Quick Transmigration: Kitten's Healing Handbook - Chapter 53
Chapter 53: Raccoon Dog! To Combat! 8
Zhou Qingyan performed a courtesy to the Empress. After the Empress had him rise, she took Zhou Qingyan to a small pavilion in the center of the Imperial Garden: “The purpose of this Flower Appreciation Banquet, I believe everyone knows, is to select a concubine for my Imperial Son.
I am getting older, and I hope for my Imperial Son’s marital bliss and happiness, so whoever becomes my daughter-in-law depends entirely on my Imperial Son’s heart.
I presume you all feel constrained here, so I will leave the rest to you, my Imperial Son. You don’t need to worry; if you like any Miss, Mother Empress will act as your matchmaker. ”
“Thank you, Mother Empress. I will see you off, Mother Empress. ”
When his Imperial Brother chose a Crown Princess, it was during the selection process where Mother Empress carefully selected several good Misses for Zhou Qingyuan, analyzing their family background and court situation, finally deciding on the Crown Princess.
But he didn’t want to stay even a moment, clearly telling him not to aspire to the position of Crown Prince, that he was unworthy.
Zhou Qingyan’s expression was respectful, but his heart was filled with bitterness. After the Empress departed, he looked around; all the Imperial Court Misses shyly lowered their heads. Zhou Qingyan casually sat down in the pavilion, picked up the tea on the table, took a sip, and his gaze swept casually through the crowd.
At that time, a Miss in a light blue long dress caught his attention. According to the descriptions he had people investigate beforehand, this should be one of his goals today, the Imperial Chancellor’s Eldest Daughter, Mu Wanyin.
Zhou Qingyan rose with interest and walked to her: “Miss Mu, would you be willing to accompany this Prince in appreciating the flowers in this garden? ”
Mu Wanyin bowed slightly, raised her head, and was not surprised.
Whether it was because of her identity or her relatively proper attire that stood out among these plainly dressed Misses, it was expected: “Your Highness is gracious, this servant girl will certainly accompany you. ”
The two strolled along the flowerbeds, and Zhou Qingyan spoke to her: “This Prince wishes to marry Miss Mu as a concubine, I wonder what Miss thinks? ”
Mu Wanyin did not expect Zhou Qingyan to be so direct, but seeing that Zhou Qingyan did not have a trace of love for her, she chuckled lightly: “Your Highness is indeed honest. Why does Your Highness think this servant girl desires such a marriage? ”
“It is precisely because I do not know Miss Mu’s intentions that this Flower Appreciation Banquet exists. ”
“Since Your Highness doesn’t care for this servant girl, shouldn’t you discuss this with my father? Does my opinion matter? ”
Zhou Qingyan’s expression was serious: “Of course it matters. This Prince will be returning to his fiefdom soon, and the Imperial Chancellor’s assistance to this Prince is only icing on the cake if you agree. ”
Mu Wanyin was somewhat surprised: “Your Highness is going back to your fiefdom? ”
“Yes, Miss Mu, would you be willing to live with this Prince in the fiefdom? ”
Mu Wanyin hesitated. She was a lady of the boudoir. The court intrigues were beyond her understanding… Her father hadn’t said she couldn’t agree; it seemed it was up to her own decision.
Seeing Mu Wanyin was somewhat wavering, Zhou Qingyan continued: “Although the fiefdom is not as prosperous as Kyoto, as the mistress of the Prince’s Mansion, you can handle all matters of the fiefdom with this Prince. This Prince believes Miss Mu has the ability. ”
Mu Wanyin looked at Zhou Qingyan with scrutiny. This was practically a clear indication. If her father wasn’t part of the Crown Prince’s Faction, Zhou Qingyan might have even offered her the position of Empress.
As the eldest daughter of a high-ranking official, she certainly had such ambition. But when the Crown Prince chose his concubine, she was not old enough for the selection. The Crown Prince already had a Legal Wife, and her father didn’t have the intention of using his daughter to become a concubine to cling to the Crown Prince, and she herself did not want to be a concubine.
