Princess Jin saw that Nanny Xie had a decent appearance and a strong body, so she kept her in the courtyard where she lived and asked her to do some rough work.
After a few days of observation, Princess Jin discovered that this Nanny Xie was actually honest and dutiful.
Every morning, she would get up on her own without the head nanny calling her.
She can do all kinds of rough work, such as sweeping the yard, moving flowers and plants, washing clothes and dusting, and her hands and feet are very nimble.
Princess Jin's initial sympathy and pity for her turned into a favorable impression.
Princess Jin called Nanny Xie to her side and said, "These past two days, I've noticed that you're quite capable."
"You can stay here in the imperial farm. I don't consider you a slave. Your body is free."
"Every month, you receive five cents of silver as a monthly salary, just like those maids."
"If you stay here and behave yourself, I will never drive you away. I will let you work here until you grow old."
"If you find a good place to go and don't want to stay, I can let you go at any time."
Aunt Xie fell to her knees and kowtowed, "Thank you, Princess. Your Majesty, I am so grateful for your kindness!"
It was early summer, the flowers in the palace were blooming, and the weather was getting warmer.
In Kunning Palace, the Crown Princess and the Queen sat together, chatting while sewing clothes for the unborn baby.
During this period, the war in the northern border was still tense. The crown prince and several advisers including Yan Wenjing and Han Qingbo, as well as several ministers from the Ministry of War, still lived and ate in the Qianqing Palace.
He discussed the war on the front line with Emperor Mingxi day and night.
The Crown Princess lived alone in the Crown Prince's Mansion, feeling lonely and desolate.
The queen then suggested that she be brought into the palace to live.
After all, Rongpin is her aunt and the Queen is her mother-in-law. If she lives in the palace, it will be convenient for them to take care of her.
So, during the day, the Crown Princess would either stay with Rongpin or come to Kunning Palace to chat with the Queen, and at night, she would go back to Rongpin to rest.
On this day, a young eunuch suddenly trotted into Kunning Palace and shouted as he entered the courtyard: "Empress! Empress!"
Xiao Luzi grabbed the eunuch's sleeve with disdain and stopped him: "What's the urgent matter? You are so flustered and it's against the rules. Be careful not to offend the nobles and get a beating."
The young eunuch wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "It's the Empress's mother who has arrived. She's already outside the city!"
When Xiao Luzi heard this, his anger immediately turned into joy, and he pulled the young eunuch to run towards the main hall.
"Empress, Empress, your mother is here!" Xiao Luzi ran too fast and tripped over the threshold.
Kezun in the northern border means the leader’s legal wife, similar to the queen in the Central Plains.
The Queen was sitting on the couch with the Crown Princess sewing clothes. When she heard this, she was so startled that the needle in her hand deviated and pricked her finger.
Bright red blood beads emerged from the fingertips.
The queen didn't care about the pain in her hand. She threw down her needlework and stood up. "Ah, mother is finally here! Finally here!"
"Is Kezun okay? Did anything happen on the way?" the queen asked incoherently.
The young eunuch shook his head in bewilderment. "I don't know! I only know that Kezun is outside the city now and will reach the palace in another hour."
"Good, good. Just hope we can get to the capital safely." The Queen murmured.
Yingxue walked silently to the queen and helped her clean the wound on her finger with concern.
"Mother, please calm down. We will be able to see grandma soon." The Crown Princess comforted her softly.
The Queen smiled sheepishly: "Ah, I am really too happy, even too happy."
The Queen sent someone to bring Meng to Beijing to recuperate, and this time it took a very long time.
The journey that usually takes ten days actually took nearly a month, and the queen was waiting impatiently.
The queen was worried all day about whether her mother would encounter any accidents on the road. She was anxious and could not sleep at night.
"Mother, should we go and welcome grandmother now?" The Crown Princess supported the Queen's arm and reminded her in a gentle voice.
The Queen then stopped and said, as if she had suddenly realized something, "Ah, yes, I have to go get my mother first."
The Queen gathered her thoughts and ordered, "Go, send someone to the main hall to bring Miao'er and Ayin back, and then..."
The queen was about to say that she would call the prince over again, but suddenly she remembered that the prince was working overtime in the Qianqing Palace, so she stopped talking.
"Forget it, let's not alarm the Crown Prince and the Emperor for now. Political matters are more important."
The Queen glanced at the Crown Princess again and said, "Chu Yue, since you are not feeling well, please stay in Kunning Palace and wait."
"No, mother, His Highness is busy with state affairs and cannot go to greet grandmother. This is already disrespectful to us as the younger generation. If I, your son, am too arrogant to go, it would be really inappropriate." The Crown Princess looked sincere.
The queen smiled with satisfaction. This daughter-in-law was really sensible, aware of the overall situation, and had the demeanor of a mother of a country in the future.
She tidied up the Crown Princess's hair and said, "Okay then."
The Queen then ordered, "Go and inform Lord Xiao and his family, and have them drive directly to the east gate of the city to wait."
The young eunuch left immediately.
Soon, the palace servants had prepared the carriage, and Xia Miaoyuan and Xiao Wanyin were also brought back from the main hall.
"Mother, sister-in-law, grandma is coming soon? That's great!" Xia Miaoyuan was so happy that he pulled Xiao Wanyin around in circles.
"Ah! I'll be able to see grandma soon!" Xiao Wanyin also shouted excitedly.
The queen smiled and urged the two children to get in the carriage, and the group drove straight out of the palace.
Along the way, messengers kept riding back and forth on horseback, reporting to the queen where Kezun's carriage had arrived.
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