Chapter 154: Too Embarrassing to Mention

Chapter 154: Something Hard to Utter

Xi Qianyue's vanity was ultimately satisfied, and she felt a bit smug: "See, Mother, don't underestimate your daughter's charm."

Zeng Shi, however, grew even more worried. How could a prince possibly take her daughter as his Primary Consort? Even becoming a Secondary Consort seemed impossible.

She was also terrified that if the ministers learned that Qianyue was a woman who had divorced and returned home, they would use it to attack her daughter.

How could Qianyue withstand that?

Xi Qianyue saw through her thoughts: "Mother, I've already told you, don't worry. You don't need to do anything or think about anything. I'll be fine."

Zeng Shi couldn't truly set her mind at ease over just a few words. Alas, a mother's worry follows her child for a lifetime.

A few days later, court affairs returned to normal, though the emperor still could not rise from his bed. The Third Prince and the Fifth Prince jointly supervised state affairs, with the Grand Secretariat assisting.

Princess Zhaoyang, however, had wept several times in Shoukang Palace, until she finally wore down the Empress Dowager's resolve.

"Mother, can you bear to see Mingyue suffer such undeserved misfortune? Chengren harbored wolfish ambitions and has been executed, but Mingyue is innocent. Chengyun hasn't been betrothed yet—why not bestow a marriage decree?"

The Empress Dowager pondered for a long while: "At the time, though I and the emperor both said we would betroth Mingyue to the Fifth Prince, no decree was ever issued, so it was never official. Mingyue and Chengyun would actually make a good match..."

Princess Zhaoyang was greatly pleased: "Of course it's fitting. I am Chengyun's own aunt, and I've cherished him since he was young. Though after he grew up and traveled far and wide, he became less close to me than before, Mingyue has a lively disposition and is sure to get along well with Chengyun."

A betrothal edict from the Empress Dowager was delivered to the Sixth Prince's residence.

"Sixth Prince, this is a joyous occasion. Please accept the decree."

Ignoring the eunuch's sycophantic flattery, Qi Chengyun remained kneeling without moving, refusing to accept the decree.

Qi Chengyun blatantly defied the imperial decree.

Afterward, he remained kneeling for a long time in Shoukang Palace, begging the Empress Dowager to rescind her decree.

When Princess Zhaoyang and Princess Mingyue learned of this, they were absolutely livid.

"Mother, could it be that Brother Yun resents me for nearly marrying Brother Ren?"

Princess Zhaoyang comforted her: "How could that be? At the time, the Empress Dowager only had that intention but never issued a decree, so it holds no weight. I'll find out the real reason."

A few days later, Princess Zhaoyang learned from an elderly palace matron in Shoukang Palace that the Sixth Prince had defied the decree because he had someone in his heart.

And this beloved was someone too shameful to even speak of!

"What? Mother, did you hear wrong? How could Brother Yun's beloved be that despicable merchant's daughter?"

Princess Mingyue could scarcely believe her ears.

"I find it unbelievable too. But don't forget, you saw that Xi Qianyue at the Fifth Prince's residence back then—she was being detained there. How did she get out? It was the Sixth Prince who spirited her away!"

Princess Zhaoyang looked at her flower-like daughter, such a noble princess—could she really be outshone by that lowly merchant's daughter?

The Sixth Prince actually refused to marry the apple of her eye for the sake of that merchant woman!

Both mother and daughter were utterly baffled.

"No, I have to teach that woman a lesson."

Princess Zhaoyang advised: "The capital is fraught with tension now. Don't stir up more trouble and incur the displeasure of the Empress Dowager and the emperor. You hold a position far above hers. As long as you firmly secure your position as Primary Consort, what does it matter if you allow that Xi woman a Secondary Consort position or even a concubine? A woman's most important virtue is moral integrity—she must not be jealous."

