Chapter 100

Chapter 100

◎The Grand Finale◎

When Li Cheng had just ascended the throne, some ministers suggested he hold a selection to expand the harem. Li Cheng refused, citing that it would burden the people and waste resources. After Huiyin gave birth to Tonger, the ministers became even more convinced that the emperor refused to take concubines because of the Empress. There were all sorts of rumors. Even the Empress Dowager couldn't help but make a few snide comments, but Huiyin simply ignored them.

Later, Li Cheng began to inspect the farmlands, and his subjects were so opposed to his actions that some even wished for his death.

Now, the selection was entirely for the Crown Prince to choose his wife. Huiyin had a clear understanding. She had been loved wholeheartedly by her husband and didn’t want to give her son any concubines before marriage. Therefore, the future daughter-in-law would benefit similarly. However, once they entered the family, she wouldn’t interfere in their lives.

For this selection, Li Cheng left the decision to Huiyin. However, Huiyin had an idea. She said to them, "We are not just selecting an ordinary daughter-in-law, but a Crown Princess, the future mother of the nation. If we chose her like any ordinary woman, it would be simple. But the Crown Princess must be agreed upon by the three of us. If one of us disagrees, we will not proceed. It must be someone we all approve of."

Jing'er quickly stood up and said, "Mother, from ancient times, it has been the parents' decision and the matchmaker's word. You and Father can make the decision."

Huiyin shook her head. "You're talking nonsense. Who are we selecting for? It's for you. The first requirement is that you must agree. If you don't, even if we force someone into the family, what joy would there be? Also, it can't just be based on your satisfaction. You young people are drawn to beauty and youth, but you don't consider character and talent. If we only let you choose, we wouldn't be at ease. That's why I suggest the three of us choose together, so no one will have cause to complain in the future."

"This is a good idea," Li Cheng agreed first. He didn’t want his son and daughter-in-law to become an unhappy couple, but he was also afraid that his young son might choose someone unsuitable.

After they agreed, the selection began. Li Cheng selected three regions: Wujun, Xuzhou, and the capital. Wujun was the former fiefdom of the King of Wu, and Xuzhou was where the uprising began. The capital, of course, was a place of high-ranking officials.

Of course, not just any woman could participate. They had to be from officials of the third rank or above and between the ages of thirteen and sixteen. It was forbidden to pass off a commoner as a noble, to conceal disabilities or odors, or to allow remarried women to participate. Anyone caught breaking these rules would face severe punishment.

The young ladies in the capital felt more assured. Jiang Bipbo had already prepared many clothes for her daughter and consulted a doctor to help her adjust. "I heard there are three stages. The first stage checks if the reputation matches the reality. The second stage involves staying in the palace for two months to prepare for tests in music, chess, calligraphy, embroidery, and other feminine arts. The third stage is the final selection by the royal family."

Shi Jie usually put on a show in front of others, but behind closed doors, she would lie on the bed and feel exhausted. "In my opinion, the palace is meaningless. Are we like livestock to be chosen?"

"Don't talk nonsense. I've raised you to be so unaware of the world," Jiang Bipbo said, slightly regretful. As a merchant family, they rose with Guo Zhao's status, so she had always been cautious. She didn’t want her daughter to follow in her footsteps, so she raised her as if she were a noble lady, educating her and allowing her to socialize. She hoped her daughter would manage the household from a young age. However, instead of raising a noble lady, she had raised someone like a free-spirited scholar.

Shi Jie felt sorry for her mother in her heart but apologized on the surface. She knew her mother had a hard life.

But in her heart, she didn’t care much. Life in the palace was anything but simple. Everyone believed the emperor adored the empress, and even her mother believed it. So, they assumed that marrying the Crown Prince would not only bring the honor of being the Crown Princess but also the emperor's love. If the Empress was truly good, how could the Empress Dowager be suppressed like that? Whenever Jia Jia from the Xun family came home, though she didn’t say much, she hinted at this indirectly.

Even Pei's sister seemed to disapprove of the Xun family.

The Empress might only be good to her son and might not be good to her daughter-in-law. The palace was like a cage. According to what Elder Madam Zheng mentioned, the Empress loved playing polo when she was at her family's home, but since entering the palace, she had never organized a single game. Her family's polo field had even invited the Empress to attend, but she didn’t come.

Compared to Shi Jie's resignation, Xianjie was well-prepared. She often visited the Empress, her aunt, and knew the preferences of the people in the palace.

But she had many competitors. Xin Shi counted on her fingers, "The granddaughter of Prime Minister Jian, the youngest daughter of General Xie, and the most beautiful woman in Wujun, the most talented woman in Xuzhou. Although their status might not be as high as our Xianjie's, it's possible the Crown Prince might like them."

Pei Shuo shook his head with a smile. "On these matters, my sister told me that even dynasties that lasted over three hundred years were rare, let alone preserving wealth for future generations."

"Lord, you're right. But we also rely on the foundation we've built ourselves, and it's fine for our children to enjoy the wealth," Xin Shi complained that the Empress was too harsh for not giving any benefits to their family.

If it were in the past, Pei Shuo might have been eager for power, but now he found Huiyin's words very reasonable. People with ability are not hindered by anything. If one's virtue does not match their position, disaster will follow. The Zheng family and the Pei family were already extremely wealthy as a duke and a count. To be greedy would be too much.

Pei Shuo had never dared to defy his sister, as her words and actions were always correct. After so many years, her position in the palace remained unshaken, and the emperor's trust in the Crown Prince was the best thing for the Zheng and Pei families.

The higher one's position, the more restraint one needed. That’s what his sister had told him.

Of course, if their daughter was selected, it would be wonderful. If not, they could take comfort in his sister's wisdom; otherwise, they might become overly anxious about gains and losses.

