The cool winter sun shone through the carved window lattice and fell on the young lady's brand-new butterfly-patterned jacket and skirt, forming a series of leaping light spots that made the clothes and the person even more lively and agile.
As Zi Qiao adjusted Wei Shuwan's collar and cuffs, she smiled and praised, "Miss, this new dress is truly wonderful. You will surely outshine all the beauties on the Autumn Festival tomorrow and bring great honor to the young prince!"
Miao Xiang, who was squatting down to help Wei Shuwan try on her new shoes, smiled as well. Although she was not competitive, she knew that many people in the palace would want to take a proper look at her young lady tomorrow, so she should dress up in a more glamorous way.
After all, when Wei Shu returned to the palace that night, it was Consort Wen who was choosing a consort for the young Prince Qiaochuan. At that time, she was not particularly noticeable, and many people did not pay attention to her. But this time, she was going to the palace as the prospective consort, so there would definitely be many eyes watching to see what kind of extraordinary woman the young Prince Qiaochuan would ultimately choose.
The two maids were extremely concerned about whether their young lady could impress everyone, but Wei Shuwan herself had no mind about that at all. Lately, all she could think about was how to bring her uncle and Pan Wenjun together.
Tomorrow's birthday banquet will be a special occasion for my uncle, the newly appointed Marquis of Ping'an County, who will inevitably have to go to the palace to express his gratitude and present birthday gifts. Pan Wenjun, as the daughter of Pan Wei, the military governor of Weirong Army, is also on the list. Since the two of them will meet in the palace, Wei Shuwan felt that this was also an opportunity and planned to find a way to give them some time alone.
Just as she was thinking about these things, she heard a maid in the courtyard come to report: "Third Miss, your uncle has arrived."
Wei Shuwan's eyes lit up, and she quickly pushed Ziqiao and Miaoxiang aside, rushing out to greet her uncle.
When Wei Shuwan arrived at the front yard, her mother had just arrived as well. However, with her mother there, she couldn't ask about Sister Pan, so she had to talk about other things first. After her mother and uncle finished talking and her uncle went to the side room to settle in, Wei Shuwan quietly followed them to Sun Xingjian's room.
"Uncle, I heard that Sister Pan went to the city gate to pick you up today?" Wei Shuwan asked impatiently as soon as she sat down.
Sun Xingjian saw that her eyes were bright, and while pouring her a cup of hot tea, he said, "What, you like her that much?"
Wei Shuwan didn't hide anything and said bluntly, "I like it! I want Sister Pan to be my aunt!"
Sun Xingjian was both annoyed and amused. "Why should I have to marry the person you like?"
"Then, Uncle, ask yourself honestly, do you really have no feelings for Sister Pan at all? If you don't have any feelings for her, why did you dare to venture into the enemy camp alone to rescue her at the border?"
Faced with his niece's probing questions, Sun Xingjian's teacup, which he had brought to his lips, froze in mid-air. He seemed somewhat guilty, or perhaps lost in some distant memory...
When he first met Pan Wenjun, she was just coming of age. There were not many young women on the border, let alone in the crowded military camp. Pan Wenjun, dressed in a dashing red dress, rode into the camp on horseback. In that fleeting glance, she left a deep impression on his heart.
A few days later, he learned that Pan Wenjun had been arrested, so he immediately mounted his horse and rushed out of the military camp to rescue her.
He successfully rescued the person, and while Pan Duhu was filled with gratitude, he also took even closer care of his daughter. After that, he did not see her for a long time.
Those feelings that hadn't yet blossomed faded with time, and the repeated battles on the battlefield made Sun Xingjian realize that he shouldn't get married, because he had seen too many tragedies of newlyweds becoming widows after wars.
Although he has now inherited the title, he has not yet laid down his arms and will soon be heading to the battlefield with Protector-General Pan. Therefore, he cannot delay any woman, whether it be Pan Wenjun or any other woman.
How can we have a home when the barbarians have not yet been defeated?
Seeing her uncle remain silent, Wei Shuwan raised her delicate eyebrows and tilted her head to probe his expression: "What, did I hit the nail on the head?"
Sun Xingjian suddenly came to his senses, put the teacup back on the table, put on a stern face, and adopted the demeanor of an elder: "You should not interfere in your uncle's affairs anymore."
"Why?" Wei Shuwan showed no sign of backing down. Instead, she opened her eyes wide with anger, like Lü Dongbin who had been bitten by a dog.
Sun Xingjian took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, "For no other reason than that you should also focus your attention on your in-laws' family."
The sudden appearance of the two "in-laws" startled Wei Shuwan slightly, then she blinked her beautiful peach blossom eyes, "W-what in-laws..."
Since she was getting married, she would naturally have a husband's family, so when Wei Shuwan asked this question, she felt somewhat guilty and in the wrong. But the words "husband's family" did put a lot of pressure on her.
Only she knows best how much suffering she endured in her husband's family in her past life. Although she is with a different person in this life, she is certain that Li Qingchen and Song Zichen are not the same kind of people. But what about his family?
In the Prince's mansion far away in Qiaochuan, although she didn't have her proper mother-in-law, she did have Li Qingchen's stepmother and a group of concubines. And there was also Li Qingchen's half-brother, Li Zizhuo, who had come to Shengjing last time intending to poison her in prison, but Wei Shuyao had mistakenly taken the poison...
The people in the Prince's mansion are all extraordinary, as evidenced by the rumors. Their future relationships are undoubtedly extremely complex, far surpassing those of the Song family in the previous life.
Thinking about all this, Wei Shuwan felt somewhat discouraged.
Seeing her dejected expression, Sun Xingjian didn't want to frighten her, so he quickly comforted her, "But you don't need to worry too much. After your marriage, the Emperor may not let Li Qingchen return to Qiaochuan immediately. You will probably have to stay in Shengjing for a while."
Wei Shuwan didn't know how credible this statement was. She only knew that in her previous life, Li Qingchen did not return to Qiaochuan before the coup because he had not gotten married at all. In this life, things had changed. According to the old custom, a hostage could leave the capital once he got married.
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