Hua Liuli and the Crown Prince sat in the carriage together. When Hua Liuli stared at the hanging decorations on the carriage, she couldn't help but laugh.
"What are you laughing at?" the Crown Prince handed a plate of snacks to Hua Liuli and glanced at the empty seat beside her for a while but didn't sit down.
"I'm laughing because Your Royal Highness is being seen as a fat piece of meat by others," Hua Liuli said as she held the ceramic plate of snacks and chuckled quietly. Her hairpin swayed gently as she laughed, looking very happy.
"Fortunately, there is you to help. Otherwise, this fat piece of meat might have been taken away by someone," the Crown Prince thanked with a smile, "If this happens again, Benwang hopes Liuli will lend me a hand with your sword."
"That Miss Xie didn't look very friendly towards me," Hua Liuli placed the plate on the small table and shook her head, "Your Royal Highness, it's better to rely on oneself rather than others, Your Royal Highness needs to know how to save yourself."
"What you said is right."
The carriage the Crown Prince was riding in was spacious and comfortable. Even if a few people lay side by side, they wouldn't feel cramped.
To avoid any unnecessary gossip, besides the Crown Prince and her, there were also eunuchs and maidservants serving in the carriage. They stood silently on the side, not saying a word.
"Royal Princess Leyang's mother had a very good relationship with the Empress Dowager in the palace before she passed away," the Crown Prince said, "After Princess Leyang married into the Xie family, the Emperor took care of her out of consideration for the Empress Dowager's feelings."
But people's hearts are strange. Sometimes, when things are too good, it's easy to forget one's place and want something more out of it.
When Royal Princess Leyang was young, she wasn't as ostentatious. The Emperor, considering the fact that she was living far away, not only rewarded her with gifts every year but also allowed her to live in the capital if she wished.
Perhaps it was due to this kindness and tolerance, as well as the fact that Princess Shunan - who also resided in the capital - had never been granted the title of Royal Princess, that Royal Princess Leyang developed a sense of superiority. In recent years, she had become even more high-profile.
This time, her influence in the capital was even greater than before. She relied not on the prestige of her husband's family, but also on the fact that her eldest daughter had passed away in the capital. The Emperor would surely sympathize with her, and even if she displayed some inappropriate behavior, people would turn a blind eye out of consideration for her loss.
In the prosperous capital, people like Royal Princess Leyang were not uncommon.
For power and status, be it friends or family or even their own flesh and blood, they could abandon them.
The Crown Prince had seen through such people since he was young, so he found them uninteresting and lacking in novelty.
After escorting Hua Liuli to the entrance of the Hua Family Estate, the Crown Prince was about to leave when he saw Hua Changkong approaching with a smile on his face.
"Your Royal Highness," Hua Changkong greeted the Crown Prince with a bow, "It's getting late. Why don't Your Royal Highness have dinner at my humble abode before you leave?"
"Benwang came here without prior notice, Benwang is afraid it would be an inconvenience to your household..."
"Your Royal Highness is being too polite. Everyone in our household is a straightforward person. As long as Your Royal Highness doesn't mind, it's all good," Hua Changkong welcomed the Crown Prince into the estate and enthusiastically introduced the flowers and plants in the house. He occasionally praised Emperor Changlong, saying that the estate bestowed upon them by His Majesty was excellent and very comfortable.
Although Hua Changkong had shown the same enthusiasm when the Crown Prince visited the Hua Family Estate before, the Crown Prince inexplicably felt that today's warmth had a touch of sincerity that was lacking before.
He turned around and glanced at Hua Liuli following behind him. Hua Liuli smiled and blinked at him. The Crown Prince thought, perhaps he was overthinking.
During dinner, both Hua Yingting and Wei Mingyue were present. Hua Yingting invited the Crown Prince to take the seat of honor, but the Crown Prince insisted, "Great General, we share a mentor-disciple relationship. The disciple should sit below the mentor. Please, Great General."
After all, this was his future father-in-law, so he wanted to show more courtesy in order to marry his daughter.
"Your Royal Highness is mistaken. There is a distinction between ruler and subject," Hua Yingting exerted his strength and pressed the Crown Prince onto the main seat, "I understand Your Royal Highness's intentions, but within our family, we don't pay much attention to such formalities. It's just to silence outsiders. Please consider it as helping me and bear with it."
I hope, in the future, you can also consider our mentor-disciple relationship and tolerate it if my daughter ever gives you a hard time.
"Great General Hua is too kind."
"Your Royal Highness is too tolerant."
They enjoyed the meal with relish, and after the meal, Hua Yingting personally accompanied the Crown Prince to the carriage. The way he looked at the Crown Prince was like a benevolent father-in-law looking at his well-accomplished son-in-law, devoid of the aura of a general who commanded thousands of troops on the battlefield.
Once the Crown Prince left, Hua Yingting returned to the house and saw his well-behaved daughter still acting coquettishly in front of her mother. He sighed deeply in his heart.
My dear daughter, do you know that I, your old father, didn't worry so much when I married off your two older brothers?
