Chapter 65

Eunuch Wang continued, "For so many years, the eighth prince has been searching for the eldest son, but has not been able to find him. Although General Zhou was raised by others, it is still unclear if he is truly the eighth prince's child."

The emperor said, "I just feel that he looks quite similar."

Eunuch Wang sighed, "There are many people who look alike, who can really confirm that General Zhou is the eighth prince's child? Your Majesty, this matter requires caution, extreme caution."

The emperor also felt a bit distressed, "Do you have any good ideas? I always feel indebted to the eighth uncle. Although the eighth uncle has never said anything over the years, there has always been a knot in my heart."

Eunuch Wang thought for a moment and said, "The lotus flowers in the Qing Garden are in full bloom now. Why not invite them to come and admire the flowers, arrange for them to meet. They say that the bond between a mother and child is inseparable, perhaps without Your Majesty worrying, the eighth prince and princess will be able to recognize him."

*

On this side, Zhou Yinuo had already completed his tasks at the military department and was planning to go home with Song Dingxiang. Unexpectedly, the emperor suddenly issued an order, inviting the court officials and the princes to the Qing Garden to admire the lotus flowers.

The Qing Garden, a serene oasis nestled just beyond the imperial palace, surpassed even the grandeur of the Imperial Flower Garden. Its expansive waters invited leisurely boat rides, while its meticulously crafted mountains, adorned with delicate winter plum blossoms and vibrant summer lotus, painted a breathtaking tableau throughout the year. The garden's harmonious blend of natural beauty and human artistry created a haven of tranquility where emperors and their court could escape the rigors of governance and immerse themselves in the poetic elegance of nature.

Moreover, the Qing Garden was open to the public twice a year, allowing the common people to enter and enjoy the scenery, making it a lively event.

Although it was already late summer, the lotus flowers in the Qing Garden were in full bloom. From afar, they appeared delicate and radiant against the red sun, truly exquisite.

During this lotus viewing event, the emperor simply said it was to lift the spirits, allowing officials of the fourth rank or higher in the capital city to attend, and they could also bring their families.

Song Dingxiang was not actually interested in looking at lotus flowers, as her family had a large pond of lotus plants, so she could see flowers every year. However, since the emperor had just bestowed gifts upon their family and granted her the title of county princess, it would be inappropriate not to go.

The emperor seemed to know that she didn't have many fancy dresses, so he specially sent a few complete outfits. From head to toe, everything was well-prepared, obviously intending for her to wear them to the lotus viewing.

Zhou Yinuo couldn't evade this task either and could only wear his official attire to accompany his beautiful wife.

At the entrance of the Qing Garden, many sedan chairs and carriages were parked, and eunuchs and guards were busy shuttling back and forth. Song Dingxiang alighted from the county princess's ceremonial carriage bestowed by the emperor and was immediately greeted by numerous curious gazes.

The fact that the emperor granted the title of county princess to a peasant girl had become a well-known topic of gossip in the capital city. It was known that such titles were usually reserved for daughters of imperial relatives and nobles.

But now, this title had unexpectedly been given to a peasant girl. How could people not be curious?

Song Dingxiang put on a brave face, smiling, pretending not to notice the gazes, and simply followed Zhou Yinuo, escorted by a eunuch into the garden.

Zhou Yinuo was tall and handsome, already a military general of the fourth rank at just over twenty years old. Unfortunately, he was married, otherwise, he would have been the prime choice for unmarried women in the capital city.

Many people couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as they looked at the imposing figure of General Zhou followed by the petite yet beautiful peasant wife.

What kind of luck did this peasant family have to catch the emperor's eye?

The Qing Garden was said to be a garden, but it was actually built along an inland river. The river was filled with vast fields of lotus flowers, with tall viewing platforms and stages on either side of the river.

In addition to these, there were many courtyards for resting, where food and drink were readily available, making it perfectly fine to stay here for a few days.

"General Zhou, Madam Zhou," greeted the eunuch with a smile, "The emperor just inquired about you and said for General Zhou to take his wife to the Yinghong Courtyard to rest. It's a secluded place with its own stage where the emperor is currently enjoying a performance."

"I'm troubling Gonggong," Zhou Yinuo half-bowed to the eunuch, who quickly evaded and said, "There's no trouble at all. Please, come along with me."

