024
Nearly a month has passed since Crown Prince Si Jingjin was established as the heir apparent. With the court gradually stabilizing, another major event naturally came to the forefront—the selection of a consort for the Crown Prince. Although the heir apparent is still young, with the foundation of the nation settled, the choice of the Crown Princess is crucial to the fate of the country, and it is best to decide as soon as possible. For a time, undercurrents surged in the court and the harem, with various factions vying to place their own eligible daughters on the future throne.
That day, the Emperor hosted a small banquet in the Imperial Garden, ostensibly to admire the lotus blossoms, but in reality, to allow several noble ladies of marriageable age from prominent families and of exceptional beauty to "accidentally" meet the Crown Prince, and also so that Si Jingjin could make his own judgment. The Empress and several high-ranking concubines accompanied him, and even the Empress Dowager made an appearance with great interest. The scene appeared leisurely, but beneath every lotus blossom lay a turbulent undercurrent.
As the most talked-about "Princess Zhaochen" recently, and also the Crown Prince's younger sister, Si Mianmian was naturally among those invited. Today, she wore a light pink palace dress, her hair styled in double buns and adorned with pearl hair ornaments. She looked adorable and innocent, like a porcelain doll who knew nothing of the world. She sat obediently next to Consort Wen, taking small bites of the ice bowl in front of her, while her big eyes darted around, taking in the expressions of everyone at the table.
Survival Handbook Rule #21: In crucial situations, sometimes the most "ignorant" words are the most effective at breaking the deadlock and testing people's hearts.
The noble ladies, all meticulously dressed and exuding elegance, were engaged in various activities—some playing the zither, others painting, and still others chatting and laughing with the Empress and Empress Dowager—yet their eyes, out of the corner of their eyes, invariably drifted towards the newly appointed Crown Prince, who sat regally in the main seat, his expression cold and aloof. Si Jingjin, dressed in a black robe adorned with coiled dragons, appeared even more imposing and commanding. His face remained largely expressionless; he only occasionally exchanged a few words with the Emperor or Empress Dowager. When his gaze swept over the noble ladies, it was calm and unwavering, revealing neither joy nor anger.
Midway through the banquet, at a delicate moment, Si Mianmian suddenly put down her silver spoon, slipped off her seat, and like a nimble kitten, ran to Crown Prince Si Jingjin's seat. Amidst the slightly surprised gazes of the crowd, she disregarded everything, reached out her small hand, grabbed the Crown Prince's sleeve, and skillfully leaned against him, practically half her body resting on her brother, becoming a veritable "little accessory."
"Crown Prince Brother—" She looked up, her voice sweet and soft, filled with pure intimacy, instantly breaking the reserved atmosphere at the table.
Si Jingjin was clearly taken aback by his sister's sudden outburst, his body stiffening almost imperceptibly. He lowered his gaze to the little girl clinging to his side, a hint of helplessness flashing in his deep eyes, but he didn't push her away. Instead, he naturally raised his hand to support her shoulder, preventing her from slipping down. His voice remained calm, but was noticeably gentler than before: "Hmm? What's wrong?"
Upon seeing this, the Emperor and Empress Dowager both smiled with affection, clearly pleased with the brother and sister's close relationship. The Empress also smiled, but beneath that smile lay a subtle, almost imperceptible, thoughtful expression. The expressions of the noble ladies, however, were even more nuanced.
Si Mianmian seemed completely oblivious to the gazes around her. She pointed with her chubby little finger to a young girl in a pale yellow dress who was playing the zither with her head bowed. The girl was the daughter of the Minister of Rites, known for her gentle and quiet demeanor. Si Mianmian's eyes sparkled, and in what she thought was a soft voice, but which was actually loud enough for those nearby to hear, she excitedly said to Si Jingjin:
"Brother! Look at that sister playing the piano! She's so beautiful! And she plays the piano so well! She's like a fairy from a painting!"
The admiration and affection in her voice were genuine. A slight silence fell over the room as all eyes turned to the girl in yellow and the prince. A blush rose on the girl's cheeks, and her zither playing faltered.
Si Mianmian, however, was not finished. She shook Si Jingjin's arm and continued to spout off her outrageous pronouncements:
"I want her to be my sister-in-law! Please, brother! That way, Mianmian can play with Fairy Sister every day and listen to her play the piano!"