Hua Liuli didn't know what her father was thinking. She was currently telling her mother about the encounter with Royal Princess Leyang at the foot of the mountain.
"Mother, did you have a bad relationship with that princess before? Her expression turned unpleasant when someone mentioned you in her presence," Hua Liuli thought that her mother must have lived a very exciting life when she was young. Many of the women in the capital admired her, but there seemed to be quite a few who hated her as well.
"Royal Princess Leyang?" Wei Mingyue pondered for a moment. In her memory, she can't recall anything related to Royal Princess Leyang. She shook her head and said, "I'm not sure. With the temperament I had when I was young, even if someone was dissatisfied with me, I wouldn't have cared."
Seeing her mother's carefree expression, Hua Liuli said, "Truly, Mother, you are unparalleled. Any conspiracies or tricks are like paper tigers in front of you."
"Stop flattering me. Your words are so sweet. Did you have a conflict with someone from Royal Princess Leyang's estate?" Wei Mingyue smiled and tapped Hua Liuli's forehead. Among her children, this daughter who seemed the most delicate and harmless was the most similar to her in personality.
Only outsiders would think that this mother and daughter had completely opposite personalities.
Her daughter follows her temperament, but she had learned her father's methods. People often would think that she was weak and easy to bully. And once they met with misfortune, they still wouldn't know what had happened.
"Originally, I didn't want to meddle in other people's affairs," Hua Liuli explained, "But the eunuch from Royal Princess Leyang's estate was whipping common people and that princess was speaking ill of you. How could your daughter bear it? You are the woman that Father loves the most, the best mother to me and my brothers. How could I let someone speak ill of you so easily in front of me?"
"Our good daughter did well. If we, as military leaders, don't have the heart to protect the people, how can we go to the battlefield?" Wei Mingyue laughed, "Do what you believe is right, don't be afraid."
Hua Liuli nestled into Wei Mingyue's arms and whispered, "Mother, does Royal Princess Leyang want her daughter to become the Crown Princess?"
Wei Mingyue lowered her head and looked at her daughter, who still acted spoiled towards her like when she was a child. The smile on her face faded slightly, "Do you want her to become the Crown Princess?"
"What does it have to do with me if she becomes the Crown Princess or not?" Hua Liuli sat up straight and looked at Wei Mingyue with confusion, "Such matters should be decided by the Emperor."
"You're right," Wei Mingyue smiled, "From my perspective, the Emperor probably wouldn't want Miss Xie to become the Crown Princess, even though she is indeed a good choice."
The Xie family had talented scholars and was highly renowned in the South. If the Crown Prince married a daughter of the Xie family, it would win over the hearts of many scholars of the South and greatly benefit his reputation after ascending the throne. However, every advantage comes with its drawbacks. The scholars in the South held the mainstream power of public opinion, which was akin to an invisible sword.
As an emperor, one wouldn't want to rely on a sword to become a great wise ruler but rather be the master of that sword.
If the Crown Prince married the Xie family's daughter, it would not only enable him to use the scholars from the south to his advantage but would also elevate the status of these scholars in the south. Over time, these individuals would start dictating terms to the imperial family, saying what can be done and what cannot be done, turning the emperor into a puppet with a reputation to uphold.
The neighboring kingdom of Dai Mao was a cautionary example.
Wei Mingyue had once visited Dai Mao, where they prioritized literature over martial arts and believed that scholarly pursuit was the highest pursuit. Scholars readily engaged in deadly debates in court, and even if they died during such encounters, they would gain a posthumous reputation.
What puzzled her the most was that Dai Mao's streets hardly had any women. If a woman met a man outside and spoke to him, she would be deemed impure. Even the princesses had to marry early and adhere to so-called virtuous conduct.
After the Crown Prince married a Crown Princess, he dared to keep concubines. If the Crown Princess accepted the presence of concubines, the scholars would praise her. If she couldn't accept it, she would be accused of jealousy.
If the Crown Prince of the Great Jin Empire dared to do such a thing, he would either be beaten to near death by the Crown Princess and her attendants or face divorce.
As for the scholars in the capital, when they encountered such lively scenes, they would simply bring out their brushes and record or depict the events, then write a few poems to turn the incident into a play for entertainment. No one would stand up for the Crown Prince.
In recent years, some elderly members of the Xie family had been advocating for the adoption of Dai Mao's customs in the Great Jin Empire, but it hadn't attracted much attention.
Wei Mingyue was worried that if the Xie family's daughter married the Crown Prince and suddenly began setting an example by adopting Dai Mao's customs, it would be troublesome.
She glanced at Hua Liuli, who was still so young. She couldn't let her daughter spend the second half of her life in such an environment. However, she can't do much about it. The behavior of those in power had a tremendous influence on the common people.
After much consideration, she hoped that the Xie family's daughter would not become the Crown Princess.
On the second day of Royal Princess Leyang's return to the capital, she went to the palace to meet the Empress Dowager and Emperor Changlong. She mentioned her eldest daughter who passed away last year and immediately choked up.
