The Grand Prince ought to be devoted to her. Since childhood, she had mastered poetry, literature, music, and chess without exception, was learned and knowledgeable, and was intimately familiar with imperial secrets. She had always been working hard to become the person who would stand shoulder to shoulder beside the Grand Prince. She was the only one qualified to ascend to the pinnacle of the world with the Grand Prince and survey these lands. What virtue and ability did Song Chuyi possess to make the Grand Prince consider her to this extent?!
She clutched her dress hem tightly with both hands, crumpling the finest Shu brocade until it was nearly a ball of wrinkles. But if she didn’t do this, she truly couldn’t suppress the fury erupting from her heart. She wished she could step forward right now and tell everyone that Song Chuyi was indeed a Heavenly Sha Lone Star, that Zhang Tianshi had clearly listened to the Grand Prince’s words and deliberately vindicated Song Chuyi so she wouldn’t have to go to Dongying.
But she also knew the consequences of doing so—between Zhang Tianshi and her, whom people would believe was self-evident. Moreover, the relationship between Zhang Tianshi and the Grand Prince had always been subtly ambiguous. If she pointed this out, wouldn’t she be harming the Grand Prince and putting him on the hot seat once again? She couldn’t do it.
Just as she was immersed in her thoughts for this brief moment, Xie Siyi, who had already stepped forward with a smile to speak with them, was suddenly bumped and staggered, barely managing to stand steady only after being supported by a quick-witted young palace maid beside her.
The Ninth Princess shoved Xie Siyi aside and rushed out barefoot with disheveled hair, her eyes blood-red as she looked around in all directions. Her lower lip was already bitten until the skin broke, and she asked in a hoarse voice: “Where is Zhang Tianshi? Where is Master Yuanhui?!”
She grabbed Chen Mingyu and Han Yueheng’s hands with extraordinary strength, not even looking at Xie Siyi who stepped forward to counsel her. Struggling, she repeated once more: “Where are Zhang Tianshi and Master Yuanhui?! Bring them back, I want to ask them again!”
Han Yueheng was no better off than the Ninth Princess. From the moment Zhang Tianshi spoke the four words that the Ninth Princess’s fate lacked water, she knew her own destiny had been sealed—when a princess married in alliance, the noble ladies who were her study companions very likely had to accompany her as secondary brides.
At this moment, she herself felt as if she had been immersed in a winter ice cellar, her blood and veins frozen solid throughout her body. She had already forgotten how to cry, didn’t dare to cry, couldn’t cry. Seeing the Ninth Princess in this state, she shook her head with a trace of tears in her voice: “I don’t know. The two masters should have gone to see His Majesty.”
“I want to go find Imperial Father!” The Ninth Princess lifted her skirts and stumbled as she let go of them to run, but was suddenly embraced tightly around the waist by the chief steward from Consort Xian’s palace who had darted out, unable to move a single step.
Consort Xian finally regained her senses at the appropriate time. Seeing that the steward had already restrained the Ninth Princess, she spoke to Xie Siyi with a trace of panic and apology: “This child has been ill for so long she’s become somewhat confused. I hope Xie Siyi won’t take offense.”
She couldn’t let the Ninth Princess go find Emperor Jianzhang. When she had submitted her memorial earlier, she had clearly stated that it was precisely because the Ninth Princess’s fate pattern issue couldn’t be resolved that she had specially sought Master Yuanhui to think of a solution for them—to find a suitable noble lady to suppress the Ninth Princess’s fate pattern so she could share the Emperor’s and Great Zhou’s burdens. If the Ninth Princess now ran to plead with the Emperor in a panic because Zhang Tianshi’s divination said she was suitable for the marriage alliance, Emperor Jianzhang would only think that she and her daughter were duplicitous and their hearts deserved death. Then the Ninth Princess’s fate would likely be even worse than the marriage alliance. If she obediently went through with the marriage alliance honestly, there would still be generous rewards and dowries, and she, Consort Xian, would still remain a model of virtue and benevolence.
Xie Siyi smiled knowingly and respectfully curtsied to Consort Xian: “Since Her Highness is unwell, she should promptly have the imperial physicians provide treatment and proper care.”
That evening, news spread that Emperor Jianzhang had already instructed the Ministry of Rites to prepare for the princess’s marriage alliance. Besides the Ninth Princess’s marriage alliance, two other secondary brides were selected: Han Yueheng of Marquis Jinxiang’s residence and Shen Huiyi of Duke Yingguo’s residence. Both were granted the title of princess.
The Ninth Princess hugged her head and crashed about everywhere like a caged beast, her eyes blood-red as she hysterically pulled at her own hair.
Consort Xian tried several times to rush over and embrace her, but was pushed away without hesitation each time.
No one could be trusted. She hugged her knees and crouched in a corner, watching everyone in the hall with wariness, feeling that even her usually gentle and loving mother was hidden among these faces, her true appearance indiscernible—Mother Consort wouldn’t let her see Imperial Father, so she had lost even her last shred of hope. She had thought that what Mother Consort said couldn’t be wrong, but Mother Consort had deceived her, and even Master Yuanhui couldn’t save her.
Consort Xian trembled with shaking body, tears flowing like water. She walked toward the Ninth Princess step by step, testing each step, until finally with quick reflexes she embraced her daughter and held her in her arms, just like cradling an injured young beast.
“A-Jiu, it is Mother Consort who has wronged you.” She too harbored immense unwillingness and grievance in her heart, but she also knew this matter had no room for negotiation. As long as she said one word of unwillingness, as long as she pleaded once for the Ninth Princess, the two of them would become selfish sinners in the eyes of Great Zhou’s subjects and ministers. In Emperor Jianzhang’s eyes, they would also be petty people who went back on their word, only caring about appearances, ignorant of the bigger picture, and disregarding the overall situation.
She couldn’t afford to lose, nor could she allow herself and the Ninth Princess to fall into such a terrible situation.
The Ninth Princess lowered her head without speaking. After a long while, she suddenly began to laugh—ge ge ge—that laughter was like a cat scratching at the door outside at night, rattling at people’s hearts and raising goosebumps all over.
But Consort Xian wasn’t afraid. She held the Ninth Princess even tighter, telling her word by word: “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, A-Jiu, don’t be afraid. Even if you can’t marry into the Shangqiu Shen family and have to go in the marriage alliance, Mother Consort will still do her utmost to plan for you and will certainly ensure you marry in splendor and glory.”
For a princess in a marriage alliance, what use was splendor and glory? Could she live her whole life relying on the pomp of this wedding? Could these dowries mean she wouldn’t have to leave her homeland? What difference was this from traveling in fine clothes at night?
The Ninth Princess stopped laughing. She raised her hand to wipe away the tears from laughing, lifted her head from Consort Xian’s embrace and stared directly at her: “I can marry, but I won’t let Eleventh benefit. Even if it’s something I’ve discarded and don’t want, I can’t let her have it cheaply!”
Consort Xian nodded repeatedly: “That’s only natural. Even Mother Consort won’t let her have such an easy time. Want to marry into the Shangqiu Shen family? Dream on!”
The Ninth Princess’s eyes were abnormally bright, like the brightest morning star overhead. Her gaze burned as she stared intently at Consort Xian, saying in a hoarse voice: “Also, I want to change the secondary brides. If I can’t change them, then add one more for me. I can’t go alone, I want Song Six to accompany me there together.”
Even if she had to descend into hell, she would drag Song Six along with her. If she couldn’t have a good life, Song Chuyi shouldn’t expect to peacefully continue being her Earl’s residence young lady either.