Marrying the Crown Prince

Back at the palace banquet, Wang Qingwu winked at Zhou Zhou. There was nothing she could do; the couple had gone out separately but returned together. Who would believe that nothing had happened between them?

Zhou Zhou smiled back, her voice sweet and gentle, "Sister Qingwu, I suppose you're staying at Yaohua Palace tonight?"

We'll definitely be staying up all night tonight. Tomorrow morning is New Year's Day. Although we don't need to get up particularly early, we still need to pay our respects to the Empress and the Empress Dowager.

Therefore, most princes who had left the palace to establish their own residences would choose to stay in their birth mother's bedroom on New Year's Eve—there was the courtyard where they had lived before leaving the palace to establish their own residences.

Her smile was so sweet, yet she seemed to be full of mischief. Wang Qingwu felt a sense of unease. "Okay, I'll come visit you tomorrow."

Seeing that he had frightened the person, Zhou Zhou laughed unkindly.

After the palace banquet ended, a grill was set up in the Changxin Hall of the East Palace, where tea was brewed and meat, corn, and other foods were roasted.

Everyone present had already eaten dinner, so there wasn't much food being grilled. It was just something to pass the time while they stayed up to welcome the New Year.

Zhou Zhou and Li Ziyan were sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed), while Dong He and Chang Yi sat on small stools. The four of them formed a circle and played cards.

Jufang, Sizhu, and the others chatted there, while also keeping an eye on the food on the grill.

Although the people in this house included masters and servants, the atmosphere was surprisingly warm and welcoming.

After about four or five rounds of cards, the first batch of barbecue was ready.

The meat consists of thinly sliced ​​pork belly and chicken thigh meat with alternating layers of fat and lean meat.

Both pieces of meat were marinated with scallions, ginger, garlic, and cooking wine for about half an hour. Of course, salt, sugar, and soy sauce were also added, but only a little sugar was added to enhance the flavor.

Seeing that the food was ready, Zhou Zhou instructed, "Put it on two plates, and you can try some too."

During the Lunar New Year, and with people who have been by your side for many years, it's best to be casual.

To be honest, Jufang, Sizhu, and Zhou Zhou have spent more time together than anyone else in the world; the same goes for Changyi and Li Ziyan.

"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty," the group replied.

With food to eat, the card players naturally stopped playing.

Zhou Zhou and Li Ziyan washed their hands with warm water, then wiped them clean with handkerchiefs. They then placed a lettuce leaf in their left hand, picked up a piece of meat with chopsticks in their right hand, placed it on the lettuce leaf, wrapped it up, and stuffed it into their mouths.

The fat on the sliced ​​meat collides with the charcoal fire, releasing an enticing aroma.

The burnt fat forms a crispy outer layer, wrapping around tender and juicy meat, mixed with rich seasonings, all dancing in your mouth. Every chew is the best interpretation of deliciousness.

Even though she had already eaten, Zhou Zhou couldn't resist picking up five more pieces of food before finally stopping.

She poured herself a cup of tea and savored it carefully; the taste and aroma of the tea washed away the greasiness in her mouth.

This day is just too wonderful.

Zhou Zhou held the teacup, her eyes overflowing with sweetness.

As for Jufang and the others, they also ate very happily.

This scene reminded Zhou Zhou of something else.

The smile on her face faded, and she asked, "Jufang, now that the New Year is over, are you two twenty-five?"

Twenty-five years old was the age at which palace maids could leave the palace.

Of course, palace maids don't only have this one choice. After the age of twenty-five, they have the opportunity to choose again every five years. However, if they still choose to stay in the palace at the age of thirty-five, they can only leave the palace at the age of forty-five.

Incidentally, eunuchs could only leave the palace at the age of forty-five, which meant they had fewer options than palace maids.

Those palace servants who stayed in the palace until the age of forty-five would receive a considerable sum of money.

This sum of money, while not enough to make them instantly rich, is at least enough to support one of them for many years.

In addition, if these palace servants who leave the palace at the age of forty-five do not have a good place to go, they can apply when they are forty-four years old. When they turn forty-five, the palace will arrange for them to guard the imperial mausoleum.

Guarding the imperial tombs was a tough job for the royal family members, since they were far from the city and their living conditions were certainly not as good as those in the capital.

But for these palace servants, there was food, lodging, and a sum of money to be earned. Their jobs were almost entirely simple, with little to no heavy work. They did cleaning and sweeping every day. As for their masters, they only saw them once a year. Their lives were quite leisurely.

Therefore, this place was not bad for the palace women.

Back to Changxin Palace, Jufang and the others fell silent when Zhou Zhou brought up the matter.

As for the two whose names were called, they exchanged a glance and urged each other to go first.

Zhou Zhou: "..."

Do you think I'm blind?

"Alright, stop looking back and forth," she interrupted the two of them, calling out Jufang's name. "Jufang, before you entered the palace, you told me that you would accompany me into the palace and leave when you were twenty-five to take care of your mother."

"Now, the day is almost here. Although your family hasn't sent any news yet this year, I think it'll be in the next few days."

Have you thought it through?

Separation is the most painful thing, but Zhou Zhou will not, and cannot, waste their lives.

Jufang was called out by name and felt extremely wronged, her eyes brimming with tears. "Your Majesty, this is not fair! Why did you only call out my name and not Sizhu's?"

Sizhu, her eyes already brimming with tears, said, "..."

No, are you alright?

Zhou Zhou, who was still feeling sad, held back and smiled. However, after the happiness, the sadness came even more intensely.

She exhaled a heavy breath, her voice low, it was unclear whether she was explaining to them or talking to herself—

“I’m also reluctant to part with you, but you should also have your own lives. I can’t be so selfish as to waste your precious time.”

Jufang thought for a moment, then said somewhat uncertainly, "But...we're in this palace now, and we have ranks..."

“Yes,” Sizhu also raised her head, “We are both deputy stewards of Changxin Palace, not ordinary palace maids.”

So how can it be considered a waste of time?

This……

Their words successfully silenced Zhou Zhou.

In the end, the matter was never resolved, so Zhou Zhou simply stopped mentioning it and told them to think it over carefully. There were still seven months before the palace maids were released from the palace, so they shouldn't rush into making a decision.

The two agreed, and the atmosphere in the room returned to normal.

Late at night, around 1:15 AM, a palace servant from Consort De's palace went to the Imperial Hospital to summon the imperial physician on duty.

Logically speaking, on such an important day, unless it is a major event, the imperial physician would not be summoned, for fear of affecting one's fortune for the coming year.

Therefore, the news spread as soon as the imperial physician was summoned to Consort De's residence.

Upon hearing the palace servant's report, Li Ziyan and Zhou Zhou exchanged a glance—they've arrived!