"Your Highness, I really don't know how to thank you." Princess Lan Feng made a gesture to stand up and salute.
She had changed into the clothes of the Kingdom of Us, a silver headdress, and an intricate royal blue dress, which made her look extremely pretty, just like the Blue Phoenix Princess who wanted to compete with everyone.
Yao Niang stretched out her hand and pressed: "No need to be polite, it's just a simple gesture. Our Holy Lord has always been wise. Now that the old prince has passed away, you are still young and must miss home. As for Princess He Rui, you don't have to worry, I will take care of everything in the palace."
Princess Blue Phoenix was reluctant to leave her daughter, but there was nothing she could do. She still wanted to go back to the place where the wind blew the grass and she could see cattle and sheep, where she could drink mellow milk tea, ride a horse, and be happy.
Even if she doesn't get married, she will be free. It's better than being trapped here.
Although she knew that the Celestial Empire was much better than the Kingdom of Us, with its endless silks and satins, delicious food, and even countless servants, as well as its majestic palaces, everything was better than her hometown.
But she just doesn't like it here.
Princess Blue Phoenix sincerely admired him: "Before, I just felt that I was inferior to you in piano skills, but now I really feel that you are the one that I admire."
If it were any other noble family in Dalin, they would probably look down on her and think she was disgusting. But only the Crown Princess could understand her.
Yao Niang didn't really care who was grateful or not, she just thought it was beneficial to both parties.
Little did she know that her effort today would become the key to Dalin's victory in the future. This is a story for another time.
Just after this autumn hunt, Princess Lanfeng returned to Wusi with her brother and sister-in-law, the King of Wusi and the Queen, and everyone else also returned to the capital. When Yao Niang returned, Chengze and Xun Ge'er were both in her carriage.
The children really seemed to have never seen anything like it before. Chengze lifted the curtain of the carriage and saw the shepherds jumping for joy and the cows mooing, which made his eyes sparkle with excitement.
"Mother, there is a little boy riding on the back of a cow. How can he herd cattle when he is so young?"
Yao Niang laughed when she heard this: "I don't know that herding cattle is the easiest job. Don't you know? There are leeches in the fields of farmers. When the sun is strong, people can faint from the sun. You can also find a job to herd cattle." I don’t know how comfortable it is to be in the shade of a tree.”
She used to herd cattle in the countryside of Fujian.
However, she also warned her two sons: "There are many kinds of small insects on this cow, so don't sneak up on it."
Chengze nodded.
After returning to Beijing, on Empress Hong's birthday, Yao Niang made needlework as a tribute, and the prince also had people collect some good things to send to her. Empress Hong was very satisfied that Yao Niang got rid of Princess Lan Feng, who was a big trouble.
Therefore, this time, in front of everyone, he praised Yao Niang's needlework: "I often say that the Crown Princess is filial and beautiful. I wear these headbands she made every day. Everyone is jealous of me for having such a beautiful wife."
"Thank you, mother."
“How can I say that I am praising you? Who didn’t praise your cleverness and dexterity in the past? Even the painting of Guanyin that you embroidered for me is what I hang in the Buddhist temple every day. You child, you are really humble.” Queen Hong was also very satisfied with the humility shown by her daughter-in-law.
Although sometimes the daughter-in-law is not flexible enough, for example, she is too tough on the matter of Concubine Duan and the Third Princess, but this also shows that the daughter-in-law protects her son, and she is willing to be flexible for her as the mother-in-law.
Princess He Rui of Jinyang Palace has not yet entered the palace. She is by the side of Princess Hong of Jinyang Palace. She knows that after Princess Lanfeng returned to the country, she took good care of her sister-in-law.
No matter what, if you take someone's mother away and don't take good care of her, the people above you won't stand up for her in the future.
Queen Hong expressed her appreciation for Princess Jinyang's behavior, but it would be easier to arrange a marriage for He Rui if He Rui was raised in the palace, so she said, "After a few days, the palace will have someone bring He Rui to the palace, and all the allowances will be transferred from the palace."
