The servant in pink was clearly taken aback. Upon hearing Xuan Yuan Chaohua's angry roar, she trembled and looked at Ouyang Yue with a pale face, stammering, "This...this servant knows her crime...this servant...waa..." The maid trembled twice and then burst into tears from fright.
Xuan Yuan Chaohua's expression was not good. It was really unpleasant for a man to make a woman cry. However, he was worried about Ouyang Yue just now, and this crying servant was really too reckless and made a big mistake. She was a servant. If she were a man carrying a weapon, Xuan Yuan Chaohua would have already killed him. Who knew that she was so easily frightened by scolding that she cried.
Ouyang Yue looked at the maid who was now crying like a baby, and said with a faint smile, "Alright, stop crying. Take me to change my clothes first. I can't see His Highness the Crown Prince in these clothes." Turning to Xuan Yuan Chaohua, Ouyang Yue said, "Brother, go and wait for me. I'll be right there."
Xuan Yuan Chaohua's expression was not good. He said softly, "Be careful. This is not the princess's residence."
"Yes, I know." Ouyang Yue nodded slightly, and someone had already led Xuan Yuan Chaohua away.
Ouyang Yue smiled faintly as she looked at the servant who kept wiping his eyes. The servant was startled and lowered his head even further, thinking to himself, "Why is Princess Mingyue's gaze so eerie? She's smiling, yet it's as if she can see right through me and know what I'm thinking. It's really a bit strange."
"Come on, why don't you bring me here to change my clothes?" Ouyang Yue urged. The servant dared not delay any longer and led Ouyang Yue through the garden, through a corridor, and along a narrow path. They came to a small courtyard. The courtyard was simply enclosed by a fence, and wildflowers and weeds were planted everywhere inside. However, because of its unique design, it had a particularly artistic feel.
“Princess Mingyue, this courtyard is a separate residence of the Crown Prince’s residence. Guests usually change clothes here if they need anything.” The servant immediately explained that the location was quite secluded, and few people would suddenly intrude, so it was indeed suitable for this purpose. “Princess Mingyue, there are also new clothes prepared inside. Please come in, Princess Mingyue.”
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "The Crown Prince's residence is indeed extraordinary. It even has such a place. Or is it that the people in the Crown Prince's residence were all prescient, knowing that I, the princess, would be splashed with soup by you today, and even prepared clothes for me? I just don't know if they suit my figure." Ouyang Yue seemed to be talking to herself. The servant's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, but Ouyang Yue had already led Chuncao into the room.
Chuncao then whispered, "Miss, I feel something is wrong. I'd better keep a close eye on things. It would be terrible if someone rushed in while Ouyang Yue was changing." It would be troublesome if someone rushed in while Ouyang Yue was changing. It would be fine if it was a woman, but if it was a man, wouldn't that ruin Ouyang Yue's reputation?
Ouyang Yue sneered. The Crown Prince probably wouldn't be that stupid. He was in complete control of the Crown Prince's residence. If he wanted someone to rush in, someone would come; if he didn't want to, no one would come. But better safe than sorry, Ouyang Yue nodded.
As soon as she entered the inner room, Ouyang Yue was taken aback. There were two maids standing in the room, dressed in the same pink clothes as the servants outside. Upon seeing Ouyang Yue, they immediately bowed and said, "This servant greets Princess Mingyue."
Upon seeing this, Ouyang Yue simply smiled and said, "What are you all doing here?"
One of the maids said, "Princess Mingyue, this courtyard was built on the orders of the Crown Prince to facilitate the visits of guests. There are always two maids there to take care of the guests. Please allow us to help the princess change her clothes."
