Chapter 262: Our Family
The group arrived at the banquet hall.
Many people had already gathered, standing in small clusters chatting.
"Chu'er, I heard the Emperor intends to bestow a marriage upon Prince Pingxi during today's palace banquet," Du Ling said quietly. "Wasn't it said earlier that Princess Guli had chosen Prince Pingxi? But later I heard Princess Guli actually favors Prince Gongxi. Since Prince Gongxi has been confined for his mistakes, I'm afraid he won't have the fortune to enjoy the princess's favor."
Many in the banquet hall were discussing this matter.
After all, Prince Pingxi's marriage prospects were no longer any secret.
"That Miss Tan Er before failed to marry into the manor because the Young Son didn't like her."
"Then that Miss Fang later hanged herself for Prince Pingxi. I heard it was also because the Young Son disliked her, so Prince Pingxi declined the marriage proposal."
"Prince Pingxi's beloved was truly remarkable. Not only did she capture Prince Pingxi's heart, but she also made the two children constantly remember her. It's a pity she died somehow."
"Some say Prince Gongxi killed Prince Pingxi's beloved, which is why he was punished with confinement. Shh... I only heard this through rumors, not sure if it's true."
"..."
Amidst the discussions, the imperial family members arrived one after another.
Yun Chu spotted the two children following Yin Fei at first glance. The two little ones sat down with Yin Fei.
Beside Yin Fei was her eldest daughter, Qinghua Princess.
Qinghua Princess's consort was the second son of the Pingliang Prefecture Governor. They usually lived in Pingliang Prefecture and only returned to the capital at year's end.
Sitting beside Yin Fei, she remarked, "Mother Consort, Father Emperor is being too frivolous, actually leaving the selection of the Princess Consort of the Pacifying West to two children."
"You don't understand," Yin Fei said. "If it weren't for the two children insisting on having a mother, Yi'er wouldn't have nodded to marry at all."
"Wasn't it said Yi'er would marry Princess Guli?" Qinghua Princess said. "I think that match would have been excellent."
Mentioning this made Yin Fei angry: "It's all because of that second son Chu Mo. He had to interfere. Princess Guli would rather be Chu Mo's Side Princess Consort than marry into the Prince of Pacifying the West Manor. Serves him right to be confined."
Qinghua Princess pulled Chu Hongyu over and instructed quietly: "Yu Ge'er, you've always been clever. You should know the distinguished people in the capital sit in the front rows. When your Imperial Grandfather asks you to present the jade pendant later, choose from among those noble ladies in the front rows, understand?"
Chu Hongyu grimaced: "Then I'll give the jade pendant to Aunt. Can Aunt give it to those noble ladies herself?"
"You child, talking back..." Qinghua Princess twitched her lips. "Aunt is doing this for your good. Only if your father marries a noble lady can your and Changsheng's status be elevated. So immature. You should learn more from Shen Ge'er."
Shen Ge'er was Qinghua Princess's son, about six or seven years old, sitting there with the demeanor of a little adult.
Chu Hongyu curled his lip.
Since childhood, every New Year's Eve, his aunt would compare him with Cousin Shen, always saying he was immature and not as good as his cousin.
Seeing him sitting there looking unhappy, Qinghua Princess couldn't help continuing: "Mother Consort, this is what happens with children without a mother's discipline. Their manners and upbringing are somewhat lacking...""Yu Ge'er is just lively, how could it be as serious as lacking upbringing?" Yin Fei interrupted her discontentedly, picking up Yu Ge'er. "But your aunt is right. Later, you should choose one from the noble ladies in the front row to be your mother..."
Chu Hongyu didn't want to hear this and jumped down from Yin Fei's arms: "I'm going to play."
As he left, he frantically winked at Yun Chu.
Yun Chu felt a headache coming on.
At such a critical moment, it wasn't really appropriate to have much contact with this fellow.
But she worried that if she didn't follow, the little one might actively seek her out.
Fortunately, her seat was at the very end, and no one noticed her movements. She quietly stood up and followed the little one to a secluded spot.
"Mother, you must remember to accept my jade pendant later," Chu Hongyu said, blinking his big eyes. "No matter what others say, Mother cannot back down. Remember that, okay?"
Yun Chu patted his head and said softly, "Yu Ge'er, you must remember that Mother will work very, very hard to come to you and Changsheng. Our family will be together openly and honestly."
The little one curved his lips into a smile.
Just then, Yun Chu suddenly heard voices coming from the flower bushes.
She patted the little one's bottom: "Hurry back to the banquet."
She looked in the direction of the voices and saw the bejeweled Crown Prince's Side Princess Consort, Fang Xinyan.
In front of Fang Xinyan, sitting on a large rock and slightly shorter than her, was the former Prince Zhuang, Chu Rui.
"You! Why are you haunting me like a ghost!" Fang Xinyan was quite flustered and angry. "Now that I'm already the Crown Prince's Side Princess Consort, why are you still pestering me?"
Chu Rui's pale face was full of confusion: "When have I ever pestered you?"
"Then why are you here?" Fang Xinyan said angrily. "This path is the only way from the Eastern Palace to the banquet hall. Waiting here, aren't you just trying to harass me?"
Back then, after her marriage arrangement with Prince Pingxi fell through, her father said that the Empress Dowager had requested the Emperor to arrange a marriage between her and Prince Zhuang.
She'd have to be crazy to marry a sickly man, so she could only agree to become the Crown Prince's Side Princess Consort.
She was already part of the Eastern Palace, yet Prince Zhuang... no, he wasn't a prince anymore—this man still haunted her like a ghost.
"If you harass me again, I'll report it to the Empress!" Fang Xinyan said, then turned and left in a huff.
The young eunuch standing beside Chu Rui stamped his foot and said, "Your Highness, why didn't you just tell Side Princess Consort Fang that you were merely resting here? How could it be harassment? How could she slander you so blatantly..."
Chu Rui opened his mouth to speak, but a cold breath entered his body, causing him to cough violently.
The young eunuch quickly helped him up: "Your Highness, hold on a little longer. We'll reach the banquet hall soon."
Chu Rui stood up with support and looked up to see the hem of a skirt not far away. Just from that silhouette, he recognized it as Yun Chu.
He quickly took two steps forward and called out, "Miss Yun."
Yun Chu had turned to leave after seeing Fang Xinyan depart, not wanting to cause trouble in the palace.
But since she had been called, she couldn't ignore it and had to turn back: "Your Highness."
"Miss Yun, do you think I'm a failure?" Chu Rui slowly approached Yun Chu. "Any random woman can humiliate and mock me like this. Living really has no meaning."
Yun Chu's mind flashed back to the scene of him cutting his wrist in the Golden Glory Hall.She paused before speaking: "There are still many worthwhile things in this world, Your Highness. You need eyes that are good at discovering beauty."
Chu Rui smiled bitterly: "In the entire capital, there isn't a single woman willing to marry me. I'm destined to walk alone toward death all by myself. Am I not pitiful?"
Yun Chu shook her head: "Perhaps your destined match hasn't arrived yet."
"What about Miss Yun's destined match then?" Chu Rui asked softly, "After your divorce, have you considered remarrying?"
Yun Chu found this question rather abrupt.
She avoided answering directly: "The New Year's Eve banquet is about to begin. We should head over now."
OpenNovel