Chapter 338 In the blink of an eye
The three young princes in the capital gradually grew into adults, each showing different personalities and characteristics.
The Third Prince, Li Ganming, remained as intelligent and perceptive as he had been in his youth. He was adept at social interaction and had close relationships with many young officials, scholars, and even members of the imperial family.
The fourth prince, Li Ganlang, was the one who gave Li Yuanzhao the most headaches among all the princes.
He was incompetent in both civil and military affairs, and his knowledge of the classics was fragmented; he couldn't even look at horsemanship, archery, or military strategy.
No matter how much Li Yuanzhao scolded her or how much the Grand Tutor urged her, she remained lazy and unwilling to put in any effort.
After a while, Li Yuanzhao simply issued an imperial decree to send her to her fiefdom, so that he would not have to see her again.
The fifth prince, Li Gan'an, was the youngest and also the quietest.
She doesn't talk much, but she's exceptionally obedient and well-behaved. While she may not be the most gifted, she's hardworking, studious, and acts with propriety, never causing trouble.
While her other daughters caused Li Yuanzhao some worry, this quiet and easy-going youngest daughter was the one she loved the most.
In comparison, Su Qingci had the easiest time raising her daughter.
Su Chen knew from a young age that he was not his mother's biological child, but was adopted from an orphanage.
Therefore, she always felt a sense of almost fortunate to have a mother like Su Qingci, who held the position of prime minister.
He even jokingly tells people in private that he got this luck by "stepping in dog poop for eight lifetimes".
It was precisely because of this clear understanding that she was exceptionally diligent and hardworking from a young age, knowing that she could not bring shame to her mother and the Crown Prince.
Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has gradually abolished the old practice of allowing sons of noble families to enter officialdom through the "hereditary privilege" of their ancestors' merits.
Even someone like Su Chen, the daughter of a prime minister and a tutor to the crown prince, could only embark on a career in officialdom through years of hard study and passing the imperial examinations.
However, the competition for the imperial examinations became increasingly fierce year by year. Many children from prominent families took the exams for more than ten years in a row, but still failed.
But Su Chen proved exceptionally capable, passing the imperial examination at the age of twenty-five.
Although he failed to make it into the top three, he steadily entered the officialdom and officially began his career.
Even Su Qingci was quite surprised by this result.
Su Qingci has remained unmarried all these years.
In the mansion, only Xiao Si managed the inner quarters for her, making her "half a madam".
Her reason for keeping Xiao Si was quite simple.
This guy is so stupid, without her, who else would want him?
Fortunately, although Xiao Si is a bit careless, he is exceptionally diligent and conscientious in his work.
Day after day, he managed the vast inner quarters of the Prime Minister's residence in an orderly and meticulous manner, without any mistakes.
Even Su Chen was raised by him.
Therefore, Su Qingci was overjoyed that his daughter, who was raised by a "fool," could pass the imperial examination at such a young age.
So she struck while the iron was hot and settled her daughter's marriage at the same time.
The man she was betrothed to was her younger brother's son, Liu Sanlang.
The Liu family is a scholarly family with a pure and upright family tradition.
Liu Sanlang himself was handsome and dignified, gentle and refined, well-educated and reasonable, and about the same age as Su Chen.
They are a perfect match, a match made in heaven.
On the day of the wedding, the Su family mansion was filled with guests.
Almost all the prominent families, high-ranking officials, and dignitaries in the capital were present, and even the Crown Prince brought his wife along, giving Prime Minister Su a great deal of face.
As the saying goes, "The wedding night is the day of passing the imperial examination."
Su Chen had all the advantages, and for a time, he was in high spirits and unparalleled in popularity.
She was dressed in a bright red wedding gown, her face glowing, and she moved from table to table with a wine glass in hand, toasting each person.
She was already excited, and with the constant congratulations and urging from the guests, she soon became flushed and unsteady on her feet.
