freenovelworld Chapter 347 The Eldest Daughter of the Wang Family!
Chapter 347 The Eldest Daughter of the Wang Family!
The Empress thought of the candidates the Crown Princess had hinted at to her before, and her expression darkened.
Duanmu Chuze was her youngest son, and she naturally doted on him. Originally, she didn't want her son to be involved, but unexpectedly, he was dragged into it anyway.
When the Empress returned to Kunning Palace, she was exhausted. "I'm getting old, I'm no longer useful."
"Your Majesty doesn't look old at all. At first glance, you're only in your early thirties."
The Empress chuckled upon hearing this, "You all know how to make me happy! My daughter-in-law is already over thirty, how can I not be old? Speaking of which, it's time to start arranging Chen'er's marriage. I really hope that I can see Chen'er have a son before I die, that would be wonderful."
"Your Majesty is blessed with good health and longevity, and will surely live to be a hundred years old. At that time, you will be able to carry not only His Highness's son, but also his grandson."
The Empress smiled and shook her head. "There's no need to flatter me here. Speaking of which, the Crown Princess and I don't quite get along when it comes to choosing Chen'er's principal wife."
How could the ladies-in-waiting around her not know the intricacies of the situation? The Crown Princess naturally sided with her own family, but to be honest, the Crown Princess's family background was not as rich as that of the Empress's.
The two most prominent families in the capital today are the Duke of Yingguo's family and the Duke of Lu's family, both of which are the Empress's maternal families. Moreover, the younger generation is full of talented people. If someone from the Wang family were to marry His Highness the Eldest Grandson, they would naturally not be a concubine, but only the principal wife!
Originally, the Empress intended for the daughter of the Wang family to marry Prince Chang Le. Before Prince Chang Le returned to the capital, the Empress had mentioned this matter to the Wang family's sister-in-law and brother-in-law. However, shortly after Prince Chang Le returned to the capital, he directly expressed his feelings, and the Emperor even gave his approval.
The Empress naturally couldn't force the issue; after all, she loved her son dearly. She couldn't let her son suffer for the sake of her niece!
However, nowadays, the daughters of the Wang family can no longer enter the Chang Le Prince's Mansion as concubines; otherwise, wouldn't that be a slap in the face to the Wang family?
However, the Empress also had her own considerations. Since daughters born of the principal wife could not become concubines, daughters born of concubines did not need to be treated as concubines.
"Your Majesty, it's getting late. If there's anything you need to worry about, let's talk about it tomorrow."
The Empress sighed. "Well, let's retire for the night. Some things can't be accomplished by rushing things."
The palace servants naturally knew that the two people the Empress loved most were the Fourth Prince Duanmu Chuze and the Eldest Prince Duanmu Chen!
One is her youngest son, and the other is her eldest grandson. It's only natural that the Empress would dote on them both.
The next morning, the Empress issued an edict summoning the Duke and Duchess of England to the palace for an audience.
The Queen's eldest brother died young, and the one who inherited the title of Duke of England is her eldest nephew, Prince Shu, who is also the cousin of Prince Yu, the heir of the Duke of Lu.
Wang Zishu's legitimate daughter, Wang Xinyan, is now in her prime, thirteen years old. At the Empress's behest, she was also brought into the palace.
"Greetings to the Queen."
The Empress leaned back on her throne and raised her hand, saying, "No need for formalities. Bring me a seat."
The Empress's gaze had been fixed on Wang Xinyan ever since the three entered. After a while, she smiled and said, "Xinyan, come here. Come to your great-aunt. It's been a long time since I've seen you. Let your great-aunt take a good look at you."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Wang Xinyan lowered her head and moved to the front of the phoenix throne with small steps.
"I'm getting old. Xin Yan has grown up so much in the blink of an eye."
"Your Majesty, where do you look old? I can't see it at all," Wang Xinyan said, blinking her eyes.
"Heh! Another one with a sweet tongue!"
"Your Majesty, Princess Jing has arrived."
"Oh? It's rare that this girl has remembered her mother today. Summon her in."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Is Your Majesty speaking ill of me again?" As soon as Duanmu Jing entered, she saw the Duke and Duchess of Yingguo, and naturally also noticed Wang Xinyan, who was beside the Empress.
"Greetings to Princess Jing."
Before the Duke of Ying could even bow, Duanmu Jing waved her hand dismissively, "No need for formalities! We're all family, why bother with these empty gestures? But niece Xinyan, aren't you coming to pay your respects to me?"
As he spoke, he actually put on the airs of an elder, raising his chin and looking at Wang Xinyan.
Wang Xinyan blushed. She was not much younger than Duanmu Jing, but according to seniority, she had to call her aunt. She quickly stepped down the steps, curtsied, and said, "Xinyan greets Aunt."
Duanmu Jing's expression was quite good, and she laughed several times. "Alright, alright. You actually came to pay your respects! But it's also your fault for not coming to the palace to play with me more often! Forget it, I'll let you off the hook for today."
The Empress also realized that Duanmu Jing was deliberately teasing Wang Xinyan, and said sternly, "No manners. How old are you? Still acting like a child?"
"Mother is showing favoritism again! What have I done wrong? I clearly didn't say anything wrong. It's just that she's of a lower generation."
As Duanmu Jing spoke, she ascended the steps and arrived beside the phoenix throne.
The Empress gave her a look that was both indulgent and helpless. "You! Fine, I was wondering why you came to pay your respects so early today. So you're here for Xin Yan again. Very well, I have things to discuss with your cousin and his wife. You should take Xin Yan out for a walk. Remember to take good care of Xin Yan, don't forget you are an elder."
"Yes, Queen Mother."
Duanmu Jing came specifically for Wang Xinyan. There weren't many people in the palace she could get along with, and since she knew Wang Xinyan had entered the palace, she naturally couldn't let her go, so she came specifically to find her to go out and play together.
As soon as the two children left, the Queen's expression became more solemn. Her long-standing authority, even without being deliberately displayed, made Prince Shu and his wife feel somewhat pressured.
"Speaking of which, Xinyan is not young anymore, and she is your legitimate daughter. Have you thought about her marriage?"
"Your Majesty, I haven't considered it yet. I feel that this girl is still young and hasn't learned some manners well, so I don't think there's any rush for marriage."
"Thirteen years old, not young anymore! Although she can't get married yet, she's at the right age to be betrothed. This reminds me of that illegitimate daughter of the Mu family, wasn't she married at just over thirteen?"
When Wang Zishu heard the Empress mention Wang Xinyan's marriage, he knew the purpose of summoning them to the palace today.
“Your Majesty is right. But I have always felt that this child is still too young, so I thought I would keep her for a couple more years. As you know, I only have this one daughter, so naturally I dote on her more,” Lady Wang interjected.