Chapter 65: "Xiao Yu has arrived; rivals meet..."
Chapter Sixty-Five: Rivals Meet==
Two years later, the father and daughter met again. Looking at the daughter he had raised from childhood, the Prince of Nan couldn't help but tear up, "Wanwan."
He and his wife had a deep affection for each other, and they finally had a daughter. He didn't hope for anything else, just that his daughter could be safe and sound, and live without worries year after year. Later, he found that even this small wish had become a luxury.
The matter of a marriage alliance is no small matter. Throughout history, half of the women who were sent to marriage alliances were married in grand style, but ended up with a bad fate. The King of the South had already lost his wife who loved him dearly, and he did not want his daughter to be involved in these disputes. However, he did not expect that he would fail to protect his daughter in the end. He was not a good father.
When Su Wanyue suddenly saw her gentle and refined father, she couldn't help but feel her eyes well up with tears. But seeing her father crying, she forced back her tears and forced a light smile: "Father, don't be sad. Your daughter is perfectly fine."
Looking at his daughter, who was still as pretty as ever, the Prince of Nan couldn't help but feel gratified. Fortunately, Wanwan was a resilient person, and the Crown Prince of Beili was a person of noble character who did not bully Wanwan. If anything had really happened to Wanwan, the Prince of Nan would never forgive himself in this lifetime.
The King of the South said "good" three times in a row.
"Uncle." Qin Jue then bowed politely to the Prince of Nan and said, "Originally, it was not appropriate for anyone to disturb the reunion of Uncle and Wanwan and her father. However, since we brought Wanwan back, it is only right that we come over to greet Uncle."
The Prince of Nan was quite satisfied with his nephew. He possessed both the qualities of a crown prince and the ability to shoulder great responsibilities. When he learned that Wanwan had married into Beili in place of Princess Weiyang, his first thought wasn't to protect Princess Weiyang, but rather to mobilize soldiers to find her. This time, when Wanwan's identity was exposed, Crown Prince Qin Jue was even more quick to help resolve the issue, rushing to Beili at top speed. Qin Jue had played a significant role in ensuring his daughter's safety. The Prince of Nan wasn't someone who didn't know right from wrong or seek gratitude. He smiled at Qin Jue, "Then, Your Highness, would you like to stay for a meal?"
"It's a rare occasion for you and my sister to be reunited, so I won't disturb you any longer. I'll come to visit you another day." Qin Jue naturally declined, and smiled politely.
Upon seeing his daughter whom he hadn't seen in a long time, the Prince of Nan wanted to speak with her alone, so he didn't insist that Qin Jue stay at the mansion for a meal. Qin Jue returned to the East Palace first.
Early in the morning, the Prince of Nan instructed the small kitchen to prepare his daughter's favorite dishes. The servants placed the dishes on the table and quietly withdrew. The Prince of Nan used the communal bamboo chopsticks to pick up a piece of braised lion's head for his daughter, saying, "Wanwan, you've been wronged."
As a father, he felt sorry for his daughter just thinking about her situation, let alone her. Su Wanyue took a bite of the lion's head meatball that the Prince of Nan had placed on her plate, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling like bright stars. "Father, actually, I haven't suffered any injustice. His Highness is not the same as what the rumors say."
This was the first time Su Wanyue had ever spoken well of a man in front of others, especially in front of her own father.
The Prince of Nan glanced at her impassively, "What's different?"
It seems the rumors of "harmonious marriage" and "deep affection" are true; Lu Er did not lie to him.
It is a stroke of good fortune that my daughter has found a good husband.
“When my daughter first married into the family, she thought His Highness was an aloof and scheming person, and she didn’t dare to get too close to him. Later, she realized that the reason he was so calculating was because he had his own principles, and that what he did was not just for himself. He targeted the eldest prince of Beili because what the eldest prince did was wrong.”
Ever since Su Wanyue married into the royal family, everything the eldest prince has done has either endangered the country or taken lives. The emperor's constant indulgence has only emboldened him to become increasingly arrogant and outrageous.
It was only then that Su Wanyue slowly realized that the man was actually a good person, and she gradually opened her heart to him.
The Prince of Nan ate very slowly, mostly listening to his daughter. After she finished speaking, he would smile gently and ask, "Wanwan, you've said so much. Is he good to you?"
