Chapter 230 - Offer Advice
Chapter 230 Offer Advice
After all, Qiu Yelan had just married into the Jiang Family for a short time, so she had a shallow foundation here. She didn’t know anything about the turbulent conflicts between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law of the third branch, and she didn’t know that He Shuijin, who was considered a duck to water after marrying into the Jiang Family, hated her aunt and mother-in-law so badly!
After congratulating Sheng Shishui, she had to think about on the way back to her yard how to comfort Xin Fubing later.
While after she went back, Xin Fubing and Ou Qinglan had already left and they just asked the maid to tell her that.
Su He explained, “The Madame sent someone to pick them up.”
“I got it.” Qiu Yelan nodded and thought to herself, “Grandma asked me to bring the gifts to Sheng Shishui just to send me away and call them two over?”
After thinking about it, she knew that Madame Tao did not have any bad intentions. After all, Xin Fubing and Ou Qinglan were in her room, and it would be a little bit impolite if she didn’t accompany them when Madame Tao called them over, while if she accompanied them… The thing was in a total mess. Even if Xin Fubing suddenly changed her attitude and was willing to marry the seventh Prince, it wasn’t a happy thing as well, and it would be embarrassing for her to be there.
Madame Tao sent her to Sheng Shishui on the pretext of sending the gifts, which could keep her out of the matter.
“Ask someone to categorize the things for congratulating people’s marriages in the storeroom. Maybe they will be needed some time later.” Qiu Yelan ordered. Thinking of Xin Fubing’s pale face, she couldn’t help sighing.
Su He responded, and asked, “We also have to pack up the things for the summer holiday, right? We have to leave in a few days.”
“Of course, but I don’t know what Jiang Yashuang will need. You let Caiqi and the others pack his luggage.” Qiu Yelan said, “When he comes back, I will ask him if he has anything special to bring.”
When Jiang Yashuang came back in the evening and Qiu Yelan mentioned the summer holiday, he said, “Nothing special to bring. There is everything there.” He continued, “The summer holiday is a bit interesting this year. Empress Dowager Gu ordered Prince of Zhou to take charge of it, while my aunt is thinking about whether to arrange some work for the Seventh Prince, but she is afraid that he cannot do it since he is young.”
Qiu Yelan asked curiously, “Doesn’t he have assistants?”
“Even if there are assistants behind the scene to offer advice, the commander must go into battle by himself.” Jiang Yashuang said, “The Empress Dowager will try to counteract his efforts certainly. If he manages the general affairs rashly without ability, his reputation for intelligence will be destroyed. I guess that’s what the Empress Dowager wants.”
The Seventh Prince was fifteen years old. Since he wanted to fight for the status of the Crown Prince, it didn’t make sense if he did no work by himself. But he had always had the upper hand in the direct contests with Prince of Zhou. If he did a bad job this time, it was inevitable that the Empress Dowager would hit him badly on the pretext of it, thus he would lose his advantages that had been accumulated for a long time.
“‘Where there is nothing to lose, there is nothing to fear.’ The saying really fits Prince of Zhou. Anyway, he never performed as well as the Seventh Prince before, so it doesn’t matter for him to lose again.” Qiu Yelan thought about it and laughed, “The Seventh Prince is really stressful to defeat him again!”
She pondered for a while, and said, “As for finding something suitable for the Seventh Prince to do, I have an idea.”
Jiang Yashuang kissed her on her cheek and smiled, “What’s that?”
“Last time you said that the Empress Dowager wanted to marry Princess Changping, who was raised up by herself, to Kuang Qingwu, but she was stopped by your aunt, right?” Qiu Yelan reminded, “The Empress Dowager wants to do it to win over the Western Army, so she will not give up the idea just because your aunt tries to stop that. What’s more, Kuang Qingwu has succeeded in the government examination now, and he is the only son in the Kuang Family. How can Kuang Shihan not expect him to get married as soon as possible to have children then? So, the Empress Dowager will definitely mention this again. The princes’ and princesses’ marriages are always arranged by the Empress, so why doesn’t your aunt leave it to the Seventh Prince to arrange? Then even if the Empress Dowager tries to pull away a prop…”
Jiang Yashuang’s eyes lit up, and he couldn’t help kissing her again, smiling happily, “You are so clever! How did you come up with this idea? I’ve thought about several ideas for my aunt today, but I never thought of this! ”
“Because I was thinking about Cousin Xin all the time, so when you said that the Seventh Prince had no suitable work to do, I thought of Princess Changping then.” Qiu Yelan beat him and sighed, “Cousin Xin… I don’t know what will happen to her in the future?”
