On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Huayang and Chen Jingzong had just eaten dumplings when Yu Xiu, Luo Yuyan and their children came to pay New Year's greetings.
During the mourning period, Huayang was not allowed to go out for social events or host banquets at home, but it was still okay for others to come and visit and sit for a while. For example, Princess Anle came very frequently. The Chen family was a minister and did not dare to be as unscrupulous as Princess Anle without a proper reason.
In the warm room, Wanyi, Dalang, Erlang, Sanlang, and Wanqing stood in a row and greeted their fourth aunt and fourth uncle in unison.
Huayang knew they would come, and had already prepared envelopes and gifts.
Wanyi took the lead in expressing her gratitude again. The twelve-year-old girl had grown into a graceful young lady with both the softness and beauty of Yu Xiu and the serenity and composure of Chen Bochong.
Dalang and Erlang are both nine years old. The former is honest and kind, while the latter is smart and clever but does not know how to restrain himself.
Sanlang is seven years old and is chubby. I'm afraid he will become a fat boy. Wanqing is still young and delicate, and her temperament is yet to be revealed.
After looking around, Huayang still likes Wanyi the most.
Maybe she doesn't have the patience to raise other people's children, and she likes children like Wanyi who are sensible and lively.
After the children stood aside, Yu Xiu also took out two red envelopes, which were the New Year's money given by Chen Tingjian and his wife Sun to their fourth son and daughter-in-law.
Huayang smiled and asked his sisters-in-law to convey his gratitude to the two elders.
While the women were talking, Chen Jingzong just sat aside and said very little.
Huayang noticed that the boys kept looking at Chen Jingzong, as if they had a lot to say, so he asked Chen Jingzong to take the children for a walk in the garden.
Before leaving, Chen Jingzong glanced at her quietly.
Then when he left, the five children followed him happily.
Luo Yuyan smiled and explained to Huayang: "When you and your husband were still on the expedition, Sanlang and the others were thinking about you every day, and they had a lot of questions they wanted to ask their fourth uncle."
Yu Xiu looked at Huayang with concern: "Wanyi misses you the most. She wants to move in with you for a while. My mother and I didn't agree to her request for fear of disturbing your peace and quiet."
In fact, they were worried that Huayang would feel lonely mourning alone, and knowing that Wanyi was Huayang's favorite, they wanted to send Wanyi to accompany Huayang to relieve his boredom. Chen Jingzong would only be with the princess during this period of vacation, and he would go to the garrison again after the Lantern Festival.
Huayang actually didn't mind staying alone, but her mother-in-law and sister-in-law were so considerate, so she said, "I've always wanted to ask Wanyi to come and keep me company, but I didn't ask before because I was afraid she would be reluctant to leave home."
Yu Xiu said hurriedly: "Of course she is willing to give it up. She is eager to come here. After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, I will ask her to move in."
Huayang looked at Luo Yuyan and said, "Wanqing, come along too. It will be good for the two sisters to have some company."
Huayang is the elder sister of the current emperor. It is a great honor for any girl to live with Huayang for a while. But Luo Yuyan knew that the princess liked Wanyi and invited her daughter just for courtesy. Moreover, Wanyi was very sensible at her age, while Wanqing could not take care of herself. If she really moved in and acted like a spoiled child or got angry, it would cause trouble for the princess.
Therefore, Luo Yuyan said with regret: "Forget about Wanqing. She is too young now and will cry if she leaves home. Wait until she is older, and then let her come to your place to benefit from your kindness."
Huayang was just saying it casually so that Luo Yuyan wouldn't feel left out.
The sun was still shining brightly outside, and the three sisters-in-law chatted for fifteen minutes. Seeing that Chen Jingzong and the children had not returned yet, they went to the garden together.
Walking around a grove of flowers and trees, we saw Chen Jingzong sitting on a bench basking in the sun, with five children sitting or standing around him.
At the request of his nephews and nieces, Chen Jingzong is telling stories of his heroic deeds on the battlefield.
Of course he had made military achievements, but what he was saying now was pure fabrication, as if he was bragging, but children just loved to hear that.
Luo Yuyan smiled and said, "No wonder the children like Fourth Uncle. The eldest and third uncles don't make children happy like this. Our third uncle smiles every day and the children are not afraid of him, but he doesn't have the patience of Fourth Uncle."
