Yalan, you are talking nonsense. It is not worth it to become a nun for a man."

Madam Zhu said, "Your Aunt Zhong is right. You forced the prince to take you as his concubine unwillingly. Even if you enter the palace, how can you have a good life? Stop being so stupid."

Wen Yalan said with tears in her eyes: "I only have one husband in this life, the prince. If it is anyone else, I would rather not marry for the rest of my life!"

After saying that, Wen Yalan ran out of the palace, and Madam Wen followed her.

Qi Yuning looked at the backs of the mother and daughter, and said to Ah Ping: "Don't worry, my brother will not marry another concubine, let alone have another concubine."

Ah Ping looked up at Qi Yuning and said, "Did the prince say that?"

Qi Yuning nodded and said, "Well, after he knew you passed away, he would rather let Lingling change her surname to Qi than marry and have children again. This shows that my brother is sincere to you. We will be a family in the future, and there is no need to hide secrets between family members."

Ah Ping said: "I have no secrets, I know nothing."

Qi Yuning chuckled helplessly and said, "What else can you say except that you know nothing?"

Ah Ping said: "Princess, I really don't know anything, I..."

Seeing Ah Ping holding her belly, Qi Yuning said repeatedly: "If you don't want to talk, then don't worry. If you get pregnant again, I will become a big villain and my brother will not forgive me."

When the banquet started, Qi Yuning met Lingling's three uncles.

Qi Yuning had only met Zhong Ming, Zhu Yang and Zhu Feng when he was a child. Now, Zhong Ming looked more like a scholar. It was rare to find a man with such fair skin in North City.

Zhu Yang and Zhu Feng have darker skin colors, and when they sit together they look more similar than in the painting.

At first glance, it's hard to tell them apart.

Before the banquet was over, Wen Ban knelt in front of Qi Yu'an and said, "My Lord, I only have these two daughters. Yalan has loved you since she was a child. Please consider her love and fulfill her wish.

She has been in love with you since she was young. Her mother and I have tried to find other husbands for her over the years, but she would rather marry you than marry you. She would rather become a nun. Your Majesty, she is also your sister who grew up under your care. Please fulfill her love for you!"

Qi Yuning frowned when he saw Wen Ban kneeling down. The Wen family was acting more and more unreasonable.

Qi Yuan'an's face looked bad indeed. Before Qi Yuan'an could say anything, a girl about fifteen or sixteen years old stood up from the Zhong family.

The girl spoke slowly, "Uncle Wen, I am also infatuated with Prince Qi, and I have wanted to marry Prince Qi as a concubine since I was a child, and Prince Qi can only marry me and Miss A Ping.

If Brother Prince Qi dares to marry Wen Yalan as a concubine, I will kill myself!"

Mrs. Zhong said repeatedly: "Qianqian!"

Wen Ban's face turned blue and black. Zhong Qianqian was the youngest daughter of Zhong Xin and his wife. She was always bold and willful.

Zhong Qianqian said, "So many generals in the North City have daughters. If a general's daughter says she likes Brother Qi Wang and wants Brother Qi Wang to fulfill their love and marry them as concubines, how can the Qi Wang Mansion accommodate so many girls?"

Zhong Xin also said: "Brother Wen, you should know the limit when doting on your daughter."

Qi Yu'an took Ah Ping's hand and said, "I am holding this banquet today because I want to inform the three uncles that I want to marry Ah Ping as my princess. In the future, there will only be one mistress in the Qi Palace, and that is Ah Ping. There will not be any concubines."

A Ping looked at Qi Yuan's tightly clasped hands with hers, raised her eyes to look at Qi Yuan, and pursed her red lips slightly.

Wen Ban frowned upon hearing this, "My Lord, the Qi family has a weak bloodline..."

Qi Yu'an said: "Wen Bo, I have made up my mind. I will only have one princess in my life!"

After hearing what Qi Yu'an said, Lu Ze whispered in Qi Yuning's ear, "Brother Qi, have you learned about Ah Ping's identity?"

Qi Yuning shook his head and said, "He doesn't know."

Ah Ping is most likely his aunt, so Lu Ze naturally hopes that his aunt can be treated sincerely.

Many princes-in-law of this dynasty do not take concubines simply because of their aunt's status as a princess.

Qi Yuan'an didn't know A Ping's identity, so it was really rare for him to be able to do this.

…

New Year's Eve.

As soon as Qi Yuning woke up, she heard Lingling happily writing Spring Festival couplets.

Qi Yuning brought Lingling to the desk and wrote Spring Festival couplets. Lingling's handwriting was much better than the square ones before, although it was still crooked.

Lu Ze entered the room and saw Lingling writing Spring Festival couplets. He praised her, "Lingling's handwriting is getting better and better."

