The Qiao family's mansion in the North Mountain was not as magnificent as the Duke Mansion in Chang'an, but it was still spacious.
The Duchess left the best courtyard to Qiao Jinniang. From the decoration inside, one could tell how well the Duchess was treating her.
"Miss, Madam loves you very much. She scolded Fourth Miss so hard, and she didn't even allow her to come to the paddock because of you."
Yingtao said while sorting Qiao Jinniang's luggage.
Qiao Jinniang sighed. Now Qiao Ruoshui must resent her even more.
It was getting dark, and tomorrow the Emperor would bring the Crown Prince and the little imperial grandson to the North Mountain paddock, and then she would be able to see the little imperial grandson.
With so many coincidences, she was almost certain that the little imperial grandson was her Tuan'er.
At night, Qiao Jinniang tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She wanted to see Tuan'er, but was afraid that Tuan'er was the little imperial grandson.
If that jerk was the Crown Prince, it made sense for him to give her a divorce letter. How could the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty marry into a merchant family?
In fact, when she thought about it carefully, she realized that the graceful bearing he occasionally revealed and his money-making ability were not what an ordinary man could have.
The daughter of the Xie family in Lin'an had once said that Qiao Jinniang, a girl of humble birth, was not worthy of him.
"Miss, you haven't slept yet?" Hongling came in with a lamp and asked, "Are you nervous about the spring hunt tomorrow?"
"His Majesty and Her Majesty are both tolerant people. You don't have to worry about tomorrow's royal banquet."
"A royal banquet?" Qiao Jinniang asked, "Can I see His Majesty at the banquet?"
Hongling smiled and said, "Sure, Duke Anyuan's Mansion is one of the most important noble families, so we won't sit too far from His Majesty. You will certainly see His Majesty and Her Majesty."
Qiao Jinniang was stunned. "Then will I see His Royal Highness too?"
Hongling nodded. "That's why every noble girl in Chang'an is busy making new riding outfits and buying new jewelry these days, all because the Crown Prince will attend the spring hunt!"
Qiao Jinniang was a little worried. She wanted to see Tuan'er, but she didn't want to see the Crown Prince…
If the Crown Prince was really that b*stard, would he kill her to silence her when he learned that she had come to Chang'an?
Perhaps it would even implicate the Duke Mansion.
Now Qiao Jinniang was completely restless. It was a bit cold in the mountains in April, so she looked pale after a night without sleep.
When the Duchess came to Qiao Jinniang's room and noticed her pale face, she blamed Hongling. "Why does your miss look so haggard?"
Hongling lowered her head and said, "Madam, Sorry, I didn't take good care of Miss."
Qiao Jinniang smiled at the Duchess. "Mother, don't blame them. I couldn't sleep last night, so I feel very tired today. May I be absent from the royal banquet today? I'd like to rest for the day."
The Duchess nodded. "Okay, take a good rest. If you need anything, have a maid call me over."
Qiao Jinniang nodded. "Okay, Mother."
In the end, she was a fragile woman. Without sleep a whole night, Qiao Jinniang was sleepy now, so she fell asleep soon.
…
The Emperor and the Queen were coming to the paddock, so both sides of the roads were crowded with the villagers on the North Mountain, wanting to see what the Emperor looked like.
The Emperor was very kind and didn't forbid commoners from seeing his wife and concubines.
Thus, people started gathering on both sides of the roads just to see the appearance of the nobles.
It was the first time Nuomi came to Chang'an, so Yingtao brought Nuomi here to have fun.
Nuomi looked from a distance and followed the crowd to kneel down. When she saw the Queen who was even more beautiful than fairies, she asked, "Sister Yingtao, who are the seven young men in python robes in front?"
"They're His Majesty's seven princes, and the one in the front should be His Royal Highness."
From a distance, Yingtao could only see their clothes but not their faces, so she guessed.
Since Nuomi came to Chang'an, she had been hearing from the little maids in the Duke Mansion about how handsome the Crown Prince was, but now she was a bit disappointed. The Crown Prince was not even as handsome as Miss' a*shole ex-husband!
