Qi Jin returned to Beijing with the army in mid-December last year. By then, his injuries had almost healed. In the first month of the year, Madam Qi mentioned the issue of offspring again, so Qi Jin took in two concubines at once.
By March, the two concubines were diagnosed with pregnancy.
For Madam Qi and Madam Hou, even if the concubine was pregnant with only a bastard child, it was good news that Qi Jin had an heir.
The only one who was embarrassed was Tian, but Qi Jin's mother, Madam Hou, felt that Tian had always had difficulty in having children, and Qi Jin had waited until now to take in a concubine, which showed that he had been very considerate of Tian. Tian should not have any complaints, and even if this matter got out, no one would blame her son.
What the entire Qi family didn't expect was that the usually docile Tian suddenly wanted to divorce.
Qi Jin was the first to agree. After Qi Jin verbally agreed, Tian immediately moved back to her parents' home and asked the elders to come to Qi's house to get the formal divorce documents.
However, Madam Qi, Marquis Wuqing, and the Marquis's wife all felt that there was still room to save the marriage and did not allow Qi Jin to write a letter of divorce.
The Qi family is the Empress Dowager's maternal family and the Emperor's maternal uncle's family. The more so, the more the Qi family should abide by their duties and avoid complications.
The Qi family still wanted to maintain the marriage relationship with the Tian family, but unexpectedly Tian suddenly went to the Princess's Mansion and reported the matter to Huayang.
Huayang knew about it, which meant that Empress Dowager Qi would also know about it soon.
Then, Tian came out of the Princess's Mansion, and Madam Qi, who got the news, hurried into the palace to see Empress Dowager Qi.
At this time, Emperor Yuanyou was still studying in the Imperial Study, and Empress Dowager Qi was entertaining his mother in the West Warm Pavilion in the rear hall of the Qianqing Palace.
The palace maids were all standing guard outside, and only the mother and daughter were talking in low voices inside.
As for the fact that Qi Jin liked Huayang, Empress Dowager Qi only told her mother about it, and asked Madam Qi to arrange a marriage for Qi Jin as soon as possible to make him give up completely.
They both knew the inside story, and Madam Qi told her daughter her guess directly: "Although Jinlang married Tian, I can see that he doesn't like Tian at all. After all, Tian is no match for Panpan. I hope that Tian can slowly impress him, or that he can slowly let go of it over time. However, Jinlang looks gentle and easy to talk to, but he has a stubborn temper. For so many years, he has not liked Tian and has not taken any concubines. In the final analysis, he still can't let go of Panpan."
"Last year, Prince Yu rebelled and Panpan followed him. Besides the important matter of peace talks, Panpan should also be worried about the prince consort, right?"
Empress Dowager Qi nodded. How could she not understand her daughter? If it wasn't for her husband, her daughter would never have wronged herself like that.
Madam Qi: "They stayed out there for five whole months. Jinlang must have seen the affection between Panpan and her husband. He was stabbed by an arrow shot by the rebels, but his heart was stabbed by an arrow shot by Panpan herself. This arrow completely made him give up the idea, and then he decided to take a concubine."
Empress Dowager Qi looked calm: "It's good that it's over. Otherwise, he will be the only one who suffers. From the beginning to the end, Panpan didn't know what he was thinking."
Madam Qi: "Yes, it's all Jinlang's obsession, it has nothing to do with Panpan. That's right, I finally hoped that Jinlang would give up, and hoped that he and Tian would live a good life, but Tian couldn't stand it because of the pregnancy of the concubine, and she insisted on divorce. We are still discussing with the Tian family to see if there is any room for redemption, but Tian actually went to find Panpan, what is this?"
"Why did she look for Panpan? Did she see what Jinlang was thinking?"
"No, not even Jinlang's mother knows. How could Tian know? Jinlang would never tell her this. Panpan is kind-hearted. When Tian was seriously ill, she advised her to take care of her body. Tian probably hopes Panpan will be kind again and let Panpan persuade us to let go."
Empress Dowager Qi: "Since we can't live together anymore, let's just divorce. It hasn't been easy for Tian Shi these years."
