Baili Zhi glared at Baili Chen: "You don't need to use the Empress Dowager to pressure me. At this point, how could I say no? If I don't agree, you might really lead people to kill the Crown Prince. You bastard, you never consider the consequences of your actions."
Baili Chen remained silent, only smiling as he looked at Baili Zhi. Baili Zhi said helplessly, "Alright, I agree to your plan. However, this selection will be made by the Empress and reviewed by the Emperor. Changing it would be very difficult. In a few days, choose a date and go to the Imperial Study to see the Emperor after court. You will have to get past the Emperor's approval. I will take care of the rest for you."
Baili Chen grinned and said, "Brother, thank you. Without Yue'er, I really can't live."
Baili Zhi looked at him coldly: "The poison has just been neutralized, and you're already acting so recklessly. You're not going to live."
Baili Chen sighed, "You don't understand, this is love. I only want her!"
Baili Zhi paused for a moment. He truly didn't understand love; he didn't even have a concubine yet.
In truth, the royal family of the Great Zhou Dynasty was quite clean. Although the Emperor had three thousand concubines, even the Crown Prince, who had already married a principal wife and a concubine, only had two concubines and one maidservant in his household. The Third Prince spent most of his time in the harsh, cold lands, and Emperor Mingxian wouldn't let him return until he achieved something significant. Most of his mind was on politics, so he didn't have time to choose women. The Fourth Prince, Baili Chang, had been in poor health since childhood, and it was said that he had never had a woman since he was young. It was feared that any further trouble would worsen his health. The Fifth Prince, Baili Jian, also didn't have many women, only two concubines. The Seventh Prince, Baili Chen, had been suffering from a cold poison since childhood, so it was impossible for him to have any women. On the other hand, the Ninth Prince, Baili Mao, had two concubines and two maidservants in his household, but no principal or concubine.
According to the ratio, the Crown Prince can have one principal wife and two concubines, while ordinary princes can have one principal wife and one concubine. Baili Zhi frowned slightly. The Crown Prince's selection of concubines this time will fill the quota for principal and concubines, but the other princes don't have any yet. Baili Zhi narrowed his eyes slightly, seemingly thinking about something. Baili Chen saw this and breathed a sigh of relief. If he could get past his father's approval, the matter would probably be settled.
In a somewhat oppressive room, Baili Jian sat there with a cold face: "I didn't expect the Crown Prince to handle this matter so hastily. It was completely unexpected. I thought he was just using this opportunity to get closer to Xuanyuan Yue, but I didn't expect him to hold a selection of consorts so quickly. The Empress and Father Emperor have both agreed. If this selection goes through and Xuanyuan Yue becomes the Crown Princess, won't my chances of vying for the throne be even lower?" Baili Jian was extremely agitated. Since he was old enough to understand, Consort Sun had taught him the art of rulership. As the son of a favored concubine, although he wasn't as favored as Baili Chen, he was still quite favored among the princes. Although Baili Cheng was the Crown Prince, the emperor's power was unpredictable. He might be stripped of his title at any time if he made a mistake. So, while everything was still uncertain, he still had a chance.
Baili Jian has been working hard for that position. Over the years, his power has gradually become comparable to that of Baili Cheng. Even the Empress in the harem will not openly oppose Consort Sun. They have not yet reached the point of tearing each other apart. However, if the Crown Prince's selection of concubines is successful, it will be very disadvantageous to Baili Jian. This is something that neither Baili Jian, Consort Sun, nor the Sun family want to see.
The selection of the Crown Princess absolutely cannot succeed. Baili Jian was gloomy all over, but he was thinking of ways to stop it, or to make his father particularly wary. Even if Baili Cheng finally chose Xuan Yuan Yue, it was impossible for her to become Baili Cheng's Crown Princess.
After an unknown amount of time, Baili Jian suddenly revealed a cold smile. "Since you dare to do this, Baili Cheng, then I don't need to be polite anymore. Ouyang Yue can only be my princess consort. Even if she isn't, I will destroy her rather than give her to you."
