Chapter 143 Extra Chapter 1: About the Crown Princess
"Your Majesty, a country cannot be stable without a crown prince. As long as a crown prince is not established, the country will not be stable."
When the court officials raised the topic again, Qi Ye agreed without hesitation this time.
That's right, things are unstable without a crown prince.
Thus, his eldest son became the crown prince instead of the Prince of Qi.
The other three princes—no, it was one prince and two county princes—didn't dare utter a single word.
The ministers had long anticipated this possibility, and a year or so was enough time for them to adapt to the outcome. Especially during this period, the Dayan incident continued, and the Prince of Qi demonstrated his ability to handle it, proving himself worthy of the position.
Although he is still far behind in his studies, it doesn't matter, they can teach him slowly.
Therefore, the matter of establishing a crown prince was met with great satisfaction from all levels of government, and for a time, harmony existed between the emperor and his ministers, and everyone was happy.
However, this situation did not last for more than two months. Another minister took the opportunity to advise: "The Crown Prince's backyard is empty. He should marry a wife as soon as possible and have children."
Qi Ye did not rejoice as he had when the crown prince was being established. Instead, he frowned and said inscrutably, "The crown prince is still young."
The minister who offered the advice said, "...The Crown Prince has been of legal age for a year."
They can hardly be called young anymore.
Other princes had wives by the age of fifteen or sixteen, and they all married at eighteen or nineteen. The only one who was still single when he reached adulthood was Qi Zheng, the prince who grew up in the Jianghu and didn't care about such things.
The minister continued, "Even if you think the Crown Prince is too young to marry, we still need to find a suitable candidate for the Crown Princess or a concubine, right? His Highness is already too late to marry. There aren't many eligible young ladies in Yong'an City right now. If we delay for another two years, the young ladies will be too young to wait."
In Yong'an City, girls generally start looking for partners around the age of fourteen or fifteen, and begin preparing for marriage after turning sixteen and reaching the age of marriageable age, ideally marrying at seventeen or eighteen. If they wait until after reaching the age of marriage to start looking for partners, things will go smoothly, but if something goes wrong and it delays them for a year or two, it will become much more difficult later on.
Especially for the Crown Princess, she needs to have a good family background, talent, and looks, right? She's the Crown Princess, after all.
Qi Zheng returned late, and the marriages of the three princes above him had already been arranged. In the capital, there were not many good young women of marriageable age from families with outstanding backgrounds, let alone outstanding girls in every way.
Selection, engagement, marriage—another year has passed in the blink of an eye. Every girl is a flower; we can't wait forever. If we don't do it now, when will we?
The minister who made the proposal was genuinely concerned for His Majesty and the Crown Prince.
After all, his unmarried daughter is only seven years old. If he had any selfish motives, he would be hoping she would get married later.
And there were more than just one or two such ministers.
Although everyone in the court is self-serving and has their own selfish motives, they generally still hope that Dayan can remain stable and prosperous for a long time.
The previous dynasty was so miserable.
In those days, who didn't lose a few relatives or friends?
The country is now stable, the emperor is wise, and the people are well-fed and clothed. There is nothing wrong with this, so the emperor is at ease, the crown prince is steady, and the country is secure. Everything is interconnected.
Faced with the suggestions from one minister after another, Qi Ye sighed, "What you say makes sense. This matter can't be delayed any longer, but I still need to discuss it with the Crown Prince."
If this drags on any longer, he suspects that one day the little prince will be running around and still won't be able to call him grandfather.
Several ministers did not understand his deeper meaning. They were happy to see that he had agreed, but after the official business was over, they couldn't help but secretly add their own selfish motives and began to recommend suitable women they knew to him.
Even if we don't talk about the principal wife, a concubine would be nice too.
The Crown Prince is so old that there is no one in his harem. The fact that he can enter now is naturally different from any relationship he may have later.
Being an official requires cultivating relationships.
If you don't have a suitable woman at home, don't you have one among your relatives and friends?
After the Crown Prince returned to the capital, apart from the Song family, who had brought him back to the former chief minister, he wasn't particularly close to any other families. Everything was done according to etiquette, neither good nor bad. If he had his own people in the inner circle, things would definitely be different.
