Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 408 - 387: First Update

Chapter 408: Chapter 387: First Update

"The Princess has arrived?" As soon as Qi Yu entered the courtyard, he felt an unusual aura permeating the Crown Prince’s Mansion; an indescribably pleasant fragrance wafted through the air. The cleaning was overseen by Steward Hu himself, and the young men were nimble in their work, leaving the path from the courtyard gate to the study along the river meticulously spotless.

Qi Yu entered the study and remained silent, not daring to make a sound, for fear of startling the person inside. However, there was no one in the study.

Qi Yu stood there in astonishment, feeling a sense of loss, yet somewhat incredulous. The courtyard was clearly different from any ordinary day, and the scent of pastries from the kitchen had already reached his nose.

"What are you dawdling for, is His Highness back yet?" asked Steward Hu as he entered and saw Qi Yu standing there dumbfounded.

"Not yet, His Highness sent me back to fetch a letter," Qi Yu responded, feeling somewhat dejected. Was it because the Princess had not visited in a long time? Yet, Qi Yu felt...

"Oh, oh, quickly then—" Steward Hu had initially wanted Qi Yu’s assistance with something. "Right, find a chance to inform His Highness that the Princess has arrived."

Qi Yu’s eyes brightened. She really came! He knew his feeling wasn’t wrong.

"The Princess really came? But why can’t I see her?" Qi Yu looked around the study but couldn’t see anyone.

"Get moving—" Steward Hu kicked towards Qi Yu, who expertly dodged while laughing foolishly and grabbed what he needed before leaving.

In the courtyard next to the kitchen, the Embroidery Girls were gathered around an embroidery piece that was half-finished, expressing their amazement.

Xue Liu said, "I’ve been embroidering for thirty years and never have I seen such a technique. It’s as if the embroidery has come to life. There’s no one in the world with such exquisite skill."

"Indeed, indeed, even paintings are not this lifelike."

"This was embroidered by our Princess personally, naturally incomparable to others. Actually, the embroidery isn’t that complicated once you know how to select the threads for the cloud patterns and the stitches..." Xue Liu explained in detail.

Steward Hu walked in with a beaming smile, placing the steaming hot pastries on a low table in front of Zheng Nianru, careful not to overshadow the Princess and very curious about what she was doing.

"Your Royal Highness, freshly made pastries, the red bean and jujube filling you like so much, made with bean paste from Min Mountain, not too sweet," said Steward Hu cautiously.

"Thank you, Steward Hu, just leave them there—" Fu Dong said discreetly, not wishing to disturb the Princess as she worked on the Floral Design. Earlier that morning, the Princess suddenly felt inspired and brought over the embroidery she had been working on for several days.

The Crown Prince’s birthday was approaching, and the Princess was preparing to make a personal gift for His Highness.

"Very well, Your Royal Highness, don’t overwork yourself, please give orders for anything you require," said Steward Hu, as he couldn’t help but worry. The Princess hadn’t visited for quite some time, and her sudden arrival was something they could not afford to take lightly.

Zheng Nianru was in high spirits, her hand gliding smoothly as she drew the Floral Design. Except for his official robes, all of Zheng Congyuan’s clothes came from her hands, and she always put great care into them. Now, of course, she intended to put even more effort into it.

...

"Son greets Royal Mother," Zheng Congyuan, having descended from court, had been summoned, while Qi Ling and Qi Zhu anxiously waited outside the Empress’s Palace. It had been a while since Qi Yu had left to deliver something; will the Commandery Princess have grown impatient?

In these past few days, there had been much activity on Zheng Congyuan’s end, the matters handled by Qi Ling and Qi Zhu were particularly numerous, these sudden changes occurred concurrently with Qiandao Temple’s pursuit of the ghouls in Ghoul Ravine on the surface.

However, Qi Ling and Qi Zhu knew that their master had already been plotting for many years.

Qi Ling faintly felt that His Highness was about to make a major move. Noble Consort Wen had done so many things over the years, and His Highness had not made a move until now...

Qi Ling faintly felt that now was not the most opportune time to act, and it seemed that everything had started from that night His Highness returned from Prince Duan’s Mansion...

"Fu Xun, the year is almost over, you will be nineteen after the new year, the period foretold by the Mage will have passed, and it’s time to add someone by your side," Empress Xiao, having Nanny Leng help her son up, looked meaningfully at the son before her.

The people she had sent, one had met with an accident, one was confined in the back courtyard, the information obtained was very limited, which meant, even her own son still guarded against her.

Was he wary of the Xiao Family’s power, after all, a scion of the Nanzheng Imperial Clan, her son must have careful thoughts—yet on the surface, he would appear impeccable.

She could turn a blind eye, the Wen Family had been so presumptuous these years, aside from the old Emperor allowing them to grow to counterbalance the Xiao Family, her son must also wish to see such outcomes in his heart.

However, she could not let go of the selection of the Crown Princess Consort, the position of the Empress must be from the Xiao Family.

"Royal Mother, Ghoul Ravine is still within our Nanzheng territory, Minister Xing in court is gravely ill, the dispute between the Nanlin faction and the Northern Cabinet for the position of Great Confucian Scholar is unending, and the Northwest Border is unrestful. Discussing the matter of the Crown Princess Consort can be postponed until after the new year," Zheng Congyuan spoke calmly, neither explicitly declining nor agreeing.

"Fu Xun, compared to your lifelong matter, these are trivialities," Empress Xiao did not wish to spell it out. The two Palace Maids she sent and the woman that Zheng Congyuan was hiding—in her view, all were trivialities, she would rather not mention any of them.

Although the Crown Prince’s Mansion was tightly sealed, that didn’t mean she received no news at all; it had been some days and no Imperial Physician had been sent over nor was there any news about an heir, which satisfied her.

At least, it appeared that Fu Xun was prudent. No matter how fiercely the issue was argued, he dared not let the Royal Family’s lineage be a subject for others to gossip about, nor could he allow it to be influenced by those unclean and impure.

"Royal Mother, your son has his own arrangements," Zheng Congyuan still spoke calmly, it would take at least half a year before he could openly have Nian Ru stand by his side.

"Fu Xun, the position of a Crown Princess Consort will not affect you in any way," Empress Xiao was somewhat displeased. It wasn’t that she wasn’t close to her son, but over the years, her son’s pace was too fast, she couldn’t keep up. The Zheng Congyuan before her was like a placid, bottomless pond—its serene surface hid currents she could not see.

Zheng Congyuan remained silent; his silence was a voiceless rejection. Empress Xiao slowly stood up; she believed that over the years, she hadn’t interfered much in his decisions, the choice of the Crown Princess Consort was her rare interference.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Is there anything that cannot be discussed slowly with Crown Prince? You are the Crown Prince’s birth mother, and His Highness’s filial piety towards you is evident. Your Majesty..." Nanny Leng became somewhat anxious, glancing at Zheng Congyuan. Even the Crown Prince—couldn’t matters be discussed?

Zheng Congyuan sighed, some matters needed to start being laid out gradually.

"As for the happiness or anger of Royal Mother, and the choice of the Crown Princess Consort, your son has someone he favors."