"elder sister."

Seeing that there was no one around, Gu Zhiyan trotted over from behind the wet nurse, holding up the hem of her skirt, grabbed the hem of Chu Qianchen, and became her little tail again.

It was only one short night, but the nurse was already used to it.

When Chu Yunmu saw this, he immediately felt like he had lost.

He was not convinced and rushed over happily. His small, round hand grabbed the other side of Chu Qianchen's skirt, and with the other hand he pressed his nose and made a face at Gu Zhiyan.

The two children stood on Chu Qianchen's left and right like a golden boy and a jade girl.

Chu Yunmu was afraid of falling behind again, so he rushed to say, "Chu Qianchen, let's go play!"

Chu Qianchen came back to his senses, handed the marriage certificate to Amber, lowered his eyes, and asked, "What do you want to play?"

Chu Yunmu thought about it and immediately said, "Hide and seek."

Chu Qianchen rubbed the top of Gu Zhiyan's head again and asked her softly, "Qiniang, what do you want to play?"

"..."Gu Zhiyan didn't say anything at first, and Chu Qianchen didn't urge her. He just looked at her silently, showing her a gentle smile with a shallow dimple on his lips.

Gu Zhiyan grasped Chu Qianchen's skirt for a long while before she whispered, "Bamboo dragonfly."

Her voice was very soft, as light as a mosquito's hum, and her expression was timid and fragile like a cotton ball.

The nurse, who had thought she was used to it, was shocked again. It had been a long time since the county lady had spoken to anyone like this.

Chu Qianchen turned to look at Chu Yunmu on the other side, "Brother Mu, how about we play with the bamboo dragonfly?"

Chu Yunmu wanted to play hide and seek more, but thinking that he was a boy and had to give in to the girl, he nodded and agreed: "Okay."

As soon as he finished speaking, an idea suddenly occurred to him, and he suggested, "Chu Qianchen, how about we take Yueying with us to play with the bamboo dragonfly?"

Yueying is usually so happy to see a bird flying in the sky, it must like playing with bamboo dragonflies.

"Yueyue!" Gu Zhiyan was even happier and clapped happily.

What Yueyue? Chu Yunmu was stunned for a moment before he realized that she was talking about the little black cat, and corrected her: "It's Yueying."

Chu Qianchen took his leave from Shen, and took them out to play, holding one of their hands in each.

I heard the two children talking to each other:

"Yueyue."

"Moon Shadow."

After finishing the important business, Shen did not stay in the main hall for long and left with Nanny Chen.

As she walked, she looked at the big and two small children in front of her and said casually, "These children really like Sister Chen!"

Nanny Chen walked beside Shen, covering her mouth with her hands and laughing, and said in a playful way: "Don't mention the Fourth Young Master and the County Lady, I also like the Second Young Lady."

Nanny Chen said this from the bottom of her heart. In this mansion, there are not many reliable people. Their wife and the fourth young master can also not trust many people. The second young lady is one of them, even more...

Nanny Chen's eyes flashed and she sighed in her heart.

The Marquis' Mansion was shaded by green trees, and the lush greenery formed patches of mottled light and shadows in the sunlight, which were cast on Nanny Chen's face, making her expression look somewhat complicated.

Shen was immersed in her own thoughts and did not notice Chen Momo's strange behavior. She sighed with emotion, "Sister Chen is still a child. Other children start preparing for marriage after they reach the age of 15. They get married after completing the three books and six ceremonies and are sixteen or seventeen years old."

These noble families usually start arranging marriages for girls when they are thirteen or fourteen years old, and then formally engage them after they reach the age of marriage. The subsequent three books and six ceremonies will take a year to complete. By the time of the wedding, the girl is almost the same age, and her body will have developed well when she is seventeen or eighteen years old, which is just the right time for pregnancy and childbirth.

Originally, Chu Qianchen should be like this.

After all, the Chu family is not one of those poor families that sell their daughters. In order to get a dowry, they can't wait to marry off girls who are thirteen or fourteen years old so that they can save money for their brothers and sisters to marry.

There was a hint of sadness on Shen's face.

Chu Qianchen will be getting married soon, and Chu Yunmu is reluctant to let her go. Yesterday, she held her hand sadly and asked her:

Mom, can my second sister not get married?

Nanny Chen comforted her casually, "Madam, after the second young lady gets married, she can still come back often to talk to you."

Nanny Chen said something similar when she comforted Chu Yunmu yesterday.

Shen didn't interrupt at that time, in fact she didn't think so in her heart.

Now that Chu Yunmu is not here, she tells the truth: "After getting married, it is better for Sister Chen to go out less. This way, Prince Chen can rest assured and her life will be better."

