The regent is determined to get the daughter of a minor official.

After the two sisters finished expressing their feelings, Dingdang helped Xu Keke change into a gorgeous palace dress.

The three of them came to the side room and sat down.

"Sister, how's things going at home lately? I heard that my parents and I moved to the Xie family residence with the servants."

Xu Keke remembered that the house was not very big, just a courtyard with three entrances. However, there were not many people in her family, and there was a lot of space with the servants.

Xuanyunduo nodded and said with a smile.

"My parents and I are quite comfortable living in that house. Although the yard is not big, it is comfortable. It's not like before when we had to respect our grandmother and aunt."

After a pause, Xuanyunduo continued.

"Recently, the whole capital has been talking about you and the Regent. They also say that all the concubines in the palace have given you rewards. Is this true?"

"Really? Nanny Wang went to the palace and brought back several large boxes of jewelry for the young lady!"

Dingdang was used to answering for Xu Keke and couldn't change it in a short time.

Xuanyunduo was used to it and patted Xu Keke's hand gently.

"Once this news came out, the attitude towards my parents changed. Many officials in the court lowered their status to visit my father. They all came with valuable gifts.

There were also rumors that our father was about to get a promotion, and our uncle also went to visit our father, but our parents simply didn't let him in. "

Xu Keke was delighted to hear this and rushed to answer without waiting for Dingdang to speak.

"What about our little brother? Has he found a place to study?"

"It's all settled. I went to the government-run kindergarten. I heard that the students there are all the sons of officials in the court. This time, it was the old teacher of the kindergarten who asked me to study there!"

"Old Master?"

Xu Keke's mind flashed with an old man with a white beard, running very fast with a staff...

The two sisters picked up the cakes and ate them.

Xuanyunduo looked at her sister's delicate little face. Her body was beautifully curved under the gorgeous palace dress. She seemed to want to say something but stopped herself.

Finally I couldn't help but ask.

"Coco, what do you think of the Regent?"

Xu Keke thought about it seriously.

"The Regent is handsome."

"That's it? Don't you think the greatest benefit of the Regent is his power? Let's not talk about those far away. When you are with the Regent, the treatment you receive from our parents is real."

Many people are patient and persuasive.

Xu Keke and Dingdang both understood.

"Sister, are you trying to persuade me to obey the Regent?"

Xu Keke asked bluntly.

Xuanyundu was in a dilemma. She did have this idea. As far as she knew, many noble ladies wanted to marry the Regent.

But as a girl, I'm afraid I can only be a concubine.

Although not everyone can become a concubine of the royal family.

But she couldn't bring herself to become the prince's concubine for the sake of her family.

While she was still thinking about it, she heard her sister say.

"I won't be a concubine unless he marries me formally."

Xuanyunduo couldn't help but sigh, her sister really didn't have a good brain!

Living in the palace, unable to escape, what's the difference between this and being a concubine?

She is even worse than a concubine and doesn't even have a status.

Forget it, no matter how much you say, you can't change it.

Under the imperial power, the daughters of minor officials were all treated as sloppy.

Xuanyunduo didn't say anything, but Xu Keke became concerned about her affairs instead.

"Sister, what are our parents thinking? Marrying you to my cousin to make him a blood relative is not good for our offspring!"

Xu Keke was really worried about this problem, even though she knew from the original owner's memory that Xuanyuduo was giving birth to a healthy boy.

But she still disagrees with the current common practice of marrying close relatives.

Xuanyunduo gently poked her head with her finger.

"Your brain was damaged when you were six years old, and your parents never told you that our uncle was not your maternal grandparents' son."

"Uh? There's such a thing?"

Xu Keke and Dingdang both opened their mouths wide, waiting to bite the melon.

"Ah."

Xuanyunduo nodded and continued.

"Our uncle was born weak and sickly. My grandfather took him to seek medical treatment everywhere when he was just over one year old, but he died when he was just over two years old.

In order to not make my grandmother sad, my grandfather bought a child from a poor family. He did not tell the whole family about this until he died.

