After the flower viewing banquet held at Prince Qiyang's residence, Ling Jing did not return even to the Princess's Residence, but went straight to the palace for an audience with the Emperor.
It should be explained here: the Crown Prince had passed away five years ago from an illness. His birth mother, the Empress, was grief-stricken. Her health, already frail, completely collapsed, and within a year she followed her only son.
The current Emperor Taihe and the late Empress had married young and were deeply in love. With both his legitimate son and wife passing one after the other, he was overcome with grief and issued an imperial decree that he would never take another Empress.
Presently, the highest-ranking woman in the harem is Concubine De, who is also the biological mother of Prince Jin. There is not even a Noble Consort.
As Taihe Emperor’s full-blooded younger sister, Ling Jing’s marriage had nothing to do with Concubine De, so of course she headed straight to Qianqing Palace to find her brother, who had the final say.
At this time, Taihe Emperor was not busy. Hearing his sister assertively declare “there is no one I would marry but him,” his brows slightly knit. “This name sounds familiar. The surname is Er... the son of Marquis Wu'an?”
Ling Jing replied, “He is the third son of Marquis Wu'an.” She smiled and continued, “Brother Emperor, he almost became your junior disciple.”
Prince Qiyang was the late Emperor’s younger uncle, but was actually even younger than the late Emperor. Though nominally uncle and nephew, in reality they were like brothers. Setting aside his rank as an Imperial Prince, Prince Qiyang was universally recognized as a great Confucian scholar. After the late Emperor established a Crown Prince, Prince Qiyang was the one who taught the Crown Prince his lessons.
That Crown Prince of the late Emperor was the current Emperor Taihe.
As Ling Jing brought this up, the Emperor remembered, “He’s the one who turned down Senior Uncle’s invitation?”
Ling Jing nodded with a laugh. “That’s right. All these years, he’s carried the reputation of ‘not knowing his place’.”
Taihe Emperor was somewhat intrigued. “And now you’re shielding him? From what I’ve heard, he seems rather ordinary... Not long ago, weren’t you complaining to me, saying you wanted some peace and quiet and to stop being pushed into marriage?”
Ling Jing purposely blushed a little. “Brother! Why don’t you ask around and see for yourself? What in this world could possibly be hidden from you?”
With his sister saying this, how could Taihe Emperor possibly refuse?
He immediately sent people to inquire, growing more and more curious: Prince Qiyang himself, the party concerned, even “testified” that he did not blame Minhe for being moved. He himself couldn’t help but keep stealing glances. That young man’s appearance truly was far too outstanding!
Thinking that seeing is believing, Taihe Emperor decided he might as well take a look himself.
Of course, he could not just summon the man to Qianqing Palace. If the marriage did not work out, it would harm his sister’s reputation. Therefore, he took the opportunity to pass by the Ministry of Personnel while the young man happened to be there for official business. The six ministries, the Privy Council, and the offices of the Grand Secretaries were all situated just south of the palace. It was not uncommon for the Emperor of Great Qi to visit the Inner Cabinet on a whim.
Arriving at the Ministry of Personnel, Taihe Emperor caused hardly any commotion and, as he wished, saw Er Jingzhou. He scrutinized him for a while, said nothing, and departed.
Having seen the man in person, he understood why his sister insisted on marrying no one else. He still remembered her exact words: “Just with that face, I could eat another bowl of rice.” As long as Er Jingzhou had no major fault, he might as well fulfill his sister’s wish.
Within less than a month after the Prince Qiyang flower viewing banquet, Emperor Taihe issued an imperial edict bestowing marriage between Princess Minhe and Er Jingzhou.
When the marriage edict arrived at the Marquis Wu'an’s residence, Marquis Wu'an was stunned. He had guessed the match was likely, but being done so quickly was beyond his expectations. What’s more, His Majesty issued the edict without ever asking his opinion!
Marquis Wu'an’s mind turned swiftly.
After his son accepted the edict, he summoned his son to Old Madam’s quarters to ask whether he knew any inside information or... had unique insights.
It had already been more than a month since Er Jingzhou had suggested that Marquis Wu'an investigate Prince Jin’s secret mistress. He had faith in Marquis Wu'an’s abilities, but there was still no progress, which clearly meant his words were taken lightly.
He had offered the opportunity. If Marquis Wu'an could not grasp it, then from now on, they would go their separate ways and each find their own peace.
He picked up his teacup and took a leisurely sip, retorting calmly, “His Majesty didn’t ask me either. I have already failed to appreciate favor once, surely I don’t need to do it again?”
Marquis Wu'an was at a loss for words.
Old Madam sighed, her tone gentle, “Are you now holding a grudge against the family?”
Er Jingzhou smiled. “Have I ever delayed any major family matter? The Madame has tried to sow discord among my children, and even sent people to assassinate me... So now I complain a little and that’s too much?”
