Chapter 428 – The Right Person

Chapter 428 - The Right Person

At noon, the crown prince accompanied Yun Li for their lunch.

In the afternoon, he met with the two young ladies behind a screen.

Knowing that the crown prince was present, the girls were rather reserved.

After they left, Yun Li asked, "How do you choose?"

Scratching his head, the crown prince replied, "Mother, you pick. They're all great."

Yun Li took a deep breath. "Don't you have a preference for one over the other?"

The crown prince pondered, "They're both quite good. If I must choose, I'd go with Ruani. She seems less troublesome. Wouldn't it be better to have a less troublesome crown princess?"

Yun Li...

While her mother did favor her more, his reasoning was truly...

"What's the matter? Is she not suitable? If so, we can always choose Lady Cao. Why that look, Mother?" The crown prince promptly changed his tune.

Yun Li took a deep breath. "You... are quite suitable."

She was his biological daughter, after all.

After the crown prince was sent away, he was left utterly bewildered, unsure of what to do.

However, once Yun Li made her choice, He Jinli was content.

Born into an esteemed family, Lady Ruan is also a person of fine character.

Everything was in its proper place. The Empress Dowager found it all quite satisfactory.

Upon decision, ask her to relocate.

Relocating to a secluded pavilion nestled behind the tranquil gardens of Ci'an Palace.

Should a concubine be assigned to live here, it would tantamount to being confined to the cold palace.

Allowing Nguyen to reside there would clearly signify her position as the future Crown Princess.

Sure enough, the imperial edict arrived promptly.

Nguyen was somewhat taken aback but still accepted the decree with grace. However, since she had never met His Highness the Crown Prince, she couldn't help feeling a bit uneasy.

After moving in, she went to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager, though she was accompanied by someone each time.

The Empress Dowager bestowed upon her a pair of bracelets: "Your family is far away, so there's no need to rush back for now. The wedding date has yet to be set, so it will still take some time. I've already sent for your mother to come to the capital. When she arrives, you can meet her then. Until the wedding, you'll reside in the palace."

Nguyen was surprised; this was not a common practice.

"Yes, this humble lady acknowledges the Empress Dowager's decree," she replied.

"The Concubine Xian is insightful. It would do you well to heed her advice from time to time," the Empress Dowager said.

"Yes, this humble lady understands," Nguyen responded.

"Very well, go on. Living in the palace, you needn't be overly formal, just be at ease. But remember the rules," the Empress Dowager instructed.

"Yes, Your Highness, I understand," Lady Ruan replied.

Of course, she hadn't brought her maidens with her when she entered the palace for the selection. However, she had brought four of them when she arrived in the capital, and they were all now presented to the palace.

As the future Crown Princess, she would be able to bring her entire entourage into the palace eventually.

Yun Li instructed someone to inform Lady Ruan that she could choose her own team, and they would discuss it with her mother once she arrived in the capital.

It wouldn't be right to confine these young women within the palace walls.

"Her Highness the Concubine has expressed that she wishes to keep you here because she admires you. You're free to leave the palace whenever you please. When your mother arrives, there will be a place for both of you. Then, you can reside both within and outside the palace grounds," Peony said with a smile. "Miss, just feel at ease in your stay."

Ruan was greatly surprised. "Yes, Her Highness the Virtuous Consort's kindness is much appreciated. This humble servant's daughter is deeply grateful."

"It's all one family, Miss. Just enjoy your stay comfortably. But permit this servant to offer a word of advice: in this harem, there are many people with diverse intentions. You're still young and innocent, so it's best to mind only your own affairs," Peony advised.

"I humbly request that you convey my words to Her Highness the Virtuous Consort. Being young and ignorant, I know only to obey. And I can only heed one person. The kindness Her Highness has shown me is immeasurable, and I am endlessly grateful. Naturally, I will follow the Lady's teachings," Ruan bowed respectfully.

"Your words are noted, Miss. I will certainly report them to Her Highness when I return," Peony replied with a smile.

Indeed, the Empress's choice was impeccable; this lady's quick-wittedness was most suitable.

Of course, it was natural to offer some subtle guidance, who knew if there were those in the harem with ill intentions?

They couldn't help but join in with some casual conversation.

