Empress Dowager Xu breathed heavily: "Why is the Third Miss in such a hurry to get married at such a young age? It's not too late to wait."

The Emperor of Northern Chu smiled indulgently at Song Yue and nodded slightly, gesturing for her to come over. Song Yue obediently walked over and stood beside the Emperor of Northern Chu.

“A-Yue is not young anymore. I must consider her needs to prevent her from having a good husband snatched away again.” The Emperor of Northern Chu pointed to a chair beside him: “A-Yue, sit down.”

Song Yue thanked her and obediently sat down.

"Does the Empress Dowager intend to compete with me?" The Emperor of Northern Chu did not mince words, his gaze meeting Empress Dowager Xu's directly, showing her no respect whatsoever.

Song Yue was practically ready to applaud the Emperor of Northern Chu.

She continues to support herself as always.

Empress Dowager Xu's expression froze.

Xu Qing'er, standing to the side, blushed and wished she could disappear into the ground; she had actually been rejected.

"What's wrong with Miss Xu becoming the Eighth Prince's concubine?" the Emperor of Northern Chu asked in surprise.

Based on her status, Xu Qing'er was only qualified to be a concubine, but the Empress Dowager wanted to promote the Xu family, so she arranged this whole thing.

Empress Dowager Xu thought that with everyone watching, the Emperor of Northern Chu would certainly not refuse her request and would agree even if he had to bite the bullet, so she went all out.

I never expected the Emperor of Northern Chu to be so disrespectful.

Empress Dowager Xu is now in a difficult situation, caught in a dilemma and unsure of what to do.

“The Third Miss doesn’t necessarily have to marry the Eighth Prince. The Prince of Shen and the Prince of Guangjia are also fond of her. Why doesn’t Your Majesty grant them this wish?” Princess Zhennan said with a smile.

Empress Dowager Xu, now having a way out, quickly nodded: "What the Princess Consort of Zhennan said is absolutely right."

"Does the Princess Consort's 'helping others achieve their goals' mean that Miss Xu and I have some kind of private relationship?" Zhao Zhiyan asked with a puzzled look. "Miss Xu seems so gentle and quiet. How could she be such a despicable person as the Princess Consort described?"

Princess Zhennan was taken aback.

She suddenly felt that Zhao Zhiyan had changed too; he was now sharp-tongued and just like Song Yue.

Xu Qing'er was almost in tears, kneeling in fear beside Empress Dowager Xu.

"Your Majesty, my brother and Miss Xu are absolutely innocent." Zhao Zhiyan solemnly explained again, as if he wasn't confused enough.

"Eighth Prince, I... I didn't mean that," Princess Zhennan explained awkwardly.

Zhao Zhiyan asked, "Then what did the Princess mean by 'helping others achieve their goals' just now?"

“This…” Princess Zhennan did not expect that the Eighth Prince, who was known as a good-natured person, would be so unreasonable. Princess Zhennan quickly changed her words: “I misspoke. We should have made sure that the Eighth Prince and the Third Miss were a good match.”

Song Yue's face fell: "Is Your Highness saying that I'm immoral and have an affair with the Eighth Prince in private?"

Princess Zhennan's face darkened, wishing she could tear her tongue out. No matter how she tried to explain, she couldn't make sense of it. Emperor Bei Chu was displeased: "You are, after all, a princess of the royal family. A woman's reputation is of utmost importance. How can you slander her so easily?"

After being reprimanded in public, Princess Zhennan's legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground to apologize.

The Emperor of Northern Chu slowly rose and said in a deep voice, "My eighth brother is destined to bring misfortune to his wives. Over the years, I have privately examined many of you ladies and found that your birth charts are incompatible. However, it is fortunate that A-Yue's birth chart is auspicious enough to suppress my eighth brother's fate of bringing misfortune to his wives. I have wronged A-Yue. Eighth brother, if you dare to slight A-Yue, I will not let you off lightly!"

Zhao Zhiyan knelt down: "Your Majesty, I thank you for bestowing this marriage upon me."

Song Yue's lips twitched. How come she's now cursed with being a wife-killer?

"Ah Yue, I'm sorry to have troubled you." The Emperor of Northern Chu bent down and helped Song Yue up: "According to the divination of the Imperial Observatory, the Eighth Prince must get married before he turns twenty-one, otherwise there will be bloodshed. Therefore, I plan to hold the wedding this month."

