Yu Xiaoyao straightened up, her long hair falling casually over her shoulders and in front of her clothes, giving her a more unrestrained and charming look: "Prince Chen is going to Baiyun Temple. The journey is long, and Princess Chen must be worried about you. However, I think you should be more concerned about yourself."
"Oh, what does the Holy King mean by this?"
Yu Xiaoyao said in a low voice, "Men are all driven by food and sex. There are almost no men like me. Do you think Prince Chen will bring one or two beauties with him when he comes back this time?"
Ouyang Yue's smile vanished: "If the Holy King is going to spout nonsense at the Prince Chen's residence, then this princess will not stay any longer."
"Are you panicking?" Yu Xiaoyao chuckled, his hands behind his back, his voice carrying a certain seductive quality: "Why don't you start thinking about becoming my woman now? Once you've had the blood transfusion, I will never betray you."
Ouyang Yue's expression was cold: "No need to see me out!"
Yu Xiaoyao laughed heartily: "It won't be long before you obediently come to my side, and I will be waiting for you."
"No, never!" Ouyang Yue said coldly and seriously.
Yu Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow: "Are you that confident? How about we make a bet?"
"Ridiculous, why would I, the princess, gamble?" Ouyang Yue's eyes grew even colder.
Yu Xiaoyao flicked the tip of his hair, twisting it playfully, and readily agreed, "That's right, because if we make a bet, you're bound to lose."
Ouyang Yue remained silent. Yu Xiaoyao slowly walked towards her, each step carrying an intimidating aura. As he reached her side, the pressure intensified. He braced his arms on either side of Ouyang Yue's chair, looking down at her exquisite, beautiful face, now as cold as ice. The next moment, Yu Xiaoyao suddenly dodged, and Ouyang Yue swiftly opened her palm. However, the next instant, Yu Xiaoyao tightly gripped her wrist. This physical contact stirred a strange feeling within Ouyang Yue—admiration? Longing? And the disgust within her reason—which startled her.
"Let go!" Ouyang Yue's eyes flashed with what looked like two solid ice swords. Yu Xiaoyao smiled carefree, a strange light flashing in his eyes, and released her hand: "Yue'er, wait for me to come and get you."
Ouyang Yue frowned deeply, but Yu Xiaoyao had already turned and left. For a moment, Ouyang Yue wondered what his purpose was. Was it just to say these things to disturb her and ruin her relationship with Baili Chen? She didn't think Yu Xiaoyao was such a trivial person, but what was his purpose...?
Ouyang Yue sat quietly for a while. Dong Xue had already come out from the inner hall. Ouyang Yue suddenly looked up and said, "Go and invite Physician Liu to come to the mansion to examine my pulse."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Not long after, Physician Liu entered the mansion. Ouyang Yue had him examine her repeatedly. Physician Liu finally confirmed, "Princess Consort Chen, I have examined you carefully. Your pulse is normal, and there is indeed nothing seriously wrong with your health."
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Physician Liu. I have been feeling a bit weak lately, so I made you come all this way."
"I dare not accept such praise. It is my duty. In my opinion, it may be due to the heat of summer and is nothing serious. If Princess Chen feels that it has any effect, she may try drinking a bowl of refreshing soup every day."
"I understand. Then I'll trouble Physician Liu to prepare a prescription so that the servants can easily fill it up." Ouyang Yue waved her hand. Dongxue had already taken Physician Liu away to write the prescription and send it to the recipient. Ouyang Yue unconsciously touched the white jade bracelet on her wrist, but she was still uneasy. What was Yu Xiaoyao up to? Why was he asking about her health for no reason? Was he just trying to scare her?
Meanwhile, Yu Xiaoyao, who had already returned to the Miao Jiang post station, was greeted by Zi Er and Zi San as soon as he entered the room. Yu Xiaoyao stood by the window with his hands behind his back, letting a beam of scorching sunlight shine on him. After a while, he said, "Recently, send someone to keep an eye on the Chen Prince's Mansion. They don't need to do anything, just observe the Chen Prince's Consort carefully. Report any abnormalities."
