Chapter 190
"Fourth Prince, the Empress recently sent an invitation to the Prince's residence, saying that an autumn appreciation banquet is being held and inviting ladies and noblewomen from all families to attend."
"In addition, the Empress also bestowed a title upon the Princess Consort of Yingzhou and invited her to a banquet."
"The Princess Consort?" Duan Gan frowned and looked up at him.
Chen Jinghe nodded: "That's right, I don't know what the Empress means by this."
He curled his lips slightly, his words laced with mockery: "I'm afraid it's to select a consort for the Crown Prince."
“Choosing a concubine? That makes sense. It’s too late for the Crown Prince to get married at his age. It’s understandable that the Empress, as his mother, is anxious. No wonder she invited so many people from humble backgrounds and aristocratic families.”
"If the Qiu family intends to rebel, they should indeed make sure the Crown Prince has an heir as soon as possible. If the Crown Prince who leads the charge dies, but there are still children left behind, they will have a chance to make a comeback."
His casual voice inadvertently revealed the dark thoughts of the Empress and the Qiu family.
Chen Jinghe's eyes were filled with surprise. It turned out that the Qiu family had such intentions. But the Crown Prince was, after all, the Empress's own son. How could they be so heartless as to use him?
Therefore, once you enter this cannibalistic harem, even the most virtuous person will turn into a cannibalistic demon.
………
A group of people hurriedly entered Zhengyang City Gate before dark, and the gate closed after they entered.
The procession was followed by four guards on horseback, with two carriages in the center, one for passengers and the other for servants, along with some essential valuables.
Inside the swaying carriage, a lady dressed in a dark blue floral-patterned jacket was resting with her eyes closed, while a young girl in a light purple dress sat beside her, occasionally glancing cautiously at her expression.
Suddenly, a sound broke the silence.
Lu Shuqing asked in a calm voice, "Where are we? How much longer until we reach the Prince's residence?"
Upon hearing this, Murong Jia Hui quickly lifted the curtain and looked outside, saying softly, "Mother, we have already entered the city, and I believe we will arrive soon."
She let out a soft "hmm" through her nose, and even with her eyes closed, her arrogance was evident.
Judging from the girl's words and expressions, she was clearly afraid and wary of the woman in front of her.
A quarter of an hour later, the carriages gradually came to a stop, and soon the procession stopped at the gate of the Prince's Mansion.
The leader dismounted, stepped forward, and knocked on the door. Soon, the door opened from the inside, and the doorman looked at the stranger with suspicion, asking, "Who are you looking for?"
"The Princess Consort has arrived. Have someone come out to greet her."
The gatekeeper exclaimed in surprise, "Princess Consort?!" He peeked behind him. "Very well, I'll go and inform her right away."
"No need. I'm just returning to my own home. What do I need to announce?"
With the help of the young girl, Lu Shuqing stepped off the carriage using a stool, her head held high, her chin slightly raised, displaying an air of haughtiness that disregarded everyone else.
Murong Jia Hui remained humble and reached out to help her into the mansion.
The carriage following behind carried Zhao Mama, Lu Shuqing's personal servant, and Yunshang, Murong Jia Hui's personal maid.
She said there was no need to report it, but a servant still went to inform the steward, who then informed Murong Huaishi.
After half an incense stick's time, Murong Huai Shi heard this and went from the study to the front hall.
Upon entering, he saw his wife sitting in a high position, drinking tea and resting. The two people in the front hall quickly stood up and greeted Murong Huai Shi with smiles the moment they saw him.
"Prince".
"Father."
He frowned slightly and asked, "Why are you here?"
Lu Shuqing is the daughter of the magistrate of Zaoyang County in Yingzhou. Although her father's official position is not high, she was able to become the princess consort by means of her methods and beauty.
Therefore, she always thought highly of herself, and in Yingzhou, apart from her husband and son, no one could get a kind word from her.
Murong Jia Hui was the second daughter of Murong Huai Shi, born to a concubine. Her birth mother was honest and dutiful, and Murong Jia Hui, as her name suggests, was intelligent and sensible, and knew how to please the mistress of the house from a young age.
Therefore, when the Empress sent an invitation to the palace, ostensibly to enjoy flowers and tea, but actually to select a consort for the Crown Prince, Lu Shuqing did not hesitate to bring her along.
In addition, she also wanted to meet the adopted daughter personally raised by the prince, and see carefully just how much the prince loved her that he would include her, who was not his biological daughter, in the royal register.
Lu Shuqing smiled and said, "Didn't Her Majesty the Empress send us an invitation to the palace to admire the flowers? Since it's Her Majesty the Empress who invited us, we can't break our promise even if the journey is long."
"A banquet?" Murong Huai Shi nodded, not caring much about a woman's banquet.
She looked around, a puzzled expression on her face, and asked, "Yan'er went to the border, so where is your newly adopted daughter? Shouldn't she come to pay her respects as soon as her mother arrives?"
Murong Huai Shi didn't care at all, waving his hand, "She's staying in her own courtyard, don't worry about her."
He didn't want to see her right now. Seeing her reminded him of the money that had been lost, which made his heart ache. So he decided to avoid seeing her altogether.
These words surprised the two of them greatly. In a family, besides the father, the mother is the most important person. The mother traveled day and night to come here. How could the children not come to pay their respects and greet her?
Murong Huai Shi's actions undoubtedly led the two to believe that he was spoiling and indulging this woman too much. Such bias towards a woman who was not his biological daughter made them wonder if she was an illegitimate child.
Lu Shuqing frowned, her displeasure evident, but she still said gently, "In that case, I will go and see her myself."
Before he could answer, she walked forward on her own, and Murong Jia Hui curtsied to him and followed after her.
Seeing this, the butler looked at Murong Huai Shi helplessly. He sighed and said impatiently, "Go and keep an eye on things, make sure nothing goes wrong."
"Yes, this servant will go right away."
He rushed over and caught up with her in no time, because they had no idea which courtyard Tao Tao was in.
He had no choice but to lead the way, and soon he brought the two of them to the entrance of a courtyard.
Lu Shuqing gazed at the exquisite, elegant, and spacious courtyard. There was a bridge in front, a mountain behind, and a scenic pavilion and lake not far away. During the day, the sun shone brightly, and at night, one could enjoy the moon and stars.
If she remembered correctly, this courtyard was the best and most comfortable to live in, apart from the main courtyard where Murong Huai Shi lived.
When they first moved in, it was originally Murong Yan who lived here. However, he later chose another courtyard, and this place became vacant. Unexpectedly, it was given to this adopted daughter.
The prince is being far too kind to this adopted daughter.
The steward turned to Lu Shuqing and said respectfully, "Your Highness, this servant will go in first to announce your arrival."
"What are you talking about? Do elders need to announce themselves before entering a younger person's courtyard?!"
Lu Shuqing pushed him aside with an unhappy expression and barged in. She was stunned by what she saw as soon as she entered.
Murong Jia Hui, who was behind her, was puzzled and stepped forward, only to be stunned as well.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com