Before we knew it, Yonghuang was already seventeen! Su Yushan couldn't help but sigh, "My son is seventeen now, it's time for him to get married. I really have to admit I'm getting old!"

Hongli laughed heartily, "I'll always be a year older than you, and I'm not afraid, so what are you afraid of?"

She was thirty-three years old; how could she not be afraid? Women become especially concerned about their age after thirty. Fortunately, Yu Shan took good care of herself, and if you didn't know her age, she would look like she was twenty-five or twenty-six.

Hongli only had one daughter, Rongyu, and her fate was limited to a political marriage, but the princes were different.

Firstly, because there were many princes, and secondly, because the requirements for the princes' wives were not so strict—as long as they were Manchu women from good families—Hongli did not specifically force Yonghuang to marry anyone. Instead, he specifically asked for his opinion and inquired whether he had someone he liked.

However, Yonghuang was focused on studying and practicing martial arts. His wish was to become a person who was both literate and skilled in martial arts, outstanding enough to make his father, the Emperor, proud. As for women and relationships, he never gave them a second thought.

When his father suddenly asked about this, Yonghuang assumed it was a test and bowed, saying, "Father, I have no particular thoughts. My marriage should be decided by you and Mother."

Rong Yu wanted to choose for himself back then, but he didn't have the opportunity. Now that Yong Huang has the opportunity, he doesn't even have the thought. It's truly a cruel twist of fate!

Yu Shan didn't usually pay much attention to the girls participating in the selection, but this time she was particularly concerned because her elder brother Su Mingfeng's eldest daughter, Su Tang, had reached the age to enter the palace for the selection.

Although the Su family were of Han Chinese origin, they had long been elevated to the Manchu banner system and were considered members of the Eight Banners. Therefore, the Su family's daughters also had to enter the palace for the imperial concubine selection.

Hongli's idea was to strengthen the family ties by betrothing Su Tang to Yonghuang. "Now that Mingfeng is the Minister of Revenue, it would be appropriate for the Su family to marry Yonghuang, given their current status. No one else has any reason to interfere."

That being said, Yu Shan wasn't very supportive. She was worried that the marriage between cousins ​​would have an impact on their future children. However, ancient medicine was underdeveloped and they didn't have this kind of understanding. They simply thought it was a marriage between relatives, a joyous occasion!

Yu Shan specifically told Hongli about this situation, reminding him that it was best not to marry his cousins, but Hongli did not take it seriously. "My aunt's daughter married my uncle's son, and the child they had was very healthy and had no problems."

This involves the issue of probability. Not all children of cousins ​​will have accidents, but the chances of accidents are higher.

No matter how Yu Shan explained, Hong Li didn't believe that cousins ​​couldn't marry, and even felt that she had let him down.

"I love your family and want them to prosper and live a good life. Otherwise, do you think I would want to bother with such things? Wouldn't it be more comfortable for me to lie down with you for a while when I have some free time?"

Hongli meant well, and Su Yushan was also thinking about her niece's happiness, but after all, she was not their daughter. Yushan could not make decisions for her brother and niece. So, she took advantage of the annual family reunion to have her sister-in-law Zhang bring her daughter Su Tang into the palace so that the two children could meet.

Anyway, Hongli said that if Su Tang was unwilling, then the marriage would not be arranged. Yu Shan could only pin her hopes on Su Tang, hoping that she would say a word of refusal.

Previously, when Zhang entered the palace, she always brought her son with her. This time, Yu Shan specially sent someone to instruct her to bring Su Tang into the palace. After a little thought, Zhang understood the Imperial Noble Consort's intention.

The daughter's dressing case contained many precious pieces of jewelry, but Zhang did not allow her to wear so many. She only chose a simple grape-shaped tassel hairpin and a few silk flowers as embellishments, which looked particularly fresh and pleasant in the early spring season.

Su Tang was already fair-skinned, so Zhang chose a light pink double-breasted cloak for her, which made her look even more beautiful.

The young girl was entering the palace for the first time and had no experience. She didn't know how to dress, so she did whatever her mother told her to do. In her opinion, her mother was very good at dressing and her judgment was always right.

After finishing her makeup, Zhang took her daughter into the palace. Today, Yu Chan also brought her eldest daughter into the palace. Because Yu Chan had married out of the country to the Zheng family, she was not promoted to a higher banner, and her daughter was still a Han Chinese, so she did not need to participate in the selection.

On the sixth day of the second lunar month, everyone gathered at Jingren Palace.

This was the first time Yonghuang had met his cousin. She wasn't particularly beautiful, but she was elegant and dignified, and her every move exuded the grace of a well-bred lady. Because her mother, Zhang, came from a scholarly family, she had been well-read since childhood and possessed an extraordinary temperament.

Unfortunately, Yonghuang was focused on his studies and had no interest in romantic relationships. So when he saw Su Tang, he remained calm and showed no unusual behavior. Su Yushan couldn't tell whether her son was interested in Su Tang.

Yonghuang was, after all, a prince raised in the royal family. He was handsome and had a refined appearance, so most girls had a good first impression of him.

Zhang was the daughter of Zhang Tingyu, and she associated with many powerful and noble ladies. Su Tang had seen many grand occasions since she was a child with her mother. Even when she met the Imperial Noble Consort and the First Prince for the first time, she was not shy. She curtsied properly and her demeanor was very proper.

Su Yushan really liked this niece, but unfortunately Su Tang and Yonghuang were cousins. For the sake of their descendants, Yushan did not want the two to marry. However, Hongli did not believe in this and was determined to seek benefits for the Su family. If she firmly refused, it would seem that she was ungrateful.

After much deliberation, Yu Shan decided that she could only arrange this dinner to let them meet, and then decide what to do next.

After exchanging greetings, Yonghuang didn't linger and went out with his uncle Su Jiafeng's son.

In the past, Yan Zhi and Su Tang met frequently. However, since Su Tang entered the palace to become a companion to the princess, the two sisters have seen each other less often. Nevertheless, their friendship remains, and whenever they meet, they still have endless things to talk about.

The adults were talking in the West Warm Pavilion, while Rong Yu, Yan Zhi, and Su Tang chatted idly outside the courtyard.

Rong Yu has become very quiet these days, and since she is not familiar with Su Tang, she hasn't said much.

Su Tang wanted to ask Yan Zhi about Yong Huang's character, but she was too embarrassed to ask directly, so she asked indirectly.

"How have you been doing in the palace? Have the eldest and third princes been bullying you?"

"The eldest prince is a very good person. He is the most gentle and kind, but he doesn't talk much. The third prince, on the other hand, talks a lot, but he also has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. He is often scolded by the emperor and his aunt!"

Yan Zhi told her some interesting stories about the two princes, and Su Tang listened very attentively.

In the West Warm Pavilion, everyone chatted casually for a while, and then Su Yushan explained the current situation to Madam Zhang.

"To be honest, the Emperor intends to betroth Tang'er to Yonghuang as his wife, but Tang'er is my niece, and I respect her wishes. So I would like to ask her opinion: does she... have someone she loves?"