"Yes, Master."
"Go down."
The room fell even quieter, but Yu Xiaoyao wore a dignified and confident smile: "It has already begun, and it won't be long before I have the empire and the beauties!"
At Prince Chen's residence, before Dongxue's refreshing soup had even been served, Ouyang Yue received an imperial edict from the palace that Emperor Mingxian wanted to see her immediately. Lost in thought, Ouyang Yue changed her clothes and, accompanied by Dongxue and Chuncao, entered the palace. As the Princess Consort of Chen, Ouyang Yue's face was like a pass to the palace; the palace gates barely checked her before letting her through. Wandering through the not-so-unfamiliar palace, Ouyang Yue's mind raced. From afar, she saw Fushun approaching, and Ouyang Yue smiled, "How could I trouble Eunuch Fushun to come?"
"This servant greets Princess Consort Chen. His Majesty sent me to wait for you, saying that you should go to the Imperial Study immediately after entering the palace, where His Majesty is still working." Fu Shun, a favorite of Emperor Mingxian, was very good at pleasing people. At this moment, her face was beaming like a chrysanthemum, and no one, no matter how bad-tempered, could afford to lose their temper. Moreover, Ouyang Yue still had many questions to ask. With a wink, Chuncao secretly slipped a large red envelope to Fu Shun. Fu Shun didn't even look at it before stuffing it into her sleeve, but her smile deepened even more. "Princess Consort Chen, this way please."
Ouyang Yue nodded and followed Fu Shun slowly. Then she asked leisurely, "Eunuch Fu Shun is the Emperor's closest confidant. I wonder if the Emperor has summoned me here this time because he has something to tell me?"
If it were anyone else, Fu Shun would probably just smile and let you guess, or simply say he didn't know. But since he had just received a large sum of money, and Ouyang Yue would soon find out the truth, there was no need to hide it anymore. He said in a low voice, "The eldest prince and princess, who had done a great job before, visited the emperor in the palace." At this point, Fu Shun chuckled, clearly indicating that he would not say anything more if asked to.
"Oh?" Ouyang Yue didn't press further, but simply smiled at Fu Shun. So Jiang Qi and Jiang Xuan were entering the palace? She'd heard that Jiang Qi had given all the goods from the Daqian Post Station to several ministers. Aside from some necessities, Jiang Qi probably didn't have much money left, and his departure from the capital was imminent. Entering the palace now…
With that thought in mind, the Imperial Study was already in sight.
"Your Majesty, Princess Consort Chen has arrived." Fu Shun mentioned softly, then lowered his head. After a moment, a deep and authoritative voice came from the Imperial Study: "Let her in."
"Princess Consort Chen, please." Ouyang Yue nodded and approached, but Fu Shun stopped her with his hand: "Ladies, the Emperor has not summoned you in. Please wait here." He then stopped Dongxue and Chuncao. Ouyang Yue nodded and stepped inside.
At this moment, Emperor Mingxian was dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, his black hair tied high with a crown inlaid with gold and pearls. He sat there calmly, exuding an aura of authority without anger. His brows and eyes were calm and solemn, with a commanding presence. Ouyang Yue, however, bowed respectfully and said, "Daughter-in-law greets Father Emperor."
Emperor Mingxian's eyes flickered slightly as he gave Ouyang Yue a deep look before saying, "Stand up and speak."
"Thank you, Father Emperor."
After saying this, Emperor Mingxian fell silent again, but his majestic eyes continued to scrutinize Ouyang Yue, as if he did not want to miss any change in her. After a long while, he said, "Do you know what the prince and princess of Daqian said when they came to the palace to see me before?"
Ouyang Yue replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, I was unaware."
