The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

Originally, it was thought that this tour would go smoothly, but only ten days before departure, the Emperor Kangxi ordered the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to set the date for the Eighth Princess's marriage: the second day of the seventh month of this year.

Qingwan felt a headache coming on. She had forgotten about this matter, which was none of her concern. Moreover, Emperor Kangxi had definitely not returned to the capital at that time, and she was unsure whether she should still go to the border region.

Actually, the arrangements for the princesses' marriages had been made long ago, not just for the sixth princess and the ninth princess, but the timing for Yi'an's marriage was rather sudden.

This was no ordinary family. The Imperial Household Department would handle the princess's marriage, or there would be Consort Tongjia and Consort Yi in the palace, so it wouldn't be her place to speak. However, she really couldn't just run away without asking any questions.

Then there's Yinxiang, after all, she's his half-sister, so he needs to explain his side of the situation. Qingwan felt more and more regretful, wondering if she could still go.

When Yinxiang returned to his room that evening, Qingwan asked him about it: "Speaking of Eighth Sister's matter, I should be by her side, but what are the arrangements for you, Your Highness? Are you still accompanying Father on his inspection tour?"

Yinxiang had finished washing up and, still damp from the water, leaned against the pillow and said, "Yian is my half-sister, so naturally I wanted to see her off in person. As soon as the wedding date was set, I told Father about it, but he still insisted that I accompany him. I couldn't very well refuse him."

However, there might be a turning point; we might have a chance to personally deliver Yi'an to her.

"Us? Does this mean they don't intend for her to stay in the palace and will still go on the inspection tour?" Qingwan pondered Yinxiang's meaning and tentatively asked, "Does Father have other ideas?"

“Hmm.” At this point, Qingwan clearly sensed Yinxiang’s pleasure: “Yian will get married on the second day of the seventh month, and then we will set off from the capital. At that time, we will definitely still be in Mongolia.”

After all, Yi'an was the first princess of our Great Qing to marry into the Mongolian steppe. I reckon Father intends to personally escort my sister to Mongolia during his inspection tour of the border. Even if he doesn't personally escort her, he will visit my eighth sister's princess residence there, also to show his regard for her.

"If that's true, that would be wonderful." Qingwan couldn't help but be happy after hearing his words: "Sixth Sister's wedding is after Eighth Sister's, but since her husband is in the capital, Sixth Sister isn't in a hurry to return to her hometown. Even Ninth Sister doesn't need to be sent to Mongolia."

"Our younger sister is going to Mongolia. If Father and you could personally see her off, she would feel better."

Yinxiang also laughed and said, "That's absolutely right."

"There's something else I'd like to discuss with you, Master." Qingwan thought for a moment and decided to bring up the matter of adding another person, otherwise she wouldn't know how to explain it.

"Go ahead."

"Now that Fuling is pregnant, there is one less person to serve you. Should we bring someone to serve you?"

A few days ago, Hui'enie mentioned it, but I thought the master must have his own plans, so I told Hui'enie that the master had already chosen someone. Also, I'd like to ask the master, if there's a next time, should we bring the person back?

"Hui'e'nei?" Yinxiang murmured, then asked Qingwan, "How do you know I have reservations? Did your father say something to you? And aren't you afraid that Hui'e'nei will hold you against someone for being jealous?"

Qingwan smiled bitterly. Although she had used Yinxiang's name that day, no matter what, Consort Hui had probably already labeled her as immature.

However, she couldn't care less about the situation at that time. Fortunately, Consort Hui was not Yinxiang's biological daughter-in-law, and she wouldn't treat her like Consort Liang treated the Eighth Prince's wife.

However, Qingwan still sensed the probing intent in Yinxiang's words, and a sharp pain in her lower abdomen brought a sudden surge of irritation to her heart.

She looked up and stared directly at Yinxiang, her words carrying a barb: "Your Majesty, you don't need to worry about what my father said to me that I shouldn't have said. I don't think that even if my father said something to me, I can use that to ask Your Majesty to do anything. If I really did that, Your Majesty probably wouldn't tolerate me."

As for Hui'enie's matter, I refused because I was thinking about the relationship between the prince and the crown prince and made unfounded speculations. If the prince thinks I did something wrong, I will go to Yanxi Palace to bring her over tomorrow.

If my mother were still alive, and she asked, as long as my father could handle it, I would take on ten or eight of them and settle them properly.

But if you think I'm jealous, then I absolutely cannot admit to it.

Yinxiang paused. He suspected that Malhan and Qingwan had talked about something, which was why he asked the question. He thought that Qingwan would evade the question, but he did not expect her answer to be so impolite.

He was pampered from a young age, and his inner nature was not exactly gentle or kind. It was just that his noble birth had instilled in him a certain good manners, which prevented him from bringing his arrogant attitude towards servants to those around him.

This interruption by Qingwan made him a little annoyed, but when he looked up and saw Qingwan looking very wronged, and thought of what Yi'an had said on the second day of their marriage, he felt both amused and annoyed. He managed to suppress his anger and clicked his tongue in a barely audible voice, saying, "Such a temper."

He tilted his head and carefully examined Qingwan several times. Good, she didn't cry. He felt relieved: "I was just asking. I didn't mean to blame you. The fact that you thought of refusing Hui'e's words and the person who sent it has solved my problem."

As for the people you mentioned, they'll naturally come in during the talent show, but you'll need to put in the effort to keep a close eye on them.

Qingwan understood what he meant. She feared that these people might not have been sought out by Yinxiang himself, and it was even more uncertain how they were selected. Therefore, she cautiously replied, "Don't worry, Your Highness."

Seeing that she had returned to her calm and composed state, Yinxiang sighed again and said, "You should rest. I'll go to another room."

After seeing Yinxiang off, when Muxiang entered the room, she saw Qingwan leaning against the bedpost, lost in thought. Approaching her, she asked gently:

"Is the Princess Consort feeling unwell?" Qingwan's period was just around the corner, which is why Muxiang asked this question.

The reason she couldn't hold back was because she tends to be short-tempered these days.

Qingwan regained her senses and said, "It's nothing, I was just sleepy. Now that Master is gone, let's rest."

Mu Xiang didn't ask any more questions. She lowered the bed curtains for her, blew out the candles, and then went out.

With the departure date fast approaching, Qingwan simply spent all her time except for sleeping at Yi'an's place.