Free Web NovelChapter 379: Chapter 323: Your Majesty Already Has a Candidate for Prince Consort in Mind?
In the Qin Kingdom, women come of age at sixteen.
As far as the Sovereign of Qin could recall, this was his daughter’s first assessment since coming of age; in fact, over a year had passed since her last one.
For the past year, the Sovereign of Qin had thought his daughter had long since given up.
But to his surprise, his daughter still remembered.
However, it was of no consequence.
The Sovereign of Qin was also curious to see what level Siyao had reached in the four arts—piano, Go, calligraphy, and painting—as well as her cultivation over the past year.
"Siyao, first, let Miss You hear you play the piano," the Sovereign of Qin said to his daughter with a gentle smile.
"Yes." Qin Siyao nodded, then gave a slight bow to Miss You, who was known as the "Number One Pianist of the Qin Kingdom." "I would be honored to receive your guidance, Sister You."
Miss You smiled faintly. "I wouldn’t dare presume to instruct you. Please, Princess."
Qin Siyao smoothed her skirts, sat before the piano, and began to play two world-renowned pieces: "Yang Chun" and "Bai Xue."
At first, Miss You simply thought the Princess’s playing was extremely proficient, a clear sign that she had, at the very least, practiced for a long time.
But as the performance continued, Miss You grew increasingly astonished.
The Princess’s Piano Skills had already reached the level of a master. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
The Sovereign of Qin was also stunned. He hadn’t expected Siyao to have made such immense progress in a single year.
The two pieces concluded.
By the time the Sovereign of Qin came to his senses, he found himself already applauding and cheering.
"Miss You, what do you think of the Princess’s Piano Skills?" the Sovereign of Qin asked.
"Your Majesty," Miss You began with a bow, "the Princess’s Piano Skills have reached the standard of a master. And I say that from the bottom of my heart, with no intention of flattery."
"Good!" The Sovereign of Qin nodded. "Siyao, you’ve passed the ’piano’ portion. Bring out your calligraphy and painting."
"Yes."
Qin Siyao signaled to Sister Hua Sheng.
Hua Sheng understood the signal and tossed two scrolls into the air.
The scrolls unfurled in mid-air, then floated motionlessly.
The scroll on the left was a painting. It depicted a young boy in a courtyard, holding a Long Spear as if in the middle of martial arts practice. frёeωebɳovel.com
The scene was so lifelike and meticulously detailed, every brushstroke and drop of ink rendered with extreme delicacy.
It looked as if the boy might burst from the painting, Long Spear in hand, at any second.
The scroll on the right displayed calligraphy, bearing three large words: "Eternally Unsurpassed."
Though the script possessed a distinctly feminine grace, it could not conceal the innate majesty and power of the Qin Royal Family, making it a delight to behold.
Both the painting and the calligraphy were impeccable.
The final test was of Qin Siyao’s skill in Go.
The elderly Prime Minister personally played a game of Go with Qin Siyao.
Of course, Qin Siyao did not defeat the elderly Prime Minister.
But a few of her clever moves left the elderly Prime Minister amazed. In the end, he won by only five stones, which could hardly be considered a decisive victory.
Once she had passed the tests for piano, Go, calligraphy, and painting, Qin Siyao finally revealed her cultivation Realm.
As he felt the Spiritual Pressure of the Foundation Establishment Realm radiating from his daughter, the Sovereign of Qin was filled with pride, yet also a touch of wistful emotion.
’I never expected it.’
’The conditions her mother, the Empress, and I set all those years ago... this girl actually met every single one.’
The Sovereign of Qin also knew his daughter had reached Foundation Establishment through a Fist Technique. He’d heard from one of her maids that she often tied up her hair to practice in the courtyard.
The Sovereign of Qin surmised this was also due to Xiao Mo’s influence.
"Siyao, your mother and I told you that if you could reach Foundation Establishment before your seventeenth birthday and your skills in piano, Go, calligraphy, and painting reached a master’s level, we would allow you to establish your own residence. And now, you have done it."
The Sovereign of Qin said with a smile.
"Draft a decree.
The Princess Siyao is gentle and virtuous, wise and accomplished. She possesses a bright and understanding nature, and harbors great ambition.
We have observed her to be clear and decisive in handling matters and benevolent to those beneath her. Though raised in the opulence of the palace, she often contemplates matters of state and the welfare of the people.
Today, We grant her request to establish her own formal residence and appoint her own staff. She is hereby bestowed with a golden book and jade seal and given permission to appoint officials such as a Chief Historian and a Sima. Her annual stipend shall be ten thousand dan of grain, and her station shall be equal to that of a Prince.
She may recruit her own worthy and talented individuals to advise on matters of governance. She is granted her own carriages and may fly red banners.
