After a long journey, we finally arrived at the Empress's palace.
Princess Jiang was delighted to see her daughter arrive and went to greet her. Several princesses from the palace also gathered around to chat, while Chu Yue stood awkwardly to the side, like a maid.
Indeed, Jiang Mengyi is a princess, the only eldest daughter of the Duke of Jing's mansion, the empress's niece, born into a prominent family, and married into a family of Qingliu martial arts masters. Naturally, no one can compare to her.
Everyone stood there and began exchanging pleasantries.
"Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!" With the eunuch's voice, Her Majesty the Empress appeared with a dignified and majestic demeanor and sat down in the main hall.
"Long live the Empress!"
"Long live the Empress!"
"Long live the Empress!"
"Everyone, please stand up. It's been many years since we've gathered like this. Please make yourselves at home. Now that the war in Jiang Kingdom has been quelled, we still need to rely on your husbands to do their part in the court."
Upon hearing the Empress's words, everyone began to move around.
When Jiang Meng arrived, the Empress's joyful expression suddenly turned to surprise. Earlier, she had heard Princess Jiang mention that her eldest daughter was having difficulty conceiving and that she had specifically asked a concubine's daughter from the Princess's residence to accompany her. This must be the woman behind her; no wonder they had chosen her.
She is indeed strikingly beautiful, with a touch of alluring charm.
The emperor's harem was mostly filled with women of this type; perhaps it's what men like.
"Greetings to the Imperial Aunt!"
"This servant, Qi Chu, greets Your Majesty the Empress!"
The princess only needed to bow, but Chu Yue, as a concubine, was no different from a lower-ranking palace maid, so she prostrated herself and performed a grand salute.
The Empress nodded kindly and beckoned to Jiang Meng, "Meng'er, come to my side. It's been a long time. Now that you're married, you don't come to the palace often!"
"If my aunt misses me, I'll come right away," Jiang Mengyi said with a sweet smile.
The Empress looked her up and down. "Why have you lost weight? Did that brat Qi Jingxuan bully you?"
"Aunt, that's not true."
Jiang Meng whispered a few words in the Empress's ear. The two chatted like this, while Chu Yue remained kneeling on the ground.
After a long while, the Empress finally told her to get up, and then they went together to the inner room, where two imperial physicians were waiting.
Chu Yue numbly reached out her hand.
"How is it? Are you a woman who is good at conceiving?"
"Your Majesty, this woman is already pregnant, only a month along. If it weren't for my many years of medical practice, I wouldn't have been able to tell from her pulse."
"So, that means the day the general returned to his residence...? When will the imperial physician be able to confirm?" Jiang Meng thought for a moment and then turned to ask the imperial physician.
"It will be ready in February. Please be patient, Princess!"
Then, the group came out.
Jiang Meng smiled broadly, "Thank you, Aunt, for your help."
"Meng'er, now that you're married, you should tone down your former fiery temper as a princess. As the mistress of the household, you should always be kind to everyone and never be unreasonable. The most important thing is to gain the general's approval of your ability to manage the household, rather than his fear of your status. The affairs of the household are no less important than those of the imperial harem."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Meng hurriedly knelt down, saying, "Your niece will obey Your Majesty's teachings."
"Oh, you've only just married into the Qi family and you're already busy finding concubines for your husband? Princess, you've really changed your ways. You've become so magnanimous now!" The speaker was none other than Li Liushi, the wife of the former general.
"Where did this fly come from? How dare a general's wife, who only knows how to lose battles, speak here?"
"You! What are you so arrogant about? The Qi family is just clinging to life by relying on the sacrifice of your old general. Now that the war is over, let's see what your general will use to support your Qi family! Humph!"
Upon hearing this, Li Liushi was indignant and retorted directly. "We're both military officers' wives, why should I be inferior to you?"
“My general is both a scholar and a warrior, unlike General Li, who only knows how to charge into battle and fight the enemy. He’s just a mere soldier.”
"Meng'er, I just told you to tone it down. After all, General Li has rendered meritorious service in battle."
“That’s right! My general would never take a concubine.” Hearing the empress start to support her, Li Liushi continued to mock.
It is indeed common knowledge in the entire capital that General Li dotes on her alone.
Jiang Meng, having been rebuffed, stopped arguing with her and turned to chat with the other princesses.
Chu Yue watched awkwardly from the side. Everyone treated her like a breeding machine, ordering her around and giving her no kind looks.
As Chu Yue was working, she spotted her mother in the crowd. Her mother was also serving the princess with the same care and deference as her, not daring to be negligent and behaving obsequiously.
The two gazed at each other from afar, exchanging glances that conveyed their longing.
Chu Yue vowed at this moment that she must climb up the social ladder and never be a concubine for life like her mother.
The ministers in the previous court were all drinking and making merry. The emperor had also invited several princes' sons, seemingly indicating his intention to establish an heir. Various forces were secretly stirring.
The most powerful was Jiang Changfeng, who governed the country through civil administration. Most of the civil officials and literati in the Jiang Dynasty were influenced by Jiang Changfeng.
And then there's Jiang Yuchen, who governs the country with military might. Back then, when the Japanese pirates were quelled, he flooded the entire army, ensuring ten years of peace in Jiangnan without losing a single soldier.
The least noticeable one is Jiang Congzhi, who is neither good at literature nor martial arts. Although he can do both, he is no match for the other two.
Seeing the Emperor constantly speaking about his future plans for governance from his throne, everyone's opinion was turning in Jiang Changfeng's favor.
"Qi Jingxuan, why don't you say a few words in agreement?"
"Young Master, you don't understand. How could we military officers know anything about the affairs of civil officials?"
"Yeah, that's true." Jiang Congzhi smiled awkwardly.
In reality, Qi Jingxuan had already chosen his side. Jiang Changfeng was cowardly, Jiang Yuchen was hot-tempered, and Jiang Congzhi possessed the qualities of an emperor. His decision not to participate at this time was exactly what he wanted. The Jiang Kingdom had always practiced abdication; even with outstanding talent, the three princes might not necessarily achieve great things.
I only regret that my military achievements are insufficient, coupled with my limited management skills, and that I do not know much about civil administration. It seems that there is still a lot to learn.
With the year drawing to a close and the surrounding smaller countries remaining stable, I must make the most of this ample time to study.
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