Emperor Mingxian's eyes darkened, and his voice turned cold as he said, "Your attempt to use someone else to do your dirty work has caused them a great loss and made them lose face. Naturally, they will seek revenge. Jiang Xuan's body is ruined, and returning to Daqian will only make her a laughingstock. Naturally, she will marry into Dazhou. Just now, the two of them mentioned this matter. The husband Jiang Xuan has chosen is none other than the Seventh Prince! She wants to marry the Seventh Prince!"
Ouyang Yue raised her head, her face cold and aloof, and slowly uttered only four words: "Wishful thinking!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Mingxian narrowed his eyes and stared intently at Ouyang Yue with an unfathomable gaze, as if a dangerous vortex was churning in his eyes...!
☆、262、Beat the scumbag woman!
Feeling the pressure from Emperor Mingxian, Ouyang Yue's expression remained unchanged, but her heart turned slightly cold.
After a long pause, Emperor Mingxian spoke coldly: "This matter concerns the peace between our two countries. Don't think I don't know what role you played in Jiang Xuan's affair."
Ouyang Yue merely raised the corners of her mouth slightly, revealing a half-smile, and said, "Father, your daughter-in-law truly does not know what you mean by these words, but your daughter-in-law only knows one thing: Your Highness is a prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty, with an extremely noble status. Even if it involves the peace between two countries, there is no need to trample on the face of a prince of a nation. Otherwise, peace obtained by belittling oneself will also be ridiculed by the world."
"As a prince of the Great Zhou, it is only right that he makes some contributions to the Great Zhou. As a princess of the Great Gan Dynasty, Jiang Xuan's reputation is now ruined. Originally, with her status, she could have been the wife of the Prince of Zuochen, but now, if she wanted to, she could only be a concubine. This is her last stand." Emperor Mingxian spoke the truth. Jiang Xuan's reputation was ruined, but she was still a noble princess. In history, many princesses who married remarried after their husbands died, and they did so for the sake of the country, and they married men of considerable status. Jiang Xuan's situation is not much different from those remarried princesses, except that the latter had no choice, while hers is a scandal.
Ouyang Yue's eyes darkened: "Father, your daughter-in-law is speaking up for the Prince."
"You're complaining? You're the one who caused this whole mess, and now you still have the nerve to complain?" Emperor Mingxian snorted coldly, his expression indifferent.
Ouyang Yue ignored all of this and said, "Father, your daughter-in-law is innocent. It seems that when Princess Jiang Xuan came to see you, she must have wronged you. It is normal for Princess Jiang Xuan to want to divert attention after such a major event. However, such sinister intentions are insidious."
"Oh, then tell me how insidious it is." Emperor Mingxian's eyebrows seemed to twitch slightly.
Ouyang Yue sighed softly, her face showing extreme helplessness and innocence. "Although Wang San's character is not good, he could only get into the post station. Without someone making connections, he absolutely could not have gotten in. Wang San obviously got in openly and honestly, and not everyone in the post station is unaware of this. Although Wang San's words were somewhat exaggerated, and Princess Jiang Xuan, with her status, probably wouldn't have looked down on him, they might not have been entirely false. Princess Jiang Xuan may not be considered pure and innocent, but she certainly doesn't have the self-respect of a proper young lady from a respectable family. At that time, the eldest prince of Jiang Qi specifically instructed Lord An to investigate Wang San's background, which was probably not just something he said randomly. Therefore, I think that if Princess Jiang Xuan is innocent, she is definitely not as innocent as she claims."
"Not long ago at the Da Gan Post Station, Lord An couldn't figure out who those men in black were. But judging from their elusive and elusive methods, they were no ordinary people. Moreover, the fact that they stormed into the post station and killed so many people, leaving the guards completely at a loss, is very strange. Furthermore, the Da Gan Crown Prince so easily compensated the officials for their losses, as if he wanted to settle things peacefully. Regardless of whether these people have any connection with Da Gan, this kind of undercurrent hidden in the shadows is a major scourge on the security of the capital and should be eradicated. What's more, it's hard to say whether Da Gan is being mysterious and has other motives."