Princess Jinyang brought Princess Herui to pay their respects, and the two sisters-in-law stood up again.
The royal family attaches great importance to etiquette, and the higher the position, the more polite and considerate one must be.
Now that Yao Niang knew that Empress Hong was in charge of the six palaces, she did not say much and did not treat Princess He Rui specially. She left this favor to Empress Hong to bestow.
Not far away, Yu was relieved when she saw the empress lifting Yao Niang.
What a mother worries about most is that her daughter will not have a good life in her husband's family after she gets married.
If it were an ordinary family, it would be easy to suppress the other party, but it happened to be the royal family, so Yu could only hope that her daughter could meet a good mother-in-law. Judging from the reputation inside and outside, although Empress Hong was suspected of being a favored concubine or a seductive concubine, there is no doubt that she is also a very good person.
At least for so many years, my daughter seemed to have no problems with the mother-in-law, and there were no conflicts between wives and concubines in the inner house. This was more relaxed than that of ordinary wives of officials.
It's just that I can't see my family often.
After returning, Yu also expressed her feelings to Luo Zhizheng, who said, "Come on, now at least she doesn't have to kowtow every day. You see, you are already a first-rank lady, but you still have to kowtow everywhere when you enter the palace. Your daughter has to accept courtesy from almost everyone except the emperor and empress."
Yu was still able to accept this explanation.
"Yes, no matter what, we have a princess in our family, so other people will look up to our daughters."
"That's not necessary. I have never seen anyone better than my daughter." Luo Zhizheng waved his hands.
Perhaps the Luo family has a talented person in every generation. In his generation, it is him, and in the next generation it will be Yao Niang. In this way, the Luo family can be rich for several generations.
Anything more would be asking for too much.
Yu was choked by his words and said, "Master, you can see your grandson every day, but I can't."
Luo Zhizheng smiled and pinched his beard: "Taisun is extremely intelligent and brilliant. If he can succeed to the throne smoothly, it will be a blessing for our dynasty."
Taisun and the prince are somewhat different. When the prince was young, he was very easy to express his preferences. He was a decent person and liked to practice Taoism. In short, he was somewhat arbitrary, but unfortunately his martial arts skills were too strong.
For example, he doted on women. Although Yao Niang was his own daughter, it was rare for a prince to be so devoted.
As a man, especially as his own son-in-law, Luo Zhizheng was very supportive. But if this man was the emperor, it would be a bit dangerous. The emperor that everyone expected did not need to be affectionate, but rather a little ruthless, so that the entire dynasty could last long.
Since ancient times, deep love will not last long, and extreme wisdom will inevitably hurt.
Also, if a king indulges himself too much in spiritual practice, it may harm his longevity.
But I can't tell this to my wife. All she thinks about every day is her children and family. Telling her about other things will only make her worry in vain.
After Yu sat down, she said to Erzhen, "Tell the ladies not to come over anymore. They are not young anymore. Just let them take care of their children and grandchildren."
Just like Fan has several grandchildren, Wang also has young children, not to mention Zhu.
Erzhen went over to pass on the message that Fan was very thin when she was young and she aged very quickly as she got older. She said she was several years younger than Yu, but she was actually not as young as Yu.
It’s not for any other reason, because Luo Jingxi becomes more lustful as he gets older.
He was still a little arrogant, but after being warned by his father Luo Zhizheng, he did not dare to act rashly and used all his strength on women. As long as it was a woman, although she had given up on men, she would still lose face.
When she was young, Mrs. Fan had a gentle temperament, but now that she is a grandmother, she is always in a bad mood for some reason.
The maid was shocked: "Madam, this is Kuding tea. You have already had a cup. Do you want more?"
"I've been feeling irritable lately, so I need another cup." Mr. Fan is afraid of both heat and cold.
Today is the Queen's birthday. They got up early in the morning and rushed to the palace. After half a day of hard work and a long journey, Fan always felt irritable. She was different from her mother-in-law. Although her mother-in-law had a rough life when she was young, she raised a daughter who was very capable. Later, the old lady was only good to her.
