After paying respects to the Supre Emperor, ng Qianqian headed to Changchun Palace to visit Zhou Nanyan.
Zhou Nanyan was Zong Zhengxi’s first concubine, elevated to the position of Imperial Concubine, and the most distinguished among the four consorts.
Zong Zhengxi’s harem only consisted of two concubines—the Empress and the Imperial Concubine.
"ng Sister!"
Upon seeing ng Qianqian, Zhou Nanyan dashed out excitedly.
"Your Ladyship!"
The palace maids were terrified.
Zhou Nanyan pulled ng Qianqian’s hand and addressed the palace maids and eunuchs, "You may leave. I’ll chat with ng Sister for a while."
"Yes."
The group retreated to the outside of the hall.
The two of them sat down on the Imperial Concubine’s Couch.
ng Qianqian tucked the strands of her hair behind her ear and softly asked, "How has it been these past few days? Are you settling in well?"
Zhou Nanyan sighed, "The accommodations are impeccable, but it’s just so dull."
ng Qianqian chuckled, "Didn’t Little Ru and Rou’er visit you in the palace just yesterday?"
With a pitiful expression, Zhou Nanyan muttered, "But no one’s coming tomorrow."
ng Qianqian teased, "You want soone to visit you every single day?"
Zhou Nanyan rested her head on ng Qianqian’s shoulder. "That’s exactly what I want."
ng Qianqian’s lips curved into a smile. "Alright, I’ll visit you tomorrow."
Zhou Nanyan’s eyes lit up. She sat up gleefully and asked, "Really?"
"Yes."
ng Qianqian nodded with a smile.
Overjoyed, Zhou Nanyan leaned back against ng Qianqian’s shoulder and said, "ng Sister, life in the palace isn’t as unbearable as I imagined. The Empress is easy to get along with, and His Majesty is constantly preoccupied with state affairs and barely enters the harem. It almost feels like being at ho."
ng Qianqian held her hand. "That’s good to hear. But rember, if you ever feel wronged, tell . You have more than just the Zhou Family at your back—you also have the Twelve Guards and the Governor Mansion standing with you."
Zhou Nanyan hugged ng Qianqian tightly. "ng Sister, if only I could marry you, how wonderful would that be?"
ng Qianqian: "..."
Rembering sothing suddenly, Zhou Nanyan continued, "Oh, ng Sister, I heard that His Majesty is planning to leave the palace for the autumn hunt. He will surely take the Empress with him. Can I sneak out of the palace then to find you and have so fun?"
The matter of the autumn hunt was later confird through Lu Yuan that evening.
The family was gathered at the dinner table.
Bai Yuwei curiously asked, "What is the autumn hunt?"
ng Qianqian replied, "An Emperor’s autumn hunt is rooted in tradition. ’In the ancient tis, Emperors would hunt in spring, sow crops in sumr, cull animals in autumn, and hunt in winter—venturing into the wilderness during all four seasons to demonstrate their martial prowess to the realm.’ When the Supre Emperor was in power, an autumn hunt would be held every three years. What appeared to be hunting was, in truth, a military exercise. Various ard forces would compete against each other, and the victorious army would receive generous rewards from His Majesty. Additionally, one exceptionally brave Military General is chosen."
"Military General?"
Finally departing from their usual scholarly discussions, Bai Yuwei showed a genuine interest in the conversation.
ng Qianqian patiently explained, "The Military General is the most skilled ’hunter’ during the autumn hunt, and their status is equivalent to a Champion who tops the imperial examination."
Bai Yuwei asked, "So basically a Martial Champion?"
ng Qianqian responded, "That’s one way to see it."
Thinking for a mont, Bai Yuwei queried again, "Then are there Martial Scholars or Martial Third Places?"
ng Qianqian shook her head. "No, there’s only one Military General."
After the Supre Emperor abdicated the throne to Zong Zhengxi, Zong Zhengxi, being young at the ti and with ongoing conflicts at the border, never led an autumn hunt.
This year, with the border secured in a resounding victory during early spring, followed by the imperial examination in spring, and Zong Zhengxi’s marriage marking his personal and political maturity, the ti was ripe for an autumn hunt and military exercise.
Bai Yuwei, however, cared little for the reasons behind it—her only concern was whether she could join in the fun, given her fondness for hunting back in Miaojiang.
"Will you both be going?"
She turned to ng Qianqian and Lu Yuan.
The two exchanged a glance, quietly understanding each other’s intentions. "Yes, we’ll go."
As they stepped out of the courtyard,
ng Qianqian asked Lu Yuan, "Both of us going—is that appropriate? Shouldn’t one of us stay behind to keep things in order? Tell your reason for attending."
Lu Yuan responded, "To find soone."
ng Qianqian raised her brows. "How coincidental—I’m going for the sa reason."
Lu Yuan glanced at her suspiciously, hands clasped behind his back, and said flatly, "The Xun Family will be attending the autumn hunt, and Luo San will certainly be there as well. Catching him is sothing I can manage alone."
ng Qianqian muttered under her breath, "Who said I’m looking for Luo San?"
Lu Yuan gave her a dubious look.
ng Qianqian clapped her hands with a grin. "I’m looking for a man."
Lu Yuan’s face darkened, a murderous aura emanating from him. "ng Xiaojiu!"
ng Qianqian shuddered, blurting out, "I-I-I’m not looking for myself! I’m looking for Princess Wanping! I need to find her a Prince Consort!"
Reviews
All reviews (0)