Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai had no idea what the Jia family school was like, and placed high hopes on Xue Pan attending the family school.

At first, Xue Pan also thought it was some place with strict discipline and strongly resisted. If not for their tears, he would never have agreed to go. But once he went, Xue Pan was delighted and became so engrossed he forgot to return home—it was like falling into a nest of fortune.

The teacher didn’t manage them. During class, he just recited texts up front. If they gave out some money, someone would help them solve their coursework, and moreover, there were many interesting people.

So Xue Pan was very diligent about attending the Jia family school, not making various excuses to skip class like before. This made Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai overjoyed beyond their expectations, and they became even more willing to send gifts to everyone. They both thought this meant Xue Pan finally had someone managing him and was starting to be ambitious.

All kinds of praise and encouragement came readily to their lips. They wouldn’t think of him in negative ways, only in positive ones. Xue Pan’s face turned red from their praise, but he had no intention of leaving this happy nest.

Because of Xue Pan’s generosity, his days at the family school were truly quite good. Although he wasn’t a Jia family member, he was the actual relative of the Jia family’s head madam, had money in hand, and while the Jia family’s Rong manor and Ning manor were illustrious, there weren’t many among the other clan members who had made something of themselves. Many people’s lives weren’t even as good as the prominent servants of Rong manor and Ning manor, and there were quite a few struggling on the poverty line.

At the family school they didn’t need to worry about food and drink, and there were writing brushes and ink—this was also the purpose for many families staying here. And now a wealthy Foolish Tyrant had come. Just by saying a few nice words and making him happy, money would come in to supplement household expenses. Naturally they were good to him.

As for Xue Pan’s expenditures at the family school, Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai also knew about them. However, these expenditures were much less than when he played around outside, and they could completely afford it.

If he could establish good relations with more Jia family members, that was also what they hoped to see.

Her son was young. He was able to secure the position of Xue family head because the Wang family and Jia family were behind him. Now that her brother wasn’t in the capital, naturally they needed to be closer to the Jia family’s side.

As long as Xue Baochai wanted to, she could establish good relations with many people. Coming to Rong manor, her relationship with the three sisters Ying Chun, Tan Chun, and Xi Chun was good—talking and laughing. Regardless of what the three sisters actually thought in their hearts, on the surface everything was harmonious.

Tan Chun had no choice but to have a good relationship with Xue Baochai. The Xue family was her legitimate mother’s own sister’s husband’s family, and they had expressed grand welcome to their arrival and repeatedly shown their regard for her. Could she possibly go against them?

For Ying Chun, learning the rules was currently the most important matter. She didn’t have much time to spend with her sisters. When they occasionally met, being polite was enough.

Xi Chun had a rather cool temperament, which everyone knew, so her not being very warm was within expectations. Calling each other “sister” on the surface was sufficient.

When Shi Xiangyun arrived, she also quickly formed close bonds with Xue Baochai—calling each other sister with great joy. Whenever this happened, Jia Baoyu’s face was full of smiles.

With so many sisters at home, he was already overjoyed and forgot to return. He frequently went to talk with his Sister Bao. Naturally Xue Baochai wouldn’t offend this phoenix egg of the Jia family either.

Seeing how good their relationship was, it made Shi Xiangyun secretly bitter for a while. They had years of friendship, yet Sister Bao had only just arrived—how long had it been?—and he was opening and closing his mouth talking about her.

Just like that, the day of the selection arrived. Ying Chun passed the preliminary selection without incident.

When it came to the reselection, Ying Chun also passed and, as the Jia family wished, had her tablet retained.

Noble Consort De had watched this matter from beginning to end. At first she didn’t presumptuously interfere. Having reached her position and age, most of the time what they competed for wasn’t the Emperor’s favor—their dignity was given by their sons.

