Chapter 715 An Accidental Encounter with Princess Rongqing
When Cheng Yi went to the Prince of Qin's residence, Cheng Wanwan also went out with Granny Qi.
She had Granny Qi carry some fresh snacks and take a carriage to the palace to pay her respects to the Empress.
Upon reaching the palace gate, she handed over the token symbolizing her identity. A palace servant took the token and went to Kunning Palace to report. He returned a quarter of an hour later and respectfully allowed Cheng Wanwan to enter.
"If Consort Sui hadn't come soon, I would have almost sent someone to fetch her." The Empress smiled warmly. "This is tea that was just presented as tribute from the Western Regions. Kunning Palace received three catties of it. Why don't you try it and see how it tastes?"
Cheng Wanwan asked Granny Qi to bring up the food box: "These are some snacks that I came up with in my spare time. Your Majesty may have a taste."
The two drank tea, ate snacks, and talked about the rapid changes in Dahe Town, having a very pleasant conversation.
"I've been pondering something lately, and your presence in the capital is perfect opportunity to offer me some advice," the Empress said slowly, setting down her teacup. "The Great Yu Kingdom is growing stronger, and more and more people are studying, but eight or nine out of ten are men. Daughters from wealthy families can study in their family's private schools, but ordinary families don't have such opportunities. Many people live their entire lives without even knowing their own surname. I've been thinking, could we establish a girls' school, a school specifically for girls to receive an education? What does Lady Sui think?"
Cheng Wanwan's eyes lit up.
She truly never imagined that in such an era, in the closed environment of the palace, the mother of the nation would have such thoughts.
She began, “Of course, this is a good thing. The old saying goes, ‘A woman’s virtue lies in her lack of talent.’ Originally, it meant that it didn’t matter if a woman lacked talent, but she must have virtue. Later, it was taken out of context and turned into a derogatory term for women who couldn’t be talented, so fewer and fewer women studied. In fact, women play a vital role in the prosperity of a family. If women are well-educated and have talent in their hearts, the descendants of the family will naturally have good manners…”
The empress nodded repeatedly as she spoke.
Although women do not participate in major family affairs, the upbringing of the family children is carried out by women. Statistically speaking, it is self-evident which mother, who is uneducated, will raise a more outstanding child than a talented one.
"Lord Cheng has experience in running reading pavilions. How about I have Lord Cheng put in charge of the girls' school?" the Empress said with a smile. "Lord Cheng has been an official in the court for more than two years. His Majesty appreciates him very much and has specially appointed him to assist the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince and Lord Cheng are about the same age and get along very well. If nothing unexpected happens, Lord Cheng should be promoted after the New Year."
In any other dynasty, Cheng Wanwan would never have agreed with Cheng Zhao choosing a prince's side so early.
However, in the Dayu Dynasty, the Crown Prince was at least eight years older than the other princes. While the other princes were still learning to speak, the Crown Prince had already begun to engage in state affairs. In addition, the maternal families of the other four princes were not very powerful and could not help much, nor did they have the ability to cause any trouble. Therefore, the Crown Prince's position was extremely stable and there was no need to worry about him falling from power. By assisting the Crown Prince in advance, Cheng Zhao's future would be limitless after the Crown Prince ascended the throne.
She stood up and curtsied to the Empress: "Thank you for your promotion, Your Majesty. I will do my best to assist His Highness the Crown Prince and will never fail Your Majesty's expectations."
"Why are you being so polite with me?" The Empress gently helped her up. "Shouldn't Consort Sui be able to attend the New Year's Eve banquet this year?"
Every year on New Year's Eve, a banquet is held in the palace. Officials of the third rank and above, along with their families, can enter the palace to participate in the banquet. The whole country bids farewell to the old year and welcomes the new year.
Cheng Wanwan smiled and said, "Since Your Majesty the Empress has said so, of course I have to come. It's a good opportunity to broaden my horizons and tell my fellow villagers about what I saw and heard in the palace when I return to my village."
The Empress sighed, "Even though I'm so far away in the capital, I still hear about Dahe Town all the time. If it weren't for my status, I would really like to go and visit Dahe Town..."
As the two were chatting, the nanny came in and reported, "Your Highness, Princess Rongqing has arrived."
The Empress stopped speaking: "She rarely comes to Kunning Palace, so it's quite unusual for her to come today. Please come in."
“Since Your Majesty has guests, then I shall take my leave.” Cheng Wanwan stood up. “I will come to keep Your Majesty company another day.”
"Why are you in such a hurry to leave?" The Empress chuckled. "I had your meal prepared when you first arrived. You should have eaten before you leave. Rongqing must have come for something. He'll leave once he's done. You don't need to be so formal."
Cheng Wanwan nodded and did not mention leaving again.
A moment later, the nanny led in a woman dressed in bright colors. The woman wore a light pink palace dress embroidered with large, blooming peonies, and the palace flowers in her hair were also peony-shaped. She was stunningly beautiful, but judging from her expression and demeanor, she was not a delicate girl of seventeen or eighteen, but rather a mature woman around thirty years old.
"Greetings to the Empress Dowager." Princess Rongqing entered and bowed, her gaze slowly falling on Cheng Wanwan. "So the Empress Dowager has guests in her palace. I should come later."
When Cheng Wanwan was called upon, she naturally curtsied and said, "Your subject, Zhao Cheng, greets Princess Rongqing."
“Zhao Chengshi… isn’t that the famous Lady Sui Shu?” Princess Rongqing smiled. “Luckily I came, otherwise I wouldn’t have known that Lady Sui Shu was so young.”
Cheng Wanwan, unaware of Princess Rongqing's manner, lowered her head and replied, "This humble woman is almost forty years old and does not deserve such a youthful address from the princess."
The Empress walked up to Cheng Wanwan without making a sound, and said with a smile, "Rongqing, you usually stay by the Empress Dowager's side and rarely come to my place. What brings you here today?"
"It's all because Sixth Brother insisted on holding some kind of hunting party." Rongqing said helplessly. "It's freezing cold, and my body can't handle hunting in the countryside. My fox fur coat got wet by the palace maid the other day, and it's a bit stuffy to wear, so I wanted to borrow a mink or fox fur coat from my sister-in-law."
"This is such a small matter, you could have just sent someone to tell them, why did you have to come all the way here yourself?" The Empress instructed the nanny to fetch her clothes, and said with a smile, "I heard that this hunting trip will be held in Linxi. There is no royal hunting ground in Linxi, and I don't know if any wild beasts will wander in. You, a woman, should be careful when you go there."
Rong Qing nodded in agreement, then his gaze fell on Cheng Wanwan again: "I heard from Sixth Brother that Sui Shuren will also be going to the hunting party?"
The "sixth brother" she mentioned was naturally the King of Qin.
For some reason, Cheng Wanwan had a hunch that Princess Rongqing had come for her participation in the hunting party.
Did her participation in the hunting party infringe upon Princess Rongqing's interests?
But what kind of conflicts of interest might arise at a party for aristocratic children?
She lowered her eyes and replied, "Many nobles in the capital were invited to the hunting party. It is a great honor for me to receive an invitation from the King of Qin."
What she meant was that there were no fewer than a hundred people in the entire capital who participated in the hunt, and she was nothing special.
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