Chapter 6: Guining, the couple are in harmony, and they are truly a perfect match...
In the evening, Yu Qing went to pay his respects to the princess and have dinner with her. The princess then thought of a name for her courtyard.
"What does the prince consort think of the word 'Wenhua'?" Qing Jia asked.
Yu Qing thought for a moment and said, "...There's a poem that goes: 'Jade is as bright as the sun, and elegant as brocade.' This is a very good topic."
Xie Jing thought that this man was a well-educated warrior.
Yu Qing was very considerate. After the meal, he sat for a while and stood up to say goodbye without asking him to see him off.
After he left, Qiu Lian closed the door. Dong Li whispered, "This prince isn't that difficult to deal with. If we keep going like this, I can just see him once a day, morning and evening, and it will be over."
Qiu Lian was undoing Xie Jing's bun and combing his hair. Xie Jing closed his eyes slightly and said, "I wish it were that simple."
These few days were a special "confidence period," and Yu Qing had to maintain her composure. Even if she was anxious, she wouldn't rush into sex. Xie Jing would have to find other solutions.
Dong Li said, "Should we give him drugs starting tomorrow? He'll be eating here anyway, so we can mix the drugs into his food..."
Xie Jing: "...Not really, let's wait a little longer."
"Everything is ready now. The sooner we administer the medicine, the less worries we'll have." Dong Li was a courageous and decisive girl. "Otherwise, if he disrespects Your Highness someday, we should put an end to his thoughts as soon as possible!"
Xie Jing wondered how a little girl could be so shameless.
"I think he's quite honest," he said. "After all, I'm a crowned princess. He wouldn't dare offend me easily."
Dong Li blinked: "Okay, then I'll be ready at any time."
The medicine she was talking about was prepared in the palace and brought out. It can make a man lose his virility, damage his kidneys and energy. Over time, it can make a man weak and unable to have sex.
Xie Jing got it after many twists and turns. It was a medicinal powder made by someone outside according to the recipe he was instructed to find. When mixed with food, it became almost colorless and tasteless.
Xie Jing said, "Be careful, don't get involved accidentally one day."
After all, the man eating with me is also a man.
"Don't use it unless absolutely necessary. We've just arrived at the Marquis' Mansion, and any accidents at this point could easily arouse suspicion. Don't overdo it; increase the dosage slowly. Yu Qing is a martial artist, so his perception is sharper than most," Qiu Lian said calmly. "The medicine is indeed tasteless, but its effects are quite potent. I'm afraid it might alter the flow of qi in our meridians, making it easy for him to detect it."
Xie Jing looked at an antique wooden box on the table, with a pair of crystal bracelets lying in the middle. They were obtained from Mrs. Lu during the day.
Although it is said to be a family heirloom and not valuable, in fact this bracelet is also made of rare ice jadeite material, and its quality and appearance are both top-notch.
Xie Jing's life in the palace was not very good. His allowance was quite small, and he was lucky to get some sporadic imperial gifts throughout the year. The rest were just occasional rewards from the empress like teasing cats and dogs.
Only on this marriage did he receive a considerable dowry, but it was not half of what the eldest princess had received back then. This bracelet was better than any of his other jewelry.
Dong Li said, "This bracelet is quite good. Would you like to change it, Your Highness?"
Xie Jing said, "Put it away."
This was passed down from the Yu family to their daughter-in-law, and had nothing to do with Xie Jing.
After I'm gone, Yu Qing can marry another wife and use her again, so I don't owe him anything.
After all, he is the eldest son of a marquisate, and he is the only child in his family. It is better to let him have offspring so that he will not be without descendants.
"If he behaves well," Xie Jing snorted, "don't give him the medicine for now."
When Xie Jing first moved in, he was rather cautious. Even in his own room, he wore clothes and spoke in a woman's voice.
Dong Li and Qiu Lian observed and familiarized themselves with the people and things around them. They would have to spend more time to manage things in the future before they could relax.
