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"I only care about Your Highness."
Everyone has selfish desires, and when it comes to the fight for the crown prince, Qingyang never expected that her eldest sister and three royal brothers would be genuinely happy for her, especially her eldest sister who once valued her eldest brother's position as crown prince more than her eldest brother.
Qingyang could understand her elder sister's appreciation of her, so she could also understand why she couldn't smile today. Qingyang had been taken care of by her elder sister when she was a child, so she believed what her elder sister said, "I'm happy for my younger sister."
Qingyang's selfish motive is that she has always cherished the sibling relationship with her elder sister and three royal brothers. However, cherishing it is enough, but Qingyang will not be bound by this blood relationship. As she said to the three royal brothers after returning to Beijing, she will be tolerant to those who respect her, whether they are relatives, friends or subjects. Qingyang will never tolerate those who bully her, disrespect her or even betray her, even if they are relatives or friends.
Therefore, it was enough that the eldest sister did not blame or hate her for the Crown Princess's affairs. The eldest sister still treated her as a younger sister, and Qingyang also still recognized this eldest sister.
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After the enthronement ceremony, all officials continued their duties for another day, and then the court was given a holiday, and both officials and civilians were busy preparing for the New Year.
This year we had a great victory in the Northern Expedition, so the New Year's Eve palace banquet must be grand, and all officials of the fifth rank and above are invited to the palace to attend the banquet.
Ministers could enter the palace before dusk, and royal relatives entered the palace in the morning. Prince Yong and the three brothers Qin Hong all brought their wives and children, and even Fu Kui brought his two children into the palace. Only Yongkang, who was still under house arrest, did not receive special permission.
Qingyang wasn't the only one who could plead for his eldest sister's early release from confinement. The two concubines and the four princes could all approach Emperor Xingwu if they so desired, but Qingyang was undoubtedly the one with the best chance of success. However, Qingyang knew that his eldest sister was being punished for accepting bribes, unlike the family incident in which his father's desire for an official position had angered his eldest brother and caused his father's irritation. The punishment for this crime was well known to the people of the capital. If his father released his eldest sister after only two months of confinement, what would the people think of him? How could he use his eldest sister's misdeeds to intimidate other members of the imperial family?
Qingyang believed her father's punishment was justified, so she wouldn't ask for it. If she did plead, she would only ask her father to grant her elder sister special permission to enter the palace on two special dates: her wedding and the following Mid-Autumn Festival. The New Year family reunion was more significant than the Mid-Autumn Festival, but only two months had passed since her elder sister's punishment, and only a few days since her enthronement ceremony. The timing was wrong.
Qingyang discussed the matter with her niece Fu Xi alone: "Grandfather Emperor is still angry now. When more time passes, I will plead for your mother."
Maintaining this family bond required the joint efforts of both parties. Qingyang needed to make her friends and family respect her, and also let them know that she wasn't indifferent to them. At the ceremony, her elder sister was happy for her, so Qingyang should return the favor.
Fu Xi felt that his aunt was beautiful, majestic but also gentle. His brother deserved to be beaten by his aunt simply because of his foul mouth. As she was so well-behaved, his aunt always liked her.
"Don't worry, auntie. My mother doesn't blame you for not pleading. She's been really anxious to not go out lately."
My mother is very concerned about her reputation. Now everyone remembers the scandal of her taking bribes and embezzling money. If she goes out, she will only be pointed at and criticized. It is better for her to stay at home and relax.
Qingyang smiled, half-hugged his niece and asked her what book she was reading recently.
Fu Xi answered truthfully. Ever since her aunt became an official, her mother had asked the teachers in the mansion to treat her with the same strictness as her brother. Fu Xi sometimes found it tiring, but when she thought of her aunt's talent and ability, she was willing to endure the hardship. She hadn't thought of becoming an official like her aunt when she grew up. She simply thought that if she read more, she would understand more and avoid the same wrong path her mother had taken.
The Crown Princess and her niece were just whispering to each other in the main hall of the Qianyuan Palace, so Emperor Xingwu, the two concubines and Prince Yong's family could all see their intimacy.