"My eldest daughter has always been considerate and sensible. I blame myself for not giving her a strong constitution when I gave birth to her," with the consolation of the Empress Dowager and Emperor Changlong, Royal Princess Leyang barely held back her tears. With teary eyes, she held her second daughter's hand and said, "Now, I only have Yao Yao, this daughter, and a useless son. Yao Yao is gentle and virtuous, and she likes the cultural atmosphere of the capital. I was thinking of letting her stay in the capital."
Her words weren't too subtle. Emperor Changlong and the Empress Dowager understood her intention. She wanted Xie Yao to marry someone from the capital.
The Empress Dowager smiled and asked, "Which good son-in-law have you set your eyes on?"
"Mother, I have often visited the capital, I don't know enough about it. I'm not clear about the personalities of other young masters in the capital," Royal Princess Leyang lightly touched Xie Yao's hand while smiling, "It's just that the Crown Prince has grown up under my watchful eyes, and Yao Yao has always liked playing with him since childhood. Why not make them closer by letting her stay by the Crown Prince's side to take care of him?"
Upon hearing this, the smile on the Empress Dowager's face completely disappeared. She glanced at Emperor Changlong, picked up her teacup, and covered the corners of her mouth without saying a word.
Emperor Changlong calmly looked at Xie Yao, who blushed with shyness. Instead of mentioning marriage, he asked, "Why didn't Xie Fuma accompany you on this visit?"
"Fuma still has some matters to attend to. He will arrive in about half a month," Royal Princess Leyang said, "Your Majesty, as for Yao Yao and the Crown Prince..."
"Your Majesty," Zhao Sancai hurriedly entered the room, "Marquis Chang'an requests an audience."
"Mingyue has arrived?" Before Emperor Changlong could speak, the Empress Dowager said, "Quickly, let her in."
Seeing the Empress Dowager's attitude, Xie Yao's face turned pale. If the Empress Dowager didn't have any objection to this marriage, why would she be in such a hurry to let someone else in? It was obvious that the Empress Dowager didn't want her to marry the Crown Prince, but she also didn't want to embarrass her mother either.
Royal Princess Leyang, on the other hand, remained composed. She lightly patted her daughter's hand and fixed her gaze on the entrance to the hall.
The people in the capital used to say that Wei Mingyue, that rough woman, was the most beautiful woman in the capital. She wanted to see how beautiful Wei Mingyue could still be after spending so many years in the harsh borderlands.
Before long, a stunning woman walked in. Her every gesture exuded vitality and was extremely eye-catching.
"Mother," Xie Yao felt a sting on the back of her hand and softly called out.
Royal Princess Leyang released her daughter's hand and sat dignifiedly in a chair, wearing a smile that was just right on her face.
"Greetings to Your Majesty; Greetings to the Empress Dowager," Wei Mingyue approached and bowed. She then glanced at Royal Princess Leyang but didn't say anything.
"Please take a seat quickly, there's no need for so much ceremony," the Empress Dowager welcomed Wei Mingyue to sit down, secretly relieved. Fortunately, Wei Mingyue had arrived, otherwise, she and the Emperor would have had to think hard to find a reason to refuse the marriage.
Wei Mingyue once again bowed to the Empress Dowager and performed a grand gesture to Emperor Changlong, "Your Majesty, I have come today to apologize on behalf of my unruly daughter."
Seeing Wei Mingyue bow deeply to him, Emperor Changlong unconsciously shifted his buttocks. But when he heard her mention Hua Liuli, he leaned forward and put on an affectionate smile, thinking that she already knew about the Crown Prince's intentions, "What do you mean, Zhen's loyal subject? Fushou Junzhu is intelligent, clever, cute, kind, and considerate, with a gentle and virtuous nature. Why would she need you to apologize for anything?"
Regardless of the matter at hand, he first praised her daughter.
"Your Majesty overpraises her, and I am truly ashamed to hear such words," Wei Mingyue smiled bitterly, "That child is truly outrageous. On the day Royal Princess Leyang arrived in the capital, she did something that displeased the Royal Princess. I, as a mother, have failed to guide her properly. I have already brought her along to the palace to let her personally come and apologize to Your Majesty."
"Fushou Junzhu is outside?" Emperor Changlong glanced at the sky outside. The weather was not good today, with a strong wind blowing. With Fushou Junzhu being so delicate, how could she withstand it?
Afraid that the wind would blow away the little girl that his beloved son liked, Emperor Changlong didn't even ask what Hua Liuli had done. He immediately had Zhao Sancai bring the girl inside.
Xie Yao saw the person coming in and almost bit her teeth. Wasn't this the little enchantress who seduced the Crown Prince?
"With such strong winds outside, how can Zhen let Junzhu stay alone out there?" The more Emperor Changlong looked at Hua Liuli, the more he liked her. This girl was good, even prettier than her mother, and most importantly, she had a gentle and kind temperament, unlike her mother who could smash a large rock with one hand.
"Quick, bring some hot ginger soup and remove the incense from the room," Feeling that he had established a lovable and amiable image in front of Hua Liuli, Emperor Changlong kindly asked, "Junzhu, would you like some snacks?"
