The Princess's Notebook

Speaking of Wang Shiqi Niang, after watching Zhao Feiran anxiously walk away until she disappeared, she hurriedly called Jingui and Yingui and ordered them to close the doors and windows. The three of them, master and servant, discussed the matter in a low voice.

Shiqi Niang: "What happened at home these days?"

Jingui and Yingui looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Think about it carefully. For example, Dad, Ninth Brother, Tenth Brother, and the others? Are they the same as before? Is there anything special?"

Jin Gui turned her head and said, "Madam, since the beginning of this year, we have been preparing for your wedding. The whole mansion has been very busy. I...well, it seems..." Jin Gui seemed to remember something, but after a long pause, she still couldn't grasp the key point.

Yingui had a plan in mind, "Madam, is there any news outside?"

"what do you know?"

Yingui: "I...I don't know whether I should say it..."

"What's there to be ashamed of? We have entered the Eastern Palace. We are not only the fourth branch of the Wang family, but also the people of the Eastern Palace. We cannot ruin our reputation. If you have anything to say, just say it!"

"My wife was busy learning the rules before marriage, so maybe she didn't notice that the master attended many banquets in February this spring, all of which were attended by people he normally wouldn't see. I heard from the steward in the front yard that there were relatives, as well as people from the palaces of the King of Jin and the King of Qin."

"In February this spring," Shiqi Niang was surprised, "Why didn't you tell me then?" Seeing Yingui apologize, Shiqi Niang stopped her, "No need, just know the reason. It was because I didn't pay attention and let someone take advantage of it. Apart from these, what else do you know?"

"There is nothing else." Yingui said honestly.

Shiqi Niang asked about the rest of the family members, but seeing that there was nothing unusual, she gave up and started to think carefully about her own father.

What kind of person is the fourth master Wang Kang? Anyone who has met him twice knows him. He wants to advance without working hard, and wants to be famous without talent. The ministers in the court suddenly get close to him, it is nothing more than the relationship with the Crown Princess. However, the King of Jin and the King of Qin have reached the top and cannot go any further. Can they contact the useless Wang Kang because of their feelings and talent?

Shiqi Niang thought about it and sneered twice. There must be something in this that she didn't know.

He immediately ordered, "Bring me the dowry book."

Jingui: "Madam, why are you looking at this?"

"No need to ask, just bring it."

If there is nothing unusual in the dowry book and my own dowry, then the words of His Majesty today can only come from Wang Kang or Aunt Li and the others in the family. If so, it would be appropriate to collect them.

Yingui, the clever girl, had already turned around to get the dowry book when Jingui asked the question, and soon handed it to Shiqi Niang.

Shiqi Niang took a quick look and saw a thick stack of dowry. "This is a lot." She knew the details of the Wang family, but she knew at least about 50% of it. Even if she searched through all the boxes and cabinets, she couldn't find such a large dowry.

Yingui explained, "The fourth house didn't give much. Most of it came from the eldest master and the second master. The rest was from the old lady's private collection. The rest was mostly added by the master at the last minute. Madam, please take a look. Each item is written in detail, including what it is, where it came from, and who gave it. It is attached to the dowry book. If you have any questions after reading it, I will explain them one by one."

This booklet was originally copied by Jin Gui herself. At that time, Shiqi Niang was busy studying the biographies of Taizu and the palace rules and regulations, and she was busy with all the trivial tasks, so the maids did them without reporting to her.

Therefore, on the afternoon of the second day after her wedding, Shiqi Niang, accompanied by two little maids, carefully studied her dowry book.

Around 3 p.m., outside the palace, Senior Eunuch Song came with a smile and reported, "Crown Princess, His Highness has ordered me to bring you something."

Shiqi Niang did not answer, but Jin Gui and Yin Gui were concentrating on their studies.

After a long time without a response, Song Dajian looked older and didn't dare to ask any more questions, fearing that something bad might happen. He could only stand upright in the corridor, waiting for the order from the inner room.

After another effort, after turning three pages of the dowry book, Shiqi Niang asked uncertainly: "Did you hear it?"