The Yinghong Courtyard was the largest and innermost courtyard, offering a good view. A boat could directly enter through the side gate, pick up passengers, circle around inside, and then exit.

The courtyard was adorned with pavilions, towers, small bridges, and flowing water, blending the grandeur of the north with the scenic beauty of the south, leaving Song Dingxiang mesmerized.

Led by the eunuch, Zhou Yinuo and Song Dingxiang entered the viewing stage, where the emperor, upon seeing them, smiled and introduced, "Third Prince, Third Princess Consort, Eight Prince, Eight Princess Consort, this is the newly appointed General Xuanwei and County Princess."

The two of them quickly went over to pay their respects.

After the formalities, Song Dingxiang took a quick look. Third Prince appeared to be in his fifties, looking somewhat unwell, while Third Princess Consort was energetic, round and chubby, with a loving face.

Eight Prince was in his forties, with a very handsome and dignified appearance, almost like a middle-aged handsome man. Eight Princess Consort was gentle and beautiful, smiling warmly at Song Dingxiang, her eyes seemingly glowing.

This couple was truly a handsome and beautiful pair. Despite their age, they looked so attractive, truly enviable.

It was unclear how the emperor arranged the seating, but Zhou Yinuo and his wife happened to sit diagonally across from Eight Prince. Song Dingxiang sat down, and a palace maid immediately poured tea for them.

On the table, in addition to tea, there were seasonal fruits, specially made palace snacks, beautifully crafted and emitting a faint sweet fragrance.

To their right was the stage, where a lively performance was being staged. However, Song Dingxiang rarely watched operas and couldn't figure out what was being sung even after watching for a while.

After the performance, it was time for dinner. As they finished their meal, the palace was lit up with lanterns, and the emperor arranged for them to take a pleasure boat ride on the river, looking very excited.

Song Dingxiang couldn't help but feel that the emperor was particularly down-to-earth, completely different from the serious demeanor portrayed on television. Perhaps it was because he was out for leisure, combined with his relatively young age, showing a lively energy.

Accompanying the emperor was the empress, who was of similar age. The empress's appearance was average, but her temperament was exceptional, displaying grace and dignity with every gesture, truly fitting of a mother nation.

In truth, Song Dingxiang felt uneasy all over. She couldn't understand why, out of so many courtiers present, the emperor chose to have them, a common couple, accompany him. If it was because of their recent appointment and favor from the emperor, then this favor seemed a bit excessive.

Nevertheless, both rain and sunshine were blessings from the emperor, and one had to endure them.

On the pleasure boat, palace maids played the pipa and sang soft tunes. Along the riverbank, countless lanterns lit up, casting a unique beauty on the lotus flowers, leaving Song Dingxiang momentarily dazzled.

"I heard General Zhou was separated from his family at a young age?" Eight Princess approached at some point, her voice soft with a touch of the southern charm, "May I ask how old General Zhou is this year?"

Zhou Yinuo was a bit confused, but he still followed the rules and respectfully said, "Reporting to Princess, this humble servant is twenty-three years old this year."

"Twenty... three years old..." Eight Princess voice trembled slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. She smiled and said, "General Zhou, you are young and promising. Your recent achievements have greatly benefited our country. I have also heard of the work Madam Zhou has done for the soldiers in the north, and I am truly grateful."

Song Dingxiang quickly bowed and said, "It was just a small effort, I am flattered by your words, Princess."

Eight Princess said nothing more, just glanced at Zhou Yinuo and then turned away.

Zhou Yinuo and Song Dingxiang were puzzled, unsure of Eight Princess Consort's intentions.

Finally, after the flower-viewing banquet dispersed, the couple returned to their lodging. Song Dingxiang complained as she rubbed her arms and legs, "This is more tiring than a day of farm work. When we get home, I don't want to come back to the capital."

"I’m feeling a bit suffocated here as well. Our home is such a haven of tranquility, isn’t it? We can be our truest selves without the constant burden of societal expectations." Zhou Yinuo gently massaged his wife's shoulders, his touch both soothing and comforting. A soft smile played on his lips as he signaled for a servant to prepare a warm bath, anticipating the relaxation and intimacy.