In the past, people said that Yu was a second wife, and seemed to be inferior to Wang, who was born in a marquis's mansion. However, the Wang family has been fragmented and declining in recent years, and no one remembers the Wang family anymore.
The people who came to Beijing to curry favor with were all the mistress of the Luo family, Old Lady Yu, the biological mother of the Crown Princess and the principal wife of Luo Gelao.
Whenever Yu went out, there were many people who would take the initiative to talk to her and come forward to curry favor with her.
In fact, sometimes Fan didn’t understand that a man of her father-in-law’s status was not so fickle. Although he had three or five female confidants, he never brought them home.
Even the prince, who is young, handsome, and powerful, is devoted to his sister-in-law.
Therefore, Fan was very angry when he heard Luo Jingxi's lies.
Before she finished her second cup of Kuding tea, Song Jieer came in. Fan said hurriedly, "You're going to give birth in a few days, why are you here?"
"I heard that you, Madam, have returned from the palace, so your daughter-in-law hurried here to serve you." Sister Song walked forward with a smile.
The Fan family was still very satisfied with Song Jie'er. Besides, Song Jie'er was their niece, cousin, and relative for generations.
"You don't need to come and serve me here. The most important thing is to take good care of yourself." Mrs. Fan said with concern.
Song Jieer sat down and talked for a few more sentences before she said with a hint of envy, "Today is the Queen's birthday. It's a pity that I can't go in and kowtow to the Queen, let alone greet my aunt."
In the past, Song Jie'er called Yao Niang "fifth aunt", but after she got married, she started calling her "aunt".
"Everything is fine with the Crown Princess, don't worry. This time, the Empress praised the needlework presented to the Crown Princess again and again, and said that the Crown Princess is filial." When Fan was young, she was almost framed, and it was thanks to the help of this sister-in-law, so she hoped that she would have a safe and smooth life.