Ouyang Yue said, "Your Highness is indeed very thoughtful, not bad." Ouyang Yue nodded slightly and let the two women take off her clothes. The room was far more complicated than it appeared from the outside. The inner room only had a soft couch, not a bed. Opposite the couch was a dressing table made of fine mahogany. On the dressing table were four dressing cases stacked on top of each other. All four cases were open, and long necklaces and chains of various materials hung outside the boxes, shimmering with a mesmerizing light. The two open shelves were filled with hairpins, rings, and other jewelry of different materials, all equally exquisite. On the other side of the dressing table, a large wall was built into a wardrobe. The wardrobe doors were open, and clothes for all four seasons were hung inside, categorized and arranged. Even at a glance, anyone with a discerning eye could tell that each piece of clothing was extremely valuable. Coupled with the jewelry on the dressing table, any woman who entered would be stunned. This room was like a woman's paradise, with jewelry seemingly inexhaustible, and she could change it every day.
Ouyang Yue walked straight towards the wardrobe. The two servants in the room, seeing this, exchanged knowing glances. No woman who entered this room could resist its allure; this was considered relatively restrained. Some less worldly women would probably be drooling over the four dressing tables. Ouyang Yue stood before the wardrobe and glanced at it. The clothes were all new styles, and at a glance, she could immediately spot two top-quality fabrics; the others were also of the finest quality.
Ouyang Yue smiled and casually picked up a moon-white brocade robe. The upper part of the robe was decorated with small floral patterns from the chest to the collar, making it look very elegant. The two servants were slightly taken aback. One of them said, "Princess Mingyue, your skin is fair and beautiful. This servant thinks that red embroidered robe would suit you better." The servant pointed, and Ouyang Yue glanced at it. It was an exceptionally gorgeous robe. The robe was decorated with four-colored gemstones at each joint from the collar to the hem. This robe alone was probably worth a thousand or eight hundred taels of silver, making it very precious.
Ouyang Yue handed the white robe directly to Chuncao, her meaning clear: this was the one. Chuncao immediately understood and helped Ouyang Yue change. The two servants exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised. From a normal woman's perspective, nine times out of ten she would have chosen the red dress, right? What did Princess Mingyue mean by this?
However, the two dared not delay and said softly, "Princess Mingyue, please allow me to do your makeup."
Ouyang Yue laughed: "What's wrong? Has my makeup been ruined?"
The two men were taken aback, then shook their heads slightly: "No, it's not."
“That’s fine. I was just spilled soup by a clumsy servant and my clothes got dirty. My makeup and accessories are still fine, so why bother redoing them? Let it be.” Ouyang Yue waved her hand and was about to leave when one of the servants hurriedly said, “Princess Mingyue, it would be even more beautiful to change into a set of jewelry to match your new clothes.”
Ouyang Yue simply smiled meaningfully at them, turned around and left. The two women opened their mouths, clearly wanting to say something, but in the end, they watched Ouyang Yue leave.
"What's wrong with Princess Mingyue? Any woman would go crazy if she saw this room. Is she just pretending to be calm, or is she just too picky and hasn't found anyone she likes yet?" the two servants whispered among themselves.
"Could it be that they anticipated the Crown Prince's thoughts and were therefore deliberately feigning retreat?"
"It's possible. As expected of someone who won first place in the beauty pageant, she's incredibly cunning." In their opinion, any woman who sees this place that resembles paradise, no matter how calm she tries to appear, will inevitably reveal a flaw. She absolutely cannot be as composed as Ouyang Yue. It seems that Princess Mingyue is currently trying her best to endure it.
"She's just the legitimate daughter of a general's family. How high can her standards be? Her knowledge isn't that great either. She's probably just putting on an act."
"Yes, that's right."
The two women nodded simultaneously, but a hint of jealousy lingered in their eyes. This dressing room was a forbidden area in the Crown Prince's residence, yet two people were always stationed there to guard it. Those who remained could see but not touch. Once, a servant guarding the room had tried on the dress because he liked it so much; the next day, his hands were chopped off and he was killed. Since the room was built, three people had died. Even now, they longed to try it on and feel beautiful, but for the sake of their lives, they dared not. Therefore, they naturally harbored resentment towards Ouyang Yue, who could wear the dress so casually yet didn't know how to cherish it.
