Yanran jumped off the carriage, grinning, and said, "If it's not him, then who is it? Give the people from the Princess's residence a red envelope and tell them to go back. Then take the crane in and have them taken good care of it. I'll talk to Cui Xiaoqiu for a while before going in."
Jiang'er quickly agreed.
"Waiting for me here?" Yanran skipped over and shoved the hand warmer that the Third Princess had insisted on giving her before leaving into Cui Xiaoqiu's hands. "Have you been waiting long? I thought it would be very busy at home today, it's your mother's birthday!"
"You just arrived too." Cui Xiaoqiu's eyes held a doting look, but also a depth that Yanran didn't notice.
"Why are your hands so cold now that you've just arrived? Cui Xiaoqiu, you need to nourish them properly!" Yanran said. "Come on, let's go to my yard and talk for a while. I'll take you over the wall in a bit."
If this little body gets any colder, the Cui Family's rising star will be doomed.
Pshaw, pshaw, pshaw! It's almost Chinese New Year, we can't say such unlucky things.
"Okay." Cui Xiaoqiu nodded with a smile.
All my worries vanish the moment I see her.
Even just listening to her speak makes me happy.
"Oh, by the way, I got a pair of cranes today, do you want them?"
"You can keep it, it's the same."
"That's true. Oh, and I should tell you, I almost got ambushed today. Luckily, I'm skilled and daring... wait, something doesn't seem right. How should I put it? Anyway, luckily I'm good..."
Yanran recounted the events of the day in a long, drawn-out manner.
When they finished speaking, the two were already sitting in a warm room, holding hot jujube tea.
"Drink more, it'll help replenish your blood," Yanran said.
Cui Xiaoqiu smiled, took a sip, and then Yanran poured him another.
"My third aunt said that this matter definitely needs to be addressed, but whether it's the truth is another matter... but my maternal grandfather will definitely be able to find out the real culprit."
Otherwise, wouldn't all those years as Minister of the Court of Judicial Review have been for nothing?
Cui Xiaoqiu nodded, her expression showing no extreme reaction.
"Oh, right," Yanran said, resting her chin on her hand and leaning against the table, "There's something I'm not sure about, could you help me think of it..."
"You say."
"Isn't my third aunt's attitude... a little too kind?"
It's obvious that Jiang Ruo was implicated because of her.
However, it was the Third Princess who stepped forward.
Cui Xiaoqiu said, "Helping you is entirely beneficial to her."
"You mean, she's on our side?"
"From the Jiang Family's perspective, Jiang Zhong is the prince's right-hand man, and the Jiang Family will still have to rely on Jiang Zhong in the future. From the Third Princess's own perspective, it's time to choose sides, otherwise, after the emperor's death, who will protect her prestigious position?"
Although both were princesses, the difference in their status and treatment by the emperor was like night and day.
Only when one is at the center of power and receives its favor can one be respected.
"Her choice to side with my father shows good judgment."
"Fool," Cui Xiaoqiu laughed, "There are too many people who want to side with the Prince right now."
Now it's no longer a matter of everyone picking and choosing which side to take; instead, it's the Prince of Jin choosing whoever he deems worthy.
Because in the eyes of truly intelligent people, the overall situation is already clear.
"Huh?" Yanran didn't understand. She hadn't been daydreaming!
"Your Highness's opponent is not Prince of Ding..."
Who is that?
"Emperor."
Yanran her head.
"The Emperor simply doesn't want to be sidelined by the Prince, doesn't want to become a retired emperor; he wants to maintain control over the court. But the Prince now possesses too much, which has made the Emperor wary."
First came the relationship between ruler and subject, then the relationship between father and son.
The Emperor's feelings for Prince of Jin were also complex.
He both hoped that his son would become successful and pass on the Yuwen Family's empire well in the future, but he was also afraid that his son would be too outstanding and steal his limelight.
Beyond the father-son bond, there is also the innate sense of crisis that males have regarding their territory.
"What about Prince of Ding?" Yanran asked, puzzled.
"Just a clown," Cui Xiaoqiu said. "Even the Emperor can't act recklessly; his every word and action is being watched by the historians!"
At this point, someone has to take the blame.
The emperor cannot target his sons, but it is common for sons to fight each other.
The Emperor may have felt that this was a touchstone prepared for the Prince of Jin.
"That Consort De, the Lang Family..."
"They're not worth mentioning," Cui Xiaoqiu said.
Yanran was delighted upon hearing this. "If that's the case, then we can rest easy!"
"That's not entirely true..."
"How should I put it? I'm not saying this to be mean, but all you people are always thinking so much, aren't you tired of it?" Yanran rolled her eyes, grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and started cracking them open. "To put it simply, I don't understand anything complicated."
Cui Xiaoqiu chuckled, "It's like, growing up is inevitable, but in the process, there are joys and sorrows, and there might be unexpected events... But generally speaking, growing up is a natural progression."
What is an accident?
"It's probably like a natural disaster such as an earthquake."
As long as things go smoothly, the Prince of Jin will definitely be fine.
Cui Xiaoqiu said that he was very meticulous.
"Then there's no problem. We can't have earthquakes following my father and mother wherever they go."
Yanran breathed a sigh of relief.
She can get a little more arrogant now; her father is the chosen one.
Once you understand this, being plotted against is like a light drizzle, not worth mentioning.
They're just clowns! Prince of Ding, Consort De, the Lang Family —they're all just the same old stuff!
She then asked Cui Xiaoqiu, "Has your banquet ended yet?"
Although Madam Cui still has her parents-in-law and isn't the head of the household, isn't Cui Xiaoqiu becoming more and more successful and respectable?
Therefore, her birthday celebrations became more and more grand each year.
Yanran had heard before that they were going to set up more than a dozen tables, and that was just for relatives!
Cui Xiaoqiu said in a muffled voice, "No."
"Huh? Why did you come out if the party's still going? Don't you need to go back and help?"
I don't want to listen to them.
Yanran's eyes widened.
How could a child as good as Cui Xiaoqiu be so rebellious?
"Did something happen?" Yanran threw the melon seeds back into the plate, touched the teapot, felt that the tea was a little cold, and called for someone to bring hot tea.
Cui Xiaoqiu lowered her eyes and said, "My mother and aunt are talking about my marriage."
"Ah! The marriage!" Yanran said. "That's right, I'll be eleven (by Chinese reckoning) after the New Year, and you'll be thirteen. Hehe, are you shy? It's okay, tell me secretly, who has your mother taken a liking to? Your cousin? Which cousin? Have I met her?"
Cui Xiaoqiu remained silent.
"Aren't you satisfied?" Yanran asked softly again.
This time, Cui Xiaoqiu simply hummed in agreement.
"Then why don't you just talk to your mother? If you don't want to, she can't force you; she loves you so much."
"Yanran, what if you don't like the marriage your mother has arranged for you?"
"No! My mother said that if I don't like it, I can stay in the Prince's mansion forever."