Inside the Imperial Palace of the Great Zhou Dynasty, a beautiful woman, wearing a golden hairpin and jade ring on her head and dressed in pink shimmering brocade, was walking on the corridor leading to the main hall.
The maid behind him was a little worried: "Your Highness, do you really want to arrange a marriage casually?"
"How can the number one scholar be considered casual?"
"But there are so many young men in the capital, and you know quite a few of them. Why don't you pick a suitable one to be your consort?"
The eldest princess didn't say anything. In the past few years, her mother's health had been deteriorating. She started to assist in managing the harem at the age of twelve. In order to reduce her mother's burden, she didn't want other concubines to take advantage of the opportunity.
The emperor saw that she managed the treasury well, so when she was fifteen, he let her try to take over the treasury.
Now she is eighteen years old. In the past three years, the treasury has prospered under her leadership and is recognized by all officials.
Although my father valued her, he was also wary of her.
She and her brother are the legitimate children of their mother, but her brother is not the only son of their father.
She couldn't really choose the son of a powerful person, so she had to choose someone that her father could trust. So when her father asked her, she said that if the number one scholar didn't have a marriage proposal, she would choose him.
After he finished speaking, he indeed saw a smile in his father's eyes, which must mean he was satisfied.
What matters to her is not who is chosen as the prince consort, but whether her brother can sit on the throne. In this way, she and her brother can live a stable life, and her mother can rest assured.
After the palace examination, the emperor conferred official titles on the top-class students, and they became the emperor's disciples.
The eldest princess hid behind the screen and watched, her gaze lingering on the man in the white brocade robe for a few moments. This man was quite good-looking.
After the appointment of officials was completed, the emperor kept the top scholar Cao Yuan, and the second and third place scholars left the palace together.
"Brother Wu, let's wait for Brother Cao in the teahouse. We don't know when His Majesty will let Brother Cao come out." asked Tanhualang Chen Che.
They would be colleagues in the Hanlin Academy in the future, and they agreed to go to a teahouse together after leaving the palace.
Wu Qiong, the runner-up, shook her head and whispered to him, "Wait at the palace gate and ask him if the eldest princess wants to choose a husband. I saw a figure behind the screen. It should be that the eldest princess has chosen the number one scholar."
Princess, choosing a son-in-law?
Chen Che was not from the capital, but he had heard of this extraordinary woman.
As the noble Princess of the Great Zhou, she did not choose to get married when she came of age at the age of fifteen, but instead took over the treasury and accumulated wealth for the Great Zhou.
"I heard that she has only been in charge of the treasury for three years, and the revenue is higher than in the previous five years."
"That's nothing. Have you seen the princess? She is so stunningly beautiful that she can be called the most beautiful woman in the Great Zhou. Brother Cao is so lucky."
Chen Che shook his head: "I haven't seen it. My home is close to the capital, and I go home every time I finish the exam."
The runner-up smiled and sighed: "Alas, it's a pity that I already have a family background. Even if he likes me, I have no chance to become his consort."
Chen Che curled his lips. He had no chance either. He had already been selected as the top scholar. Good looks were not as good as good grades. He sighed and said, "We don't have that fate."
…
Inside the hall, the woman behind the screen saw the man in blue in front of the hall, and felt a little lost for unknown reasons.
Cao Yuan didn't know why the emperor kept him here, so he lowered his head respectfully, waiting for instructions.
"Has the number one scholar ever arranged a marriage?"
Cao Yuan's heart skipped a beat. His Majesty wants to grant me a marriage?
"Your Majesty, I have been studying and have not discussed marriage."
The emperor nodded in satisfaction. "Well, my eldest princess, what do you think, Mr. Zhuangyuan?"
Cao Yuan knelt down slowly, his eyes falling on the powder under the screen. Was she behind him?
He was pleasantly surprised. He had met the eldest princess at a poetry reading, and she was so beautiful that she truly astounded him.
Moreover, she is not a princess who only knows how to live a life of luxury, nor is she an ordinary woman in the inner palace. Many young men like her, so naturally he also yearns for her.
But when he came to his senses, he realized that if he became a royal consort, he would have no future at all. The Cao family was now in decline. Hadn't he studied hard for many years just to make the Cao family return to its former glory?
His parents had high hopes for him. The eldest princess already had a treasury, so it was impossible for her to give a prince consort more power.
After figuring out the key points, he endured the pain, erased the idea of becoming a royal consort, and kowtowed fiercely: "Your Majesty, the eldest princess is your Majesty's daughter, and I dare not marry her. Moreover, I have studied for many years, and I only want to serve the court, and I dare not think of anything else."
emperor:"……"
The prince is already eighteen years old, but has not yet been married. After finally finding a suitable one, he is still unwilling to marry. Alas, it will be delayed again.
The eldest princess behind the screen did not expect to be rejected. After a moment of stunned silence, the man in the moon-white robe suddenly appeared in her mind.
When Cao Yuan came out, his steps were unsteady. He was still thinking about the stunning glimpse he had at the poetry meeting and the figure behind the screen just now.
Wu Qiong came forward and pulled him aside to ask in a low voice, "Brother Cao, are you going to be the son-in-law of His Majesty?"
Cao Yuan came back to his senses. He didn't expect him to know so quickly. He felt a little embarrassed: "No, I don't have that plan."
Not only Wu Qiong, but Shen Che was also shocked: "Why?"
"My father was implicated and often laughed at. He only hoped that I could study hard and achieve something."
The two men understood that they would not be valued if they became the prince consort, and Cao Yuan did not want to give up his future for the eldest princess.
The poor eldest princess was so busy that she didn't get married until she was 18 years old. When she finally found someone she liked, she was rejected.
"Don't tell anyone, either of you."
"Don't worry, it's just a waste of time to talk about something that didn't work out. We're not stupid."
"Yeah, come on, let's go have some tea."
Two days later, the emperor summoned Chen Che alone, and he packed up and went to the palace to meet him.
As soon as he entered the imperial study, he saw a beautiful woman sitting next to the dragon throne, staring at him.
He thought it was a concubine, so he didn't dare to look at her. He knelt down and kowtowed: "Your humble servant greets your majesty."
"Stand up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Shen Che stood up but still didn't dare to look around.
"Has the third place winner of the imperial examination been planning a marriage?"
Chen Che answered truthfully: "Your Majesty, I have never discussed marriage."
"The one next to me is the eldest princess. Have you heard of her, Mr. Tanhua?"
Chen Che suddenly raised his head and looked at the woman. Didn’t the princess have her eyes on Cao Zhuangyuan?
Realizing his impoliteness, he quickly lowered his head, bowed and said, "Your humble servant greets Her Royal Highness the Princess."
"No need to be polite."
The princess frowned at him, and when she saw that he didn't respond to her father's question, she asked coldly, "Is it difficult to answer?"
The tips of Chen Che's ears gradually turned red, and his heart began to beat wildly, but he still remained rational.
She obviously likes Brother Cao, so just grabbing him to make do with him because Brother Cao doesn't agree?
The emperor laughed and said, "Don't think too much, Mr. Tanhua. Just say whatever you want to say. I won't punish you."
"I have heard that Your Highness is very good at managing the treasury. I admire you."
After hearing what he said, the princess stood up and asked, "In that case, are you willing to be my consort?"
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