Chuncao took the clothes that Ouyang Yue had taken off, wrapped them in a piece of cloth, and carried them on her back. Leaving the clothes in someone else's house was neither too big nor too small, so she had to be very careful.
When the servants outside saw Ouyang Yue's outfit after she went out, their eyes lit up, but a question flashed in their eyes. Did Princess Mingyue choose the most inconspicuous outfit?
"Alright, let's go to the main hall and meet Xuan Yuan Zhaohua. Lead the way," Ouyang Yue said directly to the servant.
"Yes, Princess Mingyue."
The servant led Ouyang Yue through two winding paths to a covered walkway over a pond, explaining, "Princess Mingyue, walk from here, then turn into a garden, and you'll reach the main hall."
Ouyang Yue nodded slightly. At this moment, three people suddenly walked over from the end of the corridor. One of them was wearing an earth-yellow long robe, followed by two people with cold faces who were obviously experts. When Ouyang Yue saw this, she revealed a mocking smile, but she quickly covered it up and bowed slightly to the person, saying, "Mingyue greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Mingyue!" Crown Prince Baili Cheng seemed to be stunned for a moment, then strode over and angrily said to the servant beside Ouyang Yue, "It was you who spilled the soup on Princess Mingyue earlier. You were reckless. Take him away and punish him with a hundred strokes of the cane."
The servant was startled and hurriedly said, "Your Highness, please forgive me! I know I was wrong. I was just in a hurry to deliver soup to my mistress and didn't look ahead. Please forgive me, Your Highness." Seeing that the Crown Prince was still angry, the maid immediately turned to Ouyang Yue and knelt down. "Princess Mingyue, please plead for me! I don't want to die! I really didn't mean it! Please, Princess Mingyue!" the maid pleaded, crying.
Ouyang Yue glanced at her indifferently, but turned to Baili Cheng and said, "Your Highness does not know where my brother is."
"Oh, General Xuanyuan is in the main hall. I came out to retrieve a jade pendant, but I didn't expect to run into you here, Mingyue. In that case, let's go back together." Baili Cheng's face showed a strange expression, which he then concealed. The maid, who was kneeling stiffly on the ground, had a cold glint in her eyes, but she then lowered her head and knelt down. In her heart, she thought, "I didn't expect Princess Mingyue to be such a heartless person. She was about to be punished with a hundred strokes of the cane. If it were an ordinary person, a hundred strokes would definitely kill them. She doesn't even have a shred of sympathy. She's obviously not a good person either."
Baili Cheng laughed and said, "Very well, then I will take Mingyue there." The two of them left with their servants. The maid was left kneeling on the ground, watching the two walk away. Her face was gloomy. However, no one came to take the maid away to be punished for a long time.
Baili Cheng smiled and said, "What does Mingyue think of my Crown Prince's residence?"
Ouyang Yue simply nodded slightly and said softly, "This is the Crown Prince's residence, how could it be wrong?"
Baili Cheng turned to look at Ouyang Yue's clothes, his eyes flashing slightly: "So Mingyue likes this color of clothes? I thought all women were the same, liking to dress themselves up in a flamboyant way. It's rare that Mingyue likes this elegant feeling, which is quite pleasing to the eye."
Ouyang Yue looked at Baili Chencheng: "The world is so big, and everyone is different. As women, there are naturally all kinds of types. There are many who like glamorous things, and there are also those who like plain things."
“I prefer simplicity, but I am not that kind of person,” Ouyang Yue said, her eyes slightly flashing. “Oh, why do you say that, Your Highness?”
"If you, Mingyue, are truly content with ordinariness, why bother participating in beauty pageants, and why strive so hard to win titles like 'Number One in the World'? I find your competitive and assertive nature admirable. I despise those who feign reluctance when they clearly desire something; they're so fake. That's why I greatly admire you, Mingyue." Baili Cheng looked at Ouyang Yue with a meaningful expression.
