The husband who forced her to marry her couldn't keep her warm, and she didn't want him to

Zhao Xuan sat beside her mother, hugged her arm, shook her and asked coquettishly, "Mother, why am I the one bullying others again? Can't I be the one being bullied?"

Concubine Shu hugged her, a doting smile on her face, patted her hand gently, and said with a smile: "My daughter, don't I understand?"

In this palace, Yongle might be somewhat tolerant, but that was only true before she fell into the water.

If she were outside the palace, not to mention her identity as the eldest princess, even the guards who followed her were all from Zhuli Pavilion in the Duke Dingguo's Mansion. They were not only loyal but also very skilled.

Just ask, who dares to bully her easily?

Zhao Xuan's eyebrows were bent, and there was a bright light flashing in her eyes.

Only in front of her mother, grandmother and grandfather would she show such an innocent side, like a child who never grew up.

"Then my daughter will take it as a compliment from your mother." Zhao Xuan smiled mischievously.

Concubine Shu asked a palace maid to bring a basin of warm water and watched her daughter wash her hands.

There was a stain on the edge of the child's dress, which would not be easily noticed if you didn't look carefully. There was also a scratch on her palm, which most likely indicated that she had been involved in a fight outside.

Zhao Xuan asked Concubine Shu mysteriously, "Mother, will the Emperor come over today?"

Liu Yingqiu placed the teacup beside the princess and whispered, "...The Queen is getting better day by day...In the next few days, the Emperor should go to Kunning Palace to sit down when he has time."

Imperial Concubine Shu said calmly, "The Empress and Imperial Concubine Chen have a close relationship with His Majesty in the mansion, which is unmatched by others."

Zhao Xuan didn't care. If her father didn't come, she would feel more comfortable just being with her mother.

She said to Concubine Shu with a proud look on her face: "My daughter brought fresh food to you, mother, and it is very popular among the people... The Zheng family is planning to open a store in other provinces."

"Mr. Zheng has traveled extensively over the years, and he has people he knows well in various places..."

Speaking of her sweetheart, Zhao Xuan praised her endlessly while serving food to her mother, explaining the taste of each dish and their names.

After hearing this, Concubine Shu's eyes flashed with pity and repression, and she seemed to be hesitant to speak.

Zhao Xuan noticed that her mother was acting strange. She put down her chopsticks, and with a less smile on her face, she asked in a low voice, "Is it not to my mother's taste? That's right, my mother has never liked such strong-tasting food."

She raised her hand and called the palace servants who were waiting beside her, "Aunt Yingqiu, take these away and replace them with what my mother eats every day."

Seeing her daughter trying to avoid doing things for herself, Concubine Shu put the ivory chopsticks in her hand on the chopstick holder and said, "Xuan Jie'er, I still have to inform you first..."

Zhao Xuan closed her eyes, turned sideways, and showed her back to her mother.

The fact that her mother called her by her nickname meant that there was no room for maneuver in what she was about to say.

Concubine Shu asked softly from behind her daughter, "Xuan Jie'er, your father came a few days ago and mentioned Princess Kangping of the previous dynasty. Do you know what he meant?"

Princess Kangping was the eldest daughter of Emperor Gaozong and the empress of the previous dynasty. Emperor Gaozong listened to his wife and daughter and especially conferred the title of Princess Kangping on her after she came of age.

As a result, Kangping had a very high status and gradually gained great power in the previous dynasty.

At that time, many ministers followed her and became her lovers.

In the end, because Kang Ping was involved in political games, the outcome was very bad.

Zhao Xuan turned around and said anxiously, "Mother, Princess Kangping did this for her brother... You only have me as your daughter, and my maternal family doesn't participate in factional disputes!"

"If you were as wanton and arrogant as before, your father would not be wary of you. But you are attracted to Zheng Kaicheng." Concubine Shu nodded, not wanting to see her daughter's disappointed expression, but she also wanted her to understand:

"After your grandfather handed over the tiger talisman, the Jiang family army was divided. There was no general who could raise his arm and call for countless soldiers to follow... But now it is different."

Zhao Xuan murmured, "General Longhu stationed in Sanjiang City not only defeated the Fuso people, but also made them sign a letter of surrender and become a vassal state of our dynasty. So is the Zheng family going to become the second Jiang family?"

Concubine Shu sighed, "Not yet. After all, the Zheng family still has a shallow foundation. If Zheng Kaicheng marries the princess, it may not be the case."

Zhao Xuan felt tears in her eyes. She looked around at the magnificent palace of Yikun Palace.

"So, in the final analysis, it is because Lord Zheng is too outstanding. If he had no foundation like an ordinary scholar, father would be happy to see it, right, mother?"

When he uttered the last sentence, his voice was choked with sobs.

She really likes him.

Kai Chengneng could give up his promising career for her. She could also not live in Shengjing City and go with him to see the beautiful mountains and rivers.

Doesn't this work?

Concubine Shu held her daughter in her arms and whispered, "This is the helplessness of being born in an imperial family..."

......

When Gu Jinchu went to Minghui Hall to pay his respects to Madam Jiang, Wang and Liu had already arrived and were discussing the dishes for the New Year's Eve family dinner with Madam Jiang.

As usual, Zhang took her young children to play on the big kang by the window.

After entering the room, Gu Jinchu greeted his mother-in-law and several sisters-in-law with a smile.

Liu looked up from the account book, looked at Gu Jinchu with some surprise and said, "Fifth brother's wife looks like she's a little pregnant."

With Bai Zhi's help, Gu Jinchu took off her cloak. As she raised her hand, the fabric fit her body, revealing the slightly bulging belly.

She walked slowly to the big kang near the window, sat on the edge of it and said with a smile, "Second sister-in-law has good eyesight."

Old Madam Jiang looked at her daughter-in-law's brisk steps, with a smile in her eyes, and instructed Mother Hu beside her:

"Get Jinchu a softer pillow. Use the one that was aired yesterday. Don't touch the damp ones."

Mother Hu agreed and came over holding a soft pillow made of green brocade and embroidered with a picture of a lotus boy:

"The old lady always cares about the younger generation. Every time the children leave Minghui Hall, she will ask the servants to hang the brocade quilts and soft pillows out to dry."

Gu Jinchu took the soft pillow and placed it behind him, then said thank you with a smile.

Mother Hu was part of Old Madam Jiang's dowry. She rose through the ranks from a maid to a housekeeper and was the person Old Madam Jiang trusted the most.

Everything he says and does is flawless.

Mother Hu took the snacks from the tray held by the maid and counted them out: "Brother Chen likes the butcher shop, Miss and Sister Zhu like the puffs, Sister Han likes the chestnut cakes..."

Madam Jiang's impartiality is reflected in her keeping the preferences of the young masters of each room in mind.

Chen Ge'er held the butcher's knife in one hand and stretched out his other hand to Mother Hu.

"Uncle Jiu is not here, so Brother Chen will eat his share." He spoke in a babyish voice with overbearing words.

Gu Jinchu looked in the direction of the Luohan bed when he heard it. Wang's body stiffened for a moment. She turned her head and looked over. There was a gentle smile on Man Yue's face:

"Our brother Chen is such a kind-hearted child. Your uncle Nine is recuperating at home, so you can't let his illness get to your grandmother Fifth."

Chen Ge'er's attention was all on the butcher shop. Seeing that his goal had been achieved, he leaned against his mother, squinted his eyes and ate with a satisfied look on his face.

The maid outside the door lifted the door curtain and said, "Madam, the third master and the third lady are here."

Everyone looked up. Is the sun rising from the west?