When all the officials were knocking on the door, Gao Xuance asked to be appointed as a fiefdom and began to practice Taoism in seclusion. To be honest, Yao Niang didn't know whether this practice was useful or not, but seeing that Gao Xuance was very serious about it, she thought her husband was very sage.

Even Yao Niang went in to bring him some of his favorite dishes, such as Jade Tofu and Steamed Winter Melon with Preserved Vegetables. She also sprinkled some sesame seeds on the rice and said with a smile, "Brother Xuan Ce, don't you want to eat? It's getting late now."

At this time, Gao Xuance smiled and said, "Come and sit down. Have you eaten yet?"

"It's used now, don't worry." Yao Niang said as she handed her the bowl and chopsticks.

He ate his meal leisurely, thinking about other things in his mind. Yao Niang, however, looked at him with her chin in her hand. Even though they had been married for several years, she was still amazed by Gao Xuance. It was not for any other reason but that even when he practiced Taoism, he dressed very elegantly, which made him very different from others.

After Gao Xuance finished his meal, he saw Yao Niang looking at him with a girlish look on her face, and couldn't help blushing: "What's wrong?"

"What do you think?" Yao Niang turned her head away.

Gao Xuance also realized it and said softly, "Don't worry, I'll accompany you tonight."

"Um."

Yao Niang packed her things and left, but Gao Xuance was reluctant to leave her. "Sister Yao, I'll spread a few futons over there, and you can rest here. I know you have to sleep after lunch, so I'll stay with you, okay?"

"No, I want to rest on the beauty couch. You should just focus on your cultivation." Yao Niang is not the kind of person who would put herself in a difficult position.

She broke away from Gao Xuance and went out smiling.

Gao Xuance was very depressed. He also liked Yao Niang very much, and he couldn't bear to be away from her for a while. He couldn't stand it.

The two of them had already reached the point where they were inseparable. If Yao Niang had been a little more rational and lived a normal life, she would have even forgotten about the officials' visit to the palace. It was not until she went to Empress Hong and saw Mu Wantong's sarcastic remarks that she remembered it.

To be honest, the situation in the court has become one of coercion. As such, the emperor is even less willing to establish King Zhou. Emperor Jianzhang isn't dead yet.

"Fourth brother's wife, I really don't know what you mean by the commotion up front. I've been at home the whole time. Our son Xun is making a lot of noise, and I can't come out."

In fact, Queen Hong was not happy when she heard Mu Wantong say that. After all, Prince Chen is her son. Why are you taking pleasure in his misfortune?

Your mother-in-law tried to harm my grandson before, and I haven't settled the score with you yet.

"What happened to Xun brother?"

"It's nothing. It's just that the weather has been cold these days and I was afraid that he would catch a cold, so I kept him in the room. But then he felt hot and made a fuss about coming out, so I had no choice but to coax him." Yao Niang said with a smile.

After Empress Hong gave some detailed instructions, she had two jade ruyi brought over: "This red sandalwood jade ruyi has the effect of calming the mind. You can put it in the northeast corner to calm down the child, and that will be fine."

Yao Niang nodded: "Thank you, mother."

With Prince Chen around, Queen Hong asked him if he was practicing. Yao Niang remembered how crazy they had been all night yesterday, and how he said he was meditating and resting today. She couldn't help but think that he was too strong.

"The prince has always been devoted to cultivation, and we dare not disturb him easily. He just practices swordplay every day as usual. There is less official business recently, so he does not need to go out."

After listening to Yao Niang's explanation, everyone knew why there were so few official affairs, because there was only one thing recently, and that was to appoint King Zhou as the crown prince. With the position of the eldest son, the foundation of the country could be established early, and the country could be safe.

The country is what they think is most important.

Since the incident with her mother-in-law Concubine Yan, Mu Wantong knew that it was impossible for Prince An to succeed. Otherwise, Prince Zhou and Prince Chen would both be fighting for power, and Prince An would have the advantage. But if Prince Zhou returned safely, he would most likely inherit the throne. Mu Wantong usually disliked Gao Xuance, who was full of calculations and had bad intentions, so she would rather Prince Zhou succeed to the throne than Prince Chen.