Yu Xiu thought to herself, Chen Bochong is patient, but he won't tell children these nonsense things. Which child would like to listen to him talk about such great principles
Chen Jingzong had seen them a long time ago. After telling the last story, he patted the heads of his nephews one by one and said, "Okay, you should go back now!"
Sanlang pouted: "We came here to pay New Year's greetings, but you didn't even invite us to have dinner!"
Chen Jingzong: "You just know how to be greedy, go home and ask your father for it!"
Of course he would not be stingy with a lunch, but the timing was not right. The Princess's Mansion was still in mourning. Even if Huayang asked to stay, the eldest sister-in-law and the third sister-in-law would not agree.
Yu Xiu and Luo Yuyan were indeed here to take the children away.
Huayang and his wife walked them to the door.
On the way back, Chen Jingzong complained to Huayang: "You are such a good fourth aunt. My nephews and nieces want to hear stories and you push me out to satisfy them. Why don't you feel sorry for me?"
Huayang: "Why do I feel sorry for you?"
Chen Jingzong: "I feel bad that my brain is buzzing because of their noise, and I feel bad that my throat is about to smoke from telling stories."
Huayang: "You receive gifts from your eldest and third brothers for free every year. Isn't it your responsibility to coax their children for them?"
Chen Jingzong: …
He began to settle accounts with Huayang, calculating how much New Year's money he had given out over the years, which had long exceeded the value of the gifts given by his two brothers.
Huayang: "What about when you were a child? When you couldn't walk and wanted to hear stories, did your eldest and third brothers always respond to your requests?"
Chen Jingzong: "You are talking about things from childhood. Who still remembers? Anyway, since I can remember, they forced me to study and practice calligraphy."
Huayang glared at him: "Don't be so ungrateful after getting such a good deal."
Let alone two or three biological brothers, Huayang would be satisfied if she had a biological brother like Chen Bochong or Chen Xiaozong who would give her birthday gifts every year.
But she didn't, she only had one brother, an emperor brother who would cause a big mess and give her a headache!
.
After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Chen Bozong and Yu Xiu brought Wanyi over together, saying many polite words to express their displeasure.
Huayang held Wanyi's hand and told the couple not to worry, saying that her female teacher was ready and would ensure that Wanyi's studies would not be delayed.
On this day, Wanyi was practicing needlework with a female teacher, and Princess Anle came to visit again.
At noon, the three of them had lunch together.
Huayang was stunned. Could it be that there was another reason why she and Wanyi got along so well
Wanyi, on the other hand, asked playfully, "Grand Princess, what was my fourth aunt like when she was twelve years old?"
Princess Anle recalled for a moment and said teasingly, "She is not as obedient as you. She is as proud as the peony in the garden, looking down on others every day."
Huayang: …
Do peonies have nostrils? Aunt, what kind of metaphor is this!
After Princess Anle left, Wanyi sat on the warm couch and talked to her aunt: "Did you have any good sisters when you were a child?"
Huayang stroked the girl's soft hair and said with regret, "No, there are several palace walls between us. Even if there are ladies who are interested in each other, they can only meet a few times a year. How deep a friendship can be fostered?"
If her father had more children, she might have met a few princesses who were truly friends with her. But her father only had two daughters, her and Nankang. She had always looked down on Nankang.
Wanyi suddenly understood why Fourth Aunt was so out of reach. It was said that the emperor was a lonely man, but Fourth Aunt grew up in the high palace walls. How much better could she be than a lonely man
When night fell and Chen Jingzong returned home, Wanyi had already gone to bed.
But she wrote a letter and asked the eunuch in Liuyun Palace to pass it to her fourth uncle.
Chen Jingzong took out the letter curiously and saw that his niece had written on it: Fourth Uncle, today I heard from Fourth Aunt that she had no friends when she was a child. You should be nicer to her.
Chen Jingzong smiled.
After taking a bath, he went to Qifeng Palace to find Huayang.
He sat on the side of the low table on the couch, eating and chatting with Huayang, and mentioned his niece's letter.
Huayang just found it funny: "Wanyi, do you think I'm pitiful?"
Chen Jingzong: "Aren't you pitiful?"
