155 Chapter 155
◎Decided.◎
"The daughter of the Shi family?" Wei Zifu recalled for a moment, then nodded in praise. "She is very pretty, and her words are soothing to listen to."
Liu Ju smiled and said, "It seems that mother also thinks she is better."
"That's good. So Ju'er actually has a crush on her?" Wei Zifu said with a smile. "When did you meet her?"
"It's today." Liu Ju said with a smile, "Maybe I saw it some time ago, but... I didn't pay attention at the time."
Wei Zifu was a little skeptical: "Really?"
Liu Ju smiled calmly and said, "Mother, how could I lie to you?"
"Who said you lied to me? I just said it casually." Wei Zifu smiled. "Since you like it, it's great. And since Your Majesty doesn't mind it, it's perfect."
Liu Ju smiled and said, "Ah Weng also said that it depends on my feelings."
"Zi'er, what position do you want to give her?" Wei Zifu asked again.
If you just want to take her into the Prince's Palace, just send her in. If you want her to have a high rank, you must get an imperial decree to confer the title.
"Liang Di," Liu Ju said with a smile, "Grandfather has already agreed."
Wei Zifu nodded and said, "After all, she is the sister-in-law of the Prince of Lu and a member of the Liu family. Your Majesty is concerned about maintaining your reputation."
Liu Ju smiled and said, "My father-in-law has already ordered someone to draft an edict. After the New Year, he will choose an auspicious day to have it announced. I'll have to inform the Princess of Lu first."
Wei Zifu patted his hands and smiled with satisfaction, saying, "You finally have someone in your palace. Mother has asked someone to clean up and buy you some things."
The Crown Prince's wedding is only considered a grand wedding when he marries his principal wife. Even for a Consort who is second only to the Crown Princess, although she has a rank and an imperial decree from His Majesty the Emperor, a grand ceremony is absolutely impossible. However, festive arrangements must still be made.
The prince can also hold banquets for guests. Not to mention people from outside, at least the ministers and guests in the prince's palace must be present.
Liu Ju smiled and said, "Don't worry, mother. It won't be too late to deal with these things after Grandfather has someone calculate the date."
"You are not in a hurry, you are not in a hurry about anything." Wei Zifu complained, but the prince finally had someone in his harem, she was overjoyed, and said this with a smile.
Liu Ju smiled and said, "Mother, this matter cannot be rushed. You see, Grandfather has been anxious this year, and you are anxious too, but this person is not the result of your anxiety. She just appeared before me by chance. This is called fate."
"So, there's no point in being anxious. When fate arrives, it will all come naturally."
Wei Zifu pondered these two words: "Fate...it makes sense."
Liu Ju then said with a smile: "Don't be impatient in the future. When fate arrives, everything will naturally come to you."
"Okay, I'll listen to you." Wei Zifu smiled and said, "When fate arrives, anything is possible."
…
The New Year is approaching and the city of Chang'an is busy, but people have not forgotten gossip. Liu Che's imperial edict will not be issued until after the New Year, but Wei Zifu has already hinted to the Princess of Lu, and the news that the Princess of Lu's cousin is going to enter the Prince's Palace soon becomes known to everyone.
However, no one knew the status of the daughter of the Shi family. Everyone only knew that she was not the Crown Princess. As for having no title or status, it was unlikely. After all, she was the cousin of the Princess of Lu. Therefore, during the time before and after the New Year, many people in Chang'an City enjoyed guessing the status of the daughter of the Shi family.
Some people have the leisure to do this, while others are secretly worried.
There were so many people who wanted to send someone to the prince, so why did this one person catch his eye? Those who failed to achieve their goals were puzzled, curious, and jealous.
But Liu Guang was a prince after all. Although he could only allow himself to be manipulated in front of His Majesty the Emperor, he still had some dignity when it came to others, so no one dared to cause trouble for him.
Therefore, no matter how outsiders tried to find out what the woman who caught the prince's eye looked like, Qing Yue was indeed not bothered by anyone except her cousin.
"There's no need to rush about positions. Empress Xiaojing didn't hold a high position when she entered the Crown Prince's palace, and she was just a beauty when Emperor Xiaojing ascended the throne. But whose son ultimately ascended the throne?" Princess Lu thought with a smile on her face. "Qingyue, I haven't heard of anyone else being around the Crown Prince. Your most urgent task is to win his heart and give birth to a little grandson. Then, endless blessings will await you."
Qing Yue said calmly, "Sister, perhaps I am not Empress Xiaojing, but the mother of Crown Prince Li?"
"Pooh, pooh, pooh!" Princess Lu said hurriedly, "Why are you saying such unlucky words!"
What Princess Lu said was indeed very good. Since entering the Crown Prince's Palace was already destined, Qing Yue naturally wanted the best outcome. She just wanted to pour a basin of cold water on Princess Lu to prevent her from getting too proud of herself.
Qing Yue said, "This is just the beginning, sister, it's too early for you to be happy."
Princess Lu said a little embarrassedly: "I just saw that you were unhappy, so I wanted to say a few nice words to make you smile."
Qing Yue smiled softly and said, "Thank you, sister. I'm not unhappy. I just don't understand why the prince... took a fancy to me."
It was clear that when they met that day, the prince did not have any special reaction. He just... looked at her twice more.
Qing Yue thought, could that be the sign that the prince was paying special attention to someone? It was a bit too subtle.
"What else could it be?" Princess Lu touched her face. "What else can a man see?"
