When Song Jinning arrived at Shoukang Palace, she saw Princess Jingle was also there.
She shared the cakes and snacks she brought with Empress Dowager Song and Li Xiyan, then the three of them sat down to talk.
When they started talking about paper kites, Song Jinning quickly invited Empress Dowager Song and Li Xiyan to play with paper kites.
Li Xiyan is only fourteen years old, so she likes doing these kinds of things. Although she didn’t say that she wanted to go, her eyes were full of expectation when she looked at Empress Dowager Song.
She was waiting for Empress Dowager Song to nod and agree.
Empress Dowager Song sighed secretly when she saw this.
Empress Dowager Song didn’t know whether this was Li Xiyan’s true nature. She feels that she is raising Li Xiyan well, but why is her daughter so weak? Just flying paper kites, she still needs her approval?
She is at the age where she needs to find a husband, and as a princess, she has to make strong and resolute decisions. Otherwise, she will just get bullied in her husband’s house.
Empress Dowager Song felt that she needed to teach Li Xiyan how to be courageous as her only daughter. The most important thing now is to allow her to do what she wants.
So she said: “If you want to play with a paper kite, play with your cousin.”
She herself was too lazy to move because of the pain in her right leg that has been bothering her for the past 2 days.
Li Xiyan nodded her head. Then she asked Song Jinning where they were going to fly the paper kite.
Song Jinning didn’t know either.
Although the original Song Jinning often visited the palace as a child, the current Song Jinning doesn’t have those memories. Speaking of which, shouldn’t Li Xiyan be more reliable in this matter?
Because this girl grew up in the palace and has lived here for fifteen years.
Li Xiyan hesitated to suggest: “How about the square in front of Taiji Hall?”
Song Jinning’s eyes lit up.
She knows that square.
The ground there is covered with bluestone bricks, and there is not even a single tree in the square. It is said that this is because in case there is an assassin, the assassin won’t be able to hide anywhere.
It is really suitable for running, especially for flying paper kites.
Song Jinning was about to make a decision, but Li Xiyan asked a question again.
“Isn’t Taiji Hall the place where the ministers discuss politics? What will they say if they see us?”
“Are you afraid they’ll reprimand you?”
“There is no court meeting today. Which minister has the courage to go to Taiji hall without consent? And so what if you meet a few ministers? One of you is the empress while the other is a princess. No matter which minister, even the highest and most influential minister, when they see you both, they have to kneel and bow. If they are not afraid of you, just forget them. On the contrary, why do you need to care about what they think?”
Then, with a sweep of her right arm, she said boldly: “You two, just go and play there. If you encounter any ministers, don’t be afraid. If anyone dares to say anything about what you’re doing, just ask someone to drag them out. Then ask them: This is our home, how come we can’t even play with paper kites? Who are you to care about what we’re doing?”
Song Jinning was enthusiastic.
She really likes Empress Dowager Song too much.
This Empress Dowager not only protects her shortcomings, but is also open-minded.
She smiled at Empress Dowager Song, then shook Li Xiyan’s arm, and the two of them left Shoukang Palace together.
Song Jinning sent two maidservants to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to pick up paper kites before she went to Shoukang Palace. She and Li Xiyan had just walked out of the gate of Shoukang Palace, but by coincidence they saw the two maids return. A eunuch was also walking behind them.
The three of them held different kinds of paper kites in their hands.
The shape and color of each kite was different.
Swallows, butterflies, goldfish, bats. The eunuch was even holding a huge phoenix kite.
Song Jinning didn’t have much experience in flying paper kites, so she didn’t dare to use the phoenix and took a swallow kite of medium size. While Li Xiyan took a goldfish paper kite.
The two were talking while walking until they reached the square of Taiji hall.
It’s March, and the weather is mild and warm. The day is bright and beautiful, and the glazed tiles on the floor were full of brilliance.
The two were very excited, and soon started flying paper kites.
