This year, due to mourning, during the hottest days, everyone stayed at home and didn't go to the country estate to escape the heat. Now it was almost August. It was still sweltering during the day, but it had cooled down in the morning and evening.
The princess consort had long added a mattress to Lu Wanning's bed. She also told the wet nurses and maids to remember to help Lu Wanning add clothes in the morning and evening.
Lu Wanning had accepted Jiang Shishi's invitations several times. However, every time she also sent an invitation to Zhen Yan, but Zhen Yan never showed up.
Jiang Shishi was very worried. "Is it because of my relationship with Young Master He San that A Yan is ignoring even us now?"
Lu Wanning quickly comforted her. "No. As you heard last time, there are some troubles in Sister Zhen's family. Maybe she is too busy with family affairs to have time to go out and play."
Jiang Shishi sighed. "A Yan... Well, one can't force matters of the heart. The Zhen family doesn't mind A Yan's reputation, so she won't be troubled by it."
After chatting for a while, Jiang Shishi sighed. "In the past, I always thought Lu Yingshuang and her group were so pretentious. Even when they were writing poems, they had to grade them as excellent, good, medium, or poor. Now that they're gone, I find life rather boring. Now when they invite me to poetry gatherings, I don't even want to go."
Lu Wanning wasn't interested in poetry. She just said, "Yesterday, when I passed by a poetry club, I saw a few little girls in their early teens holding a poetry gathering there. Now, it's their world."
Jiang Shishi burst out laughing. "That's right. Among us, A Mu is pregnant, and Qinqin and Bi'er are already married. Most of the others are probably also engaged. I'm afraid that after a while, it won't be the young ladies' poetry gatherings, but the married women's tea parties."
Lu Wanning smiled and then asked, "By the way, I heard that Princess Qin has been going out to play quite often recently. But I've tried to invite her for several days without success. Have you invited her?"
Jiang Shishi shook her head. "Princess Qingian never liked to leave the palace before and rarely played with others. Come to think of it, she was closer to you. But recently, she seems to have a good relationship with the young ladies from the Qin family. After all, they are of a similar age."
Lu Wanning pondered for a while. The Qin family, whose head was the Minister of Works, rose to prominence after the fall of the Fu family. The head of the Qin family was originally the Right Vice - Minister. Minister Qin had always been very low - key and not well - known in the capital. How did they get in touch with Princess Qin?
Originally, Lu Wanning planned to find time to visit Princess Qin in the palace. But before she could find a suitable opportunity, she was a bit dizzy from the successive battle reports.
The severity of the battle on the northern border was directly proportional to Lu Hongxi's facial expression. Even the emperor knew that to know the latest battle situation, he didn't need to read the battle reports. He just needed to look at Lu Hongxi's face when he entered the palace. It even got to the point where he could tell just by listening to Lu Hongxi's footsteps before entering the hall.
The princess consort and Lady Wei went to the small Buddhist hall every day to pray for the soldiers on the battlefield, hoping that they would be safe and sound. They also hoped that the war would end soon so that the country and its people could recuperate.
Lu Wanning finally found an opportunity to visit Princess Qin in the palace. Princess Qin was no longer as dull and timid as before. Instead, she looked like a proper host, holding Lu Wanning's hand and walking into the palace.
"I made a few like - minded sisters when I went out of the palace recently. But my father is in a bad mood recently, so I can't go out to play every day. Fortunately, you came to the palace. Otherwise, I would be so bored."
Lu Wanning nodded with a smile. "I heard that you get along well with the young ladies from the Qin family."
Princess Qin got excited and chattered to her about a lot of things about the Qin family. After that, she shyly glanced at the wet nurse and whispered to Lu Wanning, "The Qin family has a marriage alliance with the Cheng family..."
Lu Wanning pretended to understand and teased Princess Qin a few times. Seeing that the old wet nurse was constantly staring at them, she waved her hand. "Come here."
The wet nurse didn't hesitate and immediately came over to salute. "Your Highness, what are your orders?"
Lu Wanning said, "I heard when I entered the palace that the Empress Dowager was in the Buddhist hall. I don't know if she has come out yet. I'll visit the Empress Dowager later. Please go and ask for me."
The wet nurse nodded and turned around to call the maids.
Lu Wanning waved her hand. "I'm going to visit the Empress Dowager, not someone else. An ordinary maid won't do. You are Princess Qin's personal wet nurse. You'd better go."
The wet nurse quickly said, "Your Highness, this servant is the old wet nurse of Princess Qingian. Princess Qingian can't do without this servant."
"Oh?" Lu Wanning frowned and gave Princess Qin a cold look.
Princess Qin showed a scared look again and said to the wet nurse, "Nurse, if Sister Zhaoyang asks you to go, you should go."
The wet nurse explained, "But Your Highness..."
Lu Wanning slapped the table, and her face became even colder. "What's wrong with you, wet nurse? As a servant, you should do whatever your master says. Do you think I'll hurt your master? Or is this Princess Qin's idea?"
Princess Qin's face turned pale, and she waved her hands anxiously. "No, no. Nurse, don't shirk. Go quickly."
The wet nurse had no choice. She whispered a few words to the maid beside her and then hurried away.
Lu Wanning took a sip of tea and stood up impatiently. "It's so boring in your palace. I want to go for a walk in the imperial garden."
Princess Qin smiled flatteringly. "Okay, let's go together."
Lu Wanning still had a cold face, and Princess Qin followed her carefully, step by step. After walking around the Thousand - Carp Pond, a cool breeze blew, which was quite comfortable.
"The fish in the pond are quite interesting. You, go and get some fish food. And you all stay farther away. Don't get so close. It's hot, and I'm very stuffy."
The maids didn't dare not to obey. They all stepped back half a zhang away from the two princesses to make sure they wouldn't disturb them.
Lu Wanning waved her silk fan impatiently. "The people in your palace are so stupid one by one."
Princess Qin lowered her head and said softly, "The Qin family is in power. Their ancestral home is in the northeast. Their protégés are all over the Great Zhou, and their power can't be underestimated. In the past, He Nanfeng tried to collect evidence of the crimes of several families, but there was insufficient evidence in several cases. Now the Qin family has obtained all of them."
Lu Wanning understood but pretended not to. She sneered. "Sister isn't being presumptuous. You're a princess after all. Why do you have to act so obsequiously? So what if the Qin family is in a marriage alliance with the Cheng family? The Cheng family marrying a princess is a great joy. If you act like this, people will think that the royal family is easy to manipulate."
The maids were far away. They could vaguely hear Princess Zhaoyang scolding Princess Qin, but Princess Qin always had a soft voice, so they really couldn't hear clearly. Just from the looks of it, it seemed that Princess Qin was wronged again.
Lu Wanning sighed softly, propped her head up with her hand, and lowered her voice. "Last time... He Chan said something about a marriage alliance. I didn't hear clearly."
There were terrified tears in Princess Qin's eyes. She seemed to be defending herself, but what she said was something else. "She actually told you on her own initiative? It was the King of Zhaobi who asked for a princess to marry into his country. You don't have to worry. I'll go."