Chapter 6 [6] Master and Sister, I have made it! ...
【6】
In the evening, on the carriage returning home.
The rumbling of wheels rolling over the bluestone slabs could not drown out Qian Sijin's endless chatter.
"Speaking of His Royal Highness Prince Jing, there's something truly mysterious about him. Legend has it that the year he was born, the Empress Dowager, then still Empress, dreamed of a shooting star entering her womb. Later, Prince Jing was born, and the palace was filled with rosy clouds, with withered trees blooming. The Imperial Astronomical Observatory praised this as an auspicious omen. As Prince Jing grew older, he was not only as handsome and beautiful as a fairy child, but also incredibly gifted. At the age of three, he could recite an entire Thousand Character Classic, and by the age of five, he could compose poetry. Everyone said he was the reincarnation of the celestial star Wenqu. Even the late Emperor was deeply fond of this young child, repeatedly declaring, 'This child is the most like me.'"
"At the time, a treacherous minister, seeing how much the late emperor loved his youngest son, advised him to appoint Prince Jing as the crown prince instead. The late emperor was persuaded, but before he could act, the Longxi Jiedushi, Zhou Haotian, colluded with the Rong and Di tribes, colluding internally and externally to invade Chang'an. Protected by the Imperial Guards, the late emperor, without caring for his harem, fled hastily that night. When Empress Zhao learned that the rebels had entered the city and the late emperor had fled to Shu, she hurriedly took the young crown prince and Prince Jing to pursue the emperor. Unexpectedly..."
"How could I know what?"
Yun Ran was listening intently, his ears perked up, not even bothering to eat the fried melon seeds in his palm: "Third sister-in-law, please tell me quickly, please tell me quickly."
Qian Sijin, impressed by her sister-in-law's flattery, cleared her throat proudly and continued, "But as soon as we escaped the city, we were discovered by the Rongdi people. They hunted us everywhere, but fortunately, our uncle Zheng arrived in time and rescued the Queen and the Crown Prince. But unfortunately, His Royal Highness Prince Jing, who was only six years old at the time, was captured and fell into the hands of the Rongdi people."
Yun Ran exclaimed, "He was caught?"
Qian Sijin nodded and sighed as she spoke. "Those Rongdi people were extremely vicious. Knowing that Prince Jing was the late emperor and empress's beloved youngest son, they tortured him in various ways to threaten the late emperor. Even after the Zhaode Rebellion subsided and the late emperor returned to Chang'an with the empress and crown prince, the Rongdi still refused to release him and took Prince Jing back to Rongdi as a hostage. He remained there for ten years. It wasn't until the current emperor ascended the throne and diligently governed the country, restoring its prosperity, that they sent envoys to bring Prince Jing back from Rongdi."
"However, after Prince Jing returned, he was no longer as bright and lively as he was in his childhood. He became gloomy and taciturn, and even kept many venomous snakes and scorpions! I heard that on the day he returned to the city, Chang'an was hit by heavy rain for several days, and several dikes in the suburbs of the capital were washed away. The Imperial Astronomical Observatory said that Prince Jing was the reincarnation of a jinx, and would cause endless harm. It was because the previous emperor had considered replacing the crown prince, which shook the foundation of the country and damaged the national destiny, that the Zhaode Rebellion was caused..."
Hearing this, Yun Ran exclaimed again, "Ah!" "But didn't they say before that he had a meteor in his arms and auspicious clouds filling the sky, that he was the descendant of Wenquxing? How did he become a jinx again?"
Qian Sijin choked: "This... cough, anyway, that's what people say outside. Maybe... maybe he disguised himself well before, but once it came to matters of national destiny, his true colors were exposed."
Yun Ran wrinkled his nose, half believing and half doubting.
"Well, regardless of how true or false this is, it's best to stay away from King Jing. Just think about which normal person would order so many disgusting rats into their house, and who would spend all day around venomous creatures like snakes and scorpions?"
Just mentioning it made Qian Sijin's body crawl. She couldn't help but rub her arms. "And those three noble ladies who were killed by him one after another. They were all fine originally, but just because they were engaged to him, they died inexplicably. Don't you think it's weird?"
When Yun Ran heard something about Wenquxing turning into a jinx, he thought it might be some of his “colleagues” making it up.
After hearing about the noble ladies who were killed, Yun Ran felt a little apprehensive.
After all, the former was just hearsay, but she saw the latter with her own eyes yesterday.
Seeing her sister-in-law's drooping eyelids, Qian Sijin wondered what she was thinking. She assumed she still didn't believe in superstition. Just as she was about to cite a few more shocking stories about Prince Jing, her elder sister-in-law, Li Wanrong, who was sitting opposite her, spoke up: "Alright, my sister just returned to Chang'an. Don't scare her."
