Chapter 078: Female Supremacy 19

When the Crown Princess openly told the Empress that she wished to hold her wedding on the first day of next month, the Empress fell silent for a moment. “Your third sister is still missing, and you can still be so eager to be married?”

“Qingyun says he wants me to marry him soon, so of course I have to listen to him,” Le Yixian replied matter-of-factly.

“That’s your only reason?” the Empress asked.

“Of course. What else could it be?” Le Yixian looked at the Empress and, after a moment’s thought, added, “You’re not thinking that I orchestrated my third sister’s disappearance, so now I’m holding a grand wedding just to celebrate it, are you?”

“Isn’t that the case?”

“Of course not.” Le Yixian’s lips curled in a blissful smile. “My dear Qingyun asked to marry me of his own accord. Naturally, I want to marry him as soon as possible.”

“You’re still injured,” the Empress reminded her.

“The imperial physician said that with his miraculous ointment, I’ll be walking again by next month.” Yes, in novels, imperial physicians are ever so convenient—they can concoct any remedy. Le Yixian continued, “He also said that the first day of next month is an auspicious day for marriage, and wants us to wed then.”

The Empress looked at her as though she were a fool. “Today is the thirteenth. There’s less than half a month until the first of next month. Do you think the wedding of the Crown Princess can be arranged so hastily?”

“You promised me: if I didn’t become Crown Princess, you’d let me marry Qingyun. I want to marry him now. You’re not planning to go back on your word, are you?”

“I always keep my promises,” the Empress replied.

“Good, then you’ve agreed.”

“Why are you in such a rush?” The Empress noticed that, ever since her daughter had expressed her desire not to be Crown Princess, her attitude and temperament had changed dramatically.

“I want to marry Qingyun,” Le Yixian answered simply. “By the way, I heard the Crown Prince of Yue is here. Shall we invite him as a guest?”

The Empress studied her for a moment, seeing her cheerful, almost giddy expression, clearly intoxicated by Liu Qingyun’s words. “It’s said that Young Master Liu wants to marry you to bring himself good fortune?”

“Yes,” Le Yixian nodded frankly. She didn’t trust that there were no eyes and ears of the Empress nearby.

“The first of next month is too soon. There’s no time to prepare. I’ll have the Astronomical Bureau select an auspicious date again.”

Since the Empress insisted, Le Yixian didn’t press further. After all, if the Empress became angry and withheld her beloved or the betrothal gifts, what then? As the Crown Princess, she had little private wealth to her name.

Come to think of it, could the Crown Princess be considered part of the “living off the parents” generation? The other princesses and princes all seemed to have private estates, but she had no means of earning a side income.

Under the Empress’s orders, the Astronomical Bureau soon selected several dates auspicious for marriage and well-suited to both their birth charts.

Three dates in all were presented to Le Yixian. She flipped through them, glanced at each, and pointed to the earliest. “This one.”

The official from the Bureau was delighted. Of the three, she had chosen the soonest.

Rumor had it that the Crown Princess, having orchestrated the Third Princess’s disappearance, was now desperate to win over Prime Minister Liu’s faction. Even with her leg still injured, she wanted to marry the second son of the Liu family as quickly as possible, to consolidate her position and increase her power before the Third Princess returned to the capital.

Preparations for the wedding of the Crown Princess and the Prime Minister’s second son sent the entire palace into a flurry of activity.

In the Foreign Legation—

Yueluo was so furious he smashed a cup to the floor. Next to him lay the wedding invitation for Le Yixian and Liu Qingyun. “Outrageous! Xiaoyou clearly likes me. How could she possibly marry that sickly invalid?!”

“Your Highness, I’ve heard the Crown Princess’s position in the Hongxing Kingdom has not been favorable these past years. With Young Master Liu willing to marry her, naturally she must seize the opportunity,” a strategist beside him advised. “Once she has secured her footing, she’ll be free to rid herself of that invalid. In time, the Crown Princess will still be yours.”

Hearing this only made Yueluo angrier. “Is my support as the Crown Prince of an entire nation still not enough for her?”

“As the saying goes, distant water cannot quench present thirst. Within Hongxing, Prime Minister Liu’s disciples are everywhere—an opportunity not to be missed.”

“Very well,” Yueluo said, grudgingly accepting the logic. He turned to the strategist. “Prepare the carriage. I’m going out.”

“Where to, Your Highness?”

“To the Liu residence. I can’t let that sickly invalid gloat over this.” Yueluo’s eyes narrowed.

“Is that wise?” the strategist hesitated.

“I’m only going to say a few words,” Yueluo replied, secretly hoping to provoke the invalid so much he’d cough up blood.

When Yueluo arrived at the Liu residence, he was immediately greeted by that very “invalid,” whose face was aglow with health as he ran over. “Prince Yueluo, have you come to bring a wedding gift for Sister You and me?”

Yueluo sneered, hands clasped behind his back. “Do I look like I’m here to deliver gifts?”

Liu Qingyun glanced at him, then at the empty-handed attendants behind him, and sighed with disappointment. Turning to the young gentlemen from noble families who had come out behind him, he explained, “I suppose His Highness values heartfelt wishes over lavish gifts and has come personally to offer his blessings.”

“Which eye of yours sees me here to give blessings?” Yueluo shot back.

The noble youths silently agreed—he looked more like he’d come to cause trouble.

“Oh,” Liu Qingyun nodded thoughtfully. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. “Then you must be here to see the gifts Sister You has sent me, aren’t you?”

“I’m not—” Yueluo began to protest, but before he could finish, Liu Qingyun grabbed him by the hand and dragged him off excitedly. “Come, let me show you the gifts Sister You gave me.”

Yueluo tried to resist, but a twinge of pain in his wrist forced him to go along as Liu Qingyun pulled him away.

Recently, so many treasures had been sent from the palace that the Liu family had set aside an entire wing just to store them. There were piles of gold, brocades, and silks without number, and even more wondrous and ingenious things: two chests brimming with priceless black pearls from the Eastern Sea, a towering coral tree taller than a man, a rare and miraculous snow lotus from the sacred mountain of Hongxing, said to cure all ills, a nine-tiered exquisite jade pagoda crafted by artisans from Southqu, and luminous pearls the size of eggs.

The array of treasures left the noble youths in awe. They secretly wondered if the Empress did not, in fact, look down on the Crown Princess, but rather held her in the highest esteem—otherwise, how could she send such lavish gifts?

“Young Master, the palace has sent more things,” a servant reported respectfully.

“What now? I told Sister You not to send any more,” Liu Qingyun said, though his tone was cheerful.

“His Majesty instructed the Imperial Kitchen to make your favorite pastries.”

“Really? Bring them quickly—let’s all eat together!” Liu Qingyun was overjoyed. He turned to Yueluo, whose face was growing darker by the moment. “Prince Yueluo, will you join us in tasting the pastries Sister You sent me?”

“No, thank you,” Yueluo replied coldly, turning on his heel and storming out.

Liu Qingyun made no move to stop him. When he had gone, Liu Qingyun turned to a servant and ordered, “Go and clean every place Prince Yueluo passed through or touched.”

Hmph! That will show you.