Princess Mingchang's attitude was inconsistent, and Li Jinniang felt uneasy and afraid, so she secretly asked Madam Li the reason.
Madam Li couldn't tell her daughter that Li Jiamin had run away, so she just forced a smile and said, "The old lady is old, and your grandmother is a princess. She is different from ordinary people. She is the elder, so you just need to listen to what she says. Don't worry too much, after all, you still have your mother."
Li Jinniang could see that her mother was also worried. She knew that things were not as simple as she said, but she could not get anything out of her mother by asking. So she had to suppress her anxiety in her heart. The good mood she had originally been in to hunt was gone. When it was time for the dinner, Concubine Pang called her while she was sitting at the bottom. She was so absent-minded that she did not respond. It was not until Madam Li next to her coughed hurriedly that she woke up and hurriedly saluted Concubine Pang.
Concubine Pang was very gentle. She smiled, shook her head and asked her, "Why are you so worried today, Yun Zhang? Is there something on your mind?"
The early autumn wind was still a little chilly on her body. Li Jinniang shuddered and came to her senses. She smiled and shook her head: "I'm not used to riding in a carriage. I feel a little dizzy."
Soon, the female official came in to report that princesses from several Mongolian tribes had arrived.
Concubine Pang is now in charge of the six palaces, and the Central Palace is vacant. The ladies of honor respect her, so the princesses should naturally be entertained by Concubine Pang. Previously, the princes of several Mongolian tribes had already accepted the invitation of Emperor Yuanfeng and agreed to come. Because Emperor Yuanfeng brought his female relatives, several princesses had already been summoned by Concubine Pang. The reason for them to come again this time was also discussed by Emperor Yuanfeng and Concubine Pang before, so that these princesses could get acquainted with the noble ladies.
Concubine Pang smiled and asked her to come in quickly.
As soon as several Mongolian princesses came in, the ladies of honor immediately noticed the difference between them and the girls of the Great Zhou Dynasty - they were all tall and looked more plump and fit than the girls of the Great Zhou Dynasty, but their facial features were all outstanding and beautiful.
Especially the girl standing in the front wearing red clothes, she seemed to be most in line with the aesthetic taste of the noble ladies of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and they thought she was bright and stunning.
The first person that Concubine Pang called out to was the prettiest girl: "Princess Ana, I heard that you rode your horse all the way here. Don't you feel tired?"
The relationship between the Great Zhou and the Oirat is now precarious, and there are frequent frictions between the two sides. The two sides must choose to win over and show goodwill to Mongolia in order to deter and isolate the Oirat and maintain stability on the border. Concubine Pang treats the princesses in a very warm manner.
In comparison, the Mongolian princesses seemed to be less knowledgeable about etiquette.
Princess Ana raised her chin proudly: "Girls on our grassland are different from your girls. We grew up on horseback. Riding a horse is just a daily routine for us. How can we say it's tiring?"
There was something wrong with the words, and the smile on Concubine Pang's face faded.
She did want to win over the Mongolian tribes, but she was a royal concubine of the imperial court and the real ruler of the harem. It would be too beneath her status if she responded to any provocation from a princess of one of the tribes.
Now is the time for the ladies to speak.
Lady Pingguo exclaimed, "Yes, I heard that the Eagle Tribe's pastures are going to be relocated. Princess Ana must have developed such good horsemanship for this reason, right?"
Princess Ana couldn't help biting her lip.
The Great Zhou wanted to win over the Mongolian tribes, and the Mongolian tribes actually also wanted to rely on the Great Zhou.
Because of the constant invasions and harassment from the Oirat, the Eagle Tribe located next to the Oirat frequently migrated deep into the grassland. Her father was the leader of the Eagle Tribe, and before she came, he had repeatedly warned her that this time she came to participate in the autumn hunting organized by the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and also for marriage, so he told her not to cause trouble and to be modest and cautious.
But how could she look down upon the weak and timid people of the Great Zhou
Naturally, he was even more annoyed by the timid women in the Great Zhou.
Who would have thought that this lady would directly bring up the matter of the grassland. She snorted with a wooden face: "Even if the grassland is not moved, we grassland girls also like to ride on horseback, which is different from the girls in your Great Zhou."
She looked arrogant, which made people unhappy. Princess Yongning, who was sitting next to Lady Pingguo, said calmly, "The girls in our Great Zhou are naturally different from you. They can ride horses, read and write, and understand reason."
To win them over does not mean to spoil them blindly, otherwise they will really be indulged to the point of lawlessness.
Concubine Pang smiled and asked Princess Ana and the others to sit down: "Everyone, sit down. Today is the first time you meet each other. You are the daughters of the grassland and the girls of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The more you know each other, the more familiar you will be."
Although she said so, when Emperor Yuanfeng came over at night, even someone as wise and calm as Concubine Pang had to say, "A woman from the grassland really doesn't know etiquette!"
They are too arrogant and difficult to deal with.
Emperor Yuanfeng exclaimed: "I actually let my beloved concubine say this. What? Did they cause trouble?"
Concubine Pang has always been very good at observing people's words and expressions, and she has a tacit understanding with Emperor Yuanfeng. Naturally, she knows that Emperor Yuanfeng is trying to show goodwill to Mongolia. Logically, Concubine Pang would keep this a secret, but judging from Concubine Pang's expression, those Mongolian princesses seemed very unpopular.
"It's not that she's causing trouble, but she's always speaking with a sharp tongue. She keeps talking about how great the girls of the Great Zhou are, and even hints at whether Eleven can get on a horse in riding clothes, which makes Eleven very angry." Concubine Pang personally undressed Emperor Yuanfeng: "Your Majesty wants to win them over, but I think... these princesses are not suitable to be consorts with their personalities."
When Taizu first conquered Mongolia, he selected Mongolian noble ladies as princesses for his sons.
Emperor Yuanfeng obviously had the same intention when he came to the grassland this time.
But now everyone can see that the crown prince is Xiao Heng. As the crown prince, it is impossible for Xiao Heng to have a wife from Mongolia. If there is a marriage alliance, a girl like Princess Ana will have to fall on the Fifth Prince. Even though Concubine Pang is very sensible and considers the overall situation, she can't help but feel a headache and resistance.
Emperor Yuanfeng couldn't help laughing. "My dear, who said that we must choose her as the princess for the marriage? You think too much. The Mongolia today is different from the Mongolia during the reign of Taizu. The tribes within them are fighting each other. The Bal tribe is also gradually declining. To win them over, we don't necessarily have to give her the position of princess. Besides, we don't necessarily have to marry her."
Concubine Pang finally breathed a sigh of relief. She really couldn't stand the arrogant attitude of those princesses.