Madam Qi: "I'm not afraid that people will say that we rely on you and the emperor to bully the Tian family..."
Empress Dowager Qi: "Outsiders don't know the truth, they will only think that Tian Shi was ashamed of not having a child for many years and asked to leave, and they can't blame Jin Lang and the Qi family."
Madam Qi: "What about Jinlang's next marriage? Both of his concubines are pregnant. If we abort the babies, it will be too bad for our virtue. If we give birth to both of them, what if they are illegitimate children? It will be embarrassing to propose marriage again."
Empress Dowager Qi: "Jin Lang is still young, handsome and has military merits. There is no need to ask for marriage. Don't rush him this time. Let him take his time to look around. In the end, he has to choose someone he likes, so that the two of you can live a happy life together."
The last time she was anxious, she was afraid that her daughter would find out and insist on marrying Qi Jin.
Now that her daughter and her husband are in love, Empress Dowager Qi doesn't want to let her nephew suffer again.
When she heard that the Jinwu vanguard was almost wiped out and her nephew was hit by an arrow, Empress Dowager Qi felt worried. Her eldest brother was the only child in the family and she had only one nephew. If anything happened to him and he was left without a successor, how could she bear it
Knowing her daughter's attitude, Madam Qi left the palace with peace of mind and went to the Princess's Mansion in Huayang.
Huayang entertained his grandmother well.
Regarding the matter between Qi Jin and Tian, Huayang completely stood on Tian's side, but she was not stupid enough to complain to her grandmother about her only precious grandson for Tian's sake.
Madam Qi was very ashamed: "Panpan, your cousin's wife has been making a fuss about divorcing your cousin recently. Did she come to you just now to complain?"
Huayang: "Don't talk about complaining, just explain the whole thing to me, and hope that I won't blame her."
After that, she took the initiative to repeat Tian's words and expressed her doubts: "Grandmother, if my cousin disliked my cousin's wife so much, why did he agree to marry her?"
Madam Qi naturally couldn't tell the truth, and sighed, "It can only be said that a forced melon is not sweet. At that time, your aunt and I both liked Tian. We thought that Tian was the best among all the girls of marriageable age, so we forced your cousin to marry her. Who would have thought that he would never like Tian, and he wasted so many years of her life. Alas, it's also our fault that we are old stubborn people, always thinking that our vision is the best, and young people don't know what is good and what is bad."
Huayang couldn't say anything more.
Madam Qi said: "Anyway, their marriage has come to an end. When I get back, I will ask your cousin to write a letter of divorce to Tian. Panpan, you just stay at home and don't worry about them."
Huayang really didn't bother to care. Even if her grandmother didn't come, she wouldn't go to the Marquis' Mansion to get involved.
.
In the evening, Chen Jingzong returned home and when he arrived at Qifeng Palace, he learned that Huayang had gone for a walk in the garden after dinner and had not returned yet.
The days began to get longer and the scenery in the garden was beautiful. Chen Jingzong guessed that she might be attracted by the scenery and linger there.
Chen Jingzong quickly finished his dinner, rinsed his mouth, and went to the garden to find Huayang.
There was a flower-viewing pavilion in the middle of the peony garden. Because the eldest princess was reluctant to leave, Wu Run asked the eunuch to hang lanterns on the four corners of the pavilion.
As night fell, the light from the lanterns illuminated the peony bushes around the pavilion. The eldest princess in a white dress lay softly on the beauty's chair, admiring a cluster of budding Yaohuang flowers outside the pavilion.
After Chen Jingzong came over, Wu Run, Chao Yun and others consciously retreated to a distance.
Chen Jingzong sat down next to Huayang and saw that she was holding the backrest of the beauty chair with one hand, with her chin resting on the back of her hand, and her other hand was unconsciously turning a peony silk flower, but her expression was a little unhappy.
"I didn't provoke you, did I?" Chen Jingzong recalled first. Wanyi was so well-behaved and only knew how to please her. He was the only one in this mansion who could make her unhappy.
