No, no, the Third Prince is the best candidate right now, considering his status, character, and temperament. She doesn't want to listen to Chu Yao!
"I'm doing this for her own good," Chu Yao explained softly.
However, a single sentence was not enough to gain Wushuang's trust.
"That's not true!" she retorted. "I know you just want me to live in your family's courtyard. You're afraid that if my sister becomes the Third Prince's consort, your plan won't work. But I don't want to live there!"
As she spoke, Wushuang struggled to fall from Chu Yao's arms: "I will marry Brother Bo in the future!"
Hmph, it's too early to draw conclusions about who she'll marry in the future, but I'm not going to let Chu Yao have his way!
After shouting that, she ran away, leaving Chu Yao, who was so angry that the veins on his forehead were throbbing.
Wushuang dashed back to Yuqing Courtyard and slipped into Wuxia's room.
"Sister, sister." She waved the paper in her hand, "His Highness the Third Prince asked me to bring you a letter."
Wuxia took it curiously, and her face turned bright red after taking a look.
"What nonsense is he writing!" she scoffed, then tossed the letter aside.
Wushuang squatted down to pick it up and insisted on stuffing it into Wuxia's hand: "His Highness the Third Prince spoke from the bottom of his heart, so please keep it safe, sister."
My younger sister is too young to understand, so I didn't have time to say much. I just took the letter, folded it up a few times, and put it in the jewelry box.
After we get back home, shouldn't we talk to Mother about this?
"You mustn't go looking for the Third Prince so casually in the future, understand?" Wuxia gently tapped her younger sister's nose and lectured her softly, "He is, after all, a prince, and we can't afford to offend him."
Wushuang climbed into her sister's arms and said coquettishly, "I'm going to find Wanwan."
Since the most important thing had already been taken care of, there was no need for her to go looking for Chu Ye again.
At the same time, in the Grand Princess's residence, cousins Jun Wu Hui and He Yao were also intimately close, whispering their secrets.
“In that case, Jun Wushuang is meddling too much,” He Yao said. “What does her uncle’s marriage to a second wife have to do with her? Why is she so eager to get intimate with He Caiqiong?”
"I saw it with my own eyes during the Dragon Boat Festival. The two were walking hand in hand, as if they had known each other for a long time and had a very good relationship," Wu Hui added.
He Yao curled his lip and said, "Hmph, trying to get close to a concubine's daughter, she doesn't know anything. No wonder I couldn't stand her on the way to Jiangnan."
"Did she upset you again?" Wu Hui asked.
“I’m not just unhappy,” He Yao stamped her foot. “It’s just that your so-called ‘master’ is nothing more than a servant. Jun Wushuang protects him like the apple of her eye. Not only does he make me lose face in front of others, but he also causes my parents to quarrel.”
"Didn't you teach her a lesson?" Wu Hui asked again.
With her maternal grandmother, Consort Yu, being a favored concubine, and her maternal uncle being the eldest prince who was highly regarded by the emperor, plus the support of Consort Yu's family, He Yao had been able to walk sideways in the capital since birth, and no one dared to offend her in the slightest.
Even Wu Hui herself was taught by her birth mother, Madam He, from a young age that she must be careful in her words and actions when she sees He Yao, and must never let her temper cause her displeasure.
“There’s no need to rush to teach a lesson,” He Yao said smugly. “I’ve come up with a long-term solution.”
Wu Hui was two years younger, and only half understood what he was saying. He asked in confusion, "How long?"
"You're so stupid!" He Yao slapped her on the shoulder. "Haven't you heard that a gentleman takes revenge even after ten years?"
Wu Hui, who has only been learning for less than a year, said: She really had never heard of it...
Seeing her dazed expression, He Yao curled her lip in disdain. If she didn't have no siblings and her mother didn't say that people can't be without friends, she wouldn't bother playing with this silly cousin.
"You've come at the perfect time today," she said, wanting to show off. "Let me show you my weapon."
"Weapons?" Wu Hui was even more confused. "Has my cousin started learning martial arts?"
He Yao didn't answer her, but turned to the maid and gave her a few instructions.
Wu Hui watched as the maid left the room, only to return shortly after, accompanied by a little boy of about seven or eight years old.
"Greetings, Princess." He greeted her respectfully as soon as he entered the room.
"Qi Zhu, I heard you've been diligently practicing martial arts with the guards lately, building your foundation. Consider this plate of pastries a reward." At He Yao's signal, the maidservant brought a plate of osmanthus-flavored shortbread to Qi Zhu.
Qi Zhu lowered his eyes, thanked her respectfully, and immediately began to eat heartily.
After He Yao finished eating, she chatted casually for a few more minutes to show her concern, and then had the maid take him out.
Wu Hui watched from the sidelines, completely bewildered.
"Cousin Yao, who is he?"
“He is my secret weapon,” He Yao said smugly.
That little body looked thin and frail, not even as strong as her. What could it possibly do?
Wu Hui thought to herself, but dared not say the truth out loud. She only asked, "So what does my cousin plan to have him do?"
He Yao whispered a few words in Wu Hui's ear, and concluded by saying, "In short, it's not wise to rush things now. My grandmother once said that the higher a person climbs, the harder they fall. When you encounter someone so arrogant, don't rush to attack. Let her be smug enough, let more people hate her, and then one blow will be enough to make her never be able to lift her head again. So I think the older a person gets, the harder the lessons they learn. Like you and me now, if we make any mistakes, it's just a beating or a few words of scolding, a few days less of snacks and afternoon rest—it's nothing in comparison. But if it's been ten or eight years, it will be a different story."
"How is it different?" Wu Hui pressed.
He Yao clicked his tongue impatiently and said, "Hey, don't ask so many questions. Haven't you heard that walls have ears? If the secret gets leaked, we won't be able to get things done. Anyway, I'll take action when the time comes. For my own sake, and considering my aunt's grudge against you, I'll definitely ruin her reputation, hmph!"
In fact, He Yao hadn't figured out exactly what to do, but the guards visited Qi Lan once a month and knew that she had successfully settled down in the Marquis of Runan's mansion. He Yao felt that everything was going smoothly, and as long as she figured out a way, she would naturally be able to succeed. There was no need to rush.
However, she was unwilling to elaborate on these matters to Wu Hui.
Biyun Temple, Lecture Hall.