Huayang raised his chin proudly: "What's so good about friends? I prefer to see those famous ladies flattering me and kneeling before me cautiously, but I can't tell Wanyi that, lest she get scared and dare not get close to me again."
Chen Jingzong: …
Fairies are fairies. Although they may be soft-hearted and sympathetic to mortals, they are always high above us and will never really be on an equal footing with mortals.
Although she is not a real fairy, there is not much difference between a princess and a fairy.
.
In March, the sun was shining brightly, and the forsythia, plum blossoms and crabapples in the Princess's mansion were in full bloom.
Every day, Huayang takes a lovely girl like Wanyi to appreciate the beautiful spring scenery. The sadness over his father's death that remains in his heart melts away like floating ice on the water.
Just in April, a very unexpected guest named Huayang came to the Princess's Mansion.
Huayang entertained the wife of the prince of Wuqing Marquisate, Qi Jin's wife, and her cousin Tian in the waterside pavilion in the garden.
Tian was once depressed and bedridden because of a miscarriage. Huayang felt sorry for her because she died young in her previous life and went to comfort her in person.
But that was the only time they had a deep conversation, and Huayang really didn't expect Tian to come to visit her.
Tian was brought into the water pavilion by Chaoyun. When she saw Huayang, her eyes started to turn red before she could say anything.
Huayang winked at the maids around him.
After Chaoyun and the others left, Huayang pointed to the seat next to him and said softly, "Cousin, come and sit down."
Tian shook her head and suddenly knelt down towards Huayang.
Huayang was startled and wanted to help her. Tian said with tears in her eyes, "Princess, I want to divorce the prince. In fact, this is a matter between him and me. I shouldn't have bothered you. It was your words that pulled me out of despair. You cared about me because I am your cousin. Now I want to sever my relationship with the prince. After thinking it over, I still think I should come and tell you and explain it clearly, so that you won't misunderstand that I am ungrateful and have failed your kindness."
Divorce
Huayang was surprised and asked, "Why do you want to divorce when everything is fine? Did my cousin do something?"
Tian smiled, but tears were still rolling down her eyes. She looked at the water outside the pavilion, which was rippling with spring breeze, and said calmly, "The prince has not done anything wrong to me. He just doesn't like me. Don't be afraid of your laughing at me. I have been married to him for so many years, and he has slept with me only a few times. Even those few times were only because the elders were urging us to have children."
"I never understood what was wrong with me that made him treat me like this. After listening to what you said, I decided to let it go and no longer care what he thinks."
"I thought I would continue to live with him in this stagnant life, but I didn't expect that he would take in two concubines and make them both pregnant."
"My mother-in-law persuaded me to be happy, saying that the child would be registered in my name after it was born. It seemed that my inability to have children for so many years was due to my poor health."
"Princess, I am not saying this to be jealous, nor to ask you to solve anything for me. I just want you to know my grievances. The prince neither dotes on me nor gives me the dignity that a wife should have. If that is the case, why should I stay in the Qi family?"
After saying this, Tian wiped away her tears and kowtowed to Huayang devoutly: "Since I married into the Qi family, the greatest blessing I have received from the Qi family is your words. I will be grateful for your kindness in my heart for the rest of my life. I only hope that you will not blame me for not knowing what is good for me."
Huayang finally understood the whole story. With mixed feelings, he helped Tian up and sighed, "If it's really as you said, my cousin treated you like that, even I don't have the face to help him keep him, but if there is any misunderstanding, I sincerely hope that my cousin's wife can help him explain it clearly and not easily break the fate of husband and wife."
If it were Huayang, she would divorce Chen Jingzong if he dared to covet his concubine.
Or if she was Tian's sister, she would support Tian's divorce without hesitation.
But Huayang was Qi Jin's cousin, so at this time, she had to say some polite words to Tian to keep her, so that Tian wouldn't think that she didn't care at all whether Tian stayed or left.
Tian smiled bitterly and shook her head: "I asked him why he would rather give his concubine's child than touch me. He said frankly that he didn't like me and couldn't force it. He also agreed to the divorce."
Huayang: …
What did Qi Jin say
The two must have met before they got married. Since he didn't like Tian, why did he marry her? Why did he waste all these years
What cousin or not? Even if his biological brother did something like this, Huayang would never support him at all!
(End of this chapter)