After having dinner with the Concubine Dowager, on the way back to Rujingyuan, Jiang Changning decided to put on a show. As she was occupying the position of Princess Jin, she had to put on some attitude.
Jiang Changning deliberately said in a sarcastic tone: "Your Highness, don't you want to go and see those ten beauties? Those ten beauties, some plump and some thin, all charming and beautiful, are pleasing to the eye and pleasing to the eye."
"My dear princess, your husband does not want to add ten more people who eat for free in the mansion, but the emperor's order cannot be disobeyed." Prince Jin sighed.
Jiang Changning didn't expect the King of Jin to put it so clearly. He raised his eyebrows and said, "It costs money to support idle people."
"Don't worry, Princess. Your husband will work hard to earn money and will not let you feel that the money is not enough." Prince Jin smiled cunningly. The Emperor rewarded him with ten beauties, and he would reciprocate and give the Emperor a big gift.
The Prince of Jin refused to sleep with the beauty, and Jiang Changning did not persuade him.
Those ten beauties were awarded by the emperor. Who knows what kind of conspiracies and intrigues are involved? She doesn't want to get involved and get into trouble.
On the twenty-sixth day of the winter month, the Ningxia Palace sent someone to bring Zhuang Qingchan into the palace.
It's just a concubine, so Jiang Changning, the Princess of Jin, will not attend the ceremony, and there is no suitable person in the Jin Palace to watch the ceremony, so they just sent people to deliver gifts.
Those with a lower rank than the Ningxia Palace would send wives and grandmothers who were not the mistresses of the house to watch the ceremony.
Zhuang Qingchan was the first lady to be carried into the palace. The Prince of Jin had been married for two months, but he still hadn't brought his wife into the palace. The Chen family could no longer sit still.
Lord Chen approached Prince Jin, who also worked in the Ministry of Rites. Prince Jin was his superior, so it was convenient for him to find someone.
Mrs. Chen sent the invitation to the palace, requesting an audience with Princess Jiang of Jin.
"Reply to Mrs. Chen and tell her that I'm free tomorrow." Jiang Changning put the post aside, picked up the notebook and continued reading.
In the evening, Prince Jin returned to the mansion. Jiang Changning took the belt he handed over and said, "I think it's about Miss Chen's admission to the mansion. Yong Zhou, how should I reply to her tomorrow?"
Prince Jin frowned and said coldly: "Since she is so anxious to enter the palace, then bring her in on the fourth day of next month."
"This is too hasty. There's only a few days left, so there's no time to arrange it."
"Is there anything you can arrange?" King Jin hugged Jiang Changning and said, "Don't worry so much about some insignificant people. Aren't you tired?"
The housekeeper is Mrs. Qiao, and since she is so hasty, she is the one who should have the headache.
Jiang Changning pursed his lips and smiled, "The fourth day of next month is a good day, let's go with that day."
The next morning, Mrs. Chen entered the palace.
Entering from the corner gate and outside the hanging flower gate, a pretty maid was waiting for her, "Hello, Madam Chen. I am Xiulan, serving the princess."
"Hello, Miss Xiulan." Mrs. Chen helped Xiulan up as she was bowing, and handed her a purse.
"Mrs. Chen, please follow me." Xiulan said with a smile.
Jiang Changning was not meeting Mrs. Chen in Ruyi Courtyard, she was meeting someone in Zhengze Courtyard in the middle of the inner house.
Mrs. Chen, who was walking beside Xiulan, had a complicated expression. She was not willing to come this time, but as Chen Yi's biological mother, she had to come this time.
A young woman walked out from the corridor. She was none other than Concubine Qiao.
Mrs. Chen didn't know Jiang Changning, but she had seen Qiao from afar, and she didn't think Qiao was there to greet her.
Qiao's words confirmed her guess.
"Step back." After Xiulan greeted her, Qiao gave the order arrogantly.
"My lady, the princess is waiting for Mrs. Chen." Xiulan said.
"You rude thing! Can't I even say a word to Mrs. Chen?" Mrs. Qiao asked harshly.
Xiulan lowered her head, took a step back, and stood with her hands hanging down.
"Mrs. Chen came to the palace to discuss Miss Chen's admission, right?" Mrs. Qiao asked with a smile.
