Shuzhen stood up obediently without saying a word to stop him. She knew that Hongshi's visit this time was probably at the behest of her aunt. She absolutely could not force Hongshi to stay, as that would only increase his dislike for her. Instead, she had to make him feel that she was looking forward to his visit, but would not force him to come.
"My lord, I noticed that the skin on your lips is peeling a bit; it must be due to the dryness of autumn. Please tell Madam to give you more chrysanthemum and goji berry tea or bitter tea, as they are both good for reducing internal heat," Shuzhen said hurriedly as Hongshi turned around.
Hongshi was taken aback. He had indeed been experiencing some internal heat recently, but it wasn't as severe as Shuzhen's, so he hadn't paid much attention to it.
"Understood," Hongshi said softly, then stepped out.
After he disappeared from sight, the gentle and obedient look on Shuzhen's face gradually crumbled like a mask.
"Madam, you haven't eaten much!" Qiu Wen glanced at the food on the table; it was barely touched.
“I don’t have much of an appetite either, so you can take it and divide it up,” Shuzhen said. “Prepare paper and pen for me. My aunt wants me to write a letter to my father and explain the matter.”
It turned out that before speaking with Hongshi, the Fujin had already spoken to Shuzhen and told her about Hongli's marriage, and asked her to take the opportunity to win Hongshi's heart. The Fujin knew Hongshi's personality very well, which was why she had Shuzhen always pretend to be gentle and obedient in front of him.
Shuzhen knew that Hongshi was not interested in her, but she actually liked him quite a bit. At this moment, she was even more determined to take Hongshi away from the Irgen clan.
So she immediately wrote to Duke Wuge of England, asking him to find a way to disrupt the marriage between the Fucha family and Hongli.
Meanwhile, when Hongshi returned to Irgen's quarters, Irgen hadn't even eaten, and sat sadly by her bedside. Upon seeing Hongshi, tears streamed down her face. Hongshi comforted and coaxed her for a long time, finally bringing a smile to her face through her tears. The two were as loving as ever again, but Hongshi understood more and more clearly that he needed not only a woman like Irgen, but also a woman like Ulanara Shuzhen.
After hearing the Fourth Prince's request, Consort De began to genuinely select a suitable daughter for Hongsheng. She went through all the women from prominent Manchu families in the capital, and finally settled on the eldest daughters of the Tongjia and Suochuoluo clans. The Tongjia clan was the maternal clan of Emperor Kangxi; since Tong Guowei, Tongjia descendants held important positions throughout the court, making them one of the most prestigious and powerful Manchu clans. The Suochuoluo clan was also quite distinguished; many of their descendants held official positions in the court, each with a different rank.
"I think Tong Jia Erchun is quite good, and Suo Chuo Luo Jingyue is also worth considering. Have someone send up their portraits," said Consort De after reading the submitted memorial.
"Yes, this old servant will take care of it right away. Her Majesty has gone to great lengths for the Fourth Prince's affairs. The other day, she had the ladies of several families submit the birth dates and names of their eligible daughters. It seems they all want to arrange this marriage with the Third Prince," said Granny De from the side.
“That’s natural. The fourth prince’s current status is already the best among the imperial relatives. Coupled with the Nian family’s influence, they’ve already figured everything out, which is why they’ve been so eager to send up their daughter’s calling card,” said Consort De.
"It turns out that the Fourth Prince's marriage was arranged by Princess Duoluo. It just so happens that all your pampering of her wasn't for nothing," Granny De said with a smile.
"Yartan has been a clever girl since she was little, and she's very good at managing things. Now she's the young mistress in charge of the household affairs in the Fucha family. It's just that she hasn't given birth to a son yet. This is quite a worrying matter," Consort De said, mentioning her niece.
"It's only a matter of time. This old servant thinks that Princess Duoluo has a masculine appearance, so she will definitely be a male heir," Granny De comforted her.
"I hope so, otherwise Fuheng might have to take a concubine. Of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no offspring. Alas, this saying has placed immense pressure on so many women," Consort De sighed.
"No, they'll have to see that Princess Duoluo is Her Majesty's niece," said Granny De.
“She is now the daughter-in-law of the Fucha family. Even if she were the niece of the Queen Mother of the West, she would still have to serve her parents-in-law, bear children for them, and continue their family line,” said Consort De.
“Your Highness, the two women you just looked at are quite young. If you really want to make a decision, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait.” Granny De took the birth dates and times of the two women that Consort De had specified and looked at them.
“I know that Hongsheng is only thirteen or fourteen years old. Even if he waits another two or three years, he will only be sixteen or seventeen. It will be just right for him to get married then,” Consort De said shrewdly. “These two girls have just turned ten this year. In three years, they will both be thirteen. Isn’t that perfect?”
“Your Majesty is wise, but this old servant has thought of another problem. I’m afraid the Fourth Prince’s marriage will also be delayed for several years. If the Third Prince doesn’t get married, the Fourth Prince will have to wait his turn. The Miss Fucha is already thirteen. If it’s delayed for another three years, won’t she be an old maid of sixteen?” said Granny De.
"Look at me, how could I forget about that? But I think these two families are better. If we choose those who are the right age because of the age issue, I'm afraid it would be unfair to Hongsheng," said Consort De.
Granny De nodded, and the two of them began to realize that finding a suitable marriage for Hongsheng was no easy task.
Meanwhile, Lady Nian was waiting for Consort De to find a marriage partner for Hongsheng. After several days, she still hadn't heard any news, and she began to get anxious.
"My lord, please don't worry, news will come sooner or later. Besides, our Third Prince is still young, there's no need to rush. As long as the Third Prince's marriage is not settled, the Fourth Prince's marriage cannot be arranged," Bai Zhi advised.
“That’s true.” Madam Nian listened and then stopped worrying, since her son was ahead of her in line anyway.
Therefore, Hongsheng's marriage was never finalized, and the marriage between Hongli and Fucha Mingyu was only a verbal promise from both families, and the engagement was not actually finalized.
Time passed, and Consort De finally arranged a marriage for Hongsheng with Tongjia Erchun from the Tongjia clan. He was indeed a little young, but there was truly no one better. After learning more about the marriage, Lady Nian was satisfied with the arrangement. The Tongjia clan was the maternal clan of Emperor Kangxi, a family that had produced many talented individuals since the time of the Taizu Emperor, with members consistently holding high positions. The Tongjia clan's influence in the court was also deeply entrenched, so Lady Nian was ultimately pleased.
However, a problem arose: Tong Jia Erchun had just turned ten, and if they were to get married, it would take at least another two or three years. The marriage between Hongli and Fucha Mingyu could finally be arranged, but they would have to wait until Hongsheng and Tong Jia Erchun were married before they could get married themselves.
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