Qiao Jinniang said, "Do you want me to tell my parents that my ex-husband is His Royal Highness? It would only make them worry."
As long as she found a fiancé, Lu Chen definitely wouldn't admit that he had once married into her family.
This matter could be kept secret from her parents for her lifetime.
Hearing Qiao Jinniang's explanation, Lu Chen also felt that before Qiao Jinniang's status was determined, there was no need to tell their real relationship to Duke Anyuan and his wife. He then said, "There are still some iced bayberries in the East Palace. I will have someone fetch them for you."
"No, I don't like to eat bayberries anymore."
Qiao Jinniang turned to hug Tuan'er. Tuan'er smiled at her. "Mother, row a boat!"
Qiao Jinniang glanced at the sun. The Dragon Boat Race held by the court would begin in half an hour. "Okay, I'll take you to see the boat rowing, but Tuan'er, you'll have to put on a mask."
Qiao Jinniang took two masks from Nuomi, one for Tuan'er and the other for herself.
Lu Chen looked at Qiao Jinniang's mask that covered only half of her face. This mask was bought during the Lantern Show of this year's Lantern Festival, so he had one as well. The Lantern Show in Lin'an that day was very lively.
In the Lantern Festival of previous years, she had always missed her parents, but this year's Lantern Festival was the happiest Lantern Festival she had ever experienced.
It was just in that Lantern Festival he accidentally fell into the water, which helped him recover his memories.
"Where is my mask?"
Qiao Jinniang said to Lu Chen, "You are now the Crown Prince. Shouldn't you sit on the seat prepared for the Crown Prince to watch the Dragon Boat Race?
"In case the people find out that I'm holding Tuan'er while watching the Dragon Boat Race, I will also put on a mask."
Lu Chen frowned and said, "When did I allow you to take Tuan'er to watch the Dragon Boat Race?"
Qiao Jinniang pointed to the sachet on Lu Chen's waist. "When you asked for the sachet, didn't you say that you would allow Tuan'er to accompany me for the Dragon Boat Festival?"
Lu Chen said, "I mean you can see Tuan'er, not you taking Tuan'er to squeeze in the crowd to watch the Dragon Boat Race. You know, Tuan'er's identity is unusual now. If something happens to him, can you be responsible for it?"
"He is my son. How can I let anything happen to him?" Qiao Jinniang hugged Tuan'er tightly.
Lu Chen said in a low voice, "My father will also come to watch the Dragon Boat Race today. Moreover, Tuan'er has long been saying that he wants to watch the Dragon Boat Race. If he is not there today, how can I explain to my father?
"If you want to accompany Tuan'er to watch the Dragon Boat Race and celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, you can only stay by my side."
Qiao Jinniang didn't expect Lu Chen to be so shameless. "But you promised to allow me to accompany him during the Dragon Boat Festival."
Lu Chen said, "I didn't say that you can't accompany him around. Anyway, in two months, you will be my concubine. It won't be a problem for you to accompany me to watch the Dragon Boat Race."
Qiao Jinniang clenched her hands, but as soon as she raised her hand, Lu Chen grabbed her wrist. "No third time! If you slap me again, you will be punished."
Qiao Jinniang held Tuan'er in her arms with one hand with difficulty and said, "Let go of me. I can't hold Tuan'er with one hand. Okay, I'll go with you, but I need to change my clothes first."
Lu Chen then let go of Qiao Jinniang and took Tuan'er back, with the corners of his lips slightly curled. "Okay, be quick."
In Lin'an, the Dragon Boat Festival was called "Evil Day".
The legend of the White Snake was widespread in Lin'an, and it was at the Dragon Boat Festival that the White Snake showed its true serpent form.
The climate was humid in the South. During the Dragon Boat Festival, mosquitoes and flies bred and epidemics broke out, so the Dragon Boat Festival was called "Evil Day".
People would put bracelets made of colorful ropes on their children and write the character "King" on their foreheads to protect them.
When Qiao Jinniang was a little girl, she once forgot to wear the colorful-rope bracelet during the Dragon Boat Festival and fell ill. Since then, her foster parents were so scared that they would close the restaurant and look after her every year during the Dragon Boat Festival.
After Qiao Jinniang gave birth to Tuan'er, she would keep close to Tuan'er all day during the Dragon Boat Festival, fearing that he might fall ill.
