A’Lei and Zhu Zhanji used different “weapons” to persuade their parents.

A’Lei knew that when it came to reasoning, no one yet born could out-argue Hu Shanwei. She also knew she had no logic on her side, so she moved people with emotion, winning through feelings. A single “Mother” could conquer Hu Shanwei.

As a human hornet’s nest, Zhu Zhanji knew that calmly explaining the stakes would always be more effective than passionate emotional declarations like “I don’t like the selected girls, I only like her alone, please Mother grant this.”

Moving with emotion was completely useless and would have the opposite effect. So Zhu Zhanji immediately explained the stakes to his mother.

When Crown Princess thought about how her carefully cultivated “child bride” was actually Crown Prince’s person, her fondness and trust for Miss Sun immediately vanished completely.

Crown Princess even felt that her maternal family Earl Pengcheng was unreliable now.

And her own mother, Earl Pengcheng’s Dowager Lady… had the old lady personally raised Sun Liuyi without knowing, or had she also been deceived?

Crown Princess was made to doubt life itself by Zhu Zhanji’s single sentence.

Among the girls in the储秀宫, besides Sun Liuyi, who else were Crown Prince’s people?

Crown Princess found every selected girl suspicious and wished she could overturn everything and reselect!

Thanks to the competition’s contrast, Palace Supervisor Hu’s younger sister Hu Shanxiang stood out like a crane among chickens—she was outstandingly excellent. First, Hu Shanxiang was definitely not Crown Prince’s person—Crown Prince didn’t have the guts to reach into the three-dynasty Palace Supervisor’s household, unless he no longer wanted to be Crown Prince.

Second, Hu Shanxiang was much appreciated by Emperor Yongle.

Finally, Hu Shanxiang was actually a noble family daughter, her hidden identity being the legitimate eldest daughter of Duke Qianguo’s mansion. Her parents were both formidable characters with powerful backing.

Having such a daughter-in-law with deep background connections, wouldn’t that be much better than Miss Sun, whose father was just a minor tax official in Yongcheng County?

This would be great assistance for her eldest son’s future.

Between husband and son, Crown Princess definitely favored her eldest son. This child had lived difficultly since childhood, maturing in a heartbreaking way. With Hu Shanxiang as a helper, perhaps her eldest son’s future path would be easier.

After all, Palace Supervisor Hu had never failed during the Ming Dynasty’s political transitions.

Crown Princess decided to stand with her eldest son, strategizing for him to marry A’Lei.

But the problem was that the Imperial Grand Princess Consort was already internally decided, and A’Lei hadn’t even participated in the selection. How could they persuade the emperor to agree? Moreover, the Palace Supervisor couple might not agree either!

Facing Crown Princess’s concerns, Zhu Zhanji answered his mother’s doubts. “Since Miss Hu agreed to my proposal, she must have a way to convince Palace Supervisor Hu and the others. As for the emperor’s side, I’ll handle that. It’s just that marriage is a major matter that ultimately requires parental approval. If Mother welcomes Miss Hu, Crown Prince can’t say much either. After all, in everyone’s view, Miss Sun comes from Earl Pengcheng’s mansion, and everyone thinks she’s Mother’s person.”

Zhu Zhanji had precisely targeted this point, borrowing Crown Princess’s power to make Crown Prince reap what he sowed.

Upon hearing about Miss Sun and Earl Pengcheng’s mansion, Crown Princess felt disgusted. The Sun family appeared honest but was secretly ambitious, superficially submitting to me while secretly colluding with Crown Prince. If Miss Sun became Imperial Grand Princess Consort, would I, the Crown Princess, just be decoration?

Before even taking position, they’re already kicking me aside to climb Crown Prince’s high branch! The Sun family’s conduct is truly ugly!

But everyone outside thinks Miss Sun is my person—it’s truly like swallowing a live fly, disgusting but unable to spit it out.

Crown Princess sneered. “Playing tricks in front of me, not putting me, the Crown Princess, in their eyes, truly thinking the dust has settled and I’ll hold my nose and accept it? I specifically won’t want her—I have a better choice. Rest assured, I support you and Miss Hu.”

Having secured Crown Princess, Zhu Zhanji incidentally secured Crown Prince. Next, he needed to persuade the emperor to agree to A’Lei’s airborne landing in the Crown Princess position.

Speaking of prescribing the right medicine, facing Emperor Yongle, Zhu Zhanji’s strategy was to move with emotion. He knew too well the past between Emperor Yongle and Empress Renxiao.

“…That’s how it is.” Zhu Zhanji knelt on the ground. “Your grandson and A’Lei are childhood sweethearts, but Palace Supervisor Hu opposed A’Lei marrying into the imperial family and didn’t register her for the selection. A’Lei originally wanted to leave far away, following Eunuch Zheng He to the Western Seas, but unexpectedly encountered pirates midway and reunited with your grandson. She was kind and brave, saving your grandson twice. True feelings are revealed in adversity. Besides her, your grandson feels that spending life with anyone else would be wasting time. Your grandson earnestly requests Your Majesty to grant us marriage.”