Nanny Chen: “…”

Nanny Chen was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood what Shen meant.

After Chu Qianchen married into Prince Chen's Mansion, she became the prince's consort. Although she seemed to be high and mighty, she was not as good as Shen Wan. Shen Wan was favored by Prince Jing. It was Prince Jing who went to the Duke's Mansion in person to ask for marriage. So Shen Wan could go back to her parents' home whenever she wanted, and no one would stop her from taking her daughter back to her parents' home for a short stay.

Chu Qianchen is different, she has no family to support her.

Now the lady of the house attaches great importance to Chu Qianchen's marriage. On the one hand, she really cannot refuse this marriage, and on the other hand, she also wants to show her loyalty to the emperor. She hopes that Chu Qianchen can get some information from the Prince Chen's Mansion in the future and bring it back to help the Marquis' Mansion gain merit.

The Chu family is definitely unreliable, so the only one Chu Qianchen can rely on is Prince Chen.

For her, the best thing would be to devote herself to Prince Chen's Mansion after getting married.

If she went back to the Marquis' Mansion often, it would only lead to Prince Chen's groundless speculation, which would do more harm than good.

Nanny Chen sighed and said, "Madam, you are really thinking about the second young lady and you think it through."

"This is all I can do for this child." Shen's expression showed a hint of bitterness.

There is still about half a month left before Chu Qianchen gets married. She wants to find an opportunity to have a good talk with this girl.

As a married woman, she doesn't need to worry about what the Chu family is doing, whether it is prosperous or declining. As long as she lives a good life, that's enough.

Chu Lingxiao is nothing but a hopeless person with evil intentions. Once a person like him gains power or is in a high position, he will only do more despicable things...

It would be better for Chu Lingxiao to stay in the Marquis' Mansion with his limp and go out less.

Shen's lips were tightly pursed, and her pupils gradually became darker. She said sarcastically, "Unlike some people, who are simply unworthy of being parents."

Nanny Chen: “…”

Nanny Chen could naturally tell that Shen was talking about Chu Lingxiao, but she didn't know how to respond.

Shen had always been clear-headed and rational, but sometimes even Nanny Chen didn't know whether it was good for Shen to think so clearly. If she had been a little more confused, would she and the Marquis not have come to this point today?

Seeing that Shen was in a low mood, Nanny Chen simply changed the subject: "Madam, the eldest lady will be returning to the palace this afternoon. Do you want to talk to her?"

As Nanny Chen spoke, she carefully observed Shen's expression.

Shen Shi hasn't seen Chu Qianhuang since she returned home yesterday. She was the same during the entire ceremony just now. She neither looked at Chu Qianhuang nor spoke to her, as if she didn't exist at all.

Nanny Chen was also worried and hoped to find a way to ease the relationship between mother and daughter.

However, Shen's expression turned cold, and she just nodded and said, "I understand."

She had planned in her mind that after Chu Qianchen got married, she would start to take care of Chu Qianhuang's affairs. If she wanted to dismiss the princess as her study companion, she would probably need her mother's help.

As they were talking, the master and servant returned to the main courtyard, walked through the main room, and entered the side room.

As soon as Shen sat down, the head maid quickly served her hot tea.

Shen instructed Nanny Chen, "Send someone to the Duke's Mansion again and tell Third Sister that Qi Niang is doing well and that she and Mu Ge'er are having a great time. I will let Qi Niang stay for a while longer so that she doesn't have to worry... You can also ask Nanny Rong to go to the Duke's Mansion in person."

"Also, go get Sister Chen's dowry list. I need to revise it."

Shen was holding the betrothal gift list sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and glanced through it.

This betrothal gift only looks good. It does not include many good farmlands or shops. To put it bluntly, so many antique jewelry, medicinal herbs and spices cannot be eaten. What is more practical are those farmlands and shops that can be used for a promising future.

Nanny Chen agreed and went to do it one by one.

The mansion returned to its usual tranquility. Those who came to watch the fun had dispersed, and even the red confetti left by the firecrackers outside the gate had been cleared away.

The capital city was bustling with people on the streets discussing the Ministry of Internal Affairs' visit to the Yongding Marquis's residence to propose marriage today. They praised the grand ceremony, the luxurious betrothal gifts, and expressed their feelings about the emperor's deep love for the prince.

In this atmosphere, the Imperial Observatory acted quickly. Two days later, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department came to inform the Marquis's residence of the scheduled wedding date. Not only that, they also went to the Prince Chen's residence in person.

“Knock, knock, knock!”

The young eunuch knocked on the red lacquered door of Prince Chen's Palace, but all he got in response was silence.