They were already people who were grandmothers. They wouldn’t see competing for favor as important as when they were young. Among those now entering the palace, there were few that the Four Consorts regarded highly. Even if they gave birth to princes, the threat to them was too small. The throne couldn’t possibly be left to these young princes. There were so many older brothers ahead of them. By the time the young princes emerged and entered court, establishing merit and earning titles, who knew if the current Emperor would still be sitting above them.

At that time, if the young princes were sensible and tactful, the new Emperor would still give them dignity. If they couldn’t read the room, it wouldn’t be surprising to end up as a bald prince. So they generally wouldn’t deliberately target new concubines, nor would they target those Agreed Ladies and Present Ladies who were the Emperor’s new favorites.

From beginning to end, the Emperor wasn’t the type to exclusively dote on any one person.

But for Noble Consort De, Jia Yuan Chun had made her lose face. Unless it was someone she herself had pushed forward, anyone who dared to climb into bed in her palace was slapping her face. She had let her have her way temporarily, but afterward Noble Consort De got her revenge, and very quickly suppressed Jia Yuan Chun so she couldn’t raise her head. That bit of the Emperor’s favor passed by as swiftly as a flash in the pan.

Jia Yuan Chun had no backing in the palace. The Emperor didn’t pay much attention to her either—it was just a momentary dalliance, after which he set her aside. This made suppressing her even easier. Now the Jia family had sent another person into the palace. After Noble Consort De learned of this, she had someone specifically observe. Speaking of status, when the old Duke was alive, Jia Yuan Chun bearing the title of eldest legitimate granddaughter was indeed more intimidating. But now how long had it been since the old Duke passed?

Once the family divided, she would just be a First Rank General’s niece. Her birth father only held seventh rank. What was valuable about her was her status as the Wang family’s niece.

As for this Jia Ying Chun, although she was a concubine-born daughter, she was the only daughter of the current First Rank General.

If she entered the palace, who would be superior between the two sisters was hard to say. If she was someone ambitious, it would be even more interesting when the sisters fought. However, after this inquiry, Noble Consort De was disappointed. This personality was like someone who couldn’t be helped up—even if she entered the palace, she couldn’t put up a fight, let alone pose a threat to her.

But why should she let the Jia family have their way? So Jia Ying Chun passed the reselection and had her tablet retained.

In the end, Kangxi kept two Han women for himself. With a grand wave of his hand, Jia Ying Chun became the Eighth Prince’s gege, to enter his household on a chosen day.

Noble Consort De laughed in the palace. Didn’t the Jia family want to climb high branches? Being assigned to the Eighth Prince was also a high branch for them. It was just unknown whether this Jia Ying Chun could adapt to that domineering temperament of the Eighth Prince’s Fujin.

This result was also quite beyond the Jia family’s expectations. Such a thing? How had she been assigned to the Eighth Prince?!

Apart from Jia Baoyu not understanding things and pulling Jia Ying Chun’s hand to say he didn’t want her to leave home, everyone else was contemplating the gains and losses of this marriage.

The Eighth Prince wasn’t exactly undistinguished either. That he had talent was universally acknowledged, his connections were also very good, and he should be able to be enfeoffed as a prince in the future. Most importantly, there was no one in his rear courtyard. This way, it wasn’t necessarily impossible to rise to prominence there.

The Matriarch thought for a bit, then pulled Ying Chun over to tell her about the situation at the Eighth Prince’s household. Second Madam Wang was somewhat disappointed and also somewhat displeased. If Ying Chun could rise to prominence at the Eighth Prince’s place, she would be above Yuan Chun!

The Matriarch gave Ying Chun a lesson: “The Emperor is also concerned about the Eighth Prince’s heirs, which is why he assigned you over. When you get there, be properly obedient and don’t do anything else.”

She wasn’t very confident about her temperament: “Don’t worry too much about the Eighth Fujin’s side either. However she speaks and acts, obey her.”

For a principal wife, few wouldn’t like someone with Ying Chun’s temperament.