Baili Jian sneered. Previously, Xuanyuan Chaohua had never participated in the court's struggles, and the Xuanyuan family had always been loyal, only serving as the core faction. If things got really bad, they would maintain the status quo. But they absolutely could not allow Baili Cheng to have this support, as it would become the biggest obstacle to his ascension to the throne!
The capital was thrown into chaos by the imperial concubine selection for the crown prince. Jewelry shops, clothing stores, cosmetics shops, and silver shops were bustling with customers. Some fashionable jewelry and clothing items were in such high demand that they sold out immediately upon release. Some even attempted to monopolize the purchases to gain an advantage over others. As a result, any shop even remotely related to the selection was overflowing with customers and reaped huge profits, making everyone happy.
Five days later, the selection of the Crown Prince's consort officially began. The young ladies from various households got up early in the morning and began to carefully dress up from head to toe. Compared to them, Ouyang Yue got up and dressed up as usual. She did not dress up in a special way, nor did she deliberately make herself look ugly. She knew that the Crown Prince was selecting a consort, and it was a selection list set by the Emperor and Empress. If she made herself look bad, wouldn't that be disrespecting the two important figures above her? After dressing up and having some breakfast, she went to Shuangxue Pavilion.
Princess Shuangxia had dressed up early and nodded slightly when she saw Ouyang Yue's clothes, saying, "Alright, let's go." Since Ouyang Yue was participating in the selection, she naturally needed to be accompanied by family members. Princess Shuangxia and Xuanyuan Chaohua would accompany her. Xuanyuan Chaohua rode ahead on horseback to lead the way, while Princess Shuangxia and Ouyang Yue stayed in the carriage.
"Moon, do you really have a solution?" Princess Shuangxia couldn't help but ask.
Ouyang Yue gently lifted the curtain of the carriage window and said with a smile, "Grandmother, don't you think the weather is a bit gloomy today? It might rain."
Princess Shuangxia was taken aback and said, "Yes, the weather doesn't look too good."
Ouyang Yue put down her hand, turned her head and smiled: "Grandmother, people are most prone to depression and irritability in this kind of weather, and accidents are also most likely to happen in this kind of weather."
Princess Shuangxia didn't understand what Ouyang Yue meant by that, but she laughed and said, "That's right, today is not a good day."
When they arrived at the Crown Prince's residence, the street where the residence was located was heavily guarded and outsiders were not allowed to enter. The street was lined with the fine carriages of various mansions. However, when they saw the Princess's procession approaching, they all made way for them.
When Ouyang Yue was helped down from the carriage, she saw the somewhat ferocious and twisted expressions of jealousy on the faces of the young ladies from various families. Anyone with a modicum of sense would know that if Ouyang Yue participated in this selection, they would basically have no chance. However, this time there was also a competition for the position of concubine, and most of them were competing with this mindset. But seeing Ouyang Yue, they had already lost before even competing. Who could feel comfortable about that?
The young ladies from the various households standing beside the carriage couldn't help but reveal malicious expressions as they watched Ouyang Yue walk in. The selection process for the Crown Princess was going to take quite a while, and any unexpected events were inevitable.
Ouyang Yue felt the unfriendly gazes around her, but a meaningful smile appeared on her lips!
☆、160、A stepping stone!
The Crown Prince's residence was built after the Crown Prince came of age and left the palace. Although the Crown Prince's residence was not specially built to be magnificent, the scenery inside the residence was comparable to that of many other residences. Moreover, the Crown Prince's residence covers a large area. It turns out that the back garden where the banquet was held some time ago was just one of the courtyards of the Crown Prince's residence.
After Ouyang Yue and her entourage entered the Crown Prince's residence, they were immediately and warmly received by the well-trained servants of the Crown Prince's residence to a row of covered pavilions with lotus ponds. The area was immediately filled with colorful flowers, which were even more eye-catching than the lotus flowers in the pond.
"Moon, are you prepared?" As soon as they entered the lotus pond, Princess Shuangxia and others who accompanied them were invited to rest in the adjacent land pavilion. Li Rushuang, who was also on the list, came over and asked in a low voice.