This time Old Madam said nothing.
In Great Qi, a Prince Consort could serve in an official post, but the ceiling was low. He could not join the Inner Cabinet or enter the Privy Council. The situation was similar for a Marquis’s Consort. But the Prince Consort could accompany the Princess to enter and exit the palace, making it easier to catch the Emperor’s eye. Compared to the advantages, the so-called limitations were not much of an issue.
Therefore, whether for sons of nobility or brilliant young scholars from humble backgrounds, the position of Prince Consort was a highly sought-after “sweet job.” Of course, the premise was that you managed to catch the Princess’s eye.
When Er Jingzhou was picked by the Princess, Marquis Wu'an was present.
He knew very well what Princess Minhe valued most about his third son, but that “one thing” simply could not be replicated: his third son was a beauty without equal.
Helpless, Marquis Wu'an could only exchange glances with his mother, Old Madam, and consider things long-term. Fortunately, the third son bore resentment toward the family, but not to the point of outright estrangement.
His wife and his eldest son and daughter had better keep their heads down at home and not go out and offend the third son.
Er Jingzhou knew well that Marquis Wu'an had always picked the softest persimmons to squeeze. After perfunctorily dealing with Marquis Wu'an and Old Madam, he returned to his room and instructed his personal maid and son to begin packing their things early.
Er Xiao obediently accepted his orders, then asked, “Should I pack too?”
Er Jingzhou replied, “After the wedding, we’ll be living at the Princess’s Residence. That’s what the Princess said.” He raised his hand and gently patted his son, who was working hard to compose himself. “I’d rather try to please the Princess than live in a place that’s supposed to be our home, but ends up feeling like we’re guests under someone else’s roof.”
Er Xiao was momentarily stunned, then suddenly his nose stung with emotion.
Er Jingzhou let his son wipe away his tears in front of him, and said slowly, “You and I, father and son, your mother and your sister, all these years, we’ve suffered too much, and yet we could not speak the grief aloud. When I was young, my mother taught me to yield to my siblings, taught me that suffering loss is a blessing. The more virtuous I became, the more I would be noticed by those in power. That’s why she sent me to ask Prince Qiyang to rescind the invitation, not to accept me as his disciple, so as not to set brothers against one another and cause me to act unrighteously. In the end, my mother learned by accident that my elder brother and sister purposely tormented her. She couldn’t accept it and passed away in sorrow.” He smiled faintly. “Unless you have suffered as others have, do not urge them to be kind.”
Er Xiao could not help thinking of how the Marquis' Consort had taught both him and his sister, always when they harbored resentment toward their father.
The thought only made him more regretful.
Er Jingzhou patted Er Xiao on the back. “It took me many years to understand. When I was confused, you and your sister suffered... It was my fault. I really don’t want you two to repeat my mistakes.”
In later generations, it was rare enough for parents to apologize to their children, let alone now. Just by revealing a little genuine sentiment, Er Jingzhou left his foolish son a teary mess.
Er Xiao was dazed. After a moment, he began to sob, “Father, I don’t blame you... I was just too foolish! You never blamed me or scolded me...”
Er Jingzhou pulled his son into an embrace, gave his shoulders a shake, and said, “Once you finish crying, you’ll feel better.”
Er Xiao leaned against his father’s side for a whole hour before composing himself, standing up and taking his leave to busy himself with his own affairs.
As he walked out of the study, Xiao Xi also walked out of the side room and threw herself into her father’s arms. “That’s... pretty much enough coaxing, right?”
Er Jingzhou caught his daughter and set her on his knee. “As long as he believes his father never deliberately mistreated or harmed him and his sister, he’ll be willing to truly reconcile. Although the saying goes, three feet of ice is not formed in a day, all he really has left is just a bit of lingering grievance.”
Xiao Xi nodded. “Honestly, this brother has a pretty good temper.”
Er Jingzhou ruffled his daughter’s hair. “My efforts to ‘clean up’ the original host are mostly because of Er Xiao.”
Meanwhile, in the palace, Concubine De was finally joined by her son, Prince Jin, who had already established his own residence.
Her beloved in a good mood and willing to smile at her, Prince Jin had been light of heart these past few days. After paying his respects, he seated himself at Concubine De’s side and asked with a smile, “Mother, what do you wish to see me about?”
Concubine De chided, “Can’t I see you for no reason?”
She knew her son had been attentive to his secret lover lately, but after her confidants investigated and found the woman to be from a decent family, orphaned early, and otherwise blameless, she was unconcerned. She had no intention of quarreling with her son over such a trifle. “Your father has issued an imperial edict for a marriage. Your Aunt Minhe’s new Prince Consort will be Er’s own father.”
Prince Jin responded with an “Mm.” “What does Mother mean by this?”
