The Crown Prince’s teacher said, “Your Highness, do you want to be recorded in the historical records and reviled by later generations like Daji and Baosi? (note: Daji and Baosi are famous morally-corrupt imperial concubines in Chinese history) I said this out of my loyalty to the royal family and for your own good.”
Qiao Jinniang sneered. For her own good? Asking her to choose concubines for her own husband was for her own good?
If this old man weren’t Lu Chen’s teacher, she really wanted to scold him to death!
At this moment, Gu Ming came out of the hall and invited Qiao Jinniang to enter.
Qiao Jinniang entered the study in the palace, put the flowers in the vase, and trimmed the branches.
After Lu Chen walked into the study, he said, “My teacher is too old to keep a clear mind. Don’t take his words to heart. Are you angry?”
Qiao Jinniang snorted. “Why should I be angry? He is your teacher. How can you say behind his back that he is too old to keep a clear mind? Aren’t you afraid of being impeached by imperial censors?”
Lu Chen said, “Not at all.”
Qiao Jinniang put down the scissors for trimming flowers and said, “However, what he said makes sense. Although I don’t want you to have any concubine, in order not to be recorded in the history books and reviled by later generations, I should do something.”
Lu Chen frowned and said, “Are you serious?”
Qiao Jinniang said, “Don’t even think you can have concubines! I just think that instead of arguing with that old man and losing my reputation, it’s better to do as he hopes. I will hold a concubine selection banquet, but as for the result, I can’t guarantee.”
Lu Chen said, “You are bored in the East Palace anyway. Just do as you like.”
Qiao Jinniang picked up the scissors and ruthlessly snipped off the roses that were blooming beautifully, leaving only a red peony flower.
“Honey, do my flowers look good? Are they beautiful?”
Gu Ming, who was waiting on the side, secretly took a look at the flowers, only to see that in the precious glazed glass vase, there only left a bunch of bare green branches and a single beautiful peony flower in the middle.
No matter how he looked at it, it didn’t look beautiful.
But Lu Chen smiled. “Beautiful, it’s very beautiful. Very artistic.”
The eunuchs and maids in the room: “…”
In Chang’an, many noble girls who had been determined to marry into the East Palace since childhood stretched their necks and waited for news from the imperial palace after Qiao Jinniang got married.
Among them, there were also some daughters of senior officials from other places. After the Crown Prince’s wedding, these girls stayed at their relatives’ homes in Chang’an, waiting for the news of the selection of concubines for the Crown Prince.
Sure enough, on the sixth day of the fourth lunar month, which was a beautiful spring day, the Crown Princess invited the daughters of all the officials of the fourth rank and above in Chang’an to enter the East Palace to enjoy flowers two days later.
This was obviously meant to choose concubines for the Crown Prince.
For a time, the threshold of the Jewelry Pavilion was almost stepped flat.
Tasty Pavilion was still closed, but the business of Myriad Taste was booming. Nuomi had counted her own savings, which were already more than ten thousand taels of silver, not to mention the generous gifts from the daughters of the officials from other places.
They all came to ask Nuomi about the Crown Princess’ preferences.
Most of the girls had figured it out.
It would be extremely stupid if they tried to seize the Crown Princess’ status. After all, she was the mother of the heir to the Crown Prince and her father was the powerful Duke Anyuan.
They might as well please her.
Qiao Jinniang had someone tell Nuomi just keep the money, so Nuomi accepted the money happily.
In Myriad Taste, Huixiang frowned and said, “Did Master really compromise after marrying into the East Palace?”
“Absolutely not!” Nuomi said, “Master must have other plans.”
…
In the Tong Mansion, hearing that Zhou Siming did pay for Tong Yingying, Mrs. Tong released Tong Yingying from the firewood room.
Although Tong Yingying couldn’t marry into the East Palace, she still had hope to marry into the Duke Wu Mansion.
Mrs. Zhou refused to help her natal family because she didn’t need to rely on her natal family.
But Tong Yingying was not.
If she became the mother-in-law of the heir to Duke Wu, she would definitely be able to live in splendor and wealth.
Mrs. Tong said to Tong Yingying, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier that Young Master Zhou likes you? So many girls in Chang’an want to marry him!”
However, Tong Yingying said, “Mother, that’s all you want? Although Zhou Siming is the heir to Duke Wu, how can the Duke Wu Mansion’s power be comparable to the East Palace?!
“I, the most intelligent and talented woman in Chang’an, will not marry into the Zhou family that is despised by everyone.
“Monopolizing His Majesty from other imperial concubines, Queen Zhou is a disgrace to women, and she has set a bad example for all women in the world!
“I am determined to be a role model for all women in the world. How is the mere title of future Duchess Wu worthy of me?”
Mrs. Tong was puzzled. Tong Yingying was really confident. She even thought a man like Zhou Siming was not good enough for her?!
“But your reputation has been ruined. Do you still want to marry into East Palace?”
Tong Yingying said, “I have my ways.”
Zhou Siming always obeyed her words, but she didn’t know why he suddenly changed his attitude two years ago.
But this time he was still willing to pay the money for her, which showed that he still has her in his heart. He must even be willing to die for her, so it would be a breeze to ask him to help her marry into the East Palace!
On the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, it was very crowded outside the East Palace early in the morning. Many noble girls who received the invitations had arrived at the East Palace early, intending to visit the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess.
When they walked to the Crown Princess’ palace, they heard the imperial maids say that the Crown Princess had not yet got up. Hearing this, they couldn’t help but look at the sky, and the sun was already hanging high…
Wouldn’t the Crown Prince be angry at the Crown Princess?
In her bedroom, Qiao Jinniang had already woken up and was leaning on the bed and reading a novel. Hearing the imperial maids’ report, she said, “Let them wait. Remember to give them a few umbrellas. Don’t let the sun burn their skin. Otherwise, someone would feel distressed for them…”
Those who came to the East Palace this early must be desperate to marry her husband. Then don’t blame her for making them suffer a bit.
She had specified in the invitation the start time of the banquet. Why did they come so early?
Lu Chen, who was beside her, took the novel from her hand and said, “Who would feel distressed for them? Don’t get me involved.”
Qiao Jinniang said, “I didn’t say anything about you. I would feel distressed for them, okay?”
Lu Chen and Qiao Jinniang were reading the novel together. He lost interest after a few glances, and only looked at Qiao Jinniang’s earlobe. After he signaled the imperial maids to leave, he gently bit her earlobe.
Qiao Jinniang was preoccupied with the novel, so she said softly, “Stop it.”
Lu Chen said, “You don’t want to go out so early anyway. Instead of reading a novel, why don’t we try to make a daughter?”
Qiao Jinniang didn’t believe Lu Chen’s nonsense at all. He talked about having a daughter every day, but after their wedding, he had been taking birth control measures. She didn’t know if he wanted children or not.
“Don’t lie to me. Do you really want to have another child? Xi’er has grown up.”
“Yes and no.” Lu Chen whispered in her ear, “If we have one more child, we will have less pressure, but then I’ll have to endure for another year…”
Qiao Jinniang: “…”