"Thank you, Your Majesty, but this subordinate doesn't need anything," Hua Liuli, supported by the hand of her maidservant, walked to the center of the room, bowing deeply to everyone in the room. She recounted in detail what had happened the previous evening.
"This subordinate only cared about the safety of the common people and neglected Royal Princess Leyang's face, which also caused Miss Xie to feel sad. After returning home, this subordinate couldn't rest and my heart was unsettled for a long time. When I learned that Royal Princess Leyang and Miss Xie were meeting with the Empress Dowager, I came to apologize to both of you," After speaking, she walked to Royal Princess Leyang and Xie Yao and bowed deeply, "I'm sorry for yesterday's impulsive behavior. Please forgive me, Your Highness."
"My daughter is ignorant. I have already reprimanded her at home yesterday," Wei Mingyue bowed to Princess Leyang and said, "Please forgive her, Your Highness."
Royal Princess Leyang's heart turned cold. She never expected Wei Mingyue and her daughter to bring the matter directly to the Emperor. This was not an apology; it was clearly digging a pit under her feet and burying a few sharp needles in it.
"During the event, the common people were allowed to set up stalls around, the capital's yamen has already obtained permission from the court. It is a good thing for the people's livelihood, so there is no transgression. Why did the eunuchs of Royal Princess Leyang's estate whip the vendors?" Emperor Changlong had the palace servants bring hot ginger soup and remove the incense from the room. He then had Hua Liuli sit down and rest, with a slightly cold expression he said, "Leyang, you are a royal princess, you should know how to manage those servants who are bullying others."
"Your Majesty is right," Royal Princess Leyang covered her eye corner and sobbed softly, "Since my eldest daughter passed away, I've been living in a daze, allowing those insolent servants to become even more arrogant."
After crying for a while, she wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and said to Hua Liuli, "Thanks to Junzhu, this wicked slave who bullies others didn't succeed. How could I blame Junzhu? I'm grateful beyond words."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Hua Liuli smiled obediently, "My mother told me yesterday that Your Highness is the most gentle and kind, and you treat the younger generation very well. Today, after meeting you, I realize that you are even better than my mother described."
"It's the Marquis Chang'an's exaggerated praise," Royal Princess Leyang squeezed out these words through her teeth. She would rather believe that pigs can fly than believe that Wei Mingyue would praise her like this.
Yesterday, the rank-eight female corporal under Wei Mingyue's command clearly gave her no face. She forcibly brought the Chief Eunuch of Royal Princess Leyang's estate to the Prefect of Jingzhao and made the yamen constables publicly flog him ten whiplashes before sending him back to the princess's estate, attracting countless onlookers. Along the way, she deliberately or unintentionally told the people of the capital that this was the Chief Eunuch of Royal Princess Leyang's estate, who got flogged for causing trouble. She praised the Prefect for being fair and impartial, praised the Crown Prince for his sense of justice, and also praised how well the Emperor had educated the Crown Prince for the sake of the people.
This earned applause from the onlookers.
This was clearly slapping her face while also giving others face.
After doing such despicable things yesterday, today they changed their tone and came to the palace to apologize, as if to say, "Although what we did was not wrong, we were too impulsive and didn't give face to Royal Princess Leyang, so we came to apologize."
If they really wanted to save face for her, they shouldn't have made things so ugly yesterday.
Their current behavior was obviously for the Emperor to see, to show how loyal they were to him.
What made her even angrier was that the Emperor not only did not reprimand Hua Liuli, he even occasionally had palace servants bring her food. If someone didn't know better, they would think she was his own daughter.
"Don't make the ginger tea too strong, remember to bring a bowl of rose dew to remove the ginger flavor for Junzhu," Emperor Changlong was not in the mood to listen to Royal Princess Leyang's pitiful complaints. After she finished speaking, he instructed the palace servants to prepare rose dew for Hua Liuli.
The atmosphere instantly became awkward. Royal Princess Leyang looked at Hua Liuli, who was sipping the ginger soup delicately. Wei Mingyue said something like, "It's all because of Your Majesty's command; this child doesn't like drinking these things at home." It made her feel disgusted.
This mother and daughter were not only duplicitous but also loved to flatter the Emperor.
Shameless!
"General Wei, Zhen thinks that Fushou Junzhu is very good. Don't pick on her every time. It's normal for a young girl to dislike the taste of ginger soup. Who would like something with an unpleasant flavor?" Emperor Changlong now saw Hua Liuli as good in every way, after all, she was his future daughter-in-law.
Of course, the best thing about her was that she wasn't like her mother. It was truly a blessing for his son.
"Fushou Junzhu, your health is not good. You must take your medicine on time, or your family will worry," Xie Yao noticed that Emperor Changlong seemed to be very fond of Hua Liuli, so she felt a little anxious in her heart, "If you don't take care of your health now, what will happen in the future?"
A person with poor health shouldn't have delusions of becoming the Crown Princess.
"Who said Junzhu isn't good?" The Crown Prince strode into the hall, his gaze falling on Hua Liuli, who was drinking the rose dew with her head lowered, "Benwang thinks Junzhu is very good."
