Seeing that Emperor Zhou Xuan's princes had all come of age and it was time to choose consorts, Jiang Jing was also tempted. He sent his daughter to the selection process, hoping that she might one day gain favor with the emperor and rise to prominence.
Jiang Changle, having grown up in luxury, was naturally unwilling to marry a servant. Her standards were incredibly high, and she readily agreed to her father Jiang Jing's idea. She eagerly awaited marrying into the royal family and becoming empress.
The Prince of Nan'an was also pleased with this outcome. As princes of different surnames, they inevitably aroused some of the emperor's suspicion, and in recent years they had distanced themselves from the center of power, with their military power almost completely stripped away. Since they had no daughters, they adopted a goddaughter for a marriage alliance, which inadvertently benefited Jiang Jing.
If their own granddaughter could marry into the royal family, it would be a great guarantee for them, and she might be able to return to her former glory and be highly valued by the court.
With the combined efforts of the Prince of Nan'an and Jiang Jing, Jiang Changle successfully entered the palace selection and was designated as the Third Prince's concubine.
Emperor Xuan of Zhou had five princes and one princess. Among them, the third prince's mother, Consort Shu, held the highest rank and controlled the power of the harem. The third prince himself was gentle and refined, and tactful in his dealings, making him a strong candidate to inherit the throne.
Jiang Changle was exceptionally beautiful, inheriting the best features of her parents. She outwardly displayed the virtues of a well-bred lady, earning a good reputation and being highly favored. As a result, Jiang Jing also gained the favor of the Third Prince and rose through the ranks.
With Jiang Changle no longer causing trouble for Jiang Wuyou, his life became much easier. Jiang Jing maintained a superficial intimacy with him, treating him with the respect due to the second young lady of the Jiang family, hoping to sell his second daughter for a good price.
Unfortunately, Jiang Jing's wishful thinking was destined to fail. Jiang Changle deeply resented Jiang Wuyou, her illegitimate daughter, and naturally did not want her to be betrothed to a good family. She only wished that Jiang Wuyou would suffer for the rest of her life.
Logically speaking, married daughters shouldn't interfere in their families' affairs, especially their sisters' marriages. However, Jiang Changle is favored at home and is now the concubine of the Third Prince. Jiang Jing dares not offend her and can only sacrifice Jiang Wuyou once again.
Jiang Wuyou wasn't stupid. Having suffered so much, she had long seen through Jiang Jing's wolfish nature. He never treated her like his own daughter; he was just using her.
If she truly loved her daughter, she wouldn't have made her Jiang Changle's punching bag, subjected to insults; she wouldn't have made him live worse than a servant, doing the dirtiest and most tiring work; she wouldn't have denied his mother Chunyan a proper title, and even allowed Jiang Changle to discard her memorial tablet.
But what could he do as a weak woman? He could only endure it, wait quietly, wait to get married, wait to leave this den of wolves and tigers, and have a life where he could be the master of his own destiny.
When Jiang Wuyou learned that Jiang Jing planned to marry her off to a down-on-his-luck scholar in a remote county as a concubine, she completely lost hope in Jiang Jing, and her last remaining expectation for him vanished.
Since others can't be relied upon, one must rely on oneself. Jiang Wuyou was stunningly beautiful, and after her life improved, she became even more radiant and captivating, rivaling Jiang Changle, the most beautiful woman in Jiangzhou, and possessing an even more alluring charm. Intelligent from a young age, she understood the advantages and disadvantages of beauty, and since she had been disappointed, she decided to fight back decisively.
Using her beauty, cunning, and the skills she learned in the brothel, Jiang Wuyou successfully climbed into the Third Prince's bed, bewitching him and holding him firmly in her grasp. She plotted to frame Jiang Changle and her son, overcoming numerous obstacles and shedding blood as she climbed step by step from a concubine to the position of princess.
Unfortunately, no matter how capable a woman is, she ultimately cannot resist the power of love. They are more emotional and more prone to acting on impulse than men. Jiang Wuyou fell in love with the Fifth Prince, a handsome and passionate man. For him, she killed countless people, bearing the infamy of a femme fatale who brought ruin to the country, and in the end, she destroyed herself, fulfilling his dream of becoming emperor.
Jiang Wuyou can be considered one of the most outstanding clients of Wuyou, possessing looks, temperament, ruthlessness, and cunning that rival any man. Although he fell to the bottom, he still managed to climb back up through his own means. He killed his own sister, murdered his own father, and eliminated all those who had wronged him, but ultimately, he was ruined by the word "love."
His hands were not clean; they were stained with the blood of others. To secure her favor, he was willing to kill, fake a pregnancy to steal a child, and sacrifice pawns to save the king. His only soft spot in this life was his mother, Chunyan, and the Fifth Prince. But one of them had already left him, and the other was full of scheming.
He was only one step away from becoming empress, yet he regrettably missed the chance. He was so close to his deepest affections, yet it felt like an eternity separated them.
Reflecting on Jiang Wuyou's life, Wuyou couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion. Now, with his mother recently deceased and about to embark on a journey to find his father, it was also a low point in Jiang Wuyou's life.
Lying fully clothed on the soft bed, the smooth, silky touch was so captivating that Wuyou felt her tired body soften and gradually lose its strength.
He definitely had to go back; after all, it was Jiang Wuyou's mother's wish, and this time he wanted to ensure that his mother, Chunyan, was officially recognized by the Jiang family and entered the Jiang family ancestral hall, instead of wandering outside as a lost soul. He would repay all those who had owed him.
In a daze, Wuyou drifted into a deep sleep.
The next morning, the summer sun was scorching and intense, and the streets had returned to their former bustling activity, with countless vendors hawking their wares, creating a vibrant and prosperous scene.
Sunlight streamed through the wooden gauze curtains into the room, illuminating the face of the girl sleeping soundly on the bed. The sunlight danced merrily on her delicate features, waking her from her slumber.
Her dry, slightly yellow hair cascaded down her back. Wuyou slowly propped herself up, her eyes vacant. She seemed to be having a dream, but the scenes in the dream were no longer clear to her. She only felt a burning sensation in her heart, a feeling that was truly novel to her.
Knock, knock, knock... The sound of knocking on the wooden door rang out, accompanied by the waiter's cautious, smiling, and ingratiating voice, "Sir, are you awake? I've brought you hot water and food."
As the saying goes, "whoever feeds you is your mother," and the golden melon seeds that Wuyou gave her were enough for her to enjoy comfortably in this inn for half a year. Naturally, the waiter served her with utmost care, afraid of displeasing the distinguished guest.
Wuyou put on her outer robe, her hair loosely tied back, and a veil covering her face. She opened the door, stepped aside to make room for one person, and said in a hoarse voice, still sounding like she had just woken up, "Bring it in!"
The waiter entered with his head down, not daring to look at Wuyou's face. He turned around and prepared to leave, showing the customer sufficient respect in every action. His service quality was quite good.
Wuyou was satisfied with this. He planned to rest at the inn for a while before making any further plans. Being free and having money and leisure outside was better than being subjected to arbitrary insults at the Jiang family's house. Although she wasn't afraid of these people, she was too lazy to bother with them.
Having just arrived in the Great Zhou Dynasty, she was unfamiliar with everything. Although the things in her spatial storage were enough for her to squander for several lifetimes, living off her savings was never her style.
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