She had been planning to find a virtuous official. With the Minister’s Mansion as her natal family, she could do as she pleased in her husband’s family as the Legal Wife; there was nothing bad about that.
Zhou Qingyan’s proposal offered her another possibility, but a prince who was sent back to his fiefdom, what confidence did he have to achieve anything?
She knew where Zhou Qingyan’s fiefdom was located—on the Border—but it wasn’t desolate. Both agriculture and commerce were among the best in Border City.
The fiefdom was granted when the prince came of age. Although the Emperor was somewhat wary of Zhou Qingyan at the time, the fiefdom was given far away from the capital, but the fiefdom’s benefits were not bad.
Regardless of her father’s future plans, agreeing to Zhou Qingyan now didn’t seem like a loss: “Okay, this servant girl is willing to marry Your Highness. This servant girl will await Your Highness’s good news. ”
A sudden commotion came from a distance, as if someone had fallen into the water.
Zhou Qingyan frowned and instructed the Palace Maid serving nearby: “Find a long bamboo pole for that Miss to grab, and find a Palace Maid who can swim to rescue her. ”
Zhou Qingyan did not go over but found a pavilion to sit down and wait for the result.
Mu Wanyin didn’t want to bother with these young ladies’ competition, so she went to the pavilion with Zhou Qingyan. Shortly after, Palace Attendants brought pastries.
Mu Wanyin brewed tea for Zhou Qingyan, poured herself a cup, and leisurely ate pastries and sipped tea.
After the person was rescued and sent to a nearby side hall to change clothes, a Palace Maid came forward to report: “Your Highness, it was Miss Qi who fell into the water. She only swallowed some water, and her consciousness is clear. Should we summon an Imperial Physician? ”
Zhou Qingyan was not in a hurry to summon an Imperial Physician: “Is it clear what happened? ”
“This servant girl was nearby and saw clearly; Miss Qi herself lost her footing and fell into the water. ”
Zhou Qingyan glanced at Mu Wanyin, as if asking if this method was too crude…
Mu Wanyin felt her face flush. It was not only crude; it was simply unacceptable…
Zhou Qingyan pondered for a moment and said: “Then summon an Imperial Physician to take a look. Perhaps Miss Qi fell ill and that’s why she fell into the water. ”
The Palace Maid thought it was unnecessary. It was clearly a low-level tactic to attract attention, but as a servant, she had no right to express her opinion and could only obey and find an Imperial Physician from the Imperial Medical Academy.
During this time, from time to time, young ladies who were either acquainted or forced to be acquainted with Mu Wanyin came to the pavilion for a few chats. The pastries were replaced once, and the Imperial Physician finally arrived: “Reporting to Your Highness, this minister has prescribed Miss a warming and tonifying medicine for expelling cold; there is no major problem. ”
“This Prince heard that she fell because she couldn’t stand steadily. Does she have an underlying illness? ”
“Reporting to Your Highness, that Miss’s pulse is weak and she has Qi and Bl00d Deficiency, a weak constitution accumulated over time, often accompanied by symptoms of shortness of breath and dizziness. Whether this is the reason for her fall, this minister cannot judge. ”
Zhou Qingyan pondered for a moment, dismissed the Imperial Physician, and called over the Eunuch beside him: “Announce that the Flower Appreciation Banquet is over. ”
Zhou Qingyan took out a gold-plated peony tortoiseshell hairpin he had prepared and gave it to Mu Wanyin: “This Prince has been in the army for many years and knows little about love, but he also knows that there should be a token of affection for a beloved woman. This tortoiseshell hairpin is a token of my affection, given to Miss Mu. ”
Mu Wanyin saw that Zhou Qingyan’s expression was still direct and without any affection, and she knew this affection was not that affection, but she knew that being willing to do something was better than doing nothing under the pretext of not knowing.
Mu Wanyin timely showed a shy expression and said: “Then, may I trouble Your Highness to put this hairpin in my hair? “