“Even if no one cares about these things, Your Highness doesn’t need to suffer such humiliation. Princess Jiang Xuan has an improper relationship with someone. To put it nicely, she’s innocent; to put it bluntly, she deserves it. How can Your Highness accept such an impure woman? Your Highness can’t even say a word in protest while he’s out. If this matter is settled like this, won’t Your Highness be furious and heartbroken when he returns? Since Princess Jiang Xuan came to the capital, she has been very high-profile. The Great Zhou has been more than kind and righteous to her. Now she has done such a shameful thing by being unchaste, and you expect a prince of the Great Zhou to clean up this mess? My prince is a handsome and dignified man with a noble status. How pitiful Your Highness is to have to pick up such a second-hand woman.” As she spoke, Ouyang Yue’s eyes reddened with grievance, and she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.
Ouyang Yue's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, her bright eyes glistening with tears. Her usually radiant demeanor was now contorted into a pitiful expression, her large eyes narrowing as if Emperor Mingxian had committed some heinous crime. It's said that women are made of water, a notion Ouyang Yue scoffed at, but she had to admit that sometimes this weapon was quite effective.
Emperor Mingxian knew perfectly well that Ouyang Yue was acting, but seeing her like this, his expression changed.
After all, he was Ouyang Yue's father-in-law. It wouldn't sound good if word got out that his daughter-in-law was crying and sobbing here. She was feeling wronged because of his son, so he couldn't blame her even more. But the thought of Ouyang Yue putting on an act in front of him made him feel uneasy. He had a feeling of knowingly walking into the line of fire. Emperor Mingxian tugged at the corner of his mouth and said, "Alright, stop crying."
"Waaah..." Ouyang Yue ignored everyone, her handkerchief covering half her face. The only sound in the entire imperial study was Ouyang Yue's low sobbing. The sound was not loud and not annoying, but it was precisely because of this soft and weak sobbing that it had a subtle feeling of touching people's hearts and making them feel sorry for her.
Emperor Mingxian's expression darkened, his face grim. This whole affair was strange, and according to the information he had received, Jiang Xuan might indeed have been framed. However, Ouyang Yue vehemently denied it. Could he really punish Ouyang Yue for the sake of an outsider? Even if it was favoritism, it would still draw criticism. Furthermore, Emperor Mingxian was almost certain that the men in black were merely a ploy by Da Gan to create a commotion. Although he didn't know Da Gan's intentions, this matter was a thorn in his side. It was impossible for him to genuinely care for Da Gan. However, after Jiang Qi and Jiang Xuan caused a scene in the imperial study, Emperor Mingxian said he needed to consider the matter. Jiang Xuan had lost her virginity in Da Zhou, so her marriage would likely have to be arranged there. Although she had lost her virginity, she was still a noble princess of Da Gan. If she were to marry someone like Wang San, Da Gan would go mad. However, Jiang Xuan wanted to marry someone higher; becoming a principal wife was out of the question, and even becoming a concubine was not something she could simply decide.
Moreover, given Baili Chen's personality, if he really arranged the marriage while he was away, coupled with the fact that Ouyang Yue was made to cry, wouldn't she make a huge scene? Thinking of this, Emperor Mingxian felt somewhat resentful. The seventh prince spoiled his wife too much. They had been married for so long and he hadn't even prepared a concubine. The concubine that the third prince had sent was sent back not long after. It was clear how fierce the seventh prince's wife was. Although she had given birth to a son and had an heir, what elder wouldn't want more children? For this reason, Emperor Mingxian harbored resentment towards Ouyang Yue.
"Hmph! Stop pretending to cry. I never said that Jiang Xuan had to marry the seventh prince as a concubine. What are you crying for in front of me?"