Childhood sweethearts, innocent as children, at fifteen she first smiled, willing to share dust and ashes. From then sharing hardships together, husband and wife united in heart, man goes to war, woman guards the city, watching over each other.

This was the first half of Emperor Yongle and Empress Renxiao’s lives.

Listening to his grandson’s account, Emperor Yongle’s mind was filled with bits and pieces of his past with Empress Renxiao. A’Lei had all of Empress Renxiao’s intelligence, bravery, strength, and deep affection.

Even their backgrounds were similar—both from noble families. Empress Renxiao was the legitimate eldest daughter of Duke Weiguo Xu Da, and A’Lei was the legitimate eldest daughter of Duke Qianguo Mu Chun.

Time passed unknowingly until the hour struck. The timepiece boat in the study departed on schedule, with a pair of carved wooden figures popping up on deck, vaguely resembling the emperor and empress in their youth, holding hands at the bow, riding the wind and waves.

This was A’Lei’s work.

This girl is worthy of my eldest grandson.

Let’s fulfill this young couple, just like when the empress and I were young.

Emperor Yongle said, “Summon Palace Supervisor Hu and her husband to the palace. Even in our imperial family, we don’t have the principle of forcibly taking civilian daughters without their parents’ permission.”

Palace Supervisor Hu and Mu Chun entered the palace.

This couple looked unwilling and said, “This subject has only one daughter who has made her own decisions since childhood. This subject experienced marital upheaval in youth and suffered much, so regarding marriage matters, this subject has long told my daughter that we respect her own choice—whether to marry or not, whom to marry, we won’t interfere.”

“Only marrying into the imperial family is what we husband and wife don’t permit. The imperial family has wealth and honor but is also difficult. She’s been accustomed to freedom since childhood. As parents, we worry that the child will not only suffer hardships in the future but also cause trouble, so we didn’t register her for the selection.”

“However, marriages are determined by heaven. Her adventure with the Imperial Grand Prince on the isolated island, saving each other, working together to overcome difficulties—though we husband and wife have doubts about whether she’ll adapt to imperial life in the future, young people have their own ideas. Since they’ve made their decision, this subject can only choose to fulfill and bless them.”

Emperor Yongle asked Mu Chun, “What does Duke Qianguo think?”

Mu Chun looked at Hu Shanwei. “What Palace Supervisor Hu just said are all this subject’s heartfelt words. This subject blesses this young couple—may lovers finally become spouses.”

I choose to follow my wife’s lead.

Emperor Yongle then granted marriage between the Imperial Grand Prince and A’Lei. The originally designated Imperial Grand Princess Consort Miss Sun became a side consort.

Since A’Lei landed midway and wasn’t a selected girl, to avoid bad rumors, Emperor Yongle also designated Noble Consort Zhang’s niece—Duke Yingguo Zhang Fu’s youngest daughter Miss Zhang—as Crown Prince’s side consort!

Why did Emperor Yongle do this?

Readers should remember that Duke Yingguo Zhang Fu was a firm supporter of Prince Han Zhu Gaoxu, with revolutionary friendship from shared life and death in the Jingnan Campaign. When Emperor Yongle first ascended the throne and was about to name the Crown Prince, Duke Yingguo submitted a memorial requesting Prince Han be named Crown Prince.

Later, Zhu Gaochang was still named Crown Prince by virtue of being the eldest legitimate son. Duke Yingguo, like Prince Han, was unconvinced and submitted memorials to depose the Crown Prince whenever there was opportunity.

So the Eastern Palace and Duke Yingguo’s mansion were at odds.

Prince Han fell due to the treason case. Though he kept his title through Crown Prince’s bitter pleading, he completely lost the chance to compete for the succession. Duke Yingguo, having been close to Prince Han’s mansion for years, was impeached as a co-conspirator in treason.

Duke Yingguo hurried to submit a memorial defending himself. Emperor Yongle expressed trust in this foremost hero of the Jingnan Campaign, with sufficient trust between ruler and subject. But the relationship between Duke Yingguo and Crown Prince remained deadlocked.

Now, Emperor Yongle granted marriage, designating Duke Yingguo’s youngest daughter (his eldest daughter Miss Zhang was married to Duke Qianguo Mu Ying’s legitimate eldest son Mu Bin, but died shortly after marriage. Mu Bin remarried Duke Weiguo’s daughter Miss Xu. Mu Bin’s sister Miss Mu was the Princess Zhao whom Prince Zhao divorced and remarried) to Crown Prince as side consort.

