Chapter 137 The Sixth Prince's Consort's Counterattack!
The Sixth Prince's Residence.
Since the Hu family's incident.
The Hu family's businesses were largely taken over by the Qian family.
Even if the Sixth Prince's Consort is stupid, she knows who wants to get rid of her!
Previously, Su Zhirou had been blocking the way.
But now only Qian Yueshu is left.
As for Xie Jingxing's words...
He is a man, and the Sixth Prince will deal with him.
The sixth prince's wife decided to send women to the crown prince.
Wasn't Qian Yueshu and the Crown Prince a model couple?
But she insisted on breaking them up.
After all, the only way is to annoy the crown prince.
Only then can she make a move.
With the Crown Princess's current power, she definitely can't win.
Thinking of this, the Sixth Prince's Consort stood up and walked towards the dressing table.
The woman in the mirror was still young and beautiful, but the innocence and hesitation of the past were gone from her eyes.
Since Qian Yueshu and the Crown Prince were not leaving them a way out, she had no choice but to retaliate in kind.
She gently pulled open the hidden compartment under the dressing table and took out a small jade seal.
This was secretly given to her by her mother when she married the sixth prince. It represented the intelligence network and martial arts masters that the Hu family had been secretly cultivating for many years.
The fact that the Hu family became the richest family in the Great Yong Dynasty is not as simple as it seems on the surface.
"Qingluan," she called softly.
A maid dressed in blue entered the room silently: "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
"I want you to find someone, a woman who can capture the Crown Prince's heart." The Sixth Prince's wife's voice was calm and even. "Remember, she must not only be beautiful, but also intelligent, know how to assess situations, and know how to win a man's heart."
A hint of surprise flashed in Qingluan's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure: "This servant understands. Does Your Highness have any specific requests?"
"Her background cannot be too high, otherwise she will be difficult to control; but it cannot be too low either, otherwise she will not even have the chance to get close to the crown prince. Ideally, she should be the daughter of a minor official, from a family that has fallen on hard times, and who longs to change her fate."
"This servant will take care of it immediately." Qingluan bowed and withdrew.
The Sixth Prince's Consort smiled coldly: "Qian Yueshu, you are pregnant and cannot serve the Emperor now. I don't believe the Crown Prince can remain chaste for you forever."
Three days later, Qingluan brought back good news.
“This servant has found a suitable woman named Song Chunyu. She is the daughter of the late Hanlin scholar Song. Her family has fallen on hard times, and she now lives with her elder brother. She is sixteen years old, with outstanding looks. What’s more, she is well-versed in poetry and literature, and is skilled in the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.”
"What is his character like?" the Sixth Prince's wife asked.
"She appears gentle, but there is a stubbornness in her eyes that refuses to be ordinary."
The Sixth Prince's Consort nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. Is there a chance for her to bump into the Crown Prince?"
"On the third day of next month, the Crown Prince will go to the royal temple in the southern suburbs to pray for blessings. The Song family happens to be next to the temple, and I have already made arrangements to ensure that Song Chunyu will be playing the zither in the bamboo forest behind the temple on that day."
"Smart." The Sixth Prince's Consort gave Qingluan an approving look. "Proceed according to plan. Remember, do not leave any trace related to us."
"This servant understands."
After Qingluan withdrew, the Sixth Prince's Consort pondered alone.
The third day of the twelfth lunar month.
As the year draws to a close.
Crown Prince Xiao Qingxuan will once again represent the royal family to conduct the annual prayer ceremony at the Imperial Ancestral Temple outside the city.
In the past, Xiao Qingxuan deeply abhorred such things.
He excelled in both literature and martial arts from a young age, harboring great ambitions and firmly believing that "human effort can overcome anything" and "man can conquer nature."
I always felt that the gods and Buddhas who sit high above the nine heavens are ethereal and illusory. It is really pedantic and laughable to entrust the country, the people's well-being, and the well-being of the people to burning incense and praying.
Whenever he attended such ceremonies, he felt it was a waste of time and left him physically and mentally exhausted. The elaborate rituals were like invisible shackles, suffocating even the crown prince.
He would rather sweat it out on the drill ground, or study policy essays in his study, or even deal with those tedious government affairs, than pretend to pray to heaven.
But this year is different!
Because of Qian Yueshu and the unborn child in her womb.
His heart was burning with warmth, and even the biting cold wind seemed less unbearable.
I thought of Qian Yueshu.
Xiao Qingxuan's usually aloof face would unconsciously reveal a faint yet genuine tenderness.
She is nearly five months pregnant, her lower abdomen is slightly protruding, she has been a little sleepy lately, her appetite is not as good as usual, and she occasionally frowns and says that her legs and feet are a little swollen.
This made Xiao Qingxuan feel very sorry for him.
"Your Highness, the time has come," the eunuch Wang Xi reminded him softly, his voice respectful and cautious.
Xiao Qingxuan snapped out of his daze and nodded slightly.
Today he is wearing the elaborate and solemn crown prince's robes.
The twelve white jade beads hanging from the crown he wore swayed slightly in front of his eyes, obscuring his vision a little, but making his heart calmer and allowing him to focus on what he was about to do.
This time, let's pray for blessings!
The crown prince came to pray for blessings willingly, even with a hint of secret expectation.
He was no longer acting for the sake of the people, nor for his father's expectation of "eternal stability of the empire."