His tone was always gentle and calm, but it carried an unquestionable majesty.
Qian Sijin shut up obediently.
"Don't be afraid, sister."
Li Wanrong looked at Yun Ran and softened her voice, "What your third sister-in-law said is half true and half exaggerated. Don't believe it."
Li Wanrong glimpsed Qian Sijin's indignation and continued, "But she's right about one thing. From now on, you should stay away from Prince Jing and everything in Prince Jing's mansion."
Qian Sijin: "Yes, yes, if we can't afford to offend them, we can afford to hide from them."
Seeing his two sisters-in-law both showing sincere concern, Yun Ran felt warm in his heart.
"I see."
She raised her face and curled her eyes at them: "I will listen to my sisters-in-law. If I encounter anything happening in Prince Jing's Mansion in the future, I will stay away from it!"
Li Wanrong and Qian Sijin breathed a sigh of relief seeing their younger sister being so obedient and sensible.
-
Half an hour later, the carriage drove into Xuanhuafang, where the Marquis of Changxin's mansion was located, in the crimson twilight.
Just then, a carriage with purple curtains passed by. Qian Sijin lifted the curtain to see it and was startled. "This carriage looks quite high-quality."
She had only been married into the Marquis's Mansion for a year and was not very familiar with the specifications of the carriages and horses of the aristocratic families.
When this question was asked, only Li Wanrong in the car could answer it.
Li Wanrong raised her eyelids slightly, glanced past Qian Sijin's dazzling hair of jewels and jade, and immediately her expression became serious: "It's the palace carriage."
"From the palace?"
Qian Sijin was slightly surprised: "Are you going to our house?"
Li Wanrong pursed her lips, unsure, after all, it was not just their family living in Xuanhuafang.
But she had a vague intuition in her heart, and her eyes followed her intuition and fell on her sister-in-law beside her.
Yun Ran was wondering what to cook in the kitchen tonight: "......?"
What is the sister-in-law looking at her for?
She just arrived in Chang'an yesterday and was not familiar with the palace, so it couldn't be that they were coming for her.
However, after an incense stick of time, looking at the bright gifts piled on the round table in the main hall, and Zheng's smiling greeting: "You're back just in time! Ranran, come and take a look, these are all gifts from the Queen Mother!"
Yun Ran: “…”
It turned out to be directed at her.
On the way back to Beijing from Yangzhou, Yun Ran also learned that her mother was the second aunt of the current queen, and that she herself had not only become the daughter of a marquis, but also the younger cousin of the queen.
When Yun Ran first learned about this relationship, he was surprised but didn't feel much of it.
To her, the Marquisate, the royal family, the aristocratic families, and the powerful clans were all like the moon in the water and the flowers in the fog, always separated from her by a layer of unattainable gauze.
Even now that she was back, she didn't feel any different about being the daughter of a marquis, except that her food and lodging were better and her clothes were more gorgeous.
But as a Taoist, she didn't care much about food, clothing and other expenses. This time, after traveling thousands of miles back to Chang'an, all she cared about were her relatives who had been separated from her for many years.
The kindness and love of her parents and the care of her brothers and sisters-in-law made her happier than any luxurious house, gorgeous clothes or delicious food.
Yun Ran took a curious look at the pile of gorgeous, glittering, imperial jewelry and brocade before him. Then, walking up to Zheng, he whispered, "Mother, is the Empress on good terms with our family? To think she sent so many valuable gifts?"
Besides, isn’t it said that once you enter the palace, it’s like entering a deep sea?
She had just entered Chang'an yesterday afternoon, and the Queen had already sent something today, which showed that the palace gate was not very deep.
Hearing her daughter's words, Zheng couldn't help but laugh. "After all, I'm the Empress's aunt, and you're her cousin. Besides, the fact that I traveled all the way to Yangzhou to look for you must have spread throughout Chang'an. Now that you're back, she, as a relative, is showing some appreciation for us and for me, her aunt."
"So that's how it is."
Yun Ran nodded, then looked at the generous gifts on the table and smiled. "That cousin, the Queen, is so kind. She's so generous right out of the gate. If I ever get the chance to meet her, I'll definitely thank her profusely."
Yun Ran just said it casually. In her limited knowledge as a little Taoist nun in the mountains, nobles like the empress dowager, the emperor, and the empress were all like gods in the clouds, which was definitely not something that a commoner like her could see.
Unexpectedly, the next moment after she finished speaking, Zheng smiled. "As they say, aunts and uncles are close, and even if they are broken, they are still connected. The Empress may also want to meet your little cousin, so she specially included your name in the invitation for the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet."
