Zhuangzhuang moved back to the palace and got married there.
Because she was going to live back in the princess's mansion later, it would be inappropriate to get married in the princess's mansion, so she chose to return to the palace.
Prince Li disagreed. As he had said before, he felt that the palace was unlucky. As a member of the royal family, he was the only one who despised his family so much.
However, from the perspective of etiquette, it is reasonable for Zhuangzhuang to return to the palace to get married. Since it is reasonable, Prince Li has no reason to object.
She lived in Yilan Palace, which was the palace she lived in before. After she left the palace, Empress Dowager Sun never let anyone live there. At that time, Zhuangzhuang even laughed and asked if she thought she would never get married and would have to return to the palace to spend her old age.
Queen Mother Sun smiled very sadly at that time and told Zhuangzhuang, "The palace is always your home. If you are wronged outside, come home. Your sister-in-law is waiting for you here."
Now, the building is deserted.
Zhuangzhuang couldn't help feeling sad. Empress Dowager Sun was not too old. At least, she shouldn't have died of old age. It made her feel very sad that she was gone like this.
"Princess, what are you thinking about?" Qin Zhi asked when he saw her stroking the sandalwood screen in a daze.
Zhuangzhuang came back to his senses and smiled, "Do you remember who gave you this screen?"
"Of course I remember. It was a gift from the Empress Dowager. Knowing that the princess liked peonies, she asked craftsmen to carve peonies on this screen. Look, it's lifelike and really beautiful." Qinzhi looked at the peony on the screen, reached out to touch it, and was very emotional.
Zhuangzhuang sighed, "She has always hoped that I could get married, but now that I am married, she is gone."
The eldest sister-in-law is like her mother. Her parents died early, so the emperor's sister-in-law is equivalent to her mother.
"Princess, don't be sad. The Queen Mother will be relieved to know that you are happy." Qin Zhi comforted her.
Zhuangzhuang collected his thoughts and said, "Happiness? I don't know. It's just that as long as he is here, even if I die, I will be satisfied."
If no one stopped them, they would be very happy, but now the emperor...
She sighed again, "After you pack your things, follow me to Xiwei Palace."
"Princess!" Qionghua stepped forward, "Are you really going to see the Emperor?"
"We have to meet each other."
"But, as the princess said, the emperor doesn't trust anyone nowadays. If you go, it will just be a waste of words. If he says something that makes you unhappy, it will also affect your mood." Qionghua was afraid of the emperor. If he hadn't stopped her back then, the princess's children would probably be grown up now.
The princess is now walking on thin ice, and the servants who follow her are also walking on thin ice, fearing that something unexpected will happen... Oh, I dare not even think about it, for fear that it will come true.
Zhuangzhuang cheered himself up, "No matter what, I've said everything I need to say, let him think whatever he wants."
Qinzhi knew that she couldn't convince her, and she also knew that she was very frightened in her heart. The princess had waited for this day for a long time, and she was afraid of many what ifs, so she tried her best to maintain her own happiness, even though she knew that doing so might be futile.
After packing up briefly, the two of them accompanied her.
Zi'an also came to the palace to give acupuncture today. When Zhuangzhuang came, Zi'an had just written a new prescription. Although there were only two medicines, he still had to try them slowly to find out which medicines were more effective.
Concubine Mei also came today and wanted to talk to Zi'an, but Zi'an ignored her, so she just waited on the side awkwardly.
Eunuch Lu prepared the prescription from yesterday and asked the emperor to take it once more. When he saw Zhuangzhuang coming to the door, he immediately said, "Oh, the princess is here?"
"Is the emperor awake?" Zhuangzhuang stood in front of the palace door. Coming here always made her feel breathless.
"Awake, the princess is also inside." Eunuch Lu bowed as he held the medicine. "The royal concubine is also here. Princess, wait a moment. I will go in and inform her."
"Thank you, father-in-law." Zhuangzhuang frowned and said lightly.
Eunuch Lu smiled and went in with the medicine. After a while, he came out and asked Zhuang Zhuang to come in. "Princess, the emperor invites you in."
Zhuangzhuang asked Qinzhi and Qionghua to wait at the palace gate. He calmed himself down and walked in.
When Zi'an saw Zhuangzhuang coming, she couldn't help but sigh softly. She still didn't give up.
She handed the prescription to Eunuch Lu, then bowed to Zhuang Zhuang, "Aunt, are you here?"
"Well, are you done?" Zhuangzhuang asked.
Zi'an knew that she wanted to talk to the emperor alone, so he said, "I just finished and was about to leave."
She glanced at Imperial Concubine Mei and said, "My Lady Imperial Concubine, would you like to go with us?"
Imperial Concubine Mei was worried that she couldn't find a chance to talk to Zi'an. When she heard Zi'an invite her to go with her, she immediately bowed to the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, I will take my leave first."
Wu Yanzu was walking in front, carrying a medicine box on her back. Zi'an looked back at Zhuangzhuang and saw that her body was stretched very straight. She seemed to be very resistant to Xiwei Palace, but she forced herself to stay calm.
Zi'an walked out of the hall, but was not in a hurry to leave. He just asked Wu Yan's ancestor to wait in the carriage.
Concubine Mei glanced at Zi'an and moved her lips, as if she wanted to say something.
Zi'an was really annoyed by her being like this. Every time she did something wrong, she would act as if she was aggrieved, which made people feel soft-hearted.
"Empress Dowager, is there anything wrong?" Zi'an had no choice but to ask first.
Concubine Mei heaved a sigh of relief when she heard Zi'an's words, "I was so afraid that you would hate me."
Zi'an looked at her and said angrily, "There's no need to bear a grudge against you."
"Zi'an!" She stepped forward and pulled Zi'an's arm, begging for mercy, "I know I said too much that day, please don't be angry with me, okay?"
Zi'an said, "My Lady, you keep going back and forth like this. I know you have no bad intentions, but what if it's someone else? You need to change your temper and don't let the Crown Prince get in trouble in the future."
Concubine Mei was scolded by Zi'an that day, and she also went back to think about it. In the end, it was just the love in her heart that was causing trouble. But what's the use? When has the emperor ever looked at her straight in the eye
Even if he made San'er the crown prince this time, it was out of necessity. He was still young, and if he was cured, he would have many sons. If he didn't like San'er, he could have been deposed. Why would he offend the regent and the princess? That would mean he would have no way out.
"I know. The prince also told me something that day. This kid looks young, but he sees things more clearly than me. We are not fighting for the position of the crown prince. It was established by the Empress Dowager. It is unknown whether the emperor will depose him in the future. Moreover, the crown prince also said that the prince is cultivating connections for him now. Even if he is not the crown prince in the future and is conferred a prince, at least there will be people around him to help him and he will not be alone and helpless."
Zi'an said seriously, "The prince is very sensible. You should be thankful that he is not as confused as you. Now many people know that the Seventh Prince supports the prince. How many people will be disappointed if the prince does not know how to be grateful? If these people do not support the prince desperately in the future, can the prince withstand the emperor's changing mind?"
Imperial Concubine Mei stammered, "I was confused at the time, thinking that the situation was settled, so I wanted more. I'm just a woman, especially after seeing you and the prince... Hey, you and I are different. If I could choose, why would I want to be an imperial concubine? It's so nice to have a man who understands my feelings by my side!"
To put it more typically, when you have bread, you want love.
Zi'an was silent for a while, then said, "Don't envy me. We don't know if Lao Qi and I can survive."
(End of this chapter)