He Rufang lived in the east wing of the Old Dowager’s courtyard, furnished according to a young girl’s preferences with many exquisite items.
Although in ancient times, He Rufang was no longer considered a young girl.
But Wang Qingyao still had it decorated in a way that was resplendent and gaudy.
As expected, He Rufang’s face lit up with joy upon seeing it.
The Old Dowager intended to adopt He Rufang as her goddaughter. By seniority, she would then be the aunt to Xiao Yun and Xiao Mo, an elder.
In Ding'an Prefecture, she would hold a respectable position.
Especially since the Old Dowager showed her affection without reservation, and repeatedly instructed the servants in the courtyard to treat He Rufang as a genuine young lady.
For a time, the servants of the Ding'an Prince’s mansion, not to mention flattering her, treated He Rufang with special regard, doing their utmost to serve her comfortably.
In just a few days, He Rufang had already begun to exude an air of a mistress.
The Old Dowager not only decreed that He Rufang’s food, clothing, and daily expenses should follow her own allowance but also specifically invited Nian Momo from Wang Qingyao’s courtyard to teach her etiquette and rules.
"Nian Momo came from the palace and has been a governess to many young ladies from noble families. The Princess Consort’s etiquette was taught by her. If the Princess Consort didn't like her and ask her to stay by her side as a steward, even I would have trouble finding her.
You must seize this opportunity and learn the rules diligently from Nian Momo. Although Nian Momo is a bit strict, her rules are excellent. You will be a young lady of our Ding'an Prince’s mansion in the future, associating with prominent families, and you will surely marry into a ducal or marquis family. Etiquette and rules are absolutely essential and cannot be mistaken.
The Old Dowager seemed to place great expectations on He Rufang.
He Rufang’s heart pounded like a drum as she listened, and she nodded vigorously, "Fangfang will absolutely not let down the Old Dowager’s cultivation."
He Rufang was beautiful. Honestly, if she were properly trained, she could be presented to the Crown Prince or even the Emperor.
However, the Xiao family did not harbor such ambitions.
Moreover, the Old Dowager was not genuinely cultivating He Rufang.
Nian Momo, having received a hint from Wang Qingyao, trained He Rufang with utmost dedication and effort.
A slight mistake would result in a ruler.
Standing for an hour, sitting for an hour, repeating the same greeting posture twenty to thirty times – these were all commonplace.
And Nian Momo would add, "My strictness is all for the young lady’s good. The young lady must not let down the Old Dowager’s high hopes!"
He Rufang surprisingly did not succumb to the hardship and give up.
She was an ambitious girl.
The Old Dowager had placed high hopes on her, and she could not disappoint the Old Dowager no matter what.
Furthermore, this was a great opportunity for her to achieve a leap in social status.
He Rufang was not afraid of hardship; she was only afraid of a lifetime of hardship.
Nian Momo reported He Rufang’s learning progress to Wang Qingyao daily. Wang Qingyao did not expect this girl to be so eager to learn and progress, and she suddenly had another idea.
"Why not find an opportunity to let He Rufang make an appearance before the Crown Prince?" she suggested to Xiao Yun.
Xiao Yun was slightly surprised.
"The Crown Prince’s succession benefits neither you nor me," Wang Qingyao said simply.
She left it at that.
"You want me to contend for it?"
The Wei family had always wanted to kill Wang Qingyao. For Wang Qingyao’s safety, Xiao Yun was willing to contend for it.
"It doesn't necessarily have to be you personally," Wang Qingyao said. "There's also Little Seven. He could do it too. In any case, it cannot be Consort Wei's son."
Xiao Yun raised an eyebrow. "So you want He Rufang to be the jinx that kills the Crown Prince?"
Wang Qingyao laughed. "What jinx? It's just a coincidence. Just like the Xiao family’s curse, it’s either a coincidence or man-made."
"Then you want He Rufang to enter the Crown Prince's mansion because..." Xiao Yun pondered as he spoke, "to make the Crown Prince indulge in women and drain his body?"
Wang Qingyao couldn't help but burst into laughter. "That method would work too, but I fear the Crown Prince isn't that foolish."
Although the Crown Prince was the youngest of Consort Wei’s three sons, he was the most cunning.
Originally, with two elder brothers, the position of heir would not have fallen to him.
But he meticulously planned, eliminated his two brothers, and married his maternal cousin.
How could such a person easily indulge in beauty?
"Although he might not indulge," Wang Qingyao said, "He Rufang is a beauty, and the Crown Prince is a man. It's inevitable he would cherish a beauty. You've seen it yourself, He Rufang is not a woman who stays put. Beauty is her weapon. With her around, how could the Crown Prince’s inner court be peaceful?"
Xiao Yun nodded in strong agreement. "A fire in the inner court will always have an impact on the Crown Prince."
"We plant this piece, and over time, the impact will become apparent."
"The Emperor has assigned Little Seven a task," Xiao Yun said suddenly.
Wang Qingyao raised her eyebrows and looked at him.
"The Emperor has placed him in the Imperial Guard."
Wang Qingyao showed a look of surprise.
The Imperial Guard?
The Imperial Guard was specifically for protecting the Emperor. Little Seven, well…
Wang Qingyao imagined the Seventh Prince, delicate and cute, innocent and lively, who had recently fought with Ping Ping An An over toys. Connecting him with the Imperial Guard was truly… indescribable.
"I heard that Consort Chen complained to the Emperor that the Seventh Prince was like a child all day, lacking any manly spirit, so the Emperor sent Little Seven to the Imperial Guard for training."
"Does Little Seven want to?" Wang Qingyao asked.
Xiao Yun laughed. "He couldn't be happier. You don't know, he has always admired the leader of the Imperial Guard, Lord Shan. Every time he sees Lord Shan, he acts like a sycophant."