By the time they returned, everyone in the courtyard had already retired for the night. After freshening up, they lay on the bed, chatting and holding hands like they did back home, speaking freely without the constraints of courtly etiquette, talking until they drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, a servant-like person came in with a note in hand.

"General Zhou, Madam Zhou. Eight Prince wishes to invite you for a visit at the mansion."

Zhou Yinuo and Song Dingxiang: ???

What's going on?

Will it ever end?

After a light breakfast and changing their clothes, the two sighed and put on forced smiles before heading out again, feeling helpless.

*

The Eighth Prince's mansion was also quite beautiful, perhaps because the Princess was from Jiangnan, so the architecture had a strong Jiangnan flavor. However, Song Dingxiang was in no mood to appreciate the scenery.

She had been pondering all the way, why did the Eighth Prince summon them to chat for no reason?

Could it be because the Eighth Princess had chatted with Zhou Yinuo yesterday, and the Prince was jealous?

Could that be the case?

The Prince and Princess were seated in a small pavilion by the water, the Princess leaning on the railing, pinching fish food and sprinkling it into the water.

Instantly, the red, white, and gold koi turned into a pot of chaos, each one swaying its fat body to compete for the fish food, their mouths almost as big as fists.

Song Dingxiang watched for a while and felt a little claustrophobic.

"The Prince, the Princess. General Zhou and Madam Zhou have arrived."

Eight Princess Consort raised her head, smiling and waving at the two of them, saying, "Come, sit over here. I saw you at the flower-viewing banquet yesterday and thought you looked familiar. I wanted to get to know you better. But then I heard that you were preparing to return to your hometown, so I hurriedly invited you to have a chat."

The couple was a bit nervous, sitting on the edge of their seats, unsure of what the Prince and Princess were up to.

Eight Prince talked about everyday matters briefly and then shifted the conversation to Zhou Yinuo's background.

"You grew up in Weixian County?" Eight Prince furrowed his brows after listening to Zhou Yinuo's words. "Although the age matches up, the distance is too far."

Song Dingxiang looked around but wisely kept silent, playing with the beads in her hand.

Zhou Yinuo said, "I was young back then and don't remember much, so I don't know what kind of person the Prince is looking for. If that person has any birthmarks, we could ask."

Eight Princess Consort sighed and said, "That child... doesn't have any birthmarks." Originally, she was quite happy to have a clean and clear child, but after losing the baby, she couldn't even find a mark that could indicate his identity.

"Did you have anything on you at that time that you still carry with you?" Eight Prince was not willing to give up.

Zhou Yinuo glanced at Song Dingxiang. Song Dingxiang smiled and said, "Most of the things on my husband's body were taken away for money, leaving only a jade pendant. But because he was afraid of losing it while being a soldier, he didn't wear it but left it at home."

Eight Princess Consort anxiously asked, "Do you remember the style of that jade pendant?"

Zhou Yinuo looked back at Song Dingxiang.

Song Dingxiang sighed and said, "The jade pendant has a lotus and carp engraved on the front, and the back seems to have a seal script of the character 'Zhou.' Coincidentally, the family who adopted my husband also has the surname Zhou, so..."

Eight Princess Consort suddenly burst into tears and tremblingly said, "Do you know that the surname of the ruling family is Zhou?"

Song Dingxiang:...

She knew that the ruling family's surname was Zhou, but Zhou was not a rare surname, and there were plenty of people with the Zhou surname in Dazheng.

However...

"Do you think, Princess, that my husband is the person you and the Prince are looking for?"

Eight Princess sobbed uncontrollably, suddenly stood up and walked to Zhou Yinuo's side, hugging him tightly, "Shen'er, my son!"

Song Dingxiang: ???

Eight Prince's eyes also turned red, his voice trembling as he said, "After searching for so many years, who would have thought... Shen'er, if I had known you had wandered to the north, I would have gone to find you no matter what. But, but when you went missing, it was in the south, and I never imagined..."

Song Dingxiang: !!!

Isn't this too melodramatic?

She had thought that Zhou Yinuo's background might be very wealthy, after all, a two-year-old child wearing gold and silver, even the clothes were expensive, could not be from an ordinary family. However, there was nothing on his body that could indicate his background, no dragon or phoenix motifs.