Song Jie'er's eyes flickered before she said, "My daughter-in-law heard that there is a rule in the palace that if the masters are sick, the ladies have to serve them. The Empress is blessed with great fortune, so we don't have to worry about entering the palace."
範氏點頭：“是有這樣的規矩，就是太子妃生産時，老太太也進宮住了好幾個月才回家了。但若是生病了，都要過去侍疾的。”
頌姐兒笑道：“現在宮裏的貴人們都年輕，身體都好，倒是免了這些了。”
“誰說不是呢。”
宮中自從洪皇後壽辰過後，都平靜了好些時日，瑤娘就在家裏帶女兒，雖說是帶女兒，但女兒身邊仆從不少，她也就是每日抽空和玉藻相處。
孩子們越來越大，逐漸瑤娘也想要清靜一下，否則，成日都是圍着孩子轉。
但宮中就是數着節日過日子，剛清靜沒幾日，就又要冬至了，這一年冬至算得上濃墨重彩了，因為承運下場了。
看着承運肆意的眉眼，瑤娘總好像看到當年的高玄策，那個時候，這個人也是這樣意氣風發的。
一瞬間，也過去十幾年了，這日子還過的真快。
但瑤娘依舊覺得，自己還是那個十五歲的瑤娘，沒什麽太大變化。
冬至之後，皇上的身體就不太好了，對外當然是瞞着，可高玄策卻很知曉這點。
“父皇以前精于書畫，回複的奏折都講究形意，現下卻是僵硬了許多，看起來手都是顫抖的。從去年開始，福寧殿的太監就開始巴結我。你一貫是很知道分寸的，越是這個時候，咱們就越要守住。”
瑤娘點頭：“我知曉，現下承運在禦前，那日母後讓我現下開始相看起來，我也并未答複，說一切但憑他們作主。”
這就還是以帝後二人為主。
高玄策笑道：“嗯，這樣說就可以，日後承運的婚事還是我來操心。”
“那肯定，你看人一貫還是很準的。”瑤娘總覺得承運長大之後，最了解他的不是自己而是高玄策。
前世她就不太敢管這個兒子的事情，因為他前世二十好幾也沒成婚，她也沒管。
總覺得兒子只是借着她的肚子出來，并不是真的像他們倆。
高玄策看着瑤娘，也覺得神奇：“這世上的婆婆都恨不得壓兒媳婦一頭，你倒好，怎麽跟沒事人似的。”
“又不是跟我過日子，我管那麽多做甚，反正在宮裏這樣也挺好的，大家彼此都有分寸。”瑤娘壓根不在意什麽兒媳婦孫子孫女這些。
她總覺得這是兒子們自己的房中事，她怎麽好管，她只是把自己的孩子管好，管好高玄策就好了。
所以，承運房裏都沒放人，以至于剛十四歲的黃如霜可能被麗貴妃選中時，瑤娘都覺得怎麽黃如霜這麽快居然也到了成婚的年紀。
“至少要等到王妃進門後，才會封她做側妃。說起來，若非是因為真陽，怕是側妃還封不了。”洪皇後道。
黃如霜父親曾經遭到貶谪，出了很不光彩的事情，但由于她本人是真陽公主女兒的伴讀，憲國公的外孫女，倒也不是一般人，一個側妃還是可以的。
況且麗貴妃受寵，五皇子來日必定會封親王。
瑤娘道：“真是沒想到黃姑娘被麗貴妃看中了。”
皇家側妃是有品級的，很多外面的人總覺得說皇上除了皇後之外都是妾，這種想法是錯誤的，妃嫔都是命婦，都有登記，這個普通的妾侍可不太一樣。
而親王側妃等級相當于是郡王嫡妃，這對于黃如霜而言倒是不錯。
“這也是她的造化了，明年五皇子就十五了，宮裏也開始籌辦婚事。就是麗貴妃也太着急了些，你們進門時，我可從未安排什麽側妃在身邊。”洪皇後覺得自己很厚道了。
即便自己的大兒子有甘側妃，那也是因為徐青容生育的問題，剛開始可沒人給這些王妃們添堵。
聞言，瑤娘連忙誇道：“母後對我們都似自家女孩兒似的。”
說起來，瑤娘也不知曉麗貴妃挺懂事的人，怎麽在這個上面犯了錯，殊不知洪皇後最清楚了，她就道：“她出身低微，雖然承蒙皇上喜愛封了貴妃，可到底底氣不足。”
瑤娘忍不住搖頭：“這又是何必呢。”
“你們還年輕，不懂這些。”洪皇後年輕的時候幾乎得到建章帝全部的偏愛，高玄策之前也是對她非常孝順。
當然，兒子為了娶瑤娘也很瘋，她當時不得不妥協，可她不想如此，怕兒子生氣。
好在瑤娘進宮以來，一直都還不錯，婆媳之間有些龃龉，可是看在兒子的面子上就過了。當然，根據小道消息，麗貴妃擡舉黃如霜也是為了自己的兒子。
打壓莊氏是真，說到底也還是為了能夠讓自己兒子開心。
婉婉也是含笑推門進來對黃如霜道：“真是沒想到，你和五皇叔，你們……”
“你說什麽呀！”黃如霜撫弄着辮梢，都覺得自己不敢相信了。
“麗貴妃都請陛下同意了，你還說是什麽呢，正好這次回去，你可以告訴你娘了。”婉婉和她娘真陽公主不同，她從小在宮中長大，深谙人心。
黃如霜的母親莊令儀很巴結自己的娘，其原因也是因為她這個女兒，現下黃如霜也算是有出息了。
