"Has anything been arranged for Xinyi's marriage?" Lanqin asked, seeing that Madam Zhang was a quiet person in the mansion and probably wouldn't ask Lingzhu to bring it up.
“A few of my colleagues’ sons have mentioned it, but none of them are around the same age. The older ones are too big, and the younger ones are too young,” Lingzhu said when Lanqin asked.
"Oh, Xinyi, what about you? Do you have any thoughts?" Lanqin asked deliberately, wanting to tease Xinyi after seeing her blush.
“You flatter me, Consort. What thoughts could a young woman possibly have? It’s entirely up to the master and mistress to decide,” Madam Zhang couldn’t help but say, seeing that her daughter was involved.
Lingzhu's original idea was to form in-law relationships with several colleagues who would benefit his future promotion, but since there were no suitable ones, he decided to postpone the marriage.
"Second Sister, can Xinyi come and stay with you at the manor for a while? I'm so bored at home." Xinyi hugged Wuxiha. "Wuxiha, how about your aunt stays with you for a while?"
Lanqin listened to Xinyi's words, glanced at her a few times, and said, "Alright, why don't we let Xinyi come back with me? She's just staying at home anyway."
Neither Lingzhu nor Anjia objected. In any case, it wasn't a bad thing for the sisters to be close, which made Zhang even happier. Yang only cared about her own daughter. Seeing them talking, she was too lazy to respond. She simply said, "Fifth Princess will be participating in the imperial concubine selection next year. Who knows what will happen then?"
"I don't want to stay in the palace, Father," Xin Yi hurriedly said.
Lanqin smiled and glanced at her, saying, "It seems Xinyi does have her own ideas."
Lingzhu didn't actually have high hopes for this Fifth Princess. Firstly, she wasn't as beautiful as Holland and Lanqin; secondly, her maternal family was of humble origin; and thirdly, the Niohuru family had already had one member enter the harem and another prince's residence, so it was unlikely they would have another.
“Even if they don’t go in, they still have to go through a round before they can be matched with someone. Otherwise, where will they find a good family to match them with?” Lingzhu said. It turns out that all women of marriageable age in the Qing Dynasty had to enter the palace for the imperial concubine selection. The first round was based on the candidate’s family background. If a candidate was rejected in this round, it meant that her family background was not good enough, and then no decent family would want her.
"Why don't you let Xinyi come and live with me? Cui Niang will be by my side. She's an old hand in the palace, so let Cui Niang look after her and teach her a lot. It'll be like having a tutor for Xinyi," Lanqin said.
"You should thank your sister." Lingzhu was naturally happy that Lanqin was willing to lend a hand.
"Thank you, Second Sister." Xin Yi still addressed her by the same name she used to, which Lan Qin liked quite a bit. The timid Fifth Princess who used to always cower beside Holland seemed to have changed; she had indeed grown up.
After dinner, everyone dispersed.
Lanqin accompanied Wuxiha, Xichen, and Xinyi to the courtyard to set off fireworks.
It was still the third day of the Lunar New Year, and fireworks displays were still going on throughout the capital. Lanqin could see the fireworks exploding in the distance from her small courtyard. It had been almost two years since she transmigrated to the Qing Dynasty. Lanqin felt that these two years had been quite good. In her previous life, she was a miserable office worker. Although she was a female PhD, she worked hard every day and never knew how to enjoy life. Now, as the fourth prince's concubine, she lived a life of luxury, with everything done for her. To be honest, Lanqin wouldn't want to go back now. She already had Wuxiha and the man she had fallen for. Although as his concubine, she had to be constantly wary of hostility and schemes from all sides, and although it was tiring, wasn't that man still protecting her?
"Sister, come and see, these fireworks are so beautiful!" Xin Yi, with her hair in a bun, was playing with the two little ones with a lively expression.
"Be careful, handle it gently." Lanqin simply stood on the steps, watching them play. But she didn't want to join in, and still felt a little lonely. She looked at the sky, at the round winter moon, and sighed: Was he also under the same moonlight?
At that moment, the Fourth Prince was standing with his hands behind his back in the front courtyard, looking at the bright moon in the sky. The servant who had gone to inform the Ling family in advance had returned, saying that the concubine had arrived safely.
Su Peisheng stood quietly behind Fourth Master, watching his long shadow cast by him.
"You should make arrangements for things on the estate tomorrow. First, tell the head nanny to send someone to prepare," said the Fourth Master.
"Yes, this servant will speak to the head nanny tomorrow. Master, it's getting cold, let's go inside," Su Peisheng said, shrinking his neck.
"I can't sleep." Fourth Master's voice was as cold and clear as moonlight.
"If only the concubine were here, sigh." Su Peisheng had long seen that the Fourth Prince couldn't let go of the concubine at all; it was just that the two had a quarrel, and neither of them could put aside their pride to make peace.
"What do you know, you servant?" the Fourth Master said impatiently. He hated that a servant had read his mind.
"Yes, Your Highness, this servant is foolish. How about this servant accompanies you to visit Lord Ling and his wife tomorrow? In our countryside, it is customary for a son-in-law to visit his mother-in-law and father-in-law during the New Year." Su Peisheng tried to matchmake them.
“What you said is not wrong. It’s the New Year, so it’s time to pay respects to the elders.” Fourth Master was quick to seize the opportunity.
"This servant will go and prepare a gift list for you. When you go to see your mother-in-law and father-in-law, you should prepare more gifts," Su Peisheng said with a smile.
"Yes, let's go, I'll go take a look too." Fourth Master immediately turned around and walked into the house.
Su Peisheng immediately grinned happily and turned around to follow Fourth Master into the house.
Lanqin was unaware that the Fourth Prince was already planning to visit her at the manor the next day, and she still appeared melancholic and sentimental. This was, in a sense, the first real disagreement between Lanqin and the Fourth Prince. Lanqin knew that continuing like this couldn't go on. He was, after all, the Fourth Prince, and she wasn't his only woman. His Fourth Consort was also his principal wife; to deal with her so easily would be contrary to historical fact. Lanqin remembered that the Fourth Consort later became Emperor Yongzheng's Empress, and Niohuru was a Noble Consort.
Alright then, I'll treat these as challenges to temper my will. For the sake of the future Qianlong Emperor, I must persevere; perseverance is victory. Isn't that right?
Anyway, the wheels of history won't turn because of individual changes. She's just a young woman, so she should go with the flow. Since she's already been reborn, she might as well enjoy the prosperity of this life.
Lanqin silently said this to herself, and secretly made a wish while gazing at the round, bright moon.
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