In front of the dressing table, Yao Niang looked at herself in the bronze mirror. Her cheeks were slightly rosy, her eyes were full of spring water, and the corners of her eyes were slightly raised. Although her appearance had not changed, she seemed more charming and more feminine.
Gao Xuance was already in the study. When he saw Yao Niang come out, the two of them had a casual breakfast and then went to pay their respects to Concubine Hong.
Concubine Hong only instructed Yao Niang: "Give my regards to your parents. You don't have to stay here with me. Just go early and come back early." Because Guining couldn't be back after noon. Now, if she left the palace, she had to come back in the time it took to talk. If she was later, she might just go back to greet her family and come back, which would be a waste of time.
Although she had only been married for a few days, Yao Niang missed her family very much. She also didn't know what had happened to Jing Hao. On the wedding day, Jing Hao wanted to send her off, but he was young and was depressed because he failed the county exam.
She is eager to go home, yet she is also a little homesick. This is what Yao Niang is talking about.
Gao Xuance had dealt with Luo Zhizheng and Luo Jingxi, father and son, before. To be honest, Luo Zhizheng was the most outstanding man in the Luo family, but he had an arrogant temperament and was not easy to get along with, which was completely different from Yao Niang.
Yao Niang was not only gentle and considerate, but also knowledgeable and interesting. He went to the Ministry of Revenue to report the day after his wedding and was away from home from morning to night. She did not complain at all, but took care of the housework very well.
He knew all this, but what he wanted to win was the support of his father-in-law. After all, the Ministry of Rites should submit a petition to appoint a crown prince, especially since the princes had already started their own families and careers.
There were infantrymen outside clearing the way and pulling up cloth barriers. The prince sat in an elephant carriage decorated with ivory, which was extremely luxurious. Yao Niang and Gao Xuance rode in the same carriage. Everything in the palace had rules, including that Yao Niang, as the consort of Prince Chen, would have phoenix sedan chairs, small sedan chairs, and walking and sitting barriers when she traveled in the future.
"My Lord, you have already met my father and my two elder brothers. I also have a younger brother who is thirteen years old and is studying in the academy. I raised him and we have a very good relationship. When I got married, my mother said that the child cried." Yao Niang was telling Gao Xuance which brother in the family was closer to her.
Gao Xuance could of course understand what Yao Niang meant. She was the daughter of a stepmother and loved her brothers more. In fact, after he and Yao Niang were caught in adultery in his previous life, only Yu Shi really cared about this daughter in the family, and everyone else avoided her as much as possible.
Therefore, Gao Xuance said: "He is your third brother, right? Since he is your brother, you should treat him as my brother."
Yao Niang didn't come here to ask for anything, she just wanted to make clear their close relationship.
Hearing Gao Xuance's words, he could not help but say, "My elder and second brothers have already started families, but my younger brother is younger. I always worry when I'm not around him. Now that the prince has said so, I feel relieved."
Gao Xuance nodded, and seeing Yao Niang sitting upright, an indescribable feeling surged in his heart.
In their previous life, they had hastily exchanged invitations and were immediately sent together. He was afraid of being discovered and was almost unwilling to show his hand in public. Moreover, this marriage was too forced and he was not planning to stay in Anzhou for a long time. Therefore, he had never experienced the shortcomings of his parents and would not consider it.
But only after this grand wedding did he understand how to marry a wife and what his wife thought.
Unlike in his previous life, he would not ask Yao Niang about anything, and Yao Niang would not talk to him. When the two of them went to Anzhou, they went separately for fear of being in the same room. If it weren't for her being a wet nurse, they would probably not speak to each other for the rest of their lives.
Little did they know that the Luo family was also preparing to welcome the return of Prince Chen and his wife. Since Yao Niang got married, everyone had only one word in mind on the first day: tired. But afterwards, both Yu and Luo Zhizheng felt a little lost.
Jinghao had already put on his clothes and followed his father and brother, wanting to see how his brother-in-law treated his sister.
Luo Zhizheng didn't care. He had heard from the Ministry of Rites that his son-in-law went to the Ministry of Revenue the day after his wedding and got along very well with everyone in the Ministry from the first day. This showed his ability.