Jiang Yashuang also felt sorry for her, “We can do nothing about that. Ou Bicheng does not have a thing for her. It is not about other things but marriage. If he helped her out this time, he would have to marry her then.”
Qiu Yelan said in frustration, “I know, and that’s why I feel frustrated. I don’t even have the right reason to scold Ou Bicheng for Cousin Xin!”
“Ou Bicheng is really wronged. He has never been close to Cousin Xin!” Although Jiang Yashuang and Xin Fubing were cousins from different branches, Ou Bicheng, his best friend who grew up with him since childhood, held a high place in his heart obviously, so at this moment he explained for Ou Bicheng, “Love and marriage can’t be forced.”
“Hey! Don’t talk about it again. Sleep!” Qiu Yelan pulled up the quilt and covered her head.
Jiang Yashuang felt both angry and funny, “We haven’t….”
“Don’t bother me!” Qiu Yelan hit his hand in the quilt unhappily, “I’m not in the mood today!”
Seeing that she was really not in high spirits, Jiang Yashuang reluctantly stopped, “We are newly married!”
After a while, seeing Qiu Yelan was still in silence, he said in a soft voice, “How about you go to the Palace tomorrow, okay?”
“For what?” It seemed that he was talking about something serious, Qiu Yelan put down the quilt in confusion.
“Don’t you have to tell my aunt about your idea?” Jiang Yashuang said, “Because of the fight for the ranking of the imperial examination in spring at the beginning of the year, the Empress Dowager had no time to care about Princess Changping’s marriage. While she may be free now. Of course, my aunt has to prepare as soon as possible. After all, the Seventh Prince is too young and has no previous experience in general affairs. It is inappropriate not to arrange some work for him earlier.”
Qiu Yelan was reluctant, because it was inevitable that she would be asked about Xin Fubing by the Empress when she entered the Palace, so she said, “Can’t you go and tell her that?”
“I am an official now, and tomorrow is not a day for rest.” Jiang Yashuang laughed, “Furthermore, you haven’t greeted my aunt since you got married with me. You haven’t received her gifts yet… Don’t you think that’s a loss?”
“Your aunt treats you so well, but you just think about her gifts. If she knows that, she will beat you!” Qiu Yelan said speechlessly.
Jiang Yashuang said calmly, “There is no other people here. As long as you and I don’t mention that, then you go to the Palace just to greet my aunt and I don’t have to be beaten as well.”
“I want to tell her!” Qiu Yelan hummed, “You are such a bad nephew!”
Speaking of this, they couldn’t help laughing, and the atmosphere suddenly became relaxed. Jiang Yashuang took the opportunity to hold her in his arms.
The next day, Qiu Yelan freshened up, sent her husband away, and then went to the main house to greet Madame Tao. The old lady kindly spared her the ceremony and let her sit, “You don’t have to greet me today. You just came here yesterday. Is anything wrong?”
“That’s right, Grandma.” Qiu Yelan smiled and looked around, and then Madame Tao asked all the servants out.
“Yesterday, I heard from Jiang Yashuang that his aunt was considering arranging some work for the Seventh Prince. What happened to Cousin Xin yesterday made me think that Princess Changping hasn’t got married yet…”
Madame Tao understood what she meant immediately, and said with a smile, “You are really a clever child!”
Then before Qiu Yelan mentioned it herself, the old lady directly found a reason for her to go to the Palace, “Sheng Shishui is just pregnant. This is a happy event. So, we should tell the Palace about that and ask for something for the child… Since she is your sister-in-law, you go to the Palace for her.”
With the order of Madame Tao, Qiu Yelan went back to her room, changed into a more formal dress, and went straight to the Palace. With the noble status of the Jiang Family, the women in the Jiang Family didn’t need to go through any procedures to enter the Palace. They should only go directly to the Palace gate and ask the coachman to report. People like Madame Dou, who had a bad relationship with the Empress, might have to wait for some time, while people from the fourth branch who were close to the Empress, could come in after a hasty check.