When Li Rushuang first learned that she was on the selection list, she was taken aback. However, looking at the names on the list, it seemed that about 70% of the young ladies from wealthy families in the capital were included. Although Li Rushuang used to be ugly, she had become beautiful, and with her father being the Minister of War, she did have a chance. However, everyone in the Li family knew that she had almost no chance of becoming a prince's principal wife or concubine. A prince's principal wife or concubine couldn't just be pretty. Although Li Rushuang didn't like Fu Meier, she had to admit that at least someone like Fu Meier, who was both talented and beautiful, would be suitable. This made Li Rushuang happy to have some peace and quiet.
However, Li Rushuang also knew that Ouyang Yue probably couldn't escape this time; she was destined to become the royal wife. Li Rushuang understood Ouyang Yue quite well; she certainly didn't want this aloof and constantly contested position, but now it seemed difficult to avoid it.
Ouyang Yue smiled at Li Rushuang, and seeing the worry in her friend's eyes, she gently stroked her face and said, "Don't worry, since we're here, let's make the best of it. Things that haven't happened yet can still have many variables."
Li Rushuang was puzzled, but seeing Ouyang Yue's confident smile, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and nodded: "As long as Yue'er says it's okay, then it's okay. But there are so many people here today." Li Rushuang glanced sideways, and Ouyang Yue noticed as well.
Today, all the legitimate and illegitimate daughters of the five great families of Li Da Wu are present, as are the daughters of officials with distinguished status in the court. Even some of the daughters of merchants with particularly good wealth have been invited to attend. The selection of the Crown Prince's principal and secondary consorts is indeed extremely fierce.
Before the master of the Crown Prince's residence had come out, a slightly plump old man with a smiling face walked over and said, "Ladies of noble families, this selection will last for three days. During these three days, you will all be staying in the Crown Prince's residence. Now, please allow this old servant to lead the way for you ladies to familiarize yourselves with the Crown Prince's residence, so that you will not get lost or go astray later."
Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang were taken aback, exchanging glances. In the past, the imperial concubine selection process simply involved standing in a row for the emperor and others to choose from. Who had ever said that this selection required staying for three days? Compared to Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang's surprise, the other young ladies were overjoyed. Staying in the Crown Prince's residence meant many more opportunities. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been prepared upon arrival, and being randomly questioned by the Crown Prince before they could even get a proper understanding of each other would likely result in their elimination. Now, they were given three days, which allowed them to accomplish a great deal. Those who had previously lost confidence in the selection now felt a surge of competitive desire. Their gazes towards Ouyang Yue became even more sinister and provocative.
Li Rushuang gripped Ouyang Yue's arm tightly and whispered, "What does the Crown Prince mean by this? Why are you breaking the rules one after another?"
Ouyang Yue gazed calmly at the lotus pond, her voice devoid of emotion as she said, "Rules only apply to ordinary people. For the royal family, they are the rules. There have never been any specific regulations for this selection process, and some established procedures are not rigorous. As the Crown Prince, he can naturally change the rules according to his own ideas." Even the final selected ladies-in-waiting have the opportunity to be crossed off before they are sent to the Emperor's desk, let alone before it has even begun. What's the point of these extra three days? She didn't believe that the Crown Prince had no candidates in mind when he proposed this selection process.
The Crown Prince's steward listened to the whispers of the noble ladies, but his expression remained unchanged, still beaming with smiles. Ouyang Yue, naturally following her rank, walked ahead with Li Rushuang. At this moment, she looked at the old steward and asked with a smile, "May I ask how this gentleman is addressed?"
The old steward was taken aback for a moment, then immediately laughed: "Your Highness, this old servant is Changshun."
Ouyang Yue nodded slightly to Chang Shun: "It turns out that this year's selection will involve staying at the Crown Prince's residence for three days. That's quite unexpected. I'll have to trouble you to take good care of me."
A strange glint flashed in Chang Shun's eyes. He felt someone touch the edge of his sleeve, and with a swift movement, he concealed something in his sleeve. He then weighed it in his hand and his heart skipped a beat—it was so heavy! But on the surface, he smiled and said, "Princess Mingyue, what are you saying? If there's anything I can do for you, please just tell me, and I will do my best to fulfill your request."
