Chapter 138: Testing



As soon as they left Kunning Palace, Empress Xu summoned the female officials to give them detailed instructions on other matters.

Jiang Qingqing arrived at Chuxiu Palace with a calm expression. Concubine Zhao was already sitting in the front hall waiting for her.

Therefore, Jiang Qingqing did not stay in the courtyard for long before entering the main hall, paying her respects and greetings, following a smooth process.

"Your Highness rarely comes to my place on weekdays."

The first words Concubine Zhao said when she saw Jiang Qingqing were nothing but a somewhat indistinguishable friendly conversation.

But who is Jiang Qingqing? Since she was ten years old, she no longer intends to act on the innocence of a child.

Now, using her own personality, she is able to handle things with ease.

"You are joking, Madam. You are Qingqing's aunt after all. It is only natural for you to come and visit her."

Her smile was slightly different from the coldness of Kunning Palace.

Concubine Zhao was surprised for a moment when she saw Jiang Qingqing's reaction, then she covered her surprise with a smile and signaled the people in the palace to bring out the pastries.

"Your second brother has been busy with many affairs in the court recently, so I have prepared a lot of nourishing pastries. Your Highness, please try them. If it doesn't work, you can drink some flower tea."

Concubine Zhao smiled.

Jiang Qingqing accepted Concubine Zhao's kindness with a smile, took a bite of the cake and drank a sip of the scented tea.

There was nothing special about the subsequent topics. They were just greetings like asking whether the Second Prince was in good health recently and whether Concubine Zhao was in good health recently.

Concubine Zhao smiled and responded for a few sentences, then suddenly changed the subject and said with a smile: "Recently, your second brother has been busy with the prince's residence outside the palace. He has been busy with both court affairs and private affairs. Your Highness has loved playing with your second brother since he was a child, right? You can help your second brother occasionally. We are all family, right?"

Between the lines, it was hinted that the Second Prince had been receiving a lot of favors recently.

"Second brother has such a gentle and considerate mother like you. I'm afraid I can't be of much help inside and outside the palace." Jiang Qingqing tactfully praised Concubine Zhao for her favor for the second prince.

These words really pleased Concubine Zhao. She smiled more and more and waved her hand.

"Ah, you child," she sighed with pretended pity, "I can only make some cakes at most. These things in the house and the court are not as considerate and stable as those of the Queen."

Jiang Qingqing looked at Concubine Zhao, met her gaze, and smiled at each other.

But she did not respond to Concubine Zhao's words.

After briefly chatting about this topic, Jiang Qingqing left Chuxiu Palace on the pretext of returning to Huaning Palace to check on matters related to the birthday banquet.

After leaving Chuxiu Palace, Jiang Qingqing's smile faded a little in her clear eyes.

Gan Yuan and Gan Lin followed behind her the entire time, looking at Her Highness's solemn expression, neither of them looked very bright either.

Kunning Palace and Chuxiu Palace, two people, two reactions, for Jiang Qingqing, both undoubtedly confirmed the news in the pornographic file of Lin'an Pavilion.

As expected, Empress Xu could no longer sit still. The eldest prince had not received his father's attention for a long time, and he was a light figure in the court. Empress Xu felt guilty, and she was afraid that her son would not be able to become the crown prince.

Concubine Zhao, on the surface, seems to be a non-aggressor, but the Second Prince, her son, has as much power in the court as Jiang Chen.

Such behavior could not convince Jiang Qingqing that Concubine Zhao was really a lazy person.

Two factions are looming on the horizon, if Jiang Chen is favored again at this juncture.

...It's not a good sign.

She concealed the thoughts in her eyes and quickly returned to Huaning Palace.

The birthday party is the biggest turning point for her right now.

Not even a few days after returning to the palace from Qi Town, Her Royal Highness the Princess went to the palace in person to meet Jiang Qingqing at Huaning Palace.

During these five years, Jiang Qingqing would visit the Princess's residence from time to time to chat with her aunt. Sometimes they would talk about the happenings in the capital, and sometimes, Jiang Qingqing would hear from her aunt about the progress and news of her uncle's expeditions to the frontiers.

"This time I came to the palace, in addition to giving you a birthday present, I also wanted to quietly share some good news with you in advance."

The imperial aunt sat in the main seat, looking at Jiang Qingqing with a smile on her face. She looked up and down at the little girl in front of her who had transformed into a young girl, and her eyes were filled with love for the girl.

This is the child that the eldest princess watched grow up.

Facing the Imperial Aunt, Jiang Qingqing seemed much more intimate. She put aside the coldness in her expression, moved a small stool and sat next to the Imperial Aunt's legs, looking up at her.

"What good news?!"

"Lin Ting has successfully captured the fourth city," the princess sighed with relief, "The Li Kingdom looks so chaotic internally, but I didn't expect the border cities to be so difficult to capture."

Xiao Linting captured four cities in five years. Except for the first city which took some time, he basically captured one city a year for the rest. At this rate, he might be able to return victorious in two years.

Jiang Qingqing was happy for the emperor's uncle from the bottom of her heart, and even her smile came from the bottom of her heart.

"It was a good choice to send the two hostages of Li State back. It has been four or five years since they returned. The Li State is still struggling over the next throne." The eldest princess spoke of Li State with a look of gloating on her face.

This is completely different from the calm and composed lady she usually is.

Who could have guessed that the most honorable Princess of Tianqi would be secretly happy for a long time because of the chaos within the Li Kingdom.

Ever since Han Qiming returned to Li State, it was heard that the level of cruelty had skyrocketed. Even Han Qingyi, the legitimate princess, seemed to be suppressed by Han Qiming after returning to Li State.

"Then according to the current progress of Li State, will Li State not even send an envoy to my birthday?" Jiang Qingqing asked casually.

But this question is indeed a bit silly.

The princess patted the little girl's head and said, "What do you think? We have already captured all the towers at the border. Do you think they will send envoys?"

Jiang Qingqing touched her head pretending to be in pain. She looked up at the princess innocently and said, "Aunt, hitting your head will only make you more stupid!"

The princess sneered, "You have such a little head, you have all kinds of weird ideas, can you be beaten into a fool by me!?"

The aunt and niece looked at each other, then smiled in tacit understanding.

The atmosphere here was just at its best when a palace maid came towards them from the front courtyard. She hurried into the palace and first bowed and greeted the Princess.

Then he said to Jiang Qingqing: "The Queen asked me to tell your Highness that Master Chi from Kunning Palace has arrived. Please go to the side hall to see him."

When the princess heard the name Mr. Chi, her smile faded a lot and she lowered her eyes to look at Jiang Qingqing.

Jiang Qingqing stood up and straightened her slightly wrinkled clothes.


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