Lin Chunhuan did not think that entering the Eastern Palace was a good path. Strictly speaking, it would be worse than marrying into the General's Mansion.

But this is the path Ji Qianying chose herself. As long as it is her own choice, it is the best for her!

Xiao Cen was silent for a while, but finally sighed and took her hand. "If you want to help the second daughter of the Ji family, there are other ways. But if you offend Old Wei because of this, Ah Huan, this is not a wise decision."

"I do want to help her." Lin Chunhuan raised her head, her eyes sparkling with stars. "But if this action will implicate the prince, then outsiders are naturally no more important than our palace. I am quite clear about this."

"I was just thinking that if they were all beauties, it would be the same as if there were no beauties at all. This way, if the Crown Prince encounters those who use beauty traps in the future, he won't fall into the trap so easily... So, I can just replace a few of them."

Xiao Cen was confused by Lin Chunhuan's words "all beauties, that means there are no beauties". Just as Lin Chunhuan was about to take out Ji Qianying's portrait, he suddenly said, "Wait!"

"What Ah Huan said is not entirely unreasonable!"

Xiao Cen hesitated for a moment, but nodded. "You're right. My method never worked before. Perhaps this is the reason."

"I've been so strict in selecting the women around the Crown Prince that he loses his attention whenever he sees a woman who's even slightly attractive. This isn't right... Ah Huan is more thoughtful!"

Without waiting for Lin Chunhuan to say anything, Xiao Cen actually put Ji Qianying's portrait back on his own.

"Your Highness... aren't you afraid of offending General Wei?"

Seeing Lin Chunhuan's adorable confused look, Xiao Cen laughed and said, "There's no question of whether I offend him or not. Besides, the whole world belongs to the king. If the prince wants someone, can a minister snatch him away?"

Seeing Xiao Cen talking in front of her, Lin Chunhuan pursed her lips and smiled softly, saying nothing.

She just wanted to see if this man could really be so generous when the prince wanted to snatch the goose from him. If so, she would have been wrong.

When the process was halfway through, Duke Zhongguo also came with Princess Xuanji. It was a rare occasion that men and women were seated together, with ladies and courtiers sitting in one room. The men were all gentle and refined, and the women were all dignified and virtuous, all of whom she had never seen before.

After casually dealing with a certain marquis' wife, Lin Chunhuan lowered his eyes and looked through the remaining portraits, "Next one in."

"Lin Chu Nuan, the daughter of the Provincial Government Counselor, is seventeen years old!"

Following a shout, a slender figure slowly appeared in front of everyone.

The already quiet discussions in the hall suddenly became silent. Everyone was as frightened as a cicada, and their eyes were looking at Lin Chunhuan and Xiao Cen's expressions intentionally or unintentionally.

Xiao Cen was fine. After all, he knew from the beginning that Lin Chu Nuan would appear, and he had anticipated the scene at this moment. However, he already knew the prince's attitude in advance, so he remained calm.

As for Lin Chunhuan, the portrait has always been in her hands, so she naturally knows when Lin Chu Nuan will appear.

At this moment, there was a smile between her eyebrows, and she looked at Lin Chu Nuan in front of her with a faint look, making it impossible to tell what emotions were in her heart.

Who among those present is not a shrewd person in the capital?

Lin Chu Nuan asked her elder sister to marry in her place. The fact that she had a close relationship with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was unknown to others, but it could not be hidden from the royal family.

The person who is now choosing a concubine for the prince is the one who refused to marry in the first place. The success or failure of the marriage all falls into the hands of the eldest sister who is used as a substitute.

Such a scene... is so exciting!

There was complete silence in the main hall, but the ladies looked as if they were about to fly away!

But Lin Chu Nuan was still unaware of it.

She didn't know that the prince was not present at today's concubine selection. She only knew that everyone in the room was someone she needed to make friends with, and they were all people who had a say in the capital.

The attention of these characters is now on her alone!

This realization made Lin Chu Nuan so excited that she couldn't stop trembling, as if all her wonderful life would become a reality today!

She knelt on the ground with skillful and dignified movements, bowed her head, and performed it with impeccable grace. "My daughter Lin Chu Nuan pays respect to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

The prince was not there, so the person sitting in the first seat was naturally Xiao Cen. He looked at her with a scrutinizing look. It had to be said that even though the people Lin Chunhuan had carefully selected were all considered very beautiful, Lin Chunuan's face was still very outstanding.

Besides, this person had dressed up carefully today, and even had a bit of pure divinity, Xiao Cen asked himself.

If he had seen Lin Chu Nuan today before meeting Ah Huan, he would not be so moved, but he would indeed have a good impression of such a girl.

It’s no wonder that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, regardless of his status, personally rushed to the Lin family to support Lin Chunuan.

Xiao Cen took a deep breath and looked away.

"Second sister is young after all. Her injuries healed so quickly. I really couldn't tell at all."

A soft and gentle voice sounded from above, with a familiar tone.

Lin Chu Nuan was not surprised. She had known for a long time that the selection of the prince's concubine had been handed over by the emperor to Prince Pingyang, and even someone as unrelated as Princess Xuanji could come.

What's more, Lin Chunhuan is now the Princess of Pingyang.

Lin Chu Nuan tightened her hands slightly as she saluted, and only then did she raise her head.

Not seeing the Crown Prince, her whole body tensed for a moment, and then she turned her gaze to Lin Chunhuan, who was smiling gently beside her, "My daughter greets Princess Pingyang."

"I haven't seen you for over a month. The princess has become even more beautiful."

"It's just... isn't it today that the Crown Prince is choosing a concubine? Why is the Crown Prince..."

"Princess Pingyang is such a gentle and quiet person. How could this Second Miss Lin be so talkative?" Before Lin Chu Nuan could finish her words, the Princess of Xuanji was already waving her handkerchief, her eyes revealing some impatience. "Just do what you should do. Whether the Crown Prince is here or not, how can you, the daughter of a minor official, have any say in the matter?"

Lin Chu Nuan bit her lip slightly, lowered her head to hide the resentment in her eyes, and replied softly, "The county lady is right."

"I don't want to lecture you!"

The Princess of Xuanji glanced at Lin Chunhuan a little unsurely, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that she was still smiling. "Forget it, let's see what position the princess assigns you."

What?

Lin Chunuan suddenly raised her head and stared at Lin Chunhuan, "You mean the position?"

"This is the Crown Prince's harem. How can a mere woman like you be qualified? Why should you be able to decide my position?" Lin Chu Nuan refused to kneel. She stood up and glared at Lin Chun Huan fiercely, "I don't accept it!"

"You are a lowly thing whose father doesn't love you and whose mother doesn't want you. Who gave you the right to do this?"