As for the female family members, Yu was also waiting at the second gate with Old Lady Dou. Ren looked at Yu with great jealousy. She remembered how badly Luo Zhizheng treated her when Yu got married. She also had a pair of burdens and even giving birth to a son was difficult. How could Ren look down on Yu at that time?
Even when Yu's daughter was found, she still felt a little sympathy for Yu and felt that she had done something wrong.
But later, Yu's daughter who came back from the countryside gradually surpassed her daughter, and everything became different. Yu's son was successfully raised, and even her husband became a minister.
Even if her third uncle retires in the future, she will still have a daughter who is a princess, and no one will dare to look down on her.
This was what Ren had always dreamed of. Her son was of mediocre talent. Actually, he was not mediocre in talent, but he could not compare with his second and third uncles who were both Jinshi graduates. Therefore, she had already lost the game. Not to mention that Yu did not rely on her son, but on her own daughter, the biological mother of Princess Chen, who had a higher status in the mansion.
If you don't live to a certain age, you will never know what is likely to happen. For example, Luo Jingrou, who seemed to have a bright future, passed away, and Luo Yaoniang, who looked like a skinny monkey, suddenly became the Princess of Chen.
As they were thinking, a young eunuch came in to report: "Reporting to the old lady and the ladies, the prince has arrived at the main gate, and the princess's sedan chair is following closely behind."
Yu quickly cheered up.
Because men and women were separated, it was very difficult for Yao Niang to see her father and brothers, as her sedan chair went directly to the second gate. This was why she said those words to Gao Xuance.
As soon as the curtain opened, everyone around knelt on the ground. Yao Niang had been a first-rank lady in her previous life, but when she enjoyed the honor, her family had long been divided.
Now that she saw her family, she quickly asked the female official to help Old Lady Dou up, and then said to Yu, "Mother."
The female relatives escorted Yao Niang in. They saw that she was not dressed up like she was on her wedding day. She wore the seven-pearl crown that was a betrothal gift. Her expression was not as dignified as that of a clay Buddha. Instead, she looked normal. After entering the house, she was invited to sit in the seat of honor. She could not help but say, "I have only been away for three days, but it feels like three years."
What Yu was most worried about was how her daughter and son-in-law got along. The women of the Luo family were also concerned about this. After sending the servants away, Yu felt sad for no reason when she heard her daughter's words, but she still asked, "How do His Royal Highness the Prince get along with you?"
"Your Highness is a very considerate and caring person, and he treats me very well."
This is the truth, and Yu and others breathed a sigh of relief after hearing it.
At this time, the men also gathered together to talk. Since they were a family, they spoke more familiarly. Luo Zhizheng saw that Prince Chen was indeed handsome, dignified, and spoke very appropriately.
"I am currently working in the Ministry of Revenue. I have heard that my father-in-law also worked there before. I will definitely ask you for advice in the future."
Luo Zhizheng was also a straightforward person: "If Your Highness has any questions, I will definitely tell you everything I know. In fact, I think Your Highness doesn't need to be too anxious."
Of course he thinks his son-in-law is good, but for a young man, being too capable is not a good thing. If you were the crown prince, it would be fine, but you are only a prince now. If you are too capable, you will become a thorn in the crown prince's side in the future.
Luo Jingxi was smiling at first, but when he heard this, he felt it was inappropriate. Was it obvious that the emperor did not make Lin the empress just because of Concubine Hong?
Gao Xuance thought to himself, in my previous life, Luo Zhizheng had always supported the Lin family. Now, do I have to listen to my eldest brother? That won't do. Some things are destined to die if you don't gamble. If that's the case, why not gamble?
Unlike other nobles, he was no longer the kind of person who would get angry when others disagreed with him. Instead, he said with a cheerful face, "Father-in-law, you don't know that I have to accompany my father to Chengde next month. If I am late, it will be the last month when I return, and I will have to wait until next year to work at the Ministry of Revenue."
