On the morning of October 18th, Ye Jun just got up and received good news.
Huai An, who came to deliver the message, smiled and said, "Today is the Concubine's birthday. The Emperor is thinking about her very much. Yesterday, he sent someone to the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery's residence to tell Madam that she should be at Yuxiu Pavilion in half an hour. It would be best if Madam accompanies Concubine today for lunch!"
Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery is Ye Zhe's title. When General Ye was still in power, the Ye Mansion was the General's Mansion. Now that Ye Zhe is the head of the family, the name was changed to Marquis' Mansion.
Ye Zhe had not yet married, so this wife referred to his mother, Chu.
I thought Ning Chen was going to give me some rare gold, silver, or treasure, but I never expected it to be such a birthday gift.
Being able to meet with family members alone is a great honor for concubines in the harem, and it is more real than any reward.
It also better demonstrates the emperor's intentions.
Ye Jun was really happy about this gift and immediately took off the jade bracelet on her wrist and gave it to Huai'an.
"Please, eunuch, thank the emperor for me. Nothing can compare to this birthday gift!"
"Oh, Concubine, you are too polite. The emperor said that Concubine should spend a good time with his wife, and he will come to see you again in the evening!" Huai'an hurriedly smiled.
Those who serve Ning Chen can best understand who the emperor cares about.
It is rare for the emperor to act secretly just to give Concubine Ming a surprise.
After seeing Huai'an off, Ye Jun immediately became more energetic.
"Huiyue, go to the kitchen and order a few dishes that mother likes. Remember to order lotus chicken, golden jade meatballs, and crab roe buns. Nanzhi, go to the storeroom and pick out some suitable cloth, jewelry, and medicinal herbs. Ask mother to take them back later."
"Okay, okay, today is the Concubine's birthday, we are all very careful, there will be no mistakes, right?"
Nan Zhi and Hui Yue looked at each other, smiled faintly, and clapped their hands behind them.
The palace maids and eunuchs outside immediately gathered together and saluted, "Your servants/servants, wish the Concubine to live forever, be healthy, and be blessed with great fortune!"
Ye Jun smiled after hearing this and waved his hand to say no need to be polite.
"Today is a good day, everyone will get a reward, five taels of silver each, and Huiyue will take the silver to the dining room later to order two more tables of wine and food, and you can eat together!"
"Thank you, Concubine, for the reward!" Everyone was naturally overjoyed.
These five taels of silver are more than some people’s monthly salary.
Everything has been arranged, just waiting for people to come.
She was anxious, and Chu was even more anxious to see her daughter, so she came in less than half an hour.
Bai Zhu was guarding the intersection outside Yuxiu Pavilion. When he saw Chu's group busy, he sent someone back to report the news and went to meet them in person.
The eunuch who delivered the message came back trotting, and Ye Jun walked out after hearing it.
The mother and daughter met at the door.
"Mom!" Ye Jun shouted with red eyes.
"Hey!" Chu responded with a tearful voice. She wanted to reach out and touch her daughter's head, but she took it back because of the rules and bowed politely, "Your Highness, I pay my respects to the Concubine!"
At this time, a young woman following behind Chu, holding a little girl, also came to pay their respects.
Ye Jun hurriedly supported his mother and said, "Come inside and talk. We finally get to meet each other. Don't keep us in this relationship any longer."
After looking back, he was stunned for a moment before laughing, "Cousin's wife?"
"Greetings to the Concubine!" The young woman called cousin-in-law was Chu Yunhuai's wife, Jiang.
The person she was holding in her hands was their legitimate daughter, Chu Xijing, who just turned three this year.
I think it’s because Chu Yunhuai is now an official in Kyoto and his whole family is here, so he brought them here.
"Cousin, please get up. Let's go in and talk first." Ye Jun greeted her hurriedly.
Then several people went into the house together.
After sitting down, he finally calmed down. He ordered someone to bring him tea and took two sips before starting to talk.
"Jing'er could only speak when I entered the palace, and now she has grown up so much." Ye Jun pulled his little niece over and hugged her to play with her.
The little girl is fair and tender, very cute.
Although she no longer had any impression of this beautiful cousin, perhaps it was because of blood ties, the little girl was not at all averse to her.
Jiang looked at her daughter and smiled, "Children grow up quickly."
"No, Daddy said that girls shouldn't be exposed to the wind or they will get darker. Jing'er grew taller by eating a lot of food." The little girl said seriously.
That look made everyone laugh.
"It's because of his father that he has been spoiled. He is afraid of wind and sun. Please don't blame me, Concubine." Jiang felt a little embarrassed.
Ye Jun smiled and waved her hand, "My cousin is being too formal. I like Jing'er."
"Aunt is beautiful, and Jing'er likes you too!" said the little girl sweetly.
After playing for a while, the child still couldn't sit still, so he asked someone to take him out to play. The adults talked in the room.
When Chu looked at her daughter and niece's granddaughter just now, some things came to her mind. After thinking it over again and again, she finally said it out.
"It has been more than a year since Concubine Jieyu entered the palace. As she grows older, she can slowly start to think about having an heir. It is safer to have a child by her side in the palace."
Although she didn't know the last time her daughter was confined to her home, she didn't see her daughter at the Double Ninth Festival banquet, and she didn't know how many days she hadn't slept well.
After much thought, I decided that having an heir would be more secure.
Ye Jun narrowed his eyes and said, "Don't worry, mother. I have made arrangements. Just take it step by step. In the palace, you can't eat hot tofu in a hurry."
"As long as your Highness has a plan, I'm glad. I'm just worried." Mrs. Chu stopped talking after saying this.
It’s not easy to know that my daughter is in the palace.
Jiang was smart. She saw that both mother and daughter were worried, so she quickly changed the subject. "Thanks to Concubine Jieyu's advice, the Chu family is doing very well in the imperial business. Even some of the in-house products are made in the Chu family's workshop!"
"That's good. Only when my family is established can I stand firm in the palace. My honor and disgrace are all tied to the Chu family and the Ye family." Ye Jun smiled.
These words were meant to win people's hearts and to remind the Chu family to be united with her.
Jiang Shi understood everything and nodded, "Of course, without Jieyu, the Chu family would not be what it is today. A family shares honor and disgrace."
Ye Jun nodded, "Sister-in-law, don't think I talk too much. I always worry about my family, so I have to say a few more words. Remember, we are working for the emperor. Everything should be based on the emperor. Don't get involved with others in the slightest."
"Don't worry, Concubine. We can save a lot of money at home!" Jiang said seriously.
After saying all this, we really started talking about family matters.
Mrs. Chu talked about her son Ye Zhe's marriage. She had her eyes on several good girls, but the Ye family was not as free to marry as they used to be, so she asked Ye Jun to take a look as well.
Then there is the Chu family. Chu Yunhong has established a career now and it is time for him to start a family. Being in his twenties is too late.
He has betrothed the second daughter of the He family in Bianzhou. She is said to be good-looking and lively, and they are a good match. They will get married next year.
This is also because the He family is a noble family, and He's father is only a sixth-rank official, not very eye-catching, otherwise Chu Yunhong would not dare to arrange the marriage so easily.