The scene of the two nodding simultaneously and the three walking away step by step...
This left Xuanming and Xuanying, along with Mu Bai and Mu Xiao, momentarily stunned.
Your Highness's change in attitude is too drastic!
Wangchuan remained expressionless, but...
He Jinran walked among a sea of flowers, then turned back to glance at the two beauties.
"The flower reflects the person, and the person's face is as beautiful as a peach blossom."
At this moment, Wen Ninglu spoke.
"Your Highness, are the flowers more beautiful, or are you more beautiful?"
“Of course…” He Jinran drew out his words, finally fixing his gaze on the two women, “They’re beautiful!”
The two women's smiles deepened, and when they looked at each other again, He Jinran suddenly felt like a third party.
...The style shifts abruptly...
Three young boys and girls were playing and laughing among the peonies.
They cheered and laughed heartily.
This left He Lin, who was secretly observing from a distance, speechless.
"Jin'er!" he said in a deep voice, and in an instant, he appeared in front of He Jinran.
"Your Majesty, we pay our respects!" The two women suddenly stopped laughing and knelt down to pay their respects.
His Majesty's sudden appearance startled them.
Will His Majesty's impression of them change because of this?
"Father," He Jinran stopped smiling, then looked at Wen Ninglu and Chen Ruxi.
"I am tired. You may all go about your business."
I had finally managed to relax, but my father's arrival couldn't have been more inopportune.
He usually dressed as a girl and was used to playing in the mountains and forests with his friends, and he did the same at the academy... Although at that time he liked to play pranks and was the least popular.
Therefore, he made no attempt to avoid suspicion from a young age.
So much so that he didn't feel there was anything wrong with even the most basic interactions with the girls.
Indeed, because he had changed into men's clothing, he had restrained himself considerably, but that was all.
"Yes." The two women bowed and took their leave in unison, still struggling with the thought that what had just happened might cause His Majesty to turn against them.
After the two women left, He Jinran approached He Lin.
"Father, why do you walk so quietly?"
As he spoke, he picked a peony flower and played with it in his hand.
"Jin'er, it's time to settle down." He Lin snatched the peony from He Jinran's hand, turned around and tossed it to Zhan Yue behind him, making Zhan Yue feel flattered.
He Jinran's hand missed its mark, leaving him hanging in mid-air: "Father, don't just think about me. Why don't you care about my sister's marriage?"
Clearly, it's the younger sister who should get married first.
Speaking of this, He Lin shook his head helplessly.
He had already chosen his son-in-law.
Unfortunately, Yu'er wouldn't listen to him.
"Jin'er, just take care of yourself. You don't need to worry about Yu'er's affairs."
"Father, you're biased! Why do you indulge my sister but not your son?" He Jinran reached for another peony, but He Lin pulled his hand back.
"Jin'er, you decide for yourself when to get married. At the latest, it cannot be more than a year later."
The first half of the sentence sounded quite pleasant to He Jinran, but the second half...
"Father, isn't it a bit too early?"
"It's not early." He Lin smiled, his previously stern face softening.
He only has one prince, He Jinran.
They naturally cared deeply for him.
However, his gentle expression lasted only a moment; his face quickly turned serious again.
"Jin'er, remember this: you must not develop true feelings for any concubine."
"Hmm?" He Jinran wanted to laugh, but even more so, he wanted to cry.
Father, oh Father, your own feelings for Mother are so deep, filled with love, hate, and separation; you are often overcome with emotion and cannot control yourself.
But why must I sever my ties?
Does he have feelings?
He's still young, probably not old enough to fall in love yet... No, Mother married Father when she was seventeen.
Thinking of this, He Jinran suddenly felt somewhat confused.
He felt a remarkably consistent way of treating the girls.
Playing with them serves the same purpose.
That's how you relieve boredom.
Sometimes, he really felt like a jerk.
Sometimes, I think it's just human nature.
Thoughts returned to their source.
Looking up, he saw that his father was already far out of his sight.
He got up and chased after it for a few steps, then stopped.
"Father, can we not get married?"
He wondered if getting married would affect his life.
He doesn't want to be tied down.
It seems unlikely.
He is the crown prince, with his parents and the emperor as his only support. Who else can do anything to him?
Thinking of this, He Jinran's tense mood relaxed.
Thinking that he hadn't seen his sister for a long time, he turned around and went to find He Jinyu, wanting to know who his father had chosen as his sister's consort.
In any case, he has to find her pleasing to the eye.
But they discovered that their younger sister was not in the bedroom.
Then he went to the Prince Wing's residence...
Half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.
Over the past six months, He Jinran's daily routine has been almost entirely arranged by his father, the Emperor.
After catching his breath, he slipped out of the palace to relax.
He frequented the General's Mansion the most, to tease his two younger brothers, Gu Chengyin and Gu Chengyun.
Today, when he went there again, he unexpectedly ran into Wen Ninglu and Chen Ruxi.