Concubine De spoke frankly, “Raise Er’s status. If principal wife is out of the question, then at least make her a Consort. Your wife’s been gone a year. Do you have any plans?”
Prince Jin’s original wife had also been a noble lady, but had died a year ago in childbirth.
Prompted by his mother, Prince Jin recalled his first wife, but her face had already grown blurry in memory. As for the quiet Er, who had entered after that, he could barely remember what she looked like.
He wanted to marry the one he loved openly, but he knew very well how difficult that would be. He had to overcome two hurdles: his mother and the Emperor.
As for raising Er’s status, he had no objection.
So, to his mother’s request, he agreed to the first part, but planned to drag his feet on the second. “My wife has been gone only a year. It would be unseemly if I rushed to remarry.” Though he knew the words stung his mother, for the sake of the woman he loved, he said it anyway. “Mother, Father does not like men who are fickle in love.”
Caught off guard by her son’s comment, Concubine De was displeased, but upon reflection, she had to admit he was right. After the former Empress passed, His Majesty never took another Empress. His Majesty had readily agreed to Princess Minhe’s and Er Jingzhou’s marriage, perhaps because Er Jingzhou had also not remarried for many years.
Yet she could not help but return the jibe, coming from her own son as it did. “If you don’t take a wife, how am I supposed to get a grandson?”
Prince Jin chuckled, then leaned in conspiratorially, “I am a child of a concubine, as is Father, who became Crown Prince. Rest assured, I can guarantee Mother will have so many grandchildren she can’t hold them all.”
Concubine De pushed her son away. “Always trying to infuriate me! Must have owed you in my last life!”
After leaving the palace, Prince Jin instructed his coachman to head for Qingfeng Lane again—the woman he loved lived deep within a small courtyard in Qingfeng Lane.
After hearing from the steward that the Prince had come again, Lady Yang’s beautiful face showed even more distress. The plot was off the rails again! Ever since “Er Xiao and Er Yao plotted together to poison their biological father Er Jingzhou but failed,” everything had snowballed out of control!
That jerk Er Jingzhou was actually becoming a Prince Consort, yet Prince Jin hadn’t even delivered the key plot promise—“to spend one’s whole life with her alone.” There was nothing she could do but worry.
At present, she truly had no way to force the story back onto its original course.
Even though Prince Jin cared only for her and treated this house as his own, she still couldn’t even get out the front gate. The key evidence that could prove her identity remained undelivered! And she couldn’t let Prince Jin hand over the evidence himself, for a very simple reason: it implicated Concubine De’s brothers and several of her confidants. Even though Concubine De herself had not taken part, she would surely be implicated and stripped of everything.
Even if she trusted Prince Jin’s love for her, when it came to a choice between his birth mother and his beloved on the scales, she dared not bet that he would choose her.
If she could not deliver the evidence, she would end up a secret lover for life...
If her “pregnancy luck” were good, perhaps she would be “lucky” enough to go from concubine to Consort by bearing a child. Or, if her child was exceptional enough, she might go from Consort to senior Consort.
After decades, if she managed to survive her husband, her sons and daughters might finally take her from the Prince’s residence, and she could close her doors and hold sway as an old noble matron in front of her children... The very thought was enough to feel dismal. Compared to the regal future of Empress as in the original plot, it was the difference between heaven and earth.
Though the Empress might have more grievances than a mere Consort of Prince Jin, at least the Empress had power!
The more Lady Yang thought, the more unwilling she became. She had transmigrated into a novel, and did not want to just lie down and accept her fate just because the plot didn’t go her way.
So, when Prince Jin arrived, she looked into his eyes and asked, “Do you really want me to be a secret lover all my life, never seeing the light of day?”
Prince Jin was taken aback at first, then rejoiced. “I’ll bring you back to the manor right now!”
The very next day, Prince Jin submitted a petition, requesting that Lady Yang be conferred the title of Consort.
According to the rules, Prince Jin could have only two Consorts officially recorded in the Jade Register. With Lady Yang’s title, both seats were filled—the other Consort was Concubine De’s niece.
When the news reached him, Er Jingzhou couldn’t help but smile.
Ling Jing, even more animated, did her own voiceover, “Thank you, Prince Jin, for the timely assist, hahaha! Now I finally have reason to make Prince Jin write a letter dismissing his consorts! I’m going straight to Concubine De... She’s such a pretender, she’s annoyed me long enough.”
If Er Yao really became a Consort of Prince Jin and was entered into the Jade Register, then honestly, this marriage would no longer be so easy to dissolve and would require the Emperor’s intervention... Though strictly speaking, a Prince and his Consort did not count as “married” in the conventional sense.
Pausing, she added, “If Prince Jin and Lady Yang could really be tied together for good, that would surely weaken the male lead Prince Chu’s fortune to some extent.”