Su Wanyue then told the Prince of Nan about their daily interactions, and how, although he had known her identity all along, he had not intended to expose her.
Upon hearing this, the Prince of Nan was truly moved. A normal person would be furious in such a situation, hating the other party for deceiving them, or at least questioning them. The reason why the Crown Prince of Beili chose not to expose or question her was twofold: firstly, he was unwilling to give up on Wanwan, and secondly, he truly had the responsibility of a husband. Choosing to continue to conceal Wanwan's identity was also a way of protecting her.
On the way back to Nanqiong, Qin Jue talked to Su Wanyue a lot. Su Wanyue belatedly realized that the reason he wanted to use the Seventh Prince to deal with the First Prince was so that he could better control the power in his hands. As for why he was in such a hurry to grasp the power, there was only one reason.
“The Crown Prince of Beili is a man worthy of entrusting one’s life to.” The Southern King sighed. In his eyes, his daughter was still a little girl who needed protection. In just two short years, he had gained a son-in-law and would soon become a grandfather. The Southern King was really finding it hard to adapt.
The Prince of the South suddenly felt a sense of pride, like "my daughter has come of age." "Then why didn't he come with you this time?"
The Crown Prince was ultimately not as busy as a monarch, who couldn't leave the capital for even a moment. The Southern King still highly regarded the Crown Prince of Beili, and since he recognized his son-in-law, he would definitely want to meet him.
Moreover, her daughter is pregnant and will be traveling a long and arduous journey. With the Crown Prince and Prince Xiang accompanying her on the way back, she will definitely return to Beili alone, which will put their minds at ease.
It's not that the Prince of Nan is being pretentious; his daughter's affairs are definitely the most important thing.
“His Highness originally intended to come with me, but His Majesty has been unwell since the beginning of the year. His Highness has been helping His Majesty with matters of state, so he asked me to go ahead. His Highness should arrive when I return to Beili.” Su Wanyue explained to the Prince of Nan with a smile. Upon hearing this, the Prince of Nan’s expression softened considerably. As long as the other party was truly devoted to his daughter, that was enough.
After two years of silence, the Nanwang Mansion welcomed back the young princess, who should now be the First-Rank Princess Dingguo. The mansion suddenly became lively, especially the maids who used to serve in Su Wanyue's Peony Garden. When they learned that Su Wanyue had married into Beili in place of Princess Weiyang, they were terrified. Their princess was a perfectly normal person, and she went to the palace and then rode in a bridal sedan chair to Beili. How could they not be worried and scared?
They prayed day and night that the princess would not be bullied in Beili. Perhaps heaven heard their prayers, for the princess not only was not bullied in Beili, but also became the Crown Princess of Beili. Now she has a child, truly a double blessing.
Su Wanyue had dinner with the Prince of Nan and talked to him about his plans in Beili. Midway through the meal, a servant served him a bowl of pear soup. Because the Prince of Nan always coughed in the middle of the night, and as a grown man, he didn't like such sweet and sticky things, he was about to wave for it to be taken away when Su Wanyue spoke up. As soon as she spoke, the Prince of Nan immediately "obediently" drank the bowl of pear soup. The servants couldn't help but laugh, thinking that their princess was really resourceful.
"Alright, Wanwan, you must be tired from your long journey. Go back to your room and rest. There's nothing to do at the palace anyway. You can get up whenever you want tomorrow. The cooks in your small kitchen are all here. Just have them prepare whatever you want to eat." A crescent moon hung in the sky, and the Prince of Nan couldn't help but smile elegantly as he spoke.
The Prince of the South always fulfilled his daughter's requests. On the contrary, he had no demands on his daughter, only that she live a long and happy life.
Su Wanyue: "Then I will come to pay my respects to Father again tomorrow."
The Prince of Nan couldn't stop smiling at his daughter's filial piety. "I know about Wanwan's filial piety. You should go and rest now."
"Do you think Wanwan is any different from before?" After his daughter left, the Prince of Nan covered his mouth and couldn't help coughing. He asked the guard beside him.
"I think the princess speaks more gently than before, but she seems happier overall." The guard had served the Prince of the South for many years, and he understood what the Prince of the South meant almost as soon as he opened his mouth, and replied.
