Tong Cheng'er slept soundly.
The next day, after waking up, she went to pay her respects to Shumulu as usual and also to have breakfast.
Normally, she didn't have much to say to Shumulu. When Shumulu saw her, she would habitually give her a "lecture" with doting affection. Shumulu spoke so naturally that Tong Cheng'er would forget about what happened yesterday as she listened.
Once back in her own courtyard, Tong Cheng'er realized that she had forgotten to mention it again.
She patted her head in annoyance and muttered to herself, "Look at my brain, it's been so long since I've used it, it's all rusted."
Rulan: "Princess, what did you say?"
Tong Cheng'er shook her head: "It's nothing." She could always talk about it later; she really didn't take it too seriously.
When Alhatu returned from court, he said to Shumulu, "His Majesty suddenly promoted me today. Now I am the Vice Minister of Works."
Shumulu: "Vice Minister of Works?"
This news was really sudden: "Didn't Grandpa say not long ago that there wasn't much hope?"
Alhatu laughed and said, "Originally, I didn't have much hope. After all, there are other officials in the Ministry of Works who are also assistant ministers, but some are more senior than me and some have stronger backgrounds. So I thought I wouldn't try to influence things this time. I thought that the other vice minister was a bit old, and that it would be more likely when he retired. Besides, I didn't really want to get involved in the affairs of Suo'etu and Lord Mingzhu. But unexpectedly, His Majesty suddenly gave the order, and I became the vice minister of the Ministry of Works."
Even if I don't know why, I can't just let go of the benefits I've already received!
He's not unworthy of his position; since His Majesty is willing to give it to him, he'll accept it.
Shumulu was also pleased: "Then I congratulate you, Your Highness."
Alhatu smiled and took Shumulu's hand, and the two lingered affectionately for a while.
At noon, Shumulu prepared a table full of delicious dishes to celebrate Alhatu's promotion.
Tong Cheng'er also received the news and wondered, "Father got promoted? How could it be so sudden?"
Although she was lazy, she wasn't stupid. Not long ago, she overheard her mother grumbling that the Crown Prince and the First Prince were up to no good, and that their factional strife was making her father, who was neutral, suffer.
How come something that never happened suddenly became a reality?
"This servant doesn't know either. Why don't you ask the master and his wife, Princess?"
Tong Cheng'er shook her head: "Let's forget about it."
She doesn't have the political sense to ask questions; anyway, a promotion is a good thing.
"Oh, right, remind me at lunchtime not to forget to tell my father and mother about meeting His Majesty yesterday."
Rulan and Ruxue thought she had mentioned it when she greeted them in the morning, but who knew she had forgotten.
"Princess, rest assured, this servant will definitely remind you and make sure you don't forget again."
Speaking of which, Ru Xue and Ru Lan were truly impressed by Tong Cheng'er's memory. It wasn't that she couldn't remember, she just didn't want to bother.
At noon, the family gathered together to celebrate Al-Hatu's promotion.
After the meal, and after her brothers had all left, Tong Cheng'er said to Alhatu and Shumulu, "Father and Mother, I have something to say."
Al-Hatu laughed and said, "What is it? Tell me."
Tong Cheng'er: "Yesterday, Sister Huiyu invited me to a small gathering at Wangyue Tower. His Majesty, along with the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince, were in the private room next to me. My daughter said something that was overheard, and then His Majesty summoned her. In a daze, His Majesty praised my daughter a few times and also praised her father for being good at teaching his children. Then he sent me back."
Al-Hatu looked surprised, then his mind was full of questions: "Why are you only telling me about what happened yesterday now?" Shouldn't he have told me as soon as he got back? What was this child thinking? He could hold back until now even when he was with His Majesty.
Tong Cheng'er felt a little guilty: "My daughter forgot."
Shumulu couldn't stand Alhatu's attitude and said protectively, "It's not a big deal. If you forgot, you forgot. You just remembered today! Why are you being so fierce?"
Al-Hatu felt wronged. He wasn't angry; he was just expressing his confusion. But seeing his wife and daughter, he said, "It was Father's fault. Forget it, forget it!"
Tong Cheng'er smiled and said, "Father is the best."
Al-Hatu remembered the key point and asked, "By the way, what did you say that His Majesty heard?"
Tong Cheng'er thought about it and roughly repeated what she had done yesterday. Then, Alhatu's gaze towards Tong Cheng'er began to change.
Alhatu sighed, “If Cheng’er were a boy, she would surely make a name for herself in the court. His Majesty must agree with what you said. The Mongols have always been a thorn in His Majesty’s side. If we could truly subdue the Mongols completely in one fell swoop, then the Dzungars would be no threat, and the Qing Dynasty would be secure. No wonder His Majesty promoted me. It seems I am blessed by my daughter.”
As Al-Hatu sighed, he couldn't help but laugh. After all, it was rare for someone to be promoted because of their daughter, so it was something to be happy about.
As for his daughter's mention of the Imperial Household Department, Al-Hatu didn't take it too seriously. In fact, the Imperial Household Department was like the palace's steward's office, responsible for the various expenses of the nobles in the palace.
None of the Tong family members believed that Tong Cheng'er would have a chance to be selected to enter the palace, as it had nothing to do with the Imperial Household Department, so he was quite at ease.
Shumulu disagreed: "Your Excellency is wrong. What do you mean if Cheng'er were a boy? None of our boys would be as considerate as Cheng'er. Your Excellency, please don't say such things."
In Shumulu's mind, sons were not as valuable as daughters, perhaps because they were rare and therefore worthless. If there were too many sons, they would be worthless.
Tong Cheng'er was a daughter she had longed for for a long time.
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