Not only that, they have no news about the secret line for the time being.
The communication route had to be changed from the palace to the Marquis' Mansion, and the person in charge had to be changed, so there was no time to rush.
The secret information from the southwest must not be leaked. It is better not to contact them first than to take the risk. They don't know Xie Jing's safety and must be worried.
But he should be able to find a way to return to the palace to see his mother, tell her first, and then let her spread the word, so that everyone will know that Xie Jing is safe for the time being.
Xie Jing lay on the bed, thinking, and closed his eyes.
Because he was forced to suppress his body shape, even when he wasn't taking medicine, his muscles and bones often ached at night. The bed in the mansion was very soft, not painful at all, which allowed him to sleep quite soundly.
On the third day after her marriage, Princess Qingjia returned home and went to the palace with her husband to meet the emperor and empress.
"Your Highness, please be careful." Yu Qing raised her hand and let Qingjia help her get off the carriage.
In the past few days, she met Princess Qingjia in the morning and evening, following the rules and visiting her every morning and evening.
Yu Qing arrived at Wenhua Garden, and the attendant informed the princess. After the princess nodded in agreement, she went in to accompany the princess for dinner. After the meal, Yu Qing stayed for a cup of tea and talked to the princess for a few words, and then left.
Princess Qingjia is like a quiet orchid, waiting silently in her own corner.
She wasn't necessarily very happy when Yu Qing came, and she didn't try to stop Yu Qing from leaving. When Yu Qing was not around, she was completely unaware of any troubles on her side.
Before the wedding, Yu Qing's family was worried, but they didn't expect that Yu Qing, the cheap prince consort, would have such an easy life.
This ease sometimes makes Yu Qing wonder, are husbands and wives like this in ordinary families?
She had seen loving couples cuddling under the moonlight, shopkeepers bickering and joking in restaurants and shops, farmers supporting each other through their work and weaving, and elderly people walking together in the streets and alleys...
There are thousands of couples in the world, all different. She always takes a quick look and then looks away, because it has nothing to do with her, even though those scenes are sometimes enviable.
As the saying goes, the closest relatives are the most distant. The more aristocratic a family is, the weaker the affection tends to be.
On the surface, one of them is a prince and the other is a princess, which is very different from their families of commoners. Qingjia has a gentle temperament and noble birth. If she and her husband are allowed to have an intimate relationship, it will not suit her character.
Therefore, the way she and Qingjia get along may be very normal, and it is also worry-free for Yu Qing herself.
However, every time she was about to leave Qingjia, she found herself wanting to ask her again, to talk to her again. How did you sleep? Are you used to living here? What happened today?
She didn't ask, but there was always a sense of emptiness in her heart.
The princess's homecoming banquet was held in the central palace, and Yu Qing had been there before.
From a distance, she saw a maid leading a group of people to greet her at the palace gate. Qing Jia beside her introduced her softly, "That's the head of the Empress Mother's palace, Aunt Lan Yun."
Yu Qing nodded, indicating that he understood.
Aunt Lan Yun smiled when she saw Qing Jia. "Your Highness is returning home today, and the Empress has been talking about it since early morning. How have you been these past few days?"
Qingjia said: "Thank you for your concern, mother. Qingjia is doing well."
Although Lan Yun was just a palace maid, her tone when speaking to Qing Jia was quite friendly and casual, with little distinction between superiors and inferiors, and even her greetings were very simple.
The overt and covert relationships in the palace were difficult to explain. Lan Yun was an old person close to the Queen, with the Empress backing her. She probably had more style than some useless masters, and Yu Qing had no right to interfere in these etiquettes.
Lan Yun smiled at Yu Qing again and said, "My Lord, you are well. Please come this way. His Majesty and His Majesty are waiting for you two."
When the eldest princess returned home after getting married, she was not only accompanied by ceremonial guards, but also had a grand banquet in the palace. In comparison, Qingjia's homecoming banquet seemed very ordinary, and it was a rare occasion for the emperor to come in person.