She pulled a note from her sleeve and said, "Look. On the fifteenth day of August this year, you can come with your father and I to the palace to personally express your gratitude to the Empress."
"Enter, enter the palace?"
Yun Ran looked at the exquisite post with gold foil on the surface and felt dazed.
She's going to enter the palace! ?
Is this the imperial palace described by the storytellers in the teahouse as "a palace that gathers the best things in the world, with a roof made of gold and bricks made of white jade, magnificent and splendid, just like the palace in heaven"?
Not only can you enter the palace, but you can also meet the Queen... maybe even meet His Majesty the Emperor and the Empress Dowager!
Yun Ran's mouth suddenly became dry and his heart beat faster.
Seeing her dazed look, Zheng Shi was a little worried and suppressed her smile: "Ran Ran, what's wrong with you?"
"No, nothing..."
Yun Ran came back to her senses, her fair face flushed red, but the excitement and anticipation in her eyes were almost overflowing: "My daughter never thought that in this life she would be able to enter the palace and see the Empress!"
Master, senior sister, I have made it!
Upon hearing this, Zheng burst out laughing, then felt a little distressed.
If Ranran had not been lost, she would have come to the palace to play many times over the years. Why would she be so flattered and overjoyed like she is now?
Thinking of this, Zheng also felt worried.
In her own eyes, her daughter's excitement was adorable and pitiful, but in the eyes of others, they might laugh at her for being from the countryside and having never seen the world.
Being laughed at is one thing, but the palace banquet is attended by kings, generals, dignitaries and high-ranking officials. If you break the rules and offend a noble, it will be disastrous.
Yun Ran saw that Zheng Shi had been smiling just now, but now her brows were furrowed, as if she was facing a great enemy. He couldn't help but pull at her sleeve and said, "Mother?"
Zheng came back to her senses, looked into her daughter's clear and clean black eyes, and forced a smile: "It's okay, mother is thinking about some trivial matters in the mansion.
After a pause, he said, "You must be tired after going out with your two sisters-in-law today. Go back to the yard, wash your face, and rest for a while. I'll have someone call you for dinner later."
It was quite hot after walking outside for half a day in the hot summer.
Yun Ran bowed to Zheng and her two sisters-in-law, then left with the maid and the pile of gifts on the table.
Seeing their sister-in-law leave, Li Wanrong and Qian Sijin also prepared to leave.
Zheng said, "Jinniang, go back first. Wanniang, stay a while."
Qian Sijin didn't think much of it, thinking that her mother-in-law wanted to chat with her eldest sister-in-law about some mundane matters, and bowed: "My daughter-in-law will take her leave."
Li Wanrong happened to have something to report to her mother-in-law, so she stood quietly to the side.
After Qian Sijin left, Zheng called Li Wanrong over and told her about her worries about the palace banquet.
Finally, she looked at her eldest daughter-in-law, who was outstanding in every way, with a look of respect: "It's already late July, and there's less than a month left until Mid-Autumn Festival. Wanniang, I may have to work hard for you from now on. Please take the trouble to teach Ranran the rules and etiquette."
"Mother, you are embarrassing your daughter-in-law by saying this."
Li Wanrong bowed her head respectfully. "Ranran is my younger sister. It's the eldest daughter-in-law's job to teach her. How can it be hard work? Besides, my younger sister is smart and sensible. I like her very much and look forward to spending more time with her."
Hearing what her eldest daughter-in-law said, Zheng heaved a sigh of relief, her brows relaxed, and she said with a smile, "It is a blessing for our whole family that Dalang can find a daughter-in-law like you."
Li Wanrong smiled modestly.
She has been married into the Marquis's Mansion for five years. Except for the sudden appearance of her third brother's wife who was out of tune with the family last year, she is extremely satisfied with everything about her husband's family.
"Oh, there's one more thing I think I'd better tell my mother about."
Li Wanrong straightened her expression and told him about the small conflict that happened in West Market during the day.
This matter is actually nothing, but since it involves King Jing, it is better to be cautious.
Zheng had always admired her eldest daughter-in-law's calmness and prudence. She nodded after hearing this and said, "I understand. I'll talk to your father-in-law later and have him send someone to keep an eye on Prince Jing's mansion for the next two days. It shouldn't be anything serious."
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted for a few more words, and only after the servants came to report that the marquis and the eldest son had returned home did they disperse.
The author has something to say:
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Ran Ran's current situation is similar to that of a logistics worker at a religious affairs office in a remote small county who suddenly receives an invitation to a state banquet and is required to eat in the Great Hall.
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