Qi Zhinan was not young anymore, having already undergone the coming-of-age ceremony, and Liu Juren was even older, so the marriage was arranged quickly.
Although Cheng Yue'er accepted the fact that her cousin-in-law's status was not high, she still felt a little awkward.
"Sister Zhinan, are you really not bothered by the Liu family?"
Her father was a prefect, a well-known figure in the area. For ordinary people, becoming a scholar or a graduate was a rare achievement, but for a daughter of an official, such scholars and graduates came in batches every year, so it was nothing special.
Another point is that Cheng Yue'er is also afraid of what others will say about her cousin.
Qi Zhinan is renowned for her talent, admired by some of her peers, but also resentful of others. A woman's marriage is seen as a step down from her birth, and once the news gets out, some will inevitably laugh at her.
Qi Zhinan smiled and said, "Young Master Liu is a very good person. He is filial, ambitious, polite, and has real talent. There's nothing wrong with him. Marrying him is my good fortune."
Despite living under someone else's roof, Qi Zhinan never felt inferior. However, her environment made her insightful and clear-headed, allowing her to see and think about things more clearly. She knew what was best for her.
Cheng Yue'er sighed: "You say that, and Mother says that too, as if I'm being unreasonable."
Qi Zhinan smiled: "It's not that you're being unreasonable. I understand your feelings. But when it comes to marriage, family background is one thing, but character is another. I remember how good my aunt and uncle are to me. I'm not unaware of what outsiders say. If you marry into a prestigious family, you'll inevitably face criticism from your in-laws and won't have enough confidence. You're not young anymore, and your aunt will start looking for a husband for you. Your aunt loves you, so when you meet potential husbands, you must keep your eyes open and not just look at appearance and talent. Character and morality are the most important."
Qi Zhinan naturally understood her cousin's intentions. She appreciated it and was sincerely grateful, hoping that her cousin would find a good home in the future.
"It's still early, why is my sister bringing this up?"
Qi Zhinan chuckled and joked, "It's already late."
About two months later, the river embankment was almost completed. Yinzhen personally oversaw the construction and worked for several months before it was finally finished.
"We should be able to go back in about three more days."
Tong Cheng'er was quite happy to hear this.
She was of high status and would attend some banquets, but they all fawned over her. She had no intention of "descending to the mortal world." The only person she had a relationship with and could exchange a few words with was the wife of the prefect. When they had nothing to do, they would play mahjong together.
She almost always won at mahjong, not because she was particularly skilled, but because the other players fed her good cards. She didn't realize it at first, but after she did, she played less.
I didn't have as much fun as I did with the Third and Fifth Prince's wives and others in the capital.
I'm just a little tired.
"It's good to go back. We've been away for almost two months, it's time to go back. I wonder how Hongzhao will play around!"
Yinzhen said, "With Father Emperor watching over us, how could Hongzhao dare to do that?"
Tong Cheng'er gave him a reproachful look: "He only dares to do that because Father Emperor is watching over him."
As the saying goes, the youngest son is the eldest grandson. Although Hongzhao was not Kangxi's first grandson, he was quite clever and was well-liked by Kangxi. When Yinzhen was alive, he could keep an eye on him from time to time.
Now that Yinzhen isn't around to keep an eye on things, I wonder how spoiled she is.
"It's not that bad, Father Emperor knows what he's doing."
"I know, I'm just saying."
Yinzhen remembered something: "The prefect's niece is getting married tomorrow. Send someone to deliver a gift."
The prefect's niece, not his daughter, shouldn't have needed to send him gifts.
"What happened?"
“I’ve met the man the prefect’s niece married a few times; he’s a capable man.”
Tong Cheng'er understood.
"Okay, I'll have someone send it over tomorrow."
Yinzhen was ultimately dissatisfied with the current court, as most of the officials were those who had risen through the ranks due to their family backgrounds. While they were capable, their thinking was not broad enough. It wasn't that they were unusable, but rather that they were not useful to him.
He needs young, fresh, and passionate people, so he pays close attention to this aspect and values it highly.
The next day, Tong Cheng'er sent someone to deliver some auspicious wedding gifts, but she didn't go herself.
The prefect's wife was already very happy about this.
From Anhui to Beijing, people traveled at a leisurely pace, stopping frequently along the way. Compared to the rush and urgency of the journey, the return trip was much more relaxed.
The local customs and people along the way brought joy and also made people sigh. She encountered both good and bad people, which allowed Tong Cheng'er to witness the full spectrum of human nature.
"I'm finally back."
Once inside the mansion, Tong Cheng'er felt much more at ease.
Some say that home is where family is, and that's undeniable; the place that holds memories is also extremely important.
They brought Hongzhao back from the palace.
Tong Cheng'er took Hongzhao back to her parents' home for a visit, and after a chat, life seemed to return to what it was before.
The third and fifth wives and others would come over from time to time, playing cards and chatting together, living a very leisurely life.
If I had to say I'm busy, it would probably be because I have to look at the quarterly accounts. Although there are people who can help share the burden, I can't just ignore it completely.
Over the years, Tong Cheng'er has come up with new ideas from time to time, and the Ninth Prince has been keeping a close eye on them. The two of them have collaborated on quite a few business deals together.
Just when Tong Cheng'er thought the world was at peace, another major event occurred in the imperial court.
During the grand court assembly, an imperial censor impeached the Eighth Prince for a series of crimes, including allowing his followers to embezzle disaster relief funds, secretly accepting these funds, bribing officials, forming cliques, protecting criminals, and framing the First Prince and the Crown Prince.
To be honest, it was a bit sudden.
Even Yinzhen didn't expect this.
Emperor Kangxi's attitude towards the Eighth Prince had been one of complete neglect ever since the Eighth Prince lost his fertility.
Previously, he had hoped that Yinzhen would stir up trouble in the court, but now he had given up. Yinzhen was doing well, and Kangxi had already decided in his heart that he would inherit the throne in the future.
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