In Qiao Jinniang’s vase, among the green branches, there was a single blooming peony in the middle.
Although there was no artistic conception that a flower arrangement should have, many daughters had already figured out the meaning of this flower arrangement.
Queen Zhou’s gaze swept across the vases of the girls and said, “Chen’er, which flower arrangement here do you like most?”
Lu Chen took Qiao Jinniang’s vase in his hand and admired it. “I like the Crown Princess’ flower arrangement the most.
“The peony is of unrivaled beauty. If the other flowers are put together with the peony, they will only be overshone.”
Qiao Jinniang chuckled and said, “Thank you for your compliment, Your Royal Highness.”
Many girls had understood the meaning of the Crown Prince’s words. Peony had always been known as the king of flowers.
The Crown Princess only left a peony to warn them that there could only be one flower in the East Palace.
One of the girls who was bolder saluted and asked the Queen, “Your Majesty, may I ask which flower arrangement you like most?”
Queen Zhou smiled and said,
“I think the same as the Crown Prince. The Crown Princess’s flower arrangement is the best.
“Peony is the most beautiful flower. When the peony comes out, all other flowers become colorless. So a single peony is enough.”
The girls all smiled and said yes.
Fortunately, although they didn’t achieve their purposes today, the dishes at the banquet were indeed delicious.
After all, the cooks of Tasty Pavilion often came to the East Palace to teach the cooks in the East Palace how to cook when they were free.
With the craftsmanship of the chef of Tasty Pavilion, the dishes here were certainly delicious.
When the girls left the imperial palace, the fourth daughter of the Qin family was surrounded by two girls who had been friends with her since childhood.
One of the girls said, “I had thought it was a concubine selection banquet for the Crown Prince, but now it seems that the Crown Prince really loves the Crown Princess. Even if I can marry into the East Palace, I’m not going to have an easy time.”
“Yes, the Crown Princess had already made it pretty clear when she was arranging flowers. All the other flowers were outshone and only the peony flower was left…”
But Fourth Miss Qin didn’t think so. She said, “A man’s love is unreliable. The Crown Prince can dote on the Crown Princess, so can he dote on someone else. Besides, are we marrying into the East Palace for the favor of the Crown Prince?”
The two girls shook their heads.
Exactly, how could a wise woman count on the Crown Prince’s favor?
They wanted to marry into the East Palace to earn face and the supreme glory for their family.
Fourth Miss Qin turned around and gazed at the majestic East Palace. After Old Madam Qin was sent to a manor, Mrs. Qin was now in charge of the Qin family. Qin Miaomiao was going to be married and was learning how to manage a big family.
Her mom’s life in the Qin Mansion was not easy, and her father was unreliable and had many concubines, so she was the only one her mom could count on.
Qin Miaomiao had no intention of marrying into the East Palace, so if the Qin family wanted to marry off a daughter into the East Palace, it must be her.
She was confident that she could win this man’s favor.
…
In the East Palace, after all the girls left, only Zhou Sisi was unwilling to leave.
She followed Lu Chen’s side all the time. Wherever Lu Chen went, she was there. There was only Lu Chen in her eyes.
“Cousin, would you like to play sculpting with Sisi? You taught Sisi to carve things when you were a child, and Sisi wants Cousin to continue to teach me.” Zhou Sisi reached out and tugged at Lu Chen’s sleeve.
Qiao Jinniang chuckled and said, “Sisi, if you want to play carving, I can teach you. Hongling, go fetch some radishes.”
Zhou Sisi frowned and snorted. “I don’t want you to teach me. I want my cousin Lu Chen to teach me!”
Lu Chen waved his sleeve to throw off Zhou Sisi’s hand and said to her, “Be good. Your cousin-in-law’s knife skills are unparalleled in the world, and her carving skills are even better than those of old masters.”
Qiao Jinniang took a knife for carving and carved on a radish very quickly, and soon a small pigeon was carved.
Zhou Sisi only said one word. “Ugly!”
“Sisi!” Duchess Wu was so frightened that she broke into a cold sweat. “Don’t talk nonsense. Your cousin-in-law is so good at carving!”
Duchess Wu said to Qiao Jinniang, “Your Highness, she is just a child and doesn’t know what she is talking about. Please don’t take her words to heart.”
Qiao Jinniang said, “Auntie, since you said so, if I am angry at a child, I would seem too petty.”
Duchess Wu had already sensed Qiao Jinniang’s displeasure. As a mother, however, she was biased towards her own child. Although Zhou Sisi was really rude, she was a child after all.
Her poor daughter’s life had already been ruined. No one in Chang’an would mind what she said, and only Qiao Jinniang would be so petty.
She had thought Qiao Jinninang was a special woman before she married into the East Palace. Now that she had become the Crown Princess, she was so jealous that she couldn’t even tolerate this poor little girl?
But Duchess Wu didn’t dare to say her true thoughts. She just scolded Zhou Sisi.
Zhou Sisi pouted as if she had been greatly wronged. She walked to Lu Chen’s side and said, “Cousin, I heard from my sister that you are going to choose a concubine. Sisi also wants to live in the East Palace. I want to play with you all the time.”
Lu Chen said, “No, I already have my wife, and I will only play with my wife.”
“Hmph!” Zhou Sisi snorted. “Cousin, you weren’t like this when you were a child. You promised Sisi that you would love Sisi for the rest of your life. Now with her, you don’t play with Sisi anymore.”
After saying that, Zhou Sisi burst into tears.
Duchess Wu looked at the Queen beside her in embarrassment and braced herself to say, “Your Royal Highness, Sisi is just a child who doesn’t know anything except playing around. Please just coax her a little, and she won’t take it seriously.”
The Queen also nodded and said to Zhou Sisi, “Sisi, be good. Your cousin is joking with you. Your cousin is on vacation these days. You can come to the East Palace to play with him and your cousin-in-law.”
Just as Lu Chen was about to refuse, he was stopped by the queen’s eyes.
Lu Chen couldn’t reject his mother in front of his aunt.
Zhou Sisi looked at Lu Chen with her deer-like eyes and said, “Really? Cousin?”
Lu Chen could only nod his head.
After Duchess Wu took Zhou Sisi to leave, Lu Chen said, “Mother… although Zhou Sisi is like an ignorant child, what she said was inappropriate.”
Queen Zhou only said to Qiao Jinniang, “Jinniang, don’t think that every girl wants to marry into the East Palace. The women of the Zhou family don’t want to be a member of someone’s harem and share their husband with other women. No matter what the outsiders say, the Zhou family has never intended to marry off Sisi into the East Palace.
“She is just an innocent child. You can treat her like your sister.”
Qiao Jinniang could only respond, “Yes, Mother.”
With Queen Zhou’s words, Qiao Jinniang was relieved. Otherwise, with Zhou Sisi’s identity, if she wanted to marry into the East Palace, Qiao Jinniang would have no chance to stop it.
Queen Zhou said to Qiao Jinniang again, “Jinniang, today’s banquet can’t make the ministers shut up for long. You and Chen’er have to have another child as soon as possible.”
Qiao Jinniang replied, “Yes, Mother.”