Yu Qing and Qing Jia entered the palace and first thanked the emperor and empress. The emperor was in a good mood today. Regardless of the intention of granting the marriage before, the prince consort and the princess were of similar age and good looks, and they were pleasing to the eye just by looking at each other.
"Today is a rare and auspicious day for Qing Jiahe and his wife to enter the palace. There's no need to be formal," the Queen said with a kind smile. "I heard that General Yu is a wine connoisseur. It just so happens that the Jiannanchun tribute from Shu has just arrived at the palace. He can't drink it normally, so let's present it to his wife today."
Upon hearing this, Yu Qing immediately thanked the Queen.
Lan Yun held a jade pot and walked towards her and Qingjia.
The Queen laughed again and said, "Qingjia, why is she so silent? We are all one family in the palace today, why are you so afraid of strangers? Why don't you pour a glass of wine for your husband?"
Yu Qing was stunned, but before she could say anything, Qing Jia softly said "yes".
Since ancient times, only the prince consort could marry the princess, and there was no reason for the princess to serve the minister. Yu Qing felt that even if he was the prince of the marquisate, he should not overstep his bounds in front of Qing Jia.
It was clearly against the rules for the princess to pour wine for herself. Not only would it damage her dignity, but Yu Qing herself would also be unable to enjoy it in peace. However, the empress gave the order casually, and the emperor didn't care at all.
The two of them were sitting close to each other. Yu Qing saw that she had stood up, took the wine pot from Lan Yun's hand, then turned around and came to her, filling the cup in front of her with wine.
Yu Qing said: "...Thank you, Princess."
She saw Qingjia raise his frowning brows, look at her, then just nod and smile slightly.
The Queen sighed, "You two are so harmonious and harmonious, and you are truly a perfect couple. I was delighted to see you two. Qingjia has been frail since childhood and has always been cared for by the imperial physician. Now that he has found a good husband, I see that Qingjia's complexion seems to have improved. I think you will enjoy a long and happy life together."
Yu Qing said, "I am deeply apprehensive. It is my great fortune to have received Your Highness's favor. I respect Your Majesty and Your Majesty."
She drank the wine in the glass in one gulp. The queen seemed very pleased and turned to talk to the emperor.
Qingjia poured the wine and sat down. Yu Qing glanced at her from the side. Her expression was as calm as before, without even a hint of anger. But Yu Qing felt aggrieved for her for no reason.
Because of this hasty arranged marriage, Yu Qing could more or less guess that the Seventh Princess might not be favored by the Emperor. If she was really the apple of his eye, why would the wedding be so rushed and why wouldn't even the mansion be built?
Now it seems that the Queen, the Seventh Princess's biological mother, doesn't pay much attention to her daughter. Not only do her own palace maids treat Qing Jia casually, but she also makes the Princess condescend to toast them.
Qing Jia seemed to be accustomed to these neglects, and the whole banquet was as calm as water.
The emperor still had government affairs to deal with and was about to return to the Qinzheng Hall after the banquet. At this time, Qingjia spoke unexpectedly.
"Father, Queen Mother, I would like to ask for a favor today."
The Queen's eyes turned to him first. The Emperor asked, "Well? Go ahead."
"My daughter wants to go to Chunhui Palace to see Concubine Rong."
The emperor frowned: "... Concubine Rong?"
Yu Qing was also surprised. She didn't expect Qingjia to mention his biological mother.
When Concubine Rong was young, she was the most beautiful woman in the harem, and even the Empress was not as favored as her. She had a son and a daughter, and should have enjoyed wealth and glory with her offspring. However, things are unpredictable. The Second Prince, born to her, was originally a brilliant and talented person who won the emperor's favor, but he was too greedy and made a mistake. Not only was her mother's family implicated, but the Second Prince was also demoted as a criminal and exiled to the wild southwestern land, never allowed to return to Beijing. It has been more than ten years since then.
This blow caused Concubine Rong to fall seriously ill, and she became confused and often suffered from hysteria.