The Matriarch continued: “Don’t be too stubborn either. If you can’t attend to the Eighth Prince for a time, it doesn’t matter—don’t ruin your own health.”

“Once you conceive a child, no matter how deep the affection between the Eighth Prince and the Eighth Fujin, he will protect you.”

Jia Ying Chun hung her head, silently listening. Under her sleeves, her hands were trembling slightly.

The Eighth Fujin’s威名 resounded throughout the capital—she was a first-rate jealous wife. Going to the Eighth Prince’s place, would she even have her life?

The Matriarch saw this and gave her reassurance: “Don’t forget, you were assigned by the Emperor. They won’t dare go too far with you.”

Xue Baochai went to give Ying Chun a grand gift. Returning to her own room, she sat down in a daze.

She had seen the Eighth Prince. He had invited people to tea, and she had glanced over. That whole circle wore yellow belts. She listened to others speak and with one glance spotted the person smiling most gently and elegantly—this was the current Eighth Prince.

Born to Consort Wei, raised at Noble Consort Hui’s knee.

His rear courtyard was unbelievably clean. The palace hadn’t interfered either. Only now was the Emperor sending someone over.

Xue Baochai had to say, this surprise was surprising, but it was truly not bad.

She also knew the Jia family’s plan. Rather than sending her to the current Emperor’s harem, it was better to go to the Eighth Prince’s place. His rear courtyard had few people. No matter how jealous and unvirtuous that Eighth Fujin was, with Ying Chun already registered with the Emperor, if she went too far and tormented Ying Chun to death, wouldn’t she worry about the Emperor’s censure?

Moreover, as long as Ying Chun could give birth to a child or two, she would be secure.

Her temperament was already too soft. Going there and keeping to herself peacefully, after the Eighth Fujin got over her initial anger, afterward she probably wouldn’t mind keeping such a person in the rear courtyard.

Myriad thoughts flashed through Xue Baochai’s mind before she sighed with some envy.

Receiving this news, the Eighth Prince and the Eighth Fujin sat facing each other in silence.

The Eighth Prince sighed and went to hold her hand: “Don’t you understand my heart yet?”

The Eighth Fujin’s tears fell like rain. She tilted her head and fell into his embrace, crying bitterly. While crying, she used her fists to forcefully pound her own belly, hating that it was so useless.

However one described their couple’s feelings, they couldn’t be called bad. Yet the Goddess of Fertility just couldn’t see her. She had prayed to so many gods and Buddhas, drunk so much medicine—not one was effective.

After crying, the Eighth Fujin took a handkerchief to wipe her face. Every word contained blood and tears: “Yinsi, I have failed you… I will make arrangements for you.”

She couldn’t give birth. Now that Imperial Father had bestowed someone, if there were still no children, it couldn’t be justified. Rather than letting that person bear children, it would be better for her to arrange someone herself.

Rong manor now just had its framework left, but there were still姻亲 and old connections. The most prominent were the Wang family and the Lin family. Even if the Lin family’s relationship with the Jia family was mediocre, the Wang family was bound together with the Jia family and could help them accomplish great things.

The Eighth Prince patted her shoulder with heartache and tacitly agreed. No matter who gave birth, it was fine. Being without sons—this point was too disadvantageous.

The Lin family also learned of this matter. After Yun Shuyao heard about it, the cup of tea she was about to drink just stopped in midair in astonishment.

What kind of matchmaking was Kangxi doing? Jia Ying Chun and the Eighth Prince?

Old Madam Lin also found it strange. In the dream world, Jia Ying Chun’s tablet had been set aside. This time, because of Noble Consort De, a deviation had occurred. She didn’t know what impact this would have on the Lin family.

What Lin Ruhai thought about wasn’t this aspect. The Eighth Prince was raised at Noble Consort Hui’s knee and was naturally aligned with the First Prince. But the Jia family was faintly standing behind the Crown Prince. He didn’t believe the Emperor’s assignment was casual…