We only hope that you will be wise and discerning, that you will revere the heavens and cherish the people. May the splendor of your house illuminate the realm, and may the virtue of your royal blood enrich the lives of the common folk.
Let this be proclaimed throughout the land, so that all may hear and know."
"Thank you, Father."
Qin Siyao curtsied happily.
’Once I establish my own residence, I won’t have any more curfews or restrictions!’
But when Prime Minister Li and the others heard the contents of His Majesty’s edict, they couldn’t help but be surprised.
’An annual stipend of ten thousand dan, with a station equal to that of a Prince.’
’She could even recruit her own worthy and talented individuals to advise on matters of governance.’
’If the Princess weren’t a woman, they’d think a three-way struggle for the succession was about to erupt.’
’Then again...’
’His Majesty truly dotes on this daughter.’
"Thank you, Father..." Qin Siyao said happily, curtsying again.
"This is no more than you deserve." The Sovereign of Qin smiled. "Alright, you may go and get some rest. We must return to the Imperial Study to handle state affairs."
"Your daughter bids you farewell, Father."
"We, your subjects, bid you farewell, Your Majesty."
Everyone bowed as they saw the Sovereign of Qin off.
After bidding farewell to Prime Minister Li and the others, Qin Siyao got into a carriage with her Maid, Hua Sheng, and returned to her palace.
"Congratulations, Princess. Once you’ve established your residence, there will be no more restrictions. You can live outside the palace, or you can live inside."
Hua Sheng congratulated her.
Hua Sheng had seen all the effort the Princess had put in over these years.
Ever since the Princess made the agreement with His Majesty and the Empress, she barely rested. She was either practicing the four arts of piano, Go, calligraphy, and painting, or she was practicing the Fist Technique that Xiao Mo had given her.
And on top of that, the Princess even successfully reached the Foundation Establishment Realm.
To be honest, Hua Sheng had never seen the Princess display such incredible talent.
"Hmph, hmph, hmph." Qin Siyao proudly lifted her chin. "As long as it’s something I want to do, there’s nothing I can’t achieve."
"So, does this mean you’re still going to look for Xiao Mo, Your Highness?" Hua Sheng asked.
"Of course! I have to go find him. Otherwise, wouldn’t all my hard work for the past two and a half years have been for nothing?"
The young woman said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Although the little girl from back then had grown into a graceful and slender young woman,
in some ways, it was as if she hadn’t changed at all.
"But, Your Highness, people change so much as they grow up, and men are no different," Hua Sheng began slowly. "Young Master Xiao is a man now, and you two haven’t seen each other in two and a half years. What if he is no longer the person you knew as a child? What if he doesn’t even recognize you anymore?"
"That won’t happen.
I am Siyao, and he is Xiao Mo.
No matter how many years pass, he’ll still be the same Xiao Mo.
I won’t forget him.
And he will definitely always remember me."
Qin Siyao’s eyes curved into crescents as she gave a gentle smile.
"I guarantee it."
...
「In the Imperial Study.」
Empress Shi turned to the Sovereign of Qin. "Your Majesty, is it truly wise to let Siyao establish her own residence at this time?"
"I know what you are worried about."
The Sovereign of Qin chuckled.
"Now that Siyao has come of age, establishing her own residence is perfectly normal. As for her going to find Xiao Mo, that’s even more impossible. The Iron Tiger Army is not a place she can enter just because she is a Princess.
Besides, even if she did get into the Iron Tiger Army, Xiao Mo is no longer there."
"Xiao Mo... he’s not in the barracks?" Empress Shi asked.
"He’s been deployed on a campaign." The Sovereign of Qin smiled gently. "It could be as short as two years, or as long as seven or eight, perhaps even longer. Siyao and Xiao Mo haven’t seen each other in so long already. After a few more years, they’ll probably have forgotten each other."
Empress Shi nodded, agreeing with His Majesty. ’After all, how many childhood friends don’t drift apart as they grow older?’
’The fondness of childhood exists only in memory.’
"But Your Majesty, since Siyao has come of age, shouldn’t we... be arranging a marriage for her?" Empress Shi asked again. "I’ve heard that the son of the Imperial Censor is accomplished in both civil and martial arts, and the second son of the Xiao Mansion is also unmarried. I hear that second son is exceptionally valiant..."
"Speak no more of this."
The Sovereign of Qin interrupted before Empress Shi was even halfway through her sentence.
Empress Shi paused for a moment, then immediately understood His Majesty’s meaning. "Does Your Majesty already have a candidate for Prince Consort in mind?"
"Hehehe..."
The Sovereign of Qin stroked his beard and smiled.
"It all depends on whether he can prove himself worthy."