He felt that the princess might not necessarily be having a bad time in Beili.
The Southern King also noticed this, especially when he talked about Bei Li. His daughter's eyes were bright and smiling, as clear as the autumn moon, showing that she was indeed living a very happy life in Bei Li. Wasn't this exactly what the Southern King wanted to see?
Looking at the moon in the sky, the Prince of the South couldn't help but think of his wife. If she hadn't died young, he might have taken his wife and daughter to the border, without having to care about the troubles in the capital.
Two maids, carrying lanterns, led the way. The layout of the mansion was exactly the same as when Su Wanyue was unmarried, except that the flowers in the courtyard were different. In the peony garden, peonies bloom all year round. Qin'er helped Su Wanyue into the inner room, which was spotless. Every item was placed in the same position as before. By the window was the rabbit lantern that Su Wanyue had won on the night of the Lantern Festival that year. The rabbit lantern had turned a little yellow.
Seeing Su Wanyue staring at the rabbit lantern, Qi'er, who was serving in the Peony Garden, said, "The Prince said that the Southern Prince's Mansion is the Princess's home, and the Princess will eventually come back to live here. She definitely can't touch the things in her boudoir."
"Is Father not feeling well?" Su Wanyue's eyes involuntarily welled up with tears. Her waist ached from standing for too long, so Qin'er quickly helped her sit down. Even though she was more than a month pregnant, her princess was still very thin. When Imperial Physician Zhang examined Su Wanyue's pulse during the day, he suggested that she take a medicinal diet for half a month first, and the Prince of Nan had already asked the kitchen to prepare it.
"Your Highness is a grown man, and his health isn't necessarily bad. It's just that the Princess's marriage was completely unexpected. He was worried that she wasn't doing well in Bei Li, and he also felt that His Majesty and the Empress were scheming against him without any regard for his status as a prince. In his anger, he vomited blood, which aggravated his old ailment. This time, it's the same. Hearing that the Princess's identity has been exposed, His Highness has been constantly worried about her. Fortunately, the Princess is safe and sound. With the Princess by his side, His Highness's health will definitely gradually improve." Qi'er comforted the Princess as she mentioned the Prince's situation.
Su Wanyue pursed her lips slightly. She was the one who had worried her father. She would wait until her father had fully recovered before returning to Beili. She wondered how he was doing now.
Under the same moonlight, amidst the boundless mountains, several carriages and a dozen or so horses were parked. In the carriage in the center sat a man with his eyes closed, seemingly asleep. The others rested and tidied themselves up, some drinking water, some eating dry rations, and others taking a break, but he remained completely unaffected. When the sky began to lighten with the first light of dawn, Mo Yu stepped forward and asked, "Your Highness, shall we continue our journey?"
"Continue," the man said calmly, his voice devoid of emotion.
Mo Yu raised his hand. They had already traveled more than halfway. If nothing unexpected happened, they would arrive in Nanqiong Capital in seven days. He knew that his master was eager to return home and was looking forward to seeing the Crown Princess as soon as possible. As his subordinates, they dared not hold him back.
Su Wanyue's stay at the Prince of Nan's residence these past few days has been quite pleasant, as if she had returned to the time before her marriage. She only needed to accompany the Prince of Nan for lunch and dinner each day, and she could do whatever she wanted the rest of the time. However, Su Wanyue rarely came back this time, unlike before when she would either go to the palace, visit Princess Weiyang, or see Master Huiyuan, or sneak out. She stayed in the Peony Garden every day. Princess Weiyang did come to see her several times, but their relationship could not be the same as before. Princess Weiyang realized this and came less often afterward.
She just wouldn't go out, but others wanted to see her. Madam Lu was so anxious at home that she scratched her head and complained, "Wanwan is really something. She doesn't want to see Qingchen, but does she not want to see me either? This heartless little girl."
“What difficulty is there for Madam to see Princess Zilu? Since the princess is not going out, why doesn’t Madam go to the Prince of Nan’s residence to find Princess Zilu?” The maid poured Madam a cup of tea and suggested.
Madam Lu suddenly realized something. "Yes, if Wanwan doesn't go out, then I can go to the Prince of Nan's mansion to find her. Yue'er, quickly send me an invitation."
