Marrying the Crown Prince

Zhou Zhou was somewhat drunk, but not seriously. She was just a little slow to react. If you were to ask her why she was different from usual when she was alone with Li Ziyan, it would be because being slightly tipsy gave her courage, and thus her deepest desires were revealed.

Thus, the palace banquet ended peacefully.

Li Ziyan squatted in the East Palace, quietly waiting for the results from the Imperial Observatory. But instead of the wedding date, a charming and beautiful palace maid arrived.

Empress Chu was ultimately influenced by Consort De's words that day, and specially selected a girl for Li Ziyan who was not only beautiful but also proficient in music and had exceptional dancing skills.

That day, when she was selecting people at the Southern Palace, she immediately took a liking to this palace maid with an extremely flexible waist and made her decision right away—you're the one.

Li Ziyan looked at his elderly mother, who was sitting there sipping tea, and after a moment of silence, asked, "What does Mother think of today's Biluochun tea?"

"Not bad, not bad. It tastes slightly bitter but then sweet. It's a good product." Empress Chu nodded with a smile.

“Mother,” Li Ziyan reached out and pinched the tea lid, gently turning it to skim the foam. A smile played on his lips as he parted them slightly. “This is Pu’er tea.”

Empress Chu almost lost her smile, and said stiffly, "I don't recognize what kind of tea this is, but it does taste quite good."

Li Ziyan put the lid back on with a crisp sound and calmly looked at Empress Chu.

Empress Chu felt inexplicably guilty and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

Li Ziyan shifted his gaze, glancing at the palace maid still kneeling there, and said calmly, "Mother, you may take her back."

Empress Chu knew that behind his seemingly calm face lay all sorts of twisted thoughts, even though he was his own son.

She stood up awkwardly. "If you don't like it, then I won't send anyone over anymore."

"Yes, it's good that Mother understands my heart." Li Ziyan didn't care whether she was speaking from the heart or just saying it casually.

Empress Chu remained silent for a while, still unwilling to give up. She cautiously raised her eyes to look at her son, and then met his gentle smile.

"Mother, is there anything else?" His smile was like a gentle breeze, and even the term "elegant gentleman" couldn't perfectly describe the scholarly air about him.

Empress Chu's heart still trembled slightly. "It's...it's nothing."

She swallowed hard, stood up, and said, "Since you're busy, I won't bother you any longer."

After speaking, Empress Chu gave him a resentful look. Seeing that Li Ziyan still had a gentle smile on his face, she could only turn around. She had just taken a step forward when she heard her son's voice—

"Mother."

Empress Chu turned around happily, then listened to Li Ziyan's words, "The Eastern Palace has no shortage of people to serve, so please trouble Your Majesty to take this girl back with you."

The smile on her face froze before it could even bloom.

"it is good!"

This matter was just a minor incident and did not spread. Therefore, in Zhou Zhou's view, the wedding date that Li Ziyan had been eagerly awaiting was set very soon—April 19th of next year was an auspicious day suitable for marriage.

It sounds like there's still a long time to go, but for the Crown Prince's wedding, the entire Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Clothing, and the Ministry of Treasures were mobilized, and female officials went to the Yongjing Marquis's residence to look for Zhou Zhou no less than ten times.

With the wedding date set and Zhou Zhou awaiting marriage, it was best to avoid any complications. The old Marquis and his wife were reluctant to let Zhou Zhou go out, and Zhou Zhou understood this reasoning, so she didn't go out to play as often as she used to.

Of course, there was more than one reason why she didn't go out. More importantly, the palace had sent a tutor, who would stay at the Yongjing Marquis's residence until Zhou Zhou's wedding.

Zhou Zhou felt quite uncomfortable with an outsider in her own territory. Fortunately, the tutor didn't cause any trouble. She would spend about half an hour talking to Zhou Zhou every day, mainly explaining the taboos of the palace and chatting about some gossip. Then the tutor would tactfully leave, giving Zhou Zhou plenty of personal space.

Of course, Zhou Zhou had already sensed the goodwill that the old woman showed on her first day, but he wasn't sure which side she was on.

As time went by, it became less important which side the governess came from, since they were all people living peaceful lives.

As the sun and moon alternated, the leaves in the courtyard gradually turned yellow and withered. Heavy snow fell, covering the bare tree trunks. Finally, the heavy snow that had been falling for several days stopped. Zhou Zhou stood under the veranda of the courtyard, looking at the white snow all over the garden, and felt that time really passed quickly.

Jufang had just returned from collecting her monthly allowance at the accounting office when she entered the room to find her young mistress standing in the wind with only a few clothes on.

She immediately shuddered, quickly went forward and carried Zhou Zhou back into the house, pressed him down on the kang (a heated brick bed), and wrapped him in a fox fur coat. As she did this, she kept muttering, "That Sizhu is really something. How could she let you go out like this? I don't even know where this hand warmer is. When she comes back, I'm going to give her a good scolding."

Holding a hand warmer, she stepped into the room and began to play music: "..."

In other words, is it possible that the hand warmer cooled down and needed to be refilled with charcoal, so Sizhu went to refill it with charcoal?

Zhou Zhou was both amused and exasperated. "Alright, it's not like we went out naked, it's not that serious."

"Besides, Sizhu went to add charcoal for me."

"The snow just stopped, and I've been feeling stuffy for days, so I had to go out for some fresh air, right?"

Zhou Zhou rattled off a whole bunch of things, leaving Ju Fang speechless. She could only reply angrily, "You're always right, I can't argue with you."

"Yes, it's my fault." Zhou Zhou coaxed her patiently. There was nothing he could do; he just really liked the two of them.

Seeing that Zhou Zhou was willing to coax her, Ju Fang checked her hands again and found that Zhou Zhou's body had warmed up. Her pouting lips finally relaxed, but she still whispered, "Why are you becoming more and more childish?"

Zhou Zhou reached out and hugged her neck, pulling her down, and replied sweetly, "That's why I need you, my housekeeper, to keep me in check."

Jufang hesitated for a moment, but finally accepted the title of "housekeeper" when Zhou Zhou magically produced a candy and popped it into his mouth.

Of course, Zhou Zhou didn't favor one over the other. What Ju Fang had, Si Zhu had too. Both of them had malt candy in their mouths, sweeter than honey, so sweet that it warmed their hearts.

Zhou Zhou looked out the window, through which she saw the bare branches of trees. Where once the trees were lush and green, and flocks of birds sang, how could they have ended up like this?

As we grow up, how come we all go our separate ways and go our separate ways?

If it's this cold in Kyoto, how bitterly cold must it be in the north?

Indeed, Li Zixiao joined the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion this October. Logically speaking, when a noble consort marries her daughter, especially to a mansion with a distinguished military record like the Duke's, the wedding should have been incredibly grand. However, the reality was quite different...