After entering the city, the Chen family's convoy split into two groups. Sun, Chen Bochong and others returned to the Chen residence first, while Chen Tingjian and Chen Jingzong, father and son, had to go to the palace.
Chen Tingjian did this because he was an important official in the court and a cabinet elder, while Chen Jingzong did this because of his status as a son-in-law and had to accompany the princess to meet his royal father-in-law and mother-in-law.
Huayang was in the same carriage with the crown prince, so Chen Jingzong had to ride his horse behind the old man's carriage.
Inside the car, Chen Tingjian quietly lifted the curtain and glanced at his son outside several times. Finally, his son had a good appearance and would not look too shabby in front of the emperor and empress.
Regarding this marriage, Chen Tingjian felt that Empress Qi was too cautious. He was both the prince's teacher and a subject. Even if Empress Qi did not marry the princess to him, he would definitely support the prince unwaveringly. Even if the emperor wanted to depose the prince without a suitable reason, they, the ministers, would try their best to dissuade him.
However, Empress Qi insisted on marrying his children to each other. If Chen Tingjian continued to refuse, it would arouse Empress Qi's suspicion. So he had no choice but to bite the bullet and let the fourth son go to meet the princess.
Chen Tingjian felt guilty towards the princess, because he knew very well that the princess was only deceived by his son's appearance that day. If the princess had the opportunity to get to know his son for a few days in advance and knew his bad temper, the princess would never agree. Empress Qi loved her daughter, and as long as the princess disagreed, Empress Qi would give up the idea.
Chen Tingjian also placed his hopes on his son. He thought that since his son himself did not want to be a royal consort, as long as he revealed his true nature a little in front of the emperor, empress and princess and behaved a little inappropriately, Empress Qi and the princess would be able to lose their minds. However, he never expected that his son would act out of character that day and his words and actions were impeccable in every way!
This bastard, although he kept saying he didn't want to, he must have been overjoyed inside when he knew he could marry the princess!
Chen Jingzong suddenly noticed something and looked towards the car window.
Chen Tingjian hummed softly and lowered the curtain.
A quarter of an hour later, the group arrived outside the imperial city.
Here you have to get off the car and walk, and the prince is no exception.
After Huayang got off the car, he nodded to his father-in-law and Chen Jingzong, then walked in front holding his younger brother's hand.
The Chen family father and son followed at a distance. Chen Tingjian whispered to his son, "When you see the emperor and the empress later, answer them if they ask you questions. If they don't ask you questions, just shut up. Don't be so outspoken at home."
Chen Jingzong said calmly: "I have been the consort of the emperor for more than two years. Do I still need you to teach me this?"
Chen Tingjian's face became even gloomier. He had spent the past two years in Lingzhou, and local officials respected his son in every way. So he was even more worried that his son would be lawless outside and would not know how to restrain himself when he arrived in the capital.
The emperor and empress were both in the Qianqing Palace.
Emperor Jingshun was also eager to have a daughter, but he was even more restless than Empress Qi. Sometimes he sat on a chair, and sometimes he walked around the entrance of the hall with his hands behind his back.
Empress Qi laughed at him and said, "Your Majesty, if you are not familiar with this, you may think that Huayang is your only child, and that is why you treat him so seldom."
Emperor Jingshun looked outside and said, "Although I have four children, Huayang is the first one who lives so far away from me. We have been separated for two and a half years."
Empress Qi thought of Prince Yu, who was born to Concubine Lin. Prince Yu got married at the age of 20 and was enfeoffed in Luoyang in the same year. He has not returned to the capital for four years.
Of course, she would not remind Emperor Jingshun at this time.
"Your Majesty, the princess and her companions have already arrived outside the imperial city!"
"Your Majesty, the princess and the others have arrived outside the Qianqing Palace!"
The eunuchs who delivered messages kept reporting the news at all times. Finally, Empress Qi also stood up and came to the side of Emperor Jingshun. The couple stood side by side at the door.
Huayang walked towards the Qianqing Palace with familiarity. When she turned the corner of the corridor, she saw her parents outside the palace gate at a glance.
My father, who is over fifty years old, wears a golden crown and a reddish-brown uniform with a dragon pattern. Under the scorching sun, he is looking at this side eagerly.
Huayang's eyes suddenly became wet.
She let go of her brother's hand, walked through the corridor that she had walked countless times since she was a child, and threw herself into her father's arms, crying.
At this moment, she was not a princess, nor was she the daughter-in-law of the Chen family. She was just a daughter who had lost her father.
Emperor Jingshun was completely stunned. Apart from instinctively opening his arms to hug his daughter, his face was blank. He even looked at Empress Qi beside him in disbelief.
How many years has it been since his daughter was so intimate with him
After coming to his senses, Emperor Jingshun subconsciously touched his daughter's head and asked anxiously, "What happened to Panpan? Did you suffer any grievances outside?"
Thinking of this, Emperor Jingshun glanced dimly at the Chen father and son who were still in the corridor.
Huayang shook her head and choked up, "My daughter is doing fine out there, but she misses you and the queen mother."
Emperor Jingshun breathed a sigh of relief, as he thought that the Chen father and son did not have the courage to do so.
"Okay, you are already a twenty-year-old girl, why do you still cry like a child?" Queen Qi said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Huayang reluctantly let go of his father and leaned into his mother's arms.
Empress Qi couldn't help but hold him for a while longer.
At this time, Chen Tingjian and Chen Jingzong also followed the prince and came over, and saluted together.
Emperor Jingshun asked them not to bow, looked at Chen Tingjian with a smile, and said some words to encourage Chen Tingjian to mourn less and continue to share his worries in the future.
Chen Tingjian: "I am grateful to the Emperor for trusting me with this important task. I will do my utmost to assist the Emperor."