Ouyang Yue didn't reply, but just smiled and said, "Chang Shun, you just need to give us a good introduction to the places we might need in the next three days. After all, we are unfamiliar with the place, and I feel a little embarrassed. Also, I would like to have a room next to Miss Li's, or a room that is large enough for both of us to stay in."
Chang Shun smiled and said, "Princess Mingyue, please rest assured, this old servant can make the decisions on these matters."
Ouyang Yue smiled and nodded at Chang Shun, then said nothing more. Chang Shun, however, glanced at Ouyang Yue out of the corner of his eye, narrowed his eyes as if thinking about something, and then resumed his smiling demeanor as he led the way.
In the following days, Ouyang Yue and the others learned that during the next three days of the selection process, they would mainly live in the area between the lotus pond and the back garden. There were three particularly large courtyards in this area, with rooms of different sizes arranged according to rank for the candidates. Of course, Chang Shun was quick to act and immediately arranged for Li Rushuang to stay with Ouyang Yue. Afterwards, he took them to tour most of the Crown Prince's residence.
The Crown Prince's residence is laid out in a triangular pattern. The innermost part is naturally the Crown Prince's courtyard, while the left side houses the residences of the Crown Prince's family and servants. The right side of the triangular layout contains the guest rooms, where Ouyang Yue and her companions will temporarily reside. These young ladies-in-waiting are not permitted to visit the Crown Prince's main living quarters, but the left side is allowed. The Crown Princess and concubines will inevitably be born here, so it wouldn't hurt for them to familiarize themselves with the left side's family quarters early on. Chang Shun allowed them a tour on the first day, but they are not allowed to move around freely for the next three days.
The side of the Crown Prince's residence where the women lived was arranged in a stacked courtyard layout. The frontmost courtyard naturally occupied the largest area and was the most prestigious. It was the courtyard where Yiyue used to live, and it has now been completely renovated, just waiting for its new owner to settle in. Following that were two parallel courtyards located slightly behind the Crown Princess's residence, belonging to the two concubines. Currently, one of them is occupied by the concubine Mu Cuihuan. Further back, there were courtyards for the noble concubines, concubines, and maids, etc., but most of them were currently empty.
The women's eyes lit up at the sight. The princes of the Great Zhou royal family were generally very virtuous, and women weren't as wildly indulgent as in previous dynasties. This was a warning from the Great Zhou emperor; the previous dynasties perished because they were complacent and lacked ambition. Having too many women wasn't necessarily a good thing, but for princes and above, having too many women was impossible, given the various interests at play, and women were the best way to connect them. However, compared to previous dynasties, the princes of the Great Zhou were far superior. Besides the crown prince, none of the other princes had principal or secondary consorts. This was why there had been few exciting weddings in the capital in recent years; most were still waiting for the princes to marry and for the imperial concubine selection. Seeing so few women in the crown prince's residence, many young ladies' eyes gleamed—this was a golden opportunity.
Chang Shun didn't take them inside for a closer look. He just stood outside and gave them a brief explanation before walking forward. After passing through a narrow path lined with willows on both sides, they came to another courtyard. One of the young ladies in the crowd exclaimed, "Why is there another courtyard here? And this courtyard seems to be closer to the Crown Prince's residence." The other young ladies didn't say anything, but they all had the same thought in their minds.
Na Changxi quickly smiled and said, "Ladies, the Crown Prince is of noble status and ordinary people are not allowed to enter his residence. This is actually the Crown Prince's embroidery room and clothing room. Most of the clothes in the various courtyards of the Crown Prince's residence come from here."
"What?! There's an embroidery workshop and a clothing workshop in the mansion?" a young lady exclaimed. In fact, only mansions with some wealth and status have embroidery workshops, but it's rare to find one that also has a clothing workshop. According to Chang Shun, the Crown Prince's mansion only needs to provide some fabrics, and everything else is done by the Crown Prince's mansion itself. Not only is the cost low, but as the master of the Crown Prince's mansion, he can have whatever he wants. Even many noble ladies here would probably find it difficult to achieve the same level of luxury and have any clothes they want. These two workshops may look ordinary, but they are the dream of many young ladies present.