From the first time she met Prince Chen, she knew he was not a good person.

It was a long time later that she found out that he went to give the coming-of-age gift to Yao Niang that day. He only had his wife in his heart and turned a blind eye to everything else.

Luo Yaoniang, a woman who lives in the harem, will be the mother of the world in the future. What else can she do besides giving birth to a child? How can she compare to me?

She was unwilling to submit to such a person. In this case, why not let the King of Zhou take that position?

However, she was treated particularly coldly by Queen Hong, and was glanced at by Yao Niang when she came out. She was very angry, and when she returned to the prince's residence, she felt that she had no place to vent her anger.

Madam Jia usually had a good relationship with everyone in the mansion. When she saw her mistress coming back, she hurried forward to serve her. Today, seeing that Mu Wantong was very angry, she did not dare to stay for long, but still asked people about it, and finally someone told her.

"Well, it's nothing. It's just that Princess Chen said a few sarcastic words. But Princess Chen won't be here for long. Many officials want to ask for the title of Crown Prince. King Zhou will most likely do so, and Prince Chen and his wife will have to go to their fiefdom."

“I see.”

"Yes, we all say that Prince Chen is quite wronged because he was born a little late. But this is how things are in the royal family. Sometimes you just lack a little bit of luck."

Madam Jia was very lucky again. Although the wife of Prince Chen seemed to be enjoying a good life now, Prince Chen was too conspicuous. She was afraid that Prince Zhou would not let him go in the future. He would probably have to guard the imperial mausoleum like the eldest prince and his wife.

It would be better for her to be like this now, at least she is safe.

…

King Zhou, who was on his way back, also received the news. He had suffered a defeat and had to retreat in a hurry, and he had to keep the peace, which inevitably exhausted him. But when he heard that all the civil and military officials supported him to be crowned the crown prince, he felt a little relieved.

When the ministers saw King Zhou return, they were ready to advise and remonstrate with him. However, they had no idea that Emperor Jianzhang would not give King Zhou any face at all. On the grounds that King Zhou had lost the battle, he was demoted from a prince to a prince of a county and was fined for three years.

All those who returned from the war were rewarded for their merits and punished for their crimes. Emperor Jianzhang originally intended to cover up for King Zhou, after all, he was his own son.

But these ministers are really going too far. Of course, a country should be established, but not now.

The King of Zhou was demoted instead of promoted. Emperor Jianzhang impeached Yuan Fu, the most serious troublemaker, and also suggested that he resign from his position as prime minister. This so-called rebellion among officials was quickly calmed down.

He fell ill again and said to his ministers: "Every time I summon you, I feel much happier."

The clever one knew what Emperor Jianzhang meant. He just wanted to keep Prince Chen by his side and did not want him to become a fiefdom.

For the sake of the emperor's "health", although the issue of Prince Chen's enfeoffment was occasionally mentioned, no one made a fuss about the officials knocking in the palace anymore.

Not only was Prince Chen not driven away, he even regained greater power. He was very capable in handling matters, and could resolve matters that ordinary people found difficult with just a little guidance from him.

He was even very efficient in delegating power. He trusted people he employed and would not employ people he did not trust.

This is really hard for Yao Niang. When Prince Chen had nothing to do before, she and Gao Xuance used to hang out together all day long. Now that he is so busy, Yao Niang is alone again.

Fortunately, she picked up her old hobbies again, writing and painting, and set a goal for herself to complete a painting every day and not to be lazy. In this way, she quickly became busy.

But King Zhou was in a miserable situation. Being demoted from a prince to a duke was already humiliating for the proud and arrogant him. Then he felt even more upset when he learned that the son born to him by Concubine Gan was gone.

Although he did not charge into the battlefield, the environment in the border area was too bad. He had always been well-fed, but under the double blow, he became seriously ill.