Hua Liuli and the Crown Prince sat in the carriage together. When Hua Liuli stared at the hanging decorations on the carriage, she couldn't help but laugh.
"What are you laughing at?" the Crown Prince handed a plate of snacks to Hua Liuli and glanced at the empty seat beside her for a while but didn't sit down.
"I'm laughing because Your Royal Highness is being seen as a fat piece of meat by others," Hua Liuli said as she held the ceramic plate of snacks and chuckled quietly. Her hairpin swayed gently as she laughed, looking very happy.
"Fortunately, there is you to help. Otherwise, this fat piece of meat might have been taken away by someone," the Crown Prince thanked with a smile, "If this happens again, Benwang hopes Liuli will lend me a hand with your sword."
"That Miss Xie didn't look very friendly towards me," Hua Liuli placed the plate on the small table and shook her head, "Your Royal Highness, it's better to rely on oneself rather than others, Your Royal Highness needs to know how to save yourself."
"What you said is right."
The carriage the Crown Prince was riding in was spacious and comfortable. Even if a few people lay side by side, they wouldn't feel cramped.
To avoid any unnecessary gossip, besides the Crown Prince and her, there were also eunuchs and maidservants serving in the carriage. They stood silently on the side, not saying a word.
"Royal Princess Leyang's mother had a very good relationship with the Empress Dowager in the palace before she passed away," the Crown Prince said, "After Princess Leyang married into the Xie family, the Emperor took care of her out of consideration for the Empress Dowager's feelings."
But people's hearts are strange. Sometimes, when things are too good, it's easy to forget one's place and want something more out of it.
When Royal Princess Leyang was young, she wasn't as ostentatious. The Emperor, considering the fact that she was living far away, not only rewarded her with gifts every year but also allowed her to live in the capital if she wished.
Perhaps it was due to this kindness and tolerance, as well as the fact that Princess Shunan - who also resided in the capital - had never been granted the title of Royal Princess, that Royal Princess Leyang developed a sense of superiority. In recent years, she had become even more high-profile.
This time, her influence in the capital was even greater than before. She relied not on the prestige of her husband's family, but also on the fact that her eldest daughter had passed away in the capital. The Emperor would surely sympathize with her, and even if she displayed some inappropriate behavior, people would turn a blind eye out of consideration for her loss.
In the prosperous capital, people like Royal Princess Leyang were not uncommon.
For power and status, be it friends or family or even their own flesh and blood, they could abandon them.
The Crown Prince had seen through such people since he was young, so he found them uninteresting and lacking in novelty.
After escorting Hua Liuli to the entrance of the Hua Family Estate, the Crown Prince was about to leave when he saw Hua Changkong approaching with a smile on his face.
"Your Royal Highness," Hua Changkong greeted the Crown Prince with a bow, "It's getting late. Why don't Your Royal Highness have dinner at my humble abode before you leave?"
"Benwang came here without prior notice, Benwang is afraid it would be an inconvenience to your household..."
"Your Royal Highness is being too polite. Everyone in our household is a straightforward person. As long as Your Royal Highness doesn't mind, it's all good," Hua Changkong welcomed the Crown Prince into the estate and enthusiastically introduced the flowers and plants in the house. He occasionally praised Emperor Changlong, saying that the estate bestowed upon them by His Majesty was excellent and very comfortable.
Although Hua Changkong had shown the same enthusiasm when the Crown Prince visited the Hua Family Estate before, the Crown Prince inexplicably felt that today's warmth had a touch of sincerity that was lacking before.
He turned around and glanced at Hua Liuli following behind him. Hua Liuli smiled and blinked at him. The Crown Prince thought, perhaps he was overthinking.
During dinner, both Hua Yingting and Wei Mingyue were present. Hua Yingting invited the Crown Prince to take the seat of honor, but the Crown Prince insisted, "Great General, we share a mentor-disciple relationship. The disciple should sit below the mentor. Please, Great General."
After all, this was his future father-in-law, so he wanted to show more courtesy in order to marry his daughter.
"Your Royal Highness is mistaken. There is a distinction between ruler and subject," Hua Yingting exerted his strength and pressed the Crown Prince onto the main seat, "I understand Your Royal Highness's intentions, but within our family, we don't pay much attention to such formalities. It's just to silence outsiders. Please consider it as helping me and bear with it."
I hope, in the future, you can also consider our mentor-disciple relationship and tolerate it if my daughter ever gives you a hard time.
"Great General Hua is too kind."
"Your Royal Highness is too tolerant."
They enjoyed the meal with relish, and after the meal, Hua Yingting personally accompanied the Crown Prince to the carriage. The way he looked at the Crown Prince was like a benevolent father-in-law looking at his well-accomplished son-in-law, devoid of the aura of a general who commanded thousands of troops on the battlefield.
Once the Crown Prince left, Hua Yingting returned to the house and saw his well-behaved daughter still acting coquettishly in front of her mother. He sighed deeply in his heart.
My dear daughter, do you know that I, your old father, didn't worry so much when I married off your two older brothers?
