"Nanling, to be honest, is a pitiful person."
Empress Ashina was somewhat reluctant to acknowledge Princess Yongchang, her elder sister-in-law.
However, he felt some pity for Princess Nanling, Yongchang's only beloved daughter.
Strangely enough, Yongchang's arrogance and extravagant lifestyle had spread throughout the capital.
Despite being Yongchang's biological daughter, Nanling was exceptionally well-behaved.
They were even somewhat timid.
He inherited neither his mother's domineering nature nor his father's refined and elegant demeanor.
She was like a little cabbage without parents, crying and whimpering, looking so pitiful.
If Xie Yuan had met this Princess of Nanling, he would probably have told Empress Ashina: A strong-willed mother and a complicated family will either raise a more rebellious child or a timid and insecure child.
Princess Nanling is clearly the latter.
Although Yongchang was disappointed in him, he was, after all, her only child with her beloved husband.
Yongchang doted on his daughter, and within his own capabilities—no, not that he could do it himself—she would grab his younger brother, the Sage, by the neck and force him to do it for her.
Yongchang gave his daughter the best of everything.
She was not a member of the Helian royal family, yet she was granted the title of Princess when she was just one year old.
From childhood to adulthood, she was always surrounded by servants and dressed in fine clothes.
He showered his daughter with every imaginable and unimaginable luxury he could ever hope for.
When his daughter grew up and was about to come of age, Yongchang began to ask his younger brother, the sage, to choose a husband for her.
It can be said that Princess Nanling was more noble and favored than a proper princess in the Great Zhou Dynasty.
However, because her mother was too domineering, Princess Nanling trembled like a quail in front of her elders.
Seeing his niece being so oppressed by her own sister, the sage felt a pang of sympathy for her plight.
Waaah, Nanling is just like me, both suffering from the oppression of the Great Mother Dragon.
Perhaps because of this "special" affection, the sage felt a special tenderness for Nanling.
When choosing a husband for Nanling, the emperor took it very seriously.
The Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and the eldest princess—these three powerful figures—carefully searched through all the young nobles and dignitaries in the capital.
Three candidates were selected.
Hiding behind the screen, Princess Nanling was both frightened and shy, yet her face remained flushed as she pointed a trembling finger at someone—
Wang Xian, the eldest grandson of Chancellor Wang Yu.
The Wang family, originating from the Langya Wang clan, was once a top-tier family on par with the Xie family.
The name "Wang Xie" has become synonymous with aristocratic families.
Wang Xian comes from an exceptionally good family; his grandfather and father were both high-ranking officials.
He himself was a handsome young man, both talented and good-looking.
If the capital were to select the "Four Great Talents," he would surely be ranked first.
Such a good husband would naturally be sought after by everyone.
However, the Wang family did not arrange a marriage for Wang Xian.
According to Wang Xian, one should establish a career first, and then start a family.
Yongchang: ...I think you're talking nonsense!
If my daughter likes him, then he's the one!
Whether the other party is willing or not is not within Yongchang's consideration.
Faced with such an overbearing princess, even Wang Yu, as one of the five prime ministers, felt somewhat helpless.
However, upon closer examination, establishing a marriage alliance with Nanling is not entirely out of the question.
Nanling is not a princess, but she has the dignity of one.
In this way, one's own grandson will not have to worry about the difference between "ruler and subject" and can still enjoy enough benefits.
Furthermore, although Yongchang is a shrew, Nanling is gentle and timid.
Such a bride may not become a virtuous wife, but she will not become a troublemaker either.
Nanling's paternal family was also a prominent family, so the marriage between the two families was considered a good match.
After considering all these factors, Wang Yu agreed to the marriage.
Not long after, Nanling became engaged to Wang Xian.
However, before they could even get married, Wang Xian passed away due to an accident.
Nanling was very sad.
However, they had only met a few times, so there wasn't much of a deep relationship between them.
Nanling cried a few times, and then the matter was considered over.
Moreover, when she cried, she was not only mourning Wang Xian's early death, but also lamenting her own unfortunate fate.
After crying and crying, in the end, even Nanling herself couldn't figure out what she was crying about.
This shows that Nanling was just an ordinary fiancée to Wang Xianzhen.
The Wang family is a prominent family and they are very disciplined.
She grieved for Wang Xian's early death, but she did not hold a grudge against Nanling, thinking that she was a jinx to her husband.
The Wang family had no intention of dragging Nanling into becoming a widow for Wang Xian.
Compared to this almost unreasonable approach, which would offend the royal family, represented by Princess Yongchang, to the death, the Wang family preferred to arrange a ghost marriage for Wang Xian.
Any male offspring who did not marry was considered to have died young.
Children who die young cannot be buried in the ancestral grave.
The Wang family cherished their outstanding grandson, Wang Xian, but they were unwilling to let him fall into such a miserable situation.
However, even if a ghost marriage is to be arranged, preparations cannot begin now.
Being too hasty risks pushing Nanling to his death.
The Wang family wouldn't be that stupid, nor that malicious.
They placed Wang Xian's coffin in the family temple, thinking that after the storm passed, they would find a suitable young girl to arrange a ghost marriage.
The Wang family didn't cause any trouble, and both Yongchang and the royal family were very satisfied.
Everyone just waited quietly for the matter to calm down.
As it turned out, Jia Yi, who was completely unrelated to them, suddenly appeared.
Well, he wasn't really uninvolved.
At the very least, he had some grudge against Princess Yongchang.
In order to establish his authority and promote his doctrines, he once went and stopped Princess Yongchang's carriage.
Yongchang was so angry that he laughed and forgot to deal with Jia Yi.
After she finished laughing and realized what was happening, she sent more than a dozen strong old women.
After court, Jia Yi had just stepped out of the main hall when he was chased by the old women who were blocking the palace gate.
The old women took the washing mallets and gave Jia Yi a good beating.
The dignified prime minister, one of the five most powerful men in the Great Zhou Dynasty, was beaten black and blue and left with his teeth knocked out by a dozen lowly women in front of the court and in full view of everyone.
The only person who could support him was the current sage. Seeing Jia Yi beaten into a pig's head, he suppressed a laugh and tried his best to comfort him.
He verbally accused the princess of being rude and arrogant, but he showed no intention of punishing her whatsoever.
Finally, even the sage felt a little embarrassed, so he only lightly punished Yongchang by deducting a year's salary.
Jia Yi: ...Is the face of a dignified Master Jia only worth this little bit of money?
The key question is, did they really think Jia Yi didn't know?
The emperor would fine the princess, but then secretly make up the difference double.
"No way! I can't let this beating go unpunished!"
Jia Yi was cynical and somewhat psychologically twisted.
The fact that Yongchang is fighting like this makes things even more extreme.
However, he was so frightened by Yongchang, that crazy woman, that he dared not provoke her directly again.
After some thought, he turned his gaze to Princess Nanling.
Hmph, this is what they call the daughter paying for the mother's debts!
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