Ouyang Yue paused, her voice still choked with sobs, her tone full of grievance: "Father asked, and I assumed you had already made a decision. That's so unfair to our Prince. After all, she's a woman who has lost her virginity; she's not worthy of our Prince. Sigh, since the Prince went to Baiyun Temple, many people have been gossiping behind his back, saying that our Prince has been an unlucky person since childhood, and that he's bringing misfortune to the Empress Dowager and the Empress. Our Prince's health has only improved little by little; he's suffered so much since childhood. Every time I hear this, my heart aches like it's being stabbed with needles. If it weren't for saving face, or if I didn't think those baseless accusations were pointless, I would want to confront them personally. Is it easy for our Prince? This time he left the capital, leaving me and Su'er behind, all out of filial piety. And yet these people still say such things; it's truly heartbreaking." As she spoke, Ouyang Yue angrily pounded her chest, clearly expressing her bitterness and resentment.
Fu Shun's eyes widened in surprise. This Princess Consort Chen… In the past, whenever Prince Chen had a conflict with the Emperor, he would always be straightforward, arguing and getting angry at the slightest disagreement, which only made the Emperor angrier and angrier, and in the end, nothing was resolved. This Princess Consort Chen was different every time they met, but in retrospect, she never suffered a loss. Today was the most special and direct; she started crying right away. Which of the favored concubines in the palace didn't have a knack for crying? But compared to Princess Consort Chen, they seemed to be lacking. Look at how emotionally charged she was, portraying Prince Chen as so filial and so tolerant of what others couldn't bear—such a soft-hearted character. But Prince Chen was not that kind of person; he seemed to be a fiery tyrant, someone Fu Shun would never dare to offend.
In fact, Fu Shun also knew that even if Emperor Mingxian really had that thought, he would not tell Ouyang Yue. Even if he did, this concubine was not a commoner's concubine; she would be recorded in the family genealogy. The principal wife would not even know, and he would make a decision on her own. If Prince Chen found out, he would dare to defy the imperial decree. Emperor Mingxian did not want things to turn out badly or lose face, so he would not be so forceful in bestowing the title. He probably had other ideas.
Emperor Mingxian listened to Ouyang Yue's words and coldly snorted, "Alright, I know. I've wronged the seventh prince." But there was a hint of reluctance in his words.
Ouyang Yue knew when to stop. She took a handkerchief and wiped her eyes, secretly marveling at how effective the onion juice she had applied to the handkerchief before coming had been. Tears started flowing as soon as the juice touched her eyes. Ouyang Yue secretly wiped her eyes with her hand, which helped to stop the tears from flowing so heavily. After tidying herself up, Ouyang Yue's eyes were still red from crying. She weakly looked up at Emperor Mingxian, her face showing some fear: "Please forgive me, Father Emperor. When I thought about how the Prince's health was not good and that he was going on a long trip, I couldn't help but miss him. I also felt that Princess Jiang Xuan's suggestion was too absurd, and I lost my composure for the sake of the Prince. Please punish me, Father Emperor."
Emperor Mingxian snorted, "I know you two are deeply in love." Looking at Ouyang Yue's eyes, which looked like a rabbit's from crying, a strange feeling crossed his mind. She really could cry so easily. Women are really made of water. Even if he really wanted to, he shouldn't have asked Ouyang Yue to tell him. Now he couldn't say it even if he wanted to.
After a pause, Emperor Mingxian said, "Actually, my suggestion to Princess Jiang Xuan was somewhat absurd. Our Great Zhou royal family is not one that is all show and no substance. We can accept a woman who has lost her chastity, yet she dares to dream of becoming a concubine and being recorded in the royal family register. A hundred years from now, I will surely be ridiculed by my descendants."
Every dynasty has its scandals, even the one where a father and son fought over a woman and their relationship broke down. But these are scandals, meant to be ridiculed and despised by later generations. The Great Zhou Dynasty may not be the most powerful dynasty in history, but it was certainly not the weakest. Moreover, none of the emperors of the Great Zhou Dynasty were particularly incompetent, and its reputation was still quite good. If a woman who has lost her chastity were to be tainted by such a stain, wouldn't her previous good reputation be wasted?