Huayang shook his head, still looking listlessly at the peonies below.
Seeing her wilted appearance after being beaten by the rain, Chen Jingzong suddenly reached out and held her in his arms.
Wu Run saw this from a distance and left with a group of maids who were waiting to serve him.
The night was as blue as water, the lights were dim, Huayang rested his head on Chen Jingzong's strong arm, raised his eyelids, and saw his handsome face and inquiring eyes.
Huayang then explained: "My cousin and his wife are getting divorced."
Chen Jingzong showed his proper confusion: "Why did things suddenly become so awkward?"
Huayang could not mention the couple's bedroom affairs. He only said that this marriage was forced by the elders from the beginning. Now Tian did not want to be trapped in the Qi family anymore, so she naturally wanted to divorce.
Chen Jingzong listened silently and said, "Since they are a couple with grievances, it would be good for them to get divorced. Your cousin's wife can marry a man who truly loves her, and your cousin can also marry a girl he likes. Why are you unhappy? Are you sad that your cousin's wife has been neglected for so many years, or are you sad that your cousin has been forced to suffer for so many years?"
Huayang: "Of the two of them, I definitely sympathize more with Tian. My cousin doesn't like Tian, so he can still pamper his concubine and live a carefree life. Tian is not only unable to relieve her loneliness, but also has to endure the pain of losing her son."
In the past, Huayang admired his cousin very much, thinking that he was a man of both literary and martial talents, gentle and elegant, a true gentleman.
But when Huayang learned that his cousin had ignored Tian and made his concubine pregnant, the only word that came to his mind was "hypocritical".
Maybe my cousin had his grievances, but Tian was such a gentle woman. If my cousin had been nicer to her, even if it was just a few words of concern, Tian would not have died young in depression in her previous life.
A true gentleman would not treat a weak woman like this.
However, what really made Huayang depressed was that while she was dissatisfied with her cousin, she suddenly thought of herself and Chen Jingzong.
To be honest, she was willing to marry Chen Jingzong, but in her previous life, she treated Chen Jingzong with cold eyes. Isn't it a bit like her cousin's treatment of Tian
Although Chen Jingzong also had a lot of problems at that time and was far less obedient and lovely than Tian, who could blame him for dying early
Huayang couldn't help but compare Chen Jingzong with Tian. The more she sympathized with Tian, the more uncomfortable she felt with Chen Jingzong.
She was a princess, and Chen Jingzong had to accept whatever she gave. For example, Tian could not resist her cousin who had a more noble status.
"When we first got married, I always looked down on you. Did you feel bad too?"
Huayang glanced at Chen Jingzong and asked with lowered eyes.
Chen Jingzong: …
Does she treat him as the second Tian
He thought for a moment, lifted her chin, looked into her eyes, and said seriously, "It's okay during the day, but it's really uncomfortable when you don't let me touch you at night."
Huayang: …
She frowned and was about to get off him.
Chen Jingzong held her tightly, kissed her first, then held her red face and explained in a sincere manner: "You are being silly. How can we compare with them? First, I am not as fragile as Tian. I will be sad and tossing and turning when I am ignored by you. Second, you are not as hateful as your cousin. As long as you stand there, I will see you and all the anger in my heart will disappear. Unless you take the initiative to divorce me, I will never divorce you first."
Huayang: "You are living a happy life now, of course I say that, but if I don't treat you well for three or four years and don't let you succeed a few times, will you regret marrying me, a princess?"
She also wanted to know whether he regretted having such a cold marriage with her when he died alone in Baiheling in his previous life, and whether he was heartbroken by her like Tian.
Chen Jingzong: "No, I will just try to get you to give it to me more times, preferably willingly."
Huayang: …
Although it sounds hopeless, Chen Jingzong was indeed like this in both of his lives.
No matter how angry or tough he was, as long as he could get her to bed, he would immediately call her ancestor.
The result of this conversation in the pavilion was that before going to bed tonight, Chen Jingzong took advantage of his "ancestor"'s foolishness and soft-heartedness and prepared the lotus bowl as he wished.
(End of this chapter)