The marriage decree from Emperor Xingwu for the Second Prince was issued before the Dragon Boat Festival.
Since the families were now joined and the mother-in-law had just passed away, there was no grand banquet for the ministers this year—only a simple family dinner was arranged in the palace.
The Prince Yong’s family of three, the Yongkang family of four, and the seventeen-year-old Second Prince Qin Bing, who had just been granted a marriage, all entered the palace.
It was still early before noon, so the whole family went to the Imperial Garden to enjoy the scenery.
Qin Bing had had enough of his aunt and Eldest Sister’s teasing.
He pulled Qin Ren and Qingyang to the other end of the waterside pavilion and muttered in a sulking tone, “Father just loves to mess with marriage matches. Meng Yao is so fierce—whoever marries her is unlucky.”
Qin Ren looked puzzled.
“You don’t like Miss Meng? When she used to come to the palace, didn’t you two play well together?”
Qin Bing replied, “We argued a lot too.”
Qingyang glanced over at the aunt and Eldest Sister in the distance and asked, “Were you already unhappy when Father granted the marriage, or did you get upset only because Aunt Wang and the others laughed at you just now?”
Qin Bing froze.
Qin Ren, seeing this, understood and reminded his brother, “This is where you’re wrong, Second Brother. If you don’t like Aunt Wang and the others laughing at you, you should tell them directly. How can you take it out on Father and Miss Meng?”
Qin Bing couldn’t refute, but he wasn’t willing to admit his fault either. He reached out and poked Qin Ren’s forehead.
“What do you know, acting like you’re teaching me!”
Qin Ren, stung by the poke, hurriedly changed seats.
Qingyang glared at Second Brother.
“Third Brother meant well. If you bully him again, we’ll leave you here alone.”
Qin Bing hurried to appease his sister.
“I’m just messing around with him.”
Qingyang asked, “Then tell me, do you actually like Meng Yao?”
Qin Bing scratched his nose and muttered softly, “She’s alright. As long as she doesn’t get fierce with me, I don’t mind marrying her.”
He hadn’t even thought about marriage before—Father’s sudden decree, Meng Yao being a familiar face and beautiful, Qin Bing didn’t really resist it much.
Qingyang said, “Since Second Brother doesn’t object to marrying Meng Yao, then she’s your betrothed. How can you speak ill of your own future wife? If word of this reached Meng Yao, she’d be so sad. Her mother just passed away; Second Brother should treat her even better.”
At that, an image of Meng Yao in mourning clothes, crying and sniffling, popped into Qin Bing’s mind—it really was a heart-wrenching sight.
“Alright, alright, I’ll never speak ill of her again, and no one else can either. Whoever dares, I’ll hit them!”
After their secret talk, the three siblings returned to the elders.
Prince Yong sat below Emperor Xingwu, discussing outside affairs with his brother and never once joining the women and children’s teasing.
The Yong Prince’s Consort glanced at the fair-faced Qin Ren and smiled.
“Both the Crown Prince and Second Prince are engaged, and their fiancées are the top noble ladies of the Capital. I wonder which noble lady our Third Prince will marry in the future.”
Consort Li snuck a look at Emperor Xingwu. She had figured it out—the Emperor was too domineering!
With the Pure and Filial Empress gone, he took over the Yongkang siblings’ marriages himself.
Even though the Noble Lady was alive, dignified, and virtuous, he didn’t consult her in advance.
For the marriages of the younger ones and the daughter in the future, she’d surely have no say either.
Emperor Xingwu glanced at the third son and said casually, “He’s still young—let’s discuss it later. But Qin Liang is already twenty this year. Have you chosen anyone for him?”
Prince Yong, who was drinking tea, choked and set down his cup, looking incredulously at his brother.
“The Emperor actually asked me? I was waiting for him to arrange a good marriage for Liang as he did for me. The Emperor has a better eye for people than I do in these matters.”
The Yong Prince’s Consort gave her husband a gentle reproachful look.
Emperor Xingwu smiled.
“The Noble Lady and the others live deep in the palace and don’t know much about the noble ladies outside. You’re different—I thought you’d already settled it yourselves.”
The Yong Prince’s Consort answered respectfully.
“Some matchmakers have come by to propose, but we couldn’t decide. I urged the Prince several times to ask for your help, but he always forgot.”
Emperor Xingwu became interested.
“Which families were there?”
The Yong Prince’s Consort gestured for her husband to speak, but Prince Yong waved dismissively.
“How would I remember that? You tell him.”
Only then did the Yong Prince’s Consort list a few families, all daughters of mid-ranked officials.
Emperor Xingwu frowned.
“Liang is talented in both civil and martial arts and is my nephew. Are there really no high-ranking officials or noble families wanting him as a son-in-law?”
Prince Yong replied awkwardly.
“There are, but both the Consort and I come from small households and never learned the ways of great families. The Emperor even said I speak coarsely.”
“If we really brought in a noble lady whose manners surpass ours in every way, wouldn’t we become a laughingstock in front of our daughter-in-law? It’s better to marry someone ordinary—we can still act the part of father and mother-in-law.”
Emperor Xingwu:
“You may be unpolished, but Liang has the aura of royalty—no matter who he marries, he’ll hold his own. Unfortunately, the girls from the Yuan family and Left Prime Minister’s Zhenzhen are too young. Among the young ladies I’ve met, there’s none completely suitable.”
