Wedding
Being imprisoned in Yonghe Palace in disguise was no big deal for Li Qingping.
A day usually passed by with embroidery, reading, and practicing calligraphy. When she got bored, she'd play mahjong with Yunsu, Yunzao, and the chief eunuch, Fu'an. Besides that, the occasional visit from the children to pay their respects and chat was also a good way to pass the time.
Now, not only Yu Jin and Li Qingping’s biological children came to pay their respects, but Empress Renque and Concubine Ke’s children also came to pay their respects to Yonghe Palace.
For the Crown Prince and his companions, the Imperial Noble Consort of Yonghe Palace was a blood relative of their mother's. Now that Empress Renque had passed away and Consort Ke had been exiled to the imperial estate, the only close elder they could rely on in the capital was Li Qingping. Whether for psychological comfort or instinctive closeness, they were all willing to visit Yonghe Palace.
He Chang and He Zheng were both born in the 38th year of Xianshun, and both reached marriageable age in the 16th year of Yongping. However, because the empress passed away in the 15th year of Yongping, although the mourning period was already over, a delay of three years was still applied, and the marriages were not completed until the two children were 19 years old.
The marriage began in the 16th year of Yongping.
The prince's marriage is a big deal. The Yonghe Palace is now under confinement, and the one in the Chengqian Palace is not in the capital. The two imperial concubines, especially the childless Imperial Concubine Rong, want to take the responsibility of this matter.
Yunzao had just returned from the Imperial Household Department with some spices, and her face darkened as she listened to the news. When she lifted the curtain and entered the hall, Li Qingping was sitting by the window, embroidering a handkerchief with auspicious symbols.
"Master, Noble Concubine Rong is overstepping her bounds." Yun Zao lowered her voice and placed the spices on the table. "I just heard from the eunuchs in the Imperial Household Department that Noble Concubine Rong specifically summoned people from the Imperial Clothing Bureau and the Imperial Observatory to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility yesterday. She said she wanted to first decide on the wedding date and wedding dress styles for the two princes. She also mentioned that she wanted to personally select portraits of several young ladies from aristocratic families for His Majesty's review."
Li Qingping didn't even blink as she carefully examined the pattern she was embroidering. "That was a good idea of Concubine Rong. She not only sought the Emperor's help, but she also sought the Empress Dowager's support. But if she's happy to take on these idle tasks, then let her do it."
"But..." Yun Zao said anxiously, "But Master, as the Imperial Noble Consort, you are also the mother of the Ninth Prince and the aunt of the Eighth Prince. No matter what happens, you are the one who makes the decision!"
Yun Su, who was sewing new clothes nearby, sneered, "Who doesn't know what Noble Concubine Rong is thinking now? It's because the Empress is gone, Concubine Ke has gone to the Imperial Manor, and our Yonghe Palace is under control, leaving no one to suppress her. The childless Noble Concubine wants to arrange a marriage with a prince, simply to save face and show off her power as Noble Concubine Rong."
Li Qingping put down her needlework and said calmly, "It's inconvenient for me to be away from home right now, so I can't interfere with who the emperor wants to take on the work."
Yun Zao's expression was still indignant, "But...!"
Li Qingping interrupted her, saying, "The prince's marriage may seem like a family matter, but it's actually a matter of state. The emperor has his own standards. Concubine Rong is anxious to connect the royal family with the aristocratic families, but the final result may not be what she wants."
"Besides," Li Qingping looked out the window at the scenery, where the flowers, tended by the palace servants, were in full bloom, "the prince's marriage cannot be neglected. If Concubine Rong wants to hold it, she must do it beautifully. She wants to make herself look good, and I also hope that she will give He Chang and the others a grand ceremony."
Having said that, Li Qingping still couldn't help tossing and turning at night, staring at the top of the tent with his thoughts drifting away.
The marriage of He Zheng and He Chang was originally just an ordinary marriage for princes, but given the current situation in the palace and the capital, it seemed unusual. Furthermore, Concubine Rong was childless, so if she wanted to win over the noble families, she might make a fuss about the selection of the prince's consort.
A few days later, Fu'an returned from the kitchen with food. After watching Yun Su and Yun Zao place all the dishes on the eight-immortal table, he leaned forward and reported, "Master, Imperial Concubine Rong has been summoning the wives of several families recently. She seems to be more interested in the daughters of the Qinghe Wang family, Imperial Concubine Rong's own family."