This made sense, and Luo Zhizheng's face softened after hearing it. Gao Xuance smiled again and said, "The princess told me that there is no book in this world that you are not proficient in. I have been reading recently..."
When it came to books, Luo Zhizheng had more to say, but Luo Zhizheng was, after all, an official appointed by the imperial court. He had served in the Ministry of Revenue, and had been sent out to the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites. It could be said that he had very wide connections. When the two of them walked into the inner room, Luo Jingxi, Luo Jingyuan and the Jinghao brothers tactfully withdrew.
When they reached the inner room, Luo Zhizheng glanced at Gao Xuance and said, "Although I have worked in the Ministry of Personnel for many years and have a wide network of contacts, Your Highness knows that all of my students want to make the eldest prince the crown prince. After all, this is the rule of our ancestors."
This is a very straightforward statement, telling Gao Xuance that even if Luo Zhizheng supports it, others will definitely not support it.
Gao Xuan Ce nodded: "If I were a minister, I would definitely do the same. Since ancient times, if there is a legitimate heir, the heir is appointed as the heir. If there is no legitimate heir, the eldest son is appointed as the heir."
Luo Zhizheng was a little surprised, because what Gao Xuance did was clearly an attempt to seize power.
But Gao Xuance said, "It's just that we, the children of the royal family, have no control over our status. I'm fine with it, but what if my mother is forced to be buried alive with me in the future? Besides, my title is 'Chen', and my father has cultivated me with great care. I just don't want to let him down."
Luo Zhizheng also thought so when he heard this. Whoever the emperor favored, who could he refuse? Just like he liked Yu, and now he no longer went to the concubines, many people talked about Yu, but it was clear that he liked Yu and didn't want to leave her.
For the sake of their daughter, their family has already boarded the boat of the King Chen. Can he gain others' forgiveness if he cuts off all ties?
"Your Highness, you are right. Since we have become a family, I will just ask you to do anything if there is anything." Luo Zhizheng said.
Gao Xuance did not expect Luo Zhizheng to be so decisive. It seemed that this was an unexpected gain from marrying Yao Niang. If his father-in-law did not dote on this daughter, he probably would not be where he is today.
There are few people in official circles who care about feelings, but only about exchanging interests.
Gao Xuance immediately spoke to Luo Zhizheng for a few more words. When the two came out, Luo Jingxi and the others could not tell anything from their faces. However, when Gao Xuance saw Luo Jinghao, he became more friendly: "This must be the third brother. He is really a dragon with a beautiful figure and looks very similar to the princess."
Luo Jinghao has been under the control of his mother and sister for many years. Although he is thirteen years old, he is still treated as a child. Now seeing Wang Ye's brother-in-law praising him, he quickly stepped forward and said, "Brother-in-law, you are flattering me."
In terms of appearance, Luo Jinghao is actually very fair and handsome, but Luo Jingyuan looks more imposing, with a bloody feel, which is probably related to the person's situation. Luo Jingxi is the eldest son, and he is pampered and has no worries about his future. Luo Jinghao is the son of the second wife, and his mother is quite spoiled. He was raised by a woman since he was a child, and his temperament is very gentle and honest. Only Luo Jingyuan is a concubine's son, and he has to rely on himself for everything.
Such a person is easy to use because he wants to move up, but he is also prone to accidents.
On the other side, Yao Niang was talking to Shi Yu: "Look at you, why are you getting thinner again? I tell you, getting married requires a lot of kowtows, which is very tiring, you should not lose too much weight."
After Yao Niang said this, Shi Yu felt that his sister had not changed, because she often spoke to him like this before.
"Sister, it's not that I've become thinner, it's that there's only fish and meat in the house these days, and I really can't eat it. Normally when you're around, no one stares at me, but now my aunt stares at me every day. The more they stare at me, the less I can eat. I've been eating rice soaked in tea for the past two days, and as a result, my stomach is uncomfortable." Shi Yu wanted to cry when he mentioned it.
Normally when she is with her sister, she can eat whatever she wants as long as it doesn't involve ice or cold food, and she can talk to her sister about anything. But these few days when she is with her aunt, the adults and she have completely different ideas.
