With a grandson already in the palace, Emperor Kangxi was overjoyed. A large number of rewards were sent to Yuqing Palace. After Mingxiu and Kangxi saw the child, they returned home, leaving Yinreng to watch over Yuqing Palace.
"Mother, may I go see my little nephew today?" Chenghuan was off today and, knowing that her sister-in-law, the Crown Princess, had given birth, hurriedly ran over to ask Mingxiu.
“Wait until you come back next time. Your little nephew was just born and is still a bit fragile. You can go see him when you come back next time,” Mingxiu said after thinking for a moment.
"Oh, okay, then I need to prepare a gift right away. Mother, what kind of gift should I prepare?" Cheng Huan was extremely excited.
Mingxiu looked at her with amusement: "It's up to you. Whatever you give is a token of your own affection."
Looking at Chenghuan, who had grown into a young woman, Mingxiu sighed, "Chenghuan, tell your mother, is there anyone you like?"
Cheng Huan was taken aback at first, but quickly recovered and looked at Ming Xiu seriously, asking, "Mother, I don't have anyone I like yet, but if I do like someone, can I choose for myself?"
"Of course, as long as it's Chenghuan's choice, your mother and your father will support it." Mingxiu didn't understand why she would ask such a question.
Was it someone who gave her that illusion?
"But many people say that being in the royal family means you can't be willful, and that a marriage alliance is the best option." Cheng Huan was somewhat dejected. She had never thought that being a daughter was anything special, but after hearing them say it so often, she began to have some doubts.
Mingxiu looked at Chenghuan with a serious expression: "Who said that? Let me tell you, our Great Qing is very powerful now. They are the ones who come to us for marriage alliances and beg for our protection. As for us, we don't need marriage alliances at all. If they are dissatisfied, we can just beat them into submission."
Cheng Huan chuckled, "Mother, you're just trying to flatter me."
"Who's lying to you? What your mother said is true. You may not know Chenghuan well. The Qing Dynasty is very powerful now. Your father, your crown prince brother, and your mother have been working hard to build up the Qing Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty has now lifted the sea ban, trained a navy, and gone to sea to exchange with other countries. And wasn't your eldest brother attacking an overseas country this time? We are not afraid at all. If anyone provokes us, we have the ability to fight back."
Cheng Huan looked at her mother and said, "But isn't Sister Rongxian a marriage alliance?"
Mingxiu shook her head: "It can't be said that she shook her head completely. It's only part of the reason. Another part is because your sister Rongxian took a liking to him. If she hadn't taken a liking to him, your father would never have let your sister Rongxian marry him."
Is that so?
"Yes, so you know that no matter what status your father, the Emperor, has taken a liking to, he will definitely support you. The person you marry must be someone you have chosen. If you don't like them, your father will not let you marry just anyone."
"But, is it okay if I don't want to get married?" Cheng Huan looked at Ming Xiu, her eyes filled with confusion.
Mingxiu patted her head: "Of course you can. You are a princess of the Qing Dynasty. As long as you don't do anything immoral, your mother can protect you. So you don't want to get married? Of course you can. If you don't want to get married, you can go out and see the world when you grow up. Your mother is better than you."
Cheng Huan's eyes welled up with tears as she nestled in Ming Xiu's arms, saying, "Thank you, Mother."
Mingxiu successfully comforted Chenghuan. Watching Chenghuan's departing figure, Mingxiu felt a little sad. Was she such a failure as a mother? She didn't even know what her own daughter was thinking.
When Kangxi arrived that evening, Mingxiu told him what had happened. Kangxi leaned back on the sofa, holding Mingxiu in his arms, and stroked her head to comfort her: "Just be careful from now on. Tomorrow I'll go and investigate to see who's been gossiping behind my back."
Mingxiu nodded slightly.
Kangxi stroked Mingxiu's head, lost in thought.
That morning, Mingxiu came out of the house yawning. She had stayed up too late reading novels the night before, and almost couldn't get up this morning.
When Mingxiu came out and walked to the front hall, she saw that several people were already sitting at the dining table.
Mingxiu raised an eyebrow at the row of people in front of her, slowly lowered her hand from her mouth, looked up and said, "Wow, the sun has risen in the west! I'm so lucky to see you all here today. What a joy!"
Mingxiu laughed and joked as she sat down at the dining table.
Over there, Yinreng and Yinzhen exchanged a glance, while Guarjia, standing beside them, smiled shyly.
"Tell me, what brings you here to my Yonghe Palace today, all these lovers so righteously?"
Mingxiu sat at the dining table, picked up her porridge, took a slow sip, and then slowly opened her mouth, not forgetting to give a steamed bun to the Guarjia woman next to her.
Guarjia took it and sat down next to Mingxiu, eating it in small bites.
Meanwhile, Yinreng and Yinzhen were exchanging knowing glances.
Yinreng: 'You say...'
Yinreng blinked: 'You're the older brother, you speak first.'
Mingxiu watched the two of them without saying a word, eating her breakfast while watching them with a happy expression.
In the end, Yinzhen could not withstand Yinreng's shamelessness and could only smile and say, "Your Majesty, it is like this. Your son and my second brother, the Crown Prince, want to hold a Cuju (ancient Chinese football) competition in the capital, but we do not have a suitable venue. So we would like to ask Your Majesty if we could hold a competition on the playground of the Girls' Academy on the day of its rest."
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