Duke Yingguo had always looked down on the crippled Crown Prince, feeling Crown Prince won by lying down and wasn’t as capable as Prince Han. But now with Prince Han’s treason, court officials were in danger everywhere, all drawing clear lines with Prince Han.

Duke Yingguo also didn’t want to marry his delicate youngest daughter to the three-hundred-pound fat man with mobility issues who was also his mortal enemy.

But Duke Yingguo Zhang Fu had no other choice.

Since ancient times, marriage alliances have been the simplest and most effective method to break deadlocks and form alliances.

Emperor Yongle’s marriage grant was giving Duke Yingguo and the Eastern Palace a chance to repair their relationship.

Duke Yingguo agreed. His youngest daughter cried until she fainted but was helpless.

However, her aunt Noble Consort Zhang summoned little Miss Zhang to the palace, where she stayed and was counseled for several days. No one knows what Noble Consort Zhang said, but after little Miss Zhang returned home, her demeanor had completely changed, as if possessed—her childishness had vanished entirely, with a fourteen-year-old body housing a forty-year-old soul.

Little Miss Zhang became Crown Prince’s side consort, marrying into the Eastern Palace, thus easing the relationship between Duke Yingguo and Crown Prince. Emperor Yongle was already old—he didn’t want Crown Prince and the empire’s most accomplished general to be unpleasant at this time, as it would affect the Ming Dynasty’s future stability.

Miss Zhang was a noble daughter, not a commoner, and naturally hadn’t participated in the selection either. This way, the Imperial Grand Princess Consort Hu Shanxiang who emerged midway didn’t seem so abrupt.

Moreover, given that Duke Yingguo’s mansion was the ducal mansion most valued by emperors during the Hongwu reign, others dared not criticize two non-selected girls marrying into the imperial family.

Faced with absolute power and influence, everyone seemed to collectively forget Emperor Yongle’s marriage principle of “selecting from the fields, marrying among the people.”

Therefore, granting Miss Zhang to the Eastern Palace was a two-birds-one-stone strategy. Emperor Yongle was truly consistent in his masterful operations, with ever-changing methods, both steady and ruthless, playing imperial statecraft expertly.

The Eastern Palace was about to welcome a nobly-born side consort Miss Zhang. Guo Liangdi was no longer the only wealthy family woman.

Noble Consort Zhang was half mother-in-law to Crown Princess and master of the harem—how could Crown Princess ignore Side Consort Zhang?

Moreover, due to the conflicts between the Imperial Grand Prince and Crown Prince, though Crown Prince remained outwardly affectionate with Crown Princess, he had actually grown distant. Crown Prince always felt Crown Princess favored the eldest son.

Therefore, Guo Liangdi had opportunity. She was already high-born, and now she had borne three sons for Crown Prince, matching Crown Princess in number of children. Guo Liangdi’s three sons were still young and devoted to Crown Prince.

Crown Prince saw Guo Liangdi’s devotion and dedication. Originally Crown Princess and Guo Liangdi were balanced in his heart, but now the scales tipped toward Guo Liangdi. Except for resting in Crown Princess’s main quarters on the first and fifteenth according to rules, other times Guo Liangdi basically accompanied him.

Crown Princess felt crisis and increasingly favored the Imperial Grand Prince.

Now suddenly the Eastern Palace had an additional nobly-born, young and beautiful Side Consort Zhang. Crown Princess immediately felt refreshed and specifically cleared out the Eastern Palace’s best chambers to accommodate Side Consort Zhang.

Crown Prince, naturally, didn’t mind having another little beauty in the palace. Moreover, this little beauty had the backing of the powerful Duke Yingguo’s mansion. Making peace with a former political enemy made his succession position more stable, so he became increasingly gentle and caring toward Side Consort Zhang, especially doting on her.

Guo Liangdi’s quarters suddenly became cold and quiet, while Side Consort Zhang became the Eastern Palace’s top favorite.

Crown Princess might be the biggest winner.

However, Crown Princess had no time to enjoy victory—she was busy arranging the Imperial Grand Prince’s wedding.

The Imperial Grand Prince’s wedding rank was below Crown Prince’s but above princes’.

Emperor Yongle appointed Marquis Xining Song Hu (who was also Princess Ancheng’s son-in-law) as chief envoy and Marquis Longping Zhang Xin as deputy envoy, issuing the marriage decree:

“Emperors who rule the world must value the legitimate eldest to establish the foundation for ten thousand generations. By carefully arranging marriages to correct the source of royal transformation, this is the constant way of heaven and earth, the great ceremony of the nation.”

“Our legitimate eldest grandson, the Imperial Grand Prince, has natural intelligence and wisdom, filial piety and benevolence. Having come of age and been capped, he should harmonize his household.”

“You, daughter of Counselor of the Court of Imperial Entertainments Hu Rong, are a match made in heaven. We hereby specially grant a golden册, establishing you as Imperial Grand Princess Consort…”