Chapter 38 Could this child’s father be Lu Ze?
Lu Ze knew that if Qi Yuning didn't want to, Emperor Shi Yuan would not grant this marriage.
Qi Yuning said slowly: "The only man who can be the son-in-law of my Qi Wangfu is your Lu family, except for the royal family. But who else dares to marry me except the crown prince? So Lu Yun is indeed the best candidate for my husband."
In the whole Shengjing City, the only man who was equally matched with her was the young man from the Lu family.
Lu Ze chuckled and blurted out without thinking: "Yun'er is the best candidate for a husband, what about me?"
Since he is the young master of the Lu family, it is not just Lu Yun.
Qi Yuning glanced at Lu Ze and said, "Master Lu is really a forgetful person. In just eight years, have you forgotten what I told you not to bother you anymore?"
Lu Ze frowned and asked, "When did I say that?"
Qi Yuning said: "Eight years ago, in the academy."
After Qi Yuning finished speaking, she picked up Lingling and left, leaving Lu Ze standing there.
Lu Ze thought back to the past and realized that he had indeed said those words. It was also from that time on that Qi Yuning never bothered him again.
After returning to the palace, Qi Yuning washed up in a hurry. The smell in the tomb last night seemed to still be in his nose.
When Qi Yuning was bathing, he thought of Princess Shan and sighed softly. A beautiful princess from the royal family should have grown up in a blessed family, but who would have known that she would die so young.
The royal struggle was far more cruel than she had imagined.
Qi Yuning went to bed early with Lingling in her arms. She slept well all night. The weather seemed to be getting colder, and Lingling was like a small heater in her arms.
When Qi Yuning opened his eyes, he saw Xiao Lingling still sleeping in his arms. He gently rubbed Lingling's little face and got up to busy himself with the account work.
Qi Yuning was in the study, looking at the account book of the Qi Prince's Mansion in North City. Normally, the Qi Prince's Mansion in North City was not under her jurisdiction. The accounts were directly recorded based on Qi Yu'an's salary, and were not recorded in the public account.
But sometimes, people from North City would copy the account books over to her for her to review.
Qi Yuning seldom went to check on his brother's spending in North City. Today, he flipped through the account book and saw an account for Miss Ping. Qi Yuning frowned slightly.
"Lichun, go find Butler He from North City."
When Butler He arrived, he bowed outside the screen and said, "Greetings, Princess."
Qi Yuning asked, "What's the matter with Miss Ping in Prince Qi's Mansion in North City?"
“My lord, three years ago, there was a severe drought in Shanzhou and the people were living in misery. Many people came to Beicheng from Shanzhou to escape. Miss Ping and her aunt were among those who fled to Beicheng. They were almost bullied. The prince happened to meet them and saved them. Knowing that they had no one to go to, he kept them in the palace to work.
Not long after that, the prince..."
Butler He was concerned that Qi Yuning was still unmarried, so he didn't dare to say more.
Qi Yuning asked: "So what?"
"After the prince got drunk, he took Miss Ping as his concubine."
Qi Yuning asked: "Have you found out Miss Ping's background? How old is she? What does she look like?"
"He is in his early twenties now, I don't know his exact age, but his appearance..."
"Mother!"
Before Butler He could finish his words, Lingling's voice was heard.
Lingling entered the study and saw Butler He outside the screen and called out sweetly, "Uncle He."
Steward He bowed and said, "Little Princess, Princess, Miss Ping and the little princess do look alike, especially the eyes."
Qi Yuning frowned slightly: "Butler He, do you think Miss Ping looks like Lingling?"
Butler He realized how a concubine could look similar to the young princess, and said repeatedly: "At first glance, they are slightly similar, but if you look closely, they are not alike."
Qi Yuning asked: "How does my brother treat Miss Ping?"
"The prince likes Miss Ping very much. He always stays in Miss Ping's room ten days a month."
Qi Yuning sighed. As a younger sister, she couldn't control what happened in her brother's bedroom. "Go down."
"yes."
Qi Yuning looked at the three words "Miss Ping" on the account book, and for a moment she didn't know whether she should pity this Miss Ping, or her future princess sister-in-law.
Very few princes-in-law of the Dasheng Dynasty took concubines, it can be said that there were almost none.
After the princess's sister-in-law comes home, I wonder if she will be able to accommodate this Miss Ping?
