The Crown Prince and Wei Yu returned to the Eastern Palace one after another.
The Crown Prince's face was grim, and an aura of malevolence emanated from him. No one in the Eastern Palace dared to approach him.
Even that Concubine Lu pretended ignorance, staying in her small courtyard tending to the newly transplanted chrysanthemums.
Naturally, some trusted confidantes wondered why she didn't go to comfort the Crown Prince.
Concubine Lu was well-informed and already knew about the events that had transpired outside Ninghui Hall.
"That County Princess Mu Jin was once betrothed to His Highness by the Emperor, but..." she chuckled softly, "but at that time, the Crown Prince looked down on her. I don't know what means he used, but he managed to make County Princess Mu Jin break off the engagement herself. He didn't bear any of the consequences."
The confidante understood: "Now that County Princess Mu Jin has been found by the Yun family of the Eastern Ling Kingdom, and the Yun family's Prince Xin holds significant military power, His Highness regrets it."
Concubine Lu held a pair of silver shears, trimming away dead leaves as she nodded, "Yes, His Highness must be regretting it deeply now. Compared to hundreds of thousands of troops, the Wei family is nothing!"
The confidante coughed lightly and looked around. Seeing that no one was paying attention to the dignified Crown Prince's concubine using foul language, she breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "Your Ladyship, please mind your words and actions!"
Concubine Lu was unconcerned and continued to chatter, "The Wei family is the maternal family of Noble Consort Wei. Whether His Highness marries Wei Yu or not, the Wei family will stand by him."
She chuckled, "Our Crown Prince, perhaps having realized this, has become even more regretful and irritable. Moreover, the Crown Princess is not an easy person to deal with. The daughters of the Wei family are all proud. Now that she is the Crown Princess, how could she tolerate the Crown Prince comparing her to a mere county princess she once disdained?
My mother always said that although the Crown Princess is young, she is more intelligent than the Princess of Rong. I don't think so. If the Crown Princess were sensible, she wouldn't be arguing with the Crown Prince over such inexplicable jealousy now, but would be helping His Highness with his worries."
Concubine Lu casually tossed the shears aside. The confidante immediately called for a young maid to bring a basin and towel for Concubine Lu to wash her hands.
"Let's wait," Concubine Lu said, "When the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince have finished their quarrel, I will go over."
Wei Yu followed the Crown Prince to his study. Seeing her, the Crown Prince was annoyed, "What are you doing here?"
"Does Your Highness regret it?" Wei Yu stared into his eyes and pressed.
The Crown Prince naturally denied it, "Regret what?"
"Regret designing County Princess Mu Jin back then. If it weren't for that incident, County Princess Mu Jin wouldn't have broken off the engagement herself! Your Highness would now be the son-in-law of Prince Xin of the Eastern Ling Kingdom!"
The Crown Prince was furious, "Why are you being so sarcastic here?"
"Heh, did Your Highness just want to rekindle your old flame with County Princess Mu Jin? Unfortunately, County Princess Mu Jin is now your future brother-in-law. Does Your Highness intend to do something against human ethics..."
Nothing had gone right for Wei Yu today, and she had accumulated a bellyful of resentment, speaking with utter recklessness.
She had probably forgotten that the person standing before her was her husband, and more importantly, the Crown Prince of Da Sheng.
There is a distinction between ruler and subject.
"Slap," a crisp sound, and Wei Yu received a slap.
She covered her face, looking at the Crown Prince in disbelief.
"You hit me?"
The Crown Prince's face was stern, and a cold, disgusted look appeared in his eyes, "Crown Princess, please mind your words and actions!"
Tears slowly welled up in Wei Yu's doe-like eyes. She looked at the Crown Prince, her face ashen.
She had always felt she was different from women who depended on men; she was a strategist, a comrade-in-arms, her value far greater than that of a mere wife.
She had always believed she would not be easily abandoned.
But the Crown Prince had delivered a heavy blow.
What was the point of their childhood affection?
Men, hmph...
Wei Yu bit her lip tightly, her pride supporting her from shedding tears.
With hot tears in her eyes, she gazed at the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince's heart softened, but he was too proud to coax her. Finally, he flicked his sleeve and left.
Wei Yu's tears finally fell.
As the Crown Prince exited the palace gate, he saw Xiao Yun leading a horse, pacing back and forth near the wall.
He strode forward.
