Chapter 101 – Looking For Prospective Ladies (33.1)
One day, Lin Jia Bao went to pay his respects to the empress. After the empress and Jia Bao ate lunch together, the empress said to Jia Bao: “Jia Bao, don’t leave yet, in a moment there will be some titled madams coming with the womenfolk in their family to pay respects to bengong. Let’s meet them together.”
“Understood.”
The eunuchs outside of Yong Shou Palace came in to report: “The wife of the governor of Bei Guang and her daughter, the wife of the Assistant Minister of Rites and her daughter, and the wife of Xi Jing Bo and her daughter are asking for an audience.”
“Call them in.”
The empress has been very happy these days. Both of her biological sons were so remarkable. After Prince Li’s family and the Xue family were taken care of at the beginning of the year, she no longer had any worries. And in the following year the crown prince’s health should be nearly back to one hundred percent [and ready to make babies], so now she could rest assure and start looking for prospective women for her two sons. Although there would be a talent selection* in the coming year, the madams of many aristocratic families were already beginning to gear up and take action.
[*T/N: talent selection – an event where women are selected to become concubines for the emperor or princes. The chosen women are given the rank “talented lady.” They get a new title only after they sleep with the emperor or prince.]
The three daughters who came this time were all candidates that the empress liked very much, so the empress wanted to let Jia Bao meet them first, to get acquainted with their personalities.
The wife of the governor of Bei Guang, the wife of the Assistant Minister of Rites, and the wife of Xi Jing Bo each brought their daughters to meet the empress.
Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.
“Paying respects to the empress! Wishing good health for the empress!”
“Rise.” The empress looked at the three beautiful girls in front of her. “Ah, the age where one is tender and lovely like flowers… Looking at the three of them makes bengong feel old. Alas.”
“Empress, you are graceful, regal, and beautiful. You are not old in the least bit.” The wife of Xi Jing Bo praised the empress.
The empress looked at Wen Wen Qian, the daughter of Xi Jing Bo. “Qian Er has grown so big in the blink of an eye. I still remember how you looked when you were a baby… you’ve grown so beautifully!”
[T/N: The characters for Wen Wen Qian’s name is 温文倩, so despite the pinyin looking the same in English, the first two characters of her name are actually different.]
“Wen Wen Qian greets the empress. The empress praise is too excessive.” Wen Wen Qian stepped forward to salute the empress.
Xi Jing Bo’s daughter, Wen Wen Qian, was sixteen years old this year. The Wen family was large and influential, and one of their ancestors was even conferred the title of a princess. The Wen family has experienced ups and downs, but it has always occupied a place in the Xuan Yuan Dynasty, which was a display of the family’s profound heritage.
Support the translator. Read this on: vmnovels.com
Wen Wen Qian’s every move could be regarded as a model for the di daughter* of an aristocratic family. Her appearance was not the best, but people could not help admiring her tranquil and gentle temperament.
[T/N: 嫡女 di daughter – a daughter of the main wife]
Whether it was her family background, temperament, or looks, this Wen Wen Qian was the empress’s number one candidate for crown princess and the future mother of the country. The empress looked at Wen Wen Qian and nodded with satisfaction.
Sitting beside the wife of Xi Jing Bo was Zhang-shi, the wife of the Assistant Minister of Rites, and her daughter Zhang Chun Wei.
The empress looked at her and said, “Your name is Chun Wei, right? Bengong has never seen you before… such a lovely child.”
Translations by Vanilla Muse. Read on vmnovels [dot] com
The Assistant Minister of Rites, Zhang Ting Hui, started out as a scholar in the Imperial Academy. He has taught many students and he was quite prestigious amongst the civil servants. Now that the Minister of Rites was getting on in years, Zhang Ting Hui was the optimum candidate to succeed the position.
Amongst the three girls present, Zhang Chun Wei was the most beautiful one. She was truly like a flower and it made people want to treat her carefully… it was a pity that there was a fly in the ointment. Zhang Chun Wei’s body was weak. She was born a premature baby with congenital deficiency, and has been weak and sick since she was a child.
Zhang Chun Wei was fourteen years old this year. She had a slender figure, fair skin, and a morbid sense of beauty, which could arouse a man’s desire to protect…
Eug boi…
A certain crown prince is gonna get angry…
Thank you for the update