Just like the emperor's selection of concubines, each woman had to be from a respectable family and a virgin. The royal family feared nothing more than women who would corrupt the harem. These princes and nobles might one day become emperors, and if even one or two courtesans were kept in their household, they could become targets of impeachment by officials. What more could be expected in this situation? Even if they were favored, they were merely playthings for novelty. Look at the princes' principal and secondary wives; none of them were from wealthy families. For courtesans to rise from minor concubines to principal wives was impossible. Even if they wanted to, they would need permission from the palace. This shows the importance of the women in the princes' harems.
Jiang Xuan's status was sufficient, but a woman who had lost her chastity and publicly engaged in illicit relations was clearly unqualified to enter the royal family. Even if Jiang Xuan returned to Da Gan, and the Emperor and Empress, out of favor, tried to force her into the home of a high-ranking official, they would have to think twice. The families of powerful officials would be utterly offended. These officials were all influential figures, and their reputations were more important than life itself. They might not even consider lower-ranking officials, and while middle-ranking officials might marry Jiang Xuan as their principal wife for wealth, they couldn't very well accept a concubine later. Furthermore, Jiang Xuan was still unmarried at eighteen, and had always struggled to find a suitable husband. From being the dream girl of every unmarried man in Da Gan to now finding it difficult to choose a husband, the contrast was stark. Jiang Xuan couldn't bear the ridicule, and even the royal family couldn't tolerate such a scandal.
The situation is different in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Regardless of the circumstances, Jiang Xuan lost her virginity in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and with the neighboring friendly states, whether it's due to diplomatic relations or something else, Jiang Xuan will at least not be married down in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Of course, this does not rule out the possibility that Jiang Xuan deliberately wanted to disgust and retaliate against Ouyang Yue, so she chose Baili Chen, or that she wanted to enter the Chen Prince's Mansion and slowly search for the jade pendant.
Ouyang Yue tucked the handkerchief slightly to her waist and asked with some doubt, "Then I wonder what Father Emperor's opinion is? Is there anyone he prefers to marry Princess Jiang Xuan?"
“As a princess of the Great Gan Dynasty, marrying down is definitely not an option, but she is far too self-important to think she can marry into the royal family with such a status. But if she marries down any further, it will be difficult to explain.” Emperor Mingxian seemed to be talking to himself, but then he changed the subject: “As a woman, you are naturally very perceptive about these things. Do you have any candidates in mind? Tell me about them.”
Ouyang Yue had a slight doubt in her heart. Could it be that Emperor Mingxian summoned her to the palace for this very reason? Because she could also see that Emperor Mingxian didn't seem to really intend for Jiang Xuan to marry into the royal family, otherwise he wouldn't have let the topic pass so easily. But this was not something she could think about. Ouyang Yue pondered for a moment and said, "Princess Jiang Xuan's status is not too low, but it is not too high either. However, we can consider families with several ministers in the court and many descendants."
"Oh, tell me about it."
Ouyang Yue raised her eyes slightly and said, "For example, the Lin family, the Sun family..." Ouyang Yue mentioned five or six families, all of which were prominent families in the capital, and they were quite a match for Jiang Xuan at this stage.
Emperor Mingxian's eyes flickered slightly as she looked at Ouyang Yue, who was staring at her nervously. She felt a pang of sympathy; this was clearly a trap. Of the five great families of the Great Zhou Dynasty, she had named two. The other three were mostly scholarly families, known for their meticulous and low-key conduct. These scholarly families, to put it nicely, were principled; to put it bluntly, they were as hard as bones, capable of anything for their reputation. Such families might not care whether their bride was a princess or whether she would bring them greater prosperity. A princess's noble status entering their household could easily cause considerable turmoil, let alone someone like Jiang Xuan who had lost her virginity—they would certainly not accept her.
So after all that talk, Ouyang Yue only mentioned two families in her words: the Lin family and the Sun family.
