By mid-February, the weather in Beijing was getting better and better.
Two major events have recently occurred in Kyoto.
One thing is certain: His Highness the Prince of Qishan is about to get married.
Before returning to secular life, the King of Qishan was a high-ranking monk at Ciyun Temple, known as Zen Master Daoci.
He possessed profound Zen knowledge, had a heart for the world, and enjoyed a prominent reputation in Kyoto, with countless followers.
The decision of the King of Qishan to return to secular life is naturally regrettable.
But as long as it's what His Highness wants, there's nothing wrong with it.
It is said that although His Highness and Princess Qishan's marriage was bestowed by the Emperor, they had known each other since childhood and could be considered childhood sweethearts.
Their marriage was a match made in heaven, and everyone had been looking forward to it.
There is also the current emperor's birthday.
It has been eight years since His Majesty ascended the throne.
This is the first time we've celebrated the Emperor's birthday.
Therefore, not only the officials in the court and the nobles in the palace, but also the common people were looking forward to it.
Fifteen days later, Kyoto began to be decorated.
The artisans decorated the main streets with colorful fabrics and silks, creating a magnificent and luxurious atmosphere everywhere.
…
Coincidentally, the two major events occurred on dates not far apart.
The wedding of the Prince of Qishan is scheduled for the 26th of this month.
His Majesty's birthday is on the 28th of this month.
It was only two days apart.
After His Highness the Prince of Qishan's wedding, he can take his princess to the Emperor's birthday celebration, thus avoiding any conflict.
.
The Crown Prince's Eastern Palace.
The Crown Princess sat under the flowering tree in the courtyard, looking sullen.
The King of Qishan had no father or brothers—which was fortunate for him.
Therefore, the task of organizing the wedding fell to the Crown Princess.
It should have been the Empress who was in charge, but unfortunately, she was in poor health and unable to handle the work.
Only the Crown Princess could do it.
Even though the Prince of Qishan was not a prince, he was granted the title of Prince, which gave him a special status.
Countless eyes are watching from both the government and the public; there is no room for carelessness.
With the wedding date approaching, there are many things to do.
The Crown Princess stared blankly at the gift list and the pile of gift boxes under the tree.
For some unknown reason, she suddenly threw the gift list in her hand to the ground.
"Who on earth could have come up with such an idea!"
The palace servants nearby all knelt down, not daring to look directly at the Crown Princess's angry face.
After finishing his official duties, the Crown Prince visited the young prince at the Crown Princess's residence.
The father and son are playing Cuju (ancient Chinese football).
The ball was thrown out, and the little prince, who was plump and chubby with arms and legs like lotus roots, happily and shakily ran to retrieve it.
The Crown Prince laughed: "I heard it was the Embroidered Robe Envoy's idea."
The Crown Princess frowned.
"Those despicable scoundrels! How dare they come up with such a scheme as a marriage exchange! And His Majesty agreed just because they proposed it?"
The Crown Prince said, “The Embroidered-Robe Envoy has made great contributions in the Northwest. That Lord Qin was just a mere commander of a thousand households before, but now he has been promoted to Imperial Envoy, and is only one step away from becoming the head of the Embroidered-Robe Envoy.”
The Emperor values him highly, and I don't know how he spoke to him. Presumably, the priority is still to quell the unrest of the previous dynasty. The Emperor's will is made and cannot be changed.
The Crown Princess said, "Anle has been in the palace for seven or eight years now. Over the years, she has seen quite a few royal relatives and noblewomen. Isn't she afraid of being seen through?"
The Crown Prince laughed and said, "So what if people see through it? This is a marriage bestowed by His Majesty. Even if the person has changed, as long as the title remains Princess Anle, that's enough. In the whole capital, who cares about the princess's appearance?"
She was an orphan, but had no family to stand up for her.
The Crown Princess sighed.
"I care."
The Crown Prince's expression was solemn.
“You don’t care. You’re just following orders. His Majesty’s orders are our wishes.”
The Crown Princess remained silent for a while.
He asked the Crown Prince, "What about Anle?"
She was referring to the real Princess Anle.
Just as he had said, the Crown Prince did not care much.
“Now that Yunzheng is getting married, she naturally can no longer stay in Ganjing.”
The Crown Princess retorted angrily, "What does Yunzheng's marriage have to do with her? She's already been stripped of her title as a princess. Isn't it enough to arrange a wealthy marriage for her in the capital?"
The crown prince glanced at her and gave her a reminder.
"Don't be foolish. You just said that quite a few people have seen Anle. His Majesty's decree is to grant a marriage, not to spread a bunch of rumors. If she stays in the capital and causes trouble, how will we handle it?"
Seeing that the Crown Princess looked unwell.
The crown prince offered a reassuring remark.
"In the end, all of Anle's wealth and honor are bestowed by the royal family, and his rise and fall are but a matter of His Majesty's whim."
I know you have a kind heart. How about this: you send her back to your mother's home in Hedong County, change her name, and have your mother's family recognize her as their goddaughter. Then you can find her a good marriage later.
It would be better if I weren't Princess Anle. Do you think marrying Yun Zheng is a good thing? It seems like I'm showered with favor, but who knows when I might get implicated?
The Crown Princess sighed.
"That's all we can do."
.
Qi Su is about to get married, so it's naturally inappropriate for her to continue living in the rouge shop at Zhuque Gate.
Princess Anle lived in the palace.
Entering the palace...?
No, no, that's a den of dragons and tigers! What if the emperor, empress, and empress dowager wanted to kill me?
The girl next to her gave her a cold, sidelong glance.
"Even if they all die, you won't die."
Qi Su laughed.
"You seem to have a lot of confidence in my abilities."
She put her arm around the girl's shoulder.
"If I become rich and powerful, I will not forget you. I am about to become the Princess of Qishan, so you should stop risking your life with your Lord Qin and come to my side to enjoy a life of luxury."
Jingrou looked at her coldly.
"Who knows who will be living a life of constant danger from now on?"
Qi Su hissed.
"That doesn't sound nice. Say it again."
Jingrou ignored her and picked up the preserved plums from the plate to eat.
This younger sister seems ruthless and merciless; she kills people swiftly and decisively.
Deep down, she's still a little girl who loves dried fruit.
Qi Su has come to Fenglelou again.
A club with food, drinks, entertainment, and handsome young men—who wouldn't like that?
Yun Wuyi was having a secret rendezvous with someone at Fengle Tower.
Yes, they were envoys from Southern Chu.
The embroidered-robed envoys stood guard nearby.
We don't know exactly what this complicated relationship is like, but for now, everyone is doing their own thing and the atmosphere is relatively harmonious.
…
When Qi Su woke up from her afternoon nap, Jing Rou was already gone.
The room was quiet, as if you could hear the sunlight melting in the air.
She was wearing a man's cloak.
The man was sitting by the window, flipping through some kind of booklet.
Qi Su yawned.
The man looked over, his eyes dark and deep, like a bottomless abyss.
Qi Su: "I want to eat a small cantaloupe."
The little melon was four or five steps away from her bed.
The man by the window paused for a moment, then stood up and handed her the dish containing the small cantaloupe.
Qi Su smiled sweetly.
"Thank you, pen refill!"
The man didn't leave after handing over the plate; instead, he sat down on Qi Su's soft couch.
"Have you made any progress in your conversations?" Qi Su asked.
It was just a casual question to avoid an awkward atmosphere; I didn't expect him to answer.
Unexpectedly, he replied.
"I plan to capture a few spies from Southern Chu and hand them over to the Crown Prince to report."
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