Chapter 448 Not Becoming the Crown Princess Won't Make the Sky Fall Down
"You're stupid."
Gu Qianhan said indifferently, "They don't want to marry you at all, but you insist on marrying them. If you force yourself to marry them, what kind of good life can you expect? Give up now and listen to me obediently. Go to Jiangnan to marry them."
Madam Gu slapped him hard: "Can't you say something nice? Your sister is already so heartbroken, and you still want to upset her. Are you even her real brother?"
"I only told the truth because he's her brother. Would I care about anyone else?"
Madam Gu ignored him and took Gu Qianning's hand, saying gently, "A'ning, don't be anxious, and don't listen to your second brother's nonsense. He's a man and doesn't understand a woman's feelings at all. There's nothing wrong with you waiting for the Crown Prince to marry you. After all, that's what the palace has always told us. They're the ones who are wrong!"
“Yu Baoshu is from Jiangnan, and her father is only a fourth-rank prefect. Her background is far inferior to yours, and the formal marriage certificate hasn’t been issued yet. It’s still uncertain who she will be betrothed to!”
"The Spring Banquet is coming soon. Dress up nicely then, go see the Crown Prince, and have a good chat with him. Your father will also ask the Emperor about it."
Gu Qianning's tears fell: "Perhaps, it's because Yu Baoshu's background is far inferior to mine that the Crown Prince chose her."
"There are so many noble ladies in the capital, but he didn't choose any of them. I grew up with him and we have an extraordinary bond, but he didn't choose me either. He only chose the daughter of the Yu family. It seems that the Crown Prince doesn't like those of high birth."
"Mother, I'm afraid I really won't have another chance..."
Madam Gu was well aware of the intricacies involved.
But she was not willing to give up!
Her daughter is so good. In terms of family background, talent and looks, no one can match her. In terms of character and etiquette, she is also outstanding. She should be the Crown Princess and the Empress!
How could she bear to send her daughter to marry someone from Jiangnan?
But if her daughter really can't become the Crown Princess, then staying in the capital will only cause her more heartache, and others will gossip about her behind her back.
When she enters the palace in the future, she will have to pay her respects to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, which is too cruel and too humiliating for her!
Madam Gu felt like she was being fried in oil. She looked at her son with some resentment: "It's all your fault! You've been messing around outside all day, ruining your own reputation and dragging your sister down with you!"
"Now you're causing trouble at home again, going against your father and elder brother, making a mess of the house. Your father's energy is being diverted from you, and he doesn't even have time to go to the palace!"
"Otherwise, your father would have known about the Emperor's selection of the Crown Princess long ago. He wouldn't have waited until today, and he wouldn't be in such a passive position!"
"If your sister is unhappy in the future, it will all be your fault as her second brother!"
Her words were rather harsh. Gu Qianning snapped out of her grief and said softly, "Mother, please don't blame my second brother. It wasn't his fault, and he didn't implicate me."
Anyone else would probably be angry to hear their mother being so biased and scolding them like that, but Gu Qianhan's emotions remained completely unaffected.
His expression remained indifferent, and his tone remained cold: "A-Ning's marriage to Jiangnan is irreversible. She has to go, whether she likes it or not! If Mother has the time, there's no need to fight for the Crown Prince for her. Xiao Qingxuan is not worth it at all! Mother should arrange A-Ning's dowry and select suitable maids and servants so that she will have someone to rely on when she goes to Jiangnan!"
After he finished speaking, he turned and left.
Madam Gu angrily cursed him as a cold-blooded scoundrel, but Gu Qianhan seemed not to hear anything and didn't even turn his head.
But after scolding her son, she realized that what he said actually made a lot of sense. The situation was very different now, and she couldn't just focus on making her daughter the crown princess anymore. She had to make two preparations.
She quickly calmed down, pulled her daughter to sit down, and said softly, "A-Ning, your second brother isn't without his merits. I always feel that he's not the same as before. He used to not care about anything at home. Now he's started worrying about everything, and he's even started asking about your marriage. I don't know what triggered him."
"But his mindset is something we can learn from. Not marrying the crown prince or becoming the crown princess won't cause the sky to fall. Just do what you have to do, and prepare to get married when you should!"
“I was worried that after you entered the palace, you would have to scheme against those people. The Crown Prince will definitely have more than just you in the future. He will also have concubines and many other women. No matter how powerful our Duke’s Mansion is, we can’t stop it. After all, the expansion of the royal family is a big deal.”
"Your heart is too pure and kind, you may not be able to fight against those cunning people. If you hadn't entered the palace, there wouldn't be all this mess, and you might have been able to live a more comfortable and carefree life."
Gu Qianning sat there blankly like a puppet without a soul, not listening to a word her mother said.
The thought of her cousin marrying someone else made her heart feel like it was being ripped to pieces, the pain making it difficult for her to breathe.
Was it all a lie?
Was all the care, protection, and concern her that her cousin had shown her all these years just an act?
Does he mean he doesn't want her anymore just because he says so?
She desperately wanted to confront him and get to the bottom of things, but she was also afraid to hear the answer.
She remained in a daze for several days until the day of the Spring Banquet, when she finally mustered her strength, changed into new clothes, put on a new headdress, and followed her mother into the palace.
After entering the palace, she first went to see her aunt, the Empress. Then her mother stayed behind to talk with her aunt, while Gu Qianning left alone and went to the Imperial Garden.
The Imperial Garden was bustling with activity today, with all the noble ladies and gentlemen of the capital in full bloom. As soon as Gu Qianning appeared, everyone turned to look at her.
Gu Qianning forced a faint smile onto her face, exchanged brief greetings with acquaintances, and then sat down next to Shen Wantang.
Shen Wantang knew Gu Qianning well. Just by looking at her condition, she knew that she must have had a bad time these past few days. Although she had applied powder to her face, she still looked haggard.
She took Gu Qianning's hand, about to say a few words of comfort, when she heard her ask, "A-Tang, do you know Yu Baoshu? Did she come?"
Shen Wantang's heart stirred slightly: "I don't recognize him. Who is this?"
Gu Qianning lowered her voice very low: "Second brother said that the Crown Prince has chosen Yu Baoshu as his Crown Princess."
Shen Wantang was stunned. The Crown Prince had already decided on the Crown Princess so quickly?
"I've never heard of Yu Baoshu before. Is she related to Yu Baolian?"
"Yes, they are cousins. The Crown Prince originally intended for Yu Baolian to be his Crown Princess, but she committed suicide, so Yu Baoshu took her place."
Shen Wantang suddenly realized why Gu Qianhan had spent tens of thousands of taels of gold to redeem the courtesan of Wanhua Tower. He must have known all along that the Crown Prince had taken a fancy to the Yu family's daughter, so he used the courtesan to bribe the eldest son of the Yu family.
Unfortunately, she had never heard of Yu Baoshu in her previous life, and she was unable to provide any analysis for Gu Qianning.
As they were talking, another person, guided by a palace maid, entered the Imperial Garden.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
