Chapter 149: Going through the motions and taking the gifts home
"Of course, did you hear what the Emperor said?"
The queen smiled happily.
"Originally, when the fourth son was getting married, my elder sister said she would come back to watch the ceremony. But just as they were about to leave, the eldest son's wife was pregnant with such good news!
I've been busy gathering some herbs these past couple of days, and looking for someone to deliver them. If you have anything you'd like to bring along, please prepare it and I'll bring it over later."
"That's great! It saves me from having to find someone to deliver it myself. Your Majesty, please wait for a few days while I make a few small items for the child."
"Okay, you're good at it anyway. After you finish this for my sister, can you make me a nice hand warmer when you have time? It's getting cold."
"I'm doing it, why are you in such a hurry?"
"Am I not afraid that you will forget?"
"How dare I? I forgot to prepare something for my mistress. Won't you come to my Changchun Palace and attack me later?"
"Then it's settled. Let's start playing this afternoon. I'll inform Concubine Liang, Concubine Cheng and the others later. You're not allowed to ruin the cards again! The dignified Concubine Xian, you're so unrefined."
"With your card skills, you've bluffed two out of ten times, how dare you say that about me..."
The two ladies complained about each other's poor card-playing skills, which made the younger generations sitting below laugh.
Time passed quickly while we were chatting and laughing.
After the emperor came back from court with his sons, the tea ceremony and family recognition process began. Although everyone knew each other, they still had to go through the formalities.
After receiving some gifts from the elders and distributing some to the younger generations, a harmonious family reunion scene was completed.
Not long after lunch, Jiang Wan and his wife returned home, laden with bags. The Queen stood at the door, watching her beloved children walk away. The smile on her face seemed strangely lonely.
"Shu'er, I..."
"Your Majesty is going to see Concubine He, right? Then please go there immediately. She had a few arguments with us today. Why don't you take the imperial physician with you to take a look?"
"No, I mean..."
"Your Majesty, I have some palace matters to attend to this afternoon. If you don't have anything important to discuss, can we talk about it later?"
The emperor finally managed to save face, but his wife slapped him back again and again. The emperor could only nod in frustration, and then was driven out of the house in a depressed mood.
Qing Yang stood beside the queen and felt the silent sorrow in her master, so she whispered a few words of persuasion.
"Master, you clearly know that the Emperor is willing to bow down to you, so why are you torturing yourself like this? After all, we are husband and wife. Wouldn't it be hard for you to be so ruthless?"
"Yeah, why bother?"
The queen turned around expressionlessly.
"Because I am now the virtuous and generous queen, the petty one is Qiao Yunshu who loves him. Only by not being Qiao Yunshu can I continue to be a good queen."
She walked without hesitation, a sigh drifting in the wind.
"That's it. Perhaps this is the best arrangement."
East Palace.
The Crown Princess had just stepped into her palace and sat down, and before she had time to hug her son and kiss him for a while, a trusted palace maid came to report.
"Your Highness, there seems to be news about Chang Liang Di. I heard that she hasn't changed her clothes this month."
"So soon?"
The Crown Princess was stunned.
Ever since the last time the Crown Prince mentioned that someone should enter the Eastern Palace, Chang Yuning, a concubine, as well as Guo Liangyuan and two attendants, have been added one after another.
She gave birth to a child with great difficulty before she had time to feel sad. She was finally relieved to have given birth to her eldest son, but Chang Yuning was pregnant?
Thinking of her infant son, a fierce struggle flashed in the Crown Princess's eyes, but in the end, reason overwhelmed the reluctance in her heart.
If Chang Yuning also gave birth to a son this time, the two children would be so close in age that it would indeed be a threat to her son.
"Haitang, go to Guo Liangyuan and bring her a portion of the cakes that the Queen Mother gifted her today. Tell her that I hope she can share in the joy of the Princess of Qi and, like Consort Chang Liang, conceive a child and have children for the Crown Prince."
"yes."
After the palace maids had left, the Crown Princess sat at the table, looking down at her slender white fingers in a daze.
From today on, these hands will be stained with blood.
It's not that I don't want Chang Liangdi to have a child, but why is she so anxious? Why can't she wait a little longer? When my son grows up a little bit and can truly stand on his own, I will definitely not commit this kind of sin again.
The Crown Princess closed her eyes.
The right and wrong in the palace had nothing to do with the joyous Prince Qi’s Mansion for the time being.
Since they had already gone to the palace to offer tea and gone through the motions, the couple could spend the rest of the time as they pleased. Being with someone you love, even if it means doing boring things, can be incredibly enjoyable.
Newly wed couples usually spend their days talking and flirting with each other, or reading books and drinking tea in a poetic atmosphere.
But these two in the Qi Palace are a strange pair. The martial arts training ground is so lively!
Everyone only saw their own beautiful mistress, who raised her whip with her slender hands and swung it, attacking the male master with only a shadow left. But the male master didn't give in, casually pulling out a silver spear and rushing forward, showing off his majesty.
Many people's eyes were wide open, with expressions of shock and helplessness.
Oh my god, I've never heard of a princess daring to lay hands on a prince in my entire life! How can I explain this?!
Hongxiu was still young, not as steady as her sister Hongzhu. Seeing her own young lady, oh no, the princess, actually getting along with the prince, the girl was so anxious that she didn't care about her dignity and stamped her feet.
"Sister Hongzhu, look at the looks on the faces of those people around us! What should we do? It seems our master's true nature has been revealed!"
"What are you panicking about?"
Hongzhu waved her hand calmly and lowered her voice.
"What do you mean by revealing your true nature? My master has no intention of pretending to be virtuous in Prince Qi's mansion. This is our own home, what is there to pretend for? Who are you afraid of?"
"Then, these people..."
"I want them to see clearly who is the master of the Qi Palace!"
As expected of Jiang Wan's longest-serving and capable assistant, as soon as her master raised his eyebrows, she knew to go find Aunt Jinping and quickly summon the stewards in the mansion to come and support the two masters.
This was also to let everyone see the princess who could fight the prince on equal terms, the princess who was held in the palm of his hand. I hope these people will know how to serve her in the future, so that they won't have to pick on her later and make it difficult for everyone to speak out.
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