Chapter 280 An Encounter
The moment they met, the Empress Dowager summoned Zheng Yanling. Zheng Yanling was flustered and could only manage an awkward smile, her eyes constantly glancing at Qi Yuxuan, hoping she could save the day.
Although her grandmother seemed to be quite familiar with the Empress Dowager, the friendship between the ancestors had long since faded away by her generation. Who would dare to truly regard the Empress Dowager as their own elder?
With the watchful eyes of more than twenty noble ladies behind her, Zheng Yanling could only force a smile and say, "Your Majesty flatters me. I am unworthy of such praise. I am not only illiterate, but also dull and crude. I am far inferior to you ladies."
The ladies breathed a sigh of relief; at least she had some self-awareness.
But the Empress Dowager's next words made their hearts leap into their throats again.
The Empress Dowager said, "He is still a humble and polite child. You are still young, so you can learn slowly in the future."
"Alright, I won't keep you any longer. Go and have some fun, just don't be late for the banquet."
The island in the middle of the lake is quite large, and the thirty girls are scattered around. You won't run into them unless you deliberately try to.
The Empress Dowager asked the lady-in-waiting beside her, "Have everything been arranged over there?"
The purpose of the banquet was obvious. The Empress Dowager was not one to hide anything, and she had already told the Crown Prince her thoughts. She even said that she would tie him up and bring him to the island in the middle of the lake so that he could talk to the girls and see if there was anyone he liked.
The lady-in-waiting suppressed a laugh and replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, everything was prepared long ago. We are just waiting for the Crown Prince and the young ladies to 'bump into' each other."
The usual matchmaking methods were definitely not going to work. But since the Crown Prince wasn't taking the initiative, the noble ladies who were raised in seclusion naturally wouldn't risk damaging their reputation by being too proactive with him. So, it was up to her, the Empress Dowager, to push things along.
The girls will be out playing for about half an hour before the banquet starts on the island in the middle of the lake. In that half hour, the prince should have enough time to meet four or five girls.
The Empress Dowager wasn't that pedantic, nor was she that enlightened. She wouldn't grant marriages to girls who weren't willing. But just now, she glanced at them and saw that almost all the girls were dressed up exceptionally beautifully, with makeup and flirtatious eyes. When they bowed, they secretly looked around as if they were looking for the Crown Prince. She guessed what they were thinking.
She said, how could any girl not like the Crown Prince?
Qi Yuxuan and Qi Minying had already consulted the Empress Dowager and the Princess when the girls left, and then happily went off to play with Zheng Yanling and Zhao Mei, who were waiting nearby. The four girls were like chirping little birds or fluttering butterflies, and soon they were gone.
The princess sat there, taking two sips of tea, but still couldn't suppress the unease in her heart.
"Mian'er?" The Empress Dowager was still looking forward to her great-grandchild, but when she saw her daughter's dazed and absent-minded expression, she was startled. "What's wrong? Your complexion is so bad. Should we summon an imperial physician to take a look?"
The eldest princess quickly turned her head and smiled: "Mother, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired these past few days. I'll be fine after sitting for a while."
The Empress Dowager still frowned: "You can't force yourself. If you're not feeling well, go back and rest. This is to select a concubine for Jun'er. Logically speaking, the Empress should be in charge. If it weren't for her... Never mind, let's not talk about such unpleasant things on such a good day."
When the Empress Dowager mentioned the Empress, who had been feigning illness and staying away from home since the Bai family's incident, she became irritable. The Eldest Princess smiled and comforted her with a few words, which barely calmed the old mother's resentment towards her daughter-in-law.
Qi Yuxuan and Qi Minying left early and knew nothing about all of this.
Early this morning, two uninvited guests arrived at Shengxing Palace: Aunt Tao, who served the Empress Dowager, and Aunt Meng, who served the Princess. They meticulously repeated the words of the Empress Dowager and the Princess, leaving Sun Miao with a headache.
Sun Miao bowed and scraped as he invited his two aunts in for tea, but they refused.
Meng Xian: "Eunuch Sun, it's getting late. His Highness the Crown Prince is very busy with state affairs. If you go and report to him soon, His Highness can make a decision sooner, right? We'll take our leave now. Please stay."
Sun Miao hesitated for a moment between losing his job and being punished by the Crown Prince, then made his decision and ran all the way to the study in Shengxing Palace.
Qi Jun was reading the memorials that had been delivered that day when he heard Sun Miao, who was panting heavily, come in. He frowned and glanced at him.
Sun Miao really needs to work on his muscles. Yesterday, he overheard the eunuch next to Duke Huan of Qi mocking Sun Miao, saying that if a candle wick were stuck in his navel, it could burn for a year.
The words may be crude, but the principle is sound. As a close attendant to the Crown Prince, one should at least restrain one's appetite.
Unaware that his master behind the long table already disliked him before he could even speak, Sun Miao nervously gave a curtsy.
"Your Highness, Aunt Tao and Aunt Meng just arrived and said that you absolutely must attend today's summer banquet."
The crown prince did not react, as if he had not heard.
Sun Miao continued, "The Empress Dowager and the Eldest Princess have already spoken, saying that if you don't go today, then, then..."
The Crown Prince frowned and raised his eyes, his imposing aura from years of holding a high position was overwhelming. Sun Miao's legs went weak, and his voice trembled:
"All thirty noble ladies who will attend the banquet will be welcomed into the Eastern Palace..."
Sun Miao thought to himself, "That Eastern Palace is quite lively."
Qi Jun put down the vermilion brush and pinched the space between his eyebrows.
After a long silence, Qi Jun let out a sigh of relief: "Where are they holding their banquet?"
Sun Miao hurriedly replied, "Lake island!"
It takes at least fifteen minutes to walk from Shengxing Palace to the island in the middle of the lake. Qi Jun decided to go early and return early, but unexpectedly, he was called away by the Empress halfway there.
The Empress learned from Qi Minying the purpose of the banquet hosted by the Empress Dowager and the eldest son, which made her quite heartbroken.
She did say she wasn't feeling well and needed to rest, but that doesn't mean she wouldn't care about her own son's marriage!
Even the Empress Dowager and the Eldest Princess, who are as noble as they are, are just like the wicked mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law in the streets, always finding ways to make things difficult for her!
The palace maid beside the Empress originally wanted to remind her that three days ago, the Empress Dowager sent someone to ask her to help organize a banquet, but the Empress ignored her and sent her away directly. However, seeing how angry the Empress was, she was too scared to speak.
As soon as Qi Jun entered his mother's residence in the North Garden, he sensed that something was amiss.
The palace servants didn't dare to breathe loudly; it wasn't out of respect, but rather... fear.
The last time he went to his mother's palace because of Yu Xuan, the palace servants weren't this terrified.
Qi Jun looked unwell, and the Empress, who had been trying to sow discord between the Empress Dowager and the Eldest Princess, stopped talking.
She then asked, "Jun'er, are you going to the island in the middle of the lake?"
Qi Jun did not deny it.
The Empress gripped the armrest of her chair tightly, leaning forward slightly: "Your imperial grandmother and aunt are choosing a consort for you, do you know about this?"
Qi Jun frowned: "I know."
The Empress's eyes suddenly filled with tears: "It's all my fault... If the Bai family and I weren't so useless, you wouldn't have chosen your consorts so hastily. My Jun'er, the crown prince of the nation, has to be treated like this..."
Qi Jun interrupted her, "Mother, please speak plainly. Your son still needs to go to the island in the middle of the lake."
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