After knocking on the door seven or eight times and hearing no response, the young eunuch had no choice but to return dejectedly and report to the eunuch in charge in the carriage: "Eunuch Li, no one opened the door."

Eunuch Li pulled the corner of his mouth with a fake smile and ordered: "Keep knocking."

So the young eunuch had no choice but to knock on the door again.

This group of people stopped at the gate of Prince Chen's Mansion and attracted a lot of onlookers. More and more people came to the street, all looking at the carriages and horses, and all kinds of discussions could be clearly heard.

“Knock, knock, knock!”

“Knock, knock, knock!”

The young eunuch knocked on the door and called out, but no one answered. After half a cup of tea, he returned to the carriage in dejection and reported again, "Eunuch Li, still no one answered."

Eunuch Li felt his head was as big as a bucket.

If he did nothing and just went back in disgrace, the emperor would definitely be unhappy.

He thought for a moment, gritted his teeth and ordered, "Go to the gate of the palace and read the date calculated by the Imperial Observatory three times in a loud voice."

Anyway, as long as the wedding date of Prince Chen and the Second Miss Chu spreads in the capital, his job will be accomplished, right?

The young eunuch had been working in the Imperial Household Department for five or six years and had never encountered such a thing, so he had no choice but to do as he was told.

Eunuch Li and his entourage were turned away, and after leaving Prince Chen's Mansion, they returned to the palace in a hurry.

The emperor was neither in the Golden Palace nor in the Imperial Study. Eunuch Li walked around the huge palace in a sweat and finally found the person in the Upper Study.

It is said that the emperor had a sudden idea and wanted to come and see how the princes were doing in their studies, so he brought a few cabinet ministers to the Shangshufang to test the princes.

A young eunuch went in to report, and soon led Eunuch Li in. Dozens of eyes from the people inside rushed towards him.

Eunuch Li bowed his head respectfully and reported the truth:

"Your Majesty, the gate of Prince Chen's Palace is tightly closed. I have had people knock again and again, and have waited outside the palace for a whole incense stick of time, but there is no movement from inside the palace."

"I really had no choice. I couldn't force my way into Prince Chen's mansion, so I just told him the wedding date set by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory three times outside the mansion, and then returned to the palace."

Lord Li did not dare to look up at the emperor. He felt somewhat uneasy, fearing that the emperor would vent his anger on him.

The princes and ministers in the upper study also heard these words and exchanged glances in groups of three or four, with different expressions.

Some people felt that Gu Jue was ungrateful; some people frowned; and some people were secretly sad, like the second prince Gu Nanzhao.

Everyone looked at the emperor in front of them again.

The emperor, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, was sitting behind the desk that the tutor usually used. He looked lazy and smiled instead of angry.

He fluttered the folding fan in his hand slightly, thinking: Gu Jue is just so-so. He has no power to disobey the order, so he has to use this kind of low-level trick to slap himself in the face.

Ridiculous, really ridiculous.

It seems that Gu Jue is really sick.

Gu Nanzhao felt as if his heart was stabbed again, and a strong bitterness rose in the bottom of his throat.

The wedding date has been set, which means that Sister Chen will soon be his imperial aunt.

Gu Nanzhao closed his eyes, his eye sockets felt sore and dry.

When he heard that his father had arranged for his sister Chen to be married to the Ninth Uncle, he felt like he was struck by lightning and couldn't believe it.

He also wanted to go find his father and tell him that he liked Sister Chen, so he went, but when he arrived in front of his father, he couldn't say it.

He knew it was too late.

My mother said that my father was a person who cared most about his reputation as the emperor. He believed that the emperor's words were golden and he would not allow anyone to challenge his prestige.

If he had asked his father to choose another noble lady for his ninth uncle before the imperial decree of marriage was issued, his father might have agreed.

But now that the imperial decree has been issued, the matter is done. No matter how he begs, it will only displease his father, and it may even make his father hate Sister Chen...

While thinking, the Third Prince and other princes all complimented the Emperor:

"Father, my grandfather's spirit in heaven will surely rest in peace."

"Uncle Nine will surely understand your intentions, Father."

“…”

The emperor was very pleased and said in a dignified manner, "Your ninth uncle's wedding is a happy event and should be celebrated by all. In order to prevent him from overworking himself during his illness, I plan to hold a grand banquet in the palace that day."

For him, the best outcome would be that this wedding could kill Gu Jue.

Even if he couldn't kill Gu Jue, he could use this marriage as a legitimate way to place spies in Prince Chen's Mansion.

