After breakfast, the warm sunlight streamed through the glass windows into the observation room. Songkrijerha and the twins sat together at the round table, playing with the building blocks, nine-linked rings, and tangrams on the table.
Qingyan and Yingenjueluo sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the calm sea, as if everything from the day before was a dream.
"Little darling, this voyage has brought quite a few female relatives. The master wants us to go and take a look!" Lady Yin Genjue Luo knew that Qingyan, apart from necessary banquets, was the least fond of socializing. The Fourth Prince's residence hosted the fewest social events among all the princes.
"Sulan, you stay here and look after the child," Qingyan said, turning to Sulan. "Sister-in-law, let's go ahead. It's just time to finish breakfast now!"
Yingenjueluo nodded: "Going there like this would be beneath our dignity. Let's move them to the flower hall next door."
Qingyan pondered for a moment, then agreed with what Yingenjueluo said and quickly nodded in agreement.
Yingenjueluo called her maid to gather all the female relatives who had accompanied her. Qingyan gave the children a few instructions and then left with Yingenjueluo.
The two men sat in the seats of honor, waiting for the arrival of the women. Su Zhu reported the identities of the women accompanying them.
Sure enough, there weren't many wives among the female relatives; two-thirds were favored concubines.
"Greetings to the First Princess Consort, greetings to the Fourth Princess Consort!" The women lined up and entered the flower hall according to their husbands' official ranks.
Qingyan counted roughly and found that there were about twenty or thirty female relatives who had come with them. Only one or two were the principal wives, dressed in bright red palace dresses, while the rest were mostly dressed in pink palace dresses.
"Let's kowtow," said Yin Genjue Luo Shi, waving her hand.
After the women rose, they took their seats. They smiled, but their movements were somewhat restrained. In the capital, these women held very low official positions and had no chance to enter the palace during festivals. They were a little uneasy when they saw the prince's primary consort.
"This voyage is a kind of practical training exercise, and the women must work together in unity," said Lady Yin Genjue Luo.
The women listened to what Yin Genjue Luo said and realized that the quarrel among the women below yesterday had been learned by Jue Luo Shi and Qing Yan.
Su Zhu informed Qing Yan that yesterday, the women complained that the rooms assigned to Yin and Yin were not evenly distributed, and everyone was resentful, causing a disturbance in the cabins below. Yin was the first to find out and quickly asked Lady Yin Genjue to step in and resolve the matter, otherwise the soldiers' morale would also be low.
“Yes, Madam, we were too impulsive yesterday,” the woman on the lower left quickly said.
“She is the third daughter-in-law of the Left Censor-in-Chief’s family. She is the daughter-in-law of a concubine’s son,” Su Zhu said softly.
"Arguing over a house? You're a daughter-in-law of this family! You should understand the principle of humility!" Madam Yin Genjue sneered. "You were sent to the military port by your families so that your men could stand up for themselves. But instead of taking care of your own men, you're causing them trouble!"
The women all lowered their heads, listening to the reprimand from the wife of Prince Zhi. After hearing their complaints, the men also became suspicious of each other and were no longer as harmonious as before, which greatly annoyed Yin and Yin.
“Madam, we servants also have our own difficulties and dare not say much in front of the masters,” said the daughter-in-law of the Left Censor-in-Chief.
Yin Genjue Luo Shi and Qing Yan exchanged a glance. Without evidence, the women would certainly not admit their mistakes.
Qingyan pondered for a moment. This wouldn't do. If they kept refusing to admit their mistakes, the tasks that Yin and the others had entrusted to them would never be completed.
"Madam, we servants were also at fault. Some of the servants we brought were gossipy and spoke ill of the master in front of him." The principal wives all blamed the concubines for their mistakes.
Qingyan smiled and said, "Everyone knows what's going on, so let it go. Things in the military camp are all handled by men, so it's best for the women not to meddle!"
"Yes, Fourth Princess Consort!" The women realized that Qingyan was not easy to deal with. Despite being the youngest, she had quite a few ideas.
The women put away their disdain and became serious, looking at Yingenjueluo and Qingyan.
"Also, you are the women accompanying us, so please don't quarrel too much in the cabin. If you are really bored, you can copy scriptures." Lady Yin Genjue Luo disliked being disturbed by complicated matters every day. If the women could make her life easier, she would be very happy.
The women exchanged glances and began copying scriptures, thus reducing the time they spent outside the cabin.
"Madam, if we servants copy the scriptures and finish copying them, where should we send them to be enshrined?" The women also had their own thoughts. If they copied the scriptures but ended up not even having a place to enshrine them, they would be greatly disappointed.
"A Buddhist hall has been specially set up on the third deck of the ship. All the scriptures you have copied must be sent to that Buddhist hall for worship," said Yin Genjue Luo Shi directly.
Qingyan was also taken aback. It turned out that the ship had also been modified and a space for a Buddhist hall had been arranged.
"Princess Consort of Prince Zhi, may we go to the Buddhist hall to worship Buddha?" The women were unaware that there was a Buddhist hall on the ship and all wanted to go and see it.
“Alright, since all the women are here today, let’s go take a look at the Buddhist hall,” said Lady Yin Genjue Luo directly.
Qingyan stood up and followed closely behind, walking with Yingenjueluo towards the Buddhist hall. On the deck of the ship, Qingyan noticed that the women were far away from her.
"Sulan, when was the Buddhist hall established?" Qingyan asked, glancing at Sulan. Most of the news from outside came from Sulan and Suzhu.
"Before the Lunar New Year, His Majesty and Prince Zhi gave the order that a Buddhist shrine be specially set up during the ship's maintenance for the New Year," Su Lan quickly replied. "Madam, this Buddhist shrine was not prepared for you, but for the women of the household."
Qingyan was in high spirits. Regardless of who it was prepared for, it was definitely for the women. It seemed that he must have angered Yin during the last voyage.
"In addition, the women are no longer allowed to go to the 'operation' room on the first floor!" Su Lan stated all the new regulations directly.
Qingyan nodded: "It should have been done long ago. In the past, we always talked about it, but we never took any action. In the end, the women would go down and cause trouble, and they wouldn't listen to us!"
With the rules established, Qingyan felt that management would be much easier in the future.
"Madam, the master said again that you should try to mind your own business as little as possible, since there is a Prince Zhi's wife here!" Su Lan said in a low voice, noticing that Lady Yin Genjue Luo was quite far away.
Pfft!
Qingyan burst out laughing. Did Yin really want her to slack off?
Previously, when Lady Yin Genjue Luo was unsure of what to do, it was usually Qing Yan who resolved the issue.
"That's enough, we can't say that anymore." Qingyan understood that Sulan and the others were just standing up for her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