Madam Lu genuinely likes Su Wanyue. It was precisely because she likes Su Wanyue that she wanted to bring her daughter and son together. Now that the daughter and son are no longer together, it doesn't affect Madam Lu's liking for her daughter. Since she rarely returns to Beili, Madam Lu will definitely want to see her.
The invitation from Prime Minister Lu's residence quickly reached the Prince of Nan's residence. This invitation didn't immediately reach Su Wanyue, but rather the Prince of Nan. The Prince of Nan's feelings towards Prime Minister Lu's family were clearly complex. On one hand, the people of Prime Minister Lu's family were of high moral character and treated his daughter very well; the Prince of Nan had initially tacitly approved of Su Wanyue's marriage to Lu Qingchen. On the other hand, Lu Qingchen was clearly still emotionally attached, while his daughter had already moved on from her childhood sweetheart. Therefore, this meeting shouldn't be...
The guard, being a clear-headed observer, understood the situation better than the Prince of Nan. He said, "Madam Lu has always treated the princess as her own daughter. Both Prime Minister Lu and Madam Lu are reasonable people. Madam Lu's actions must simply be to visit the princess."
The Prince of the South thought this made sense. Even if they couldn't become in-laws, it didn't matter if the elders visited the younger generation.
"Tell Wanwan that Madam Lu will be coming to the Prince of Nan's residence tomorrow." The Prince of Nan, with his refined demeanor, nodded slightly.
The daughter will surely understand if you say that, because Madam Lu can't just come to visit a grown man like him.
The next day, the carriage from Prime Minister Lu's residence arrived at the Prince of Nan's residence early in the morning. The steward hurriedly went forward to greet them, thinking that only Madam Lu would get off the carriage. Who knew that the gentle and refined Second Young Master Lu would also get off with her? The steward was immediately surprised and began to stammer, "Second Young Master Lu...
Lu Qingchen had visited the Prince of Nan's residence several times and was already familiar with the steward. He smiled slightly and said, "I have come to visit the Prince of Nan."
Since Lu Qingchen had already said so, the butler couldn't very well kick him out. The Second Young Master Lu was a man of principle, so the butler said with a smile, "Then, Madam Lu, this way please, Second Young Master Lu."
At that time, in the Peony Garden, Qin'er held up a hair ornament with small bells and gestured to Su Wanyue's hair, saying, "What does the princess think of this pink magnolia hair ornament?"
Su Wanyue yawned lazily, her eyes welling up with tears, and nodded slightly.
Qin'er inserted the pink magnolia hairpin into her hair. The woman in the mirror had a beautiful face, almond eyes and peach cheeks. She wore a light green floor-length dress, and with the magnolia hairpin on both sides of her hair, she was truly as radiant as spring flowers, bright and beautiful.
"Princess, the Prince asked me to tell you that Madam Lu and the Second Young Master Lu have arrived."
Young Master Lu has also arrived...
Qin'er glanced at Su Wanyue.
Su Wanyue remained calm and said softly, "I'm coming right now."
The Prince of Nan had to attend court today, so he asked Su Wanyue to entertain Madam Lu and Lu Qingchen. When Madam Lu saw Su Wanyue, she rushed to the courtyard and looked Su Wanyue up and down, her voice filled with excitement, "Our Wanwan is getting more and more beautiful."
Su Wanyue smiled faintly as Madam Lu held her small hand tightly. "Madam Lu is too kind."
Seeing that Su Wanyue was in good health, Madam Lu was finally relieved. Fortunately, Su Wanyue had not been bullied. After Madam Lu finished speaking with Su Wanyue, Lu Qingchen cupped his hands to Su Wanyue and said in a gentle voice, "Greetings, Sister Wanyue. I haven't yet congratulated you on becoming the Crown Princess of Beili."
Madam Lu sighed inwardly as she listened; Wanwan and Qingchen were destined to be nothing more than siblings.
She used the excuse of admiring the flowers to go elsewhere, leaving only the two of them and their respective servants and maids in the flower-filled courtyard. Lu Qingchen knew that this was not a place to stay for long, and was about to ask her how she was doing before leaving.
As luck would have it, the steward led Xiao Yu, dressed in a long black robe, over and they saw this scene: the gentle and refined young man looked down at his wife with a slight smile, while his wife looked up at him.
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