Before long, news of the Crown Prince's selection of a consort leaked out, and Qi Ye quickly gathered a bunch of portraits of beautiful women, including suitable young ladies from all over the capital.
He smiled and looked at his eldest son: "Take a look?"
Now, having served as Crown Prince for three months, Qi Zheng was even more solemn than before. He was well aware of his lack of knowledge and the importance of dignity, so he maintained a calm and serious demeanor than ever before. When people faced him, their first reaction was not that he was ignorant, but that he had other ideas.
This trick works very well.
Because he seemed so unapproachable, most officials, knowing his background, would not underestimate him, much less dare to conceal anything or deceive him.
Of course, this does not include his teachers or his biological father.
Qi Zheng looked down at the boxes of pictures of young girls, and listened to his incorrigible temptation. He remained silent for a while before saying, "Father, if you don't grant us a marriage soon, your future daughter-in-law will have to travel the world with her parents."
If there were no worries, why would a free bird want to stay in a cage?
Even if the cage is big enough.
Qi Ye's eyes widened suddenly: "Wandering the world?"
Qi Zheng nodded: "Yes, we'll start from Yong'ancheng, head south, circle around Lingnan, then go east to the coast, go to the northernmost part of the desert, and then circle back. I heard that Tenghai built a large ship and went out to sea, where they discovered an uninhabited island that is full of insects and snakes and is very dangerous, but it also has a lot of novel food. Young Master Qu and Jinjin are very interested."
Qi Ye slammed his hand on the table, his eyes shifting: "No, I haven't left the capital for three years, and that kid has gone on a journey."
Qi Zheng added, "He brought his wife, daughter, and son along."
Qi Ye took a deep breath, then another, but still couldn't help gritting his teeth: "Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! They're all gone, are they not going to do any work?"
Was it easy for him to be emperor?
The last time he left Yong'an City was three years ago.
That brat Song Shang is something else. He used to use the excuse of doing things himself to run around everywhere, but at least he had to do some work. Now he's really just going sightseeing, taking his whole family along for a pure vacation.
No, he wouldn't allow it; he couldn't bear to see people so happy.
Thinking it over, Qi Ye stopped taking the bridge, threw the picture albums that had been presented aside, took out the imperial edict that had been prepared in advance from under the table, and grinned ferociously: "I'll have Chief Eunuch Sun accompany you in a while. Find the Imperial Observatory to calculate the time. There will definitely be a good day early next year. You little brat, put in some effort and give me two little grandsons as soon as possible. I want to see if he'll still be willing to run away."
Want to go out and have some fun? No way.
Let him stay here to continue assisting others.
Qi Zheng looked at his father's ferocious appearance and his lips twitched: "...Thank you, Father Emperor."
He vaguely remembered that when he first returned, his father still had a full head of black hair. However, with the 'death' of Chief Minister Song, his father's hair had turned quite gray and thinned out in less than a year.
Being an emperor is no easy task, and having a capable and good minister is really important.
Qi Zheng was filled with emotion, but remained calm and composed on the surface. He said from the bottom of his heart, "Father, please take care of your health. The country needs you."
He wasn't in a hurry, not at all. This burden was too heavy; he needed to study for several more decades.
...
The day the decree was issued was a bright and sunny day.
The sky was a clear, deep blue, with several rainbows hanging in the sky.
Song Jin stayed home to entertain guests, a rare occurrence for her.
It's hot in the summer, and since we're at home, our hairstyles and clothes are very simple.
She wore a purple chiffon summer dress, her long, thick hair was tied up in a bun on her head, and she wore no other accessories except for a simple purple gemstone hairpin, which sparkled in the sunlight, making her look noble and gorgeous.
Yang Yanjun looked at her outfit and clicked her tongue in amazement: "I've known you for so long and I've never seen you wear the same thing twice. Did General Song send those gems back?"
Song Jin lazily ate grapes: "Yes, it was the spoils of war. They sent a box back, and Sister Xuan and I each took half."
That's impossible, of course.
Teng Qianxuan only sent a few as a token gift, while she received a large box, but her mother kept it. She didn't care about anything else and just enjoyed herself.
When Song Jin first returned, she was only considered to have average fair skin because she was exposed to the sun all day. But after a year of less wind and rain, and a winter of rest and recuperation, she has visibly become two shades lighter.
