The Emperor and Empress arrived, and only then did the New Year’s Eve banquet officially begin.
After the Emperor gave his opening remarks and the Empress spoke some festive words, they began having the noble ladies of the capital display their talents.
Everyone knew that Prince Pingxi would select a princess consort at the New Year’s Eve banquet, so those women interested in marrying into the imperial family had all specially prepared songs and dances.
Beauties sang melodiously, enchanting figures danced gracefully, and there were those who played the zither, the flute, and painted—all sorts of talents dazzled the eyes.
“Yu’er, this woman who’s painting is the eldest daughter of the Minister of Rites. She excels in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and is well-educated and reasonable,” Princess Qinghua said in a low voice. “Take your jade pendant and give it to her.”
Chu Hongyu raised his head and looked toward the Emperor seated in the highest position: “Imperial Grandfather, Auntie is telling me to give the jade pendant to this woman who’s painting. Is it me choosing a mother, or is it Auntie choosing?”
The Emperor’s cold gaze swept over: “Qinghua, your reach extends too far.”
Princess Qinghua’s face turned pale.
Since childhood, she had never been sweet-tongued and had never been favored by Father Emperor, so she particularly feared him.
This one cold look made her not dare to say anything more.
After the Minister of Rites’ daughter finished painting, an exceptionally vast landscape painting was displayed before everyone.
“Excellent!” The prince of Hongnan Kingdom couldn’t help but stand up and applaud. “This painting was completed in one go, flowing like clouds and water. It’s truly the work of a master. This humble one is most impressed.”
The Minister of Rites’ daughter curtsied: “Your Highness flatters me.”
The Empress smiled and said: “The prince of Hongnan Kingdom appreciates our Great Jin’s national painting style. The Minister’s daughter is the noble lady who paints best in the entire capital. This is what they call ‘lofty mountains and flowing waters meeting a kindred spirit.'”
The Emperor said at the opportune moment: “How old is the Minister of Rites’ daughter this year?”
“My humble daughter is sixteen,” the Minister of Rites stepped forward. “She is currently of marriageable age and not yet betrothed.”
After the marriage arrangement between Princess Guli and the imperial prince had stalled, the Minister of Rites understood very clearly that the Emperor would probably select someone from among his important ministers for a marriage alliance.
That his daughter was chosen didn’t surprise him in the slightest.
Thus, in a situation where both parties understood perfectly well, the Emperor bestowed a marriage between the Minister of Rites’ daughter and the prince of Hongnan Kingdom, creating a matrimonial bond.
Originally it should have been Princess Guli of Hongnan forming a marriage alliance with Great Jin, but with so many complications, it was no longer quite appropriate.
In any case, the marriage alliance was to consolidate friendly relations between the two countries—as long as it conveyed that meaning, it was close enough.
Next, the noble ladies continued displaying their talents.
One after another, and before long, all the noble ladies who had prepared talents had finished performing.
Consort Yin grew somewhat anxious: “Yu’er, isn’t there any one suitable to be your mother?”
Chu Hongyu shook his head: “I don’t like any of them.”
“Then what kind do you actually like?” Princess Qinghua was very anxious. “Among the remaining few women, only that woman in the pale yellow garment has the most prestigious family background. Later you should…”
Chu Hongyu twisted his head away: “Imperial Grand…”
Princess Qinghua clapped a hand over his little mouth.
How did this little brat so love to tattle? It really infuriated her.
And so, after all the talent displays ended, the jade pendants in the two children’s hands still hadn’t been given away.
The Emperor furrowed his brow: “Yu’er, you cried and made a fuss wanting a mother. The opportunity was placed in your own hands, yet you won’t give them away. What exactly do you want to do?”
Chu Hongyu pouted his little mouth aggrievedly: “None of them are good.”
“How are they not good?” The Empress asked with a gentle smile. “That Miss Zhou, is she not good?”
“She doesn’t look good,” the little fellow frowned. “Outsiders would know at a glance that she’s not Changsheng’s and my birth mother.”
The Empress continued asking: “What about Miss He?”
“She’s too thin. She definitely couldn’t carry little sister. That won’t do.”
“What about Miss Li?”
“She’s a bit too plump, isn’t she? If she secretly bullies little sister and me, Father Prince might not even be able to beat her.”
Chu Yi: “…”
This little brat really spoke without restraint.
If these comments got out, would those young ladies of prestigious families still be able to show their faces?
He said coldly: “Since there’s no one you like, don’t make a fuss about this matter in the future.”
“There is, there is…” The little girl who had been quiet all along stammered as she spoke. “I like one…”
Chu Hongyu tilted his head: “If little sister likes her, then I like her too. Changsheng, tell big brother which one it is, and we’ll give her the jade pendant.”
He held the little girl’s hand and walked into the crowd.
The lamplight in the great hall illuminated everyone’s faces. Almost everyone’s gaze fell upon the two children.
Everyone knew that those two jade pendants would determine the selection of Prince Pingxi’s consort.
The two little ones stood in the great hall walking here and there. Finally, they stopped before an elderly matron. This was the first-rank Lady Shanya, who had an excellent reputation in the capital.
The little girl stepped forward, took out the jade pendant, and handed it to the old matron.
Lady Shanya chuckled: “This old body is quite advanced in years, even older than your grandmother. I’m afraid it’s not quite suitable…”
Seeing this scene, Princess Qinghua pulled at the corners of her mouth: “Mother Consort, these two really don’t understand anything at all. Is it truly appropriate to place such an important matter in the hands of two children?”
Consort Yin was also somewhat worried.
These two children actually wanted to give the jade pendant to Lady Shanya—it was simply too absurd.
Next, something even more absurd happened.
Chu Changsheng took the jade pendant and placed it in the Eldest Princess’s hands.
The Eldest Princess didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “Changsheng, this won’t do. You must choose one from among those women.”
The little girl walked over following the Eldest Princess’s pointing finger.
She paused at each noble lady’s face for a moment. Finally, she walked toward Du Ling and placed the jade pendant before Du Ling.
Du Ling gave a violent start: “Little Princess, this won’t do. This subject’s wife married and had children long ago. It’s not suitable, not suitable…”
Chu Hongyu took the jade pendant back and said: “Changsheng, we need to find a woman without a husband.”
“Right, right, right!” Du Ling nodded vigorously. “Over there, they’re all there. Young Lord and Little Princess, go over there.”
Who would have expected that the two children would stop directly in front of Yun Chu, who was beside Du Ling.
“You’re not that old, and you’re not a member of the imperial family either,” Chu Hongyu said. “There’s no husband beside you either, so it’s you!”
He placed the jade pendant before Yun Chu.
The little girl followed his example and put down her jade pendant.
The two children threw down the pendants and ran.
The imperial family members seated in the high positions were all utterly dumbstruck.
“This won’t do!” Princess Qinghua suddenly rose. “A widow and divorced woman who married before and whose husband died—how can she become Prince Pingxi’s consort? This is simply preposterous!”
Consort Yin caught the two children who had run over: “You must choose again. Be good and listen to Imperial Grandmother…”
Chu Hongyu walked directly before the Emperor: “Imperial Grandfather, the Emperor’s words are equivalent to an imperial edict. You said that as long as Changsheng and I like her, you would let Father Prince marry her and make her our mother. Do those words still count?”
The Emperor said flatly: “She has been married before.”
“But her husband died, and she divorced. There’s no rule saying divorced women can’t remarry, is there?” The little fellow unhappily pouted. “You adults just love to deceive children. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have chosen at all. Father Prince, you should just stay alone for your whole life. Don’t marry any princess consort at all, hmph!”