Ouyang Yue merely squinted as she looked out. The courtyard was enormous, though not as vast as the Crown Prince's residence for the women, it was at least half the size. It consisted of courtyards adjacent to each other; the front was the embroidery room, the back the clothing and finished goods room, and at the very back were two large, tightly closed courtyards guarded by guards. Chang Shun had said those were the storerooms, containing many precious garments and fabrics. However, Ouyang Yue noticed that people were constantly moving back and forth in the three front courtyards, carrying clothes, fabrics, or having servants bring tea.
Ouyang Yue also noticed two embroiderers walking around. She glanced at them, and the two embroiderers did not show the slightest shyness when they saw so many people visiting. They just smiled slightly, bowed, and left. Ouyang Yue immediately revealed a playful smile.
Li Rushuang, puzzled, asked, "Yue'er, what were you laughing at those two embroiderers for just now?"
Ouyang Yue shook her head: "It's nothing, I just think that the Crown Prince's residence is really full of hidden talents and there is such a place. We are so ignorant."
At this moment, several young ladies walked over, one of whom sneered, "Princess Mingyue, there's no need to sigh like that. After all, you've only recently been promoted to princess and don't yet understand the affairs of the royal family. It's only natural that you'll need a few years to get familiar with them, which is understandable to everyone." Ouyang Yue turned her head and saw a woman dressed in red with gold trim and a large peony on her chest, looking at her with a mocking expression.
The woman looked somewhat familiar to Ouyang Yue, and seemed to resemble Consort Sun of the current dynasty. Someone in the crowd chimed in, "Miss Sun is right. Princess Mingyue probably never thought about her true identity, otherwise she would have practiced more and broadened her horizons."
Upon hearing what the young lady said, Ouyang Yue immediately remembered who the woman from before was—Sun Meng'er, the eldest daughter of the Sun family, one of the five great families of Consort Sun. It was said that she was extremely favored by Consort Sun, and even some princesses in the palace would not easily oppose her. Ouyang also remembered the person who echoed her; she was Leng Caidie, the eldest daughter of the second branch of the Leng family, one of the five great families of Leng Yuyan. Sun, the wife of the second branch of the Leng family, also came from the Sun family, so Leng Caidie and Sun Meng'er had been very close since childhood, and the two often shared a common enemy, just like now.
It seems that her cousin from the Leng family is indeed not as good as her cousin from the Sun family. Ouyang Yue glanced at them indifferently and smiled at Chang Shun, saying, "Now that we've finished sightseeing, Steward Chang Shun, please take this princess back to her residence to rest."
Chang Shun, Sun Meng'er, and Leng Caidie were deep in thought when Ouyang Yue ignored them. As a newly appointed princess, her status had suddenly risen, yet Princess Mingyue hadn't become arrogant or antagonized Sun Meng'er and Leng Caidie. Either she knew how to be patient, or she simply didn't take them seriously. Either way, it showed that Princess Mingyue was extraordinary. Chang Shun's smile deepened as he said, "Princess Mingyue and all the ladies, this way please. This old servant will take Princess Mingyue and the ladies back to their residences."
Although the other young ladies were eager to watch the show, they dared not say anything since Chang Shun had already led the way. Although Chang Shun was just a servant in the Crown Prince's residence, sometimes even a servant could play a significant role. If anyone had the opportunity to stay in the Crown Prince's residence and was unfamiliar with the place, being able to befriend Chang Shun would greatly help them gain the Crown Prince's favor. Naturally, they would not offend Chang Shun here.
However, while they cared, some people didn't. Sun Meng'er sneered at Ouyang Yue: "Why is Princess Mingyue in such a hurry to leave? I have long heard of Princess Mingyue's great name, but I have never had the opportunity to meet her. Today is a perfect opportunity. It would be a real pity if she left like this."
Ouyang Yue smiled at the persistent Sun Meng'er: "Oh, what does Miss Sun want to say?"