The prince had only met Qing Yue twice, so Princess Lu didn't believe that he was attracted by her character and personality.
Qing Yue lowered his eyes, face.
That's not bad, at least she can appreciate the prince's face.
…
Huo Qubing brought his wife, children and Huo Guang to the Pepper Room to pay their respects to the empress. Wei Zifu then ordered someone to invite Liu Ju.
"Congratulations, Your Highness." Huo Qubing smiled at Liu Ju as soon as they met.
Liu Ju paused and looked at Huo Guang: "Your brother's smile is really scary."
Huo Xian stuck out his tongue and said with a smile, "Your Highness is not a Xiongnu, so you are not afraid of my father-in-law."
"Oh, you know this?" Liu Ju pinched his cheek and said with a smile, "Then did you know that your grandfather used to be afraid of me?"
"How is that possible?" Huo Xian shook his head, "Your Highness lied to me again!"
Liu Ju feigned dissatisfaction and asked, "What do you mean? Do I always lie to you?"
Huo Xian looked at his father. Huo Qubing tilted his head and didn't want to say anything.
Huo Xian pursed his lips, leaned over to Liu Ju and whispered, "Your Highness, can you still scare my grandfather now?"
"Hahahaha..." Liu Ju laughed, "Cousin, how about leaving your son to stay with me for a few days?"
Huo Qubing nodded and said, "If your Highness doesn't mind him being a nuisance, then you can keep him in the Crown Prince's Palace to keep him company."
Huo Xian exclaimed, "Ah, why are you teasing me with the Crown Prince?"
Liu Ju rubbed his chubby cheeks and said with a smile, "Our Shan'er is so smart. He knows we are teasing you."
Wei Zifu was talking to Huo Qubing's wife. When she saw what was happening, she couldn't help but laugh and said, "Even when I was a child, I loved children. Who knows what it will be like when I have my own child in two years!"
As she spoke, she waved at Huo Xian, and the child ran over obediently.
Liu Ju pretended not to hear his mother's words and turned to Huo Guang and whispered, "All elders are like this, urging one thing and then another. Huo Guang, does your brother urge you too?"
Huo Guang had been married for two years, but his wife was still pregnant. Huo Qubing had naturally taken care of all the arrangements for his marriage. Huo Zhongru, who lived far away in Pingyang, only came to receive the bride's gifts during the wedding and naturally didn't dare to say much about anything else.
Huo Guang glanced at his brother, who must have heard what he said, and said sternly, "Brother, you don't have time to urge me."
"Hey?" Liu Ju asked hurriedly, "What does this mean? What has my cousin been busy with lately?"
"Zi Meng, you actually like to tease your brother. It seems that you have learned bad things from His Highness." Huo Qubing said.
Liu Ju shook his head and said, "Cousin, you've actually learned to wrongly accuse others. Who taught you that?"
Huo Qubing said, "Perhaps it is also His Highness."
Liu Ju couldn't help laughing and said, "I'm wearing too many hats today. Cousin, is there any happy event in your family that you can't even tell me?"
Huo Qubing did not answer, but just looked at Huo Guang.
Huo Guang smiled and said, "Your Highness, it's my sister-in-law."
"Oh!" Liu Ju said with a smile, "Congratulations, cousin! Shan'er will have a companion from now on!"
Huo Qubing said, "Thank you, Your Highness." He glanced at Huo Guang and added, "I hope you and Zimeng can have a son soon."
Liu Ju winked at Huo Guang and said, "Your brother is here to urge you."
Huo Guang said, "Your Highness, there are also you."
Liu Ju spread his hands and said, "I can't hurry it up. My father-in-law asked the Grand Historian to calculate the date in March, so there are still more than four months to go!"
Huo Guang said, "Your Highness sounds very anxious."
Huo Qubing nodded: "It is indeed urgent."
Liu Ju said, "Cousin, don't you see that your brother is trying to divert your attention?"
Huo Qubing glanced at Huo Guang and simply said, "Let him be."
Huo Guang couldn't help but smile: "I'm afraid I can't share the same plight as Your Highness."
"Tsk tsk, how can people's hearts be so fickle?" Liu Ju said, "I finally understand what it means to be of one mind with brothers."
Huo Qubing said, "Although Your Highness has no brothers, the Crown Prince's Palace will be much more lively in the future, and I'm sure you won't be lonely."
Liu Ju had a bad feeling: "Cousin, you seem to have something else to say."
"Your Majesty told my uncle yesterday that it was a pity that he didn't have a daughter, otherwise he wouldn't have to worry about choosing a Crown Princess." Huo Qubing said.
Liu Ju: “…”
Liu Ju wiped his face and said, "I knew it."
Seeing him like this, Huo Qubing knew that what the Emperor was doing was clearly not to his liking, so he asked, "Does Your Highness have any countermeasures?"
Liu Ju thought for a moment and said helplessly, "Cousin, did my grandfather ask you to come and test my opinion?"
Huo Guang was slightly startled and looked at Huo Qubing, only to see him nod calmly, "That's right."
Liu Ju pinched his chin and said, "Cousin, my father-in-law is planning to tour the counties and states, right?"
Huo Qubing nodded slowly: "Your Highness, what is the meaning of this question?"
"Cousin, please ask my father-in-law if he wants a smooth and solid road that goes all the way through the Han Dynasty."
【Author’s words】
The heroine of this story is Qing Yue, who is Shi Liangdi in history. She will become the Crown Princess in the future, and she is the only one in Liu Ju's harem.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
