“Prince Indal is very polite. With such a handsome appearance, Your Majesty must choose a good princess for him!” Consort De naturally knew the Empress Dowager’s expectations for her nephew, so she went along with the Empress Dowager’s wishes.
"Haha, you're right this time. That's exactly why I had him enter the palace so early." The Empress Dowager turned around and smiled as she glanced at Indal and the Sixteenth Princess. The Sixteenth Princess sat there shyly, her face already flushed.
Indar fidgeted with the hem of his robe. He had originally intended to tell the Empress Dowager that he had a preferred candidate, but with the Sixteenth Princess present, he hadn't been able to bring it up. When he saw Lanqin follow Consort De in from outside, a small flame immediately ignited in his heart.
Everyone had their own thoughts after hearing the Empress Dowager's words, but no one spoke them aloud. Lanqin sat there pretending to be a quail. In the Cining Palace, she dared not speak recklessly. The Empress Dowager and she had always been at odds, so she decided it was best to speak less and keep her head down.
"Minrou County Magistrate, I heard that you are very popular with the Emperor. Why don't you say a word to me?" The Empress Dowager seemed to dislike Lanqin very much. After only a few words, she fixed her gaze on her.
The Fourth Prince noticed that Lanqin was different from how she was elsewhere after entering Cining Palace; she had even lost her aura. Seeing the Empress Dowager questioning Lanqin, the Fourth Prince felt a pang of discomfort. It seemed the Empress Dowager's attitude towards Lanqin had never been good; although she was a concubine, it was clear she wasn't giving him any face.
Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's words, Indar, sitting opposite her, became even more curious about Lanqin. So she was quite popular with the Emperor? She didn't seem to be the Emperor's daughter. Could she be his cousin?
"Your Majesty, I dare not. Your Majesty is the Emperor's mother, and I would not dare to be presumptuous. It is truly my blessing that I have won some favor with Father Emperor." Lanqin pursed her lips and had no choice but to say.
Upon hearing Lanqin's words, Indal's heart was in turmoil. She referred to herself as "this concubine," which meant she was already... already married?
"So, what you're saying is that I'm too strict?" the Empress Dowager asked.
The Fourth Prince frowned even more deeply, and was about to speak when he was stopped by Consort De's gaze.
"Your Majesty, Lanqin just caught a bit of a cold, so she's been listless. She's been looking rather downcast in front of me. Please don't take it to heart," Consort De said protectively.
"What does Consort De mean by this? Are you implying that I am making things difficult for her? County Minrou, I've also heard that you made some wild vegetable cakes, which the Emperor greatly enjoyed. You don't even respect Consort Yi!" The Empress Dowager's expression grew increasingly stern.
What's wrong with this old woman? Why does she have to find fault with me like this, and why does she have to make me look bad in front of so many people?
Lanqin was immediately angered by the Empress Dowager's deliberately provocative words. She kept telling herself: "Hold on, hold on, hold on some more. This old woman is Kangxi's mother; provoking her is unwise!"
"Your Majesty, how about I tell you a joke? She is my concubine, so I will naturally reprimand her when I return. Please, Father, don't take it to heart," the Fourth Prince suddenly stood up, clasped his hands, and said to the Empress Dowager.
Indal finally understood. It turned out that this Minrou County Magistrate was the Fourth Prince's concubine. She had indeed married, but why was she still granted the title of County Magistrate?
Seeing that the Fourth Prince had spoken, the Empress Dowager naturally couldn't embarrass him in person any further, so she could only reluctantly say, "Fourth Prince, sit down. Actually, I'm also very curious about your concubine. She actually has the ability to make your Emperor Father smile. I actually want to reward her."
“Yes, Fourth Brother, you’ve misunderstood. Grandmother told Ruishu in private that Fourth Sister-in-law is very good, taking such good care of Father.” The Sixteenth Princess immediately chimed in from the side.
Lanqin felt that the princess had been glancing at her constantly ever since she entered. Now, judging from her words, she was clearly on the same side as the Empress Dowager.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. It is the duty of a daughter-in-law to be filial to her parents-in-law. How can I possibly deserve such a reward from the Empress Dowager?" Lanqin also stood up and curtsied to the Empress Dowager.
"Very well, please sit down. I was just asking. By the way, the reason I called you here today is actually to tell you something. I intend to bring Indar and the Sixteenth Prince together. They are a perfect match, both talented and beautiful. What do you think?" the Empress Dowager said to Consort De.
“Hehe, I think they are indeed a good match,” Consort De immediately agreed.
"Your Majesty! Indal has something to say." After much hesitation, Indal decided not to go against his own heart and spoke.
“Oh, Indal, what do you want to say?” the Queen Mother asked.
"I... I already have someone I love in my heart, and I cannot discuss marriage with the Sixteenth Princess any further," Indal said, standing up and bowing to the Empress Dowager.
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