Yingui: "What did you hear?"

Jingui: "Madam, are you saying that someone is talking in the corridor?"

Shiqi Niang nodded.

Jingui: "I think I heard it too."

Shiqi Niang: "It sounds like Eunuch Song is calling the Crown Princess?"

Yingui and Jingui thought for a moment and nodded.

Shiqi Niang: "Who is the Crown Princess? Why is Eunuch Song talking under our roof?"

The three of them looked at each other and suddenly came to their senses. Now, if she, Wang Shiqi Niang, was not the Crown Princess, then who else could she be?

"What's the matter, Eunuch? Please come in." Shiqi Niang cleared her throat and said hurriedly.

Song Dajian looked at the tightly closed palace door, not knowing whether to go in or wait. "Crown Princess, I am not in a hurry. You can wait a little longer."

Shiqi Niang didn't want others to see it, so she covered the dowry booklet, tidied up the desk, and looked around to see if she had forgotten anything. Then she saw the closed palace door, and quickly sent someone to open it and welcome Eunuch Song in.

Eunuch Song bowed respectfully to Shiqi Niang without showing any sign of abnormality, and ordered the person behind him to pass the box to Jin Gui.

"Princess Consort, here are the most popular storybooks in and around Kyoto. His Highness the Crown Prince ordered me to prepare them. He said that you are new to the East Palace and might feel bored. It would be good to read the storybook to kill time. Also, if you miss your family, you can tell them that you should be comfortable in the East Palace and don't need to be restrained."

He lowered his head and glanced at Shiqi Niang. He seemed to want to say something, but he was unable to speak and walked out quickly.

Shiqi Niang took the storybook from Jingui, opened it, and was shocked.

"The Marriage Life of the Little Eunuch", "The Princess Married Again", "The Three Grand Masters' Trio"...

Her hands were shaking violently. This... this could never be an order from Zhao Feiran.

This... this couldn't possibly be an order from Eunuch Song.

Of these Yanqing storybooks, two or three out of ten were written by her herself.

It’s over, it’s over, I have to hide quickly!

Before the two maids, Jingui and Yingui, could make a move, Song Dajian's voice came from the corridor, "Your Highness." Then, a hurried sound of footsteps came towards Cheng'en Hall. Without thinking anything else, Shiqi Niang concluded that it was Zhao Feiran who came back, and she was so scared that she was in a panic. When his footsteps got closer and appeared behind the screen, Shiqi Niang whispered, "Put these things away, be careful."

Jingui's brains worked well for once, so she nodded silently and promised to complete the task.

In this way, Zhao Feiran came to Shiqi Niang, and Jin Gui left Shiqi Niang with the box in her arms.

Unexpectedly, before the guy even came up to Shiqi Niang, he suddenly asked, "Do you like the things I asked Song Dajian to send you just now?"

Jin Gui's steps were trembling, and Shiqi Niang's heart was beating like a drum. "Your Highness, come down and have a drink of water. You've been busy all afternoon, and I see that you're a little tired."

Zhao Feiran froze on the spot. The current Shiqi Niang was so good that it was frightening.

He was sure that the rest of the people in the room were even more frightened.

Shiqi Niang plucked up her courage and said, "Oh, it's only the second day after our marriage and you don't want to see me anymore. It's just like when we wake up in the morning. Is it okay for us to squeeze each other?"

The man felt much more comfortable, and this was the right thing to say. He immediately took a step, smiled and walked to Shiqi Niang, and sat down on a round stool. He pretended to ask what Shiqi Niang had done during the few hours he was away.

After seventeen years of fooling around, he said he was tired and needed to take a good rest.

Seeing that she didn't seem to take it to heart, Zhao Feiran felt much more at ease.

He hesitated and said, "You don't have to take His Majesty's words this morning to heart. He is just worried. Besides, I have already asked, it's nothing serious, it's just a few random remarks by the old ministers of the previous dynasty. His Majesty is not only my father, but also His Majesty. There are some things that you... please understand."

