Qianqianjie, kidnap a reborn prince back to the modern era

Entering February, every household begins to look forward to the Flower Festival.

The Flower Festival is also known as the Flower Goddess Festival. It is the birthday of all flowers. Legend has it that the flower god is named Nüyi, who is in charge of spring and summer nourishment.

During the festival, people can go to the suburbs together to enjoy the flowers.

The girls cut colorful paper and stick it on the branches of flowers, which is called "appreciating red".

At night, people carry "flower god lanterns" of various shapes and stroll on the bustling streets. Shops are also filled with various fragrant flowers and fruits, and hang paintings and calligraphy by famous scholars for tourists to appreciate.

The Empress set February 25th as the date and invited the wives of ministers, their young sons and unmarried daughters to go to Konishi Mountain outside Kyoto for an outing and flower-viewing.

Upon hearing the news, all the governments took action.

On the most prosperous Yong'an Street, the clothing and jewelry shops are crowded with people, and all you can see are young girls choosing their favorite clothes.

"Mother, the news from the palace during this year's Flower Festival is that they are going to select princesses for the two adult princes, as well as a concubine for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Yun Wanqing looked through the new dresses made by the tailor in the mansion and tried them on herself one by one.

"The Second Prince returned victoriously and was named Prince Sheng, now of age. He has no mother in the palace, so the Emperor must have handed this matter over to the Empress."

Madam Li continued as she considered the situation in the palace and her daughter's future.

"The biological mother of the third prince, Prince Ning, is Concubine Song, who is the most favored by the emperor. Prince Ning is an outstanding writer, clear-headed and handsome, and has always been the object of pursuit by the noble ladies of various mansions. Now he is about to come of age, and his mother should also look for help for him."

Mrs. Li took a sip of tea and looked at her daughter's tender and graceful figure and bright eyes and white teeth, as if she was thinking about something.

"The Prime Minister's Mansion has an engagement with the Old Prime Minister's Mansion, and we have always been on good terms with Concubine Song. If we disrupt the marriage with the Old Prime Minister's Mansion this time, Concubine Song will definitely be resentful."

"Aren't we going to marry off a daughter to the old prime minister's mansion?"

Yun Wanqing turned around and asked in confusion.

"Is that a marriage alliance? Taking a daughter who grew up in the countryside for a marriage alliance, although the current Song family is weak and may not dare to say anything, but don't forget that there is still an old prime minister's eldest daughter, Concubine Song, in the palace. She is the aunt of the playboy Song Qingfeng, and she has always been favored by the emperor."

"What should I do?"

Yun Wanqing suddenly lost interest in choosing clothes and jewelry. She snuggled up to her mother and asked with her little face tilted up.

"After you lose your engagement, if you can marry the Third Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Ning, you won't anger Concubine Song. However, from now on, the Prime Minister's Mansion will completely belong to the Third Prince's camp, and will inevitably confront the Empress and the Crown Prince."

"So, wouldn't it be best to marry King Sheng so as not to offend both sides?"

Yun Wanqing followed her mother's train of thought, gradually understood, and interjected.

"Yes, this should be a good choice."

Mrs. Li immediately perked up and started to think carefully.

"Although it may make Concubine Song unhappy, the Empress should be happy to see that the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion did not marry into the old Prime Minister's Mansion. The power of both sides can still be balanced, so we can wait and see what happens."

Madam Li became more and more excited as she thought about it. "Otherwise, let your father support King Sheng in the future. He has hundreds of thousands of troops under his control. In terms of real strength, he is also a force that cannot be underestimated. The key is that his mother's family is weak. If we support him now, he will be more wholeheartedly good to you."

Li stood up excitedly and walked quickly around the room.

"If that day comes...ah! If that day comes, it would be so great!"

Madam Li became happier and happier as she spoke, as if she had already seen herself becoming Prince Sheng's mother-in-law, and would be able to watch her daughter accompany Prince Sheng in his quest for the throne, standing high on the altar.

Yun Wanqing also had a look of confusion and excitement on her face.

The title of "Princess Sheng" was beckoning to her, as if it belonged to her alone.

She also seemed to see that day, when she stood beside him and accepted the worship of all the ministers and their wives together with him.

......

The Flower Festival arrived as scheduled, seemingly peaceful and harmonious, but with all the twists and turns.

During dinner yesterday, Chunyu, the head maid of Jinghua Pavilion, came to Yingyueju and walked into this newly renovated courtyard for the first time.

Everywhere was tidied and cleaned.

There is a screen wall in the yard. Its ingenious shape naturally divides the yard into two parts, and also isolates the three servants' rooms in the outer yard.

The three maids and servants who were left behind were sitting bored at a small table in the servants' room in the outer courtyard, eating the food brought from the kitchen. When they saw Chunyu, the head maid sitting in front of their mistress, they stood up hurriedly to greet her.

Chunyu looked at the shape of the yard, shook her head helplessly, and walked past them.

Chunyu stopped in front of a small door in a corridor connected to the inner courtyard and said loudly, "Jinghua Pavilion Chunyu wants to see the second young lady."

After a while, the small door was opened from the inside.

Qiao Nan came out to greet them.

"Hello, Sister Chunyu, what can I do for you?"

Qiao Nan stood in front of the small door and made no move to let her in.

"Pass on Madam's message. Tomorrow is the Flower Festival. The Empress has ordered that the wives of officials above the third rank bring their sons and daughters to Xiaoxi Mountain to enjoy the flowers. Madam, inform the second daughter to wait at the gate of the mansion at 12:00 and go together."

"Okay, got it." Qiao Nan responded.

After a while, Qiao Nan asked, "Sister Chunyu, is there anything else?"

"Ah? Oh! It's gone, it's gone."

How could she say that the lady asked her to take a look at how Yingyueju solved the problem of dinner?

But entering this yard is the same as not entering at all.

"Then Qiao Nan won't see you off. The Second Miss has something else for me to do. Take care, sister."

Qiao Nan turned and entered the inner courtyard, where the small door was ruthlessly closed.

Chunyu glanced awkwardly at the three people who were staring at her.

Each of them had eyes full of expectation, clearly asking if they could be allowed to go back.

The spring rain silently returned along its original path.

Early in the morning of that day, the yard of the eldest lady Yun Wanqing became busy.

Those who served with washing, combing hair, arranging clothes and jewelry, and arranging breakfast were all very nervous, as if they were dressing up a bride.

After noon, Yun Wanqing, who was dressed extremely beautifully, came out from the path among the flowers in the backyard with two personal maids.

Prime Minister's wife Li Yalan also dressed up specially today, changing into soft and comfortable spring clothes, looking younger and more wealthy.

At this time, she was standing inside the gate waiting, followed by Madam Liu and the head maid Chunyu.

Standing next to her was a young man of about eighteen or nineteen years old.

A flamboyant blue-pink coat, the color gradually changes from top to bottom, becoming darker and darker.

He was holding an exquisite folding fan in his hand and pretending to fan himself with it, looking very romantic and dashing.

He was Yun Xueji, the eldest son who had returned from the Imperial College yesterday to take a day off.