Thus, the scene of three young boys and girls looking after two children is vividly depicted within the General's Mansion.
Qiu Yan watched from afar,
Are these people here to look after her child?
Born into this world, she naturally could not accept polygamy.
However, the historical setting here is from another world.
Not to mention, Xiao Ran's identity is that of the current Crown Prince.
Xiao Ran didn't seem to mind the two women; in fact, she accepted them readily.
What she had to do was to vet Xiao Ran.
These days, when Xiao Ran's two fiancées have nothing to do, they often come over to talk to her.
She responded politely and observed them for several days. Both women were exceptionally talented, and most importantly, they had good personalities.
Since it was His Majesty who chose the woman for Xiao Ran, Qiu Yan was quite satisfied, and Gu Qian had no objections.
These days, Wen Ninglu and Chen Ruxi enjoy spending time with Qiu Yan the most.
Although they were all exceptionally talented, they always seemed to lack knowledge and experience in front of Qiu Yan.
...Another year of peaceful times has passed.
Eighteen-year-old He Jinran was followed by his two concubines, and just like before, they chased and played together in the peony garden of the East Palace.
The difference was that He Lin, who was watching from the shadows, no longer sighed and lamented.
The events of the past year have brought him comfort, as the Crown Prince's wives and concubines have lived in harmony and contentment.
Moreover, since getting married, Jin'er's personality has become much more mature than before.
Furthermore, his two daughters-in-law are now frequently interacting with Qiu Yan, accompanying Consort Li, and jointly managing business affairs, which pleases him.
Now, all he hopes for is the day he can hold the emperor's grandson in his arms.
In the blink of an eye, Qiu Yan arrived and walked towards He Jinran.
Because of Qiu Yan's status as a first-rank lady, and because they had business dealings, he granted her the right to enter the palace at will.
He Lin left quietly, without disturbing the mother and son's reunion.
When Qiu Yan arrived, she was accompanied by one person.
It was Ding Tian.
Ever since Zhang Yuyan and Qiu Dazhi got married, she moved to Shangjin with her husband and lived with her second brother and sister-in-law.
Qiu Dazhi has achieved remarkable success and only wants to rely on his own abilities to gain a foothold in Shangjin.
Zhang Yuyan, who was comforting her child, was complaining at home that her husband was busy every day and that the couple didn't interact enough and weren't affectionate enough. Suddenly, she saw her aunt and daughter coming over, which surprised and delighted her.
The reason Madam Ding and her daughter came this time was because Madam Ding wanted to order a batch of high-quality silk in Shangjin.
Upon hearing this, Ding Tian volunteered to share her mother's burdens.
Madam Ding was worried, so she naturally came along.
When it came to silk, Qiu Yan was the first person they thought of, so they asked her to introduce them to some connections.
Qiu Yan was happy to help.
Now, her intention to enter the palace is, of course, for business matters.
Ding Tian wanted to go with them, so Qiu Yan took her along.
"Crown Prince Brother!" Ding Tian rushed towards He Jinran the moment she saw him.
Then, seeing the two women beside him, he stopped in his tracks and patted them on the back.
"Sweetie, what brings you here?" Overjoyed, He Jinran ran towards Ding Tian, looking her up and down.
The conclusions drawn are as follows:
"She's lost weight and grown taller."
"Crown Prince Brother has grown taller too." Ding Tian glanced at him and saw that He Jinran had indeed grown quite a bit taller, making her heart flutter when she saw him again.
However, she looked timidly at Wen Ninglu and Chen Ruxi, who were following closely behind He Jinran.
"Presumably, this is His Highness the Crown Prince's childhood sweetheart." Wen Ninglu smiled and stepped forward, taking Ding Tian's wrist and looking her over.
“This face is naturally striking,” Chen Ruxi remarked from the side.
Ding Tian lowered her eyes shyly.
Compared to the two concubines, she was just an ordinary, insignificant Cinderella, and thus felt somewhat ashamed of herself.
Then look at the Crown Prince,
At this moment, He Jinran had already distanced himself from Ding Tian and the other two, and was chatting and laughing with Qiu Yan.
Ding Tian felt a sudden sense of desolation, but the gentle expressions of Wen Ninglu and the other person warmed her heart somewhat.
Before leaving, she looked into his eyes.
"Crown Prince, do you still stand by what you said before?"
He Jinran: "..." He was completely stunned.
"Sweetie, what are you saying?"
"When I turn fifteen, you will marry me." Although Ding Tian felt a little lonely, she knew that happiness was something she had to fight for.
She was afraid that if she didn't speak up and secretly sulked, her brother, the Crown Prince, would be completely baffled and wouldn't know why she was angry.
However, it's not her fault that she likes the Crown Prince.
"...Uh..." He Jinran's expression froze...
He then turned to the two concubines behind him and said in a deep voice:
"Remember your state today. From now on, you will all be consorts. You must not be jealous. Otherwise, I will not tolerate any jealousy!"
