The East Street of the capital was the residence of all officials, its layout entirely in accordance with the regulations of the Great Zhou Dynasty, exuding an air of strict hierarchy and solemn grandeur. It was common knowledge that even among officials of the same rank, those in the capital were far superior to those in local areas. To rise from a local official to an official under the emperor's nose was undoubtedly a huge leap. Many were even blocked at this point, never to advance further.

Although it is extremely glamorous to be a local tyrant, people always strive for higher positions and climb the ladder. Who would choose to stay in one place?

A new official recently moved to East Street in the capital: Jiang Jing, the former prefect of Jiangzhou and now the Vice Minister of Rites. Jiang Jing is currently living a life of quiet stagnation, having just been promoted to a high-ranking official in the capital. His daughter has been sent to the imperial concubine selection, and at the very least, she could become a concubine of a prince—her future looks bright.

After seeing off the officials who came to offer their congratulations, Jiang Jing's smile vanished instantly. Others only knew of his glory, but they had no idea of ​​the anxiety in his heart. In particular, this anxiety had lasted for nearly three years.

This story begins three years ago with Jiang Wuyou, the illegitimate daughter of a courtesan. When Wuyou first came to his door, Jiang Jing naturally didn't care; she was just a maid. She wasn't his son, couldn't carry on the family line, and had no legitimate lineage, making her useless to him.

But sometimes, things take a turn for the better just like that. Three days after Wuyou left, an unexpected guest arrived.

Dressed in a light yellow robe, handsome and elegant, tall and graceful, with a gentle and polite smile on his lips, he was none other than the fifth prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Jiang Jing had a high opinion of himself, but he never thought he had the ability or the qualifications to have a prince personally visit him. Yet, that's exactly what happened.

Jiang Jing received the Fifth Prince with immense excitement and reverence. "This humble official respectfully welcomes the Fifth Prince. May Your Highness live a thousand years. I was unaware of your arrival and have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me."

"Lord Jiang, there's no need for such formalities. This is just a private matter for me, so there's no need to be so bound by custom." The Fifth Prince smiled as he helped the man up. Every move he made exuded humility and respect for scholars, making it easy for people to develop a good impression of him.

The two exchanged pleasantries, their official manners impeccable. They subtly probed each other's backgrounds, displaying the cunning of seasoned officials. The Fifth Prince's sophistication and worldliness surprised Jiang Jing. At only eighteen years old, the Fifth Prince's skillful handling of affairs was truly remarkable.

"Lord Jiang, I've heard that you have a daughter who is beautiful, gentle, and virtuous..." The Fifth Prince's flattery was superb, praising Jiang Jing's daughter to the skies and subtly expressing his own affection.

The Fifth Prince's mother was only a minor concubine, a palace maid by origin, and of low status. But she was still a member of the imperial family, and could eventually become a prince. If it were an ordinary person, they would probably have agreed immediately. Let alone becoming a prince's concubine, even becoming a maid would be a stroke of good fortune.

Jiang Chang Le is the apple of Jiang Jing Hao's eye, painstakingly raised and cherished since childhood, treated like a concubine. It would be a great loss to give her away to an ordinary prince.

"It is my daughter's good fortune to be favored by the Fifth Prince, but she is still a young girl and has just lost her mother. It would be inappropriate to talk about marriage at this time."

Jiang Jing's words were eloquent, but they couldn't hide his disdain for the Fifth Prince.

"Lord Jiang, you misunderstand. This prince has his eye on your Jiang family's second young lady, Jiang Wuyou, not the eldest young lady, Jiang Changle." A hint of sarcasm flashed in the Fifth Prince's eyes. He didn't care for that stupid woman, Jiang Changle; he wanted Jiang Wuyou.

Recalling that ruthless and beautiful woman, a hint of gloom flashed in the Fifth Prince's eyes. In his previous life, when he first met Jiang Wuyou, she was in dire straits. His unintentional act of helping her was remembered by her for a lifetime, and later became the sharpest and most useful weapon in his hands, clearing away all obstacles and helping him ascend the throne.

He was an emperor; how could he take in a wicked concubine full of sins? Wouldn't that tarnish his own reputation? So he resolutely abandoned her, making her one of the skeletons beneath his throne.

He never regretted killing his opponent and felt immense satisfaction from it. Trading a woman for the supreme position coveted by countless others was undoubtedly a lucrative deal every unscrupulous merchant dreamed of.

But in his old age, seeing his concubines and children constantly fighting amongst themselves while he was all alone, he finally understood the loneliness of being in a high position. Although he knew it was impossible, he couldn't help but think of the woman who had given everything for him, even her life. Her passion and sincerity were all things he could have had, but in the end, they were burned to ashes, leaving nothing behind.

When he opened his eyes again, he thought he would be in the underworld preparing to be reincarnated. But he returned to his youth, to a time before he became an emperor, and before he met Jiang Wuyou.

Since God has given me a chance to start over, I will make sure I have no regrets in my life.

With this thought in mind, the Fifth Prince stepped into the Jiang family, intending to help Jiang Wuyou in his most miserable moment and make him truly and completely his woman, just like in his previous life, dedicating everything to him.

Having memories of two lifetimes, he no longer needs a woman to clear the thorns from his path. He is absolutely confident that he can once again ascend to the supreme position. He has enjoyed wealth, power, and beautiful women; the only thing he will hold onto firmly is a sincere heart.

Jiang Jing froze upon hearing the Fifth Prince's words. Who was Jiang Wuyou? He searched his memory desperately and finally found a clue: wasn't that the illegitimate daughter he had driven away a couple of days ago? How could the Fifth Prince know him, and why would he be willing to take him as a concubine?

All of this was perplexing, but he had no time to think about it now. He couldn't bear to part with Jiang Changle; she was going to marry the prince who had the best chance of ascending the throne.

He was willing to part with a mere concubine. At worst, he would just discard her as a pawn, since he hadn't invested any real effort in her anyway.

"Lord Jiang, in three years, you will send Jiang Wuyou to my residence. Rest assured, I will not mistreat you." The Fifth Prince patted Jiang Jing on the shoulder, his tone resolute. Of course, he knew that Jiang Wuyou had not yet arrived at Jiang Jing's residence; he was merely giving a heads-up in advance to prevent Jiang Jing, that opportunistic scoundrel, from betrothing Jiang Wuyou to someone else.

As for whether Jiang Wuyou would be bullied or suffer, he didn't care that much. He only needed to do what he did in his previous life: lend a helping hand when the other person was at their lowest point, and he would win their sincere heart. Why not do it?

As the recollection ended, Jiang Jing sighed deeply. He had thought a little girl like her would be easy to find, but he hadn't expected to search for three years and still not find Yan. With the deadline fast approaching, his heart grew increasingly anxious.

To be honest, the Fifth Prince also played a role in his rapid rise to the position of Vice Minister of Rites. If he can't produce a replacement by the deadline, it might be difficult to resolve the situation.

"Master." At this moment, the butler hurried over and whispered a few words in Jiang Jing's ear. Jiang Jing's eyes widened in surprise, and the two left together.