包括黃如霜本人及周圍人都覺得她前程不錯的時候，黃如霜回到家中，當然也是和莊令儀如此提起。
哪裏知曉莊令儀幾乎暈倒：“你為何要如此呢？你做側室，與人做妾有什麽分別。我只是讓你前途好點，沒有讓你做妾啊。”
這算什麽啊，居然去做妾。
這個皇宮果然不是個正常的地方。
即便過了很多年，莊令儀曾經因為守寡趨向于自己當年為何不去争取宸王正妃的身份，可她從未想過女兒眼皮子這麽淺，去做人家側室。
黃如霜解釋道：“不是那種妾，是側妃，有品級的。也不會随便被人針對，而且女兒和五皇子見過幾面，他很喜歡我的，還有麗貴妃娘娘賞賜過我好幾次了。”
她其實很希望獲得娘親的贊許，因為她能夠夠到這個位置已經很不容易了。
不說別的，當年周王側妃甘氏，身份遠遠高于她，如果不是她自己主動讓五皇子對她上心，麗貴妃也不會讓她做側妃，日後等正妃進門，她就可以進門了。
莊令儀冷笑一聲：“你知不知道你在做什麽？做妾的有幾個好的，色衰愛馳，你又如何是好？都是我的錯，早知道如此，我還不如讓你在家中，不必進宮，找個平凡的書香人家，這樣你也平平靜靜的。”
她是找到黃道賓這樣的寵妾滅妻之人，可那也是因為憲國公府當年沒弄清楚他是否還有未婚妻的緣故，只看他年輕有才就招他做女婿。
嫁給這個武官，日子也并不是很難過的，他雖然有些行為的确不似文人，但是對她也頗為敬重，盡管不了解她內心所想，但過日子嘛，有責任心的男人才叫丈夫。
到了她這個年紀什麽風花雪月都沒了，女兒卻真的以為憑借寵愛可以出頭，真的是太過天真了。
可黃如霜早已見識過人情冷暖：“娘，您別再說這些了，女兒知曉，您是憲國公的女兒，曾經十裏紅妝出嫁，身份又尊貴。可到了女兒這裏，女兒只是個七品縣令的女兒，父親還去世了，家族也無依靠，反而還得靠我們。如果真的回來找一門好親事，也無非就是嫁給勳貴家不成器的子弟，或者嫁不到嫡支的兒子，還得讓女兒陪嫁大量的嫁妝。生出來的孩子處處都要低人一等，可如果嫁給五皇子，至少生出來孩子不是親王世子就是郡王，甚至最少也封國公，天潢貴胄，無人能比拟。”
莊令儀說不通：“你覺得你就一定能生兒子嗎？”
“那女兒嫁給普通人，如果生不出孩子豈不是更慘。”
莊令儀見女兒一條道走到黑，也不好再說什麽了，口氣也軟和下來：“你若真的做了側妃，我們娘家人也沒法子幫你，只是你表舅那邊的人明裏暗裏擠兌我。”
這個表舅當然指的是建國侯府了，想來建國侯現在身份不低，女兒即将成為五皇子妃，臨了被族兄府上的外孫女搶了先，還打了臉。
要知道皇上的其他皇子都是婚後才有側妃，甚至除了周王有側妃，其餘都沒有。
建國侯的女兒嫁進宮中，居然被自家人截胡，讓人怎麽說？
還有太孫的伴讀是未來五皇子妃的哥哥，人家還清楚黃如霜是怎麽勾引的五皇子，莊令儀只覺得自己回娘家一趟，臉都丢盡了。
女兒自覺聰穎，可哪裏知道她的小動作瞞不過別人，這種從小靠着莊家長大，還要截胡莊家姑娘的表姑娘，怎麽可能會讓人喜歡？
Huang Rushuang didn't mind: "Everything is in the hands of people. At that time, Prince Chen was not favored by everyone. They thought that Lin's mother and son were the orthodox ones. Later, everyone thought that Prince Zhou was good. In short, they thought that status could determine everything. But from the Prince Chen's case, the greater the risk, the greater the reward. Mother, my daughter's family background is so ordinary, my father died early, and my brother is still studying. This path is the best way out for my daughter. If you agree, I will be very happy. If you don't agree, I won't force you. I just hope that you can live smoothly in the future."
Zhuang Lingyi felt mixed emotions when she heard her daughter's words. Back then, she was the most adamant one among those who did not agree that Prince Chen would become the crown prince.