"What if His Majesty chooses Chang'an?" the Duchess asked anxiously in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

The second young mistress comforted her, saying, "Mother, there's no need to worry too much. His Majesty probably won't choose a child from our Duke Zhenguo's mansion."

After all, the emperor had never liked the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

“Even if he is chosen, as long as Chang’an is unwilling, there are always ways to make His Majesty change his mind,” said the Third Young Mistress.

After all, the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion may not have much else, but it has the most military achievements. These military achievements are still a hot potato, and they are worried about not finding an opportunity to get rid of them.

Xu Jingjing didn't want to talk.

She couldn't very well tell her family that this situation was entirely caused by that brat, could she?

Just so she could be with His Highness the Crown Prince openly, she was willing to cause turmoil in the Great Abyss!

If the old man and father find out, that brat will be in deep trouble!

"Aren't you worried at all, as her mother? Chang'an is your and Shaoling's only child. If he is chosen by His Majesty to become the Crown Princess, his life will be over!" The Duchess scolded Xu Jingjing, who was clearly distracted.

“Mother, if Chang’an is unwilling, Shaoling and I will give up all our military merits to exchange for his freedom,” Xu Jingjing said with a bitter smile.

"That's more like it! In short, it's impossible for the eldest grandson of my Duke Zhenguo's mansion to enter the palace and become the Crown Princess!" the Duchess said firmly.

Xu Jingjing's expression immediately became even more complicated.

The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion can keep one legitimate grandson, but the eldest grandson's heart has already flown away, and he can't wait to be tied to His Highness the Crown Prince and live happily ever after!

"Nothing has happened yet, so there's no need to worry. Go about your business!" Finally, the old lady spoke, dismissing the group.

Xu Jingjing had been paying close attention to the old ancestor's reaction. Seeing that the old ancestor hadn't even raised an eyebrow, she suddenly had a bad feeling.

The old man's mind is as clear as a mirror; surely he has already seen through the brat's tricks?

In Chengqian Palace, the emperor now learned that the golden nugget of the Zhenguo Duke's mansion happened to have a pure Yang destiny according to the Eight Characters.

Even though Xie Chang'an had a pure Yang destiny according to the Eight Characters, and his family background, age, and appearance were all suitable, the emperor still felt uneasy just thinking that he was Xie Shaoling's son.

He had absolutely no desire to become in-laws with Xie Shaoling, let alone their sons!

He tossed aside Xie Chang'an's birth date and said to Sun Yan, "Let's look again!"

In the study of the Minister of Justice's residence, the Zhang family father and son were also looking at the Eight Characters.

"Father, Xie Chang'an plotted against me before, ruined my official career, and even made me disliked by His Majesty. I must avenge this!" Zhang Zhe said to his father with a ferocious expression as he looked at the birth chart of Xie Chang'an that he had spent a lot of money to obtain.

“His Majesty has always been wary of the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion, and he will certainly not agree to let the Crown Prince marry Xie Chang’an,” Zhang Li said in a deep voice.

“It is precisely because His Majesty is wary of the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion that His Highness the Crown Prince should marry Xie Chang’an. In this way, Xie Chang’an will never be able to serve in the court or go to the battlefield again. With Xie Chang’an deposed, the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion will have no future!” Zhang Zhe said excitedly.

“What you said makes sense, but His Majesty has always disliked Xie Shaoling and Yu Xu, so naturally he wouldn’t like Xie Chang’an either. He certainly wouldn’t want His Highness the Crown Prince to be associated with the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion.”

“If Xie Chang’an becomes the Crown Princess, he will never be able to marry or touch a woman again for the rest of his life. Wouldn’t that mean he will have no descendants? Xie Shaoling only has him as his son. If he has no descendants, it’s the same as Xie Shaoling having no descendants! Isn’t that the best revenge against Xie Shaoling?” Zhang Zhe reminded him.

"Father, you are His Majesty's most trusted minister. He will surely listen to your words. Please go and persuade His Majesty!"

Back then, Xie Chang'an used such despicable means to scheme against him, so he must repay him in kind.

Wasn't Xie Chang'an deliberately acting very close to the Crown Prince in front of him, making him mistakenly believe that his relationship with the Crown Prince was unusual? Now he's confirming that their relationship is unusual!

Although he will have no chance to pursue an official career, he can still do business or other things. But Xie Chang'an, once he enters the Eastern Palace, is like a bird in a cage. Not only can he not do anything, but he will also be ridiculed for the rest of his life!

After Zhang Zhe's repeated persuasion, Zhang Li went to the palace to see the emperor.

No one knows what he said to the emperor in the Chongzheng Hall, but after Zhang Li left, the emperor summoned the director of the Imperial Observatory.

He handed the birth chart he had almost torn up, along with the Crown Prince's birth chart, to the Imperial Censor, asking him to calculate the compatibility between the two.

The eunuch calculated with his fingers in front of the emperor, and then replied with eight words: "A match made in heaven, a golden and jade-like union."

The emperor's face immediately darkened, and he asked coldly, "You should know that one of these birth dates belongs to the crown prince. You're saying the crown prince and a man are a match made in heaven? Don't you want your head?"

The supervisor was so frightened that he immediately knelt on the ground. "Your Majesty, I'm innocent! His Highness the Crown Prince's birth chart and this person's birth chart are indeed... indeed very well matched!"

The emperor ordered Zhang Shunde to summon all the officials of the Imperial Observatory to the Chongzheng Hall and have them calculate the horoscopes in front of him.

With his features perfectly aligned, the Central Official spoke first, uttering the exact same words as the Supervisor.

Subsequently, Dongguanzheng also arrived at the same conclusion. Xiaguan, one of the Five Observatory Spirit Terrace Attendants, said the same thing.

Yun Shu was the official in charge of spring festivals. He didn't calculate any perfect match made in heaven, but he did calculate that the two people's birth charts showed that they were indeed destined to be together.

He also truthfully reported the results he had calculated.

The emperor held the two sets of birth dates and times, feeling as if they were burning his hands.

To believe that his beloved son and Xie Chang'an's son were a match made in heaven, he would rather believe that the people in the Imperial Observatory were all incompetent and lazy!

He thought it was all absurd.

However, the news that the emperor had summoned officials from the Imperial Observatory to calculate the horoscopes of the crown prince quickly reached the ears of the court officials, who submitted memorials one after another, urging the emperor to decide on the crown princess as soon as possible.

At this time, the Great Abyss had not seen a clear sky for a whole month.

Although the rainfall was not heavy during this month, there was not a single sunny day.

The fearful and uneasy people began to gather again at the gates of government offices and yamen.

"What do you think of Xie Chang'an?" The emperor summoned Ye Jingchen to Chengqian Palace and asked him.

"He excels in horsemanship and archery, and is skilled in troop deployment. He has a great talent for military campaigns. It would be a waste of his talent to be a mere deputy commander of the Eastern Palace Guard." Ye Jingchen thought for a moment and gave a very objective evaluation.

"You think it's beneath him to be the Deputy Commander of the Eastern Palace Guard? Then what else wouldn't be beneath him? The Deputy Commander of the Divine Might Army?!" the emperor asked coldly.

"Your Majesty understands your intention in appointing him as the Deputy Commander of the Eastern Palace Guard, but with his abilities, he is indeed capable of serving as the Deputy Commander of the Divine Might Army," Ye Jingchen said truthfully.

The emperor was quite angry at his honest words, but this also made him decide in his heart.

He would never allow anyone from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to take control of the Divine Might Army again. Xie Chang'an should just stay and be the Crown Princess from now on!