What if this one believed everything she heard and caused trouble in the future?

Fortunately, her response was swift, and her demeanor was commendable. It was quite admirable.

Upon her return, Yun Li listened and chuckled. "Of course, she's a clever girl. How could she not understand such a simple hint?"

Lady Ruan was clearly a woman of strong will.

The Crown Prince was her son; how could Lady Ruan not heed her advice?

After selecting the Crown Princess, Emperor He Jinli continued issuing decrees.

The Sixth Prince's betrothed was from the Lin family, but not the Empress's Lin family. She was the legitimate daughter of an idle marquis.

The Seventh Prince's imperial concubine was the rejected Lady Cao.

As for Lady Lu, Yun Li had expressed her great affection for her and granted her another favor.

She was given an excellent family to marry into, one belonging to a scholar-official.

Though not as prestigious as the Lu family, this family had a strict family code: a man could only take a concubine after turning forty if he had no son.

Lady Lu knelt on the floor of Yuyu Palace, tears streaming down her face. How could she still not understand the situation?

She was simply unable to utter a word.

Yun Li personally helped her up. "This palace wishes you a lifetime of love and harmony with your husband."

"Your servant... Your servant girl thanks you deeply for your great kindness, Empress," Lady Lu sobbed.

"Enough. Go now, return to being a maiden awaiting marriage," Yun Li said without further comment.

After leaving Yuyu Palace, Lady Lu knelt once more and bowed her head in gratitude towards it.

It was difficult to put into words.

She simply felt that there existed such a woman in this world, surpassing even the extraordinary heroines described in books.

In the hall, Zhi Fu chuckled softly, "It's rare for Miss Lu to understand Her Majesty's intentions."

Yun Li smiled gently. Yes, it was rare for her to finally understand someone else's feelings.

A concubine, Lady Zhou, was later chosen for the crown prince. She would enter the Eastern Palace only after the crown princess did, so she was sent home in the meantime.

Another Zhaotong was chosen, along with two Fengyi.

This was all thanks to Yun Li's relentless efforts to hold them back.

The title of "Zhaojun" and "Fengyi" have now been bestowed upon them to be sent to the Eastern Palace; they don't hold much status.

The prince didn't have any objections either; after all, it was ultimately up to his father the emperor and his mother the empress.

Once admitted, it would imply attending to the prince's bedchamber. Yun Li merely cautioned the Crown Prince, "You're still young, and it wouldn't be appropriate to become overly engrossed in such matters now."

Does the prince appear to be someone easily captivated?

In truth, he was not.

Of course, it would be a lie to say that teenagers weren't enthusiastic about such matters.

But he was a crown prince. There were far too many things that could stir his excitement and interest.

For instance, when his father, the emperor, handed him a memorial to decipher the ministers' intentions word by word, it would take him half a day to contain his excitement.

He had numerous ambitions and the enlightening lessons from the Grand Tutor to attend.

Simply put, with so many fascinating and exhilarating pursuits at his fingertips, the allure of women had paled in comparison for him.

After all, a person's energy was ultimately finite.

Thus, he truly couldn't afford to indulge himself at this moment.

The northern expedition was scheduled for mid-April.

Currently, the imperial examinations were underway.

Both the emperor and the crown prince were occupied, constantly reviewing the writings of the scholars.

He Jinning occasionally encountered Ruanshi at Yun Li's place. Yun Li didn't pay too much attention to this occurrence.

He Jinning was not rigid in his ways; upon seeing her, he saw her. What could he do about his daughter-in-law?

Ruanshi, on the other hand, was finally able to meet the crown prince, which naturally pleased her greatly.

He Jinning also praised Yun Li for making a good choice. Ruanshi was indeed a suitable match.

For now, everyone seemed content.

For the northern inspection trip, Yun Li planned to bring Ruanshi along for the journey, a prospect that she herself welcomed.

This year, the Empress Consort also wished to join, but was discouraged by He Jinning.

Through this, Yun Li further understood that Concubine Shu had stumbled upon the emperor's sensitive spot. If the Empress Consort were to leave, the entire power within the harem would fall onto Concubine Shu's shoulders, a scenario clearly undesirable to the emperor.