Yao Niang said distressedly, "You can't do this. I told my mother that you should come over to my wife's place to eat. Also, I will marry Chengde with your brother-in-law next month. You have always been afraid of the cold, so when you get married, I will ask the palace to make some fur clothes for you, okay?"
"Sister, don't think about me." She was very glad that she did not listen to her aunt and become enemies with her sister. Not only did she gain a sister, but she also gained a friend.
"How can I not think of you? You are my sister! If the Jiang family bullies you, you must tell me." Yao Niang said, holding her arm.
Shi Yu smiled and said, "I'm not afraid of their family. Last time their family came here, they implied that Jiang Hongpei is already in his twenties and I just got married this year. I'm still young, so they were thinking of sending someone over to serve me. It seemed like they were doing it for my own good."
Shi Yu's fiancé Jiang Hongpei is 26 years old this year. He passed the imperial examination and is a Hanlin Academy student. He is eleven years older than Shi Yu, but comes from an aristocratic family and is quite talented.
Yao Niang snorted coldly: "It's true that the emperor is not anxious, but the eunuch is. If he had the ability, he could let Jiang Hongpei marry again. Why are you talking about this now? He knew your age when you just got married, and you are going to get married this year. Is it to show your power?" However, Yao Niang still advised her: "Don't make enemies with your brother-in-law. After you get married, just keep him in your hands first, don't worry about other things, and don't be so virtuous. Who can do anything to you?"
Shi Yu secretly took note of what her sister said. Yu came over again and invited Yao Niang to take the table.
Because they couldn't go back after noon, the family prepared wine and food early in the morning. Yao Niang took the opportunity to change clothes to have a private talk with Yu. When Yu heard that the Prince of Chen specially prepared a cat for her to relieve her boredom, she also whispered: "The Prince of Chen loves you, you should be more considerate of him."
How could she know that Yao Niang did not show the slightest bit of shyness, which was completely different from her outside expression: "These are nothing. I told His Highness about the relationship between Jinghao and me. I thought that in a few years, if Jinghao fails in his studies, I would let the prince find a military position for him. With a position as an official in the Jinyi Guard, it would be a long-term foundation to be passed down to future generations."
Of course, if Prince Chen really sits on the throne one day, his younger brother will be the Duke, which is different.
Yu originally thought that her son-in-law and daughter were in love, but when she saw her daughter talking about these things seriously, she was a little stunned: "Mother Yao, are you thinking too far ahead?"
"How can this be considered far away, mother? If you don't think about the future, you will have to worry about the present. I am still newly married, so I won't be so impatient, but if there is a chance, why should I refuse it?"
Of course, she wouldn't be so foolish as to bring it up, but if there was a chance, she would definitely think of Jinghao.
Otherwise, is it really noble to be a princess?
Yu felt that her daughter's character would not be driven by emotions at all. She definitely had feelings for Prince Chen, but she would not be tempted by male beauty, which was rare.
How many women become completely devoted to men just because of something they do occasionally? They forget about their parents and relatives, and only have that man in their eyes and hearts.
You know, it's very difficult for a princess without a background to survive.
"Mother Yao, I know how you feel about your brother, but you have to protect yourself first."
"That's for sure, don't worry."
When getting married, people always feel sad, but after getting married, unknowingly, they become guests at home, and the palace feels like their home instead.
This time when she went back to her parents' home, she had to return to the palace before she had even had a few bites of the meal. She was able to adapt to a new place and a new environment very quickly.
Gao Xuance beside her closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. Yao Niang asked carefully, "Your Highness, are you tired?" They had been too noisy yesterday and asked for water three or four times. Yao Niang was okay because she was quite gifted in sex, but she was afraid that Gao Xuance could not bear it.
Gao Xuance was pleasantly surprised to have received Luo Zhizheng's promise today. He was taking a nap when he heard Yao Niang asking him if he was tired. Gao Xuance immediately opened his eyes and said, "No, I'm not tired. How could I be tired?"
"Okay." Seeing his big reaction, Yao Niang didn't know what to say.
Are all men so concerned about their reputation?