For Her Royal Highness the Princess, who is of noble birth, she has to accommodate her husband's concubine before marriage. Qi Yuning also feels aggrieved for the princess's sister-in-law.
Lingling was playing with the beads on the abacus beside her in Qi Yuning's arms, "Mom, the beads are so fun."
Qi Yuning said, "You go outside and play with Aunt Guyu Jingzhe. Mother has something else to do."
Lingling said: "Lingling is writing beside her mother and not going out to play."
Qi Yuning chuckled and touched Lingling's head, then put the account book of Prince Qi's Mansion in North City aside and ignored it.
After being busy for the whole morning, during lunch, Qi Yuning received a lot of invitations.
As Princess Qi, whenever there was a banquet among the noble families in Shengjing, she would always be invited, but Qi Yuning also selected the ones to go.
Seeing the invitation sent by the Wang family of Zhenbei Marquis Mansion, it was for the eldest son Wang Zhiyong to get married. Qi Yuning had to go to this important event of Zhenbei Marquis Mansion.
Qi Yuning touched Lingling's head and said, "Do you want to play with the Wang family?"
"Yes!" Lingling smiled happily when she heard the word "fun".
Qi Yuning smiled gently. The wedding banquet at the Zhenbei Marquis Mansion was on the first day of October, which happened to be a sunny day.
Lingling knew she was going out to play early in the morning and was extremely happy. "Mom, can I see Daddy today? Lingling hasn't seen Daddy for a long, long, long time!"
Qi Yuning thought about it carefully and realized that she had not seen Lu Ze for a long time. Ever since she said those words in front of Xianglin Temple last time, Lu Ze had never appeared again.
If Lingling hadn't asked to see Lu Ze, she wouldn't have gone to look for Lu Ze.
"I should be able to see Daddy, but as usual, Lingling is still not allowed to call him Daddy."
Lingling said: "Yeah."
The Wang family wedding banquet was held in the evening. When Qi Yuning and Lingling arrived, Wang Zhiyong was getting married with his bride.
Lingling was very happy to see the bride and groom worshipping in the hall. She saw Wang Zhiyu standing behind the bride and shouted, "Aunt Lin, mother, it's Aunt!"
Qi Yuning whispered to Lingling: "Shh, don't be so loud."
Wang Zhiyu is the eldest daughter of the Wang family who is engaged to Lin Jiang, so it is indeed correct for Lingling to call her aunt.
After the wedding ceremony, the wedding banquet began, and Qi Yuning was seated at the second table by the Wang family.
The main table was occupied by the crown prince, princes, princesses and other royal family members. Qi Yuning looked but did not see Lu Ze.
Lu Baozhu sat down next to Qi Yuning and said, "Are you looking at my brother? He went out of town to investigate a case and has been gone for almost ten days."
Qi Yuning asked: "Who looked at him?"
Lu Baozhu laughed and said, "Don't deny it."
Qin Yuli, who was sitting at the same table as the Qin family, stared at the face of the little girl next to Qi Yuning. She walked to Qi Yuning in disbelief and said, "Princess Qi, is this your daughter?"
Lingling looked up and saw Qin Yuli, who looked unfamiliar, and threw herself into Qi Yuning's arms.
Qi Yuning held Lingling in his arms and looked at Qin Yuli and asked, "What's wrong?"
Qin Yuli's eyes showed no trace of jealousy as she asked, "Why do your daughter and cousin Ze look so much alike?"
Qin Yuli's voice was loud and everyone looked over. In fact, everyone had long wondered about the origin of Qi Yuning's child and why he looked like Master Lu, but Qi Yuning had never admitted that he was Master Lu.
Qi Yuning raised her eyebrows and said, "It's an honor for Lu Ze to look like my daughter."
Guan Zhiyi's seat was at the very end. She was able to attend the banquet at the Zhenbei Marquis' Mansion because she was the fiancée of Mr. Qin Wu. She looked at the face of the child beside Qi Yuning and her heart ached again.
Seeing the excitement at the table, Fifth Master Qin Zhen walked over to Qin Yuli and stared at the three-year-old daughter in Qi Yuning's arms, "Princess, who is this?"
Qi Yuning said: "My daughter."
"May I ask who her father is?" Qin Zhen clasped his hands and stared at Qin Yuli with sharp eyes.
Qi Yuning smiled and said, "At least it's not Master Qin Wu."
Qin Zhen said: "Princess Qi is a jokester, could this child's father be Lu Ze?"
(End of this chapter)
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