Hua Liuli didn't know what her father was thinking. She was currently telling her mother about the encounter with Royal Princess Leyang at the foot of the mountain.
"Mother, did you have a bad relationship with that princess before? Her expression turned unpleasant when someone mentioned you in her presence," Hua Liuli thought that her mother must have lived a very exciting life when she was young. Many of the women in the capital admired her, but there seemed to be quite a few who hated her as well.
"Royal Princess Leyang?" Wei Mingyue pondered for a moment. In her memory, she can't recall anything related to Royal Princess Leyang. She shook her head and said, "I'm not sure. With the temperament I had when I was young, even if someone was dissatisfied with me, I wouldn't have cared."
Seeing her mother's carefree expression, Hua Liuli said, "Truly, Mother, you are unparalleled. Any conspiracies or tricks are like paper tigers in front of you."
"Stop flattering me. Your words are so sweet. Did you have a conflict with someone from Royal Princess Leyang's estate?" Wei Mingyue smiled and tapped Hua Liuli's forehead. Among her children, this daughter who seemed the most delicate and harmless was the most similar to her in personality.
Only outsiders would think that this mother and daughter had completely opposite personalities.
Her daughter follows her temperament, but she had learned her father's methods. People often would think that she was weak and easy to bully. And once they met with misfortune, they still wouldn't know what had happened.
"Originally, I didn't want to meddle in other people's affairs," Hua Liuli explained, "But the eunuch from Royal Princess Leyang's estate was whipping common people and that princess was speaking ill of you. How could your daughter bear it? You are the woman that Father loves the most, the best mother to me and my brothers. How could I let someone speak ill of you so easily in front of me?"
"Our good daughter did well. If we, as military leaders, don't have the heart to protect the people, how can we go to the battlefield?" Wei Mingyue laughed, "Do what you believe is right, don't be afraid."
Hua Liuli nestled into Wei Mingyue's arms and whispered, "Mother, does Royal Princess Leyang want her daughter to become the Crown Princess?"
Wei Mingyue lowered her head and looked at her daughter, who still acted spoiled towards her like when she was a child. The smile on her face faded slightly, "Do you want her to become the Crown Princess?"
"What does it have to do with me if she becomes the Crown Princess or not?" Hua Liuli sat up straight and looked at Wei Mingyue with confusion, "Such matters should be decided by the Emperor."
"You're right," Wei Mingyue smiled, "From my perspective, the Emperor probably wouldn't want Miss Xie to become the Crown Princess, even though she is indeed a good choice."
The Xie family had talented scholars and was highly renowned in the South. If the Crown Prince married a daughter of the Xie family, it would win over the hearts of many scholars of the South and greatly benefit his reputation after ascending the throne. However, every advantage comes with its drawbacks. The scholars in the South held the mainstream power of public opinion, which was akin to an invisible sword.
As an emperor, one wouldn't want to rely on a sword to become a great wise ruler but rather be the master of that sword.
If the Crown Prince married the Xie family's daughter, it would not only enable him to use the scholars from the south to his advantage but would also elevate the status of these scholars in the south. Over time, these individuals would start dictating terms to the imperial family, saying what can be done and what cannot be done, turning the emperor into a puppet with a reputation to uphold.
The neighboring kingdom of Dai Mao was a cautionary example.
Wei Mingyue had once visited Dai Mao, where they prioritized literature over martial arts and believed that scholarly pursuit was the highest pursuit. Scholars readily engaged in deadly debates in court, and even if they died during such encounters, they would gain a posthumous reputation.
What puzzled her the most was that Dai Mao's streets hardly had any women. If a woman met a man outside and spoke to him, she would be deemed impure. Even the princesses had to marry early and adhere to so-called virtuous conduct.
After the Crown Prince married a Crown Princess, he dared to keep concubines. If the Crown Princess accepted the presence of concubines, the scholars would praise her. If she couldn't accept it, she would be accused of jealousy.
If the Crown Prince of the Great Jin Empire dared to do such a thing, he would either be beaten to near death by the Crown Princess and her attendants or face divorce.
As for the scholars in the capital, when they encountered such lively scenes, they would simply bring out their brushes and record or depict the events, then write a few poems to turn the incident into a play for entertainment. No one would stand up for the Crown Prince.
In recent years, some elderly members of the Xie family had been advocating for the adoption of Dai Mao's customs in the Great Jin Empire, but it hadn't attracted much attention.
Wei Mingyue was worried that if the Xie family's daughter married the Crown Prince and suddenly began setting an example by adopting Dai Mao's customs, it would be troublesome.
She glanced at Hua Liuli, who was still so young. She couldn't let her daughter spend the second half of her life in such an environment. However, she can't do much about it. The behavior of those in power had a tremendous influence on the common people.
After much consideration, she hoped that the Xie family's daughter would not become the Crown Princess.
On the second day of Royal Princess Leyang's return to the capital, she went to the palace to meet the Empress Dowager and Emperor Changlong. She mentioned her eldest daughter who passed away last year and immediately choked up.
