Xiao Luzi responded and came over, "Your Majesty."
"Let's go to Consort Ling's place. I'll go see Yonglu." Emperor Qianlong headed towards Yanxi Palace and happened to see Consort Ling playing with Yonglu.
"Consort Ling," Emperor Qianlong said with a smile as he approached her, "How is Yonglu?"
“Your Majesty, look at him, he’s smiling.” Consort Ling held the child up for Emperor Qianlong to see. “He was crying for a while, and it took a lot of effort to make him laugh.”
"Consort Ling, you've worked so hard." Qianlong looked at the child in his arms, then looked at Consort Ling with heartache. "Taking care of a child must be tiring."
Consort Ling smiled and shook her head. "It is my blessing to give birth to a prince for Your Majesty. How could I be tired? Besides, even if I am tired, I am happy to do it. Just like Xiao Yanzi said, some things, as long as you are willing to do them, are happy no matter how many difficulties and obstacles you encounter along the way."
After hearing this, Emperor Qianlong smiled and nodded, "These are the words that Xiao Yanzi would say. By the way, Consort Ling, when do you think it would be best for Yongqi and Xiao Yanzi to get married?"
Consort Ling asked with a smile, "What's wrong? Is the Fifth Prince getting impatient?"
"Indeed. He and Xiao Yanzi have known each other for several years, but I feel like they've known each other for much longer. I'm afraid that if I keep hesitating, I'll delay their relationship."
"What does His Majesty mean?"
"As long as Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi don't get married, someone will be watching them. I'm afraid that one day an uninvited guest will arrive, and then..."
"Is Your Majesty worried that it will ruin the Fifth Prince and Xiao Yanzi's good time?"
Emperor Qianlong nodded and sighed, "Yongqi has long expressed his feelings to me. He only wants Xiaoyanzi in his life. If I can't even decide on the marriage of my own children, what kind of ruler am I?"
"His Majesty wants to take advantage of the fact that nothing is happening now to settle the matter between the Fifth Prince and Xiao Yanzi. Once they are married, it will be legitimate. If others want to interfere, they will have to think twice. After all, Xiao Yanzi is not alone. She has Xiao Jian and the Xiao family army behind her."
"That's what I meant, but Yongqi told me that Xiaoyanzi doesn't want to get married yet, so I can't force them."
Consort Ling smiled and said, "At Xiao Yanzi's age, she is at an age where she loves to play. Naturally, she doesn't want to get married so soon. If she gets married, she will be trapped in the palace all day long and have to abide by this and that. Xiao Yanzi definitely can't stand it."
"If Your Majesty is truly worried, why not have an open and honest talk with Fifth Prince and Little Swallow? Once they both agree, Your Majesty can issue the decree. As for choosing a date, that's a matter for the Imperial Observatory."
Emperor Qianlong nodded. "What you say makes sense. I'll go talk to them another day."
"By the way, Erkang and Ziwei have been getting quite close lately, the two of them..."
"I have heard about it, but neither of them has brought it up yet, so let's just wait and see. If they really want it, we can help them. The Academy is just outside the palace, so it's easy to come and go."
The next day at noon, Emperor Qianlong summoned Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi to the Qianqing Palace. The two looked at each other, wondering what Emperor Qianlong wanted to see them about.
"Your Majesty, is there something important you need to discuss with us?"
"I wanted to ask you two what your thoughts are about your marriage. I've long known Yongqi's feelings; he's eager to get married as soon as possible and announce it to the world. But Yongqi said you don't want to get married yet. I want to know what you're thinking?"
Xiao Yanzi looked at Yongqi, then at Qianlong, and said, "Your Majesty, actually, I have already made plans about the marriage, but I just haven't said them out yet."
Emperor Qianlong looked at Xiao Yanzi curiously and asked, "Oh? Is that so? Then tell me now."
"We'll get married right after I turn eighteen. It's too early now; I don't feel like I've really grown up yet." Most importantly, she doesn't want to get married and have children so soon!
She would definitely be willing to get married sooner!
But she knew that once she got married, her elders would definitely keep an eye on her belly. If there was no sign of pregnancy, given the Empress Dowager's personality, she would definitely want to arrange for Yongqi to take a concubine. That was not the kind of scene she wanted to see!
"Yongqi, what do you say? Are you willing to wait until April of the year after next?"
"..." Yongqi fell silent. In truth, he wanted to be the first among them to get married so he could spend all his time with Xiaoyanzi. But he also had to respect Xiaoyanzi's words.
"Father, give us some time so we can discuss this further."
Emperor Qianlong sighed. "Alright, I'll give you three days. Three days later, at the same time and place, you will give me your answer."
"Yes." After everything was settled, the two left the Qianqing Palace.
"Little Swallow, what you're worried about isn't getting married, is it?"
"Yongqi, I don't think I'm ready to welcome a new life yet, do you understand?" With just one simple sentence from Xiaoyanzi, Yongqi guessed what was on Xiaoyanzi's mind.
"Are you worried that the Empress Dowager will put pressure on us?"
Little Swallow nodded. "The royal family values offspring the most. If I act recklessly, wouldn't that put you in a difficult position? But I don't want to put myself in a difficult position either, which is why I want to postpone the wedding..."
Yongqi hurriedly asked, "If I solve this problem, would you be willing to get married sooner?"
"How do you plan to solve this problem?"
“You’re a doctor, so having a baby so early will definitely be risky and could affect the baby’s health. I’ll take you, along with Physician Chang and Physician Hu, to explain to the Empress Dowager that even if we get married, we won’t have to have a baby so early!”
Everyone's physical condition is different. Some people can have children early without any problems, but for others, having children too early could lead to problems for both the mother and the child. This is a risk that even royalty would not dare to take.
"Little Swallow, do you think it's feasible?" Adding a little something extra to the matter of having children, I doubt the Empress Dowager would take any risks. Under these circumstances, she probably wouldn't pressure them to have children.
"Then let's go find them now. It just so happens that Physician Hu is on duty today." Xiao Yanzi thought it was worth a try. These imperial physicians usually just quoted the emperor. This time, she had to dig out the truth. If it was confirmed that having children too early was indeed bad for both the mother and the child, then this knowledge should be spread widely. That way, there wouldn't be children as young as ten being married off, and she wouldn't have to have to have children and raise them while she was still a child herself...
They found the imperial physician, and under Xiao Yanzi's coercion, they finally told the truth.
Little Swallow said with a smile, "Then I'll trouble you two to come with us and talk to the Empress Dowager."
Changshou had more dealings with Xiaoyanzi, and he could guess what she was up to the moment Xiaoyanzi rolled her eyes. "I say, Princess, you're really something. You want to marry the Fifth Prince as soon as possible, but you don't want to have children so early. You want to play around for a few more years, so you've come up with this idea. Impressive!"
Little Swallow explained, "I didn't ask you to make things up. It really is harmful to the human body. I'm doing this for the sake of the royal offspring!"
"Good, good, you're right." Chang Shou and Physician Hu followed Yong Qi and Xiao Yanzi to Cining Palace and told the Empress Dowager about the results of their trip. The Empress Dowager frowned and remained silent for a long time. Yong Qi and Xiao Yanzi were a little flustered, wondering what the Empress Dowager was thinking.
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