The paper kites selected by the two were not big, and the wind was strong in the square, so the paper kites flew quickly in the air.
As it flew higher and higher, it reached a point where the shape couldn’t even be seen.
Song Jinning was running in the sun, so a thin layer of sweat soon formed on her forehead and she was breathing heavily.
She handed the paper kite to Bai Lu, and walked over to the side to stand in a shady place.
Gu Yu poured a cup of tea and handed it to Song Jinning. She reached out and took it, drinking slowly while looking around.
There was a gate on each side of the square, which was tightly closed at the moment, and guards were standing straight on each door.
In addition, there was a small structure inside the square with 20 rooms. Song Jinning didn’t know if this was used as an official office or a storage room.
Behind it stands a watch tower, and above it stands the very mighty and domineering Taiji Hall.
As for the front, there was a bridge made of white marble.
Ahead was the city wall and three gates. Find the original chapter at g.com.
The gate in the middle is the main gate, and is not open often. Song Jinning remembered that her carriage was brought in from this gate during her wedding.
Thinking of this, she suddenly remembered another thing.
Although Jiang Wanqiu later became Li Chengxuan’s favorite concubine, she was sad that she had to come from the side gate. So when she was later sealed, even if she was just a concubine, in order to compensate her, Li Chengxuan gave her a grand wedding and let her sit on a carriage.
Song Jinning couldn’t believe that Li Chengxuan, who is such an awkward person, can be so gentle in the future.
Song Jinning drank the tea, and was about to pass the cup to Gu Yu when she saw someone walk in from the left gate.
It was far away, so she couldn’t see the appearance clearly, but Song Jinning was sure that it was a woman.
If you want to enter the palace, you must ask for the empress’s permission. Song Jinning hasn’t received any letters these past few days, so this person…..
There are only a few people who can go into the palace directly.
Song Jinning stood still. From a distance, she saw the woman walk towards her with a maid beside her.
It was Jiang Wanqiu.
Presumably she came to the palace to serve Noble Consort Dowager Wei.
Song Jinning vaguely remembered a passage in the original book: It was said that Noble Consort Dowager Wei did not like Jiang Wanqiu from the beginning, so after the decline of Jiang Wanqiu’s family, Noble Consort Dowager Wei just became even more unhappy with her.
It is clear that Noble Consort Dowager Wei is still healthy. Although she had bad intentions, when did she ever lose her temper in front of anyone? However, she treats Jiang Wanqiu like this and even forces her to come and serve her in the palace.
It was clear that Noble Consort Dowager Wei just wanted to make things hard for Jiang Wanqiu.
Mother-in-laws have this common problem: they think that their son is the best in the world, and no matter which woman marries their son, it is a climb for that woman. They then set a mental deadline for the woman to be pregnant, and when the woman passes that period without becoming pregnant, they become alarmed and call her infertile and treat her even worse.
Noble Consort Dowager Wei is obviously a mother-in-law of this type among many others.
Because her son is a prince, she thinks that he has the right to inherit the throne.
Although the throne did not fall in the hands of her son, Noble Consort Dowager Wei is still hopeful.
What if Li Chengxuan dies young? What if God suddenly decides to kill Li Chengxuan and falls a rock over his head?
How can Noble Consort Dowager Wei not feel superior? How can she regard a daughter-in-law whose maiden family has been declining and is no help to her son at all?
In this respect, Song Jinning sympathizes with Jiang Wanqiu.
Jiang Wanqiu, in the future you’ll be able to become the empress and defeat Noble Consort Dowager Wei!
Song Jinning quietly patted Jiang Wanqiu in her heart.
But even so, Song Jinning couldn’t say how much she liked Jiang Wanqiu.
The reason is that Song Jinning doesn’t like people who are very sentimental. Jiang Wanqiu is the type to cry whenever something happens to her, which is not Song Jinning’s ideal female lead.