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow slightly: "It seems that His Highness the Crown Prince thinks he understands Mingyue very well."
Instead of answering, Baili Cheng asked, "Isn't that so?"
Ouyang Yue, however, looked into the distance and said, "Whether I win first place in this beauty pageant or not doesn't mean much to me. Just this shows that I like to compete. I'm afraid the Crown Prince is mistaken."
Baili Cheng sneered, "There are very few things that could make me wrong. If Mingyue is capable of doing something, why doesn't she dare to admit it? I've said I admire that about you." Ouyang Yue didn't reply. Baili Cheng narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice, "Mingyue, what do you think of my residence? What do you think of my dressing room?"
Ouyang Yue turned her head, a half-smile on her face, and said, "Is this all Your Highness wants to ask?"
Baili Cheng narrowed his eyes and looked deeply at Ouyang Yue: "I also want to ask, what do you think of the status of Crown Princess, or rather, what do you think of the position of Empress? As long as you want it, I can grant it to you."
Ouyang Yue fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess have a very good relationship. I wonder when the Crown Princess's funeral will be held."
Baili Cheng's expression changed, seemingly annoyed by Ouyang Yue's lack of respect, but in the end he just gave a faint smile: "The Crown Princess's funeral will naturally be held according to royal etiquette. At that time, all the famous families of the Great Zhou Dynasty and the ministers of the court will come to pay their respects. Mingyue, please arrive early."
Ouyang Yue gazed silently ahead, then sighed, "Although I only met the Crown Princess once, I had a very good impression of her. It's such a pity."
Baili Cheng sized up Ouyang Yue, not fully understanding her intentions. Although he hadn't explicitly stated it, Ouyang Yue should have grasped his true meaning. Was she expressing remorse for taking the Crown Princess's things, or was she subtly mocking him? Baili Cheng couldn't figure it out for a moment, but he didn't dwell on it and led Ouyang Yue directly to the main hall. In the hall, Xuan Yuan Chaohua was drinking tea. Seeing Baili Cheng and Ouyang Yue arrive together, his expression changed as he looked at Ouyang Yue. She shook her head slightly, and Xuan Yuan Chaohua's expression softened somewhat. He said, "Mingyue, please sit down."
Baili Cheng went directly to the top seat and said to Ouyang Yue, "Princess Mingyue, at the banquet in the Crown Prince's residence, I made you a suspect in the poisonous Crown Princess. This was my oversight. I trusted the wrong person and caused you trouble. I want to apologize to you for this. I hope Mingyue will not mind."
Ouyang Yue immediately stood up and gently brushed herself off, saying, "Your Highness is too kind. In that situation, everyone would have had doubts, and it is normal for me to be suspected as well. This has nothing to do with Your Highness. Mingyue has never blamed Your Highness, so please don't take it to heart."
Baili Cheng smiled gently and said, "Mingyue is indeed magnanimous and has great spirit. Not bad, not bad."
"Your Highness flatters me."
Outside the princess's residence, Ouyang Yue and Xuan Yuan Chaohua talked with Baili Cheng for a while before leaving. As Xuan Yuan Chaohua was leaving, he couldn't help but ask, "What exactly does Baili Cheng want to do? Yue'er, when you were taken to change clothes earlier, did anything happen? How did you come here with him?"
Ouyang Yue glanced at the Crown Prince's residence and said, "Brother, let's talk about it when we get back. It's not convenient to talk here."
Xuanyuan Chaohua nodded and said, "Alright, let's go back to the manor first."
At this moment, a person suddenly walked out from the main hall of the Crown Prince's residence. This person was dressed in exquisite clothes and had a pretty face, but now she was filled with anger: "Royal brother, you are so enthusiastic towards that Xuanyuan Yue. This is not like you at all." This person was none other than the Second Princess Baili Jing.
