Consort Wang eventually died. When the Empress Dowager heard the news, she did not throw a rolled-up straw mat into the moat as Wang Jiyang had suggested. Instead, she was demoted to the rank of concubine and buried in the concubine's mausoleum.
Consort Xie was also granted permission to return home to visit her family. Although the visit was only for two hours, it was enough to make her extremely grateful.
"You've done so many good deeds, yet no one has come to thank you." The Empress Dowager was still resentful. She couldn't get angry when she felt sorry for Zhao Shu, but she still felt resentful when she thought about it occasionally, always feeling that her granddaughter wasn't on her side.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Shu hurriedly went over and massaged his legs and shoulders, saying, "Grandmother, A-Jun knows he was wrong and will definitely not do it again next time. Please don't be angry, okay?"
I stayed in the palace for two days, and the Empress Dowager nagged me for two days straight, just like a girl always asking, "Do you really love me?" It's so frustrating.
"Very well, you've done something. Wang Kuanqi is also in prison. I can't punish you. The Emperor said you are his great hero."
Zhao Shu sighed helplessly and pursed her lips. "Grandmother, please tell me, what do you want in return for A-Jun's forgiveness?"
The Empress Dowager glanced at her, thinking to herself, "You little brat, I can handle you."
She said, "Yesterday, the Empress came to me and said that she wanted to choose a husband for Zi Rou. She sent me portraits of several young men from the capital. Take a look and choose one."
Zhao Shu: "...Grandmother, the young masters in the capital are not piglets. How can they let their granddaughter choose them as she pleases?"
"You've got some nerve..." When the Empress Dowager saw that she wouldn't agree, she began to say the first sentence.
Zhao Shu hurriedly stopped her, "Alright, alright, pick, pick, granddaughter will pick a gentleman to marry off right away." When it came to choosing a husband, she originally wanted to be shy, but she couldn't do that expression, so she looked at this one and that one with a wooden face and an extremely serious expression.
While saying this, he picked and looked at the items in his hands, but in his heart he was thinking, what exactly is the Empress doing? The Crown Prince has not yet been found, and she still has the mood to arrange to select a consort for the princess. What is she up to?
Having not returned to the manor for two days, she had no idea if there was any news of the Crown Prince. News from outside was also not getting in. At this moment, she felt like a blind and deaf person, completely in the dark.
Ji Yun brought over dozens of paintings and placed them next to Zhao Shu, allowing the Empress Dowager and Zhao Shu to choose.
"Ah Jun, what do you think of this? The second young master of the Xie family is handsome and dignified, much better looking than Xie Yun." The Empress Dowager handed the painting, which had already been opened, to Zhao Shu.
Zhao Shu glanced at him; he was just pretty, not exactly beautiful. If Wang Jiyang didn't have that scar, he would be about the same as Wang Jiyang. It was true that the Xie family was a prominent and prestigious family, and marrying into it would bring both prestige and substance.
She said disdainfully, "What's so good-looking about me? Grandmother is lying to me. I don't want it."
The Empress Dowager actually thought she was just average-looking, but the Xie family was a first-class family, and she always felt that her granddaughter was exceptional and was determined to marry into that golden family.
The Xie family is a golden nest.
However, since our precious grandson doesn't like it, we can choose another one. We can leave the choice of the Xie family's second young master to Zi Rou.
If Zhao Shu knew that her grandmother had this idea, she would be moved for three days and three nights.
Out of sheer boredom, I flipped through a few paintings, and they were all of the third son of this family or the fifth son of that family; none of them were the eldest grandson of the eldest son's family.
In Dayong, many men from noble families were unwilling to marry princesses, because becoming a prince consort meant only holding the nominal title of Prince Consort Commandant and not being able to enter the prime minister's office. Therefore, many princesses in Dayong married mediocre men from their families. These men had decent temperaments and were not bad-looking, but their academic and professional abilities were far inferior to those of the husbands married by noble ladies.
"Ah Jun, the second young master of the Sun family is also quite good. Look, he's better looking than the Xie family's son, and I've heard that his talent is no less than any young master in the capital." The Empress Dowager handed a portrait of the second young master of the Sun family to Zhao Shu.
Zhao Shu glanced at it twice and thought it was not good at all. It was far inferior to Wei Tingsi and Huo Baichuan. "Grandmother, the Xie family and the Sun family are related by marriage. The eldest granddaughter of the Xie family and the eldest grandson of the Sun family will be married soon. Ajun and the eldest granddaughter of the Xie family do not get along."
"How can there not be some friction between sisters-in-law? If she dares to bully you, your imperial uncle can simply issue an edict for you to separate your clans." The Empress Dowager, born into the imperial family, had never experienced the friction between sisters-in-law. Everyone respected her, yielded to her, and flattered her. In her view, why would the emperor's daughter worry about relationships with her sisters-in-law? Although Zhao Shu was only a county princess, her rank was no lower than that of a princess.
Zhao Shu said helplessly, "Grandmother, now that the clan has split up, what is the second young master still doing here?"
The Empress Dowager thought about it and agreed, saying, "Have you seen all of these?"
Zhao Shu nodded, "I've seen it."
"Is there anything you like?"
"No, Ah Jun will marry a hero of the era, not these good-for-nothing playboys who only know how to recite poetry and have no health problems. They're full of spoiled brats." Zhao Shu threw the painting aside with disdain and lay down on the chaise lounge, looking at the phoenix carving above her head.
The Empress Dowager thought for a moment, "You don't like the young masters from noble families? Jiyun, remove all of these and let Zirou choose carefully. Bring over the portraits of the young masters from the Marquis's and General's mansions."
Zhao Shu: ...After choosing from the aristocratic families, it's all about choosing from the noble families. If someone gives her a auntie, she's decided to find a crooked tree to hang herself in protest!
Ji Yun moved quickly and soon brought over another pile of paintings. The Empress Dowager opened them with great interest, "Ah Jun, these are from the Marquis of Huainan's family. What do you think? They look so dashing. I imagine they have excellent martial arts skills."
Zhao Shu glanced at it and said, "Grandmother, have you noticed that your granddaughter is only nine years old?"
The Empress Dowager glanced at him and said, "Your birthday is coming soon. After your birthday, you will be ten years old. You must choose a husband as soon as possible, lest someone else snatch him up first."
After speaking, he glanced at Zhao Shu, wondering why the child was so calm. If it were Zi Rou, she would have already blushed with embarrassment. Zi Rou wasn't much older, so was she just not yet perceptive?
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