The man in the front was actually Junior Duke Rong. Although he found that the people were mistaking him for the Crown Prince, he couldn't stop and explain that he was not the Crown Prince.
The real Crown Prince had seized his carriage and made him ride a horse under the scorching sun. As a Crown Prince, didn't he even have his own carriage?
When Qiao Jinniang woke up, the sound of drumming was all in her ears.
When Nuomi saw her wake up, Noumi said, "Miss, Miss, it's so lively outside. I saw His Majesty and Her Majesty. Her Majesty is so beautiful!"
Hearing her words, Qiao Jinniang asked sleepily, "Then have you seen His Royal Highness?"
Nuomi said, "Yes. The princes were all riding horses, each more handsome than another, but the Crown Prince is not as good-looking as it was rumored. He's not even one-tenth as handsome as your ex-husband."
When Qiao Jinniang heard Nuomi's words, she realized that her guess was wrong.
Qiao Jinniang blushed. What was wrong with her? How could she think that His Royal Highness would be her ex-husband?
Fortunately, she didn't tell anyone about her guess. Otherwise, she would definitely become a laughingstock for others.
Maybe it was just a coincidence.
…
In Junior Duke Rong's carriage.
Listening to his secret guard's report, the Crown Prince said, "Qiao Jinniang is not invisible, but you still can't find her? Can she hide underground?"
The head of the secret guards said in shame, "Your Royal Highness, we've already checked all the travel permits at the piers and city gates. Qiao Jinniang must have not left Lin'an. Perhaps she has hidden herself to avoid trouble from the members of the Qiao family."
If it was possible, the Crown Prince really wanted to look for her himself.
Tuan'er wanted her mother more and more at night. When he saw Qiao Ruoshui on the road just now, he called her "Mom" and even dragged her into the carriage.
So the Crown Prince had to go to Junior Duke Rong's carriage.
He was busy all night last night, causing him to miss Qiao Jinniang a bit, who often made him a bowl of dim sum when he was busy late at night…
Amidst the beating of drums, the Emperor announced the beginning of the spring hunt.
When Qiao Ruoshui got off the Crown Prince's carriage, countless envious gazes fell on her.
Li Lingling clenched her hands hard, causing her nails to dig deep into the flesh of her palm. "Didn't the people of Duke Anyuan's Mansion come to the North Mountain yesterday? Why did Qiao Ruoshui come with the little imperial grandson?"
Duke Anyuan frowned when he saw Qiao Ruoshui.
Qiao Ruoshui was holding Tuan'er, thinking that this boy was quite a little heavy. Currently, her parents doted on that slave-raised woman from the countryside, which was a great disgrace for her.
Since she couldn't count on her parents anymore, she could only rely on herself to become the crown princess.
The Duchess hurried forward and greeted the Crown Prince. "Thank you for giving my daughter a ride, Your Highness."
Tuan'er nestled into Qiao Ruoshui's shoulder, and when he saw Duchess Anyuan, he opened his arms and wanted her to hug him.
The Duchess had a terrible headache, but she could only hug him.
For some reason, she liked the little imperial grandson very much at the first glance she saw him.
Princess Fulu walked to the Duchess and asked, "Where is Jinniang? Why didn't Qiao Jinniang come today? I want to bring her to Qin Miaomiao to annoy her!"
The Duchess said with a fawning smile, "Princess, Jinniang is from a small place. Please don't give her a hard time."
"I won't give her a hard time. She's my good friend." Fulu stretched out her hand and rubbed the little imperial grandson's face. "Tuan'er, you're getting more and more adorable."
Tuan'er called her sweetly, "Auntie!"
Fulu took out cakes and teased him. "Tuan'er, do you want to come play with me?"
The little imperial grandson nodded hurriedly.
Ignoring the obstruction of the eunuchs and imperial maids, Fulu took Tuan'er in her arms and left the palace.
She had promised to let Qiao Jinniang see the little imperial grandson. Coming from the countryside, Qiao Jinniang must be very curious.
But the eunuchs and imperial maids suddenly knelt in a row in front of her when Fulu was about to walk out the gate of the palace. "Princess, please, please don't..."
"If His Royal Highness knows that you took away the little imperial grandson, we will be severely punished!"