Sun Meng'er sneered, "This humble woman merely wished to inquire whether Princess Mingyue is settling in well at the Princess's residence. If there are any questions, this humble woman will certainly not hesitate to answer them to the best of her ability." Sun Meng'er's previous words were clearly mocking Ouyang Yue's transformation from a humble background to a noble princess, implying that her origins remained unchanged even after becoming a princess, and that she was a lowly, uncultured noblewoman. Now, her words were an attempt to further belittle Ouyang Yue. Because Sun Meng'er was favored by Consort Sun, she frequently entered and exited the palace. Although she didn't hold the title of princess, her status was not far behind. This was a veiled criticism of Ouyang Yue, implying that despite being a princess, she lacked proper princess etiquette and was inferior to Sun Meng'er, a mere noblewoman.
Ouyang Yue's eyes flashed with a cold light, disappearing in an instant, and she said in a very calm voice, "Oh, so Miss Sun is quite kind-hearted. Since you are so familiar with royal etiquette, I think you should spend more time learning it. Among all the young ladies present, in terms of status, talent, and temperament, you are all top-notch in the capital. Even if you don't pass the selection this time, there are still quite a few princes in the Great Zhou Dynasty. In the future, it will probably not be just one or two who enter the royal family. So you should all learn royal etiquette. Since Miss Sun is so selfless and considerate of all the young ladies, then Miss Sun will trouble you and start teaching you all etiquette from now on, so as to avoid any accidents or mistakes after entering the palace."
Sun Meng'er's face stiffened. Her words were clearly a mockery of Ouyang Yue. How could she really teach her? Now she was being asked to teach these young ladies? How could she possibly do that? "Princess Mingyue is good at arranging people, but I don't have time right now."
"Oh? So Miss Sun only came all day to make this princess happy? If you don't have time, then where did your words of 'don't hesitate to teach me' come from? Do you think this princess is so easily toyed with by you?" Although Ouyang Yue's voice was calm, her slightly narrowed eyes and the ambiguous smile on her face suddenly made people's hearts tremble. The words that Sun Meng'er was about to say were stuck in her throat, and she felt very uncomfortable.
"No, I didn't mean that... I just..." Sun Meng'er lowered her head, a gloomy look flashing across her face. Over the years, she had been in and out of the palace, and the number of people who dared to give her attitude was countless. When had she ever been treated so disrespectfully? But Sun Meng'er also knew that no matter how favored she was, she was still just the daughter of a minister, and a level below Ouyang Yue, who was a legitimate princess. If Ouyang Yue backed down, that would be fine, but if she really went head-to-head, Sun Meng'er couldn't afford to offend her, even if she was in the wrong.
"What is it? Or is it that Miss Sun is willing to teach me, but looks down on the other young ladies and doesn't want to teach them? After all, the young ladies here are all from extraordinary backgrounds, and some even come from the five great families. I remember there is also Miss Lin, the Empress's niece. Miss Sun thinks that Consort Sun is already more powerful than the Empress, so you even look down on the Lin family?" Ouyang Yue interrupted, and after she said this, Sun Meng'er trembled and turned pale.
Even though the Empress and Consort Sun were constantly fighting in the palace, it was extremely treasonous to talk about such a topic. Even if they had such intentions in private, without the Empress's position, who would dare to say such a thing? Wouldn't that be courting death?
"No, I had no such intention. Princess Mingyue has misunderstood. I didn't mean to look down on any of the young ladies. It's just that three days is too short. I'm afraid I won't have time to teach them." Sun Meng'er initially just wanted to vent her anger. This time, Xuan Yuan Yue's name was on the list for the Crown Prince's selection. Many people knew that this year's Crown Princess was likely to be hers. Ouyang Yue had Xuan Yuan Chao Hua and the Xuan Yuan Army behind her. This was a force that Baili Jian had always wanted to take over. Was she just going to give it away to the Crown Prince for nothing? Consort Sun had also been very angry about this before. Sun Meng'er was present at the time, and Consort Sun rarely scolded her. Naturally, she was furious and wanted to cause trouble for Ouyang Yue. Originally, she didn't dare to make a big scene. She only wanted to verbally mock Ouyang Yue to vent her anger. Who knew that Ouyang Yue would drag the Empress and Consort Sun into it so easily? How could she dare to be so presumptuous?
Ouyang Yue looked coldly at Sun Meng'er, then glanced at Leng Caidie, who stiffened under her gaze, wanting to laugh but unable to: "Oh, so it was just a misunderstanding? Then it really is not me, Princess."