Perhaps because Yao Niang sounded a little helpless, Gao Xuance hugged her shoulders and said, "I'll go home early tonight."
"Ahem, Your Majesty, what are you talking about? We have been working hard for half a day, and we should have a good rest." Yao Niang shook her head.
The two of them really did not succeed in getting intimate that night, not because of anything else, but because the emperor's bedroom caught fire that day. It was an autumn day and there were thunders. Although they had taken precautions, they never expected that the Funing Palace would catch fire.
At this time, the two of them had already washed up. Gao Xuance was in a good mood. He took Yao Niang's hand and kissed it on his lips. He also chatted with Yao Niang: "Next month, we will go to Chengde together. My aunt Princess Sui De lives there. Although she is very polite, if you are upset with her, just tell me."
"Grand Princess Sui De?" This should be the emperor's sister.
This person had an extraordinary status in her previous life. It was said that she was adopted from the royal family and raised by the previous emperor. Therefore, she was not ranked together with the seven princesses. Instead, she became a transcendent existence.
Gao Xuance explained: "When my father was bullied by Uncle Heng, it was Aunt Sui De who intervened for him. Now she is doing the same to my elder brother. I have become the same person as Uncle Heng. Of course, she will be harsh to you."
"I'm not afraid. If others ignore me, I'll just enjoy myself. Why bother showing off my kindness?" Yao Niang was very cheerful.
Gao Xuance held her shoulders and said, "I'm sorry for wronging you."
"No, I don't feel wronged." Yao Niang shook her head.
Under the candlelight, Yao Niang lowered her head, and Gao Xuance wanted to get close to her, but he heard the eunuch knocking on the door outside: "Third Prince, it's bad, there's a fire in the Funing Palace."
Gao Xuance now lost all his romantic thoughts. Before Yao Niang could react, Gao Xuance ran out like an arrow without even saying a word to her.
Gao Xuance quickly ran to the Funing Palace, and was relieved to see that Emperor Jianzhang was fine: "Father, I'm glad you're okay."
Emperor Jianzhang was kind and weak, so he particularly liked Gao Xuance's youthful vigor, agility and decisiveness. Especially when people were coming and going, Gao Xuance supported Emperor Jianzhang and said, "Father, please find a place to rest first. Let me stay with you."
He was indeed the fastest to run over, because at that time, the fourth prince had difficulty walking and was afraid to stand out, so he wanted to wait until everyone else went before he went with them. The eldest prince was actually a very important person, but in order to win the support of Xianming and the future Princess Sui De, he had to be pure and abstinent. Fortunately, Wang Yuanshuang was also considerate. Since she herself was not convenient, she asked her personal maid to serve her.
No matter what, the eldest prince's status is the most important now. If the eldest prince becomes the crown prince, she will be the crown princess. If he becomes the emperor, she will be the empress.
She has been married for several years, but there is no movement in her belly. If she really cannot have children, then it would be better for her to hold the life around her and raise it. She is very open-minded about this.
But the maidservant beside Wang Yuanshuang was originally a dowry, and under the orders of her master, she served the eldest prince very obediently. When the two of them were getting ready, no one dared to disturb them. He only went over after the lovemaking stopped.
King Zhou was different. Since Xu Qingrong became pregnant, pregnant women are more sensitive than ordinary people, so King Zhou attached great importance to this child. But he also had more favored people, such as his concubine Wang, who was obedient and beautiful, allowing him to manipulate her and doing things that suited his wishes. Xu Qingrong was betrothed.
It just so happened that the two of them had a dispute over a lawsuit and asked King Zhou to judge the case. King Zhou was a strict person and always believed that if one cannot clean up one's own house, one cannot clean up the world. Therefore, he decided to use this matter to warn Xu Qingrong, but he could not humiliate Xu Qingrong too much. He certainly would not quarrel with the princess over a concubine, as that would be against the rules.
Things were going on in full swing here. When King Zhou heard that the Funing Palace was on fire, he quickly summarized his speech, and therefore arrived a step late.
When the three princes arrived, Gao Xuance was already accompanying Emperor Jianzhang.
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