***
Fuyang Imperial Palace.
"Brother, brother, I can't hold on anymore, my shoe fell off, you have to win!"
"Okay, let go. I can win by myself. Let Aunt Qingfei put your shoes on first, so your feet won't get burned on the ground!"
Inside the summer gardens, some of the younger members of the royal family are playing tug-of-war.
Zhang'er, along with three-year-old Xi'er, played tug-of-war with Princess Jingyi's two children and Prince Jingshuo's two nephews.
Zhang'er, along with his younger sister Xi'er, has already defeated Princess Jingning's eight-year-old brother and six-year-old sister.
This time it was Jing Shuo's turn to have his two seven-year-old nephews. They were both of the Cheng family bloodline. Empress Dowager Cheng dedicated her life to the Cheng family, and Jing Shuo made sacrifices for them.
Jing Shuo also wanted to do something for his grandmother, which was to help the Cheng family raise two promising descendants and have them become Zhang'er's study companions, accompanying Zhang'er in his studies and learning.
Zhang'er was older than them and had loved swordsmanship since he was a child. He had Xi'er follow behind him so that his younger sister could play with him. Even if he was the only one left, he could win without any doubt.
Just as the two children opposite him gritted their teeth and leaned back with all their might, Zhang'er simply wrapped the rope around half a circle with both hands, pulled hard, and the two children opposite him cried out and staggered forward, falling to the ground.
With all the elders in the palace present, and seeing that Zhang'er had won both competitions, the retired Emperor Jing Huaixu stroked his beard and looked at him more and more like he was seeing Jing Yan in his childhood. He nodded from time to time and said to the retired Empress Dowager beside him.
"Chu Ting, Zhang'er looks just like Yan'er when he was little. The couple has raised these two children well."
"That's right," the Empress Dowager said happily, turning her head to pick up the prizes from the table beside her and calling the two children over: "Zhang'er and Xi'er, come here, your grandmother has something for you."
When Zhang'er heard his grandmother calling him, he put down the handkerchief he was using to wipe his sweat and handed it to Xi'er, who had already put on her shoes: "Grandmother has called us, come quickly."
When Xi'er heard her brother calling her, she skipped over and obediently took his hand as they walked toward their grandmother.
The Empress Dowager presented the two with pendants and personally tied them around their waists.
The two of them each received a pendant and happily went to Jingyan and Yuejiang to prove their skills.
Zhang'er was a few years older than the children around him, but he was still a child. He was also influenced by Yue Jiang's quirky and clever nature, so he was not dull.
He touched the pendant at his waist and raised an eyebrow to prove: "Father and Mother, I didn't boast last night. I'm very strong now. I'm a big kid. I can win a tug-of-war without anyone's help."
After Zhang'er finished speaking, Xi'er parroted her words and patted her little chest, saying, "It's okay that I'm a child. I have an older brother. I can win the tug-of-war without having to do it myself."
Yue Jiang and Jing Yan exchanged a glance, both amused and exasperated by the two siblings.
One has a temper just like Yue Jiang and looks just like Jing Yan; the other looks just like Yue Jiang and has a personality just like Zhang'er. They really do resemble whoever raised them.
I remember when Xi'er was born three years ago, Jing Yan saved Yue Jiang and returned to Jing, and there was a period of leisure in between.
Yuejiang and Jingyan took Zhang'er to play in the countryside. Soon after, Yuejiang became pregnant. In the countryside, Zhang'er often saw a group of older children playing with younger children. He felt envious when he heard others being called "brother".
Ever since Xi'er was born, Zhang'er has been waiting to teach Xi'er to speak, and Xi'er has developed a habit of loving to learn to speak from Zhang'er.
The two children sat on a bench drinking mung bean soup. Yue Jiang looked at Zhang'er and remembered something. She deliberately teased him, "Our Zhang'er is a big boy now. I'll arrange a marriage for you later."
Zhang'er won the tug-of-war, but his pride hadn't subsided.
Upon hearing the word "engagement," how could the learned and talented Crown Prince be completely unaware?
"It's just getting married, right?" His little face flushed red. He was only ten years old. What was he talking about getting engaged? He wasn't going to brag anymore.
Zhang'er was very angry, but he was now the Crown Prince and had to be calm and composed, not impulsive.
After a moment's thought, he glanced at Jing Yan and Yue Jiang with a retaliatory look, then at his little sister who was only a tiny head, and snorted.
"Mother, I am still young. It would not be too late for you and Father to give me and Xi'er another brother or sister."
Yue Jiang: "..."
She regretted bringing that little mouth of hers, Wai Zhang'er.
Just as he was about to open his mouth to deflate Zhang'er's arrogance, Jing Yan's voice rang in his ears.
"Your younger brother and sister, your mother and I will work hard to ensure that your engagement is not hindered. Remember to choose a crown princess from the Yuezhi in the future, don't forget."
He made a promise to the Yue Kingdom to save Yue Jiang back then, and although the Yue Kingdom has now become the Yuezhi, the promise cannot be broken.
Zhang'er is still young, and Jingyan doesn't want to arrange for Zhang'er to be matched with someone, in case they don't get along and become enemies.
Just a reminder, any woman from the Yuezhi clan will do.
Zhang'er: "..."
His mother was from the Yuezhi, and he heard that his father had taken her by force. But he didn't seem to have ever seen a Yuezhi person. Was it a custom of the Yuezhi to have him go and take one?
"Xi'er is also engaged. Father and Mother, please arrange a marriage for Xi'er quickly."
Just as Zhang'er fell silent, the young Xi'er had no idea what an engagement was, but she laughed whenever her mother and father talked about it.
Although my brother wasn't smiling, his face suddenly turned red, which was quite amazing.
Even faster than her mother applying powder every day, Xi'er thought that her father and mother were very powerful as long as they talked about getting engaged. She was so anxious that she stopped drinking her mung bean soup and rushed to Jingyan and Yuejiang to get engaged.
Jingyan was teaching Zhang'er when Xi'er said something unexpected. He paused for a moment, looked at his lovely daughter on his lap, and immediately refused.
"We can't decide yet. Xi'er is too young. We can choose properly when she grows up."
Yue Jiang knew that Xi'er didn't understand anything, but she almost laughed out loud. However, when she saw Xi'er looking at her earnestly, she shook her head firmly.
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