Lu Chen gently stroked the tassel under the sachet. He knew that because of Tuan'er, Qiao Jinniang wouldn't refuse to stay by his side today.
Qiao Jinniang sent Nuomi to buy a new dress for her at a ready-to-wear store, as well as a head curtain, a white gauze that hung down to cover her face.
When Lu Chen saw Qiao Jinniang dressed like this, he just thought she was shy.
When Qiao Jinniang got off the Crown Prince's carriage with Tuan'er, both sides were already full of people. When an eunuch announced that His Royal Highness arrived, all the civilian, military officers and their families on the viewing platform saluted Lu Chen.
There were some young noblemen under the platform, who were the teams coming to compete in the Dragon Boat Race today.
Dressed like this, standing beside Lu Chen and holding Tuan'er in her arms, Qiao Jinniang caught a lot of attention, but those around were all noblemen and officials. Even if they were curious, they didn't dare to look straight at her.
The seats of the people of the Anyuan Duke Mansion were not far from the viewing platform. Qiao Ruoshui stared at the woman in the pink dress, clenching her handkerchief in anger.
Princess Fulu came over and asked the Duchess, "Duchess, where is Jinniang?"
The Duchess smiled and said, "Princess Fu'an of Duke Rong's Mansion invited Jinniang to visit her early in the morning."
Fulu said in surprise, "Princess Fu'an? She hides in her room all year round and would cough for several days every time she goes out. How can she become friends with Jinniang?"
The Duchess was also surprised, but it was a princess, and Duke Rong was very trusted by His Majesty, so even if she felt that it was strange, she didn't ask.
Fulu looked at the woman next to the Crown Prince. "It turns out that she is in the Duke Rong's Mansion. I thought the person next to the Crown Prince was Jinniang!"
Qiao Ruoshui sneered coldly. "How is Qiao Jinniang worthy of sitting next to His Royal Highness? Moreover, how is she worthy of holding the little imperial grandson?"
Hearing Fulu's words, the Duchess looked at the woman next to the Crown Prince, who looked like Jinniang indeed, but why was she wearing a head curtain?
Fulu snorted. "Then are you worthy?"
Qiao Ruoshui didn't dare to argue with Fulu, so she just took out the bayberries and flaunted. "Princess, you must not have seen this fruit, right? These are fresh bayberries. His Royal Highness granted them to me!"
The Duchess's head instantly ached. She didn't expect Qiao Ruoshui to act so rudely. Isn't it enough for her to show off the bayberries at home?
She even brought them here!
Look how energetic she was. She didn't look seriously ill at all.
Fulu thought silently, 'Jinniang was right. Her imperial cousin must be blind to grant bayberries to Qiao Ruoshui!'
Qiao Ruoshui held the bayberries high, wishing to show them to all the noble girls in Chang'an.
Qiao Ruofeng's eyes were red with anger. Qiao Ruoshui's stupid boast would in turn ruin her reputation as well. If that man saw this, would he think that all the girls in the Duke Anyuan's Mansion were all so ill-mannered…
Ruoyi was already used to it. She looked at the woman next to the Crown Prince. Actually, just like Princess Fulu, she thought that person looked very much like Jinniang too.
How could there be so many coincidences in this world? The Crown Prince stayed in Lin'an in the last several years, and Jinniang was also from Lin'an.
The little imperial grandson mistook the Duchess and Qiao Ruoshui for his mother, and Jinniang looked very alike the Duchess, so the answer was obvious…
Soon, the Emperor and the Queen arrived at the viewing platform, followed by four to five imperial concubines.
The imperial guards on both sides displayed power and grandeur, and Qiao Jinniang followed the imperial maids beside her to get on her knees, listening to the deafening hails of "Long Live Your Majesty".
This was the first time she experienced what imperial power was like ever since she arrived from the South.
Qiao Jinniang looked at the imperial concubines behind the emperor. They could only sit aside, but the Queen could sit next to the Emperor. She was determined to never become like one of those women.
After that, five princes including Prince Qi came one after another.
Among the five princes, only Prince Qi and Prince Shu had wives, with the remaining three only having concubines.
Among the people of the Anyuan Duke Mansion, Qiao Ruofeng looked at those princes. Even among his handsome brothers, that man was the most handsome.