Baili Cheng glanced at her, then looked away: "Didn't I tell you to stay in your room? Why did you come over?"
"Brother, you...you wouldn't be..." Baili Jing's expression changed, and he asked anxiously.
Baili Cheng narrowed his eyes: "So what if it is?"
Baili Jing said with dissatisfaction, "Your Majesty, this Xuanyuan Yue has ruined our plans many times. How can we let her off so easily? Besides, she looks so low-class. How can she be worthy of Your Majesty, who is so high and mighty?"
Baili Cheng's face immediately darkened. Baili Jing's unfinished words were cut off by her pursed lips. Baili Cheng only said, "Second sister, this matter is not something you can interfere with." Although Baili Jing did not speak, her expression was not good. She gritted her teeth slightly. Seeing her like this, Baili Cheng sighed and took her hand, saying, "My good sister, how could I have taken a liking to her? If I really took a liking to her, I would not have helped Mu Cuiwei in the first place. But who would have thought that she would be Xuan Yuan Chaohua's sister? You are so smart, yet you still don't understand your brother's intentions."
Baili Jing's expression improved somewhat. Otherwise, the thought of her imperial brother intentionally getting close to the person she hated most would have made her furious. But she still pouted and said, "Hmph, but she is not worthy of you, Imperial Brother. Who would have thought she would be so lucky as to be the long-lost daughter of Xuanyuan Zheng? Imperial Brother, do you really believe that Xuanyuan Yue is really Xuanyuan Zheng's daughter? Could it be that they deliberately put out a smokescreen to mislead you, or to make you pay attention to her?"
Baili Cheng paused for a moment, then frowned and said, "This possibility is extremely low. You should know that they would not dare to risk the crime of deceiving the emperor by saying such a thing. Even if they have a large army and are not afraid, Princess Shuangxia and Xuanyuan Chaohua are not stupid. The result of doing so could very likely affect the Xuanyuan family's century-old foundation. This Xuanyuan Yue is most likely the real Xuanyuan Yue."
"Hmph!" Baili Jing snorted coldly and remained silent.
"Your Highness, Second Princess, a message from the Empress has arrived, requesting that Your Highness come to the palace to see her." At this moment, a servant bowed and walked in to report. Baili Jing saw the servant enter and had already sat down beside him. However, his expression changed. Baili Cheng had already dismissed the servant, saying, "You may leave now."
"Yes, Your Highness."
As soon as the man left, Baili Jing hurriedly asked, "Why did Mother summon my brother at this time? What is it about?" Baili Cheng remained silent. "Could it be about this matter?"
Baili Cheng stood up, his face regaining its usual composure: "If that's the case, then this time I'll have to rely on my younger sister to plead for me."
Baili Jing nodded immediately: "If Jing'er doesn't think of her brother, who else should she think of? Jing'er will accompany her brother back to the palace now."
The two rode in a carriage directly into the palace and then headed to the Empress's palace—Anle Palace. Along the way, many palace maids and eunuchs bowed to them, but the two simply entered casually, ignoring the palace servants. When they arrived at the main hall of Anle Palace, the Empress was sitting there in a phoenix robe with a calm expression. However, having held the position of Empress for many years, the Empress Dowager's noble demeanor was still impressive. Baili Cheng and Baili Jing bowed in unison: "Your subjects pay their respects to Your Majesty."
With a wave of her hand, the palace servants in the hall quickly withdrew, leaving only an old nanny-like servant, clearly the Empress's confidante. Suddenly, only the Empress, Baili Cheng, and the other two remained in the hall. The Empress merely looked at Baili Cheng without letting them get up, clearly doing it on purpose. Baili Cheng and Baili Jing exchanged a glance, and Baili Jing immediately pouted in dissatisfaction: "Mother, why won't you let Jing'er get up? Jing'er's legs are numb."