After entering the Palace gate, all the way was clear. When arriving at Beijue Hall, she was hinted by a servant to stop and wait for the summon. After a short while, when Qiu Yelan just tidied up her dress, the servant came out and told her that the Empress let her in.
After Qiu Yelan came into the hall, she greeted the Empress first as the Commandery Princess and then a niece-in-law. After that, Empress Jiang smiled and asked her to get up, “Sit down. You are now my niece-in-law, so you don’t have to be restrained… I’ve thought that after you got married, Jiang Yashuang would lead you to me and take your gifts away by the way. But that boy accompanied you when he was free and worked so hard when he was at work. He totally forgot me!”
“Aunt, please forgive him…” Although Qiu Yelan knew that Empress Jiang didn’t really blame Jiang Yashuang, she made an apology to her on behalf of her husband immediately.
The Empress then waved her hand indifferently as expected, “I was just kidding… So why do you come here alone today?”
Qiu Yelan told her what Madame Tao taught her to say before, and the Empress was a little surprised, but she also looked happy, “Really? It seems that Sheng Shishui is a lucky girl. It has only been more than half a year, right? Just hope it’s a male heir.”
“It will be a boy because of your lucky words, aunt.” Qiu Yelan said so, but in her heart, she thought that she wouldn’t tell Sheng Shishui about what the Empress said just now, because if it were a girl, Sheng Shishui would be so stressed!
After chatting for another while, Qiu Yelan didn’t intend to leave still. Seeing that, the Empress knew that she had something else to say, “So, let’s talk alone!”
The Empress asked the servants to leave, and then Qiu Yelan repeated it again that the Seventh Princes could take charge of Princess Changping’s marriage, and then it would be difficult for the Empress Dowager to make trouble for him, so that the Seventh Prince would still hold the reputation for intelligence.
Both Jiang Yashuang and Madame Tao thought it was a good idea, but the Empress frowned after hearing it.
Seeing this, Qiu Yelan was a little bit afraid. After a long while, the Empress said, “In this case, I don’t have to worry about Weisang then. But doesn’t that mean that Changping’s wedding will be so lively?”
Qiu Yelan paused, and then she realized that the Empress did not want Princess Changping to have a great wedding.
“No matter how lively Princess Changping’s wedding is, it will do good to the reputation of the Seventh Prince. As long as the Seventh Prince is recognized as a smart and capable person, my aunt, you will be recognized as the one with foresight.” Qiu Yelan thought for a moment, saying in a suitable tone.
She wanted Princess Changping to have a poor wedding while found some work suitable for the Seventh Prince that the Empress Dowager didn’t dare to make trouble with… How could there be such a best of both worlds in the world?
What was more, the Empress Dowager was not an easy enemy. Before Xue Chang had an effect, she was an opponent the Empress could only tie with after she made all her efforts.
Empress Jiang naturally knew that as well. She frowned before just because she thought about Princess Changping’s wedding. After fighting with Empress Dowager Gu for so long, she finally had to give Changping a decent wedding… Even if it was her who got more benefits, she didn’t feel so happy.
But the Empress was not addled. After thinking about it for a while, she nodded and said, “You are right. Changping is really lucky!”
When the matter was agreed, the Empress changed the topic as expected and asked about Xin Fubing, “Did she come to your house yesterday? How is she now?”
“She said she would listen to the elders, and yesterday she asked me to make an apology to my grandmother on her behalf.” Qiu Yelan thought about it before saying, “Cousin Xin… She did that just because she was in a bad mood before…”
“Since it is over, don’t mention it again!” The Empress interrupted her explanation and said lightly, “Let her just take care of her health and wait for the wedding… She doesn’t have to worry about anything else!”
When Qiu Yelan was about to respond, the servant outside coughed. The Empress raised her head and asked, “What’s the matter?”
A maid came in lightly and said respectfully, “Your Majesty, Princess Changping wants to see you!”
Qiu Yelan was surprised. Speak of the devil and he just appeared! Did Princess Chang Ping get the news so fast?
“She doesn’t go to the Hall of Taishi but comes here for what?” Empress Jiang was somewhat suspicious. She raised her eyebrows and snorted coldly, “Let her in!”