"My eldest daughter has always been considerate and sensible. I blame myself for not giving her a strong constitution when I gave birth to her," with the consolation of the Empress Dowager and Emperor Changlong, Royal Princess Leyang barely held back her tears. With teary eyes, she held her second daughter's hand and said, "Now, I only have Yao Yao, this daughter, and a useless son. Yao Yao is gentle and virtuous, and she likes the cultural atmosphere of the capital. I was thinking of letting her stay in the capital."
Her words weren't too subtle. Emperor Changlong and the Empress Dowager understood her intention. She wanted Xie Yao to marry someone from the capital.
The Empress Dowager smiled and asked, "Which good son-in-law have you set your eyes on?"
"Mother, I have often visited the capital, I don't know enough about it. I'm not clear about the personalities of other young masters in the capital," Royal Princess Leyang lightly touched Xie Yao's hand while smiling, "It's just that the Crown Prince has grown up under my watchful eyes, and Yao Yao has always liked playing with him since childhood. Why not make them closer by letting her stay by the Crown Prince's side to take care of him?"
Upon hearing this, the smile on the Empress Dowager's face completely disappeared. She glanced at Emperor Changlong, picked up her teacup, and covered the corners of her mouth without saying a word.
Emperor Changlong calmly looked at Xie Yao, who blushed with shyness. Instead of mentioning marriage, he asked, "Why didn't Xie Fuma accompany you on this visit?"
"Fuma still has some matters to attend to. He will arrive in about half a month," Royal Princess Leyang said, "Your Majesty, as for Yao Yao and the Crown Prince..."
"Your Majesty," Zhao Sancai hurriedly entered the room, "Marquis Chang'an requests an audience."
"Mingyue has arrived?" Before Emperor Changlong could speak, the Empress Dowager said, "Quickly, let her in."
Seeing the Empress Dowager's attitude, Xie Yao's face turned pale. If the Empress Dowager didn't have any objection to this marriage, why would she be in such a hurry to let someone else in? It was obvious that the Empress Dowager didn't want her to marry the Crown Prince, but she also didn't want to embarrass her mother either.
Royal Princess Leyang, on the other hand, remained composed. She lightly patted her daughter's hand and fixed her gaze on the entrance to the hall.
The people in the capital used to say that Wei Mingyue, that rough woman, was the most beautiful woman in the capital. She wanted to see how beautiful Wei Mingyue could still be after spending so many years in the harsh borderlands.
Before long, a stunning woman walked in. Her every gesture exuded vitality and was extremely eye-catching.
"Mother," Xie Yao felt a sting on the back of her hand and softly called out.
Royal Princess Leyang released her daughter's hand and sat dignifiedly in a chair, wearing a smile that was just right on her face.
"Greetings to Your Majesty; Greetings to the Empress Dowager," Wei Mingyue approached and bowed. She then glanced at Royal Princess Leyang but didn't say anything.
"Please take a seat quickly, there's no need for so much ceremony," the Empress Dowager welcomed Wei Mingyue to sit down, secretly relieved. Fortunately, Wei Mingyue had arrived, otherwise, she and the Emperor would have had to think hard to find a reason to refuse the marriage.
Wei Mingyue once again bowed to the Empress Dowager and performed a grand gesture to Emperor Changlong, "Your Majesty, I have come today to apologize on behalf of my unruly daughter."
Seeing Wei Mingyue bow deeply to him, Emperor Changlong unconsciously shifted his buttocks. But when he heard her mention Hua Liuli, he leaned forward and put on an affectionate smile, thinking that she already knew about the Crown Prince's intentions, "What do you mean, Zhen's loyal subject? Fushou Junzhu is intelligent, clever, cute, kind, and considerate, with a gentle and virtuous nature. Why would she need you to apologize for anything?"
Regardless of the matter at hand, he first praised her daughter.
"Your Majesty overpraises her, and I am truly ashamed to hear such words," Wei Mingyue smiled bitterly, "That child is truly outrageous. On the day Royal Princess Leyang arrived in the capital, she did something that displeased the Royal Princess. I, as a mother, have failed to guide her properly. I have already brought her along to the palace to let her personally come and apologize to Your Majesty."
"Fushou Junzhu is outside?" Emperor Changlong glanced at the sky outside. The weather was not good today, with a strong wind blowing. With Fushou Junzhu being so delicate, how could she withstand it?
Afraid that the wind would blow away the little girl that his beloved son liked, Emperor Changlong didn't even ask what Hua Liuli had done. He immediately had Zhao Sancai bring the girl inside.
Xie Yao saw the person coming in and almost bit her teeth. Wasn't this the little enchantress who seduced the Crown Prince?
"With such strong winds outside, how can Zhen let Junzhu stay alone out there?" The more Emperor Changlong looked at Hua Liuli, the more he liked her. This girl was good, even prettier than her mother, and most importantly, she had a gentle and kind temperament, unlike her mother who could smash a large rock with one hand.
"Quick, bring some hot ginger soup and remove the incense from the room," Feeling that he had established a lovable and amiable image in front of Hua Liuli, Emperor Changlong kindly asked, "Junzhu, would you like some snacks?"