Sure enough, it still leans towards the aristocratic families... Li Qingping lowered his eyelashes and sighed.
Li Qingping gestured to Yunsu to scoop him a bowl of lotus seed and lily soup, and tried to look at the matter objectively. "To be honest, the girls from aristocratic families are well-educated. For example, isn't He Xuan's Princess Cui doing quite well now? If Concubine Rong is truly thinking about the children, then that's fine, but..."
Concubine Rong's choice of a girl from her own family was a clear sign of her ultimate intention. She simply wanted to pave the way for herself.
Fortunately, two days later, the Crown Princess came to Yonghe Palace to pay a visit and said that the mother should not worry. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had already made a suggestion to the Emperor that the prince's marriage should be handled with caution.
Li Qingping's heart moved, and she smiled and said, "I understand. I will remember the Crown Prince's intention."
The Crown Princess smiled soothingly and said, "In this palace right now, His Highness cares most about you, the Imperial Noble Mother. If anything involves Yonghe Palace, His Highness will not stand idly by."
Sure enough, a few days later, Emperor Yongping summoned Concubine Rong and postponed the marriage proposal on the grounds that "the prince's marriage is related to the foundation of the country and requires long-term consideration."
Concubine Rong was offended by the Emperor and the Crown Prince, and she was unhappy, but she could only leave the Palace of Heavenly Purity in disappointment.
In the end, the task of meeting the two future princes' wives fell on the Crown Princess.
No one was able to speak. As the Crown Princess, it was only fitting for her to arrange marriages for the two younger brothers, who were more than a generation younger than her.
Emperor Yongping added another decree: "As the folk saying goes, a marriage is decided by the parents and the matchmaker, and this also applies to the prince's wedding. It should be discussed jointly by the Empress Dowager and the elders. The Empress Dowager is vacant, and the Imperial Noble Consort is a cousin of Empress Renque, having nurtured the prince for many years. The proper etiquette cannot be neglected." The Crown Princess is acting in her place, and she should also consult with the Yonghe Palace.
After much deliberation, Li Qingping was able to handle the marriages of his two children because of the saying "rituals cannot be neglected".
When Concubine Rong learned about this, she was so angry that she smashed a set of teacups. However, since it was Emperor Yongping's order, she didn't dare to ask her subordinates to go to the Imperial Household Department to ask for another set, so she could only swallow her anger.
Concubine Wan watched a good show, but the next day she was sarcastic to Concubine Rong, which made her very angry.
After carefully examining the candidates, the Crown Princess decided on the candidate for the Prince's Consort, and Li Qingping was quite satisfied.
After the two princes' wives were chosen, the emperor ordered the two princes to leave the palace and set up their own residences. The eighth prince He Zheng was canonized as Prince Shun, and the ninth prince He Chang was canonized as Prince Kang. The Imperial Astronomical Observatory selected an auspicious day to conduct a series of pre-wedding ceremonies, including the acceptance of betrothal gifts and asking for names.
Later, wedding documents, rituals, and dowry lists continued to be delivered to Yonghe Palace.
Li Qingping no longer refused and simply sorted the things into categories, asked Yun Suyunzao to register them, and then asked the Crown Princess to personally approve them. Finally, he presented them to the Imperial Court and the Cining Palace for Emperor Yongping and the Empress Dowager to review.
That day, the Crown Princess came to Yonghe Palace again, with a delighted look on her face: "Princess Ding, please take a look at this memorial!"
"What kind of memorial can make you so happy?"
Li Qingping took the memorial and read it carefully. He was delighted after reading it. "The Emperor has allowed He Zheng and the Eighth Prince's wife to return home and kowtow to Qing Yan?!"
The Crown Princess beamed with joy, "Isn't it? His Highness said that Concubine Ke is Eighth Brother's biological mother after all. It's fine if his biological mother can't be present at Eighth Brother's wedding, but she can't just ignore the grace of bearing and raising him and not kowtow! The Emperor thought it made sense and agreed."
Li Qingping stroked the memorial and said, "That's true, but it also implies that the Emperor feels guilty."
Concubine Ke was allowed to go to the imperial farm alone. Although the palace servants served her wholeheartedly, Emperor Yongping could not have been unaware of the pain in her heart caused by separation from her sisters and children. This was especially painful for Concubine Ke, who was straightforward, pure, and loved lively activities.