Emperor Jingshun nodded, looked at Chen Jingzong again, and praised him, "In the memorial Lu Da gave me, he reported everything you did in the guards truthfully. Yes, you are a good son taught by Elder Chen, and you are also a good son-in-law to me. If the officers of the guards in various places all follow the strategy of raising and training troops set by the old man Taizu like you, and the millions of soldiers are all elite, why should I worry about the instability of the borders?"
Huayang had wiped away her tears and stood beside her mother. She was not used to Chen Jingzong's humble and polite attitude.
But he is good-looking, and once he gets serious, his looks seem to be no less handsome than his two older brothers.
Everyone moved inside to talk.
The Crown Prince sat next to Emperor Jingshun, Huayang sat next to Empress Qi, and the father and son of the Chen family were also given seats, which were placed at the lower left of Emperor Jingshun.
Huayang listened quietly to the conversation between his father, mother and father-in-law. His eyes glanced at Chen Jingzong several times. That guy sat upright, his eyes on the nose and his nose on the heart.
She laughed secretly, and when she looked up, she saw her mother looking at her with a smile, as if she saw through something.
Huayang immediately stopped looking at Chen Jingzong.
After the king and his ministers finished reminiscing about the past, Emperor Jingshun looked at his daughter who was sitting next to his wife and said to the Chen family father and son, "You have traveled for such a long time, go back and have a good rest, and you will return to the palace to serve the next day. Huayang has been separated from me for too long, so I will let her stay in the palace for a while."
Chen Tingjian bowed and said, "That's as it should be. We will take our leave first and not disturb the emperor, the queen and the two princes from enjoying their family time together."
Emperor Jingshun nodded.
Huayang stood up and said, "Father, take care. I won't see you off any longer."
Chen Tingjian bowed again, then took his son and left.
When only the family of four was left in the palace, Huayang ran to Emperor Jingshun again, looked at him carefully and said, "Father, you seem to have lost weight. Why, without your daughter here, don't you take good care of your body?"
Emperor Jingshun was indeed thin, and he was a little weak due to his usual indulgence in women. His face was pale as if he was sick, but today he was happy to see his daughter, and there was spirit in his eyes.
Emperor Jingshun also regarded his daughter's inquiry as pure filial piety, and said with a smile: "It's okay, Panpan is back now, and father is in a good mood. He will gain weight if he eats more." Huayang showed a satisfied expression.
Emperor Jingshun asked his daughter to sit down beside him and inquired carefully about her life in Lingzhou.
Huayang Tiao talked about some of the public and private events that left a deep impression on her, such as when Chen Tingjian led the people in the town to avoid the flood, and when the people of Lingzhou came to her to sue the King of Xiang, and when she took the guards to tour Dongting Lake, and asked Chen Jingzong to go to Wudang Mountain, and also met the famous doctor Li Dongbi by chance.
When talking about Li Dongbi, one cannot help but mention Chen Tingjian's illness.
Empress Qi was surprised and asked, "What disease does Chen Ge Lao have?"
Huayang said tactfully, "My mother-in-law didn't tell us the specifics of his condition. It should be because my father-in-law was afraid that we would worry. Even my husband didn't know much about it. It's just that he stayed in bed for half a month and lost a lot of weight. Later, he slowly recovered. According to Doctor Li, it's fortunate that my father-in-law was treated in time. If he had delayed further, his life might have been in danger within five years."
The expressions of Emperor Jingshun and Empress Qi changed drastically. Emperor Jingshun even said in annoyance, "If I had known this earlier, I should have paid more attention to Elder Chen."
Empress Qi thought for a moment and said, "When Panpan leaves the palace, the emperor will give her some tonics. Ask Panpan to take them to the elder."
Emperor Jingshun deeply agreed with this.
Huayang observed his brother inconspicuously.
The twelve-year-old prince had never experienced the death of relatives or friends. When he heard from his sister that Lord Chen had contracted such a serious illness, his heart tightened.
He disliked Lord Chen and even hoped that he would make a fool of himself, but he had never thought of wanting him to die.
Deep down, the prince knew that Chen Ge Lao was strict with him for his own good. He also remembered that once he was sick, but not seriously. His mother asked him to keep studying. When Otomo brought him medicine, he deliberately refused to drink it because it was too hot. Finally, Chen Ge Lao came over and took the medicine bowl to feed him himself. The old man had a long flowing beard and a gentle expression when blowing the medicine. At least, his father had never fed him much.
The prince was immersed in memories of the past, his handsome eyes and brows revealing his longing.
Huayang's heart softened, and she knew that her brother was by no means a bad person. She might not have the chance to know what made her brother hate the Chen family so much in his previous life, but in this life, she would definitely find ways to make her brother and father-in-law close to each other and to make the relationship between the monarch and his subjects harmonious.
The four royal members had lunch together. After the meal, Queen Qi left her husband and son and took her daughter to her Fengyi Palace to rest.
Huayang wants to take a bath.
The palace maids prepared water, and Empress Qi followed her daughter in. When her daughter was young, she would often sit beside her and accompany her while she bathed, and would also wash and comb her daughter's hair with her own hands.
Huayang didn't think anything of it at first, but when he was about to change his clothes, the scenes from last night suddenly popped into his mind.
Chen Jingzong is a dog-like guy who likes to chew everything.
Her face turned red, and she whispered behind the screen: "Mom, I'm already this old, you should let me wash myself."
The gauze screen could not hide her blushing face, and Empress Qi understood at a glance.
I had wanted to ask my daughter how she and the prince consort were getting along, but now there was no need to ask. At least in the last few nights, my daughter and the prince consort must have been intimate, otherwise my daughter wouldn't have to worry about being seen by her.
"Okay, then I'll go out and wait for you."
(End of this chapter)