Chapter 97 |
A few days later.
Qu Dubian had adapted to life in the Princes' Residence.
Apart from the longer journey to the school and not being able to sleep in Shunning Palace at night, everything else was still going at the rhythm he was used to.
Two small vegetable gardens in the front yard of Pinggui Courtyard had been planted with young seedlings.
Yi Shier was a qualified guardian of the vegetable garden. Whenever Yidianbai wanted to damage the young seedlings, he would accurately grab the dog and mercilessly throw it out.
Now, in Yidianbai's eyes, Yi Shier had been promoted to the status of natural enemy.
Princess Sihe was five and a half years old. Due to the influence she suffered in her mother's womb, her health had always been weaker than that of ordinary girls. She was raised in Fengwu Palace and didn't go out often. It was only now that she went to the school.
On the day she started school, the Queen came to Qu Dubian's courtyard and brought a lot of nice things.
She came in person and said earnestly, "If it weren't for you getting the opportunity for Zhiyi to go to school back then, His Majesty would never have allowed Sihe to go to school."
With Zhiyi's example, Emperor Chongzhao couldn't refuse the Queen's request.
Qu Dubian said embarrassedly, "Your Majesty, you're overestimating me."
The Queen still insisted on leaving the things behind.
After she left, Ye Xiaoyuan sighed, "The Queen really loves Princess Sihe. The princess has benefited from the good deeds you did before, so the Queen came here to express her gratitude in person."
With the Queen's status, there was no need for her to do such a thing.
Qu Dubian nodded and said, "But I can't use all these things by myself. Banan, take what you think is useful, and send the rest to the Fifth and Sixth Brothers."
"Okay."
After moving into the Princes' Residence, there were more social activities and interactions on a daily basis. Ye Xiaoyuan handled them very skillfully.
There was also an important occasion that required a gift.
The wife of the Eldest Prince gave birth to a daughter, the first grandchild of Emperor Chongzhao. Just as Princess Axiang was about to arrive in the capital, Emperor Chongzhao was overjoyed and directly conferred the title of County Princess on the baby and bestowed a lot of gifts.
Qu Dubian's generation had been upgraded, and he became an uncle.
The Eldest Prince's daughter hadn't reached the hundred - day mark yet and couldn't see strangers. When Qu Dubian went to the Eldest Prince's mansion to send gifts, he didn't see Shu Wenxin and the baby, but saw the Eldest Prince who was happily receiving gifts with a silly smile on his face.
He didn't seem to have shaved his beard for several days, and it had grown all around his face. Obviously, it wasn't him who gave birth, but he looked much older.
At this time, those who came to send gifts were all clan members. The ministers would come for the hundred - day banquet.
After the Eldest Prince finished dealing with the others, he asked the kitchen to prepare a table of dishes and invited his brothers to have lunch.
"Come on, Seventh, eat more. You've lost weight too fast," the Eldest Prince said.
"Thank you, Big Brother," Qu Dubian replied and moved the crystal pork knuckle in front of himself.
He was short in the past few years and didn't grow much in height. He was so worried that he drank two glasses of milk every day and measured his height with a ruler every day.
But perhaps due to a long - term accumulation or reaching a certain age, he had started to grow rapidly in the past two months. Almost every half - month, his clothes would become too short.
In addition, he exercised a lot in his daily martial arts training, got hungry very quickly, and his body consumed a lot of energy. He could only maintain the necessary nutrition by desperately eating more food - he now ate six or seven meals a day.
Liu Liu and Ye Xiaoyuan were used to carrying some snacks with them so that they could feed their young master as soon as he got hungry.
Even so, Qu Dubian still lost a lot of weight.
"The dishes made by the mansion's cook aren't as delicious as those made by your sister - in - law, but they're still okay. Try this," the Eldest Prince said as he picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork.
"Eating so much meat is hard to digest," the Third Prince said. "Have some vegetarian dumplings."
The Eldest Prince rolled his eyes.
Qu Dubian said in the middle of his busy eating, "I'll eat them all. I'll eat everything."
The Fourth Prince shook his head. The Seventh Brother was already very skilled at this kind of diplomatic work.
"I haven't had the chance to congratulate Big Brother yet. Come on, Brother will pour you a glass," the Third Prince said as he poured a glass of wine for the Eldest Prince.
The Eldest Prince said, "I won't drink wine. Let's have tea instead. Oh, don't misunderstand. I know you're prone to misunderstand. If I drink wine, your sister - in - law won't let me into the inner courtyard to see my daughter."
The Third Prince maintained a smile and said, "That's right."