Emperor Yongping was too cruel, and he knew too well the weaknesses of each of the three Li sisters.
The Crown Princess fell silent.
"Don't be nervous. Haven't we heard similar things in this palace over the years?" Li Qingping smiled sarcastically. "Besides, the emperor knows it very well. We just blame him."
However, Emperor Yongping no longer dares to come and see Li Qingping.
After everything was almost settled, Li Qingping wrote a letter to Concubine Ke, telling her in detail about the marriage with Zheng.
Concubine Ke was very happy to know that after marrying Zheng, he would come to pay his respects to her with his wife. She wrote a letter of seven pages, and the back of the paper was wet with water, which meant she had been crying.
Li Qingping caressed the tear marks on the paper with heartache, feeling completely at a loss even though the person was not around.
On the wedding day of Prince Shun and Prince Kang, the palace was decorated with lights and music was resounding, celebrating the fact that two more princes had grown up and married virtuous wives.
Li Qingping was not allowed to leave Yonghe Palace, but she could still hear the noises outside. The servants knew she was worried about them and rushed to report the news - they knew exactly when the two princes would pay their respects to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, and when they would arrive at the palace.
"Isn't it time to leave the palace to welcome the bride?" Li Qingping recalled the scene of his marriage to Xuan a few years ago and estimated the time.
A eunuch's sharp voice rang out from outside: "The two princes have come to pay their respects to the Imperial Noble Consort and thank her for raising them!"
Li Qingping trembled all over. Yun Su's eyes were filled with tears. Still smiling, she asked, "Master, do you need to open the palace gates so that the two princes can kowtow to you?"
Li Qingping also wanted to, but Emperor Yongping had no decree. He Zheng and Chang were only allowed to kowtow, which was already a pleasant surprise. So she could not say anything to greet them, but said, "Yunsu and Yunzao, you have watched the two princes grow up. You are elders. Please go out and receive the gifts on my behalf."
Yun Su and Yun Zao were startled: "Master——"
"Go. You deserve it." Li Qingping's voice left no room for doubt.
So when He Zheng and He Chang came together, they saw that the gate of Yonghe Palace was closed, and only two aunts in charge were standing in front of the door.
He Zheng and Chang bowed deeply towards the gate of Yonghe Palace and kowtowed to Yun Su and Yun Zao. The two aunts, who were also in their forties, quickly stepped aside and only received half a bow.
Finally, Yun Su and Yun Zao ordered people to carry out two black lacquer and gold-painted boxes: one box contained the "Heqin Jade Cup" that Empress Renque prepared for the princes during her lifetime, and the four cups were divided among them; the other box contained two "Hundred Children Kesi Silk Curtains" embroidered by Li Qingping herself.
"Your Highnesses, please go out of the palace to welcome the bride. The master is waiting for you to bring the princess to kowtow tomorrow." Yun Su said.
The two princes kowtowed again with tears in their eyes, took the things given by Li Qingping and left the palace, looking back every few steps.
The news spread quickly.
In the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Yongping was speechless for a long time after listening to what happened in front of the gate of the Yonghe Palace.
"……emperor?"
Liang Pei'an couldn't guess whether Emperor Yongping was happy or angry now. After all, the emperor's attitude towards the affairs of the Imperial Noble Consort's sisters could not be judged according to common sense.
"She's quite considerate," Emperor Yongping said suddenly, his voice a little hoarse, "She even preserved the Empress's belongings well."
Liang Pei'an quickly agreed: "The Imperial Noble Consort has always been affectionate."
But these words seemed to strike a sore spot in Emperor Yongping's heart. He frowned, remembering that day in Kunning Palace, when Empress Li had looked at him and repeatedly told him to treat her well since the Li family had lost its empress. But what about him? Li Qingping was effectively imprisoned in Yonghe Palace, unable even to attend the prince's wedding in person. Concubine Ke was far away at the imperial farm, and even for her own son's wedding, she could only hope for her daughter-in-law to return home to pay her respects.
Was he wrong? Perhaps from the emperor's perspective, he was not wrong. But everyone involved blamed him.
Even the Crown Prince...
After a long pause, Emperor Yongping finally gave the order, his voice hoarse, "Tomorrow... open the gates of Yonghe Palace. I, along with the Imperial Noble Consort, will receive the bride's audience."
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