"So soon?" Empress Dowager Xu exclaimed in surprise, "How come I've never heard of the Eighth Prince being destined to bring misfortune to his wives?"

Zhao Zhiyan covered his mouth and coughed lightly: "This is the result of a divination performed by a master of time and space when my father was alive. It's not something to be proud of, so how could I publicize it so casually?"

Empress Dowager Xu was speechless.

Back then, she was just a minor concubine and had no right to concern herself with such matters. The only reason she was able to raise the Emperor of Northern Chu was because of this.

It was because she lost her first pregnancy that Emperor Taizu took pity on her. Coincidentally, the birth mother of the Northern Chu Emperor passed away, so he gave the Northern Chu Emperor to Empress Dowager Xu.

Empress Dowager Xu finally understood the attitudes of the Northern Chu Emperor and Zhao Zhiyan. They could turn on each other in an instant, and in the end, they would only make a fool of themselves.

The Emperor of Northern Chu publicly issued an edict to grant the marriage, which would take place in fifteen days, and ordered the Imperial Household Department to expedite the preparations.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The two knelt down to express their gratitude.

At the banquet, everyone had different thoughts.

Song Yue returned to Princess Jia Hua's side and saw that her mother's eyes were red. She quickly said, "Mother, Eighth Prince promised me that I can stay by your side for a few more years."

Princess Jia Hua gently stroked Song Yue's cheek: "Silly child, that won't do."

The banquet ended

Princess Jiahua was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, she was kept behind by Empress Dowager Xu. Song Yue wanted to follow, but Princess Jiahua ordered her to return to her residence and wait.

After thinking it over, Song Yue figured her mother wouldn't suffer any losses in the palace, so she left.

As she walked through the long corridor, people came and congratulated her. Song Yue smiled and responded, when suddenly she caught a faint fragrance.

"A-Yue." It was Zhao Zhiyan who came along.

Song Yue stopped in her tracks; "Congratulations, Eighth Imperial Uncle, on achieving your wish."

Zhao Zhiyan responded with a smile.

The two kept their distance, and he watched her get into the carriage before leaving.

Sitting inside the carriage, Song Yue's palms were covered in fine sweat. When the Emperor of Northern Chu helped her up, she discovered a shocking secret.

The Northern Chu Emperor's pulse was faint and barely perceptible, far from the healthy state he appeared to be.

We need to think of a way to explore this further.

…

Ning'an Palace

Empress Dowager Xu smiled slightly at Princess Jiahua: "So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. Princess, you are still as beautiful as ever. I heard that your eldest son is turning twenty this year."

"It is kind of Your Majesty to think of this. I have already arranged a marriage for Zhen'er in private. I have promised him that I will never force him. Regardless of the other party's status, as long as Zhen'er is happy, I will approve."

Princess Jiahua hadn't been by Song Zhen's side for so many years, and she couldn't bear to confine him with rules and regulations. She had told him this from the very first day Song Zhen returned.

If Song Zhen agrees to the marriage in the future, she, as his mother, will wholeheartedly approve and will never make things difficult for him because of his status.

As soon as Empress Dowager Xu spoke, Princess Jiahua knew what she was thinking.

After being repeatedly rebuffed, Empress Dowager Xu's face fell: "Jiahua, I am no longer the Consort Xu I once was. I am now the Empress Dowager. You cannot be disrespectful to your elders!"

Princess Jiahua's lips curled into a mocking smile. She slightly raised her chin, and the red hairpin in her hair swayed gently as she looked at the other woman with arrogance: "I have other matters to attend to, so I will not keep the Empress Dowager company any longer."

Before Empress Dowager Xu could speak, Princess Jiahua turned and strode away.

That attitude showed that he didn't take Empress Dowager Xu seriously at all, which made Empress Dowager Xu's heart heave violently. Only after the person had gone far away did she dare to curse the vixen: "If it weren't for the Emperor's support, I would have taught her a lesson today."

Empress Dowager Xu couldn't understand how a middle-aged woman could make the Emperor of Northern Chu so infatuated with anyone who had any relationship with Princess Jiahua.

The Emperor of Northern Chu would absolutely show favoritism without any reason.

"Your Majesty, the princess has headed towards the Hall of State Affairs," a palace attendant reported.

Empress Dowager Xu's disdain became increasingly evident.