Chapter 442 I heard that Young Master Lu has a girl he likes.
Zijuan stepped forward, holding a gilded lacquer box. When she opened it, a dazzling array of jewels and the fresh scent of wood wafted out.
Sheng Sheng took out the mother-of-pearl hairpin from the box. The emerald mother-of-pearl pieces were pieced together to form a lotus scroll pattern, which shimmered with iridescence under the candlelight. She presented it to Consort Rong as if it were a treasure.
"Look how exquisite the pattern is! The craftsmen of Jin said that mother-of-pearl needs to be soaked for three years to get its color. Wearing it on your head, it looks even more elegant than the red gold hairpins in the palace!"
Consort Rong took the hairpin and stroked it carefully, unable to hide the smile in her eyes: "We really appreciate your thoughtfulness, this craftsmanship is truly rare."
As she spoke, she had Lüping put it on for her, and looked at herself in the bronze mirror again and again. "It really makes me look brighter. From now on, Mother Consort will wear it every day."
She then picked up the jade carvings and bamboo cricket cages from the other boxes and looked at them one by one. “These little things are really unique. When Mother gets bored in the future, looking at them will remind her of the fun times we had outside.”
The mother and daughter chatted happily. The master was happy, and Lvping and Zijuan were happy too.
Lüping and Zijuan are sisters, and they haven't seen each other for a long time. They take this opportunity to catch up.
Lu Ping watched her mistress smile with relief and said to Zi Juan, "Your Highness has been gone for so long. You must have missed her terribly. You have no idea, I often see Your Highness holding the clothes you embroidered for the princess and thinking of her."
Zijuan nodded and said, "The princess misses Her Majesty very much. Before, when Miss Li from Minister Li's family corresponded with the princess, the princess asked Miss Li to visit Her Majesty in the palace often on her behalf!"
"Ah, so Miss Li was entrusted by the princess. No wonder Consort Jing has been summoning Miss Li to the palace so often these days, and then inviting our empress to come over for a chat. So that's the reason." Green Ping suddenly realized, and muttered softly, "It seems that Miss Li and the princess have a really good relationship. I always thought that Miss Li was only with the princess because of the Second Prince..."
Zijuan nodded with a smile, but what she didn't say was that Shengsheng did do this partly to create opportunities for Xie Yunchuan.
Since the conversation had reached this point, Zijuan took the opportunity to ask her, "Sister, you often see Miss Li when you're with Her Majesty, so what do you think of Miss Li?"
Consort Rong and Sheng Sheng were still standing to the side. Zi Juan didn't dare to speak too directly, but she winked at Lü Ping, a gesture that could only be understood but not explained.
Fortunately, Lüping successfully understood Zijuan's unspoken meaning. Moreover, Xie Yunchuan's previous request to ask His Majesty for a marriage decree at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet had even been told to Xie Yunli, who was far away in Zhennanguan. Naturally, her "family members" in Jinxiu Palace were also aware of this.
Zijuan asked Lüping for her opinion on Li Manyan, but in reality, she was indirectly asking about Consort Rong's opinion on Li Manyan.
After all, as Consort Rong's personal maid, Lü Ping knew best what Consort Rong had to do on a daily basis, apart from her children.
If Consort Rong dislikes someone, Lü Ping will naturally not have any kind words for that person.
On the contrary...
Zijuan secretly gave herself a thumbs up.
She's so smart!
The palace maids are the most well-informed about gossip. If their princess cares so much about Miss Li and the Second Prince, and if she could learn something from Lü Ping that the other ladies don't know, the princess would definitely be happy!
Zijuan looked nervously at Lüping, hoping she could reveal some useful information.
"Miss Li is dignified, elegant, talented, and virtuous—truly a wonderful person." Lü Ping leaned closer to Zi Juan. "Let me tell you a secret, Her Highness the Imperial Concubine has long noticed that the Second Prince is fond of Miss Li, so she has been keeping an eye on her for a long time. Her Highness told me privately that she really likes Miss Li. She is poised and graceful in front of others, yet lively and clever in private. Most importantly, if the Second Prince likes her, Her Highness likes her too!"
"So that's how it is."
Zijuan happily wrote down what she said, planning to tell Shengsheng all about it that evening.
However, Zijuan overlooked one problem: Consort Rong did not know the reason why Xie Yunchuan suddenly canceled his request for an imperial decree to grant them marriage.
Consort Rong was unaware that Xie Yunchuan was keeping it from her, not wanting her to worry.
However, Consort Rong misunderstood, thinking that there was some problem between the two children, but she couldn't bring it up openly, and she was extremely worried.
Consort Rong was worried, and so was Lü Ping.
Lu Ping added with a hint of worry, "But I don't know if there's been some misunderstanding between the Second Prince and Miss Li. His Highness suddenly said he wouldn't ask for a marriage decree anymore. The Empress has tried to inquire with His Highness several times, both openly and secretly, but he has always refused."
Upon hearing this, Zijuan hesitated, wanting to say something to comfort her, but afraid that she might accidentally say too much and jeopardize the Second Prince's plans.
After thinking it over, Zijuan could only say in a proper manner, "Perhaps the Second Prince wants to wait for Miss Li to come of age first."
Fortunately, Lüping actually believed it: "That's right, how come I didn't think of that? Miss Li's coming-of-age ceremony is next month!"
Lüping knew that Li Manyan and Shengsheng had a good relationship, and she believed Zijuan's words without a doubt. The more she thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.
"Could it be that His Highness the Second Prince intends to achieve his goal of having multiple princess consorts all at once?" Green Ping whispered excitedly. "Now Your Highness won't have to worry anymore!"
Zijuan gave a few dry laughs.
Fortunately, Lüping quickly changed the subject: "Speaking of Miss Li, Her Majesty learned that the Li family had previously intended to form a marriage alliance with the Lu family, so she went to inquire about the eldest son of the Lu family. However, it seems that the young master Lu has no other feelings for Miss Li. Moreover, there were rumors that he liked that young master Lin!"
"ah?"
Seeing her sister's surprised expression, Lü Ping smiled and said, "Of course it's just a rumor. I just heard from a palace maid in another palace a while ago that Young Master Lu has recently fallen for a girl! And that girl must be very outstanding. Although the palace maid couldn't help but gossip and revealed the news, she refused to tell who it was. But judging from the few words she said, that girl must be even more outstanding than Young Master Lu."
Zijuan listened and nodded, silently memorizing the gossip that her princess loved to hear.
The two chatted quietly about gossip, while Consort Rong and Sheng Sheng also showed their motherly love and filial piety.
This scene continued until mealtime, when Xie Yunchuan finally arrived late.
As soon as Xie Yunchuan entered, Consort Rong glared at him: "I called you to have a meal, and you're still dawdling. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were incredibly busy."
Xie Yunchuan said helplessly, "Mother, I am indeed quite busy."
"Is being busy more important than having a meal with your mother and sister? Your sister finally came back, and all you do is busy with your trivial matters. Can't you be busy anytime?"
Fortunately, Xie Yunchuan was already used to it. Ever since Consort Rong thought he had driven his wife away, she had been giving him fewer and fewer kind looks.
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