An imperial decree granted a marriage, turning enemies into family.
Ever since Qin Yuti publicly "educated" him at the Hundred Flowers Banquet, Zhao Jingyi felt his life was shrouded in humiliation. Wherever he went, he seemed to hear whispers behind his back: "Look, that's Prince Yi who pronounces 'Ti' as 'Shi'..."
Even in his favorite teahouse, the storyteller started telling new stories that subtly implied "spoiled brats who are ignorant and make a fool of themselves in public!"
Zhao Jingyi was so angry that his teeth itched, and finally, on a sunny afternoon (which he found incredibly gloomy), he stormed into the East Palace.
"Your Majesty! My dear brother! You must stand up for your brother!" Zhao Jingyi threw himself at Crown Prince Zhao Jingchen's desk, almost knocking over the prince's tea.
The Crown Prince slowly put down his vermilion brush, looked up at his mischievous younger brother, and asked in a calm tone, "What trouble have you gotten into this time? Did you break Father's beloved glass cup, or did Mother punish you by making you memorize the Analects within three days?"
"No, that's not it! It's something a thousand times, ten thousand times worse!" Zhao Jingyi pounded his chest and stamped his feet. "It's that Qin Yuti! The second young lady of the Qin family! She...she insulted me!"
The crown prince raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.
Zhao Jingyi embellished the story of the Hundred Flowers Banquet, omitting his own frivolous attempt to flirt with Qin Yuxuan and emphasizing how Qin Yuxuan "spoke sharply" and "publicly humiliated" him, the prince.
“Brother, tell me, isn’t she going too far! It’s just a mispronounced word, is she really going to make such a fuss? Where does this leave my face?” Zhao Jingyi’s mouth was dry from talking, so he grabbed the Crown Prince’s teacup and took a swig.
The Crown Prince was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "In that case, she is indeed not gentle enough. However, Jing Yi, the character '媞' is indeed pronounced 'ti'."
Zhao Jingyi: "..." Is that the point?!
Just as he was about to continue complaining, a palace attendant reported that the selection process for the imperial concubines had been basically finalized and was open to the Crown Prince for review. At the same time, His Majesty issued an imperial edict that, in order to demonstrate the imperial favor and to select virtuous wives for the princes of marriageable age, all daughters of noble families who were eighteen years of age or older were required to participate in the selection.
Zhao Jingyi's ears perked up instantly. All the young ladies? That means... Qin Yuti is included too?
A brilliant (in his own opinion) revenge plan struck him like lightning!
The opportunity has arrived!
On the day of the imperial selection, the inner palace gardens were filled with beautiful women of all shapes and sizes. Each noble lady used all her charms to leave a good impression on the emperor, empress, and princes.
Qin Yuti, dressed in proper attire, stood in the crowd, head bowed and eyes downcast, hoping the ceremony would end quickly so she could go home and study. She had absolutely no interest in stepping into the deep waters of the royal family.
However, what he feared most came to pass. The emperor, seated on his high throne, looked at the list of names, casually asked a few questions, and his gaze lingered on several noble ladies renowned for their talent. When he read out "Qin Yuti," the emperor specifically confirmed, "Oh, the daughter of Minister Qin, the character 'ti' indeed means 'peace and well-being,' a fine name."
Just then, a clear voice, tinged with urgency, rang out:
"Father!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Prince Yi, Zhao Jingyi, stepping forward, lifting his robe and kneeling on the ground, his face showing unprecedented sincerity (at least it appeared to be) and deep affection (in his own mind).
"Your Majesty, please be wise! Your son... Your son has long admired Miss Yu Ti, the second daughter of Minister Qin! Ever since we met at the Hundred Flowers Banquet, I have been thinking of her day and night, unable to forget her! Her talent and her grace are deeply imprinted in my heart! I humbly beg Your Majesty to grant my heart's desire and bestow Miss Yu Ti upon me as my consort!"
His words were so sincere that they almost moved even himself.
The entire hall was stunned! Who didn't know that Prince Yi was a troublemaker? Which girl could he possibly be "long-time admirers" and "yearning for"? What a load of rubbish!
Several princes who had a favorable impression of Qin Yuti (such as the gentle and refined Second Prince Huai and the fourth prince Rui, who was skilled in poetry) immediately looked rather displeased. What was this sixth prince doing, causing trouble!
Qin Yuti stood below, feeling a rush of blood to her head, her back teeth grinding together. She abruptly looked up, staring incredulously at the kneeling figure with its back ramrod straight!
Zhao Jingyi! You despicable scoundrel! This isn't a marriage proposal, this is revenge! Naked revenge!
She could almost imagine the bleak and hopeless life she would lead after marrying him!
The emperor was also taken aback. He glanced at his youngest son kneeling on the ground, then at the pale-faced, clearly unwilling Miss Qin below, and finally turned his gaze to the crown prince: "Crown Prince, what do you think of this..."
Crown Prince Zhao Jingchen remained outwardly calm, but his mind was perfectly clear. His younger brother wasn't infatuated at all; he was clearly plotting to marry her and "discipline" her. He was about to say something to mediate when Zhao Jingyi interrupted:
"Father! Your son is sincere! If I can marry Yu Ti as my concubine, I will definitely turn over a new leaf, study diligently, and never waste my days again! I beg Your Majesty to grant my request!" As he spoke, he thought viciously to himself, "Qin Yu Ti, you just wait! Once the imperial decree is issued, I'll bring you back to the palace, and see if I can beat you eight times a day! I'll make sure you know the consequences of offending me!"
The emperor, already feeling guilty towards the late empress, was particularly indulgent towards his youngest son. Seeing that the son was unusually "serious" in asking for something and had promised to "turn over a new leaf," the emperor's resolve softened. On second thought, the Qin family was a family of upright officials, and their daughter was known for her talent. Marrying her to Jingyi might help to temper his temper, which would be a good thing.
Thus, under Qin Yuti's almost desperate gaze, the Emperor stroked his beard and smiled, "Since Xiao Liu is so sincere, I grant this marriage. The second young lady of the Qin family is gentle and virtuous, a perfect match for you. Choose an auspicious day and issue the imperial decree to bestow the marriage!"
"Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your grace!" Zhao Jingyi kowtowed in gratitude. As he stood up, he turned around and gave Qin Yuti a provocative and smug look when no one was looking.
Qin Yuti: "..."
She felt a sudden darkness before her eyes and a buzzing in her ears. She had no idea what the emperor said behind her or how the other women reacted.
Only one thought remained swirling in my mind:
That's it. My life is ruined by this illiterate and scoundrel.
On his high seat, the Crown Prince looked at his younger brother's smug face, then glanced at his future sister-in-law below, who seemed calm but was actually radiating a chilling aura. He rubbed his temples in exasperation.
Little Liu, you're not taking revenge, you're... digging your own grave.
He had already foreseen that the Prince Yi's Mansion would likely be very, very "lively" in the future.
Once the imperial edict was issued, the feud was firmly established, with no room for reconciliation.
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