"Not at all, it was my fault for not explaining clearly, which caused Princess Mingyue to misunderstand," Sun Meng'er said repeatedly, and Leng Caidie immediately whispered as well.
Ouyang Yue turned around, her voice cold: "However, since Miss Sun has already spoken, although you may not be able to teach all the rules of the palace in these three days, you still have time to answer any questions the ladies may have."
Sun Meng'er was taken aback, a cold glint appearing in her eyes, and said, "Princess Mingyue is right. If any of you ladies have any needs, I will certainly do my best to answer them."
Ouyang Yue turned around and smiled at Sun Meng'er and Leng Caidie: "The two young ladies are indeed very generous, not bad at all." After saying that, she said to Li Rushuang, "Rushuang, let's go back first, so as not to disturb the young ladies' studies."
Li Rushuang pursed her lips, suppressing a laugh, and bowed her head to acknowledge Ouyang Yue as she left. In her heart, she couldn't help but think that trying to get the upper hand with Yue'er verbally was too difficult; it was truly absurd!
Chang Shun immediately led Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang back to their room. However, when he turned around, he couldn't help but look back and saw that Sun Meng'er and Leng Caidie looked unwell. Sun Meng'er even looked like she was gritting her teeth. She was instantly surrounded by the many young ladies who had many questions. He could even hear Sun Meng'er shout angrily, as if she was saying that someone had stepped on her shoes and squeezed her.
Chang Shun turned his head and glanced cautiously at Ouyang Yue. A thought flashed through his mind. After taking Ouyang Yue to her residence, he immediately went to the Crown Prince's courtyard. He knocked on the door, and when the person inside answered, he went in. The Crown Prince was at his desk looking at a booklet. When Chang Shun entered, he didn't even look up and asked, "How's it going?"
Chang Shun said, "In my opinion, Princess Mingyue is quite remarkable. She is calm and composed, and has the makings of a crown princess."
Baili Cheng raised his head: "Oh, you think she's good."
Chang Shun lowered his head and said, "This servant only feels that Princess Mingyue has the demeanor of a great lady. As for the selection of the Crown Princess, it is up to Your Highness to decide. This servant dares not speak presumptuously."
Baili Cheng laughed: "Originally, I was only interested in the Xuanyuan Army behind her, but I didn't expect that Xuanyuan Yue is also quite interesting. Therefore, I can't let her go even more."
In the second courtyard of the Crown Prince's residence, in the room of Consort Mu, two women sat facing each other. One of them, wearing a gold-embroidered lace dress and a jeweled headdress, was Consort Mu Cuihuan. Opposite her sat a woman with a rather strange appearance. She was dressed in a dark purple dress that covered her completely, making it seem like autumn even though it was summer. She wore a half-drooping veil, revealing only her cold, pursed lips.
Mu Cuihuan frowned and said, "Cuiwei, what do you mean by this? You actually want me to matchmake the Crown Prince and Xuanyuan Yue. With Xuanyuan Yue's status, if she wants the position of Crown Princess, it will definitely be hers. Who do you think you are, letting her put her above me like this? Don't forget that Xuanyuan Yue is the one who caused your ears and arms. Now you're helping her. You're just being foolish."
Mu Cuiwei's lips curled into a cold smile beneath her veil as she slowly spoke, her voice hoarse and low, like a pebble stuck on a millstone, making one's eardrums tingle: "Cousin, with your intelligence, you should know what this Crown Prince's selection of consorts is for, right?"
Mu Cuihuan's face darkened: "Naturally, it's for Xuanyuan Chaohua's military power."
Mu Cuiwei's voice grew even colder: "That's it. The Crown Prince naturally needs to make many preparations for his future ascension to the throne, and this is just one part of it. Do you think that even if you stop him, Ouyang Yue won't become the Crown Princess?" Mu Cuihuan fell silent because she knew that whatever the Crown Prince wanted to achieve, he would do everything in his power to make it happen. Mu Cuiwei continued, "Cousin, we are cousins, but Ouyang Yue is my enemy. How could I possibly help her? I asked you to secretly help Ouyang Yue seize the position of Crown Princess, actually just to get revenge."
