Wherever there are people, there is a world of intrigue, let alone in the imperial harem. Thirteen women vying for the crown prince's attention—it's practically a battlefield.
Wherever the crown prince might appear, these concubines and beautiful maids would occupy the area.
In just one day, the prince encountered two people who had sprained their ankles and three people who suffered from dizziness and heatstroke.
Even when you go out to cool off in the evening, just for a casual stroll, you'll see two people dancing under the moonlight...
Later, the Emperor noticed that the Crown Prince had dark circles under his eyes, not from the fatigue of being a groom for the first time, but from being bothered by the women.
So he decisively assigned an old eunuch to the crown prince to be in charge of arranging the prince's schedule.
Of course, this includes which woman serves you in bed each night.
If someone gains the Crown Prince's favor, it is permissible for them to summon beautiful women to keep them company during the day.
That depends on each person's abilities!
In an instant, the esteemed Crown Prince Tianwu was reduced to a mere tool for procreation.
He was also a tool that all the men in Tianwu envied.
However, the Crown Prince probably didn't feel very happy.
After all, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and he occasionally had to go to Zhilan Palace to find some peace and quiet.
Some are happy, some are sad.
The young ladies who entered the palace tried their best to build a beautiful relationship with the crown prince for the sake of their families and future, but those who were not chosen could not just live out their lives alone.
Although it's not a good thing to be rejected, it is still somewhat embarrassing.
However, the fact that they were even selected is enough to prove how outstanding their family background and status are.
Therefore, a new wave of engagements quietly swept through Xinduli.
Most of the girls who are pampered and valued by their families have a backup plan.
In other words, almost all of them had someone they liked, but they hadn't gotten engaged yet.
Now, things have naturally progressed smoothly, with the engagement and betrothal ceremony completed in a clean and efficient manner.
However, there are exceptions, namely those who have ruined their reputations by their own actions, yet believe they are just unlucky and plan to make a comeback.
For example, the daughter of Minister Chen...
Mrs. Liu is going out to a banquet today to drink some wedding wine.
She had a close friend of many years. After marrying into a wealthy family, she finally became the matriarch after years of being a daughter-in-law.
Moreover, the family's daughter even entered the palace and became a beauty!
Even though the royal family wanted to keep a low profile, they would still hold a banquet at home to celebrate such a joyous occasion.
However, the guests invited were all close relatives and friends with whom they frequently visited.
Lady Liu was naturally happy for her friend. As for others, she was fine with it, but because of the princess, she often went to the Hundred Fruit Garden and Baiyun Pavilion and met the crown prince several times.
Although the Crown Prince was still the steward at that time, he was clearly a steady and intelligent man. Most importantly, he was good-looking, the type that elders liked the most: calm and handsome.
Right now, she was holding her friend Madam Wang's hand, whispering about trivial things she had seen the Crown Prince in the past.
Women are meticulous and tend to judge people based on small details, which is often more accurate.
Madam Wang dotes on her daughter, and these past few days she's been so worried about her that she can't eat or sleep well.
If it weren't for the family, her daughter, who is also ambitious, would really not want her to enter the palace.
Now that her friend has explained everything to her step by step, she can finally feel half relieved.
As long as the prince is of good character and the girl doesn't cause trouble, if they can have a child after a year or two, they'll be set for life and won't have to worry about the rest of their lives.
Thinking this, she was even happier to have Madam Liu as a friend, and pleaded, "Ruolan, I heard that the Crown Prince is very close to the Li family. If the Li family ever hosts a banquet in the future, you must take me with you."
“I’ll go join in the fun and have a chat with the princess. If my Zhu’er gets into trouble in the palace, at least I can ask the princess for help.”
Madam Liu didn't make any grand promises, but simply smiled and said, "Alright, if you want to join in the fun, just come with me. Don't worry about Zhu'er, she's very clever, and you might end up benefiting from her later. Don't forget about me then!"
"Of course not." Madam Wang was flattered and beamed with joy, her words revealing her delight.
The two chose a small flower room, where they could sit for a while, take a break, and have a private chat.
Unexpectedly, someone else discovered it and got involved.
Seeing that Madam Chen, the wife of Vice Minister Chen, had entered and sat down on her own, both of them were somewhat displeased.
But since Madam Wang was the hostess, she couldn't very well send her away, so she invited Madam Chen to have some tea.
Madam Liu made an excuse to change her clothes and was about to leave.
But Madam Chen stopped her, insisting that they talk together.
Madam Liu guessed that she had something to do, so she reluctantly sat down again.
Before long, Mrs. Chen began praising her daughter.
“My Yuehua is proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She is well-educated, reasonable, dignified, and steady, making her the most suitable eldest daughter-in-law. Any family that marries her will truly be blessed.”
Madam Liu nearly spat out her tea upon hearing this. Putting aside her dignified and composed demeanor, her knowledge and manners were something that could be applied to any young lady, but not to Miss Chen.
After all, at the summer banquet, Miss Chen lost to the princess in composing a poem and was slapped hard across the face.
This is common knowledge in the entire new capital.
Madam Wang could only manage a dry laugh, unsure how to respond.
Facts can be exaggerated, but they cannot be fabricated out of thin air!
Madam Chen was somewhat displeased to see that neither of them spoke.
She stared at Madam Wang, signaling Madam Wang to lend a hand and act as a bridge.
Madam Wang was baffled and somewhat annoyed.
If Madam Chen really has something to say to Madam Liu and needs her to act as an intermediary, she should inform her in advance.
Right now, even if she blinks so hard her eyelids are ruined, who could guess what happened?
After all, no one is born with the ability to read minds!
After waiting for a long time without hearing from Madam Wang, Madam Chen had no choice but to bite the bullet and speak up herself.
"Speaking of which, Madam Liu's eldest son is of marriageable age, shouldn't he be engaged? I wonder if there is anyone suitable?"
Madam Liu's heart skipped a beat; she finally understood what Madam Chen was up to.
She was furious and wanted nothing more than to throw the tea in her hand over his head.
Zhimin is her eldest son, and he will be the one to support the family in the future, so naturally she will have to be very selective when choosing a wife.
The woman doesn't have to be beautiful or from an ordinary family, but she absolutely must be of good character, responsible, filial, and reasonable.
Clearly, the Chen family girl doesn't possess any of these qualities.
Moreover, even if a family like theirs intends to arrange a marriage, they must do so through acquaintances, obtain the consent of both families, and then have a high-ranking matchmaker go through the formalities.
It's all about decorum and propriety.
Unexpectedly, Madam Chen actually asked that question to his face!
Even a destitute family wouldn't do something like a mother personally promoting her own daughter!
"Thank you for your concern, Madam Chen. Our son is still young, and we have no plans to arrange a marriage for the next two or three years. As for the future, we'll see what fate brings."
The refusal was quite obvious, but Madam Chen was clearly unwilling to give up.
She spoke with a hint of reproach, advising, "Madam Liu, you're mistaken. It's alright if she's young; she can get engaged first and then marry in a few years. If this continues, all the good girls will be betrothed."
“Take my Yuehua, for example. Countless people have come to inquire about her these past few days. But I don’t think much of those families. I do, however, think your eldest son is quite good!”
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