The emperor had a soft spot for her and seeing her like this, he couldn't bear to punish her any further. He placed her in the palace and let the palace maids and imperial doctors take care of her.
After so many years of no improvement, he was completely unable to serve the emperor and could only live in seclusion in that remote palace.
When her biological mother and brother had accidents, Qingjia was still young, and Concubine Rong was no longer able to raise a child, so she was taken in by the Queen.
"This... Qingjia, why do you suddenly want to go to Chunhui Palace? Rongfei is still the same..." asked the queen.
"My daughter rarely sees Concubine Rong, and I know she's been ill for many years..." Qing Jia glanced at Yu Qing and continued, "Now that my daughter's marriage is settled, and she'll be living outside the palace, I'm afraid she won't have the chance to visit often. On the day of her wedding, Concubine Rong didn't leave the palace. Today, she's back with her husband, and I want her to see him, so she can put her mind at ease."
The Queen said, "Well, your intentions are good. Now that you've married your Prince Consort, you should let Concubine Rong see him. But she... well, she's ill after all. I happened to ask the imperial physician who's taking care of her a while ago, and he said she's getting more confused and sometimes can't even remember people. You've always been frail, and you've only just gotten married. If you're not careful and get sick, wouldn't that ruin your wedding day?"
Qing Jia lowered his eyes and said, "...Mother is right."
Yu Qing noticed Qingjia's sadness. She was very willing to accompany her, but the Queen's attitude was very clear in her words. She was afraid that if she spoke rashly, it would backfire and be inappropriate.
The Queen continued, "There will be palace banquets during festivals in the future. When you and your husband enter the palace, you will naturally be able to see Concubine Rong. It won't be a big deal at this time."
Qing Jia sighed softly, "It's just that... Empress Rong hasn't attended a palace banquet in a long time."
The queen thought Qingjia was too spineless to ask again, but she didn't expect Qingjia to be abnormal and keep asking.
The emperor, who was about to leave, waved his hand and said, "Forget it, go if you want. I haven't seen Concubine Rong for a long time, so please check on her and see how she is doing now."
The Queen's smile froze, and Qingjia quickly replied, "My daughter thanks you, father."
After the banquet, the emperor returned to the Qinzheng Palace, and Qingjia and his wife went to the Chunhui Palace.
The central palace was empty, and the queen tapped her forehead lightly with her red fingertips.
"Your Highness, have a cup of tea to help digest your food." Aunt Lan Yun knew her mistress was in a bad mood and scolded her, "That ungrateful Seventh Princess! Your Highness raised her until she got married, yet she's still thinking about that demon concubine's mother."
"It's not surprising that she's become a little more independent now that she's out of the palace," the Queen said, taking a sip of tea. "After all, she gave birth to me, and mother and daughter are connected by heart."
Lan Yun said, "I thought that since I had been separated from my mother since childhood, I would be immune to such bad things. In my opinion, some people's lowliness is in their blood, and as long as it is the same blood, it can't be removed."
The Queen said, "That's all. It's my fault for not disciplining him properly."
"This time, she is relying on her recent marriage to come before His Majesty and ask for his help. It is difficult for His Majesty to refuse her."
"She's just a little rabbit. At most, she can kick her legs, but she can't bite anyone," the Queen said. "What weight does she hold in your Majesty's eyes? Your Majesty can't even remember her age... I'm afraid your Majesty wasn't thinking about her, but was thinking of Concubine Rong."
It was so difficult to overthrow Concubine Rong's lineage back then. Even though the Second Prince had been demoted for more than ten years, the Queen still couldn't let it go.
"...After so many years, even if His Majesty still has feelings for her, Concubine Rong's crazy behavior is unbearable for him to appear before His Majesty," Lan Yun consoled him. "She has no children, so how can she possibly be an obstacle for His Majesty and the Crown Prince?"
The Queen stroked the armrests on the side of the chair and said in a deep voice, "I hope so."
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