The prince is more stable

Chapter 655 The Prince's Outer Residence
A fast horse galloped westward.

The rider on horseback carried a black wooden box on his back, with a red feather inserted in the box. It represented an urgent military situation that covered eight hundred miles. Wherever the fast rider passed, officials and civilians alike had to give way.

The fast rider set off from Hejian Prefecture and headed straight for Bianjing. A day later, when they passed through Zhending City, the rider did not hesitate to spur his horse into the city.

After entering the city, the knight roared at the top of his lungs.

"His Highness the Prince of Hejian led the Song army to break through Hejian Prefecture, beheading 20,000 Liao rebel soldiers. The imperial army is advancing steadily, and the Liao rebels are collapsing like a house of cards!"

The swift riders swept through the streets and alleys of Zhen Ding City, and news of the royal army's victory spread throughout the city.

The people in the city were astonished upon hearing this, then overjoyed.

Soon, celebratory sounds of gongs and drums echoed throughout the city.

The people all know that Hejian Prefecture belongs to the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, and it was a city of the Liao Kingdom.

The news that the Song Dynasty had declared war on the Liao Dynasty and that the royal army was determined to recover Yan and Yun had already spread throughout the land. Now, the Prince of Hejian led the royal army in the first battle to recover Yan and Yun, and the battle was fought so beautifully and decisively.

The Song Dynasty of today is truly different from the past. The court has gained confidence, the army has gained combat power, and the people also feel proud and elated.

News of the victory spread like wildfire through the streets and alleys.

"Indeed, as long as His Highness the Prince of Hejian commands the army, there is no city in the world that His Highness cannot conquer, and he can never be defeated."

“When has Your Highness ever let us people down? When I heard the imperial decree and that the Emperor had appointed Your Highness as commander, I felt at ease and slept soundly every night.”

"Haha, His Highness the Prince is also the Prefect of Zhending. The people of Zhending are also honored."

"With Your Highness and the bravery of your royal army, the Liao Kingdom should be destroyed by our Great Song in a few years, right? At that time, the world will be unified, and we will share peace. Our good days will finally come."

The common people and the marketplace were constantly discussing and praising the Prince of Hejian.

Meanwhile, inside the Prince's Mansion in Zhen Ding City, Di Ying was helping the increasingly visibly pregnant Niao Niao as they strolled slowly in the back garden.

Niao Niao is actually a rather lazy person, just like Zhao Xiaoqian, and she is generally unwilling to move around.

Unfortunately, the Princess Consort, as the matriarch, was too domineering. Regardless of whether Niaoniao was willing or not, she personally urged Niaoniao to take a walk for at least half an hour every day, circling around the Prince's mansion.

Niao Niao is both troubled and happy. Although her husband is not by her side, she is also very sweet with the care of her sisters.

I'm almost five months pregnant, and my slender figure is a bit bloated. Sleeping and walking are both quite clumsy. On one hand, I'm caught in endless anxiety about my appearance, and on the other hand, I'm stroking my growing belly and experiencing the joy of being a mother. This contradictory feeling is something that only mothers can truly understand.

Di Ying supported her, taking each step very carefully, but she spoke with a bad temper.

"You're so lazy! You don't care about your own affairs, and I have to urge you every day. Do you think making you take a walk every day is harmful? You'll know the benefits when you give birth. Those lazy pregnant women who don't move at all are already halfway to the gates of hell. Do you want to die too?"

A smile appeared on Niao Niao's lips. She turned around, grabbed Di Ying's hand, and shook it playfully, saying, "Good sister, the little one in my belly is getting heavier and heavier, and it's hard for me to walk. Please be understanding."

A soft, sweet, and coquettish way of acting is not only appealing to men, but also to women.

Di Ying couldn't hold back her laughter and burst out laughing.

"Shameless, is that what you're after, sir?"

As the two women were talking, a maid suddenly rushed over and beamed with joy upon seeing them.

"Your Highness, Lady Niaoniao, congratulations!"

Di Ying's face turned cold: "Is there no discipline in this household? Running and jumping around like this is unbecoming! What exactly happened?"

The maid shrank back slightly, clearly showing great respect for Di Ying, and obediently lowered her head, saying, "Reports of victory from the front: His Highness the Prince led an army of 100,000 and captured Hejian Prefecture the day before yesterday."

The two women immediately showed joy and exchanged a glance.

"My husband is so amazing! I knew he would be invincible!" Niao Niao exclaimed, her face beaming with happiness.

Di Ying rolled her eyes at her: "What a character!"

Then Di Ying looked at the maid and said, "The sir's great victory is a joyous occasion for the manor. Spread the word that a banquet will be held in the manor today. All the servants, maids, and guards of the manor will be included. In addition, each of them will be rewarded with five taels of silver, and the guards will be rewarded with ten taels of silver."

Her words carried weight and authority, and the matriarch's decisive and assertive style commanded respect.

Just as the maid was about to leave to obey the order, Di Ying called her back, her expression thoughtful.

After a long while, Di Ying said, "Please invite Judge Li Qingchen of Zhending Prefecture to come to the residence for a chat. Tell him that the Princess Consort has something to ask of you."

After the maid left, Niao Niao asked in confusion, "Why did you invite Li Qingchen over, sister? Does the manor also need to spend money to reward the government officials?"

Di Ying sighed and poked her forehead in exasperation: "You, all you have left to look at is your face! Do you know that before the Song-Liao war started, your husband sent a woman to Zhen Ding City?"

