Consort Xian personally went to plead with Emperor Jianzhang. She spoke pitifully, with the heart of a devoted mother: “A-Jiu has rarely shown such a frightened appearance. Naturally, she is willing to share her Imperial Father’s burdens. But for a young girl to suddenly leave her parents is inevitably a nerve-wracking and difficult thing. Since she insists so much, it’s clear she extremely likes and favors Miss Song Six.”
“Even a golden branch and jade leaf can leave her homeland for the diplomatic relations between two nations. Both Marquis Jinxiang’s residence and Duke Yingguo’s residence are happily preparing to send their daughters off in marriage. Could it be that only the young lady from Changning Earl’s residence cannot do so?”
Emperor Jianzhang stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking at her across the long table. After pondering for a long while, he finally nodded: “When a princess marries, the number of secondary brides and dowry attendants all have precise quotas that cannot be easily changed. Moreover, the Heavenly Master said that Miss Song Six’s fate pattern is unsuitable for being a secondary bride—she has a Heavenly Sha Lone Star fate. Didn’t Master Yuanhui say the same? You were also present at the hunting grounds incident. Even now, the young lady of the Tong family has been left with a lifelong leg disability. If something really happened because Miss Song Six accompanied as part of the dowry and it affected diplomatic relations between the two nations, reigniting the flames of war, who would bear that responsibility?”
Consort Xian didn’t dare shoulder such responsibility, much less boast confidently that nothing would happen. After hesitating for a while, she asked Emperor Jianzhang: “The Heavenly Master’s Daoist cultivation is profound—perhaps there’s some method to break the curse? Miss Song Six is brave and resourceful, and what’s rare is that she has A-Jiu’s favor. If she could serve as support, wouldn’t Your Majesty and I be able to rest more assured?”
Emperor Jianzhang didn’t immediately take a stance. He waved his hand, telling Consort Xian to return first to care for the Ninth Princess: “The most important thing is to let her recuperate first. The Ministry of Rites and the Palace Administration will worry about other matters for her. If her health doesn’t improve, everything else is empty talk.”
Consort Xian had no choice but to take her leave. Only after leaving did she realize with alarm that the clothes on her back were already soaked with sweat, clinging clammily to her skin in indescribable discomfort. Leading her people back to the palace, she seemed to remember something and turned to instruct her steward: “It’s too late today. Tomorrow morning, tell Jin Ying to personally make a trip to the Shen family and inform them about the princess’s marriage alliance. Also hint to them that this is the intention of that side.”
She pointed in the direction of Fengzao Palace, her face bearing terrifying hatred.
Although the Shen family’s attitude had always been lukewarm and not very enthusiastic, and they could learn through other channels about the news that the Ninth Princess was about to marry into Dongying, having her people personally tell them would always add a measure of sincerity. Then by half-concealing and half-revealing that this was the Shen family’s revenge on the Ninth Princess, the Shen family would naturally develop a guarded mindset toward an Eleventh Princess who had the Song family behind her and could act with impunity.
What her daughter couldn’t have, others shouldn’t expect to obtain either. Consort Song wanted to marry the Eleventh Princess into the Shangqiu Shen family? She’d have to see whether she was still breathing first!
Consort Song indeed wanted to marry her daughter into the Shangqiu Shen family, and this wish grew stronger with each passing day. Otherwise, this year it was the Dongying envoy, but if next year the Goryeo side sent envoys to seek a marriage alliance, Emperor Jianzhang didn’t have many daughters left to give away, and the first to bear the brunt would be the Eleventh Princess.
She carefully handed the sleeping little prince to the wet nurse to take away, quietly listened to the messenger’s news, and instructed Zhuying to take a bag of gold leaves to send him off. She herself leaned against the couch and waited for Zhuying to return, then instructed her: “Tomorrow you should also leave the palace on the pretext of bestowing seasonal gifts. Tell all of this to Old Madam and ask her to make a decision.”
The news that Consort Xian wanted Song Chuyi to accompany the Ninth Princess in marriage and was preparing to go to the Shen family to sow discord naturally had to be sent out as quickly as possible so that Changning Earl’s residence could be prepared. After giving these instructions, she called in Zhuyi, who had been waiting outside, and asked: “Has Her Highness gone to sleep?”
Zhuyi quickly nodded: “She’s already asleep. She worried all day today, and only put her mind at ease after hearing that Zhang Tianshi said Miss Six wasn’t suitable to be a secondary bride. She made a fuss about sending a message out, and only settled down after I agreed.”
Ever since the hunting grounds incident last time, the Eleventh Princess had become especially worshipful and fond of Song Six, this young aunt, wishing she could stick to her like sticky candy. Consort Song smiled and shook her head. Watching a palace maid nearby take scissors to trim the candle flame, her left eyelid suddenly began to twitch violently.
The next day when Zhuying left the palace, she didn’t see Song Chuyi. Hearing from people in the residence that she had gone out to look for Fourth Young Master, she couldn’t help feeling somewhat disappointed. She handed the letter to Old Madam Song: “This is what the Eleventh Princess absolutely insisted I personally deliver to Miss Six, but unfortunately Miss Six isn’t here today, and I cannot stay long, so I’ll trouble you, Old Madam, to pass it on. Consort Song says this matter still requires you and the Old Master to make a decision.”
Old Madam Song accepted it and signaled to Yushu to take the letter, but her attention was entirely focused on the two pieces of news that Consort Song had Zhuying bring out. Was Consort Xian truly determined not to rest until she had thoroughly torn off all pretense with Changning Earl’s residence? Even at this stage, even after Zhang Tianshi had personally spoken, she still refused to give up and was determined that Song Chuyi should also end up with the same fate as the Ninth Princess.
But the Ninth Princess had fallen to this fate entirely through her own doing. If she hadn’t harbored evil intentions and insisted on trying to harm others, Song Chuyi wouldn’t have set this trap specifically to make her suffer the consequences and marry into Dongying.
Now that she herself was in misfortune, she wanted to drag Song Chuyi along to be buried with her. As if that weren’t enough, she couldn’t bear to see the Eleventh Princess well either. Even with the hopeless Shen family match, they refused to let it go and were determined to completely ruin the marriage between the Eleventh Princess and the Shen family.
She came back to her senses and nodded to reassure Zhuying: “I understand this matter. Tell Consort Song not to worry. Everything is inconvenient for her in the palace, so caution and care should come first. As for other matters, we out here understand everything.”
Zhuying appeared much more reassured than when she came, smiling and nodding: “Rest assured, Old Madam. I will definitely relay your exact words to Consort Song. We’ll entrust everything outside to you.”
Old Madam Song shook her head: “To speak with some presumption, Consort Song was after all raised by me until she was eight years old. I watched her grow up. Between grandmother and granddaughter, how can we speak of entrusting or not entrusting? Go back and tell Consort Song to rest completely assured. Previously, Lady Li already hinted at the idea to Lady Shen, and Lady Shen also plans to take the opportunity of attending the palace banquet to observe the Eleventh Princess. Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times—no matter what others say, it’s not as real as what her own eyes see. The Eleventh Princess is innocent and lively. She will like her.”
After all, they weren’t choosing a main daughter-in-law for the eldest branch. Having a young daughter-in-law with a noble status who wouldn’t put on princess airs and torment people—Lady Shen would be too delighted for words. Moreover, what use was it for Consort Xian to say a hundred times that the Eleventh Princess was deeply scheming? Lady Shen wasn’t a fool. Whether it was a donkey or a horse, she’d have to see for herself before it counted.