Moreover, the Queen said that the girl from the Chu family was timid and docile, and the people she sent to the Marquis' Mansion had already trained the girl well, so she would definitely be obedient.

This marriage is indeed a good one, it is truly a match made in heaven!

Thinking of this, the emperor felt better and his brows relaxed.

Several ministers and princes also felt the emperor's good mood and rushed to praise the emperor again.

Only Gu Nanzhao was absent-minded and remained silent from beginning to end.

Ever since his father granted the marriage, he had never dared to see his sister Chen, for fear of seeing her sad face. He only glanced at her from afar in the Baohe Hall on the day of his emperor's birthday.

He could see at a glance that she had lost weight and became more taciturn.

He could imagine how sad, disappointed and helpless she was.

It was all his fault. He had disappointed Sister Chen. He had promised her that he would make her his principal wife...

Gu Nanzhao's heart ached even more.

He really regretted not telling his father about him and his sister Chen earlier, and was even more annoyed at the fate that played such a trick on him.

The handsome and elegant young man turned his head and looked at the lotus pond outside the window. Half of the lotus leaves in the pond were swaying in the wind, and the emerald green lotus leaves were creating ripples like water, rolling endlessly.

Alas, he and Sister Chen are destined to be apart in this life after all...

Eunuch Li standing by secretly breathed a sigh of relief and maintained his bowing posture.

After being turned away at Prince Chen's Palace just now, he was worried that there would be trouble at the wedding banquet on the wedding day.

If the Prince Chen's Mansion insisted on staying behind closed doors, their Ministry of Internal Affairs would not be able to help prepare the banquet. Now that the Emperor plans to hold the banquet in the palace, that would solve a big problem for the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

At this time, the sound of eunuchs' greetings was heard outside the study, and Crown Prince Gu Nanjin strode in.

Before Gu Nanjin could even salute, the emperor smiled and said, "Prince, you've come at the perfect time."

"Your Ninth Uncle's wedding date has been set. It will be in half a month. Please take care of it."

This marriage was personally arranged by him, the emperor. All the three books and six ceremonies were carried out in accordance with ancient rituals. It was done in an open and aboveboard manner and no one could find any fault with it.

From now on, no one in the world can say anything bad about him being mean to the Prince!

"Yes, father." Gu Nanjin bowed respectfully and accepted the order.

The emperor always trusted the prince's ability to do things, and he smiled and asked him to sit down.

After the emperor drank a sip of tea, he changed the subject and asked with concern and love, "How is Jia'er these days? The weather has become even hotter these past two days. You should ask the people in the East Palace to be careful and be careful that Jia'er doesn't get a heat stroke."

The eldest grandson is the emperor's only grandson, and the emperor values ​​him more than the second prince, the third prince and other princes.

"Thank you for your concern, father." Gu Nanjin smiled slightly and replied appropriately, "Jia'er has been in good health these days. I specially asked the Imperial Hospital to prepare some medicinal tea to relieve the heat."

"That's good!" the emperor smiled with satisfaction.

He remembered that Gu Yuanjia had suffered from heat stroke several times last summer, but he had been in good health this summer. It should be said that since he recovered from convulsions in May, he has not been sick for more than a month.

Thanks to the fact that I gave the child the Nine-Returning Pill, his body was finally restored to health. The Nine-Returning Pill really has the miraculous effect of strengthening the body and replenishing the vital energy.

The emperor gestured to Eunuch Ni and ordered, "Ni Xiang, go get a Nine-Layer Pill and send it to the East Palace for the emperor's eldest grandson."

The emperor bestowed the elixir, which was a favor from the emperor. Gu Nanjin immediately stood up and thanked him: "I, your son, thank you on behalf of your eldest grandson, father."

Gu Nanjin felt a little heavy in his heart, and the words of the miracle doctor at Jishiditang rang in his ears: "The pills are poisonous. How can such a young child use pills casually?"

Several cabinet ministers were silent.

It was well known that the emperor favored the Taoist priest Xuan Jing and liked to take elixirs.

There were also court officials who advised the emperor that elixirs were harmful. Throughout history, countless emperors have died from elixirs.

However, the emperor not only refused to listen, but was furious. He felt that the other party was jealous of him and dismissed the official from his post in anger.

After that, no one dared to advise the emperor, and no one dared to question Taoist Xuan Jing.

"Master Xuan Jing's Taoism is truly profound!" The emperor praised, stroking his beard with a smile on his face.

The emperor has been taking the Nine-fold Pill for a month. The effect of this Nine-fold Pill is indeed better than the previous Nine-returning Pill. It makes him more energetic than before, and even the white hair on his temples has become less.

