A few days later
Ushiha returned from outside Yikun Palace with his palace servants, his face full of worry.
Xu Lejin paused for a moment, put down the storybook in her hand, looked at Wuxiha, and said softly, "What's wrong? Mother Wuxiha, why do you look so worried? Have you been wronged?"
"Mother!"
Ushiha sighed, his brow furrowing deeply.
Xu Lejin pulled her daughter to sit beside her, considered for a moment, and asked in a low voice, "Did the eldest princess and the second princess bully you? Or were you scolded by your master?"
Ushiha looked up at Xu Lejin, then pursed his lips and remained silent.
Xu Lejin looked at the little palace maid following behind Ushiha and was about to ask what was going on when Ushiha spoke up.
“Mother, my second sister and the others are saying that Father has arranged a marriage for my eldest sister, so that she will marry into the Khorchin tribe after she comes of age.”
"Fifth Sister also said that a princess sent for a political marriage can be married off at the age of twelve. Eldest Sister is eleven now, so next year..."
With a worried expression, Ushiha lowered his head.
Xu Lejin sighed, thought for a moment, and said, "The Fifth Princess is talking nonsense. The Emperor loves the First Princess. How could he let the First Princess marry into the Khorchin next year?"
Ushiha nodded and nestled in Xu Lejin's arms.
Xu Lejin spoke softly again, "Don't worry, Wuxiha, your mother will not allow you to marry into Mongolia, and neither will your father..."
"Mother."
Ushiha raised his head and looked at Xu Lejin.
"Manchu-Mongol intermarriage is an old custom. My eldest sister was the adopted daughter of Empress Xiaozhao, and she was betrothed to the Khorchin Mongols at a young age. How much more so would a daughter be betrothed?"
"But Mother, don't worry, even if I marry into Mongolia, it will be fine."
Xu Lejin paused for a moment, then swallowed the words that were about to come out.
Yikun Palace
Xu Lejin and Wuxiha, mother and daughter, each had their own thoughts.
This is the Prince's residence, the eldest princess's residence.
The eleven-year-old eldest princess sat blankly on the soft couch, her thoughts drifting far away, her mind filled with the words spoken by the fifth princess, Burhe, earlier that day.
"Princess, Consort Niu has sent some jewelry over."
The palace maid who served the eldest princess bowed as she entered and reported to the princess with her head lowered.
Coming to her senses, the eldest princess looked over and saw several palace maids and eunuchs holding various kinds of jewelry.
With a slight upturn of her lips, the eldest princess revealed a faint smile.
"Your Majesty is so kind!"
"Bixin,"
The eldest princess winked at the maid behind her, and the maid, Biyu, stepped forward to hand over the silver as a reward.
After a short while, the eldest princess saw off the palace maids and eunuchs from Consort Niu's palace. Her gaze fell on the beautiful jewelry, and she smiled, thinking that she had entered the palace and become the Empress's adopted daughter. Although she was to be married off to Mongolia, the treatment she received was much better than what she had received at her previous home.
Back home, because my mother was only a concubine, the clothes and jewelry sent to my room were not the best. In the Prince's mansion, I was far inferior to my fourth sister, who was born to Consort Xu.
Now in the palace, although she is an adopted daughter, her treatment is only slightly lower than that of the legitimate daughter, Bu'er.
Another palace maid, Biyin, hesitated for a moment before speaking with a smile, "Princess, Consort Niu is so kind to you. These pieces of jewelry are the most fashionable and the best."
"The other day, Consort Niu had the Imperial Household Department send over the most fashionable fabric. Today, when you wore it out, the Second Princess and the Third Princess were quite envious."
The eldest princess smiled and nodded.
After a moment of contemplation, the eldest princess said softly, "Empress Niu is the Empress's younger sister, so naturally she treats me very well."
“In the palace, I am the eldest princess under my father’s rule, and I am also engaged to the prince of Khorchin. Naturally, I should enjoy the best.”
"but,"
Her expression darkened slightly, and the eldest princess let out a cold laugh.
"Fifth Sister is the most demanding. Relying on being the legitimate daughter of Empress Xiaocheng, she often says nonsensical things, such as that it would be bad to marry into Mongolia."
“What’s wrong with marrying into Mongolia? Our Qing Dynasty and Mongolia have a long history of intermarriage. Countless princesses, county princesses, and imperial daughters have hoped to marry into Mongolia.”
Biyu and Biyin exchanged a quick glance and replied with a smile, "Yes."
Two hours later
The eldest princess's remarks at the princes' quarters reached Emperor Kangxi's ears.
At that moment, Emperor Kangxi happened to be in Yikun Palace with Xu Lejin. Upon hearing this, he laughed heartily and said, "Irmu is quite intelligent and knows his mission."
"What does His Majesty mean?"
Xu Lejin looked surprised and puzzled as she looked at Kangxi.
Emperor Kangxi dismissed the palace servants around him, pondered for a moment, and then spoke in a deep voice, "Irmu is the eldest daughter of my fifth brother. According to her birth, she will be married off to the Mongols as a princess of the county, or she will marry into a prominent family of the Eight Banners."
"I brought her into the palace and made her the adopted daughter of Empress Niohuru, granting her the status of a princess. She must naturally understand her responsibilities and mission."
After a pause, Kangxi continued, "The palace maids and governesses around Irm were all arranged by me, with the aim of making her obediently marry into the Khorchin."
"Over the years, the palace maids and nannies talked to her every day about the benefits of marrying into Mongolia, and she was naturally moved and enjoyed it very much."
Xu Lejin's eyes were filled with horror and disbelief.
Emperor Kangxi, seeing this, laughed heartily, took Xu Lejin's hand, and said in a deep voice, "My beloved consort, rest assured, your daughters, Wuxiha and Wulingzhu, are my most cherished daughters, and they will not marry into Mongolia in the future."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
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