The Crown Princess saw off her cousin but didn’t gain any peace. Two princesses came running to find her.
The Emperor didn’t have many children—only two princes and three princesses. One princess was already married, leaving two princesses who had not yet been betrothed.
The Emperor was too lazy to manage this, and the two princesses were happy to be carefree. Why would they want to marry when being a princess was so comfortable?
The Crown Princess came from an aristocratic family and was rather strict about proper conduct and etiquette in the inner chambers. The two princesses didn’t much like visiting her, and only came when they needed something.
Sure enough, they had been slighted by the Third Prince.
“Longing for Spring Garden belongs to Father Emperor. Third Brother is holding a literary gathering there—why won’t he let us attend?”
“He says he’s inviting scholars from across the realm. Haven’t we read books too?”
The Crown Princess asked, “Is it only the princesses he won’t allow?”
The two princesses’ temperaments were no better than the Third Prince’s. The siblings mutually despised each other. If this was merely a quarrel between brothers, it had nothing to do with the Eastern Palace.
The princess clearly knew this question would come. She pursed her lips. Crown Prince Brother wasn’t exactly an amiable and kind elder brother either, but since she dared come, she had the confidence to do so.
She shook her head and sighed. “If he just disliked us, that would be one thing. But Third Brother said he won’t let any women attend.”
The Crown Princess tied off the thread in her needlework. “Perhaps he’s afraid they’d find it boring. After all, it’s a scholarly affair.”
“That’s not it at all. What Third Brother said was truly awful,” the other princess said. “He actually said that women’s so-called studying has ulterior motives, and attending literary gatherings is only to secretly meet with men.”
She began crying pitifully.
“This is so humiliating. How can an imperial prince say such things? What will people across the realm think? How can women throughout the realm continue to study?”
Women from aristocratic families were all expected to study—to be learned and sensible.
With one sentence, the Third Prince, if word spread, would offend the aristocratic clans, wouldn’t he?
Crown Prince Brother would be interested, wouldn’t he?
These words were indeed inappropriate. The Crown Princess frowned. The Third Prince’s behavior was becoming increasingly outrageous. But what could be done? Should she, as his elder brother’s wife, reprimand him?
It would be best if the Crown Prince didn’t get involved.
“Stop crying!” the Crown Prince’s voice came from outside. “What kind of appearance is this for princesses, weeping and wailing! If someone bullies you, just hit them back!”
The two princesses were too frightened to continue crying. The Third Prince’s words were annoying, but the Crown Prince actually dared to hit people.
“Crown Prince Brother, others might be one thing, but we don’t dare hit Third Brother,” they said, flattering and pleading. “Only you, Crown Prince Brother, can hit him.”
The Crown Prince laughed heartily. “I don’t need to get involved.”
The two princesses exchanged glances, about to fan the flames again, when they heard the Crown Prince say, “Someone has already done so.”
Who in the world besides the Crown Prince would dare hit the Third Prince? Even the Emperor couldn’t bear to harm a single hair on the Third Prince’s head. The two princesses were astonished, and the Crown Princess also looked over in confusion.
“Chu Ling’s daughter just defeated her brother and seized the invitation to the Longing for Spring Garden literary gathering,” the Crown Prince said, his expression full of mockery as he laughed heartily. “The talented scholars my third brother selected for his Longing for Spring Garden gathering can’t even beat a woman. Where does he get the face to mock women and say they can’t participate?”
He pointed his finger.
“Go tell him that your kind of gathering—you’re not even interested in attending!”
…
…
Two palace attendants respectfully escorted Xie Yanfang to the gate. Just as they were about to reach it, a palace maid came running after them.
“Third Young Master, Third Young Master,” she called urgently.
Xie Yanfang turned around.
“Third Young Master,” the palace maid said breathlessly as she approached, “why are you leaving? The Crown Princess has brought the young prince back and is waiting for you to meet him.”
The young prince. First, he had genuinely forgotten. Second, it would be better not to meet him. Xie Yanfang said apologetically, “I have matters to attend to. I won’t meet him this time.”
The palace maid made a sound of dismay and said hurriedly, “Third Young Master hasn’t met the young prince yet. Miss often mentions you to the young prince, and he greatly admires you.”
This palace maid had come to the palace with the Crown Princess from the Xie family, and when meeting family members, her old forms of address slipped out.
