Shuyuan felt a little uncomfortable after hearing this. Hearing the reluctance in her tone, she continued, "This is your family's plan. What do you think?"
Tong Yunyao meant that she naturally wanted to be someone superior, like the Crown Princess, but at least she had her brains, so she didn't say it out loud.
Tong Yunyao was somewhat dejected: "What plans can I possibly have? It's not something I can control."
Looking at her, Shuyuan suspected she really had a goal; she was just afraid she didn't.
Shuyuan: "That's not necessarily true."
Tong Yunyao: "What do you mean, 'not necessarily'?"
Shuyuan: "You have to give it a shot, otherwise how will you know you're not destined for it?"
Tong Yunyao felt something was off when she heard this; it was different from what she had been taught. But she couldn't deny that she was moved by what she heard.
Shuyuan was very good at persuading people. Although Tong Yunyao wasn't brainless, she wasn't very bright, so she was easily swayed by her.
The palace has strict rules, but there are still loopholes. With enough money, it's possible to bribe someone to find out the whereabouts of the crown prince, other princes, and other high-ranking officials.
While the two were planning how to bump into each other, Consort Tong was making arrangements for her niece, Tong Yunyao, whom she genuinely intended to marry to Yinzhen.
The Tong family has no connection with the Crown Prince. At least the Fourth Prince was raised by his sister, who left all her wealth to Yinzhen before she passed away. The Tong family still needs a prince they can get close to.
Consort Tong asked the nanny, "What do you think of Yun Yao, nanny?"
"This servant thinks that the princess is very lively, which is very compatible with the Fourth Prince's personality."
"I think so too. Here's what you do: go to Chuxiu Palace yourself and ask someone to take better care of that child. Have him come over again tomorrow."
After thinking for a moment, she added, "Call her roommate over too. I've heard Yun Yao talk about her a lot, so I want to see what kind of person she is."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Before Shuyuan and Tong Yunyao could get the opportunity they wanted, they received a message from the old nanny who served Consort Tong: they were to go to her palace to speak the next day.
Shuyuan couldn't help but feel happy. If she could leave a good impression on Consort Tong, and then Tong Yunyao was with the person she wanted, then she would surely catch Consort Tong's eye.
With this in mind, Shuyuan decided that she must perform well tomorrow. First, she needed to make Consort Tong understand that she was obedient, sensible, and respectful to her. Second, she needed to show that she was on good terms with Tong Yunyao.
Tong Yunyao didn't have much of an opinion. She had visited Consort Tong several times. The first time she was a little excited, but now she was no longer bothered by it.
The next day, the two of them went together with a palace maid to Consort Tong's place.
Shuyuan behaved quite well in front of Consort Tong. Although Consort Tong only met her incidentally, she was pleased to see such a sensible girl.
So I praised Shuyuan a few times.
Shuyuan could keep a straight face, but she was secretly overjoyed.
After leaving Consort Tong's place, Shuyuan finally got the information she wanted. She knew that the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince were going to pass through the Imperial Garden that afternoon, and this was her chance.
Tong Yunyao didn't tell Shuyuan who her target was. Shuyuan had some guesses, but wasn't sure. This time, however, she was willing to give it a try.
During her lunch break, Shuyuan said mysteriously to Tong Yunyao, "I heard that the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince will be passing through the Imperial Garden this afternoon. Even though you don't like the Fourth Prince, it wouldn't hurt to sneak a peek. If the Fourth Prince is alright, you won't have to think of ways to refuse the Consort's kindness, will you?"
Upon hearing that the Crown Prince was involved, Tong Yunyao's heart began to race. Since Shuyuan had already prepared a reason, she had no reason not to go.
Tong Yunyao agreed, and then Shuyuan confirmed Tong Yunyao's thoughts. It turned out that Tong Yunyao's goal was actually the Crown Prince!
This makes things much easier.
The two of them were preoccupied with their thoughts until the afternoon.
They were "lucky" enough to have a break that afternoon, but the rule was that they couldn't wander around.
Shuyuan and Tong Yunyao sent everyone away, and then waited on the road that was the only way to exit the Imperial Garden.
In July and August, the Forbidden City is already quite hot. Because it was built as an imperial city, there is no greenery around it, for fear that outsiders would break in and attempt assassination. So in the summer, it becomes like a giant furnace inside.
The afternoon sun was high overhead, and the two of them were sweating profusely while waiting, their makeup almost completely ruined.
Tong Yunyao had never suffered like this before. When it gets hot, people are bound to be irritable. She frowned and said impatiently, "Is what you heard accurate? How come there hasn't been a single person in sight? In this heat, is it really possible for anyone to come out?"
Shuyuan thought to herself, "I paid such a high price, how could it be fake news?" But after waiting for so long, she began to doubt whether she had been scammed.
Thinking about it that way, it's not impossible. After all, she's unfamiliar with the palace. If that person really wants to deceive her, she can't reason with him. In the end, it's wrong of her to inquire about the Fourth Prince.
The more she thought about it, the more she felt she had been deceived. She was thinking about how to tell Tong Yunyao, since this pampered girl had been showing off for so long. If she suddenly said that she felt like she had been deceived, she was afraid that Tong Yunyao would break off their friendship.
Just then, the sound of footsteps coming from not far away made Shuyuan relax her brows.
Tong Yunyao heard it too.
The two quickly adjusted their appearance and posture, and then began to pretend to have accidentally gotten lost and passed by. To be honest, they really looked like lost people, after all, the sweat on their foreheads and their almost smudged makeup could prove it.
Yesterday, the Crown Prince asked Yinzhen to accompany him on a trip, so today Yinzhen went to Yuqing Palace, listened to the Crown Prince talk for a long time, and then planned to go out of the palace with him.
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