Chapter 513
Yan Jinsha was wrong!
Noble Consort was the crown prince of the current dynasty, and under the constant pressure of his mother, the Empress, to engage with dozens of noble ladies and develop feelings, he had seen it all.
The obedient and adorable, the pretentious and aloof, the outgoing, the introverted, the vivacious, the beautiful, the kind...
He had seen every type.
Most of these women put on an act when they stood before him, and he could see through their pretenses early on. None of them were sincere.
Except for...
Meng Yixuan!
When she saw him, her heart raced, her eyes darted, her cheeks flushed, and even the hands hidden in her sleeves trembled slightly.
Just exchanging a few words with him could make her happy for days.
And...
She never dared to meet his gaze.
The palace was never short of various beauties; what had been missing all along was a sincere heart.
Noble Consort, with his hands behind his back, leaned down, smiling at Meng Yixuan: "You visited the Empress a few days ago and said you weren't feeling well, so you wouldn't attend the Spring Feast. Why are you here today?"
Was it just her imagination, or did she hear a hint of grievance in the Crown Prince's tone?
The young girl's eyes widened as she looked up in surprise at the Crown Prince, who was head taller than her, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of her chest.
No, no, no, no... it couldn't be, could it?
The Crown Prince... liked her?
Impossible!
She choked on her own spit, coughing violently, drawing the attention of everyone present.
The Crown Prince gently patted her back, his eyes intently focused on her: "Did I scare you? Does the thought of me liking you... make you that afraid?"
"No, I'm not afraid!"
Meng Yixuan explained between coughs: "I'm just too surprised. I... no... this subject... this subject also likes Your Highness very much, so very much, truly very much!"
He was her dream, an impossible dream that she had thought would never come true.
"Who is she?"
How did such an unexpected Crown Princess suddenly emerge?
"Isn't she the direct daughter of the Flying Dragon General? She performed sword dancing at last year's New Year's Banquet and was praised by the Emperor for carrying on her father's spirit."
"Oh, her! I remember her mother used to be a personal maid of the Empress. Can such a lowly background be qualified to become Crown Princess?"
"You can't say that. Lady Meng has a younger brother who passed the imperial examinations and has been serving in the court, though he's been posted outside. She can be considered a noblewoman. You can't dismiss her just because she was once a maid of the Empress. Her children aren't destined to be servants for a lifetime."
"Before Meng Qingyu married, he wasn't prominent either! I think the most valued lady-in-waiting of the Empress would be a fitting match for the Flying Dragon General. Don't just badmouth her out of jealousy, okay?"
"Lowly?"
Back then, Xique had already been conferred the highest rank of the first class as a noblewoman, and Meng Qingyu was a general. Meng Yixuan's background wasn't low at all.
"Crown Princess? Crown Princess isn't Yan Qingqing of the Yan Family?"
"Huh? Right! Where is Yan Qingqing?"
Everyone looked around and, upon confirming that Yan Qingqing really wasn't there, many began to spin conspiracy theories about the sisters vying for the position of Crown Princess.
Jiang Xinyue's lips curled with a faint smile as she watched her son present the precious jade scepter, symbolizing the Crown Princess, to Meng Yixuan with both hands. The smile grew wider and wider, refusing to be restrained.
Yixuan is kind-hearted and gentle in nature, especially with her whole heart dedicated to the Crown Prince—this is truly rare.
She doesn't believe in arranged marriages. Who her children will spend their lives with is their own business.
"How could Meng Yixuan possibly be the Crown Princess?"
"What right does she have to be the Crown Princess?"
Noble Consort didn't care about that. He led Meng Yixuan to Jiang Xinyue's presence and said, "Empress, I thank you for granting this marriage."
This scoundrel!
That's why there’s a saying in later generations that a son forgets his mother after taking a wife.
This scoundrel is a classic example—not even married yet, and he's already helping his wife-to-be ask his mother for a reward.
Jiang Xinyue gave him a sidelong glance, then took off a priceless purple jade bracelet from her wrist: "This was put on my wrist by the Emperor himself when I ascended to the throne. Now I give it to you, wishing you and the Crown Prince harmonious music and a long-lasting love, to support and understand each other throughout your lives."
When she said that she wanted Meng Yixuan and the Crown Prince to march forward together, she hoped that after becoming Crown Princess, Meng Yixuan wouldn't immerse herself in the battles of the harem but would instead use her position to exert her true power.
A woman's life doesn't have to be confined to the affection of one man. Only by having her own value is her life not wasted.
Meng Yixuan was shy, not foolish. She had been brought up in the palace since childhood, influenced by Jiang Xinyue, and immediately understood her meaning.
"Xuan respectfully follows Empress's decree."
The bracelet felt warm and smooth to the touch, flawless and of the highest quality, reaching the level of imperial purple, undoubtedly a rare treasure.
Was Empress Jiang's gift a sign of her satisfaction with this prospective daughter-in-law?
As night fell,
The entire royal garden fell into a tranquil silence, but in the servants' quarters, low, muffled groans emerged.
Yan Jinsha endured the pain coursing through her body, her mind racing.
The Crown Prince choosing a Crown Princess did not surprise her.
But the choice of Crown Princess shocked her greatly.
Who was this Meng Yixuan who suddenly appeared?
It wasn't rumored that the Crown Princess was supposed to be Yan Qingqing?
If that was the case, she would have to change her plans.
The next day,
A group of noble ladies who had been rejected from the crown princess position had to go to Jiang Xinyue to be chosen by the third prince, fourth prince, and fifth prince.
But...
Neither the third prince nor the fifth prince showed up, only the fourth prince remained, standing there "alone" compared to the previous day's "brotherhood."
Jiang Xinyue hadn't expected this situation: "Where are the Third Prince and the Fifth Prince?"
Shuang Jiang whispered a few words in her ear, and Jiang Xinyue smiled and shook her head: "If they don't want to choose a consort now, I won't force them. But you should send someone to deliver a message: as long as they are in love with any young lady, make sure they tell me. No matter the status, as long as they are happy, I will grant them a marriage."
The fourth prince's eyes lit up: "Empress, I have no intention of marrying either. Can we postpone it?"
He nervously twiddled his fingers, carefully observing Jiang Xinyue's expression, afraid she might feel unhappy or impatient.
"In that case... let's all disperse!"
Jiang Xinyue waved her hand, smiling at the fourth prince: "Actually, I also think blind arranged marriages are not ideal. You all don't want to get married, so you'll have to deal with your father about that."
"I understand, thank you, Empress."
He didn't want to build a prince's mansion, nor did he want to be granted a prince title or leave the capital for his fiefdom. He just wanted to stay by the Empress's side, with the Crown Prince and our seventh brother, third sister, accompanying them.
That was how he understood happiness.