Chapter 372: Has he provoked too few already? (Supplement) [Thank you! Thank you again!]

Imperial Palace

Princess Pingning strolled leisurely behind the female official, heading toward the Empress's palace.

"Is there a guest with the Empress today?"

"Replying to the Princess, yes, there is!"

"Which ladies are present?"

"Replying to the Princess! There is the eldest daughter-in-law of the Duke of Ying, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Marquis of Ningyuan, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Marquis of Tuoxi, the wife of the Marquis of Yongyi, and her eldest daughter-in-law. The ladies of several other Earls and Viscounts who are fighting on the Northwest border are also here."

"There are also a few ladies from the families of the Pacification Commissioners of the Northwest circuits."

Princess Pingning asked: "Families like the Hai and Wang families?"

"Yes, Princess!"

"There are a few grandchildren whom the Empress specifically instructed to be brought into the palace."

Princess Pingning nodded.

Soon, Princess Pingning arrived at the palace entrance, and before she even entered, she heard the laughter of the ladies.

After the female official announced her, Princess Pingning walked in.

"Greetings to the Empress!"

"Hahaha, oh my! Pingning is here, sit quickly!"

The Empress beckoned.

Princess Pingning bypassed the grandchildren of several families playing on the exquisite carpet at the entrance, nodded and greeted everyone present with a smile, then sat on a chair inside the hall.

Afterwards, the Princess whispered to Xu Pingmei beside her: "Pingmei, what is this? What is everyone laughing about?"

Pingmei smiled, covered her mouth with a round fan, and whispered: "Princess, don't stare. It's just those few children at the entrance."

Princess Pingning glanced over and found the source of everyone's joy in the hall.

She saw that the children at the entrance were all young and were all known to Princess Pingning, including Gu Shixing of the Gu family, Xu Xingdai of the Xu family, and Zhang Shengyun of the Zhang family.

This Miss Yun of the Duke of Ying's family was the daughter of the Zhang family's eldest son and the niece of the Zhang family's fifth daughter.

The three little ones were sitting on the carpet huddled together playing. When Gu Shixing gently poked Miss Yun's chubby face with his hand, Miss Yun of the Zhang family was full of smiles.

When Xu Xingdai imitated his cousin and poked Miss Yun's face, Miss Yun of the Zhang family immediately changed her expression and glared back adorably.

Gu Shixing poked again, and Miss Yun turned her head and laughed again.

Xu Xingdai's hand reached over too, but before he even touched her, Miss Yun turned her head and glared over.

The series of facial expressions made even Princess Pingning laugh. She tilted her head toward Pingmei and said: "Your Xing Ge'er is good-looking and has the merits of both you and your husband. No wonder he is liked by little girls."

Pingmei smiled: "My niece from my maiden family is also good-looking, so fair!"

Princess Pingning shook her head: "Still not as good as his cousin! And the two of them... still can't compare to... tsk."

Pingmei asked curiously: "Princess, who can't they compare to???"

At this moment, Sun Shi, not far away, looked over and said in a tone full of teasing: "Princess, we grandmothers and the children's mothers are all here!"

Hearing this, the surrounding ladies with titles and ladies laughed softly.

Bai Shi, Pingmei, and Xie Shi all nodded in agreement and looked over with a smile.

Sun Shi pretended to be coy and teased:

"The one you mentioned later that my child can't compare to, which family is it from! You must make it clear. Could it be the one we just saw at the Gu family two months ago?"

Princess Pingning pretended to be embarrassed and said: "Oh my, I really spoke wrongly! Da Niangzi Sun, the one I mentioned later is that..."

Everyone around looked over curiously.

The Empress also asked with a smile: "Pingning, who are you talking about? Is it the Marquis of Xiangyang..."

Princess Pingning smiled: "Empress, your subject meant that the two of them still can't compare to Jing Ge'er when he was young!"

Once these words were spoken, Sun Shi, Pingmei, Bai Shi, and others were momentarily dumbfounded and shook their heads helplessly.

The Empress smiled and pointed at Princess Pingning: "Only you know how to talk! Saying Da Niangzi Sun's son is not as good as her grandson, and Da Niangzi Xu's brother is better than her son. Both palms and backs of the hands are flesh, you..."

Looking at the expressions of the Xu family, the ladies in the hall laughed again.

"However... thinking about it, Pingning, what you said is the truth!"

After the Empress finished saying this, Sun Shi was even more dumbfounded.

The eldest daughter-in-law of the Zhang family, the Duke of Ying, said:

"The Empress is right. I still remember when Jing Ge'er came to the palace to pay New Year's greetings for the first time, you even bestowed an exquisite piece of jewelry upon him!!"

"At that time, Jing Ge'er was a few years older than them."

"Sister Sun, that year for the Emperor's birthday, after your fifth son performed for the Emperor on a little horse, the things my family sent..."

The ladies with titles and ladies in the hall continued to talk.

Xu Xingdai walked over with his little legs: "Grandmother, Mother, I want to pee..."

Xie Shi looked embarrassed and picked up Xu Xingdai: "Dai'er, didn't I tell you, you must say 'change clothes'!"

"Oh."

At lunch,

The ladies had their meal in the palace.

During the banquet, the Empress led the ladies in a toast of sweet wine to the victory of their fathers, brothers, sons, and husbands far away.

After some liveliness, it was already afternoon.

After the ladies left the palace,

Princess Pingning walked slowly beside the Empress.

The eunuchs and female officials consciously followed far behind.

"Empress, the daughter of the second branch of the Gao family in Laizhou..."

"I already know about this! Are you afraid that if something happens, Zhengzheng's matter will be leaked?"

"Exactly!"

After the Empress pondered for a while, she said: "Such a matter, what good would leaking it do for their Gao family?"

"Moreover, Zhengzheng has been in Cangzhou since she was a child, and later came to Bianjing with her parents. A few rumors and gossip, just ignore them."

"The Empress is right."

"By the way, do you know what Zhengzheng has been busy with lately?"

"Your subject does not know."

The Empress smiled lightly: "She is copying sutras for blessings."

"Empress, blessings?"

"Isn't Heng Ge'er taking the academy examination in August?"

"Oh! Oh oh oh! Is it for... Jing Ge'er?"

The Empress nodded.

Princess Pingning said: "That's good! That's good! Jing Ge'er knows the ins and outs! But Empress, Jing Ge'er... does he have feelings for Zhengzheng?"

Hearing this, the Empress was stunned and said: "That's true! I haven't seen this boy show favor to any girl."

Not knowing whose childish words she thought of, the Empress shook her head with a smile.

Princess Pingning beside her said: "I heard from Da Niangzi Wu that the wife of the Marquis of Xu has also been suppressing Jing Ge'er's marriage."

"Before, my sister-in-law also wanted to entrust me to ask about it."

The Empress said: "Asking for the girl from her maiden Xue family?"

Princess Pingning: "Yes! It's a pity that there are not many outstanding descendants in the Grand General's mansion, and now that the Marquis of Xu has made great contributions, this family status is a bit..."

"True!"

When they returned to the palace, the Emperor happened to walk over.

"Your subject greets the Emperor!"

Princess Pingning hurriedly bowed.

The Emperor smiled: "Pingning, how are your two little brothers doing lately?"

"Emperor, they are fine! They can eat and sleep!"

"What were you chatting about just now?"

The Empress and Princess Pingning looked at each other and smiled, saying: "Talking about that child Jing Ge'er, he doesn't provoke the girls in the capital casually."

The Emperor said with a look of disdain: "Xu Zaijing? Has this brat provoked too few already?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 373 =====