But she became increasingly excited, and if Ru Bai hadn't stopped her, she would have even wanted to force the Crown Prince to drink a few cups of wine.
Su Qingci sat beside the Crown Prince, watching her daughter's outburst of emotion yet carefree demeanor, but did not step forward to dissuade her.
Her gaze slowly swept across the table, taking in the lively scene before her.
Liu Liniang, as the groom's mother, sat in the main seat, with her younger brother Su Qingqi sitting beside her.
He was holding the eldest grandson of the Liu family in his arms.
The little guy was probably startled by the noise at the table, or perhaps he was hungry, because he was kicking his little legs and crying.
Su Qingqi patiently coaxed him, picking up a meatball from the table and feeding it to him.
Across the table, Ru Mo and his wife sat side by side.
The lady with emerald green eyes, though no longer young, seemed to have been exceptionally kind to by time, still possessing a stunning appearance.
At this moment, the two were watching Su Qingqi coax the child with smiles on their faces, their eyes revealing undisguised envy.
On the other side, Tu Qing was chatting with several ministers at the table.
Xue Nanzhi sat beside her, occasionally interjecting with a few words, which drew frequent nods from the crowd.
Their husbands sat quietly to the side, their eyes filled with undisguised adoration and love as they looked at their wives.
Looking around the room, those who were clinking glasses and chatting amiably were mostly the ladies of the house and female officials. They were socializing and managing the situation with ease.
Their husbands and husbands were mostly sitting considerately beside them, occasionally adding wine and serving food to their wives.
Or they might go to the new house to give the groom some private advice and share their "experience".
For a moment, an indescribable sadness welled up in Su Qingci's heart.
Thirty years ago, the scene was completely different.
The men were in charge, the men talked big, the men drank and chatted…
The women, as embellishments and supporting characters, sat quietly in the corners, or mostly hidden behind screens.
Even speaking loudly is considered impolite; her mind is preoccupied with nothing but her husband's expression and the trivialities of the household.
Now, only thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye, and everything seems to be different.
What she saw before her was something she had never experienced before, and something she had been eagerly anticipating.
The "new world" that she fought alongside His Majesty and countless colleagues for half her life, which she personally promoted and gradually realized, was finally achieved in her daughter's generation.
Her daughter no longer has to be confined to a small courtyard like she was before, waiting to get married, have children, and manage the household...
She can be the head of the household, she can serve as an official in the imperial court, she can sit openly and legitimately at banquets, and she can even marry her beloved in grand style after passing the imperial examinations...
She can have everything she wants.
Just as I was feeling sentimental, a burst of laughter suddenly erupted from the room.
Su Qingci looked up and saw that Su Chen had tripped over the hem of his robe and fallen to the ground.
He was covered in spilled wine and looked quite disheveled.
This unexpected scene caused the guests to burst into laughter, and they all made fun of it.
"Oh my, is the bride's attendant so happy she's lost her bearings?"
"Bride's attendant, when you get married, you bow to heaven, earth, and your parents, so why would you bow to us? Hahaha!"
"Quickly help her up, quickly help her up! Don't let our bridesmaid get hurt, or the groom will have to spend the night alone!"
Su Chen was pulled up from the ground by several people.
She shook her head, feeling dizzy, and grinned foolishly, clearly quite drunk.
Su Qingci couldn't bear to watch any longer. She quickly stepped forward, took the wine glass from her daughter's hand, and gave everyone at the table an apologetic smile.
"My daughter was so happy today that she drank a few too many cups. Please forgive her for her rudeness. I, as her mother, will toast you all on her behalf. Thank you all for taking the time to come and witness my daughter's wedding today."
After saying that, she poured herself a cup, tilted her head back, and drank it all.
"A small cup of wine, nothing more than a token of my respect. I hope you all enjoy yourselves!"
Everyone raised their glasses in return.
The atmosphere at the table returned to its original lively state.
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