"Yes." Mrs. Chen smiled. She had already seen that there was discord among the sisters-in-law in the palace. She was afraid that Mrs. Qiao was waiting for her here with bad intentions.
"Miss Chen is the daughter of an official. It would be an injustice to her to let her be your wife." Mrs. Qiao said with a smile.
If Chen Yi is Mrs. Chen's biological daughter, Mrs. Qiao's words should resonate with Mrs. Chen.
Unfortunately, Chen Yi was not. Mrs. Chen smiled falsely, "Your Majesty thinks too highly of her."
It is a great fortune for a concubine's daughter to be able to enter the royal palace. Could it be that she wants to be a princess
"Speaking of which, Miss Chen was also appointed by the Queen Mother to the Prince, and she should have been brought in a long time ago, but, alas." Qiao deliberately did not say it clearly, "But Madam Chen, don't worry, I'm here."
Mrs. Chen's eyes gleamed with a sharp light. Mrs. Qiao wanted to use Chen Yi as a knife to fight against Princess Jin.
A concubine is no match for the principal wife, even with the help of Mrs. Qiao.
Qiao's words not only failed to make Mrs. Chen side with her, but instead aroused Mrs. Chen's hatred.
Back then, Lord Chen had a concubine who relied on the support of her mother-in-law to oppose him in every way. If it weren't for her extraordinary means, there would be no place for her and her son in the Chen family.
Besides, if Chen Yi gained power in the palace, Chen Yi's biological mother's status in the Chen family would surely rise, which was not what she wanted to see.
"Although I have never dealt with the princess, my daughter once lived in the same room with her in the palace. She said that she has a very good personality and is easy to get along with. My daughter will definitely serve her well." Mrs. Chen rejected Qiao's solicitation on behalf of Chen Yi.
Mrs. Qiao's face darkened. "Mrs. Chen, you can't judge a person's heart by his appearance. This mansion of Prince Jin..."
"I was wondering, the Chuihua Gate is not far from the Zhengze Courtyard, why hasn't Mrs. Chen come in yet? It seems that she was stopped by her sister-in-law." Jiang Changning appeared and interrupted Mrs. Qiao.
"My concubine greets the princess, may the princess live happily." Mrs. Chen bowed, "Miss Xiulan brought me in, but I ran into Concubine Dao, which delayed me a little. I hope the princess will forgive me."
"What's the point of forgiving or not forgiving? It's a good thing that my sister-in-law hit it off with Mrs. Chen and they had a very pleasant conversation. But it's windy in the corridor, so why don't we go into the hall and talk in detail?" Jiang Changning said with a smile, touching the hand warmer.
"No need for that. There are many big and small things in the mansion waiting for me to deal with. I don't have that much free time." Qiao waved her hand and left.
Mrs. Chen was stunned. Concubine Dao was in charge of the household expenses of the palace
"You're busy running around with your keys, asking about trivial matters." Jiang Changning smiled at Mrs. Chen, "Please come in, Mrs. Chen."
"Princess, please." Mrs. Chen smiled. Princess Jin cursed without using any dirty words. How amazing!
After entering the hall, the host and the guest sat down and the maid served tea.
Jiang Changning didn't talk about anything else and asked directly, "Mrs. Chen, are you here to discuss Miss Chen's admission to the mansion?"
"Yes." Mrs. Chen smiled.
"Yesterday I asked the prince what he thought. He said that the fourth day of the twelfth lunar month is a good day. Let's go with that day. What do you think, Mrs. Chen?"
Today is the twenty-eighth day of the winter month, and there are only five days left until the fourth day of the twelfth lunar month. This is too hasty.
Mrs. Chen wanted to say something, but Jiang Changning had already said that this was the date set by the prince. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "It's rare that the weather has been sunny these days. The fourth day of the twelfth lunar month must be a very good day."
After finishing the business, Mrs. Chen did not rush to say goodbye and leave, "Just now, Concubine Dao told me..."
She told Jiang Changning truthfully about the conversation between her and Qiao.
Jiang Changning's eyes flashed with surprise. She didn't expect that Mrs. Chen would choose between her and Qiao so quickly. "Why didn't Mrs. Chen listen to her?"
(End of this chapter)