"Sir, the Manchus and Hans are one family."
Actually, since the Second Princess was born to a concubine, it was unnecessary for the heir to greet her upon her return home. It would be a great honor for the legitimate son to greet her.
Khoja made this arrangement with a purpose. Firstly, the emperor bestowed the marriage to fulfill the promise of unity between the Manchus and the Han, which is why he married the princess and the imperial clan to a Han man.
He Zhuo's decision to have the crown prince greet him was also a veiled way of flattering Kangxi, indicating that our family attaches great importance to the Manchu-Han intermarriage alliance of the court, and that even the most critical officials would not say anything against choosing the eldest prince, Yin Zhi.
Secondly, while the Li family wasn't particularly prominent in the capital, they were a powerful and influential clan in Jiangnan, wielding considerable influence over the local populace. In many instances, their impact on the people even surpassed that of local officials. The fact that the Prince of Zhi's son welcomed his son-in-law also demonstrated the importance they placed on the family.
For scholars, appearances matter more than anything. The prince consort will naturally inform his family of this situation upon his return.
Thirdly, there's a high probability that the Second Princess and her husband will settle in the capital in the future. Given the high regard the household has for them, it will be easier for them to visit frequently. This is something Khoja is considering for the sake of the children; after Kangxi grows old, the household's power will inevitably decline.
When the sons move out to their own households, it will be necessary for them to maintain good relationships with their married sisters.
This can be considered an investment in the future, managing the in-law relationship well.
"Greetings from your daughter to her father. May your father be blessed."
"Your son-in-law greets Your Highness. May Your Highness be blessed."
"Daughter greets her mother, may her mother be blessed."
"Your son-in-law greets Your Highness, may Your Highness be blessed."
Yinzhi simply gave a haughty "hmm," and Hezhuo glanced at him helplessly before speaking gently: "Now that you're married, we'll all be family. So don't call me Prince's wife anymore; it sounds too formal. Although the Second Princess isn't my daughter, she's always been raised by me. You can just call her Father-in-law and Mother-in-law."
In fact, the Second Princess Fangwan was still a little nervous. But after hearing what her stepmother said, she felt relieved and her smile became much more genuine.
The young couple exchanged a glance and then changed their forms of address to greet each other again.
"Daughter and son-in-law pay their respects to Father and Mother!"
"Alright, alright, sit down!"
The atmosphere immediately became harmonious. He Zhuo then introduced the two concubines of the household, as well as several princes and princesses. After exchanging greetings,
He Zhuo pointed to the people around him and said, "This is Chao, a concubine in the manor and the birth mother of the Second Princess. You can call her Aunt Chao today."
If a princess is half slave and half mistress, then a concubine is a complete slave. She cannot be called a concubine and is basically addressed as "young lady" until her death.
Today, He Zhuo asked Chao's concubine to come and serve him so that the young couple could meet.
Regardless, Concubine Chao did give birth to the Second Princess.
When the Second Princess and Concubine Chao heard He Zhuo say this, they were initially surprised, but after the surprise came excitement and emotion. Both of them had tears in their eyes and even choked up for a moment.
"Fujin"
"Legal Mother"
"Alright, stop being so moved. You gave birth to the Second Princess, you deserve to be called a concubine," He Zhuo said.
The prince consort showed no resistance, nodded in acknowledgment, and called out, "Aunt Chao."
The second princess also called out softly, "Auntie."
"Oh!" Madam Chao's eyes were red, and she didn't know where to put her hands and feet after being called "Auntie".
Yinzhi was somewhat surprised by Hezhuo's actions and glanced at her. Hezhuo didn't care about other people's opinions; today was the Second Princess's homecoming, and in Hezhuo's view, she deserved to be called "Aunt" by the Prince Consort.
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