Emperor Mingxian narrowed his eyes, staring at Ouyang Yue. Could this girl have had this idea from the beginning? Did she also include him in her scheme? His request to meet with Ouyang Yue was a sudden suggestion; it was unlikely that she had planned and set up the trap beforehand. However, he secretly admired Ouyang Yue, because these two people were the ones he had thought of from the start. But he didn't continue the topic: "Alright, you may leave now. I haven't seen my grandson for a long time. I will have someone bring him into the palace later. I want to see him. You will stay in the palace for the next few days and not leave."
"Yes, Father." Ouyang Yue's face showed a hint of doubt, but she didn't dare to ask any more questions. She got up and left, only letting out a slight sigh of relief as she left the imperial study. Although she seemed very natural in front of Emperor Mingxian, she was actually quite nervous inside. However, at this moment, a slight smile appeared on Ouyang Yue's lips, revealing a knowing look.
In the imperial study, Fu Shun was carefully observing Emperor Mingxian. He was shocked to see the emperor smiling. Why was that? The smile was faint and quickly faded. Then, Emperor Mingxian suddenly frowned and said in a low voice, "Da Gan is really going too far! What does he think the Great Zhou is? A place where they can act recklessly? They want to choose for themselves? Do those withered flowers and fallen women even deserve my son? It's utterly absurd!"
Fu Shun chimed in, "That's right. Princess Jiang Xuan is far too domineering. After what happened to her, she's no longer the pampered princess she once was, yet she still dares to try and climb the social ladder to marry Prince Chen. She's simply arrogant."
Hearing Fu Shun's words, Emperor Mingxian's expression softened somewhat. Regardless of whether Emperor Mingxian liked Baili Chen or not, he was still his son, his own flesh and blood. He could hate or even bully him, but as the Emperor of Great Zhou, his son was not someone others could bully, especially Da Gan, whom he had always considered a thorn in his side. If Emperor Mingxian hadn't been so composed, he would have kicked Jiang Qi and Jiang Xuan out when they made this request, giving them this opportunity to delay. Emperor Mingxian simply didn't want the matter to escalate and wanted to save face for Da Gan, but he couldn't afford to lose face for Great Zhou. However, he suddenly said, "I wonder if this seventh son's wife understands what I mean."
Fu Shun thought to himself, "That Princess Consort Chen is as cunning as a ghost. How could she possibly suffer a loss? Anyway, she's been in the palace these past few days. If Princess Consort Chen really can't understand the Emperor's meaning, then I'll give her some pointers. Everyone will be happy then, and I'll benefit from both sides."
In truth, Fu Shun was somewhat apprehensive. Emperor Mingxian only had four princes left. He knew the Third Prince was the Emperor's favorite, the Fourth Prince was in poor health, the Seventh Prince had always been a shield, and the Ninth Prince was someone the Emperor had never even considered. The Third Prince had an 80% chance of eventually becoming Emperor, but he also vaguely sensed a change in the Emperor's attitude towards the Seventh Prince. He didn't know if the Emperor had changed his mind. But regardless of the reason, the Seventh Prince would likely be wealthy and powerful in the future. At the very least, if he lived to see that day, he would be the most powerful prince in the Great Zhou Dynasty. The more he interacted with the Emperor now, the better he could live a peaceful and comfortable old age if Emperor Mingxian ever came to power.
At the Da Gan Inn, Jiang Xuan sat on the edge of the bed, her face pale. Not far away sat Jiang Qi, dressed in a python robe. Jiang Xuan gritted her teeth, a ferocious look flashing across her beautiful face: "Hmph! What is that Xuan Yuan Yue? How dare she fight with this princess? Once I enter the Chen Prince's mansion, I don't believe I can't kill her!"
