Hongshan climbed onto the bed as soon as he came in. He didn't cry or make a fuss. He went up and hugged Qian Shengyan's arm and curled up obediently next to her, looking pitiful. Qian Shengyan almost wanted to hug him.
“Mother, don’t move. Hongshan is alright. He’s been staying with me these past few days.” Fuerguochun sat to the side, holding Qian Shengyan’s hand. She spoke with a smile, but tears immediately streamed down her face. “Mother, sob sob… I was so scared…”
Hongli sat on the embroidered stool by the bed, his eyes reddening though he did not speak.
Seeing how pitiful the three children were, Qian Shengyan couldn't bear to lie still any longer. She asked Qingxue to bring her a large pillow, and then struggled to sit up and lean against it, talking to the children.
She first looked at Hongli and smiled, "Our Fourth Prince has grown up."
“Mother…” Hongli sighed softly, “I only feel at ease when Mother is awake.”
The group talked for a long time until Yinzhen returned from court. The children then took their leave one by one. Before leaving, Hongli took Hongshan away. After all, he was too old to live with the princesses. From today onwards, he would return to the depths of the grotto.
Qian Shengyan: ...
Three years old? That's so big!
After watching the children leave, Yinzhen changed his clothes and came out. He sat on the edge of the bed, a hint of displeasure in his eyes: "This morning after court, Zhang Tingyu specifically requested an audience with me and said some ambiguous things..."
Qian Shengyan initially thought it was some political matter, and wondered why he was talking to her about the previous dynasty. But after listening to a couple of sentences, she got angry: "What does he mean?!"
"Hmph! I also think he is extremely ungrateful!" Yinzhen snorted coldly.
He actually went to the emperor and subtly suggested that his son should establish his career before getting married, and that marriage would only be considered after the results of the imperial examinations. He also specifically hinted that he did not want to marry a princess.
"My daughter, Fuerguochun, is to marry the best man in the world. Zhang Tingyu's sons are so weak! How can they be a suitable match for her!" Yinzhen said angrily.
Qian Shengyan was also angry, but... it seemed that Foerguochun really liked the other man's second son.
She coughed lightly and inquired indirectly, "Does Lord Zhang have any sons of similar age in his household?"
“His eldest son is already married, and his second son…” Yinzhen paused for a moment, “…is about the same age as Foerguchun…”
Before he could finish speaking, he sneered, "Then why is his eldest son, who has yet to achieve any official rank, able to get married?"
Qian Shengyan: ...
I understand. It's obvious that Zhang Tingyu thinks his second son will be more successful and doesn't want him to have any connection with Folgochun or Hongli.
Zhang Tingyu is now the Minister of War and also the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, making him one of the most important officials in the court. Perhaps in the eyes of others, Hongli is someone who needs to be flattered and fawned over, but for the Zhang family, they probably feel that the further away they are, the better.
After all, the Zhang family already had powerful ministers, and getting too close to the prince would inevitably attract attention.
Qian Shengyan understood Zhang Tingyu's meaning, but became even angrier: "Our Foerguochun will never marry into the Zhang family!"
"Hmph!" Yinzhen echoed, "Let's choose a good one from the Upper Three Banners to be Ferguchun's consort."
He paused, then said, "How old is Folgochun? It's fine to discuss marriage a few years later." After thinking for a moment, he added, "No, I must choose carefully..."
After listening to him for a while, Qian Shengyan finally understood that these powerful families were similar to the royal family. When their sons came of age, they would be given two maids to serve as concubines. Some of them didn't care and would even have concubines enter their homes before they married their wives.
Yinzhen planned to select a few good ones first, and give them a hint so that they would keep a close watch on their sons. They were not allowed to have concubines, and they were even less allowed to have any sordid affairs such as having children outside the marriage.
Qian Shengyan: ...
Oh no, I'm even more worried now...
What if I suddenly want Folgochun to travel to the modern world and fall in love freely...?
But thinking about it, Folgochun is already the most noble girl in this era. Her father is the emperor, her brother will be the emperor in the future, and her mother and she are also favored. If such a girl cannot choose according to her heart, how miserable must the other girls be?
Qian Shengyan immediately became a little unhappy: "Can't we let Foerguochun choose for herself? Didn't the Emperor promise her?"
"How can she judge people at such a young age?" Yinzhen hesitated. "I will select a few first, and then let her choose for herself."
That works too. The parents can choose a range of candidates, and the family can keep an eye on things first. They can choose later.
This is better than having someone like you, but the other party disagrees.
"Besides, the princesses of the imperial family are chosen by the emperor himself, not by others." Yinzhen was still angry. "Zhang Tingyu behaved improperly in front of the emperor today, so he shall be fined three months' salary."
Qian Shengyan: ...
Fortunately, no one knew what Zhang Tingyu had said in front of the emperor, so let him be punished with a salary deduction.
Time flies, and before they knew it, it was Laba Festival. Because Qian Shengyan was injured and unable to move, she stayed in the garden and did not participate. Yinzhen returned to the palace to attend the banquet, while Qian Shengyan was helped to a small couch and ate with Qingxue, Lvliu and others at a small table with a hot pot.
"It hasn't snowed yet this year." Green Willow looked at the dark sky outside the window with some anticipation. "I wonder if it will snow today."
"Judging from the sky, it looks like it's going to rain," Qingxue said.
Of the four maids who originally served Qian Shengyan closely, two went to the Censorate, one left the palace to get married, and the remaining maid, Lüliu, said she didn't want to leave the palace and wanted to become a nanny. The Imperial Household Department did bring in a few more palace maids, but Qian Shengyan wasn't used to them, so they were just assigned to the outer rooms under the corridor.
After being moved to the Yuanmingyuan, she lived with the emperor, and the palace maids who served her were basically the same ones who had originally been from the Yangxin Hall. Now, only Qingxue and Lüliu remained by her side.
Just a few days ago, Yinzhen told her that now that she had been promoted to Imperial Noble Consort, the number of people serving her needed to be filled. Besides her aunt Qingxue, and with Lvliu and Xiang'er being considered palace maids, there were still six more palace maid positions available. The Imperial Household Department had just finished its preliminary selection this year, so they would choose some better ones for her later.
Qian Shengyan also felt that it was time to cultivate a group of trusted confidants. Since she came to the garden, there was no one left in the palace to guard the house. She could only ask Wang Baoen and Xiao Shunzi to guard the gate of Yongshou Palace and Xiang'er to watch over the sleeping quarters. There was no one else who could take turns to take turns.
"When you have some free time in a couple of days, Qingxue, go to the Imperial Household Department and select six more palace maids to come over," Qian Shengyan said as she ate. Her wounds had almost healed, and she could barely feel anything as long as she didn't make any big movements. Right now, the charcoal fire in the room was burning brightly, and she was wearing autumn clothes, slowly picking up beef from the pot to eat.
"Alright, I'll go choose, Your Majesty can rest assured." Qingxue smiled. Having been in the palace for many years, her eyes were not only incredibly accurate in judging people, but at least not too far off.
Before they had finished eating, the snow began to fall outside. Snowflakes the size of goose feathers drifted onto the windowpane. Qian Shengyan stopped eating, looked outside, then down at the pot, knowing that Yinzhen probably wouldn't be returning today.
Who knew that just as she finished cooking, put on her cloak, and asked someone to open the window to let the smell dissipate, she saw a group of people walking through the snow outside. At the head of the group, a dim yellow lantern faintly illuminated a pair of golden dragon boots.
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