The Seven Princesses' Journey Across Time

Qing'er looked at Ertai, a hint of curiosity rising in her heart. Ever since she met him, she had noticed that the way he looked at her was different, as if he had been waiting for her. Although she didn't know his exact purpose, she thought it wouldn't hurt to chat with him for a while.

Qing Er then responded with a smile, "I see. Well, it seems we are indeed destined to meet here."

After hearing this, Ertai quickly agreed, "Yes! Everyone praises Prince Yu for his mastery of military strategy and his talent for both civil and military affairs. Today, I've seen that your reputation is truly well-deserved!" Qing'er smiled slightly and said modestly, "Second Master Fu, you're too kind."

Although she answered like this on the surface, she didn't feel any ripples in her heart. I just don't know how these few words showed that she was a master of military strategy and a master of both civil and military affairs.

Ertai seized the opportunity to make his request, "By the way, I heard you own a private horse farm in the suburbs, and the horses there are all excellent. I wonder if I would be lucky enough to go and see them?"

Qing'er thought for a moment. Her stable wasn't usually open to others, but seeing Ertai's expectant eyes, she finally nodded in agreement. She wanted to see what they were up to. It was just a stable, so she'd go. However, she felt a little reluctant to let anyone else ride her horses. She said softly, "Okay."

"Thank you, Prince Yu." Ertai was secretly happy in his heart. He finally took the first step successfully.

Qing'er: "In that case, let's wait until after the Mid-Autumn Festival. Right now, I need to go and pay my respects to the Empress Dowager, so it's inconvenient for me to chat with Mr. Fu." After saying that, she nodded slightly and turned to leave.

Ertai said, "Farewell, Prince Yu." Only after Qing'er had left did he straighten up and cast his gaze upon the receding figure. Ertai gazed at Qing'er's back, clad in an indigo robe, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips. He turned and returned to his residence to begin planning his next move.

Meanwhile, because Qing'er had been delayed on the road, the Empress, Concubine Ling, and the other princesses had already arrived at the Cining Palace. The Empress Dowager saw Qing'er and quickly beckoned, "Qing'er, here you are! Come quickly and sit next to me."

Qing Er walked over quickly and bowed to the old Buddha and said, "Good luck to the old Buddha."

Then she turned to greet the Empress, "Good luck to Her Majesty." She then nodded to the other concubines. Finally, she came to the Empress Dowager and slowly sat down.

The old lady took Qing'er's hand affectionately and said with a smile on her face, "You've been out there for so long. I don't know about other things, but you've become more and more well-behaved."

Seeing her outfit was somewhat novel, he pulled her to look left and right and said, "You look like a handsome young man in this outfit. Queen, don't you think so?"

The Queen agreed, "Yes, if Qing'er went out like this, I wonder how many women would fall in love with her."

Qing'er looked at her clothes and said, "I've been wearing this for years, I'm used to it. It's more convenient to wear and move around like this, and I usually wear a mask, so the situation that the Queen mentioned has never happened." Then the three of them exchanged a few more words.

After a while, the Empress Dowager cast her eyes towards the concubines standing below and said in a gentle tone, "You can all go away."

After the concubines left, the Empress Dowager spoke again, this time to the Queen: "Has the Queen had breakfast? If not, please come with Qing to help me with some." The original meaning was that you can go back after you have had breakfast.

Unexpectedly, the Empress was secretly delighted upon hearing this. She had always intended to establish a good relationship with the newly crowned Prince Yu, so how could she miss this opportunity? So, she respectfully saluted the Empress Dowager and replied, "Thank you very much, Empress Dowager. I haven't even had breakfast yet."

Qing Er also responded with a smile: "Thank you, Mr. Buddha."

Soon after, a group of palace maids filed in, bearing exquisite dishes, which they placed on the table. The three of them sat together, happily enjoying breakfast. During their meal, the Empress Dowager inquired about Qing'er's life outside the palace, asking if she had adapted to her surroundings after not having been back for years. Qing'er recounted some amusing anecdotes to the Empress Dowager, while the Empress occasionally chimed in, creating a harmonious atmosphere. After breakfast, the Empress Dowager urged Qing'er to visit her often and then allowed her to leave.

After leaving the Cining Palace, the Queen said to Aunt Rong, who was supporting her, as they walked, "It seems that I need to find time to get to know this newly rising Prince Yu. I wonder if there is anyone from the Nara clan who is a good match for him."

Upon hearing this, Rong Mama also frowned and leaned forward to ask, "Your Majesty, how about I have someone go and find out about Prince Yu?"

The Queen thought for a moment and shook her head, replying, "No, if we investigate, we'll alert the enemy too much. Her affairs are nothing more than what happened on the battlefield, so it's difficult for us to find out. These matters should be known to the outsiders. I'll just write a letter back and ask the clan leader."

Aunt Rong immediately nodded and said, "Yes, I will obey your Majesty."

The Queen sighed and continued, "Hey, if only Yongji were older. If he could become my daughter-in-law, I wouldn't have to worry about Yongji's status every day. Now look at Yongji, a legitimate son, but he's not as good as Yongqi, a bastard."

Madam Rong gently consoled her, "Your Majesty, there's no need to worry too much. Our Twelfth Prince is incredibly intelligent and will surely achieve great things in the future. Furthermore, the Emperor has long since issued a decree prohibiting marriages between close relatives within three generations, and this Prince Yu is the daughter of the Emperor's younger brother. Therefore, even if the Twelfth Prince had come of age, the Emperor would never have approved of this marriage."

The Queen nodded gently in agreement. She knew full well the fierce power struggles within the palace. Yongji was still young and inexperienced, viewing the other princes and princesses who viewed him as obstacles as close brothers and sisters. Therefore, he clearly lacked the ability to protect himself in this treacherous palace environment. Therefore, he needed strong backing. Prince Yu was undoubtedly an ideal candidate, but unfortunately, she did not have the necessary leverage to exchange for him.

Moreover, most of the nobles today are related by marriage, so choosing a wife for a child is a huge problem. I don't know who told the emperor not to allow close relatives to marry. Since ancient times, close relatives have married many times, and everyone is fine, right?

The Queen and her companions gradually moved away, eventually disappearing into the morning mist, leaving behind only a tranquil and lonely scene...