Whether it was due to his unknown identity or genuine skill, young Hongshan won first place in the children's horse race. Overjoyed, he refused to ride in a carriage on the way back, insisting on riding a horse and even competing with the guards.
While Hongxuan was making a ruckus, Foerguochun sat sullenly in the car and refused to get out.
Qian Shengyan looked at her with amusement and picked up a pastry from the ground: "Rose pastry, good for cooling down the liver."
Folgochun: ...
Folgochun: "Mother! Look at him!"
"Who is it?" Qian Shengyan pretended not to know. "Hongshan? He's running pretty fast."
"Mother!" Foerguchun pouted. "Mother~" She leaned over and hugged Qian Shengyan's arm, shaking it gently. "That Mongolian princess said she would come to the capital with us to broaden her horizons, but do you think I don't know what Borjigit is up to?"
Qian Shengyan smiled and patted her daughter's hair without saying anything.
What are they planning? Need I say more?
He wanted to go to the capital to broaden his horizons. Every year, there were so many trips from Mongolia to the capital. He could go anytime, but this time he insisted on going with Yinzhen.
After all, from Huang Taiji to Kangxi, there were no fewer than one Mongolian concubine in the imperial harem, and before Kangxi, there was even a precedent of Mongolian princesses becoming empresses.
However, after five years on the throne, Yinzhen had little contact with the Mongols. Qian Shengyan was unaware that the Mongols had made the suggestion before, but this time, the Mongols insisted on including the two pearls of the grasslands in the caravan.
The Manchu-Mongol marriage alliance was an old custom. Emperor Kangxi married off his daughters, but Yinzhen only had one biological daughter and was reluctant to marry her off to a Mongol. However, he could not refuse the pearl that the Mongols had offered him.
Qian Shengyan guessed that Hongli or Hongzhou would probably add a concubine, and then another Mingzhu. If it was to strengthen relations with the Mongols, the best outcome would be for her to enter the harem.
She didn't know what Yinzhen was planning, and Yinzhen hadn't told her either. Qian Shengyan didn't dare let her expectations grow, so she could only pretend to be indifferent. Then—a grassland pearl, Qiqige, clearly took a liking to Er Rong'an.
Qian Shengyan didn't know why, she only knew that in the past few days, Qiqige had gone from secretly looking for E Rong'an to openly calling out to him.
Now, as a guard in the army, Er Rong'an spends his time patrolling the ranks on horseback, except for his shift breaks. Every time, Qiqige would find an excuse to call him over. Today was even worse; Qian Shengyan could hear the laughter of that grassland pearl even from several cars away.
Qian Shengyan couldn't help but find it amusing. This Qiqige was probably spoiled from a young age. Knowing that the purpose of coming to the capital was to arrange a marriage with the royal family, she still stubbornly befriended the guards on the way. What would happen to her in the future?
Folgochun crumpled a rose pastry so much that crumbs scattered all over the table without eating a single bite. Listening to the laughter outside the window, her expression grew increasingly inscrutable. Finally, she gave a cold laugh and said, "I'm going to see Father Emperor."
Qian Shengyan: ?
Just as she was about to ask if Folgochun was going to ask Yinzhen for a marriage decree, she heard Folgochun mutter to herself, "It just so happens that Fourth Brother doesn't have a concubine yet. This Qiqige is so cheerful, perhaps she can make Fourth Brother laugh more."
Qian Shengyan: ...
What a touching display of sibling affection!
But Folgochun's plan wasn't over yet: "If all else fails, let Father Emperor take her in, first bestow upon her the title of Noble Lady or Consort, and let's see if she still dares to joke around with other men like that."
Qian Shengyan: ...
She's such a good daughter, so filial to her mother.
Folgochun jumped out of the car in a huff and chased after the imperial carriage. Qian Shengyan sat there for a moment, propping her head up with one hand, but then she laughed.
What is she thinking? Yinzhen is the emperor.
Even though he didn't keep any of his concubines during last year's talent show, it doesn't mean he can't bring in new ones in the future. It just means he's currently full of passion and energy for politics and doesn't have time to indulge in the favors of beautiful women, but that doesn't mean anything.
He's the emperor, with three palaces and six courtyards—that's the basic setup.
Qian Shengyan smiled for a moment, then sighed and stopped thinking about it. A few days ago, news came from the palace that Hongli's concubine, Lady Fucha, had given birth to a son. She was already a grandson, so it was ridiculous for her to still be concerned about these things.
Slowly letting out another breath, Qian Shengyan stopped thinking about these things and continued with her work, preparing to hand out the mahjong tiles to Su.
There are only a few ways to play the leaf cards, and Qian Shengyan was starting to miss mahjong and playing cards. She planned to make mahjong first while she had more time on the road, and then have playing cards made after she returned to the capital. It would be nice to play Landlord with Geng and Guo when she got old.
Mahjong tiles are easy to make, and the designs on them can be drawn by an artist. But Qian Shengyan needs to decide on the specific design first, including the rules. She also plans to write them down so that everyone will know how to play. Isn't playing mahjong together more fun than competing for attention with young people?
"Your Highness, His Majesty requests your presence." Su Peisheng's voice rang out from outside the carriage. Qian Shengyan responded, but was in no hurry. She only stood up after finishing writing the last line on the paper.
It was time to rest. The convoy had stopped, and Qiqige's laughter had ceased at some point.
Qian Shengyan remained calm and helped Qingxue into the imperial carriage. Inside, she did not see Fuerguochun, but only Yinzhen, who was sitting there writing something.
"Your Majesty." Qian Shengyan gave a slight curtsy. Yinzhen looked up and smiled, "You've come at the perfect time. Come and see for yourself."
When Qian Shengyan went over to take a look, she saw that the painting, which she had started painting when she went to the Mulan Hunting Ground, had now been framed and placed on the table. What Yinzhen had just been writing was a poem for the painting.
A clear blue sky stretches for miles, where magpies ride on a celestial bridge.
Even the Heavenly Granddaughter has her promise; human relationships also exist.
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