Yun Beiye hesitated for a moment and frowned. However, if he refused directly in court, he would be accused of favoritism. It would be better to let Sun Ren bring his son over first. If Duoduo didn't like him in ten days, he could just let them leave.
Throughout the morning court session, Yun Beiye selected seven relatives of the generals to come for a martial arts competition in ten days to choose personal guards for the little princess, Yun Duoduo.
...
At noon, after the court session, Yunbei went to Shouchang Palace to have lunch with the Empress Dowager.
The palace maids laid out the lunch they had prepared in advance on the table, which included delicacies such as beef soup, mutton soup, and sweet and sour pork ribs.
Ah Xiang stood behind the Empress Dowager, holding Yun Duoduo in her arms.
Yun Duoduo smelled the aroma on the table and drooled all over her face.
"Time to eat! Time to eat!" She was incredibly excited; eating was the happiest thing for her every day!
She turned her head and glanced at the food on the table. If only she had teeth! The sweet and sour pork ribs looked delicious. Her gaze swept over the dishes, and when she saw the bowl of mutton soup, she shook her head with some dissatisfaction.
This mutton soup is only a small bowl, how can it be enough?!
A person who eats rice has a rice-eating soul, and a person who eats rice needs a basin to eat!
"Your subject greets Your Majesty!" Yun Beiye bowed to Empress Dowager Nangong Rui.
"Please sit down. Today, I had the imperial kitchen prepare your favorite braised pork head."
"Thank you, Mother!" Yun Beiye said with a face full of joy.
"Your Majesty, I have selected seven sons of military families. They will come to the palace in ten days to compete in martial arts. The winner will become Duoduo's bodyguard. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
The Empress Dowager nodded. "Yes, at least you've done something worthwhile."
Look at the kind of men you've assigned to my gate! Each and every guard is so delicate and refined.
[He's so fragile, easily blown down by the wind, and falls ill under the sun. Who can protect my grandson?!]
[Arranging a martial arts competition to find a personal bodyguard for Duoduo, huh, a tiger cub from a military family, that sounds plausible.]
Yun Duoduo was nestled in A Xiang's arms. Upon hearing that her father, the emperor, was going to choose bodyguards for her and that she would be entering the palace tomorrow, she thought, "Wouldn't I get to see some handsome young men tomorrow?!"
So it seems like that scumbag dad wasn't such a scumbag after all!
Yun Duoduo was very excited, feeling very happy. Clear liquid unconsciously flowed from the corner of her mouth. She would be able to see the handsome guy tomorrow!
Who knows, he might even be the kind of person with a tall, straight figure and exceptionally handsome looks!
It's so boring staring at the rooftops all day in this palace. Now that I have handsome young men to look at, it's not bad at all!
"Oh my, my little darling, you've been so busy eating by yourself, let me give you a spoonful too!" Yun Beiye saw Yun Duoduo's eyes drooling with a smile and assumed she was just hungry, so he took the bowl of mutton soup, walked to A Xiang's side, scooped up a spoonful of mutton soup and put it into Yun Duoduo's mouth.
Hmm, it tastes good. This imperial kitchen is quite good; they know how to make soups with different flavors.
Yun Duoduo smacked her lips and made "wah wah wah" and "hum hum hum hum" sounds.
"Ah Xiang, feed some of this mutton soup and beef soup to the little princess," the Empress Dowager instructed.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Granny Zhang pulled out a chair and placed the mutton soup and beef soup on a small table next to it. Ah Xiang carefully blew on the steam rising from the mutton soup, then spooned the lukewarm soup into Yun Duoduo's mouth.
"Ten days from now, which ministers' grandchildren and relatives will be coming?" the Empress Dowager asked casually.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the eldest grandson of the Left Prime Minister, the nephew of Commander Xiao, the youngest son of Deputy General Yang, and the son of Minister Sun have all come. There are also three others recommended by the Commander of the Imperial Guards."
"Hmm, these men are all highly skilled. I heard that you have also brought back General Jin Xiaoran, who is stationed on the frontier?" The Empress Dowager picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs and ate it.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Yun Beiye nodded, put down his chopsticks, and listened to the Empress Dowager speak.
"I've heard that General Jin's wife is pregnant again?"
"It seems that's true."
Jin Xiaoran and Xun Yunge have always had a good relationship. Jin Jinzhi is their first child, their eldest son. As for Xun Yunge, it is unknown whether the baby in her belly is a lovely and adorable girl or a mischievous boy.
"Send someone to meet them. The northern border is so far from the capital, there will inevitably be some bumps along the way."
"General Jin led the Zhenbei Army to guard the northern border, and his troops fought battles in all directions, inevitably making enemies."
"Send more people, along with a few imperial physicians, to pick them up on horseback. Protect their safety along the way, so that someone can take care of them if they give birth on the way."
Yun Beiye listened attentively to the Empress Dowager's words, nodding as she spoke.
"You can't say our court is heartless and ungrateful. The Jin family left the capital more than ten years ago and has been stationed in the northern frontier ever since. They have made great contributions and deserve our respect. We can't let the old ministers down!"
"Yes, yes, Mother is right, I have remembered it."
"Also, his son, Jin Jinzhi, is quite famous. If he arrives in the capital in ten days, summon him to the palace as well!"
That child has an excellent reputation; perhaps he can protect Duoduo's safety.
"Yes, Mother."
...
Inside Zhaoyang Palace, Empress Zhaoyuan was overjoyed to hear that her good-for-nothing son had been granted the title of Prince of the Five Pearls.
The eldest prince, Yun Yibo, was squatting in the corner, secretly licking his fingers and reading a storybook. Suddenly, his ears twitched. He heard footsteps coming from the door. He immediately hid the storybook under the bed, stood up, straightened his clothes, and went outside.
Upon seeing that the visitor was the Empress, he bowed and greeted her, "Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty!"
He felt a chill run down his spine. Could it be that his mother had come to scold him?
Empress Zhaoyuan rarely smiled. She affectionately stroked Yun Yibo's head and said, "My son, I have been suppressed for most of my life, but now I can finally hold my head high!"
Yun Yibo felt a little uneasy and confused as his mother touched him. What had happened? He was completely oblivious to the world outside the palace and devoted himself to studying the classics.
"Congratulations, Your Highness, you have been granted the title of Five-Bead Prince!" Cui Ling bowed and congratulated Yun Yibo on receiving the honor.
A five-bead prince? Yun Yibo frowned. He had no concept of a five-bead prince, only knowing that being granted a title was a good thing. Now that he was a prince, could he establish his own residence and live outside?
The thought of being able to live outside on his own, instead of being scolded in the palace every day, made Yun Yibo's eyes light up, and his heart pound with excitement.
"Son, you have made something of yourself now. Your father, the Emperor, has personally issued an edict to bestow upon you the title of Prince of the Fifth Rank!"
"The gold and silver rewards are plentiful!" Empress Zhaoyuan happily pulled her son to sit down at the table and gently straightened his collar.
"I told you before that you were being unreasonable, it was my fault. I didn't even know you had saved your sister!"
"Oh dear! What a fine son of mine!" Empress Zhaoyuan slapped Yun Yibo hard on the shoulder.
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