Qixiu Mountain is built along the water. Although it is just an artificial mountain built by stacking and piling up in the Imperial Garden, it is quite large in scale. There are many scenic spots on the mountain. In addition to the shooting range on the mountainside and the Wangxiantai (Viewing Terrace) on the top of the mountain, there are also places such as the Qushui Pavilion on the back mountain.
At this time, the Crown Prince was at the shooting range, and a squad of imperial guards was stationed on the mountainside. When Sheng Yun came over, he was naturally stopped.
Most of the people around the Crown Prince would recognize Sheng Yun, but these people were arranged by Consort Wen, so they didn't know Sheng Yun and spoke to her in a very official manner.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is currently competing in archery with the Prince of Xiaoqiaochuan. Outsiders are not allowed to disturb him."
Sheng Yun puffed out his cheeks, his clear eyes revealing dissatisfaction: "Then could you at least inform His Highness? Tell him I have something to discuss with His Highness and will wait for him at the Qushui Pavilion on the back mountain until he is finished."
The guard frowned in confusion, thinking to himself, "Who asks for an audience with His Highness and then decides on the location themselves?" But before he could say anything, Sheng Yun had already arrogantly turned and left.
Wei Shuyao followed from a distance and didn't hear what the two were saying. She only saw that Sheng Yun was turned away, and she felt a little discouraged. It seemed that His Highness the Crown Prince was indeed not so easy to approach.
She glanced down at her feet and realized how disheveled she looked. She sighed and decided to go back and wait and see.
...
Wei Shuwan was still sitting under the red plum tree, but because of Sheng Yun's warm conversation with her earlier, many noble ladies put aside their worries and came over to chat with her. The once quiet and cold bench suddenly became the liveliest spot in the plum grove. Surrounded by them, Wei Shuwan responded politely and chatted freely, displaying a charming and sophisticated demeanor.
Princess Yun'an, who had just come to pay her respects to the Imperial Concubine, happened to see this scene as soon as she entered the plum garden. An inexplicable anger rose from her heart and quickly rushed to her head!
In the past, she was angry with Wei Shuwan only because Wei Shuwan had separated her from her brother Zijin. But now that even her own brother has been imprisoned, her anger towards Wei Shuwan has become more than just anger; it can be considered hatred.
Her uncle said that her brother was colluding with bandits and had ulterior motives, but how absurd is that! How could her brother, a lazy and pleasure-seeking person, have such thoughts?
Yun An didn't know how many people were involved in this matter, but she felt that it must be related to Wei Shuwan, since all of this happened after her brother ordered a prostitute to impersonate Wei Shuwan.
Now that his elder brother is in prison and his future is uncertain, Yun'an seems to have grown up overnight. But not because he has become more sensible, but because he knows how heavy the burden on his shoulders is.
Her father and mother had only given birth to two sons and one daughter. The eldest son was frail and had to spend half the year recuperating at the hot spring villa in Jiangzuo. Apart from bearing the title of heir apparent, he usually couldn't get involved in the affairs of the royal household. Now that the second son, Zhu Gaozhuo, had been imprisoned, Yun'an felt that the hopes of the entire household rested on her shoulders.
In the past, when she was young and inexperienced, she was deeply in love with Song Zijin and had no resentment about marrying him. But now she realizes that even without all the changes that have occurred, a family like the Song's would not have been a good match for her.
She should find a strong tree to lean on.
She herself was a princess, so the imperial relatives of the Daye Dynasty were not within her selection range. Moreover, her imperial uncle valued military affairs over civil affairs, and in his eyes, even the highest-ranking civil officials were not as useful as a general stationed on the frontier.
But if she were to marry one of those rough and uncouth soldiers, she simply couldn't stand the crudeness of a family of military generals.
After thinking it over and over these past few days, Yun'an finally thought of someone.
This man's status is comparable to that of royalty, his family commands a powerful army, and he was already designated as the heir to the title. All this power will fall into his hands in the future, and if I were to marry him, I would undoubtedly become the most useful link in my uncle's eyes.
Yun An raised her face slightly, her gaze fixed on the mountainside of Lingxiu Mountain. She knew that Li Qingchen was there at that moment.
In fact, all the noble ladies who entered the palace today, especially those from families with good connections, knew in advance that today's plum blossom viewing banquet was actually His Majesty using the name of the Imperial Concubine to help Prince Xiaoqiaochuan choose a consort for his heir.
Their boisterous dancing and frolicking were merely an attempt to attract his attention. But this young Prince Qiaochuan, known for his aloofness, was not necessarily easier to fool than the Crown Prince.
Yun An's gaze swept back and forth across the plum garden, a disdainful smile curving her lips. The only people here who could truly pose a threat to her were probably just two.
One was Wei Shuwan, known as the "Number One Beauty of Jiangzuo," but despite her beauty, her background was too low. Not to mention that the young Prince Qiaochuan would never even glance at her, even if he did, the Emperor would not approve. If word got out, those who didn't know the truth would think that the Emperor was petty and intentionally mistreated the Prince Qiaochuan's heir.
Looking at Wei Shuwan's attire today, all in pure white, she doesn't seem to be here to compete with others for beauty. She probably knows her own status and doesn't have any futile desires.
The other one is Wen Chan, whom Yun An feels is her true rival.
In terms of beauty, Wen Chan was no less beautiful than Wei Shuwan, and there were even rumors that she was the "most beautiful woman in Shengjing". In terms of background, she was the niece of Consort Wen, which gave her a significant advantage.
Thinking of this, Yun An felt it necessary to curb Wen Chan's arrogance. Of course, she couldn't just let Wen Chan play the villain; she could also use others to do the dirty work.
...
Wei Shuwan was chatting and laughing with the person opposite her when a figure suddenly entered her field of vision, which immediately set off alarm bells.
When she saw Princess Yun'an approaching with a smile that concealed a knife, she thought that Princess Yun'an was going to give her another difficult problem, but she did not expect that this time the target was not her, but Wen Chan.
In truth, Wei Shuwan wasn't familiar with Wen Chan. Wen Chan had only been brought along by the other noble ladies to join in the fun. Wei Shuwan had been chatting so enthusiastically with everyone, yet she had barely exchanged a few words with Wen Chan. It wasn't hard for her to tell that Wen Chan harbored some hostility towards her, although she hadn't yet figured out the source of that hostility.
As soon as Yun Anfu walked over, she smiled and said, "Sister Wen, I didn't expect you to come today too~" She especially emphasized the word "expectedly" when she said this.
These words made Wen Chan somewhat embarrassed. She gave a light, indifferent "heh," which served as both a response and an expression of her displeasure.
Wei Shuwan knew that Wen Chan's aunt, Consort Wen, had always pinned her hopes on the Crown Prince and wanted Wen Chan to become his wife. However, the Crown Prince had no interest in Wen Chan, and she remained unmoved until she was nineteen.
What Wei Shuwan didn't know was that it was precisely because Consort Wen saw that the Crown Prince's chances were slim that she changed her mind and decided to place her bet on the Prince of Xiaoqiaochuan.
Of all the people here, only Wei Shuwan is unaware that today's plum blossom banquet is actually being held for the Prince of Xiaoqiaochuan.
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