Qin Hong and Lu Wenrong looked at Zheng Ge'er, who was sitting on the left and right of their father with Ying'er at the same time.
Once upon a time, Zheng'er was the Crown Princess's favorite youngster. The affection she felt for watching him grow up day by day was something that could not be compared to Rui'er, who was less than a year old from the third family.
It was precisely because the couple had personally witnessed and heard Zheng Ge'er's resentment towards his aunt that they knew best why the Crown Princess was no longer close to Zheng Ge'er. Liking or hating someone never needs to be expressed explicitly; a few glances can confirm it, especially for children who are not good at hiding their emotions.
The relationship ended with Zheng Ge'er. Only when Zheng Ge'er truly repents will the Crown Princess consider accepting this nephew again.
After Qingyang had shown favor to her niece, she called her niece Ying'er, who had just accompanied her grandfather, to hug her. Then she called Rui'er, who could not walk or speak yet. Apart from the polite words when the children paid their respects, she never looked at Zheng'er and Fu Ming much from beginning to end.
The palace banquet was about to begin, and Qingyang followed his father to the Taiji Hall.
Zhang Su, the future consort of the imperial princess, was seated next to the Grand Consort Fu Kui, relatively close to Qingyang, and Qingyang's gaze would occasionally flicker towards Zhang Su. Speaking of which, she and Zhang Su hadn't been together during the Northern Expedition, and on the way back to the capital, due to the military's presence, they had little opportunity to spend time together alone. After returning to the capital, she was busy with the Secretariat, spending her days off accompanying her long-absent father. She saw Zhang Su less, and hardly ever spoke to him.
Tonight is not suitable either, there are too many people.
The next morning, the royal relatives came to the palace to pay New Year's greetings to the emperor, and Zhang Su, the future son-in-law, also came.
After everyone was about to leave after the New Year's greetings, Qingyang asked Zhang Su to accompany her for a walk in the Imperial Garden.
The Crown Princess invited them openly, so naturally no one dared to make fun of them.
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The Imperial Garden is bleak in winter and there is nothing much to see, but today the sky is blue and the wind is not strong, and the warm sun shining on my body is quite comfortable.
After entering the Imperial Garden, Jie Yu consciously kept a distance from the Crown Princess and the future Prince Consort in front of her, and fell far behind.
Qingyang glanced at the future prince consort who was two steps behind her: "Do you want me to keep tilting my head while I talk to you?"
Zhang Su then stepped forward, but he was still half a step behind the Crown Princess. He lowered his eyes when he met the Crown Princess's gaze.
Qingyang had long been accustomed to his attitude, and took the opportunity to take a good look at this face, which was even more handsome than in his youth. They had both become tanned during the Northern Expedition, but after returning to the capital, Qingyang had been using the facial cream sent by his mother and staying in the Secretariat, and his skin color had almost recovered. Zhang Su, however, was still exposed to the wind and sun on his trips to and from the West Camp...
Qingyang was surprised and asked, "How come your face recovered so quickly?"
Zhang Su's expression remained unchanged, his ears slightly red as he whispered, "Ever since Your Highness appointed the Crown Princess, my mother has been increasingly careful in disciplining me."
Fearing that his rough and dark complexion would displease the Crown Princess, she sent him a box of facial cream and instructed the servants who served him to watch him apply it morning and night. Fearing that he could not please the Crown Princess, his mother carefully selected more than a dozen storybooks for him to read, wanting him to learn how to serve the Crown Princess and how to maintain her favor and guard against others in the harem.
Zhang Su only reported the things that were convenient to tell to the Crown Princess.
Qingyang smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Madam. It's not necessary. I'm not that superficial in my treatment of you."
Perhaps she liked Zhang Su because of his face when they first met as children. The reason why Zhang Su was her "study companion" for seven or eight years when she was young was because she liked his talent and character more, and liked Zhang Su's respect and meticulous care for her. Later, Qingyang gradually felt Zhang Su's restrained emotions, and also tasted the pleasure of guessing and responding to such emotions.