It takes 49 cycles to refine one furnace of the Nine-Layer Pill. The emperor loved his grandson so much that he gave the Nine-Layer Pill to Gu Yuanjia, hoping that his grandson would be healthy and avoid encountering that quack doctor who deceives the world and steals his reputation again.

Whenever the emperor thought of how he was forced to establish Jishidiang as the national medical clinic, he felt aggrieved, his smile disappeared, and his eyes became uncertain.

If it weren't for the sudden appearance of Nanhao's eldest prince Wuhejialou that day...

This Uhaga Tower was actually coming for him.

Thinking of the provocations by Wuhajialou on the Wanshou Festival, the emperor became more and more annoyed with the Nanhao people.

He suddenly put away his folding fan and changed the subject again:

"Prince, when do the Nanhao people plan to leave?"

After the Wanshou Festival, some of the surrounding small tribes that had come to Beijing to pay tribute had left the capital one after another. They brought birthday gifts for the emperor from foreign countries, and when they left, they brought back a large number of rewards from the emperor and goods purchased in Da Qi. Over the past half month, the capital city has suddenly become a lot quieter.

However, the people of Nanhao seemed to be living very comfortably in the inn and had no intention of leaving at all.

Gu Nanjin looked up at the emperor, clearly seeing the disgust in his eyes, and sighed in his heart.

Gu Nanjin answered succinctly: "Father, Wuhejialou said that he would leave after the Ninth Prince's wedding."

Wuhejialou and his entourage arrived in the capital in April, and the emperor deliberately treated them coldly.

After the incident at Jishidiang, Gu Nanjin took the initiative to take over the responsibility of entertaining them, so when the Ministry of Rites came to ask about the matter of Nanhao's envoy a few days ago, he simply went to the post station in person to visit Wuhejialou and test his attitude.

The emperor's expression changed slightly. At the end of May, Wuhejialou had visited Prince Chen's Mansion. This time, he insisted on waiting until Gu Jue's wedding before leaving...

The air in the study also turned cold.

The princes looked at each other and held their breath.

The emperor tightly grasped the folding fan in his hand, making it creak, and said angrily, "Could it be that Gu Jue is colluding with the Nanhao people?!"

His voice was so cold that it almost seemed to drop ice chips, and a gloomy aura emanated from his entire body.

The emperor couldn't help but think of the time when Gu Jue was fourteen years old and represented Da Qi on a diplomatic mission to Nan Hao.

That year, my father wanted to choose one of the princes to go on a diplomatic mission to Nanhao, and the first person he considered was him, the crown prince.

Of course he didn't want to go. Nanhao was a dangerous place. What if the people of Nanhao suddenly had the idea of ​​keeping him as a hostage?

A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. How could he, the Crown Prince of Qi, take risks himself!

The counselors at that time suggested that it would be better to let Gu Jue go. Gu Jue was the son of the empress dowager and the emperor's legitimate son, so his status was naturally higher than that of other princes.

The emperor also thought that this suggestion was good. If Gu Jue was really left in Nanhao as a hostage, he could also eliminate a major worry.

He had originally arranged for other people to make the proposal to his father, but he did not expect that Gu Jue would go on a diplomatic mission to Nanhao without waiting for their words.

The emperor agreed, but at the same time, gave him a disappointed look.

Finally, Gu Jue returned safely from Nanhao, and his father praised him highly. During that time, the emperor was unable to sleep or eat, fearing that his position as crown prince would be lost.

Fortunately, a few months later, my father asked Gu Jue to go to the North...

Thinking of the events of many years ago, the emperor's expression became even gloomier.

“…”

“…”

“…”

There was silence in the study.

Gu Nanjin's eyes twitched and he didn't dare to respond easily.

Everyone in the world knows that Prince Gu Jue has made great contributions to the Great Qi. Unless there is conclusive evidence, no one can easily question his treason.

This is especially true for a prince.

To put it bluntly, the emperor can lose his composure and make inappropriate remarks or actions, but the prince cannot!

Gu Nanjin glanced at the ministers beside him and saw that they all turned their eyes away, pretending not to hear the emperor's gaffe.

Gu Nanjin thought with a heavy heart: Nanhao is different from those small tribes that are vassals of Da Qi, but a great power that stands on equal footing with Da Qi.

This time, my father has been quite negligent towards Jialuo and his group. What he said just now must not be spread out.

Gu Nanjin cleared his throat and said implicitly, "Father, since the eldest prince Wuhe is not leaving for the time being, can we take this opportunity to arrange the marriage between the third sister and Nanhao?"

Gu Nanjin's expression was very serious.

This marriage is very important to Da Qi.

Good morning!

(End of this chapter)