If he had brought dragon and phoenix motifs, Zhou Laosan would have taken them to the pawnshop, and he would have been caught immediately.

So she had never thought about the royal family at all!

However, some things are just so melodramatic!

Zhou Yinuo was also at a loss, unsure whether to hug Eight Princess Consort or comfort the weeping woman in his arms. He broke out in a cold sweat, looking helplessly at his wife, silently pleading for rescue.

Song Dingxiang stood up and helped Eigth Princess, smiling, "Princess, if my husband really is your son, this is a joyous occasion. Please don't cry anymore. If you make yourself ill from crying, won't it hurt the Prince's heart?"

Eight Princess wiped her tears with a handkerchief, finally stopping her sobs. She sat beside Zhou Yinuo, holding onto her son's hand firmly.

"Mother is overjoyed, searching for over twenty years, every time I closed my eyes, I thought of you, for over twenty years..."

Song Dingxiang couldn't help but throw a bit of cold water, turning to Eight Prince, "Your Highness, you said just now that the eldest son went missing in the south, but my husband appeared in Weixian at the age of two and grew up there... the distance between the north and south is considerable, could someone have deliberately swapped the belongings on the eldest son?"

Before Eight Prince could respond, Eight Princess anxiously interjected, "No, no, how could it be, could I not recognize my own flesh and blood? Shen'er has had a dimple since he was young, and he looks a bit like me when he smiles. At the flower viewing banquet yesterday, I felt familiar looking at him, and when I specifically asked his age, it matched. If he is not my son, then who else could he be?"

Song Dingxiang simply closed her mouth.

Since ancient times, it has been difficult to reconcile the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Originally, she was feeling smug about not having to serve her in-laws anymore, but suddenly having two in-laws of such stature weighing down on her, left her feeling dizzy and disoriented.

Eight Prince cleared his throat and said to Song Dingxiang, "Please don't be offended, it's mainly the Princess...she misses her son too much. If General Zhou is really my eldest son, then you naturally are the daughter-in-law of both of us, we are all one family."

But she did not wish to become part of this family.

Song Dingxiang awkwardly chuckled, not knowing what to say.

Eight Princess Consort was pestering Zhou Yinuo to talk about his childhood, alternating between moments of joy and sorrow, crying and laughing.

Song Dingxiang couldn't bear to watch any longer and said to Eight Prince, "Your Highness, it would be best to investigate further. Who could have been so ruthless as to forcibly take the child away from you and the Princess, keeping them apart for so many years? This whole situation seems truly mysterious. If it remains unresolved, who knows what might happen in the future..."

Eight Prince nodded and said, "You're right." Then he looked at Song Dingxiang and smiled, "The Emperor praised your virtuousness and intelligence, your wisdom shining through simplicity. At that time, I thought you were just a country girl, but to have caught the Emperor's eye in such a way. Now, looking at you, I truly believe that you are a good match for my son."

Song Dingxiang: ......

What could she possibly say in response to this?

Eight Princess Consort clung tightly to Zhou Yinuo's arm and refused to let go. When she heard that the name was given by Song Dingxiang, she suddenly remembered that she had a ready-made daughter-in-law.

"This name is good..." Princess Eight smiled softly and said, "At that time, Shener's health was not good and it was predicted that he would face a great calamity. We were afraid he couldn't handle a royal name, so his father and I didn't dare to put on clothes or accessories with dragons or phoenixes. We just kept calling him Shen'er, hoping that the child would be cautious and serious, and recover quickly. Zhou Yinuo, a promise worth a thousand pieces of gold, a man should be like this." As she said this, tears fell from her eyes.

As a mother, she couldn't accompany her child as he grew up. Now that her child had grown up, gotten married, learned to read and be polite, acquired a new name and a new life, but there wasn't anything related to her as a mother.

The thought of this made her heart ache.

Zhou Yinuo felt overwhelmed and didn't know whether to call her mother or Princess. He just said awkwardly, "Now I am healthy and well, very strong, doing... doing well."

"That's good, that's good." the Princess cried again.

Zhou Yinuo felt his scalp tingling. He had only been familiar with two mothers, one like Zhou Laosi's wife, overbearing, cunning, and greedy. The other like Fang Shi, straightforward and simple, always cheerful.

Now he had a new mother, who was delicate and cried easily, and he truly felt unable to cope with it.