This made Emperor Jianzhang feel guilty, and he also felt that King Zhou was not worthy of being appointed. You know, when Prince Chen was in the border areas, he lived and ate with the soldiers.

When Yao Niang waited for him to come back in the evening, she saw that he was wearing a golden crown and brocade clothes, looking extremely noble. She quickly handed him a hot towel and said, "Come and wipe your face. You must be tired after a long day, right?"

"Is he okay? I heard that my second brother was sick." Gao Xuance asked.

Yao Niang nodded: "Yes, but I think you'd better not take it lightly. King Zhou died as an emperor in his previous life. He still has at least eight years to live. Besides, many things in this life are different. We must not be satisfied."

Gao Xuance smiled: "I understand."

After saying that, he scratched Yao Niang's nose and said, "Silly girl, you seem to have forgotten something."

"What's the matter? Is it the autumn hunt? I won't go to the autumn hunt this time. Xun Ge'er is still young, and I'm really worried."

"no."

"Could it be Queen Mother Qianqiu?"

"You're so silly! Don't you want to prepare to be the Crown Princess?" Gao Xuance laughed.

Yao Niang couldn't believe it: "How could it be so fast?"

"Humph, when my father-in-law was brought down by them, those people wanted to use the imperial examination to threaten my father-in-law to step down. Now I have recruited them for my own use. I can't just sit there and wait for death. After these people are eliminated, I will have my own way."

Gao Xuance didn't practice Taoism in vain to endure.

Yao Niang didn't know all this, but as long as she didn't succeed, she didn't want to be too high-profile. Even when she went to see Zhuang Lingyi on the birthday of the wife of Marquis Jianguo half a year later, she didn't look proud at all.

Because she seldom goes out, and because the son of Marquis Jianguo is Chengyun's companion, she came here.

Everyone saw that she had fair skin and beautiful looks, but she was extremely peaceful. Even though she did not have the status of Princess Chen, she did not have the arrogance of a beauty. Instead, she was very approachable and at first glance, she looked like a girl who was immersed in honey.

Mrs. Zhuang glanced at her sister-in-law. She told her that her three marriages had not come to fruition. She was already angry in her heart, but now she said sarcastically: "Look, sister, the person sitting up there is you."

Zhuang Lingyi snorted coldly: "Sister-in-law, don't use words to hurt me. I am a member of the Huang family in life and a ghost of the Huang family in death. I don't care about these. Besides, although King Zhou was punished, he is still the eldest son after all."

The three marriage proposals her family had proposed all came with families, and all of them would make her a ready-made stepmother. Each of them would have several children, both legitimate and illegitimate. Wouldn't it be worse for her to be a concubine than she is now?

Prince Chen had seen her before, and Empress Hong had specially brought her into the palace, but she was unwilling, so Luo Yaoniang got her. Even so, she discovered that Prince Chen treated her differently at the funeral of Duke Cheng'en's wife.

But now the envoy has a wife and Luofu has a husband. Although her husband has passed away, she still has a child, so she cannot become the Princess of Chen.

However, although Prince Chen is a rare talent, he is the second son and is restless. Now all these glory and wealth are nothing but passing clouds.

However, the banquet was about to end, but the wife of the Marquis of Jianguo came over and said happily to Yao Niang and everyone else: "The Donghu are invading. The emperor has decided to confer the title of Prince Chen on the Crown Prince and the title of Marshal of the Army to suppress the Donghu. The imperial edict has been issued. Princess Chen, no, Princess Crown Princess, the people in the palace are waiting for you to return."

Before Yao Niang could react, Zhuang Lingyi was already in bad condition. The Crown Princess——

That abandoned girl, who was so different from her in status, actually became the Crown Princess, while she, a legitimate daughter of a duke, could only be the concubine of those men who were almost getting old. How unfair...

Yes, she has always known that she is aloof, aloof, and unsociable, but she has done nothing wrong. Is it wrong not to covet wealth and fame? Why is this greedy and vain person still living so well?