The Empress glanced at Baili Jing and sighed helplessly, "Alright, you may all get up now."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." The two had just stood up when the Empress suddenly slammed her hand on the low table beside her: "Crown Prince, how dare you be so audacious! Who gave you permission to do that?"
Baili Cheng's expression remained unchanged; he simply said, "Mother, what's done is done. Isn't it a bit too late to think about these things now?"
"You...you! Such a big matter and you didn't even consult me? You've really grown up, your wings have hardened, and you don't need me anymore, is that it!" The Empress's face darkened with anger. Baili Cheng's expression changed, and he immediately said in a soft voice, "Mother, I have no choice but to accept the situation."
"Hmph, no way? Is there no way, or are you just too hasty?" The Empress didn't believe it at all and just said coldly.
Baili Jing walked over with a smile, hugged the Empress's arm and said coquettishly, "Mother, please don't blame my brother. She was only doing it for our future. My brother regrets it now. On the way here, he said he didn't know how to explain it to you, Mother."
"Hmph, don't try to plead for him. I gave birth to him myself, don't I know his nature?" The Empress's expression had improved, and she sighed helplessly, "Cheng'er, you acted too impulsively this time. Xuan Yue grew up with you, and you just killed her like that. Have you thought about how to explain this to Xuan Bin?"
Baili Cheng replied, "Mother, you know that I never intended to marry Xuan Yue. It was only because Xuan Bin, a commoner, was making a name for himself in court and was highly regarded by Father that I had that idea. Father always strives for equality and likes to recruit talented people, regardless of their background. To please Father, I had no choice but to marry Xuan Yue. At that time, Father did treat me even better, as you know, Mother." Baili Cheng paused, then continued, "But Mother, Xuan Yue has been the Crown Princess for too long, and Xuan Bin is now treating us..." "It's no use. Looking at Ouyang Yue, although her original birth was lowly and unworthy of my son, she is now Princess Mingyue, personally bestowed by Father Emperor, the only legitimate daughter of the Xuanyuan family, and has Xuanyuan Chaohua as her backer. If I don't eliminate Xuan Yue first, given Ouyang Yue's status, would she be allowed to be a concubine, let alone a secondary wife?" Moreover, the Crown Prince is not allowed to have secondary wives. This is to facilitate the situation where there are two imperial brothers simultaneously upon his ascension to the throne. However, this varies from person to person, and whether anyone will break this rule in the future is unknown, but so far, it hasn't happened. Unless the Crown Princess is deposed or dies, the Crown Prince can only marry one principal wife and two secondary wives.
The Empress was well aware of the reasons behind this, but she sighed helplessly: "I know what you are thinking, but I feel that you are acting too hastily. I'm afraid some people will doubt your motives and the true cause of the Crown Princess's death."
Baili Jing followed up, saying, "Mother, no one will find any evidence. Don't you trust your brother's actions? Besides, how many suspicions have there been in the royal family? What difference does one or two make? Your brother's actions will save you trouble. Baili Jian is constantly trying to oppose you, and Baili Qia has returned to the capital. Although he's not a threat, it's still one more person. It's good that your brother is making plans early. As long as we bring the Xuanyuan family to our side, even Baili Jian will have to think twice."
Baili Cheng said, “What my sister says is true, Mother. The Xuanyuan family is indeed loyal, but the royal family must keep them under control. Back then, didn’t our grandfather marry Princess Shuangxia to that ugly general Xuanyuan Hu? He said that Princess Shuangxia insisted on marrying Xuanyuan Hu, but that was just a trick to deceive everyone. He clearly wanted the loyalty of the Xuanyuan general. Now, my marriage to Xuanyuan Yue is for the same reason. I am the Crown Prince and the future heir apparent. Even if Father doesn’t want me to win over the court officials, suppressing the military power of the Xuanyuan family is also Father’s wish. Father should agree with this decision.”