These words were really unusual. Zhao Feiran had his eyes on the top of his head, so when had he ever been so compromising?

Shiqi Niang raised her hand to dismiss Jingui and the others, "What do you mean, Your Highness? What do you mean it's no big deal?"

Zhao Feiran thought she didn't understand the relationship between the former dynasty and the harem, "Don't worry about it, it's not worth worrying about, just be good. After a few days, if you feel comfortable, go visit mother and talk to her. Ever since my sister got married and Feifei was born, Zhengyang Palace has become even more deserted."

It wasn't that Zhengyang Palace was deserted. He just felt that if Seventeenth Lady could make the Empress happy and get on good terms with her, she would have more face in front of His Majesty.

It was actually planned for Shiqi Niang.

She is not stupid, so she can understand this.

Very obedient, "I have taken note of what Your Highness said. After these three days, I will definitely go to pay my respects to Her Majesty often. Last year in Chenguang Palace, Her Majesty treated me very well, and now as her daughter-in-law, it is natural for me to visit her."

It was rare for the two people with bad tempers to have a good conversation with each other, which made Cheng'en Hall a little warmer.

Zhao Feiran couldn't help but think a little more, "Tell me, did you take what I said this morning seriously?"

Shiqi Niang pretended to be confused even though she knew the truth. "What did you say?"

"You have to tell me, don't you?"

"If Your Highness doesn't tell me, how can I remember it?"

"You cunning little girl, my East Palace, where I live, is not up to you." Zhao Feiran said arrogantly, but turned his head away from Shiqi Niang. He looked quite fierce but weak.

Shiqi Niang saw that he was awkward and smiled softly, "Okay, I'll live wherever you say I want."

Zhao Feiran didn't expect to get a promise so easily. He couldn't believe it. "Don't lie to me."

"How can I put it this way, Your Highness's East Palace? I am a young lady from another family. What if I deceive you? What if I don't deceive you?"

"You..." He wanted to scold her, but when he turned around and saw half of her arm exposed outside her light red skirt, it was delicate, shiny, and as smooth as jade. Zhao Feiran swallowed the rest of the words.

"Okay, stop making trouble. I heard from the queen this morning that last night..." Seventeenth Lady thought of the quilt last night and her eyes turned red with shame, "Last night's excitement has spread throughout the palace?!"

Zhao Feiran didn't care. "No, mother knows, father knows a little. Anyone who dares to inquire about my Eastern Palace must be dead."

Seventeenth Lady: ...

Not knowing how to put it, she thought for a while, and finally, for the sake of the future, she advised: "It's not a big deal if His Majesty and the Queen know, but...but..."

"But what..." Zhao Feiran came over and asked.

“We…we…”

"You mean, you don't want anyone to know about our affairs?!"

Without caring about being shy, Shiqi Niang nodded vigorously. This guy is not a dead wood.

"That's fine. You don't need to tell me about such a small matter. Just tell Song Dajian, he is the internal duty manager... In addition, the gatekeeper, the cleaning staff, the pharmacy, the food bureau... All the six bureaus, one museum, three temples and ten generals' offices under the jurisdiction of my Eastern Palace are under your mediation.

You are the Crown Princess of the Eastern Palace, so it is no problem for you to arrange these things."

The Eastern Palace of our dynasty is like a small court. The six bureaus, one museum, three temples and ten generals' offices he mentioned refer to all of them in the Eastern Palace except for the three government offices of Zuochunfang, Youchunfang and Zhanshifu.

After hearing this, Shiqi Niang felt sad in her heart, as if there was a piece of cotton blocking her way, or as if there was a flood, which was out of control.

She asked with tears in her eyes, "It's only the second day of our wedding."

The briefing was given too quickly.

Zhao Feiran turned his head to look at Shiqi Niang, stared into her eyes, and said word by word: "It's all because you are the Crown Princess."

"What if someone else is the Crown Princess?" As if unsatisfied, Shiqi Niang asked again.

"Humph, there are many Crown Princesses, but you only have one."

(End of this chapter)