Lingling looked up at Lu Ze and said, "Lingling's handwriting is done. Can Lingling have a brother or sister now?"

Qi Yuning coughed and said, "You have to write a thousand words before you can have a brother or sister."

Lingling felt a little disappointed and said, "Oh, then Lingling will learn to write every day!"

After Lingling wrote more than a dozen pairs of Spring Festival couplets with Lu Ze's help, she happily went to post them.

It was getting dark as Qi Yuning held Lingling and pasted Spring Festival couplets on the gates of each courtyard.

On the night of New Year's Eve, the North City Palace was so lively for the first time. This was also the most lively year that Qi Yuning had experienced since he was four years old.

In the past, after Qi Yuning returned to the palace from the palace on New Year's Eve, although she was accompanied by eight maids, she still felt lonely.

Occasionally, you can hear the sound of firecrackers coming from the princess's mansion next door, and the laughter of Lu Baozhu and Lu Yun...

Today can finally be lively.

New Year's Eve dinner.

Lingling saw the table full of delicacies and said, "These are all Lingling's favorites. There are also a lot of turtles. Lingling loves turtle stewed dumplings the most!"

Seeing Lingling's happy look, Qi Yuning said, "If you like it, eat more. I'll give you one of each."

"And Auntie also likes to eat turtle!" Lingling sat down in front of Aping and said, "Auntie, Lingling will eat turtle with you!"

Ah Ping smiled and touched Lingling's head and said, "Yeah."

Actually, Lingling is a child closely related to her by blood and is the granddaughter of her elder sister. Perhaps because of the blood relationship, the more Ping sees Lingling, the more she likes her.

Lu Yun even bought some fireworks specially, and after dinner, the fireworks were extremely bright.

Lingling exclaimed repeatedly when she saw the fireworks: "Wow! Such beautiful fireworks!"

Ah Ping raised her eyes and said, "This is the first time I've seen fireworks. They are so beautiful. It's a pity that they are so dazzling but fleeting."

Few people set off fireworks in the North City. If Lu Yun hadn't set off the fireworks, Prince Qi's Mansion would not have set off fireworks on weekdays.

Qi Yuning said: "It is great to be able to enjoy the dazzling beauty for a while. Lingling, do you have any New Year wishes? Write them on the Kongming lantern and your wishes will come true."

Lingling said: "Lingling's wish is that Daddy and Mommy can always be with Lingling, and Lingling wants brothers and sisters."

Qi Yuning wrote Lingling's wish on the Kongming lantern and raised the lantern. Gradually, the sky above the North City was filled with tiny dots of Kongming lanterns.

Lu Yun walked up to Ah Ping and said, "Ah Ping, what is your wish?"

Ah Ping stroked her belly gently and said, "I hope the baby is born safely, and I also hope the people I care about are healthy."

I hope her parents are in good health, or at least she can go back and see them for a while.

Qi Yu'an glanced at Lu Yun, frowned, and took Ah Ping into his arms and said, "Lu Yun, you can go to the military camp tomorrow."

Lu Yun exclaimed, "Prince Qi, you won't even invite me to a wedding banquet before letting me enter the barracks?"

Qi Yu'an said: "No please!"

Ah Ping looked at Qi Yu'an and said, "I think we should let Prince Lu have a wedding drink."

Qi Yu'an frowned even more, "There's no need to feed wine to the bald donkey."

Lu Yun: “…”

Qi Yuning laughed out loud.

On New Year's Eve, Lingling fell asleep early because she was young, and no one stayed up all night.

Lingling woke up early in the morning on New Year's Day and couldn't wait to go out to play on the street.

Qi Yuning dressed Lingling and went out with Lu Ze. The streets of Quan Town were bustling on New Year's Day.

There were many tourists in groups of three or four in front of each stall.

Qi Yuning and Lu Ze walked side by side. Lingling looked around in Lu Ze's arms. However, she had already bought a lot of things after passing by a few vendors.

"Fortune-telling, fortune-telling, my dear, you are going to be imprisoned. Do you want to tell your fortune?"

An old Taoist priest with a white beard walked up to Lu Ze and said while stroking his gray beard.

Qi Yuning frowned when he heard this and said, "It's really unlucky to tell fortunes on the first day of the new year!"

The old Taoist stroked his beard and looked at Ling Ling in Lu Ze's arms and said, "I am not telling fortunes randomly. She is not the one for this time."

Qi Yuning's face changed. Seeing the old Taoist priest with white beard in front of him, he raised his eyes slightly and asked, "What did you say?"

The old Taoist priest stared at Lingling and said, "This child was born in the year of Xinwei." (End of this chapter)