Sunlight filtered through the sparse branches and leaves as she lay half-reclined, her skirt pulled up, revealing her long, powerful legs and taut lines as she moved. Large sections of her long arms, shoulders, and neck were exposed, making her appear slender and agile, like a lazy snow leopard in the snow—soft and beautiful, yet harboring danger.
Yang Yanjun looked at the patch of white, smooth skin on her chest, clicked her tongue twice, and couldn't help but look down at her own, feeling that God was being unfair.
This person is already so thin, how come they're even fatter than her?
“It’s natural, no need to envy.” Song Jin lazily munched on a fruit, half-sitting up with her legs half-draped on the small couch, gently swaying, looking incredibly beautiful.
She said leisurely, "So you still have to find a husband who is both tall and handsome."
Her mother was beautiful, and her dead father was also good-looking, which is why she looks the way she does now.
Yang Yanjun: "Alright, alright, I know your crush is tall and handsome."
Song Jin took a bite of the fruit and continued, "He's also powerful, skilled in martial arts, generous, and considerate."
Yang Yanjun's lips twitched: "...You really have the nerve to say that."
Song Jin raised an eyebrow, smugly: "It's just a fact."
Although she was being a bit cheeky, what she said was indeed true. Yang Yanjun couldn't refute it. She took a piece of fruit, took a couple of bites, and couldn't help but say, "But it's been so long, and there's still no news from His Majesty. Why don't you ask your eldest brother and third brother to go and talk to him?"
Not many people know about Song Jin and Qi Zheng's story.
Song Jin can talk to anyone at teahouses, restaurants, and roadside stalls. She often goes out to eat with men like Shu Chenghao, Yan Sheng, and A Mao Xiaoduo. She doesn't seem out of place walking with Qi Zheng.
Moreover, she and Qi Zheng, one from the countryside and the other from the chivalrous world, were both skilled in martial arts. When the two of them got together, they would often have sword fights or horse races. They seemed much more serious than when they were with others, so it was hard to think of them in that way. Even if someone with a keen mind did think of it, the reaction in the palace would simply be to pretend not to know.
Like Yang Yanjun, although she felt there was something between the two from the beginning, she was still shocked when she found out they were together. She suspected that someone was joking. But when it was confirmed, she couldn't help but worry.
The calm that has lasted for so long in the palace confirms her worries.
Your Majesty should not agree to this.
Leaving aside Song Jin's personality, the Song family, after the chief minister Song controlled the court for twenty years, has produced two outstanding figures, Song Xingzhi and Song Shenzhi, one a scholar and the other a warrior. They have already reached their peak. If they were to produce another crown princess...
Yang Yanjun couldn't help but sigh. Looking at Song Jin, who was still sitting there as if nothing had happened, her worry turned into speechlessness: "You have a really big heart."
Song Jin continued munching on fruit, one foot on the ground and the other dangling from the armrest of the bamboo chair, relaxed and carefree: "You're overthinking it. What's there to say? Although the matter between the Crown Prince and me hasn't been made public, it hasn't been made public to anyone else either."
She's happy now, and that's enough.
We can deal with future troubles another day.
If she really had to think about all that, besides worrying about the Emperor's disapproval of their relationship, she would also have to worry about Qi Zheng changing his mind in the future, or being wary of the Song family, or some other messy power struggles among the princes.
Just thinking about it gives me a headache.
The key issue is that even if you take the risk and find someone else to date or marry into the family, you'll still have to worry about that person changing their mind or having ulterior motives, or your children getting into trouble...
That's too much trouble.
Song Jin has already left her brain in her past life. She just wants to live a simple and happy life in this one. Let her old mother and dead father worry about anything else.
She swung her bright white toes and clicked her tongue twice: "Look, you're overthinking things. You're already getting gray hair, and in another two years you'll be getting wrinkles."
Yang Yanjun immediately stopped worrying about her, got up in alarm, and ran to Cheng Siyi: "Wrinkles? I really have wrinkles? I told you, I told you, youth fades and beauty withers."
Cheng Siyi sighed, helplessly saying, "No, Mingguang lied to you."
Song Jin raised her eyebrows and said seriously, "I didn't. I'm an honest person."
Yang Yanjun hugged Cheng Siyi's knees and kowtowed, lamenting, "I'm getting old, I'm getting old. My Huahua will have to rely on you, her aunt, from now on."
