Chapter 246: The Fiefdom
Chapter 246: The Fiefdom
Queen Qi was listening to Aunt Qiu reporting the gifts sent by the Ying and Song mansions, among others, to celebrate the birth of the new county princess.
The addition of a new member to the royal family had been announced by imperial decree, so even before the official celebrations could be held, the news had spread throughout the capital.
The mansions closely tied to the royal family, either through friendship or marriage, had all sent gifts as a gesture of courtesy, and in some cases, as a sign of goodwill.
The Ying Mansion, for instance, sent gifts as a token of gratitude for the previous life-saving favor, and also because Ying Zhi genuinely liked Sui Sui.
As for the Song Mansion, they had already sent gifts earlier, but upon hearing that Sui Sui was unwell, they sent more gifts, mostly herbal medicines and health supplements.
The Ren and Meng Mansions also sent gifts as a matter of etiquette.
Additionally, the Viscount Mansion also sent their presents.
The Viscountess was the Queen's maternal aunt, and she had long known about Sui Sui's existence. Previously, she had even sent a message, insisting that Sui Sui be brought to their mansion during Chen Ge's birthday celebration so that she could meet her in person.
As soon as Prince Qi entered, he inquired about Sui Sui, bringing a smile to the Queen's face.
She gestured to the room next to them and said, "The child is taking her afternoon nap. She'll probably sleep for a while."
Children need plenty of sleep, and they grow fast.
Concerned about Sui Sui's frail body, Queen Qi wanted to ensure she had a peaceful environment during her naps so that she could rest well.
The little girl usually slept for about an hour.
Upon hearing that Sui Sui was asleep, Prince Qi nodded and casually asked which mansions had sent gifts. After being informed, he nodded again.
After Queen Qi was done listening to the report, she signaled for Aunt Qiu to keep the records safely and noted that some of the gifts would be allocated to Sui Sui's possessions.
Aunt Qiu quietly acknowledged and stepped aside.
Thinking about Aunt Guo, Queen Qi turned to Prince Qi and softly asked, "Should we also send someone to share the good news with the Guo family?"
Prince Qi didn't think it was necessary to make such a fuss, but as these matters were usually handled by the Queen, he simply nodded and said, "You decide on the arrangements."
Queen Qi nodded and then asked about a few other things.
After discussing some trivial matters, she recalled the incident where the Prince had gotten into a fight at the court that morning. To divert his attention then, she had brought up Aunt Guo's matter.
Now, Queen Qi wanted to know the outcome of that chaotic event.
With a smile, she asked, "By the way, what reward did His Majesty give to Sui Sui for the charcoal painting?"
At the mention of this, Prince Qi became animated, forgetting about the pain from his head wound. He was so excited that he almost started gesturing wildly to illustrate his point to the Queen.
However, remembering that Aunt Qiu and the others were present, he coughed lightly to hide his embarrassment and then lowered his voice. "His Majesty bestowed a fief upon our Sui Sui—Xiangshui County under Qingzhou Prefecture. I agreed because that region is relatively prosperous."
Hearing this, Queen Qi couldn't help but gasp.
Only princesses were granted fiefdoms, not county princesses.
Moreover, some princesses who were less favored or less prominent didn't even have their own fiefdoms.
While Sui Sui wasn't the first county princess to receive a fief,
However, such a reward was indeed heartwarming to hear.
It also showed how much the Emperor valued Sui Sui, or rather, how much he cherished this younger brother of his.
Now that Sui Sui had her own fiefdom, she had an additional layer of support and protection.
Queen Qi's heart leaped with joy as she listened, and she couldn't help but smile. "It's wonderful to have a fief. Our dear Sui Sui has endured too much hardship in the past. From now on, her life will only get better and more comfortable."
Prince Qi, of course, shared this unwavering belief: "Absolutely, absolutely, my sweet girl will definitely live a more comfortable life than any princess."
The Queen couldn't agree with that last statement, but since these matters were usually handled by the Prince, she simply smiled and refrained from commenting.
But then, her thoughts turned to Aunt Guo, and she gently asked, "Should we also send someone to share the good news with the Guo family?"
Prince Qi didn't think it was necessary to make a fuss, but as these matters were typically handled by the Queen, he nodded and replied, "You decide on the arrangements, my dear."
Queen Qi nodded, feeling relieved. She then inquired about a few other trivial matters before finally bringing up the chaotic event that had taken place in court that morning. To divert his attention then, she had brought up Aunt Guo's matter.
Now, she wanted to know the outcome of that incident.
With a playful smile, she asked, "By the way, what reward did His Majesty bestow upon Sui Sui for her charcoal painting?"
At this question, Prince Qi became animated, forgetting about the pain from his head wound. He was so excited that he almost started gesturing wildly to emphasize his point to the Queen.
However, remembering that Aunt Qiu and the others were present, he coughed lightly to hide his embarrassment and then lowered his voice. "His Majesty has bestowed upon our dear Sui Sui a fief—the Xiangshui County under Qingzhou Prefecture. I agreed because that region is relatively prosperous."
Upon hearing this, Queen Qi was pleasantly surprised and couldn't help but gasp.
Only princesses were granted fiefdoms; county princesses were not typically given this honor.
Moreover, some less favored or less prominent princesses didn't even have their own fiefdoms.
While Sui Sui wasn't the first county princess to receive a fief,
Queen Qi's heart was now at ease, and she smiled softly. "It's wonderful that Sui Sui now has a fief of her own. My dear Sui Sui has endured much hardship in the past, but from now on, her life will only improve and become more comfortable."
Prince Qi shared this belief without a doubt: "Of course, of course, my sweet girl will definitely live a life that's even more comfortable than any princess."
The Queen couldn't agree with that last statement, but she smiled gently, not wanting to argue.
She felt relieved that Sui Sui now had a name, an identity, and a fief of her own.
Slowly, the anxiety that had been weighing on her heart began to fade away.
She thought that perhaps the interpretation of the sign from the Lanruo Temple was correct.
"Perhaps we should just let nature take its course and not worry too much," she mused. "Everything happens for the best, and it's all part of Heaven's perfect plan."
However, a new question arose in her mind. "But now, do I need to go to the Lanruo Temple to fulfill a vow?"
Prince Qi, listening intently, didn't catch most of her words. His ears only perked up when he heard about going out with Sui Sui.
He eagerly nodded, not wanting to miss this opportunity. "Yes, yes, we should definitely go! It's a great idea to go out with our dear Sui Sui!"
Queen Qi thought that a change of scenery and some time away from the manor might do Prince Qi some good, allowing him to recover and rejuvenate in a different environment.
"I plan to visit the Lanruo Temple again, and this time, I'll bring you and Sui Sui along," she said. "We'll probably stay there for a few days and return before the end of the month."
There were also preparations to be made for the upcoming banquet at Minister Lu's manor next month.
Indeed, there was no shortage of tasks to be done.
Queen Qi busied herself with the arrangements, while Prince Qi found moments of respite between his busy schedule, cherishing the time he could spend with his children.
With Sui Sui in his arms, he rushed off, interrupting her thoughts: "Come, Sui Sui, let's go make paper kites! We'll fly them tomorrow at Lanruo Temple!"
After speaking, he turned to the two little girls following him. "Meng Meng, Tang Tang, you're both coming too! Everyone will have fun together!"
As for the stinky boys of the manor?
They were definitely not invited!
(End of Chapter)
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