Chapter 231 The Question of Personnel Selection

Emperor Xiao Jing selected three candidates to be his consorts.

One was the youngest niece of Empress Xu's family.

She was also the youngest granddaughter of Prime Minister Xu, named Xu Roujia, who was thirteen years old and one year younger than the Seventh Prince.

She was intelligent and well-behaved, with bright and charming eyes, and bore a resemblance to Empress Xu in her childhood.

The other one was the youngest granddaughter of the Minister of Rites, named Qian Qingqing.

He is calm and composed, and proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. He is only one year older than the Seventh Prince and is already fifteen years old this year.

The last one, which Shangguan Jin never expected, was actually Huangfu Ruoxi, the youngest daughter of Changsheng Marquis.

Guan Jin had met that little girl before; she was cheerful and lively, just like her youngest daughter, Shen Qingyu.

Upon seeing these three candidates, Shangguan Jin immediately understood what Emperor Xiao Jing meant.

He's trying to firmly bind the Seventh Prince to the Crown Prince's side.

Regardless of which family's child is chosen as the Seventh Prince's consort, it will further strengthen their relationship with the Crown Prince.

"Which side does His Majesty favor?" Shangguan Jin asked in a low voice.

Empress Xu smiled and then pointed to herself.

Oh, so Emperor Xiao Jing favors Xu Roujia...

If that's the case, then the Xu family is truly the most powerful and influential family in the Great Yu.

Not just a powerful minister, but also a member of the imperial family...

The family already has Empress Xu and the Crown Princess, and now another Princess Consort has appeared...

This is making other people so envious!

"And what is Your Highness's own inclination?" Shangguan Jin continued to ask.

Speaking of this, Empress Xu glanced at Shangguan Jin and thought for a while before speaking.

"Madam Shen, I won't hide it from you, but I don't actually want Roujia to become a prince's consort."

The Xu family is already extremely wealthy; I have no desire to add to their already splendid wealth.

Although I took care of the Seventh Prince for several years, that affection can never compare to yours.

When His Majesty told me that he wanted to find a consort for the Seventh Prince, I didn't even consider my own family.

Actually, I prefer the youngest daughter of the Marquis of Changsheng.

To be honest, I have my own selfish reasons for doing this.

Marquis Changsheng... never takes sides, and no one can figure out what he's thinking.

Although my sister's daughter has married into the Changsheng Marquis's household, this can only be considered a marriage alliance at most.

But recently, my younger sister has encountered one problem after another, and she's a bit overwhelmed with her own affairs.

I reckon she doesn't even want to care about the daughter who married into the Changsheng Marquis's household anymore.

"So..." Empress Xu didn't finish her sentence.

But Shangguan Jin already understood what Empress Xu meant.

If the Crown Prince wants to control the Weiyuan Army, the best link is the Seventh Prince.

If the Seventh Prince marries the daughter of the Marquis of Changsheng, then he will be the Marquis of Changsheng's son-in-law.

The future Duke of Dingguo is the seventh prince's cousin.

Both sides are related to the Seventh Prince...

Empress Xu's calculations were a bit more elaborate than Emperor Xiao Jing's...

Shangguan Jin remained silent at first.

She had known all along that she would never be able to interfere in the Seventh Prince's marriage.

Emperor Xiao Jing asked Empress Xu to talk to him, probably because he was worried that the Seventh Prince would resist and wanted him to persuade him...

But what the Seventh Prince himself was thinking, Shangguan Jin really didn't know...

It wasn't that she was ignoring the Seventh Prince, but rather that the Seventh Prince was only fourteen years old, even younger than Shen Qingjun!

"Your Majesty, why don't we ask the Seventh Prince what he means?"

Although it's an arranged marriage, and she's a prince's consort, there are many things to consider, but they still need to find each other agreeable!

We'll at least spend our lives together; I wouldn't dare say we have to be perfectly harmonious.

"But we should at least try to treat each other with respect!" Shangguan Jin suggested.

Speaking of this, Empress Xu sighed.

"Don't you understand Xiao Qi? He's just a child with a temper, and His Majesty dotes on him so much that he doesn't want him to suffer any injustice."

I called him over that day and asked him a question.

Do you know what he said?

"What did he say?" Shangguan Jin asked curiously.

"He said he wanted to marry someone who wouldn't interfere with him, someone he could have fun with, and someone His Majesty would also like."

Madam Shen, tell me, where am I supposed to find someone like this?

"In the entire court, which woman doesn't tremble with fear when she sees His Majesty? Does everyone look like that Consort Butterfly?" Empress Xu laughed.

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Jin sensed that the Seventh Prince had deliberately said these words...

"Your Majesty, I have an idea. Would you like to hear it?"

"You always have so many ideas," Empress Xu said, perking up immediately.

"Find an opportunity for the children to get to know each other first."

They're all too young; we should be able to get them together sometime and let them get to know each other for a while.

You can't talk about marriage if you can't even recognize everyone!

As for who is more suitable, we'll see in a year.

"Perhaps in the process of getting to know each other, the Seventh Prince himself can decide who he finds pleasing to the eye!" Shangguan Jin said.

Empress Xu nodded repeatedly upon hearing this.

"Yes, that's a good idea. Let's try getting to know each other first, for example, by getting together to burn incense and pray to Buddha, and then we meet."

That's a good idea.

Madam Shen, I'm entrusting this matter to you.

As for my family, I'll let them know. Just let them know what arrangements you have here.

Shangguan Jin agreed.

It seems I need to arrange all these things now; I estimate I'll be busy with them until the Lunar New Year.

After finishing this matter, Empress Xu pulled Shangguan Jin aside and talked about some other things.

This includes the recent chaotic incident in the palace caused by Consort Zheng and Consort Die.

"Every day they're either fighting over food or clothes."

As for the Empress Dowager, it's hard to say anything, so they all came to me to make a fuss.

Every time they come, there's nothing we can do but give them both equal blame.

Shangguan Jin sipped her tea while listening to Empress Xu ramble on about these trivial matters.

Empress Xu said she was annoyed, but she actually had a smile on her face the whole time.

Empress Xu must have been behind the scenes in causing such a commotion in the palace.

After all, Consort Die's entry into the palace and her successful delivery of a prince was orchestrated by Empress Xu...

"Doesn't the Empress Dowager care either?" Shangguan Jin asked.

"How can we manage them? They're both my flesh and blood."

However, Consort Zheng has been acting strangely lately, and she's stopped going crazy and hitting palace servants as often.

Many times, I sit quietly in the yard, lost in thought.

"I suspect it's because the Prince of Qin went south," Empress Xu said with a smile.

Shangguan Jin noticed that Empress Xu was in a good mood.

"Your Majesty, there are rumors circulating that the Duke of Anguo has given up on the Prince of Qin and is considering pushing for the Eighth Prince?" Shangguan Jin suddenly said.

Empress Xu glanced at the palace gate, then at Shangguan Jin.

"This isn't like buying jewelry in a shop where you can just change it if you don't like it anymore."

"More than twenty years of hard work have been poured into this; it's too late to change things now," Empress Xu said slowly.

For a moment, Shangguan Jin didn't know whether Empress Xu was referring to the Duke of Anguo or to herself.

Or rather, both sides...