What Faka didn't say was that he didn't intend for his concubine to raise the children born to her, because the things that happened in Hualien had left him traumatized.
A month after Qiu Wen returned to Beijing, Hesheli said to her very solemnly, "I called you here today because I have something to tell you."
Qiu Wen got along quite well with Hesheli, and said, "Mother, please speak."
"There's a birthday banquet for a member of the imperial family in a couple of days, and she specifically asked you to attend."
Qiu Wen was puzzled: They specifically asked her to go? There must be some mistake.
"Does Mother know anything?"
Hesheli did indeed find out some things.
"Princess Gulun will also be present that day."
Although the title wasn't mentioned, Qiu Wen still knew who the Princess Gulun was, since there was only one Princess Gulun in the capital of the Qing Dynasty.
She had met the princess once before, and judging from the situation at the time, the princess was considered a fan of hers. Qiu Wen thought that this lovely princess would make the birthday banquet less boring.
After speaking, Empress Hesheli looked at Qiu Wen's expression. Seeing Qiu Wen's knowing look, Empress Hesheli was even more certain of her initial guess. Sure enough, this stepdaughter did have some connection with the Empress.
She recalled what she had learned and remembered that the Empress had apparently gone to Cangzhou with Princess Gulun.
Luo Xue said, "Princess, these clothes were sent over by the Princess Consort. Would you like to take a look?"
"Take a look."
Qiu Wen has no shortage of clothes, but she usually prefers plain-colored clothes. When attending a birthday banquet, she has to dress more festively, otherwise she would look like she's in a funeral and people would think she has a problem with it! The host family wouldn't be happy either.
Luo Xue immediately had someone bring over all the clothes, all of them qipao. Qiu Wen had the nanny help her choose a dress that wouldn't be too flashy but still respectable.
"Your Highness is so beautiful," Luo Xue exclaimed.
Qiu Wen joked, "What, you weren't pretty before?"
"No, the princess was beautiful before, in a different kind of beauty."
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