Lucky Farmer Girl: I rely on metaphysics to support my family

Chapter 836 Being distracted
The War King arrived at Princess Changqing's residence by carriage, carrying gifts.

The princess's residence is located on the west side of the imperial city. It is grand in scale but not extravagant.

The gatekeeper had already received the message from the palace. Upon seeing the carriage of the Prince of Zhan, he immediately opened the main gate wide, and the steward personally came out to greet him and respectfully led the Prince of Zhan into the mansion.

Princess Changqing was already waiting in the main hall.

Princess Changqing was just over forty years old. She was well-maintained, dressed in luxurious but not fussy clothes, with a kind face and clear, bright eyes.

Upon seeing the Prince of War enter, before he could even bow, she smiled and said, "You've arrived. Please sit down. The Emperor just sent word that your marriage is settled and that I, as your aunt, am here to help with the arrangements. I am overjoyed to hear this."

The War King meticulously performed the rites of a son and nephew before sitting down at the lower end of the table and slowly saying, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

The War King then gestured to his attendants to present the gifts, and said to Princess Changqing, "I know that my aunt lacks nothing, but this is a small token of my appreciation."

The maidservant presented the gift to Princess Changqing.

Princess Changqing said with a smile, "You are very thoughtful. This rare copy is exactly what I have been searching for for a long time."

Princess Changqing had tea served and looked him over with gentle eyes. "I heard you're the second daughter of the Tang family? Tang Bojun's daughter? I remember the Tang family had some trouble a few years ago."

"Yes. Lord Tang has been pardoned and will soon be reinstated. Miss Tang, whose given name is Wan, made some contributions to the country and its people while she was in the northern desert. She is resilient and insightful." The War King succinctly introduced the Tang family and Tang Wan's situation.

Princess Changqing understood the situation when she heard her nephew's strong defense of the Second Miss Tang. As for his claims about her being of service to the country and its people, she didn't take them seriously.

Princess Changqing smiled slightly and said slowly, "Oh? So Lord Tang is about to be reinstated. I hadn't heard of that. But I've heard that the Tang family has a good reputation, so I imagine their daughter must be quite well-mannered."

Princess Changqing paused for a moment, then continued, "For you to value her so highly, this Second Miss Tang must have some extraordinary qualities. However, I recall that this Second Miss Tang is born out of wedlock. Have you considered this carefully?"

Generally speaking, daughters born out of wedlock who have been exiled would be reluctant to marry, let alone princes. Even ordinary families would probably be unwilling to accept them. I wonder what makes this Miss Tang so special.

The War King remained expressionless and said firmly, "Aunt, your nephew has thought it through."

Princess Changqing nodded slightly and praised, "Since you have thought it through, your aunt will not say anything more. Just don't regret it later, and treat people well."

She shouldn't have asked so many questions, since the Emperor had already agreed.

But as an elder, I couldn't help but ask.

When the War King heard Princess Changqing say this, his heart stirred slightly, as he was somewhat surprised by her words.

I rarely interacted with this aunt and we didn't have much of a relationship, but I never expected her to say something like that.

So he readily replied, "Thank you, Aunt. I will remember this and will certainly treat my future princess well."

A hint of appreciation flashed in Princess Changqing's eyes; this nephew certainly had a sense of responsibility. "It's good that you understand. There are rules and regulations to follow when it comes to proposing marriage. Do you have any ideas about who the matchmaker should be?"

"I was just about to ask my royal aunt for guidance," the War King said humbly.

Princess Changqing pondered for a moment: "According to regulations, when a prince takes a concubine, a respected elder or nobleman must act as matchmaker. I could personally intervene, but it would be within the royal family, which wouldn't be appropriate or respectable. How about asking the Duchess of Anguo? She is a first-rank noblewoman, of high moral character, and has no connection with the Tang family. Moreover, the Anguo Duke's mansion has always been neutral, so it would be most appropriate for her to act." The Duke of Anguo was the descendant of a founding hero, and although he held no real power, his status was exceptional. His wife was indeed the best choice.

The War King nodded slightly and said, "Aunt has thought things through very well. We will follow your advice. Then I would like to trouble you to see if there are any other matters that need attention."

Princess Changqing agreed and then inquired in detail about the current situation of the Tang family. She silently made a plan in her mind: "The Imperial Household Department will draft the betrothal gift list, but since you value that girl, you might as well add some things that suit your taste yourself, to make it seem more formal."

“I understand, thank you for your guidance, Aunt,” the War King replied earnestly.

Just then, a soft footstep sound and the voice of a maid greeting came from outside.

Immediately afterwards, the curtain was lifted, and a young man who looked to be about eighteen or nineteen years old walked in.

He had delicate features, and his eyebrows and eyes bore a resemblance to Princess Changqing. However, his complexion was abnormally pale, with faint dark circles under his eyes, and even his lips lacked color. He looked listless and dispirited.

"Mother." The young man bowed to Princess Changqing, his voice weak, then turned to the War King, forcing himself to cheer up, "Fourth cousin, you've come."

"Lan'er is back." Princess Changqing's smile deepened when she saw her son, but she immediately frowned. "Why do you look so pale?"

This young man was Zhao Jinglan, the only son of Princess Changqing.

Zhao Jinglan shook his head with a pale face, rubbed his temples, and said weakly, "Perhaps I didn't sleep well last night, and I was exposed to some wind today. I feel a bit tired and my head is foggy. I heard that my cousin was here, so I came to pay my respects."

The War King's gaze lingered on Zhao Jinglan's face for a moment.

He may have had too much contact with Wan'er, and when he saw that she was not in good condition, in addition to suspecting that she was sick, he would sometimes wonder if she had been infected with something.

But he couldn't be sure, and could only assume he was overthinking it.

So he comforted her, saying, "Since you're not feeling well, you should rest properly. There's no need to come all this way. Have you had the imperial physician examine you?"

"Not yet, I think a good night's sleep might help." Zhao Jinglan sat down next to his mother and forced himself to chat for a few minutes.

The War King could clearly sense that he was absent-minded, his eyes were sometimes wandering, his responses were slow, and he seemed to be constantly daydreaming. There were also occasional beads of sweat on his forehead.

Princess Changqing reached out and touched her son's forehead. It wasn't hot, but rather a little cold. She said with some heartache, "Your hands are so cold. You must have caught a chill. Don't try to tough it out here. Go back to your room and rest. I'll send someone to fetch the imperial physician for you."

Zhao Jinglan didn't insist this time. He was indeed feeling very unwell. He stood up and said apologetically to Zhan Wang, "Cousin, I'm really sorry, my body is not cooperating. Please excuse me."

"It's alright, your health is the most important thing." The War King nodded.

Zhao Jinglan bowed to his mother again before being helped away from the main hall by a maid, his steps slightly unsteady.

Watching his departing figure, the strange feeling in the War King's heart resurfaced.

He asked Princess Changqing, "Cousin Lan, have you been to any unusual places recently? Or come into contact with any unusual objects?"

It's been updated!
Thank you to readers *碎空, 风, and 456 for the monthly tickets!
Thank you to all the friends who have supported this book over the years!
Thank you all~