The seven brothers clinked their glasses together.
After the small gathering ended, the Eldest Prince changed his clothes and took a bath before going to the back courtyard to see Shu Wenxin.
Shu Wenxin was watching their daughter sleep.
The Eldest Prince dragged a stool and sat beside the bed. He reached out and gently pinched the baby's hand.
After a long time, he finally said, "I didn't have much feeling before, but now I just feel that I can't lose. You're all behind me. If I fall, you'll all be implicated."
Others always said that the Seventh Brother was different because he had been raised by the Emperor for some time. He didn't quite understand what that difference was before. Now that he had a real family, he seemed to understand a little.
From the moment he chose to fight against the Third Brother, neither he nor the Third Brother had a way back.
The Eldest Prince held Shu Wenxin's hand and said, "I also remember the revenge of your brother. After I defeat the Third Brother, I'll force him to confess first."
Shu Wenxin looked into the Eldest Prince's firm but still somewhat straightforward eyes and was silent for a while.
... Forget it. She had known for years that he was a bit simple - minded at times, hadn't she?
She held the Eldest Prince's hand back and said, "You're wrong about one thing. I'm not behind you. I'm by your side."
A husband and wife are one entity, sharing both glory and disgrace.
-
At the Third Prince's mansion.
After returning to the mansion, he was in a bad mood.
The Third Prince's wife poured him a bowl of soup to relieve the effects of alcohol.
The Third Prince married the legitimate granddaughter of the Minister of Rites in late spring. They had been newlyweds for not too long.
"Who doesn't know that the title of County Princess is usually reserved for the daughter of the Crown Prince? Father conferred the title on Big Brother's daughter. What will the court officials think? I'm afraid some of the neutral ones will side with Big Brother," the Third Prince said.
The Third Prince's wife said, "Your Highness, you're drunk. Maybe it's because that child is the first grandchild, and His Majesty was happy, so he bestowed the title."
The Third Prince said, "In the past two years, I've been in a fierce struggle with him in the court. The Second Brother doesn't offend either side and doesn't take sides. He hasn't achieved anything in the court. As long as I pull Big Brother down, my chances will be greater."
He closed his eyes, and the Third Prince's wife massaged his temples.
The Third Prince said, "Fortunately, Big Brother had a daughter. Otherwise, it would really be..."
The Third Prince's wife echoed, "Yes."
The Third Prince reached out and gently grabbed her wrist. "We can't let the title of the Emperor's eldest grandson slip away again."
The Third Prince's wife was silent for a moment and then said, "Yes."
-
Soon.
Princess Axiang's entourage was about to enter the outskirts of the capital.
Naturally, there was another argument in the court about which prince should lead the officials to welcome her. But because of the Third Prince's wife's relationship, the Minister of Rites argued strongly and got the task for the Third Prince.
He smiled at the Eldest Prince and said, "I'm looking forward to the hundred - day banquet of my little niece."
What he meant was, so what if the Emperor had a grandchild and conferred the title of County Princess? He still managed to snatch this task.
The Eldest Prince didn't understand the hidden mockery in his words, but he instinctively felt disgusted by the Third Prince's false smile and left with a flick of his sleeve.
Their disputes didn't involve Qu Dubian.
He only needed to stand behind Emperor Chongzhao in front of Qianji Hall to welcome Princess Axiang.
At noon, Princess Axiang finally arrived at the imperial city. She was accompanied by her maidens from the Northern Border, and their dressing styles were full of exotic customs.
Emperor Chongzhao stepped down the steps to greet her.
The palace servants and guards beside him also said in unison, "Greetings to Her Royal Highness the Princess!"
Emperor Chongzhao said, "You're finally back! I've been looking forward to your return for a long time!"
Standing in this imperial city that she had been away from for so long, Princess Axiang was momentarily in a daze.
It had been more than twenty years since she last returned.
With tears in her eyes, Princess Axiang said, "Brother Emperor, I've also been eager to return all the way."
Emperor Chongzhao said, "In my memory, you're still the little girl you were in your youth, pulling me out of the palace to buy candied haws.
"You've had a long and arduous journey," he patted Princess Axiang's hand and said, "Come, let me introduce these little brats to you. Call her aunt, all of you."
"Greetings to Aunt Axiang," the princes said, saluting one after another. Princess Axiang nodded to them, but since they were nephews she wasn't very familiar with, she just showed a bit of politeness.
Qu Dubian observed from the side and found that she did bear some resemblance to Concubine Zhou in the eyes and eyebrows.
