"Does a grandmother give concubines to her own granddaughter?" Lu Peishan said.
Wang Qingyao turned her head to glance at her, and said with a half-smile, "Yes, does a grandmother give concubines to her own granddaughter?"
Lu Peishan was stunned for a moment, not understanding why Wang Qingyao would echo her words, thus proving she was lying.
The next moment, Wang Qingyao turned her head back and continued to the Emperor, "Your Majesty knows my paternal grandmother. She has never liked me much..."
—This explained why the old madam of the Wang family would give concubines to her granddaughter.
Since Old Madam Wang was already deceased and Wang Qingyao was a junior, she stopped after making this remark behind her back.
The Emperor nodded and asked with interest, "What happened next? How did your cousin become the Crown Prince's Liangyuan?"
"Since I wanted the Old Imperial Concubine to recognize my cousin as her goddaughter, I had to show some sincerity. So, during that period, my cousin lived in the Old Imperial Concubine's courtyard in the Prince of Ding'an's mansion. The Old Imperial Concubine even specifically hired a governess to teach her etiquette and rules. It was originally planned to hold a recognition banquet in a few days, but unexpectedly, at the warm room banquet at Prince Yue's mansion, the Crown Prince took a liking to my cousin."
"It was my cousin's fortune to be favored by His Highness, but my cousin was not particularly happy. I thought she didn't like His Highness, but she told me with great worry that she had two previous fiancés, but they both died in accidents later. People in her family all said she was a jinx who brought misfortune to her husbands. Having no other choice, she came to Duanjing to seek refuge with Old Madam Wang, who is my grandmother."
"My cousin originally held onto a sliver of hope, but the Crown Prince is the heir apparent of Dasheng, the foundation of the nation. There can be no room for any hope. Therefore, I told this matter to the Prince, so he could inform the Crown Prince. Who knew that His Highness would not take it to heart at all and insisted on taking my cousin into the Eastern Palace. My cousin had no choice but to agree."
"Since my cousin was to enter the Eastern Palace, the recognition banquet had not yet been held. If it were held now, it would inevitably be said that the Prince of Ding'an's mansion was fawning on power. Therefore, the Old Imperial Concubine did not recognize my cousin as her goddaughter in the end."
"That's how it happened," Wang Qingyao spread her hands. "Father, do you understand now?"
The Emperor nodded, "So that's how it was. Do you know what caused the Crown Prince's serious illness this time?"
Wang Qingyao shook her head.
Lu Peishan said, "A highly respected monk from the Grand Xiangguo Temple has examined her. He stated directly that He Liangyuan's birth date is too potent and has cursed His Highness. Only by expelling her from the Eastern Palace and moving her to a temple to recite scriptures and pray daily can the Crown Prince recover."
Wang Qingyao nodded, "Then move her, Crown Princess."
Lu Peishan: "..."
"He Liangyuan is the cousin of the Princess of Ding'an. Is Princess Ding'an just going to watch her be expelled from the Eastern Palace?"
Wang Qingyao was almost amused to death.
She wasn't the one driving her out!
And Lu Peishan was accusing her of not helping when she wanted to drive someone out?
Wang Qingyao chuckled, "Crown Princess, you are truly amusing. Your words make me a little confused. Do you want to save His Highness, or do you not want to save His Highness? Are you hoping I will force He Liangyuan to stay?"
Lu Peishan hurriedly said, "Of course, I want to save His Highness."
"Then go save him. Why are you wasting time here at Ruhu Palace?"
Lu Peishan found that talking to Wang Qingyao was too exhausting. She couldn't gain any advantage at all.
Wang Qingyao simply didn't play by the rules.
She was adept at cutting straight to the point, and face was irrelevant to her.
The Emperor, hearing this, finally understood and cast a displeased glance at Lu Peishan, saying faintly, "Does the Crown Princess not wish to save the Crown Prince?"
The Emperor's question was different from anyone else's. Even though the Emperor was naturally benevolent, his unique imperial authority and dragon's might pressed directly upon them.
Lu Peishan hurriedly knelt, "Your humble servant would not dare. Your humble servant naturally wishes to save the Crown Prince."
Wang Qingyao interjected, "Does the Crown Princess look like she wants to save him? If my husband were cursed, that person would have been thrown out by me long ago. I wouldn't care whose goddaughter she was; saving my husband is the priority."
Consort Chen slightly curved her lips. The Princess of Ding'an's combat power was as consistent as ever; she never needed help from others.
Noble Consort Wei came to Lu Peishan's rescue, explaining, "The Crown Princess is the future mother of the nation, so her considerations are naturally different from others'. Even in matters of life and death, her first consideration is for the citizens of Dasheng."
Well, it had escalated to the nation and people's livelihood, elevating the topic of their discussion.
Wang Qingyao suppressed a smile and said, "Noble Consort, you speak wisely. However, as the future mother of the nation, shouldn't the Crown Princess first not be so superstitious?"
The word "superstitious" did not exist in ancient times. Let alone Lu Peishan, even the Emperor and the others did not understand Wang Qingyao's meaning.
Wang Qingyao continued, "Actually, I later asked the Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu to divine He Liangyuan's birth date. The Imperial Preceptor said she has a 'spring' destiny, becoming stronger when faced with strength and weaker when faced with weakness. Her previous two fiancés had unfortunate fates of their own, and it had nothing to do with He Liangyuan."
Wang Qingyao spoke with a straight face, making up a story that stunned the others.
What was a "spring" destiny?
Would asking about it make them appear ignorant?