Princess Mingyue's eyes burned with fury: "Just a despicable merchant's daughter—at most she'd enter the residence as a concubine. Does she actually presume to aspire to the position of Secondary Consort?"

"Mingyue, use your head. The way things are going, only the Third and Sixth Princes stand a chance. The Third Prince is already married, but with the Sixth Prince, there's still a chance to make a play. If... then your future status will be beyond measure—you can't afford to act on impulse. Besides, if you ever ascend to the position of Empress, there will be countless consorts in the palace. Are you going to have every single one of them killed?" Princess Zhaoyang instructed patiently.

Princess Mingyue barely managed to swallow her anger: "Then I'll bide my time for now and deal with her later. But how do I convince Brother Yun to marry me? The emperor uncle's health is... failing..."

Princess Mingyue was anxious, terrified that the emperor uncle might suddenly pass away, and then how could Brother Yun marry her?

"Don't worry about any of that. Leave it to me."

Princess Zhaoyang wore a look of absolute certainty.

As a prince, how could he fail to prioritize what truly matters?

Xi Qianyue received another invitation from Princess Mingyue, again inviting her to admire flowers.

An Jiu hesitated but still felt compelled to report: "Young Mistress, there's something the prince may not have mentioned to you... Recently, the Empress Dowager issued a betrothal decree for the prince and Princess Mingyue, and the prince openly defied it. Therefore, I believe Princess Mingyue inviting you over at this time may not be appropriate."

Xi Qianyue and her maidservants were all stunned.

"The Sixth Prince actually kept this from me?"

An Jiu said helplessly: "Perhaps he was worried you'd be upset."

Xi Qianyue let out a long breath. In this society ruled by imperial power, she was just a merchant's daughter—what right did she have to be angry?

There was no need to overthink it—Princess Mingyue's invitation was clearly meant to humiliate her.

Qing Bi tried to dissuade her: "Miss, why not just decline? Going would only mean suffering humiliation for nothing, and the mistress would worry as well."

Alas, what good would bringing the maidservants do? Even the shadow guards Qi Chengyun had assigned to her wouldn't be able to protect her.

"Then I'll decline. I'll send a written reply."

Xi Qianyue sent back a reply saying she had caught a chill and couldn't go out, asking for understanding, and so forth.

When Princess Mingyue received the reply, she grew even angrier. This cunning and cowardly merchant woman—by hiding like this, she left Princess Mingyue with little recourse.

She couldn't exactly storm the residence, after all.

Several more days passed, but Qi Chengyun never came to see Xi Qianyue, which left her feeling somewhat disgruntled.

"Is your master really so busy these days?"

An Jiu knew the inside story: "Young Mistress... Besides tending to the emperor's illness, the prince has also been kneeling in Shoukang Palace, begging the Empress Dowager."

A mix of bitterness and sorrow welled up in Xi Qianyue's heart. This fool—he was still doing something so foolish?

"Young Mistress, if you'd be willing to accept the position of Secondary Consort, this deadlock could be resolved," An Jiu said reluctantly.

Except for Qing Bi, who glared at him angrily, the other maidservants showed no reaction.

Xi Qianyue sighed inwardly. Qing Bi couldn't bear to see her become a concubine, hence her anger.

But in the eyes of the world, a merchant's daughter like her climbing to the Sixth Prince was already an extraordinary feat. Becoming a Secondary Consort would be akin to smoke rising from the ancestral graves.

She knew that herself.

"I truly want to escape all of this and just go live on the estate," Xi Qianyue murmured.

But she didn't dare. She wasn't sure if she'd be assassinated if she traveled far.

This era was too terrifying.

That Qi Chengyun was troubled by love naturally couldn't stay hidden forever.

Qi Chengguang teased: "Sixth Brother, I never expected you to be such a romantic fool. I've heard about the Xi woman too. In my opinion, just bring her into the residence directly—whether as a concubine or Secondary Consort, isn't it simple? She's not insisting on being Primary Consort and refusing to lower herself, is she?"