This time.
His prayer had a specific and detailed purpose—for Yue Shu, and for the little life in her womb that was connected to him by blood.
"May God bless Yue Shu with good health and a safe and smooth pregnancy. May she have a worry-free pregnancy and a painless delivery," he murmured to himself.
For the people you care about most.
Even things he originally scoffed at.
The crown prince was also willing to set aside his pride and try with the utmost sincerity.
This is not a succumb to superstition, but rather an outpouring of all the wishes that could be thought of and done.
like.
That's probably how it is; it can make people softer and incredibly brave, willingly venturing into areas they once disdained, just to bring more blessings and added protection to their loved ones.
The prayer ceremony was held as scheduled at the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
The process was lengthy and tedious, with bells and chimes ringing, incense smoke swirling, and the priests chanting in a long and ancient voice.
Xiao Qingxuan followed the rituals meticulously, performing each action with unparalleled focus and devotion: kowtowing, offering incense, and making sacrifices.
The ceremony ended quickly.
Surrounded by his officials, Xiao Qingxuan walked out of the main hall and breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Just as he was preparing to board the carriage and return to the Crown Prince's residence.
A faint melody drifted into his ears on the wind.
The sound of the zither came from a bamboo grove behind the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
It was the dead of winter.
Although the bamboo grove still stands tall, the bamboo leaves have turned yellow and look somewhat sparse.
The music was melodious and plaintive, the technique was skillful, and the tune was gentle and graceful, carrying a deliberately created air of aloofness and melancholy.
It seemed particularly clear on this quiet winter afternoon.
If it were any other man, he might have been aroused by the sudden elegant sound.
Perhaps they will follow the sound to find out what happened, and maybe even create a romantic story of "encountering a kindred spirit".
But who is Crown Prince Xiao Qingxuan?
Almost the instant I heard the music.
His eyes, which had softened slightly as he thought of Yue Shu, instantly turned cold, as if covered with a layer of frost.
A faint, mocking smile even appeared at the corner of his mouth.
In my previous life.
He has experienced far too many things like this.
To him, the music was not a refined affair, but rather an outright offense and a calculated scheme.
Who is so audacious?
How dare they do such a frivolous thing in a royal place of prayer?
Most importantly, they actually dared to fawn over Qian Yueshu while she was pregnant?
Isn't this just making him look like a heartless man?
Their intentions are despicable!
He wasn't even interested in finding out who the pianist was.
He felt nothing but impatience and disgust towards this clumsy attempt to get his attention.
The prince did not stop walking, nor did he even glance at the bamboo forest.
He gave Wang Xi, who was following closely behind him, only a very subtle wink.
Wang Xi had served Xiao Qingxuan since childhood.
They are adept at reading people's expressions and are meticulous and efficient in their methods.
He immediately leaned forward slightly and brought his ear close.
Xiao Qingxuan's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable, icy pressure, each word clear: "Go and see who is playing the zither in the bamboo forest? So lacking in manners and self-respect! Disturbing the sacred place of prayer and offending my entourage... Punish her to kneel in the bamboo forest for two hours to sober up."
He couldn't even be bothered to find out the woman's name or identity.
In Xiao Qingxuan's eyes.
That's just a fool trying to take shortcuts.
Such a punishment is already exceptionally lenient!
If it weren't for the fact that today is a day to pray for the moon goddess and it's not auspicious to see bloodshed, the punishment might have been much harsher.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Wang Xi understood and responded in a low voice, her face showing no extra expression.
He immediately turned around, selected two capable eunuchs, and walked quickly but steadily toward the bamboo forest.
Xiao Qingxuan did not linger and went straight to the Crown Prince's carriage.
The carriage curtains fell, isolating the outside world from everything.
The ceremonial procession set off, leaving the Imperial Ancestral Temple in a grand procession, leaving behind only the bamboo grove still howling in the cold wind, and the woman playing the zither who would soon pay the price for her "lack of self-respect".
The imperial carriage traveled smoothly on the road back to the Crown Prince's residence.
Xiao Qingxuan closed his eyes to rest, but his mind was already conjuring up the scene of returning to the mansion.
What is Yue Shu doing right now?
Is he taking a nap, or is he reading a storybook?
How was her appetite today?
Did you feel a little bored because of his brief absence?
As he thought about it, the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up slightly.
Qian Yueshu was pregnant and was very sensitive, and prone to being temperamental.
It's hard to guarantee that the events at the Imperial Ancestral Temple today won't be exaggerated and reach her ears.
If she were to hear that a woman was trying to "seduce" the Crown Prince with her music, it would be disastrous.
Even if he ignored it or even severely punished the other party, he was afraid that she would be unhappy and resentful.
Worry and anxiety are the worst things to do during pregnancy.
He absolutely could not let her be unhappy about this in the slightest.
Even the slightest potential must be nipped in the bud.
Xiao Qingxuan wanted to give all the affection he couldn't give in his previous life in this one.
Back to the Crown Prince's residence.
He immediately stepped into the warm, spring-like inner hall, dismissed his attendants, took Qian Yueshu's slightly warm hand, and carefully examined her complexion.
"Yue Shu, how are you feeling today? Is the child behaving himself?" His voice was gentler than any outsider had ever heard.
"It's all good." Qian Yueshu smiled, her eyes crinkling with affection.
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