After our uncle learned the truth, he not only didn't become estranged from our mother, but he became even better to us."

After hearing this, Xu Keke couldn't help but sigh.

"So that's how it is. This is truly a strange fate. So, is your life going well now, sister?"

A gentle smile appeared on Xuanyunduo's face.

"Your brother-in-law is very considerate to me, and my parents-in-law treat me like their own daughter. You don't have to worry."

Xu Keke nodded.

"As long as my sister is doing well, I feel relieved."

Xuanyunduo held Xu Keke's hand.

"It's getting late. I'll go back first and come see you next time."

Xu Keke held Xuanyuduo's hand and muttered to herself.

"Sister, you've been pregnant for several months now. Don't go out anymore. It would be terrible if something goes wrong. Just focus on taking care of the baby and give your uncle a big fat grandson."

"it is good."

Xuanyunduo touched her sister's head with relief. She was such a good sister! Now she is not stupid anymore and she knows how to be considerate.

Xu Keke and Dingdang sent Xuanyunduo to the palace gate. The guards at the gate looked at Xu Keke as if she were a great enemy, fearing that she would escape.

"Go back!"

Xuanyunduo waved to his sister across the guards' spears, turned and walked towards the carriage parked not far away.

Xu Keke and Dingdang turned around and walked back to the mansion, where they met Manager Yao head-on.

Manager Yao stepped forward and saluted respectfully.

"Miss Xu, please forgive me for any offense I may have caused you!"

Xu Keke dodged to the side, put her hands behind her back, and answered with a smile.

"Please forgive me, I will definitely forgive you. But Manager Yao, please don't use this kind of trick again in the future. I will scream in pain in front of the prince."

Manager Yao broke out in a cold sweat, and the place where he had just been hit by the stick was still reminding him that the person in front of him was someone he should not offend.

"I dare not, I will never dare to do that again!"

Xu Keke walked forward a few steps and turned back to ask Manager Yao.

"Where is the prince?"

"To answer the young lady, the prince has entered the palace. There have been many things going on in the palace these days. I'm afraid the prince will be busy for a while."

Xu Keke said "Oh" softly, and continued walking forward with Dingdang.

Manager Yao was not lying. The Empress Dowager's birthday banquet was coming up soon. The Empress Dowager's birthday banquet was a major national event.

The current emperor, Emperor Meiji, was young, and there was naturally no empress in the palace. It was natural that the birthday banquet should be hosted by the empress dowager.

The Ministry of Rites must be the leading department, responsible for the planning of the entire birthday banquet process, ceremony arrangements, and the preparation of the list of invited guests from all parties.

The Imperial Household Department had to prepare all kinds of supplies needed for the birthday banquet, from rare ingredients and fine wines to gorgeous silks and jewelry decorations, all of which needed to be carefully selected and prepared.

The imperial kitchen is responsible for preparing delicious meals and is responsible for designing dishes that are both tasty and auspicious.

Every dish must first be presented to the Empress Dowager for review to ensure that it meets the specifications of the birthday banquet and the Empress Dowager's taste.

The palace music troupe will rehearse wonderful singing and dancing programs to add a joyful and peaceful atmosphere to the birthday banquet. The program list will be reviewed by the Empress Dowager herself.

There were also court painters who had to draw exquisite portraits for the Empress Dowager as a birthday gift. The Empress Dowager would make requirements on the details and style of the portrait.

The weaving department had to rush to produce gorgeous dresses and palace costumes to make the Empress Dowager and the concubines look radiant at the birthday banquet. The style and materials had to be approved by the Empress Dowager.

The imperial guards responsible for guarding the palace must also strengthen security to ensure the safety of the palace during the birthday banquet, and the defense deployment must be reported to the regent.

Even the scholars of the Hanlin Academy were busy writing poems and essays to celebrate the birthday, which were then handed over to the Empress Dowager for approval to highlight the Empress Dowager's benevolence and achievements.

At this moment, Regent Chu Musheng was sitting in the main hall of the Empress Dowager's Changxin Palace, talking with the Empress Dowager.