Eight Prince noticed Zhou Yinuo's frequent pleading glances towards Song Dingxiang, and he couldn't help but want to laugh. He said, "Wan'er, you always cry, don't scare Shen'er."

"How could I?" Princess Eight quickly wiped her tears and said, "I am happy, I am so happy. Shen'er, why don't you move to the palace today? It's spacious, much more comfortable than staying at the inn. And let your in-laws come and stay too, we have enough space here."

Zhou Yinuo quickly said, "Thank you for your kindness, but the Emperor has ordered me to guard the border. I need to prepare to leave immediately, I cannot delay any longer."

Tears filled the eyes of the Princess, she said, "Can't you... can't you call me mother?"

Zhou Yinuo: ...

"Mother..." he forced himself to say, "Mother, I... I really can't stay as your son."

Eight Princess Consort said, "What's not to stay for? I will talk to the Empress and the Emperor. I finally recognized my son, why can't he stay by my side? You are the young master of the palace, and in the future..." She paused suddenly.

Eight Prince was also momentarily stunned, then sighed.

He had just appointed his youngest son as the Heir Apparent (Shizi), but now he coincidentally found his eldest son. If the eldest son couldn't live up to it, it would be forgivable, but clearly he was brave and had accomplishments, even receiving rewards from the Emperor.

He deserved to be the Shizi. But if that changed, what about the youngest son?

His youngest son was also exceptionally bright, the apple of his and the princess's eyes.

Although Song Dingxiang didn't understand why Princess and Prince Eight suddenly halted, she was skilled in observing words and expressions.

She smiled and said, "Even in the future, he will be the eldest son of Prince and Princess. Congratulations to the Prince and Princess, the eldest son has become a general based on his own abilities, the second son will probably not fall short in the future, this is truly a joyous occasion."

Eight Prince couldn't help but burst into laughter, saying, "You are astute. Let me speak frankly. Shen'er, you have a younger brother, and a younger sister. The brother is nineteen this year, and father has just submitted a request for him to be appointed as Heir Apparent. But the sister has already been married off to Jiangnan... It may be difficult to meet her now. Your brother has been busy lately and hasn't been returning frequently, but tomorrow, father has obtained the Emperor's decree to arrange for you two brothers to meet."

"In fact, this Shizi position..." the Princess looked at Zhou Yinuo and felt like crying again.

"Princess, I think this is quite good. The eldest son is a general, the youngest son is the shizi, what could be better than that?" Song Dingxiang was afraid the Princess might say that the Heir Apparent should be Zhou Yinuo.

Not to mention they didn't want to stay in the capital, if the Prince's current son heard this, it could cause trouble before they even met, turning a good situation into a bad one.

Eight Prince also nodded, saying, "Although the Emperor's orders are like a mountain, in such situations, even the Emperor wouldn't want to demand too much. The capital is bustling, why don't you and your family move to the capital, you two brothers will have each other for support in the future."

Song Dingxiang's face stiffened, she forced a smile, thinking the more you fear something, the more likely it is to happen. Staying in the capital every day, seeing people kneel down left and right, dealing with scheming all day long, she couldn't bear it.

Zhou Yinuo said, "Your Highness... um, father, I don't want to stay in the capital. I'm not used to it here and can't stand it. And since I have become a general, I must prioritize state affairs."

The Princess cried, "Shen'er, don't you want to stay by your mother's side?"

Zhou Yinuo hesitated and said, "Actually, the Emperor rewarded me with a house, it's in my hometown... um, in Wei County. Wei County is in the north, it's not as hot in the summer as in the capital. If mother... um, doesn't mind, we can go there to escape the heat in the summer. Dingxiang has dug many lotus ponds there, in the summer they are full of lotus flowers, very beautiful. There are also many orchards at home, with plenty of peaches, apples, and grapes that we can't finish eating..."

"In other words, you just don't want to stay by your mother's side!" The Princess pouted.

Song Dingxiang smiled and said, "How could that be? It's just that now Yinuo has received the Emperor's approval and found a place where he can make his mark. The son of the Prince and Princess is like an eagle, free to soar. If he is confined at home, he won't be able to fly."

The Princess pursed her lips, looked at Song Dingxiang, and asked, "Then, will you stay and accompany me?"