"Thank you, Your Majesty, but this subordinate doesn't need anything," Hua Liuli, supported by the hand of her maidservant, walked to the center of the room, bowing deeply to everyone in the room. She recounted in detail what had happened the previous evening.
"This subordinate only cared about the safety of the common people and neglected Royal Princess Leyang's face, which also caused Miss Xie to feel sad. After returning home, this subordinate couldn't rest and my heart was unsettled for a long time. When I learned that Royal Princess Leyang and Miss Xie were meeting with the Empress Dowager, I came to apologize to both of you," After speaking, she walked to Royal Princess Leyang and Xie Yao and bowed deeply, "I'm sorry for yesterday's impulsive behavior. Please forgive me, Your Highness."
"My daughter is ignorant. I have already reprimanded her at home yesterday," Wei Mingyue bowed to Princess Leyang and said, "Please forgive her, Your Highness."
Royal Princess Leyang's heart turned cold. She never expected Wei Mingyue and her daughter to bring the matter directly to the Emperor. This was not an apology; it was clearly digging a pit under her feet and burying a few sharp needles in it.
"During the event, the common people were allowed to set up stalls around, the capital's yamen has already obtained permission from the court. It is a good thing for the people's livelihood, so there is no transgression. Why did the eunuchs of Royal Princess Leyang's estate whip the vendors?" Emperor Changlong had the palace servants bring hot ginger soup and remove the incense from the room. He then had Hua Liuli sit down and rest, with a slightly cold expression he said, "Leyang, you are a royal princess, you should know how to manage those servants who are bullying others."
"Your Majesty is right," Royal Princess Leyang covered her eye corner and sobbed softly, "Since my eldest daughter passed away, I've been living in a daze, allowing those insolent servants to become even more arrogant."
After crying for a while, she wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and said to Hua Liuli, "Thanks to Junzhu, this wicked slave who bullies others didn't succeed. How could I blame Junzhu? I'm grateful beyond words."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Hua Liuli smiled obediently, "My mother told me yesterday that Your Highness is the most gentle and kind, and you treat the younger generation very well. Today, after meeting you, I realize that you are even better than my mother described."
"It's the Marquis Chang'an's exaggerated praise," Royal Princess Leyang squeezed out these words through her teeth. She would rather believe that pigs can fly than believe that Wei Mingyue would praise her like this.
Yesterday, the rank-eight female corporal under Wei Mingyue's command clearly gave her no face. She forcibly brought the Chief Eunuch of Royal Princess Leyang's estate to the Prefect of Jingzhao and made the yamen constables publicly flog him ten whiplashes before sending him back to the princess's estate, attracting countless onlookers. Along the way, she deliberately or unintentionally told the people of the capital that this was the Chief Eunuch of Royal Princess Leyang's estate, who got flogged for causing trouble. She praised the Prefect for being fair and impartial, praised the Crown Prince for his sense of justice, and also praised how well the Emperor had educated the Crown Prince for the sake of the people.
This earned applause from the onlookers.
This was clearly slapping her face while also giving others face.
After doing such despicable things yesterday, today they changed their tone and came to the palace to apologize, as if to say, "Although what we did was not wrong, we were too impulsive and didn't give face to Royal Princess Leyang, so we came to apologize."
If they really wanted to save face for her, they shouldn't have made things so ugly yesterday.
Their current behavior was obviously for the Emperor to see, to show how loyal they were to him.
What made her even angrier was that the Emperor not only did not reprimand Hua Liuli, he even occasionally had palace servants bring her food. If someone didn't know better, they would think she was his own daughter.
"Don't make the ginger tea too strong, remember to bring a bowl of rose dew to remove the ginger flavor for Junzhu," Emperor Changlong was not in the mood to listen to Royal Princess Leyang's pitiful complaints. After she finished speaking, he instructed the palace servants to prepare rose dew for Hua Liuli.
The atmosphere instantly became awkward. Royal Princess Leyang looked at Hua Liuli, who was sipping the ginger soup delicately. Wei Mingyue said something like, "It's all because of Your Majesty's command; this child doesn't like drinking these things at home." It made her feel disgusted.
This mother and daughter were not only duplicitous but also loved to flatter the Emperor.
Shameless!
"General Wei, Zhen thinks that Fushou Junzhu is very good. Don't pick on her every time. It's normal for a young girl to dislike the taste of ginger soup. Who would like something with an unpleasant flavor?" Emperor Changlong now saw Hua Liuli as good in every way, after all, she was his future daughter-in-law.
Of course, the best thing about her was that she wasn't like her mother. It was truly a blessing for his son.
"Fushou Junzhu, your health is not good. You must take your medicine on time, or your family will worry," Xie Yao noticed that Emperor Changlong seemed to be very fond of Hua Liuli, so she felt a little anxious in her heart, "If you don't take care of your health now, what will happen in the future?"
A person with poor health shouldn't have delusions of becoming the Crown Princess.
"Who said Junzhu isn't good?" The Crown Prince strode into the hall, his gaze falling on Hua Liuli, who was drinking the rose dew with her head lowered, "Benwang thinks Junzhu is very good."