"Your Highness is out," Xiao Yun said, "I have been waiting for Your Highness for a long time."
The Crown Prince was in a bad mood and forced a smile at Xiao Yun, "What do you need me for, Ah Yun? Why didn't you send someone to the Eastern Palace with a message? I've been waiting for so long in vain."
Xiao Yun sighed, "Your Highness, don't forget, I am now forbidden to enter the palace without an imperial summons. How can I trouble Your Highness for a trivial matter?"
The Crown Prince knew his character. If it were truly important, he wouldn't care about summons and would have already barged into the palace.
This showed it was indeed not a big deal.
"What is it?" the Crown Prince asked.
Xiao Yun showed a hint of difficulty, "I only just learned of this matter. My wife told me."
The mention of Wang Qingyao caused a nerve in the Crown Prince's mind to tighten subconsciously.
"Originally, this matter should not have been told to Your Highness, but since Your Highness fancies Miss He, I had no choice but to tell you."
Related to He Rufang?
The Crown Prince showed a look of surprise.
"Miss He is a jinx," Xiao Yun said directly, "Her previous two fiancés both died. Although she is beautiful, she couldn't get married locally due to her reputation as a jinx, and was forced to come to Duanjing.
As for such things as being a jinx, it is better to believe it than not. Your Highness is the Crown Prince of Da Sheng, and the fate of Da Sheng hinges on you. I hope Your Highness will not joke with your own safety."
The Crown Prince was stunned.
A jinx?
This was no laughing matter.
The beautiful face of He Rufang flashed in his mind. The Crown Prince felt a pang of regret and asked unwillingly, "Is this true?"
"Of course it's true. How could I joke about a woman's reputation?"
The Crown Prince let out a "ha" of laughter and thanked Xiao Yun.
However, after Xiao Yun left, he immediately had his guards follow him.
Heh, the Crown Prince wasn't foolish. After thinking carefully, he sensed something was amiss.
Among the princes, Xiao Yun was closest to the Seventh Prince, almost like brothers.
His relationship with the Crown Prince had always been distant.
Why would he specifically come to inform the Crown Prince that the woman he fancied was a jinx?
Was Xiao Yun that kind-hearted?
In the evening, the guards reported Xiao Yun's whereabouts to the Crown Prince.
"...He met with the Prince of Yue. The subordinate overheard their conversation. Prince Ding'an asked Prince Yue if he liked that Miss He..."
The Crown Prince's eyes suddenly narrowed.
As expected.
Xiao Yun had indeed deliberately told him that He Rufang was a jinx to curry favor with the Seventh Prince, intending to make him give up on He Rufang.
He really couldn't tell. The Xiao family prided themselves on neutrality, loyal only to the Emperor.
What, the Seventh Prince hadn't even married County Princess Mu Jin yet, and he was already rushing to curry favor!
The Crown Prince sneered. He was determined to have He Rufang!
Taking a concubine was different from marrying a wife; one simply needed to bring her over in a sedan chair.
As the Crown Prince was considering who to assign this task to, someone announced outside that Concubine Lu had arrived.
Concubine Lu also dressed simply in the Eastern Palace, with no jewelry on her head or body. Every time the Crown Prince saw her, he felt refreshed.
"I have heard about today's events," Concubine Lu said, calmly analyzing, "County Princess Mu Jin has Prince Xin of the Eastern Ling Kingdom backing her, which undoubtedly increases Prince Yue's leverage. In the harem, Noble Consort Chen is also subtly tending towards being on par with my mother. Except for Noble Consort Chen's unremarkable maternal family, Prince Yue is slowly emerging. Your Highness, the situation is not optimistic!"
Wei Yu thought she was the only strategist for the Crown Prince, but she didn't expect Concubine Lu to be one as well.
In this era, women blinded by love died quickly.
Let alone being a woman of the Crown Prince.
Concubine Lu had no childhood affection for the Crown Prince, so she was more open-minded than Wei Yu.
Her words undoubtedly struck a chord with the Crown Prince.
"Only you, Peishan, are sensible," the Crown Prince reached out his hand. Lu Peishan placed her hand in his palm, and the Crown Prince gently held it, sighing, "Unlike the Crown Princess, who is jealous all day and lacks the demeanor befitting a Crown Princess."
Lu Peishan showed a look of confusion, "Strange, what kind of jealousy is the Crown Princess feeling?"