As the couple was talking, Dong Shi came in holding a pearl crown. The pearls were round and lustrous, and the craftsmanship was exquisite. It was clearly not an ordinary item. She smiled and said, "I originally planned to give this crown as a gift to our eldest miss, but since the selection is such a big event, I had someone bring it out. If you don't mind, it would be its destiny."

Xin Shi, seeing how thoughtful she was, couldn't help but praise her. "My dear sister, whenever I say you're good, others don't believe me. I'll call Xianjie to thank you properly. It's rare that you've made such preparations for her."

Dong Shi quickly said, "Madam flatters me."

Usually, no matter how the three of them were, now they all hoped that Xianjie would be selected as the Crown Princess. It would be the ultimate honor for the Pei family.

Not to mention these three, even Madame Ji and Cui Yuehuan also came over, bringing many exquisite hair ornaments and fashionable silk fabrics, causing Xin Shi's face to ache from smiling so much.

The first round of screening reportedly eliminated many candidates. Some presented adopted daughters as their own, others were eighteen or nineteen but claimed to be sixteen, and more secretively, some had already lost their virginity but were still sent in.

Li Cheng was furious: "These people are too bold."

"It's for a tremendous wealth. No wonder people say it's like grabbing coals from the fire," Huiyin shook her head, but added, "Although these people went too far, it's not worth punishing them with exile."

Li Cheng snorted coldly: "The crime of deceiving the emperor—don't bother pleading for them. I was just worried that some were hiding their true intentions, and now they've revealed themselves. Families who lie about their daughters' ages will be demoted, but those who falsify or confuse bloodlines will be dismissed from office, and their family will be banned from taking imperial exams for ten years..."

Huiyin stood up: "Alright, you're the emperor, and they dared to do this because of you. If others beat them to death, so be it." In fact, she saw that although Li Cheng was angry, he was still very measured.

The first round screened out many people, and Xianjie and Shi Jie naturally passed smoothly. They had always held themselves in high regard, but when they saw Lu Yuan from Wujun, who was stunningly beautiful, Liu Qi from Xuzhou, who was incredibly talented, and Jian Xiwei, the granddaughter of Prime Minister Jian, who was dignified and elegant, they realized these competitors were formidable.

Living together, Xianjie said to Shi Jie: "I thought I was quite good, but there are indeed people beyond people, skies beyond skies."

Shi Jie had been very resistant to entering the palace, but once she actually entered, she began to compare herself unconsciously.

Especially since the final selection was led by the Empress Dowager, the biological mother of the Crown Prince and the beloved wife of the Emperor, her opinion carried the most weight. Shi Jie said: "Yesterday, Lu Yuan had an audience with the Empress Dowager. She was so appreciated that the Empress Dowager assigned her several female attendants and allowed her to study and paint freely with others."

"Truly wonderful." Xianjie had assumed that being the Empress Dowager's niece would give her more privileges, but the Empress Dowager had always been impartial. If Lu Yuan was chosen, she might end up being laughed at.

These teenage girls were the cream of the crop from different regions. Huiyin invited one to play the zither and gave her gifts today, and tomorrow she would invite another to dine with the Empress Dowager. The day after, she had them compose some fitting poems.

Among all of them, Xun Jiyi was less outstanding. Li Cheng reviewed their poems: "This poem by the Xun family girl isn't good, and her calligraphy is average, but Jian family girl has excellent calligraphy, though I hear she's rather dull."

"Yes, she's a bit too proper," Huiyin replied. "But since the second round is testing talent, we can wait until the final round to decide."

As the second round began, some girls started scheming, some managed to stay out of trouble, and others tried to cause chaos. In the end, Lu Yuan from Wujun, the granddaughter of Prime Minister Jian, and Xianjie—thanks to Huiyin's influence—were among the few left for the third round.

Nobody could argue against it. Xun Jiying’s poetry wasn’t great, and Xianjie often called on heaven to judge right from wrong, always trying to stir up drama. Shi Jie seemed modest, but she was really just causing trouble behind the scenes. Some couldn't handle the pressure at all.

This was quite a blow to Shi Jie. She thought her abilities were enough, but in truth, she didn’t want to participate. Yet, she hadn’t expected that she wouldn’t even make it to the final round.

The Pei family pinned their hopes on Xianjie, but surprisingly, the emperor and empress picked Lu Yuan from Wu County.

She was stunningly beautiful, confident, and skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Huiyin even had the royal doctors examine the girls’ pulses, and this girl’s pulse was as strong as an ox’s.

Her father, the governor of Wu County, has been fully committed to implementing the new policies. Her grandfather is the Deputy Minister of Rites. Truly, everything about her is perfect.

Jing'er was clearly very pleased too.

Before long, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau determined an auspicious wedding date. The preparations for the crown prince’s grand wedding were extensive and magnificent. Huiyin and Li Cheng, seeing that it was late, returned to Linde Hall.

Huiyin smiled and said, "Today’s our son’s wedding. Time really flies."

"Yeah, it feels like we just got married yesterday," Li Cheng added wistfully.

Huiyin teased, "Last night you were whispering to Jing'er and didn’t tell me what about. But even if you don’t tell me, I still know your secret."

"What do you know? How could you possibly know what I said?"

"That must be some kind of trick, no doubt about it."

Huiyin remained calm and said, "Actually, I’ve been wondering about that. You said you had no experience because you were in mourning, but you were pretty skilled on our wedding night. It turns out you had read hundreds of erotic manuals, all kinds of them... haha..."

Li Cheng quickly tickled her, and Huiyin couldn’t stop laughing. But she was genuinely happy because the mystery that had been bothering her was finally resolved.

—End of the story.