Princess Jia Hua sighed helplessly, "After so many years, I didn't expect you to remember it so clearly. Sigh!"
"Don't stand, sit down." The Empress gestured to the seat opposite her, then ordered tea to be poured, and said with a smile, "Seventh Prince will be back soon. You and Seventh Prince have been married for over two years, and Third Prince already has five children. If Seventh Prince becomes a father, he will definitely..."
"Your Majesty!" Princess Jiahua interrupted hurriedly, without any shyness on her face. She shook her head and said, "To be honest, I already have two children in Northern Chu. It was very difficult to give birth to my daughter. The imperial physician said that it would be difficult for me to conceive again. I'm afraid I am powerless to continue the family line."
Whether it was her imagination or not, Princess Jiahua actually saw the Empress breathe a sigh of relief.
The Empress breathed a sigh of relief that she didn't have children?
"Imperial Physician Zhang is highly skilled, especially in women's fertility. I will send him to examine you when I have the chance. Take good care of yourself. Life is long, and it's important to have your own offspring," the Empress comforted her.
Princess Jia Hua said calmly, "Your Majesty, I have no desire for offspring."
"But the seventh prince is only in his twenties. We can't let the line end." The smile on the Empress's face gradually faded, as if she were accusing her of being ignorant.
"I have seen how much the Seventh Prince has for you. You have been obedient for so many years, and you did such a thing for you three years ago. Everyone has a heart. I don't care who you still care about, but now you are the Seventh Prince's Consort, and you must be devoted to the Seventh Prince."
The Empress spoke solemnly.
Princess Jia Hua's eyes flickered slightly, and she replied with a hint of reluctance, "Yes."
The Empress then said earnestly, "Once you come to the Southern Frontier, you must leave it behind. You must always remember your place."
"yes."
"Jiahua, I have never seen the Seventh Prince care so much about anyone."
Princess Jia Hua's expression remained indifferent throughout.
The Empress looked both angry and helpless. She waved her hand, dismissing her. She curtsied and left, and before she left, she could hear the Empress sighing repeatedly.
Princess Jia Hua's eyes darkened slightly, and a bold guess formed in her mind, though she didn't know if it was true or not.
The Empress watched quietly as Princess Jiahua's figure receded into the distance, her handkerchief unconsciously clenching in her hand. Her personal maid muttered softly, "The Seventh Prince's Consort is too cold-hearted. It's a wonder the Seventh Prince thinks about her every day."
The Empress's face turned cold as she recalled a letter she had intercepted two months ago, every word of which was filled with affection, so intense it almost blinded her.
She really couldn't understand what was so good about Princess Jiahua.
"The Seventh Prince's Consort has given birth to a son and a daughter, yet she is still treated like a treasure by the Seventh Prince. This servant truly feels sorry for His Highness." The palace maid stamped her foot, looking displeased.
The Empress rubbed her temples: "Three years ago, I promised the Seventh Prince that I would protect her, and I have kept my promise."
"Your Majesty..."
"Go tell the Third Prince's wife that my headache has flared up and I'm returning to the palace first."
"yes."
The empress showed her face and then left.
The Third Prince's Consort tried to persuade her to stay, but the other party was determined to leave, so she had to give up. Before leaving, the Empress also told Princess Jiahua to visit the palace when she had time.
Midway through the banquet, Princess Jia Hua rose to take her leave after a short while.
However, the Third Prince's wife wouldn't let her go, holding her hand and asking her with concern: "The Seventh Prince's residence is empty, what's the point? Why not stay and make more connections? You are the Seventh Prince's wife, and you represent the Seventh Prince's face."
Princess Jia Hua had no choice but to stay.
During the banquet, a maidservant came to the Third Prince's wife: "The young master is crying incessantly, and I can't soothe him no matter what I do. Please go and take a look."
The Third Prince's wife grew anxious and said to Princess Jia Hua, "Please hold on for me for now, I'll be right back."
As soon as the person left, Princess Jiahua was surrounded by people.
"Your Highness is brave and skilled in battle. I hope the Seventh Prince's Consort will take good care of you in the future."
The crowd surrounded Princess Jia Hua, chattering amongst themselves. One of them even offered her a cup of wine, insisting on toasting her.
He handed the wine glass to Princess Jia Hua: "Seventh Prince's Consort, please take good care of me."
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Princess Jia Hua felt the wine in her hand was too hot to handle. She raised her arm and drank it all in one gulp.
The Third Prince's Consort finally arrived after being surrounded by people for almost half an hour.
Princess Jiahua said she couldn't hold her liquor and had to go back. The Third Prince's wife tried to persuade her to stay, but Princess Jiahua insisted on leaving, so the Third Prince's wife had no choice but to give in.
As soon as she boarded the carriage, Princess Jiahua handed a handkerchief to Xiushu: "Go and check if there's anything in this wine."
When she was away from home, she had no one to rely on, and she never touched anything that would be eaten.
That glass of wine came from such a strange place.
We must be on guard.
After successfully returning to the Seventh Prince's residence, I quickly changed my clothes and checked myself again before finally breathing a sigh of relief.
Xiu Shu returned quickly and whispered, "Master, this has been contaminated with muscle relaxant powder."
"Cartilage-lowering powder?"
Princess Jia Hua's face tightened. She had guessed correctly. Today's banquet was too strange. If something really happened, there would be no way to investigate.
"Master, who exactly wants to harm you?" Xiu Shu asked anxiously.
Princess Jia Hua's mind conjured up two figures, but she couldn't think of anyone else. She shook her head and didn't say anything.
She summoned a guard: "Has Your Highness sent any letters?"
The guard shook his head.
Strange, it's been more than two months and there hasn't been a single letter. If it weren't for someone mentioning at the banquet that the Seventh Prince had returned victorious, she would still be in the dark.
"Clean up His Highness's courtyard, and preparations are underway at the residence."
The guard nodded.
evening
Phoenix Palace
When the Empress learned that Princess Jia Hua had returned to the Seventh Prince's residence unharmed, she was not surprised at all: "She is intelligent and shrewd, far more complex than she appears on the surface. Otherwise, why would the Seventh Prince be so preoccupied with her?"
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