"Revenge? Cuiwei, what do you mean?" Mu Cuihuan asked, puzzled.
Mu Cuiwei had been recuperating at home for some time, but no matter how hard she tried or how many famous doctors she consulted, her lost ear and crippled hands could not be restored. Mu Cuiwei spent her days at home cursing Ouyang Yue, her voice already hoarse from shouting, showing how much she hated Ouyang Yue: "Cousin, since the Crown Prince has made up his mind that Xuan Yuan Yue will be the Crown Princess, it's probably impossible for anyone to change that. Since it's a fait accompli, why don't you put in a little more effort, cousin? Just make sure Xuan Yuan Yue becomes the Crown Princess naturally." "Your Highness, the Crown Prince is weakened, and he knows that you, my cousin, secretly orchestrated this. What do you think he'll think of you?" Mu Cuihuan's eyes lit up. "The Crown Prince will definitely favor you even more, cousin. Didn't you suspect that Yi Yue's death might be related to the Crown Prince? It's clear that Yi Yue wasn't favored. But you're different, cousin. You were brought in by the Crown Prince himself. Your favor will surely rise even higher. Even if Xuan Yuan Yue gets the title of Crown Princess, how can she compare to your favor?"
Mu Cuihuan was somewhat puzzled and was considering the possibility. Seeing this, Mu Cuiwei quickly said, "The Crown Prince is clearly only after Xuan Yuan Yue's family's military power. He's only putting on an act with her. But it's different for you, cousin. Once the Crown Prince slowly takes over Xuan Yuan Chao Hua's military power, Ouyang Yue will be useless. At that time, she'll be at your mercy. With your favor, even if you torture Xuan Yuan Yue to death, the Crown Prince won't say a word."
Mu Cuihuan looked at Mu Cuiwei. Even through the veil, she could vaguely see the cold, sinister look in Mu Cuiwei's eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. She had heard that her cousin's personality had changed drastically since she became disabled, and her scheming had increased significantly, to the point of being quite ruthless. However, Mu Cuihuan smiled and said that this was very advantageous to her: "Since you have this suggestion, cousin, do you have any good ideas?"
Mu Cuiwei's lips curled into a deeper chill: "Of course there is. Let the Crown Prince and Xuanyuan Yue consummate their relationship and let the world know. Then, for the sake of face, both the Crown Prince and Xuanyuan Yue will definitely be determined to be together."
Mu Cuihuan hesitated, "This...wouldn't that damage the Crown Prince's reputation?"
A hint of mockery flashed in Mu Cuiwei's eyes. Success without taking risks? There's no such thing as success without risk. Yet, she advised, "Cousin, the Crown Prince's reputation might be somewhat damaged, but if the royal family wants, there are plenty of ways to cover it up. It could even be turned into a beautiful story of a perfect match. If the Crown Prince succeeds, I don't think he'll care about these gains and losses. Compared to a rumor he can easily remedy, and a crucial bargaining chip for his future ascension to the throne, I think the Crown Prince will definitely choose the latter. It just depends on whether you, cousin, are willing to take the risk for him."
Mu Cuiwei is right. No matter how scandalous it is, the Crown Prince can still find a way to suppress it if he wants to. However, missing this opportunity would be a real problem. But it wouldn't be easy to scheme against the Crown Prince and Xuan Yuan Yue in the Crown Prince's residence. Mu Cuiwei then added fuel to the fire, saying, "Cousin, this is such a big event as the Crown Prince's selection of concubines. I estimate that the other princes will also come. Even if others don't come, the Fifth Prince will definitely not miss it and will try his best to stop it."
Mu Cuihuan stiffened, her face darkening. Today, the young ladies-in-waiting had only entered the manor to familiarize themselves with the environment. The next three days were the crucial ones. In other words, although it was called three days, it should actually be five. The first day was for familiarization, the third day for selection, and the fifth day for the final decision. Then, the selection would be submitted to the Emperor and Empress for the final decision. If Baili Jian entered the manor and beat him to it, the Crown Prince's manor would lose all face. However, if Mu Cuihuan could help Baili Cheng get Ouyang Yue under these circumstances, she would have done a great service. Who else would Baili Cheng favor if not her?