I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

Chapter 170 Farewell Gift

After dinner, Concubine Jin stood up and said, "Mother, your daughter-in-law has prepared some small gifts. Could you please ask them to go to the side hall for me?"

For so many days, the Queen Mother had never let the mother and son be alone together. On this last night, the Queen Mother thought that nothing would happen to her, so she agreed.

In the side hall, Concubine Jin took out a small mahogany box and handed it to Qin Miao, saying gently, "I don't have anything good. These earrings are my dowry. I wish you and Zheng'er love and happiness, and may you have a son soon."

Qin Miao opened the wooden box and saw a pair of gold-threaded and white jade gourd earrings, and her face suddenly turned red.

"Thank you, mother!"

She looked up at Chu Mingzheng, who gestured for her to leave with a blank expression. Although Qin Miao felt disappointed, she still said gently, "Miao'er is waiting for Brother Zheng outside."

Seeing Qin Miao leave, Concubine Jin asked He Hui to guard outside the door. After this farewell, she was afraid that she would never return to Beijing in her life. Looking at her son, her eyes could not help but tear up.

Chu Mingzheng's mind was still on the fortune-telling divination his mother had asked for. He asked anxiously, "Mom, are the fortune-telling words you said just a lie, or are they true?"

Concubine Jin didn't answer this question. She helped him sit down and advised, "Mother knows that you prefer Lu, but consummating your marriage with her doesn't prevent you from liking Lu. Qin is Duke Qin's beloved daughter, and she's deeply in love with you. She's also your legitimate concubine. You can't let her be a widow, can you?"

"Mom, I know. I know what's going on."

Chu Mingzheng looked at his mother's inquiring expression and explained, "I want to wait until Yangyang gives birth to the Crown Prince before consummating the marriage with my cousin. Yangyang's father and brother died in battle, leaving only her eldest sister. She simply cannot support the Chengyang Marquisate. The Empress Dowager is partial to my cousin. She already has an uneasy position as the Princess. If my cousin gives birth first, how can she gain a foothold in the palace?"

"You also said that she is the beloved daughter of Duke Qin. I can't let her take contraceptive soup!"

It’s better not to touch it, so you can save yourself the trouble.

Concubine Jin had never expected her son to be so devoted to Lu, and she was even more worried: "Zheng'er, this is just the intrigue within the small harem. With you protecting her, what can happen? You have to consider your own situation first."

If his son decided to stay in the capital, he would have only one lonely road left. If he failed, he would be doomed. Therefore, although Concubine Jin had different goals from the Queen Mother, they both wanted the same result: they hoped that Mr. Qin Miao would give birth to a eldest son.

Concubine Jin advised, "Duke Qin is the richest man in the world. If his grandson can become the crown prince, he will help you wholeheartedly. As for Yangyang, she is a good child and will definitely understand your difficulties."

"Mom!" Chu Mingzheng interrupted his mother unhappily: "I didn't marry her to let her suffer with me."

Concubine Jin knew that her son was always stubborn and never changed his mind, so she stopped trying to persuade him and took out a wooden box from the box and handed it to Chu Mingzheng.

"This is my savings from these years. If you want to do something big, you'll need money."

"Mom, I have money!" Chu Mingzheng refused.

Concubine Jin put the wooden box into her son's hands, hugged him and cried, "Son, please think about what I said. Only when you survive can you talk about love."

On the carriage back home, Chu Mingzheng's mind was filled with his mother's crying, and his head was splitting with pain.

Qin Miao sat beside him, looking at his pale face, clutching her clothes in fear, "Brother Zheng, I was really just chatting with Mother, I didn't expect the Empress Dowager to hear it."

"Nothing!" Chu Mingzheng closed his eyes.

Qin Miao looked at it, her heart feeling like a rootless duckweed, drifting in the wind and snow.

Sometimes she felt that Brother Zheng liked her, and sometimes she felt that it was just distant politeness. This feeling tormented her and kept her awake at night.

She was afraid that all her fantasies would come to nothing.

Did you do something wrong?

The only answer she got was the sound of wheels turning. Gradually the sound of the wheels stopped, and they had arrived at the Ningyuan Palace.

Chu Mingzheng opened his eyes and held Qin Miao's hand: "I will accompany you back to the East Warm Pavilion."

Qin Miao looked up, her heart pounding in her throat. In an instant, all her uneasiness vanished. She silently cuddled up to the man, followed him out of the carriage, into the palace, and toward the road leading to the East Warm Pavilion.

Mudan was even more excited and led the way with a lantern in hand.

Zheng Hao ran over with tiny steps, "Your Highness, the princess invites you over!"

"Brother Zheng!" Qin Miao held his hand in panic.

"Miao'er, you take a rest first. I'll come visit you another day." Although he had to perfunctorily appease the Queen Mother, there was no rush today. Chu Mingzheng brushed Qin Miao's hand away and left quickly.

Qin Miao looked at the receding figure and looked at Mudan in surprise: "Lu Mingyang just said one word and he left without even asking anything!"

Mudan comforted Qin Miao distressedly: "Don't worry, young lady, the Queen Mother is here, His Highness will come eventually."

Chu Mingzheng stepped into the main courtyard and heard sobbing sounds.

He said, why would the little girl think of him for no reason? Chu Mingzheng concealed his disappointment, stepped into the room, and said sternly: "Stop crying."

Chu Yueling pouted, leaned on Lu Mingyang's shoulder, and cried aggrievedly.

Lu Mingyang looked at Chu Mingzheng, with a hint of helplessness and apology in his eyes.

Chu Mingzheng sat down and sighed, "I can ask Pei Mian to arrange a position for her in the Yueqi Battalion."

"Really!" Chu Yueling stood up suddenly, a smile appearing on her tearful face.

"But!" Chu Mingzheng frowned and said, "You must return to Jinyang with your mother."

"I do not want……"

"Don't think about it!" Chu Mingzheng interrupted his sister harshly, "You want to marry your father before his body is even cold?"

"I didn't say I would marry him now. I just want to stay in the capital to accompany my eldest sister-in-law..." Seeing that her elder brother had an expression that did not allow for negotiation, Chu Yueling was afraid that he would go back on his word, so she hurriedly agreed.

……

At the Ten-Li Pavilion west of the city, Lu Mingyang accompanied Chu Mingzheng to bid farewell to Concubine Jin. Of course, it was not only Lu Mingyang who was with him, but also Qin Miao.

This farewell may be for a lifetime.

Concubine Jin took Lu Mingyang's hands and invited her to talk aside.

"Aunt Imperial!" Chu Mingzheng grabbed Lu Mingyang's wrist.

"Don't worry, I won't say anything you don't want to hear."

Lu Mingyang did not quite understand the strange conversation, but he still pushed Chu Mingzheng's hand away and followed Concubine Jin to the side.

Concubine Jin handed Lu Mingyang a mahogany box, her eyes full of tenderness: "Open it and take a look!"

Lu Mingyang opened it with suspicion, and a dazzling light shone out. Inside was a seven-treasure necklace made of gold, silver, glass, giant conch, agate, pearls, and moonstone. It was dazzling and beautiful.

Concubine Jin said, "This is the marriage stone we went to the temple to pray for Zheng'er's father when he was still alive. I give it to you. May you and Zheng'er live in harmony and have many children."

How could Lu Mingyang dare to accept it: "Princess Dowager, please give it to His Highness!"