Song Jin exclaimed, "Don't even think about it. I'm not going to raise other people's children."
Yang Yanjun: "Heartless woman, heartless aunt, and my Huahua still thinks of you."
...
The two of them chatted back and forth, making it especially lively when they were together.
Cheng Siyi found it amusing, shook her head, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and continued looking at the books in the Song family's collection. As expected of a teacher's wife, she was calm and composed.
Song Jin could joke around with Yang Yanjun, but when she faced Cheng Siyi, a cultured person, she felt a little uneasy, afraid that in the middle of the conversation, this person would say a classic historical text, followed by a "you are hopeless" comment. So she gave her a copy of the homework she had assigned to Qi Zheng.
Just thinking about it made her clear her throat, take a sip of tea, and then turn her head to look at the other side.
Niu Tielan and Teng Qianxuan sat together, fiddling with beads.
Song Jin put down her teacup, washed her hands, and walked towards them. Before she even spoke, her hands were already there, just like a cat with mischievous hands that always likes to scratch at them.
Niu Tielan frowned slightly as she looked at the pearls that had fallen to the ground, and warned in her voice, "Song Jinjin."
Song Jin's fingers twitched slightly as she silently moved away from the table, squatted down, and obediently picked up the beads from the ground, muttering, "What's the point of doing this? It's too much work and hurts your eyes. Let the people from Jinxiu Workshop do it."
Niu Tielan glanced at her: "Why don't you let someone help you eat?"
Song Jin scoffed, "If you don't eat, you'll starve to death, and then you'll feel sorry for yourself."
Niu Tielan smiled slightly: "Then why don't you let someone else go out for you? It's safer and more convenient at home."
Song Jin withdrew her head and remained silent, putting the pearls back one by one, and sat there watching her mother string the pearl necklace.
Niu Tielan is very skillful. She can not only make incense, but also make beautiful beaded necklaces. Her embroidery is also exceptionally beautiful in color and style. However, she doesn't embroider much because it is too much trouble and she used to refuse to make sachets for Song Jin because of this.
Of course, the real reason was that Song Jin was too wasteful of things, and she was too lazy to put in the effort.
Song Jin was aware of the situation, so she kept quiet after mentioning it once. However, a while ago, her mother made a sachet for her deceased father, which made her very upset. Even after Niu Tielan embroidered flowers on her clothes, she still couldn't stop thinking about it.
She's incredibly stingy.
Niu Tielan was too lazy to talk to her anymore, and since it was pointless to explain, she continued working on the pearl bracelet. The pearl design was simple, but the rope was complicated to weave, and since she was using gold thread, she had to be even more careful.
It took more than an hour to finally string together the pearl and agate chain with red rope and gold thread. It was colorful, exceptionally beautiful, and most importantly, one of a kind in the world.
Song Jin lay beside her, her eyes sparkling, and she had already placed her hand on the table.
Her mother has a taste for understated elegance, so it's easy to guess who this exquisite and luxurious chain was made for.
"Little Rascal"
Niu Tielan scolded her in a low voice, but her hands moved gently as she carefully fastened the beaded chain to her wrist. Then she tapped her head and said irritably, "Satisfied now?"
Song Jin raised the corners of her mouth and tilted her head: "This time, I'm the only one who has it, right?"
Niu Tielan glared at her: "If you keep talking nonsense, give it back to me."
Song Jin chuckled and started showing off all over the yard.
Amidst a chorus of childish, boring, and annoying shouts, the little troubles weighing on the peaceful and leisurely life were gently crushed by the long-awaited imperial decree.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Song Jin, daughter of Grand Secretary Song Shang, Princess of Mingguang, is sixteen years old. She possesses a keen mind and a gentle heart, remaining calm in the face of both honor and disgrace. In her marriage, she wept at the beating of her husband, Bo Yu, demonstrating filial piety and diligence in farming, making her a model of filial piety. In her dealings with the outside world, she is resolute and fearless, breaking through enemy lines, capturing rebels, protecting the people, risking her life, and rendering meritorious service in protecting the Emperor. She is a woman of filial piety, loyalty, and trustworthiness, a perfect match for Crown Prince Qi Zheng, and the only choice for Crown Princess..."
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