"Ah? Is that so?" Niao Niao was stunned for a long time before saying, "My husband... he's not idle even while fighting."

"Hmph! After that woman was sent here, Li Qingchen took care of all her food, clothing, and lodging. I'd like to ask him, what kind of benefits did the official give him to make a court official like him run around for a woman?"

In the front courtyard of the Prince's Mansion, Di Ying met Li Qingchen.

After arriving in Zhen Ding City, Di Ying and the other two women were naturally familiar with Li Qingchen and other government officials.

There's no melodramatic plot like the princess being bullied and no one in the city recognizing them; in reality, such a thing is impossible. Di Ying and Li Qingchen are quite familiar with each other. After all, when Zhao Xiaoqian was in the mansion, this shameless fellow would come to the prince's mansion almost every day to freeload, praising the food there.

After a while, how could Di Ying not recognize him?

However, after Li Qingchen entered the mansion today, he appeared somewhat guilty, looking down at the ground and not daring to look at Di Ying.

Di Ying stared at Li Qingchen with a frosty expression, her face full of dissatisfaction.

This guy eats at my house, freeloads off my house, and yet he ends up helping his husband support his mistress.

Anyone with a conscience, even if they've been eaten clean by dogs, wouldn't do something like this.

After a long silence, Di Ying said coldly, "Judge Li, I am the lawfully wedded wife of the official, and after the official was granted the title of Prince, I was also granted the title of Princess Consort. You should know this, right?"

Li Qingchen said with a bitter expression, "Yes, of course I know."

"So, did Judge Li forget to tell me, the Princess Consort, something?"

Li Qingchen's eyes were blank and innocent: "Something wrong? What is it? Does the Princess Consort want to inquire about official business of the Zhen Ding Prefecture?"

Di Ying sneered: "Fine, keep pretending. Guards, show them out! Tomorrow, put up a sign outside the mansion gate that reads 'Li Qingchen and dogs are not allowed to enter!'"

Li Qingchen was startled, but before he could speak, Di Ying suddenly changed her mind: "No, that's not enough. The sign should say 'Dogs are allowed, but Li Qingchen is not allowed.'"

Li Qingchen swayed, his face turning ashen.

Is the sharp tongue of the entire Prince's family a result of their family tradition?
What a bully!
Di Ying stood up as soon as she finished speaking; she had lost her patience.

Li Qingchen grew anxious: "Princess Consort, please wait! I have something to report."

If the Prince's Mansion really puts up this sign, Li Qingchen will have no face to live with in the future.

…………

After Yelü Nanxian arrived in Zhending City, Li Qingchen, following Zhao Xiaoqian's instructions, immediately rented a house for her.

The residence is not large, just a three-courtyard house. In addition to a few side rooms in the backyard, the central courtyard is decorated with artificial hills, ponds, pavilions and waterside terraces, making the environment quite elegant.

Not only that, Li Qingchen also bought three or five maids, several servants and a steward for the mansion. At the same time, Chen Shou also sent more than twenty imperial guards to guard the mansion day and night.

Yelü Nanxian loved this mansion. From childhood to adulthood, she had never been able to escape the control of her family and elders. Only today did she finally own her own mansion. In this mansion, she was the only mistress, and she made all the decisions.

Accompanying Yelü Nanxian was the palace maid who had been captured by the Song army along with her.

A palace maid who doesn't deserve to have a name.

The palace maid has now transformed into Yelü Nanxian's personal maid.

There was nothing she could do; she was just a weak woman, unable to control her own destiny, and could only drift along with the tide. From her initial discomfort to her current resignation, she probably didn't experience much struggle or hesitation. In any case, wherever the princess was, that's where she would be.

At this moment, Yelü Nanxian was in the backyard of the house, holding a small flower hoe, digging and digging in the small garden.

They dug up not only the soil, but also all the various flowers that filled the backyard garden.

Indeed, Yelü Nanxian was a different kind of person. Other women liked flowers and plants, finding them cute and pleasing at first glance, but Yelü Nanxian just didn't like them. After renting this house, Yelü Nanxian found everything pleasing to the eye, except for the flowers in the backyard garden.

The weather is nice today, perfect for breaking ground and even for ruthlessly destroying flowers.

The palace maids also helped her remove the flowers and plants, working up a sweat.

Seeing the beautiful and refined garden turned into a bald patch, scarred and unsightly, by the two women, the palace maid's face also turned somewhat grim.

"Your Highness, all the flowers and plants have been removed. What's the point of leaving this patch of land empty?" the palace maid asked.

Yelü Nanxian tested the soil beneath her feet, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. She said, "This soil isn't fertile enough; it needs to be cultivated for a year or two..."

"How do you nurture the land?"

Yelü Nanxian's pure face was aloof and otherworldly, like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting, untouched by the mortal world.

But the words that came out of this fairy's mouth were shocking and unconventional.

After frowning and thinking for a while, Yelü Nanxian said, "Let's go out and kill two people, bury them in the ground, and in a year or two, the land will become fertile! We can use it to grow vegetables, all kinds of vegetables."

After saying this, Yelü Nanxian showed a delighted expression. She felt that she was actually quite clever most of the time.

The palace maid's mouth gaped open, her expression as if she had been struck by lightning.

These are words spoken by the pure and innocent white moonlight?
I must have gotten up too quickly this morning, and my brain is still foggy...

A maidservant rushed over, her face filled with panic.

"Your Highness, we have guests visiting. They are two noble ladies, one of whom is pregnant, and the other lady claims to be the Princess Consort..."

(End of this chapter)