Her childlike words, innocent and carefree, were like a stone thrown into a calm lake. If anyone else had said these words, it would have been presumptuous, or even malicious. But coming from the mouth of this beloved ninth princess, who was only twelve or thirteen years old, they only made people feel cute and amused.
Si Jingjin looked down at his younger sister's expectant face. A faint, almost imperceptible smile, fleeting yet undeniably present, flickered in his usually icy eyes. He didn't answer with a yes or no, but simply raised his hand and gently tapped Si Mianmian's smooth forehead with his knuckles, his tone carrying a hint of indulgence he himself didn't realize:
"Nonsense. Marriage is a serious matter, not child's play." These words were meant as an admonition, but the tone contained not a trace of reprimand.
“Mianmian isn’t being silly!” Si Mianmian covered her forehead, pouted, and retorted righteously, “Brother is the Crown Prince, the most powerful person in the world! Of course he should be matched with the most beautiful sister in the world! Mianmian is helping brother choose the most beautiful sister-in-law!” Her twisted logic of “beauty is justice” coupled with her serious look as a little adult finally made the Emperor and Empress Dowager at the head of the table burst into laughter.
"Haha, my Zhaochen is indeed straightforward and adorable!" The emperor was overjoyed. "Jingjin, your sister is really worried about you."
The Empress Dowager smiled and shook her head: "This child... is such a clever little devil."
Her interruption immediately lightened the tense atmosphere. The other noble ladies also recovered from their initial tension, covering their mouths and chuckling, finding the Ninth Princess innocent, charming, and quite amusing. The girl in yellow who had been called out was so embarrassed that she couldn't lift her head, but she couldn't help but feel a subtle sense of goodwill (or apprehension) towards this outspoken Ninth Princess, who seemed to be quite indulged by the Crown Prince.
Si Jingjin felt the soft, comforting embrace of his "little darling" and caught a glimpse of his father and grandmother's joyful smiles. The slight annoyance he felt from being arranged to meet her strangely dissipated. He gently helped Si Mianmian stand up straight and said calmly, "Sit properly. What kind of behavior is this?" His tone remained cold, but his actions revealed a subtle, protective intent.
Si Mianmian then said "Oh" with satisfaction, obediently sat down in her seat, and winked at Si Jingjin, looking like she understood.
What was originally a politically charged "preliminary banquet for the selection of a concubine" was unexpectedly defused by Si Mianmian's seemingly playful and innocent remarks. The Crown Prince showed no particular interest in any of the noble ladies, yet he also avoided embarrassing anyone. Meanwhile, Princess Si Mianmian's image as a "brother-obsessed" and "innocent" princess became even more deeply ingrained in the public consciousness.
Survival Handbook Postscript: A child's identity is the best camouflage. By using this "ignorance," one can boldly say what others dare not say, and subtly stir up trouble while remaining aloof.
After the banquet, Si Jingjin and Si Mianmian took their leave together. As they walked along the palace path, the setting sun cast long shadows of the brother and sister.
"Why single her out today?" Si Jingjin suddenly asked, his voice calm and emotionless.
Si Mianmian raised her head, her face still bearing that innocent smile: "Because that older sister seems the gentlest. When she plays the piano, she doesn't secretly look at my brother, she only looks at her own instrument. Mianmian thinks that such a person must be very calm and wouldn't bother my brother, right?" Her answer was clever, seemingly based on intuition, yet subtly hinting at her "not deliberately flattering" nature, once again placing herself in a position of naivety and ignorance.
Si Jingjin paused slightly, lowering his gaze to give her a deep look. The golden light of the setting sun softened her features, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her eyes were clear and undisguised.
He didn't say anything more, but simply raised his hand and gently brushed away a strand of her hair that had been ruffled by the wind.
"Let's go, I'll take you back to the palace."
Si Mianmian smiled sweetly and took the initiative to reach out her little hand to hold her brother's slightly cool fingers.
The final lesson of the survival manual: The most skillful assists are not those that directly target the goal, but those that create an atmosphere and guide the direction. When everyone thinks you're just joking, every word you say may already be hitting the mark with the key person.
The Crown Prince's path to choosing a consort is still long, but in this first step, this "little white lotus" has already successfully gotten involved, and it seems that she has even won a rare, genuine indulgence from her brother.
These days in the deep palace are getting more and more interesting.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