Xie Yanfang smiled. “The Crown Prince has ordered me to do something. I must do it well and cannot disappoint the young prince. When I’ve finished this task, I’ll come pay my respects to the young prince.”
Invoking the Crown Prince meant he absolutely refused. The palace maid felt somewhat helpless. Glancing at the eunuchs who had stepped back, she said quietly, “Third Young Master, you’re being too cautious. Actually, being closer to the young prince wouldn’t anger the Crown Prince. By avoiding him like this, Miss has become quite lonely in the palace. How sad.”
Xie Yanfang shook his head. “That’s not why. Tell Elder Sister to set her mind at ease—I’ve already prepared many gifts for the young prince.”
Gifts couldn’t compare to a person’s presence. But once Third Young Master made a decision, he never changed it. The palace maid helplessly acknowledged, with some pleading: “Then when you’re done, don’t rush off. Come see Miss again and meet the young prince.”
Xie Yanfang agreed, turned, and boarded his carriage. Just then, from within the palace gates, a magnificent carriage drove out, accompanied by many imperial guards, eunuchs, and palace maids.
It was a princess.
Xie Yanfang immediately lowered the carriage curtain.
A princess in her carriage caught a glimpse of the beautiful person’s half-face as the curtain fell. “Ah!” she exclaimed. “It’s Third Young Master Xie!”
The other princess immediately crowded to the window, leaning out to look.
They had seen him once during the Crown Prince and Crown Princess’s wedding. That handsome youth, standing in the magnificent palace, had shone brilliantly. Even they, accustomed to beauties, had never forgotten him.
“Third Master Xie actually came.”
“Just now the Crown Princess didn’t even mention it.”
One princess wanted nothing more than to get out of the carriage and drag Third Young Master Xie into the palace. The other princess restrained her. “Don’t rush. Since he’s come to the capital, he’ll surely visit the Crown Prince and Crown Princess again. There will be plenty of opportunities to see him. Let’s go settle accounts with Third Brother first.”
…
…
The Third Prince was studying and didn’t permit others to disturb him, but the two princesses’ carriages couldn’t be blocked, especially when they returned so triumphantly. The princess personally wielded a whip to strike the palace attendants who tried to stop them.
Moments later, the princesses’ carriages drove out of Longing for Spring Garden again. The palace attendants who had moved aside could hear the two princesses laughing happily in their carriage.
Several scholars entered the hall to see the Third Prince sitting cross-legged on the floor, his expression dark and his eyes full of sinister intent.
“The princesses truly went too far,” one scholar said carefully. “They actually dared to come quarrel with Your Highness.”
They had thought the two princesses, after being scolded, would go cry to the Crown Prince, who would then use it as an excuse to rebuke the Third Prince. At that point, a quarrel between the Third Prince and Crown Prince would serve as a prelude to the Longing for Spring Garden gathering.
But unexpectedly, the two princesses had turned around and come back to quarrel with the Third Prince.
Quarreling with princesses was pointless.
Moreover, it seemed the Third Prince had lost the argument.
The Third Prince patted his knee. “That nephew of Chu Ling’s—I hadn’t planned to do anything to him. He just happened to appear before me, so I used him conveniently. At the Longing for Spring Garden gathering, he would have added some excitement.”
“I truly never expected that before I even did anything, they would slap me in the face first!”
“Excellent, excellent! What a daughter of Chu Ling! How wonderful that this prince’s invitation is worthless!”
He kicked over the table.
“Someone!”
A scholar immediately stepped forward to receive the Third Prince’s instructions.
“Add another challenge to the gathering—” the Third Prince smiled faintly and ominously, “one must surpass the Chu clan woman—”
At this point he paused. He didn’t even know what this Chu clan woman’s name was.
More than half the people in the room didn’t know either. Who would care about such an insignificant person?
Fortunately, when the princess had come to quarrel earlier, a palace attendant had listened and remembered. He stepped forward to report: “Chu Zhao.”
The Third Prince picked up a brush and wrote with a flourish.
“One must surpass the Chu clan woman, Chu Zhao.”
Having written it, he flung it away.
“Take it and post it outside the gate. Since this Miss Chu is so formidable, I’ll grant her fame throughout the realm!”
The scholar received the notice with both hands and acknowledged the order.
This wasn’t making Miss Chu famous at all—this was using Miss Chu as a sacrificial banner!