Ruan Mianmian's eyes suddenly widened. She had never heard her grandfather mention this, nor had she even heard anyone else say it.
"I've never heard anyone say that."
"The Princess of Southern Xinjiang is a concubine, and the Empress is the legitimate daughter. The relationship between the two sisters is really good. When the prince fell in love with the princess, the Empress spent a lot of effort to let her sister bear the identity of someone else's legitimate daughter, and finally this happened.
A marriage."
"No matter how powerful the Queen is, it's not easy to hide everything from the Emperor."
"The princess really got the point right. Since the prince likes it, the emperor will naturally turn a blind eye."
Ruan Mianmian frowned: "So, the emperor loves his younger brother, the queen loves his sister, and they should have a good relationship. Why did they fall out again later?"
Eunuch Kang looked nervously and then his voice became even lower: "This servant really doesn't know much about it. I only remember that the queen and the princess were pregnant at the same time and gave birth at the same time."
A bright light flashed in his mind, as if he had caught something but nothing, but Ruan Mianmian blurted out: "Princess Minghui was born in the palace?"
"The princess' guess is really accurate." Eunuch Kang was full of admiration. "It happened to be the Queen's birthday, and the princess came to the palace to celebrate her birthday. The palace banquet ended a little late that day, so she stayed in the palace."
"So little brother and Li Minghui were born on the same day?" It was such a coincidence that Ruan Mianmian had countless plot versions in his mind.
Eunuch Kang also looked puzzled: "Anyway, it rained heavily that night and it was a mess. I really don't know what happened."
"You'll know what happens next, right?" Ruan Mianmian caught the loophole in Eunuch Kang's words.
"No one dares to mention what happened later." Eunuch Kang warned, "If you have heard about it, just pretend you haven't heard about it. You must not tell anyone."
"Grandpa, don't worry."
"I remember that at dawn, the princess was carried out of the palace in a coma. The emperor was very angry, and the prince was taken away by the wet nurse. For three months, the emperor never stepped into the queen's palace."
"During those three months, the Queen was not able to see my little brother?"
"Yes. In three days, the emperor issued a decree to make the prince the king of southern Xinjiang, and he immediately went to the fiefdom."
Ruan Mianmian was shocked. Considering the empress's attitude towards Li Yu, it seemed that she was not his biological mother at all, but the little brother clearly looked very similar to the emperor.
No, resemblance to the emperor actually means resemblance to the King of Southern Xinjiang. Could it be that the old plot is happening again?
After Eunuch Kang finished speaking, he patted his heart and said, "If this matter comes out of the slave's mouth and into the ears of the princess, no third person must know about it."
"I know." Ruan Mianmian patted the back of Eunuch Kang's hand gently, "Don't worry."
Turning around, Ruan Mianmian raised his voice as if nothing had happened: "Jiu'er, serve tea."
"Yes, I kept your father-in-law waiting for a long time." Jiu'er came in with tea.
After drinking tea, Ruan Mianmian exchanged a few words with Eunuch Kang, ordered Jiu'er to see him off, and took two kilograms of fine tea back to him.
"Princess, what did the emperor give you?" Jiuer came back and saw the exquisite box placed on the coffee table.
Ruan Mianmian came back to her senses: "I don't know either. You'll know if you open it and take a look."
At this moment, Ruan Qi, who came after hearing the news, walked into the house and said, "I heard that Eunuch Kang is here?"
Before Ruan Mianmian could answer, Ruan Qi's eyes were attracted by the box in Jiu'er's hand.
As soon as Jiuer opened it, he found a box full of pink pearls. Each one was a little bigger than a thumb. They were round and flawless and exuded a faint luster. They were extraordinary at first glance.
"The emperor's reward is indeed a good thing." Ruan Mianmian smiled until her eyes narrowed into slits.
Ruan Qi's eyes lit up. The value of such a large pearl is no less than that of Dongzhu, especially this light pink color, which is even more rare. When he heard that it was a reward from the emperor, he couldn't help but look at Ruan Mianmian.
"Eunuch Kang sent this here." Ruan Mianmian waved her hand after saying this, and Jiuer put away the box of pearls knowingly.
His eyes fell on Ruan Qi, and Ruan Mianmian said lightly: "Eunuch Kang is gone."
"Oh." Ruan Qi showed a disappointed look.
Ruan Qi originally thought that he could show his face in front of Eunuch Kang whom he had not seen for several years. If he had a chance, he could also say a few words for him in front of the emperor, but he did not expect that he would be late.
After hearing what Eunuch Kang said about the past, Ruan Mianmian had no intention of dealing with Ruan Qi. She stood up and walked out.
After coming back to his senses, Ruan Qi stared at Ruan Mianmian's back, feeling that she really didn't understand etiquette and was arrogant. She felt very bad.
Ruan Qi frowned and walked out. Ever since he returned to the Hou Mansion, everything seemed to be going wrong. It was almost the New Year, and he had no money on hand.
Because the embroidery workshop closed early, Zhou Yunning also had some free time. When she heard that Eunuch Kang was coming, she quickly dressed up and hurried over.
When Zhou Yuning came with Shuang'er, she didn't see Eunuch Kang or Ruan Mianmian. Instead, she saw Ruan Qi stepping out of the door, and the couple met at the door.
"Sanlang." Zhou Yunning greeted him with a smile.
"Madam, you are late. Eunuch Kang has just left." Ruan Qi said angrily, "It's nothing, just that the emperor rewarded me with a box of pearls."
"Oh." Zhou Yunning felt relieved and her smile became brighter, "The Emperor loves Mianmian very much."
Ruan Qi became even more upset. The emperor loved his daughter, but as his own father, he really couldn't see what was so popular about that little baby with a bad temper and upturned nostrils.
Zhou Yunning could tell from Ruan Qi's expression that he was in a bad mood, and wondered if there was another conflict with his daughter.
"Mianmian is just a child, Sanlang, don't argue with her."
"Hmph, out of sight is out of mind."
Listen to this, is this what a father should say? Besides, a mother naturally knows the character of Xiaotai Tuanzi best.
During this period of time, I was too busy to pay attention, but from these words, I could tell that Ruan Qi was dissatisfied with Ruan Mianmian, and Zhou Yunning instantly turned cold.
"Sanlang, tell me, what did Mianmian do that was so embarrassing that you, the father, can't stand it anymore?"
Ruan Qi was at a loss for words. Ruan Mianmian didn't even say a word to him, but he just watched everyone hold her in their hands, and everyone from the emperor to the servants in the palace treated her like a treasure.
Yes, he felt sour and unhappy.
Facing the aggressive Zhou Yunning, Ruan Qi felt unfamiliar. In his memory, she was always gentle and gentle, with the tenderness of a Jiangnan woman, but now she is glowing and becoming more and more powerful.
Regardless of whether it was Zhou Yuning or Ruan Mianmian, even though they didn't say anything, Ruan Qi felt as if he was as humble as dust in front of their mother and daughter, which made him feel like his heart was burning from time to time.
In fact, Ruan Qi is just jealous. The more dazzling aura of his wife and daughter makes him more and more worthless, but he hasn't figured it out yet.