Zhang Su thought of the herbal sachet the princess gave her before she went to the Pyu Kingdom, and the hug she received from behind when she parted with the princess before the Northern Expedition.
He raised his eyes and looked at the profile of the Crown Princess as she stared forward.
His attitude towards the Crown Princess was by no means superficial, but as the wedding date drew closer, he couldn't help but think of some superficial things. He wondered if the Crown Princess, who had always cared about the world since she was a child, had anticipated this.
Before the Crown Princess looked at him again, Zhang Su avoided her out of habit. It had nothing to do with simple respect. Since the Crown Princess came of age, Zhang Su became more and more afraid to look her in the eye. He was afraid that he could not hide his secret feelings for her, and that this secret feeling would become an offense to the Crown Princess.
Qingyang and Zhang Su were indeed childhood sweethearts, but she really couldn't see what Zhang Su was thinking at the moment, or rather, the four fathers and sons of the Zhang family were all equally taciturn.
Qingyang could only ask what she wanted to know: "You and I are getting married. To put it nicely, you will become the princess's son-in-law, but in fact, you will marry into the royal family. Do you really not care at all?"
If you care about me, I will divorce you immediately so that we can still maintain some of our old relationship.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Su knelt down, looked up at the Crown Princess who had stopped and turned, and said, "Your Highness, I only care about you. It would be my honor to be your consort. If not, as long as Your Highness is willing to use me, I am willing to follow you without any title or status and be loyal to you."
Qingyang asked him to stand up. After Zhang Su stood up straight, Qingyang walked forward and whispered, "You have the talent of a general. I will definitely use you. If I use you, I will give you the official position and military rank you deserve. What does it mean to be without a name or status?"
Zhang Su: “…”
Qingyang suddenly stopped and looked back at him: "...If you can't be my consort, would you rather be my male concubine?"
Zhang Su could control his eyes, but he couldn't control his face, which turned red in an instant.
Qingyang laughed, holding onto Zhang Su's arm and laughing out loud. The more Zhang Su refused to look at her, the more Qingyang turned to face him and chased him, teasing him: "You still want to be a male concubine? Do you know what a male concubine is like? Do you know how to flatter Qu Yanmeishang? Even if you can do it, aren't you afraid of offending the ancestors of the Zhang family?"
At first, the Crown Princess only held Zhang Su's arm, but because Zhang Su dodged, she changed to grabbing Zhang Su's sleeve.
Zhang Su was indeed embarrassed, but as he avoided her, all he could see was the Crown Princess with a red face smiling, and her slender figure who was laughing so hard that she could hardly stand up straight and was about to throw herself into his arms at any moment.
He knew better than anyone how beautiful the Crown Princess was, but the Crown Princess was even more majestic, and few of the ministers could see her carefree and cheerful side.
Zhang Su looked at the hand that was loosely pulling at his sleeve. As long as he held it, as long as he pulled it gently, he could pull the Crown Princess into his arms and make her forget to laugh at him.
Qingyang inexplicably felt as if the back of her hand was burned by his gaze, which made her let go of her hand in time.
Zhang Su then leaned forward and asked the Crown Princess sternly, "I truly only know that male favorites are nameless and without status. How can I be a good male favorite? Your Highness, please enlighten me."
Qingyang: "...The Emperor has already granted the marriage. You are a good princess and a prince consort. Why don't you learn to have a male concubine? Besides, I have never thought of having a male concubine."
She doesn't need those who use their beauty to please others.
Zhang Su couldn't help it and the corners of his lips rose slightly.
The rare and brief smile from the third son of the Zhang family actually made the Crown Princess stunned for a moment.
Her future prince consort may not have the talent of a male favorite, but he has a face that surpasses all male favorites.
Qingyang had never seen a male favorite, but she just knew it.
【Author’s words】
Here it comes, Ergeng is getting married, Ergeng is definitely getting married!
100 little red envelopes, see you tonight~
ps: Keep asking for nutrient solution [Three-color cat head]
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