"Brother Emperor, on my way back, I passed by the border city of the Northern Border. Prince Ming asked me to bring you a letter," Princess Axiang said.
"Oh?"
Since Emperor Chongzhao had sent Prince Ming to the Northern Border ten years ago, Prince Ming had always been whining about wanting to come back. He came back once five years ago, but was sent back to the Northern Border after only staying in the capital for half a month.
So even without reading the letter Prince Ming wrote to him, Emperor Chongzhao could guess what was probably in it.
He smiled and said, "Come on, you must be tired from the journey. Let's go back to the palace for a meal first. I still remember the food you liked back then. I've had it prepared."
"Thank you, Brother Emperor," Princess Axiang replied.
After playing the role of a mascot, the rest of the things didn't have much to do with Qu Dubian.
He went back to Shunning Palace for lunch.
At noon, the gates of Shunning Palace were never closed. Qu Dubian was used to dashing in quickly and shouting,
"Concubine Xuan! I'm back! Is the meal ready? Does everyone miss me?"
Zhi Yi poked her head out and said, "We've been waiting for you. Hurry up and come here."
On the other side.
After Princess Axiang finished the meal with the emperor and the imperial clan, she gave the letter to Emperor Chongzhao and then returned to Cining Palace.
She hesitated in front of the gate of Cining Palace and didn't dare to knock on the door for a long time.
She stroked her hair and then her hands.
"What if I've aged so much that Mother won't recognize me?"
The maid comforted her, "Your Highness, you're not old at all. You're still very beautiful."
Princess Axiang said, "There are fine lines at the corners of my eyes. Should I put on more rouge?"
She stood in front of the palace gate, feeling nervous as she neared home. Suddenly, the palace door opened by itself.
An old face came into view. Concubine Zhou had silver hair all over her head. She looked a bit anxious. When she heard that Princess Axiang had entered the palace, she couldn't sit still. Now, estimating that her daughter should be back, she couldn't help but go out to take a look.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she opened the door, she saw her daughter standing outside the palace gate.
As soon as the mother and daughter caught sight of each other, tears welled up in their eyes and couldn't be controlled.
They hadn't seen each other for more than twenty years, which was almost half a lifetime.
Concubine Zhou choked with sobs and said, "Why... don't you come in? You probably didn't eat well at the banquet. I've had your favorite food prepared in the palace."
Princess Axiang couldn't help but step forward and hug her, crying loudly.
"Mother, I'm back."
The mother and daughter entered the palace. It wasn't until after they finished their meal that their emotions calmed down.
Princess Axiang accompanied Concubine Zhou for a walk in Cining Palace.
A rather large platform in Cining Palace caught her attention. "Mother, what's this?"
Concubine Zhou said with a smile, "It's for square dancing. It has brought us a lot of fun on weekdays. I wasn't in good health a few years ago. By following what the Seventh Prince came up with and dancing around, and with the help of the imperial doctor's medicine, I gradually got better."
Princess Axiang was surprised. "The Seventh Prince?"
Concubine Zhou said, "Don't you know? Well, you should have seen him. He should have been there at the gate of Qianji Palace when His Majesty was greeting you."
Princess Axiang thought for a while. She was going back to the Northern Border anyway, so she hadn't paid much attention to her brother emperor's sons. She only remembered seeing a few people who called her aunt, but she didn't know which one was the Seventh Prince.
Concubine Zhou said, "The one who is the most good - looking and likes flashy things."
Princess Axiang suddenly understood. "So it's him."
That young lad with a red - and - gold headband on his head. There were some gold threads and pearls on the headband, and it seemed that he wore it to cover the fluffy baby hairs around his hairline.
His hair was tied up high, and there was a jade bead hanging from the end of the three - colored silk cord used to tie his hair.
The colors were flashy, but he managed to carry it off with his good looks.
Princess Axiang said, "He is indeed handsome."
Concubine Zhou said, "When I was sick, this child was only a few years old. He came to Cining Palace every day to send us flowers. Just looking at his vitality every day made me feel better."
Princess Axiang said, "Then I owe him a debt of gratitude for taking care of you."
Concubine Zhou said, "He's usually in Shunning Palace at noon and in the afternoon. You can go there tomorrow. Coincidentally, the people in Cining Palace all know what he likes to eat. You can take some with you."
Princess Axiang hesitated. "Is it enough just to prepare these? Will it be inappropriate?"
Concubine Zhou said, "No, the atmosphere in Shunning Palace is different from that in other palaces. They don't like those useless formalities. It's better to bring more food."
Only then did Axiang nod.