"Huh? What does 'receiving a prince's salary' mean?" Little Swallow's IQ seemed to drop a bit.
“A prince is essentially the emperor’s brother. As for their stipend, it’s the wealth they receive from their fiefdom. If they were just a princess, it wouldn’t be so surprising. But not many princes receive stipends, which shows how much the emperor values and loves An’an,” Yongqi explained succinctly.
"Then she must be incredibly powerful," Jin Suo whispered from the side.
“Yes, she’s very capable. She was literate from a very young age and was called a child prodigy by Master Ji. She even helped Uncle Rui train his troops. She was truly skilled in both literature and martial arts,” Yongqi added, sitting on the mahogany chair.
"Wow, amazing!" Benjamin exclaimed beside Yongqi. "That's incredible!"
“So, wouldn’t it be best if we just became friends with her?” Ziwei’s eyes lit up slightly.
"She and Qing'er, one is the perfect niece (granddaughter) in the eyes of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and the other is a favorite and confidante of the Empress Dowager. In short, being on good terms with them will only bring us benefits," Er Kang added, looking at Ziwei with affection.
"Sigh, I thought it was impossible to even be friends with them. I didn't expect them to speak up for me. I've decided to let them join our Shufangzhai and become our family." Xiao Yanzi was very excited and couldn't wait to rush out and become sworn brothers with Yong'an.
Yong'an: I really am slinging Q! Who are your family members? Did you get my permission?
*
"How are you? How are you? Does it hurt?" Qing'er asked worriedly.
"Oh, it's nothing, it's nothing. Qing'er, are you... sigh..." An Ke really didn't know how to ask. Should she ask, "Qing'er, do you still like Er Kang?" Some questions are not suitable to be asked, and some secrets are not suitable to be revealed.
"What's wrong?" Qing'er saw An Ke's troubled expression and thought he had some important question. So she quickly asked, "Is it about me? An'an, just tell me."
Looking at Qing'er's bright and sunny smile, I thought, "Oh well, this thin veil of secrecy is bound to fall sooner or later anyway. It's better if I break it myself."
"Qing'er, I feel like something's off about you today. Do you still have feelings for Er Kang?" An'an asked, then quickly looked into Qing'er's eyes, because eyes don't lie. An'an wasn't worried that Qing'er was lying to her, but rather that she was hiding something from her. She was afraid that Qing'er would worry, afraid that Qing'er would keep everything to herself.
"Erkang?" Qing'er was momentarily flustered, afraid that An'an would see the emotions in her eyes, so she quickly lowered her eyes.
Seeing Qing'er's demeanor, An'an understood perfectly well. She quickly closed her eyes. "Don't be angry, don't be angry. This happened before I arrived. Stay calm and collected."
Ahhh! Calm down, my own cabbage has been eaten by a pig, and a pig with terrible character... a pig with extremely bad character.
When An'an opened her eyes again, she took Qing'er's hand. "Qing'er, we're best friends, right?" she said, as if trying to convey her own determination to Qing'er.
"Yes!" Qing'er looked at An Ke firmly. If An Ke weren't in Wutai Mountain, Qing'er's days would be utterly dull.
"Phew~ then I'll be blunt." After seeing Qing'er nod, he continued, "Fu Erkang is not your soulmate. Did you see the way he looked at that palace maid named Ziwei? If he cared about you, he wouldn't act like that. Clearly, he doesn't have feelings for you. Qing'er, you are wonderful. You are kind, beautiful, and skilled in all the arts. He is not good enough for you."
An Ke had a heart-to-heart talk with Qing'er, then patted her hand, "Think about it carefully. Think about it, since you returned to the palace, has he come to speak to you?"
After Anke finished speaking, he went to the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and poured one for Qing'er as well.
Although Qing'er was lost in thought, she still steadily caught the teacup. She slowly sipped the tea, which helped to ease the chill in her heart. "An'an, you're right, he really didn't come looking for me." After saying that, Qing'er lowered her head.
An Ke couldn't bear to see Qing'er like this, afraid that she would keep everything bottled up inside and blame herself. "Qing'er, you are the daughter of Prince Yu of the Qing Dynasty, you are Princess Qing. You are so wonderful, you could have any man you wanted. It's just that Fu Erkang is unlucky, he is not good enough for you. A blessed woman doesn't marry into an unlucky family!"
An Ke was getting anxious when she suddenly heard a chuckle. "I didn't say anything about Fu Er Kang, I just felt a connection from when we were kids. Why do you seem more anxious than I am?" Qing'er teased.
"You scared me to death! Why are you in such a hurry? I'm just worried that you'll be heartbroken and upset because of that Fu Erkang." An Ke said, then exaggeratedly patted her chest.
“An’an, I know you mean well. Don’t worry, I’m not the kind of person who would do anything for love. Besides, I can see that he’s not the right person for me.” Qing’er held An’ke’s hand tightly and continued, “Actually, the love I envy most is that of your father and mother.”
"Huh?" Could it be that you're envious of them traveling around and having nothing to do? Although it's heartbreaking, I really am envious too!
Seeing An Ke's confusion, Qing'er nodded with amusement and replied, "Yes, everyone in the palace is envious. Prince Rui and his wife are traveling and enjoying themselves without even having to bring along any 'burden' (children). There are people to watch them!" How could Qing'er not know what An Ke was thinking? She was just deliberately being mischievous.
"Hmph! Qing'er, you've become naughty!" An'an was happy to play along.
"Alright, alright. What I envy is their deep affection for each other, unwavering for decades, their love undiminished. There are no dramatic events, only peaceful and quiet moments, and they have a cheerful and lively child like you. Tell me, which concubine in the harem wouldn't envy that?" Qing'er said with longing in her eyes, which sparkled brightly.
"Haha, that's true, but as their child, I'm so pitiful! Just like the burden you all talk about." An Ke's lips drooped, and her eyes drooped as she pretended to be aggrieved.
"Alright, alright, stop pretending to be innocent after getting the benefits. Although Prince Rui entrusted you to the Empress Dowager, there are still monthly letters from home that never fail to arrive! It's clear that your father cares about you a lot! The Empress Dowager dotes on you, the Emperor spoils you, and the Prince loves you. You're living a better life than the princesses in the palace~" Qing'er comforted An Ke in return.
"Now that you mention it, I do seem to be very happy!" An Ke thought to herself, "In my past life, I was an orphan. Could it be that in this life, God is making up for my past life by letting me experience the warmth of a family?"
"Who are you comparing yourself to in terms of unhappiness?" Qing'er gently touched An Ke's face and said softly.
"Compare yourself to your future self!" Anke said playfully. She was certain her future self would be better off than her present self.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com