Jiang Xuan had always looked down on Ouyang Yue, initially because she felt Ouyang Yue's social standing was far superior. Later, her repeated failures to obtain information about the jade pendant from Ouyang Yue fueled her anger, but this was the last time they truly became enemies. Jiang Xuan now harbored a deep hatred for Ouyang Yue, and given the chance, she would tear her to pieces. The humiliation and pain she had endured fueled Jiang Xuan's obsessive desire for revenge. Didn't Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen claim to have a loving and devoted marriage? She refused to believe Baili Chen wasn't a man. Could any man resist the allure of beauty? She had already planned to marry into the Chen Prince's mansion, bringing a troupe of famous courtesans with her to drain Baili Chen of his virility, preventing him from having any contact with Ouyang Yue. She wanted to watch Ouyang Yue weep every day.
Jiang Xuan had no feelings for Baili Chen. Her desire to marry into the Prince Chen's household wasn't for his benefit. Ning Shi was dead, and the trail there had gone cold. Jiang Xuan also believed Ning Shi's claim that the jade pendant was in Ouyang Yue's hands. Once inside the Prince Chen's mansion, she would search high and low to find it. Actually, back at the inn, she had originally planned a diversionary tactic. Jiang Qi wanted to kill Ouyang Yue, partly to exploit Baili Chen's absence from the capital and the impending chaos within the Prince Chen's mansion. She planned to secretly send someone into the mansion to find the jade pendant, but that plan failed. Now, they had no choice but to settle for this.
"Brother, has Xuanyuan Yue entered the palace?"
"It seems that he talked with Emperor Mingxian in the imperial study for a while. When he came out, his eyes were still red, probably because he had been crying."
"Hmph, this is nothing. When the time comes, I'll make her kneel at my feet, kowtow to me, lick my shoes, and shout that she misspoke."
Jiang Qi looked at Jiang Xuan's flushed face and said, "Royal sister, don't go to the Prince Chen's mansion for any reason. You're only focused on fighting with Xuan Yuan Yue and you'll only make things worse."
Jiang Xuan's expression changed drastically: "Royal brother, she has harmed me so much, how can I not take revenge?"
"Of course not. This time you said the plan would definitely succeed, so I even sent out the secret guards. In the end, ten of them were lost. Do you know how much silver it costs to support just ten people a year? Now you've not only lost your innocence, but if the mission fails again, I'm afraid your father and mother will also be disappointed in you." Jiang Qi said with a straight face and no expression.
Jiang Xuan trembled: "I understand. As long as I enter the Prince Chen's mansion, I will definitely get that jade pendant. Royal brother, you have to promise me that after it's done, I will hand over Xuanyuan to my royal sister."
"Of course, I won't object to how you want to kill her then." Jiang Qi's eyes flickered, his heart pounding at the news he had just heard. If it was true, it concerned a treasure. If he obtained it, wouldn't it be easy for him to raise a private army and seize the throne?
Indeed, Jiang Xuan originally wanted to deal with Ouyang Yue, but Jiang Qi disagreed. Doing so in the Da Gan post station was very risky, and it would require the use of secret guards. These guards were essentially borrowed from the Da Gan emperor, and their positions had been passed down through generations, with only a few exceptionally favored individuals assigned two or three to protect her. The Da Gan emperor had spared no expense for the jade pendant, which Jiang Qi had suspected from the beginning, so he believed the news immediately. That's why he strongly supported Jiang Xuan. Unfortunately, the plan failed, but it only strengthened Jiang Qi's belief that the jade pendant indeed held a hidden secret. He, like Jiang Xuan, suspected that the jade pendant had likely fallen into Ouyang Yue's hands, and that she might also know its great secret. Otherwise, why would she hesitate to hand it over? If necessary, she might even go to great lengths to kill Ouyang Yue and seize the pendant, but only if Jiang Xuan found out its whereabouts.
In the Anle Palace, upon hearing the servant's report, the Empress sneered: "Oh, this is interesting. Go, the Princess Consort of Chen is coming to stay in the palace for a while. As the Empress, how can I not show my appreciation? Send her some fresh fruits and pastries."