His words were serious, causing the two concubines to bow respectfully in unison.
Wen Ninglu: "Jealousy is one of the seven grounds for divorce. I always keep this in mind and dare not violate it."
Chen Ruxi: "I will heed your teachings and never be jealous in this life."
He Jinran smiled slightly and nodded in satisfaction, "Remember your promise!"
...Autumn ends, winter returns,
In He Jinran's Eastern Palace Peony Garden, another daughter, Ding Tian, has joined the family.
Mrs. Ding initially disagreed.
However, she couldn't go against her daughter's wishes.
Now, because her daughter married the Crown Prince, she has become his concubine.
The Crown Prince bestowed upon the Ding family a villa in Shangjin.
Lady Ding's status also rose accordingly.
Although this was not Madam Ding's original intention, nor was it her true purpose.
The news of Ding Tian's marriage to the royal family reached the Zhang family in Baiyang half a year later.
Now, Master Zhang, who is inspecting the business in the cloth shop, is beaming with pride. He is humming a little tune as he goes through the accounts, thoroughly enjoying himself.
His two daughters went to Shangjin, and he was beaming with pride.
Although his youngest daughter only calls him "uncle," she is, after all, his biological daughter.
However, Madam Zhang was different.
Her temper grew worse every day, and her original jealousy of Madam Ding was now replaced by hatred.
Right now, she only has one thought on her mind all day long.
That is, to reunite with her daughter.
For this reason, she did not hesitate to travel a long distance to Shangjin and to the Ding family villa.
Looking at the Ding residence, which was many times larger than the Zhang residence and located in Shangjin, she regretted her decision.
If she had known that the abandoned daughter could rise to prominence and become the Crown Prince's concubine, and eventually an imperial concubine, she would have been utterly disgusted.
The eldest brother and sister-in-law came to visit relatives, and Madam Ding warmly welcomed them.
However, the atmosphere changed abruptly after Mrs. Zhang's conversation took a turn for the worse.
Ultimately, Madam Ding and Madam Zhang had a quarrel, which infuriated Master Zhang.
That day, he kept saying nice things to Madam Ding, and then angrily left with Madam Zhang, who was trying to reclaim her daughter through various extreme methods.
...Qiu Yan is twenty-nine years old.
She held Gu Chengyue, who was only a few months old, in her arms and calmly breastfed him.
This scene made the two-year-old Gu Chengyun sullen, and he climbed up, insisting on sitting on Qiu Yan's lap as well.
However, Gu Chengxuan was ruthlessly carried away by Gu Qian and dared not resist.
In the end, Qiu Yan felt sorry for them and coaxed them to sleep peacefully, one on each side.
Five-year-old Gu Chengyin stood quietly to the side, looking as well-behaved as a little adult.
Father said that as the eldest brother, he should act like one.
After Gu Chengyue's first birthday celebration, thirty-year-old Qiu Yan, along with her husband, their three children, close servants, and loyal follower Xue Ning, set off for the Northern Desert...
During their journey, they passed through Baiyang and stayed there for several days before deciding to first make a trip through Qin County.
Business in Qin County continued as usual.
Of course, since she doesn't come often, there are always problems.
After Qiu Yan arrived, she made extensive adjustments.
With prices rising, Shuangxilou's business is also doing quite well.
Many old faces have come and gone, and Qiu Yan has never seen many of them before.
After the manager introduced everyone, she kept the honest and sincere people and dismissed the cunning and treacherous ones. In a month, Shuangxi Restaurant underwent a complete transformation, making the manager look at Qiu Yan with new respect.
One month later, before heading to the Northern Desert,
Qiu Yan and Gu Qian wanted to relax for a day, so they went to Junling Mountain, a famous scenic spot in Qin County.
The mountains are beautiful, with vendors and hawkers coming and going.
In the blink of an eye, Qiu Yan saw an ancient temple with blue bricks, which reminded her of Vera. So she went there with Gu Qian.
After arriving, Qiu Yan was surprised to find that...
They actually ran into Vera herself.
At this moment, he was surrounded by a group of worshippers, his hands clasped together in prayer.
Looking at Vera, Qiu Yan noticed that while she had more fine lines around her eyes, she was still as captivating as ever, making people feel refreshed and happy.
“Master Vera,” Qiu Yan’s clear voice rang out.
Vera fixed her gaze on Qiu Yan and her husband, and a look of surprise and delight appeared in her eyes. She smiled faintly, then joined the worshippers in prayer and bowed before walking toward Qiu Yan.
Although Qiu Yan and Vera didn't talk much after not seeing each other for many years, their reunion felt like that of long-lost relatives, which was very comforting.
Through reminiscing, Qiu Yan learned that in just over a decade, Vera had established hundreds of temples.
Saving all sentient beings has always been his belief.
To Qiu Yan's surprise, before she took her leave, she saw a familiar figure at the temple gate.
Moreover, that familiar figure was staring blankly at the couple, as if for a long time.
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