The Empress nodded slightly: "You're right about that. Well, it's too late now, what's the use of saying anything more? But next time if something like this happens, you have to tell me beforehand. You're really too impulsive."
Baili Cheng breathed a sigh of relief and immediately said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will definitely pay attention in the future."
"What? The Crown Prince invited Ouyang Yue to the Crown Prince's residence to apologize on his behalf today?" Baili Jian was stunned upon hearing the news, then sneered: "My elder brother, the Crown Prince, has always been very arrogant. Why would he apologize to Xuanyuan Yue? Since he was really wrong, does Xuanyuan Yue still deserve the Crown Prince's personal apology? This is truly an open secret."
Baili Jian frowned, then suddenly his face darkened: "This is bad! The Crown Prince wants to strike first. How can I let him have his way? Behind Ouyang Yue is Xuan Yuan Chaohua, who holds one-third of the Great Zhou's military power. If I can win him over, even the Crown Prince will fear me. I absolutely cannot let her have her way!" Baili Jian's face was grim. Xuan Yuan Chaohua held one-third of the Great Zhou's military power, another third was in the hands of Emperor Mingxian, and the remaining third belonged to various generals. Therefore, Xuan Yuan Chaohua was the most formidable. Now that Ouyang Yue was a breakthrough point, anyone who wasn't a fool would want to get a chance from her. Baili Cheng wanted to, and so did Baili Jian. But if she did, it wouldn't be so legitimate. How could she do it?
In Chenyu Palace, Baili Chen remained silent after hearing the news. Sure enough, he had sensed a conspiracy from the Crown Prince's banquet; it seemed to be the Crown Prince's scheme. He wondered what Yue'er intended to do. Suddenly, Baili Chen conjured a peach blossom in his hand, gently bringing it to his nose to smell. "It seems I need to hurry," he said. "If I let things continue like this, my beloved wife will be snatched away. That's absolutely unacceptable." Baili Chen took another deep sniff. However, as the Seventh Prince, marrying Ouyang Yue was actually more difficult than for the previous princes, and would bring more trouble in the future. But he didn't care about any of that.
Upon returning to the Princess's residence, Ouyang Yue and Xuan Yuan Chaohua naturally went to Shuangxue Pavilion first. As soon as they entered, Xuan Yuan Chaohua recounted the events at the Crown Prince's residence. Princess Shuangxia was taken aback: "The Crown Prince actually did this? What happened to Yue'er before?"
Ouyang Yue directly recounted her relationship with Baili Cheng. Princess Shuangxia and Xuanyuan Chaohua remained silent, for they both knew very well that Baili Cheng was intentionally extending an olive branch, clearly hinting at the position of Crown Princess. He was leaving it to Ouyang Yue, the future Empress of the Nation—who wouldn't be tempted?
Ouyang Yue fell silent. She had been puzzled ever since a maid had suddenly spilled soup on her, but after arriving at the dressing room, her doubts vanished. Baili Cheng was clearly trying to showcase his wealth; the dressing room for a mere guest was better than those of young ladies from prestigious families. Every garment was of the finest quality, and the jewelry was extraordinary. Women are naturally drawn to beauty and have a passionate urge to adorn themselves with jewelry. How many women could remain calm in such a place? They would likely feel envy and jealousy towards the women of the Crown Prince's residence. As for the clothes Ouyang Yue tried on, although she didn't express it at the time, she found the size and fit perfectly, as if they had been made just for her. This, in turn, stirred a sense of liking within her.
Next, the Crown Prince, seemingly by chance, encountered her. He subtly observed that the Crown Prince's residence no longer had a mistress, and that the mistress here would become the most honored woman in the Great Zhou Dynasty. All of this was an invitation to him, proving that Baili Cheng wanted to marry her and would give her the status of Crown Princess, the future Empress, a woman of unparalleled power and prestige. In this era, what woman could easily resist such an unexpected surprise? Who could resist the honor of being second only to the Emperor?
Difficult, very difficult!