Previously, the Second Prince was ill and stayed in the Consort's palace, so there was not much gossip to be had.
Now that the Crown Prince has returned and is of a suitable age, it is time to select a consort.
It's true that a young maid living in the palace is prone to causing misunderstandings.
In fact, given his mindset, he would be more than willing to keep the young girl as a daughter-in-law.
However, the Li family's status was still too low, and the young girl could not become the Crown Princess.
After all, the Crown Princess was there to help the Crown Prince consolidate his power and quickly take control of the court.
The Li family neither has the ability nor the idea.
It would be a bit unfair to make the little girl a concubine in the future.
The Li family definitely wouldn't agree either!
All things considered, sending this girl away from the palace is currently the best solution.
"Jiayin," the Emperor picked up a golden fruit and played with it, seemingly asking casually, "You were also raised under the watchful eyes of your uncle, and now that the Third Princess is engaged, the Crown Prince has begun selecting a consort."
"And you, do you have any ideas, or have you taken a fancy to any particular young man?"
"You should talk to your royal uncle. If it's appropriate, he will definitely make the decision for you."
The third princess's eyes lit up, and the crown prince also looked up.
If it were an ordinary girl, she would probably be blushing bright red by now.
But Jiayin didn't. She thought about it carefully before saying, "Uncle, you know that we have family rules and we will never take a concubine."
"Therefore, my future husband must only have me as his wife, and we must appreciate each other and truly love each other before we can become husband and wife."
"The rest... his status and position are not important. As long as he has good character and lives a comfortable life, that's enough. He doesn't even need to have any official titles."
"That way we won't have any worries. We can go out and travel, see the beautiful landscapes of our motherland, and see different parts of the world. When we're tired, we can go home, spend time with our elders, and teach our children. Life is simple yet happy."
The Third Princess was used to hearing Jiayin say this, so she wasn't too surprised.
The crown prince kept his head down, making it impossible to see his expression.
The Emperor laughed upon hearing this, "You child, how can you be so unambitious? Isn't this kind of life too simple? Haven't you ever thought that your future husband will be ennobled and appointed as prime minister?"
“Uncle Huang is wrong,” Jiayin said with a smile, her eyes brighter than the stars in the dark night.
"My imperial uncle is diligent and hardworking, neglecting sleep and meals for the sake of the state. My adoptive father, my father, and even my brothers are all fighting bravely to protect our home and country. What is it all for?"
"Isn't it all about wanting me to live a happy and carefree life like millions of other people? If my wish comes true, that would be a joyous occasion, proving that my royal uncle, my father, and my adoptive father have all worked hard without any regrets!"
"Haha!" The Emperor laughed heartily, raising his hand to ruffle the girl's hair. "You've really grown up, but your silver tongue has never changed. Everything you say makes sense!"
Jiayin smiled brightly, "You don't know, I just overheard people talking and secretly learned it."
"That day, I was in the clouds when I heard a pedantic scholar advising a rich young man not to be extravagant and to buy fewer snacks."
"The rich young master said that his ancestors had worked hard for three generations to accumulate a large fortune, all for the sake of their children and grandchildren living a life of wealth and comfort."
"If they still have to live frugally and endure even a snack, what is the point of their ancestors' hard work and struggle!"
"I think it makes a lot of sense, so I used it."
The third princess was overjoyed and couldn't be happier holding Jiayin.
"So, does that mean I have to continue being arrogant and domineering? Otherwise, wouldn't I be letting down my father and my elder brother, the Crown Prince, who have been supporting me!"
The Emperor and the Crown Prince both laughed upon hearing this.
The Emperor shook his head helplessly and joked, "I regret it now. I don't know if it's okay or not. Whether letting Jiayin into the palace will help you or lead you astray remains to be seen."
"Haha, too late! Jiayin has been in the palace for so long, and Father Emperor has only just remembered that I've already been corrupted." The Third Princess shook the phoenix hairpin in her hair, making it jingle, her face full of joy and arrogance.
The Emperor saw this and smiled again...
After exchanging a few more casual words, the Emperor led the Crown Prince away.
Shuiling, Shuiyun, and Caiyun cleaned up the mess, and the Third Princess took Jiayin's arm and went for a walk in the courtyard.
At this moment, the eunuchs and palace maids were all busy, and there was no one around them.
The Third Princess whispered in Jiayin's ear, "Jiayin, I know you left the palace to avoid suspicion; you don't want to marry the Crown Prince."
The little sister's sudden intelligence surprised Jiayin.
She chuckled quietly and asked, "You actually figured it out?"
"Hmph!" The Third Princess gently pinched Jia Yin's arm and scolded, "I'm just not as smart as you, but I'm not stupid either. You don't like the Crown Prince, and you don't like the palace either, so leaving the palace to avoid suspicion is the best decision you can make now."
After saying that, she sighed again and added, "No woman in this palace has a good ending. Look at my mother, look at the Imperial Concubine, even that old hag who died..."
Jiayin patted her hand. At this moment, it would be inappropriate to say anything, so she could only offer silent comfort.
The two of them walked slowly, circling around and around...
Regardless of what others think, when it comes to going home, Shui Ling and Shui Yun are probably the two happiest.
They ran back to the side hall almost without stopping and began packing their luggage.
Clothes, jewelry, everyday items, writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and even small screens on the kang (heated brick bed) were all kept clean.
The Third Princess couldn't bear to part with Jiayin, so she followed her over for a while after her walk.
Upon seeing this, her face immediately fell.
"You two little girls are going too far. It's not like your princess won't be coming to the palace anymore. She'll occasionally come to stay with me for a while, or take a nap when she comes to play. You've cleaned this place up so that your princess can sleep on the floor?"
Shui Ling and Shui Yun smiled but didn't say anything, but their hands didn't stop.
Although the palace was luxurious and magnificent, it was the most luxurious palace in the world.
But there's no place like home!
The thought of going home, surrounded by familiar and comfortable people, without having to be careful for fear of breaking any rules, makes them excited.
If they could, they would never want the princess to come to the palace again.
Jiayin was at a loss, truly afraid that the Third Princess would throw a tantrum.
So she pulled the third princess to sit on the couch and then opened her treasure chest.
The treasure chest wasn't filled with gemstones or jewelry, but rather with some exquisite little things that craftsmen from Zhengjiazhuang had made for her over the past few years.
For example, a small boat that moves on its own when placed in water, or a small fan that spins rapidly when a rope is pulled.
The third princess, who was somewhat mischievous, was immediately pleased upon seeing these gifts.
Finally, Jiayin gave her three items, and she happily carried them back to the main hall.
Shui Ling and Shui Yun had almost finished packing and were chattering about how to get home the next morning before going to sleep in the outer room.
Jiayin washed up and, after thinking for a moment, closed the window.
Mu Xu has been especially busy these past few days, and today has been particularly eventful. He definitely won't be coming over to speak tonight.
But Jiayin wasn't disappointed; she still had important things to do.
Hearing that things had quieted down outside, she went into her spatial dimension and summoned her two "underlings" to assign them tasks.
Plans never keep up with changes.
She originally planned to stay in the palace until the end of the northern expedition, to act as the family's ears and eyes, and to gather the most up-to-date intelligence.
But when the eldest prince returned to the palace, he was immediately made crown prince and a crown princess was selected.
No matter how you look at it, it's not a good idea for her to continue living here.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com