Queen Zhao, sitting before her dressing table, scoffed. “My son had just become embroiled in Beilan City’s crisis, and someone immediately couldn’t sit still. Could it be that they thought our Zhao Family doesn’t have people?”
Earlier, the queen had speedily summoned her younger brother Zhao Sheng to the palace. By this time, Zhao Sheng should already have set out for Beilan City with his two sons to rescue the crown prince.
Beside her, Nanny Qing gently massaged Her Majesty the Queen’s shoulders, and she couldn’t resist cutting in, “Isn’t that right. Your Majesty doesn’t need to worry. His Highness the Crown Prince is very capable, so how could this trivial matter stump him! Rather, it’s that crown prince consort…”
Nanny Qing paused her speech. Hexiang, who had entered while carrying a cup of tea, walked lightly to the queen’s side. She docilely set the cup of tea before the queen and then stood behind her without making a sound.
Queen Zhao’s brows creased slightly upon hearing Nanny Qing mention her daughter-in-law. She felt a faint headache coming on, and that stoic face popped up in her mind without rhyme or reason.
After peering at the queen from the corner of her eye, Nanny Qing’s lips curved up into a hidden smile, and she continued with unremitting efforts. “This old servant has heard that the crown prince consort still has the temperament of a child and just likes to have fun. The reason why the crown prince left for Beilan City without bidding farewell this time, might possibly be the crown prince consort’s idea.”
After listening to her words, Queen Zhao pursed her lips unhappily.
Last time, it was also because the crown prince had accompanied that lass from the Qiao Family back home that he met with an assassination attempt on the way back!
This time, it was also that lass’s unruliness that put the crown prince in danger!
What’s more, she couldn’t like that stoic face no matter how she looked at it.
When she recalled how Consort Cheng came to pay respects to her with her several daughters-in-law, she was so envious!
There was no need to mention the Shu Family’s Eldest Miss, Shu Quan, whom she had watched grow up. She had been educated and well-mannered from young, and currently, she had given birth to one son and two daughters. It could be said that she, as a wife, had lived up to expectations.
The eldest prince’s Side Consort Zhang also looked to be quite sensible, and she had also given birth to a daughter.
Side Consort Wu, Wu Xiaoli, was the Wu Family’s Second Miss and the daughter of a concubine. However, she had fulfilled her wifely duties ahead of schedule! She hadn’t yet been wedded for half a year, yet she was already pregnant when she came to pay her respects. It was very likely that she was going to give birth to Consort Cheng’s fifth grandson.
This made Queen Zhao unbelievably green with envy!
Upon making a comparison to her two disappointing sons, Queen Zhao sighed incessantly. Her younger son was already 13 years old, yet he was like a runaway wild horse, fooling around outside all day with no trace of him to be seen.
The older one was even more unreasonable! He was over 20 years old yet paid no heed to women at all. Oh, he did now! But the one he paid heed to was a little stoic.
The fact that the heir apparent didn’t have sons—wasn’t this scrambling to give your enemies leverage against you? No wonder the royal censors were constantly nagging.
Queen Zhao set down her ivory fine-toothed comb in frustration. She raised her eyebrows and eyed Nanny Qing. “If we’re comparing Commandery Princess Yi’an to the future crown prince consort, who do you think suits His Highness more?”
“It’s only that the crown prince consort is younger, and also grew up among the common folk from young, so her temperament is a bit more carefree.” Elderly Nanny Huaxuan lifted the curtain and walked to the queen’s side with a smile.
Huaxuan very naturally picked up the fine-toothed comb that the queen had set down on the dressing table, and she started to comb the queen’s hair gently. “Her Majesty the Queen Dowager has raised Commandery Princess Yi’an by her side from a tender age. It is only natural that there is nothing to nitpick about her etiquette. However…”
“Sheesh, if you have something to say, out with it.” Seeing that Elderly Nanny Huaxuan hesitated to speak, the queen couldn’t resist urging, “There aren’t outsiders here, so what can’t you say?”
“Yes! Then this old servant will be frank.”