Song Dingxiang:...

No, I don't want to!!!

The princess saw that Song Dingxiang didn't want to stay, pursed her lips and was about to cry.

Song Dingxiang also started to feel overwhelmed, quickly whispered, "Princess, I, I'm just a country girl, I don't really understand the rules of the capital city, if I accidentally offend any powerful person and bring trouble to my family, what should I do?"

The princess sniffled, saying, "You're a county princess, who would dare to offend you?"

Song Dingxiang said, "In the capital city, there are plenty of powerful people, who would care about a powerless county princess like me? But if I go home, everyone would respect me..."

"You just don't want to stay, and Shen'er doesn't want to stay either. It hurts my heart," the princess quietly wiped away her tears.

The eighth prince coughed a few times, saying, "Ah, you're still not familiar with it? Wan'er, you don't need to rush. But what the daughter-in-law said is right, our son is like an eagle, he should be free to soar. He didn't grow up in the capital city, unlike his brother who is familiar with the forces here. If he stays and gets directly attacked, won't it also break his heart? But what good mansion does the Wei County have? The emperor is really stingy. I'll build you a big mansion later, and marry him ten or twenty more."

As soon as these words were said, they were immediately stared at.

The eighth princess asked softly, "Does the prince want to marry ten or twenty more? Did I do something wrong?"

Song Dingxiang's face turned pale, her eyes turned red.

Damn it, if Zhou Yinuo dared to marry someone else, she would definitely divorce him without a second thought! To hell with the prince, to hell with the princess, to hell with the grand county princess, she absolutely would not tolerate such a thing!

"I, I was just kidding!" The eighth prince smirked, cleared his throat, and said, "Anyway, let's stay a few more days."

Zhou Yinuo and Song Dingxiang had no choice but to agree for the time being.

The eighth prince was in high spirits when he received the imperial decree to have Zhou Yinuo acknowledge his ancestry. He would often say to people, "My eldest son has had it tough. He was abducted at a young age and went through hard times, but now he has become a general through his own abilities. It's really... not easy at all, haha."

The people around him were exasperated by his laughter, thinking what was so great about it?

Wasn't he just a fourth-rank general?

But then they thought it was indeed quite remarkable, as their own sons did not have the same abilities. So, they all went home to teach their sons a lesson.

Zhou Yulin was still confused when informed by colleagues that her elder brother had returned. Upon arriving home, he saw her mother hanging on to a tall and handsome man, who looked very familiar - he was none other than General Zhou Yinuo, who was now a well-known figure in front of the emperor.

As he got closer, he realized that he and Zhou Yinuo did indeed look somewhat similar but he was much more robust, making him appear like a weak scholar. Didn't he also excel in both literary and martial arts?

By Zhou Yinuo's side was also a well-known figure in the capital city, the newly appointed county princess who had risen from a peasant girl. She had now become his sister-in-law, reminding him of the times when General Zhou would constantly talk about "my wife, my wife," and now he finally saw the real person.

She was quite pretty.

The two brothers exchanged pleasantries but fell silent, not knowing what to say at that moment, feeling a bit awkward.

"Brother, are you planning to stay in the capital city?" Zhou Yulin asked.

Zhou Yinuo quickly shook his head, saying, "I have already discussed with the prince and princess. I will be heading back home in a few days."

The princess said resentfully, "Shen'er, this is your home... and, you should call me mother."

Zhou Yinuo awkwardly called her mother, feeling a cold sweat forming on his forehead.

Zhou Yulin felt relieved and smiled, "It will take about half a month to get from here to Weixian County by horse. If I take a leave of absence, I will often visit my brother."

Zhou Yinuo quickly agreed and praised the lotus pond and orchard at home again.

They continued to sit in silence.

Song Dingxiang rubbed her forehead helplessly beside them, thinking that it was fortunate that Zhou Yinuo insisted on going back, otherwise, if he stayed here often, he might develop some problems. This capital city was really boring.

——— Author's Note:

Zhou Yino: I want to go home, sob, this is not my home.

Princess: My son is rebellious and has hurt his mother's heart, wuwu.

Song Dingxiang: ... What can I say? I'm sad too.

Eighth Prince: Hehe, haha!

Don't worry, they will go home soon!