Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was time for the Crown Prince and the other princes to choose their consorts. In the court, ministers gathered, each harboring their own agenda. Some, while harbouring the idea of having their own daughters nominated for the Crown Princess, were hesitant to act rashly.
Because they knew that Li Jingshu, the daughter of the Prime Minister, had already been designated as the only choice for the Crown Princess. Even those officials who were on the same side as Prime Minister Li Mingfu would never dare to have the slightest intention of competing for the position of Crown Princess.
Thus, among the portraits of the Crown Princess candidates, only Li Jingshu and the daughters of officials from various prefectures were included. These women were either pure and elegant or gentle and charming, each with their own unique charm, but they all pale in comparison to Li Jingshu's stunning beauty.
As a member of a royal family, the Third Prince's selection of a concubine naturally attracted considerable attention. However, since the court officials were hesitant to express their views, the number of candidates was limited. After all, if they chose the wrong side, not only would they be in danger, but their entire family could also suffer catastrophic disaster! In comparison, the Fourth and Fifth Princes faced an even more bleak situation. The women they could choose from were almost all legitimate daughters of officials of the fifth rank or below.
The empress contemplated the carefully selected portraits before her, then turned thoughtfully to Consort De, Consort Shu, and Consort Hui, softly asking, "Are you satisfied with this?" However, each of the three concubines had their own thoughts. The reason why the selection of concubines this time was entirely made up of daughters of civil officials, with not a single military officer presenting a portrait of their own legitimate daughter, was truly intriguing.
Perhaps it was because the military generals generally believed that the second prince, Prince Qin, had extraordinary military talent and leadership potential, so they were attracted to him; or perhaps the Queen Mother deliberately did not arrange for the other princes to marry into the military families for some strategic considerations.
At this time, Defei smiled slightly and said softly: "I think that the princes should decide on their own matters of marriage. After all, as a mother, if you cannot find a satisfactory partner for your child, it may cause a rift between mother and child!" Her tone revealed a deep maternal love and concern for her son's happiness.
There was a hint of teasing in the queen's eyes, the corners of her mouth rose slightly, and she said softly: "What Defei said is absolutely right! Then I will discuss it with Your Majesty!" After that, she turned around and left gracefully.
Concubine De stormed back to her chambers. Upon entering, she plopped down on a chair, her brows raised, her eyes blazing with fury. She gnashed her teeth and cursed, "That bitch Li Qianwan! She must have been the one to get in the way again, blocking the portraits those generals were sending! I absolutely cannot let this go! Tomorrow morning, I will personally meet His Majesty!"
Seeing this, the nearby nanny hurried forward, gently handed her a cup of hot tea, and whispered soothingly, "Your Majesty, calm down! Do not act rashly! The Third Prince has sent a message specifically asking you to be patient for now. He will naturally come up with a solution!"
Concubine De took the teacup and took a deep swig, but her anger didn't subside. However, she also knew that it was not appropriate to act rashly at this moment, so she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. After a moment's silence, she slowly put down the cup in her hand and said no more.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the palace windows, casting patches of dappled light and shadow on the ground. The empress, dressed in a gorgeous phoenix robe and holding a stack of carefully selected portraits of women, walked lightly towards Emperor Wen's bedroom.
After entering the palace, the empress bowed and paid her respects to Emperor Wen, then handed him the portrait in her hand and said softly: "Your Majesty, I have tried my best, but it is really impossible to choose a wife for all the princes. Now, I have only selected a suitable princess for the crown prince. As for the marriages of other princes, I am afraid they will have to choose it themselves." After saying this, the empress bowed her head slightly to express her apology.
Emperor Wen took the portrait and looked at it carefully. When he saw that the candidate for the Crown Princess was Li Jingshu, he couldn't help but frown and said with some dissatisfaction: "If the third son doesn't have a suitable woman, let's put this matter on hold for the time being! As for the fourth and fifth sons, they are still young, so there is no need to rush into marriage. We can make plans in a few years." Emperor Wen knew that royal marriages were of great importance and could not be decided lightly. All aspects must be carefully considered.
After hearing what Emperor Wen said, the empress had some doubts in her heart, but she did not dare to ask more questions. She just nodded respectfully and said, "I will follow your majesty's orders. I will convey this matter to the princes and let them make their own arrangements." Then, the empress left Emperor Wen's bedroom and continued to deal with trivial matters in the palace.
Emperor Wen fell into deep thought, thinking about how to balance the interests of the royal family and the happiness of his children...
After hearing the news, the Third Prince thought to himself, "Your Highness has long anticipated that the Queen will never easily agree to my marriage with the daughter of a military commander, and my father will certainly not allow us to be crowned kings and leave the capital for our respective fiefdoms after the wedding!" His eyes revealed a hint of cunning and unwillingness.
An aide beside him cautiously echoed, "Your Majesty still needs the help of the other princes to contain the Crown Prince. I'm afraid even the choice of your wife won't be able to provide sufficient support. That's why His Majesty has indicated that this matter should be put on hold!"
The Third Prince's eyes flashed with resentment. "Do they really intend to use me as a pawn? How can I allow this marriage to be manipulated by them? Since my father has prevented me from marrying Luo Lingyue, I will have to find another way! Has the message reached the destination?"
The staff member bowed hurriedly and replied, "Your Highness, rest assured. This message has already bypassed numerous obstacles and reached Yuewu safely. We expect to receive a reply within half a month..."
The Third Prince nodded slightly, expressing his satisfaction. He knew full well that to ascend the supreme throne, he had to pay a price; there was nothing he couldn't give up. At that moment, his heart was filled with determination and resolve.
Just a few days later, Emperor Wen ordered the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to select an auspicious date. They ultimately chose the sixth day of the fifth lunar month, three days after Li Jingshu's coming-of-age ceremony, for the Crown Prince's grand wedding. This decision astonished everyone, as the wedding was only a mere two weeks away!
Such a tight timeline plunged the entire Ministry of Rites into a frenzy of activity. They toiled day and night, tirelessly preparing for the royal wedding, ensuring every detail was meticulously planned and meticulously orchestrated, from the venue layout to the banquet arrangements, from the guest list to the gifts.
Officials from the Ministry of Rites were swamped with work, yet they dared not neglect the slightest bit. This wedding was not only a matter of honor for the imperial family, but also of national dignity. They understood the weight of their responsibility, and knew they could only live up to the emperor's grace with their all-out dedication. Thus, within a brief fortnight, the Ministry worked together, diligently preparing for the impending ceremony.
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