“Let’s settle on Zhu Jinsi’s daughter. The House of Zhu is a scholarly family in the Capital, and Zhu Jinsi is elegant—his daughter shouldn’t be lacking either.”
Zhu Jinsi currently held the rank of fifth-grade Ministry of Rites Official, and was one of the potential matches mentioned by the Yong Prince’s Consort.
The Yong Prince’s Consort exchanged a quick look with her husband, then called the heir Qin Liang to thank Emperor Xingwu together.
After the family dinner ended, Yongkang followed her Crown Prince brother to the Chongyuan Palace, dismissing the attendants to talk privately.
Yongkang was cheerful.
“All these years, Qin Liang has been openly and secretly competing with you as if he were so much stronger. Father praises him, but in the end, he casually arranged a marriage for him—this shows Father still values you more.”
Qin Hong didn’t care whom Qin Liang married and was uninterested in his sister’s topic.
Yongkang continued.
“You, you’re indifferent about everything. But Qin Liang really isn’t worth much of our attention. It’s the Second Brother we should consider—Father actually allied him with the Marquis of Wei Yuan! Don’t look down on the Marquis just because he’s only a Marquis.”
“Though his rank and achievements aren’t as high as the Duke Cheng, he’s in his prime, while the Duke Cheng has grown old. Your father-in-law Lü Zhang also fought beside Father, but his merits aren’t as prominent…”
Qin Hong finally lifted his eyelids, speaking softly.
“Eldest Sister, you’re overthinking it. Father granted Second Brother this marriage hoping the Marquis of Wei Yuan would remain loyal to our family. Second Brother is still young and has never competed with me—you’re reading too much into it.”
Yongkang said,
“He was young before, so he didn’t think of competing with you. Now he’s seventeen, receives only three thousand taels a year as a Prince, while you, as Crown Prince, get ten thousand taels. Just the real silver gap can stir up resentment, let alone the temptation of inheriting the throne?”
“Let me tell you, in common families, sibling rivalry is common. As children, brothers share everything. But once grown, with their own families, their hearts drift, and everyone focuses on how much they receive from their parents. Who still cares about brotherhood?”
“Father and Uncle Wang are the prime examples. One sits on the Dragon Throne; the other kneels in respect daily. Uncle Wang respects Father because Father is more capable. As for Second Brother, he never feared you as a child—will he obey you in the future? With a grandfather who’s the Left Prime Minister, and now a father-in-law who commands troops arranged by Father, who knows what’s in Father’s mind.”
Qin Hong’s single rebuttal brought forth a long string of arguments from his sister.
He looked at her, silent.
Yongkang patted his shoulder.
“In-law or not, it’s still outside power. Ultimately, you have to rely on yourself. You’re already Crown Prince—if you can stand tall before Father and let him see your strengths more, that position will still be yours.”
Qin Hong looked at his sister’s shou gong and murmured.
“Also, since you’re participating in state affairs, you should slowly foster a group of loyal ministers. When difficulties arise, they can share your burdens, and if mistakes happen, they can shoulder responsibility for you. Isn’t there a vacancy for a Ministry of Revenue Official? Recently, a Ministry of Revenue Official named Fang came to me…”
Qin Hong looked up in shock.
“Eldest Sister, did you accept a bribe?”
Yongkang lightly slapped the top of his brother’s head.
“What bribe? That sounds awful. Lord Fang is truly talented. Seeing other officials pulling strings everywhere, he feared missing an opportunity due to lack of connections and asked me to recommend him to you.”
Qin Hong stepped away, frowning.
“What’s the use of recommending him to me? Official appointments are managed by the Ministry of Personnel. I only work there—I don’t have real power.”
Yongkang replied,
“You may lack real power, but the Minister of Personnel does. As Crown Prince, if you say a word to him, will he refuse you?”
Qin Hong wanted to object again, but Yongkang’s face hardened.
“In any case, I’ve already accepted his tribute. If you don’t help me, you’ll make me lose credibility. Whose sake do you think I do this for? It’s all because you’re so timid and always anger Father. If you had half of Second Brother’s courage to make Father look at you more favorably, I wouldn’t have to tire myself seeking help for you!”
After speaking, Yongkang lay on the table and pretended to sob.
Qin Hong wanted to comfort his sister but hesitated.
After a long while, he finally walked over, struggling to speak.
“Alright, this time I’ll agree, but you must promise me never to do this again. If it happens often and Father finds out, we’ll both be scolded.”
Yongkang feigned wiping her eyes with a handkerchief and replied softly,
“Don’t worry. I know my limits—I won’t randomly place people at your side.”
Qingyang returned to the Xianfu Palace with her mother, Consort Li.
Consort Li personally wiped her daughter’s face and hands, looking at her increasingly beautiful face with worry.
“What kind of Prince Consort will our Lin’er marry in the future?”
The third son was one thing—no matter which noble lady he married, a dignified prince wouldn’t be bullied by his wife.
But daughters were different. No matter how noble their status, their strength couldn’t compare to a Prince Consort’s.
If they encountered someone willing to act out or play rough, even if the Emperor stood up for her, she’d still suffer hardships she shouldn’t have!
The Little Princess guiltily avoided her mother’s gaze.
The older she got, the more sensible she became.
Qingyang worried that if she confessed today that she liked Zhang Su, tomorrow her mother and father would suspect Zhang Su of seducing her and expel him from the palace.
“Mother, does Uncle Wang have any mistresses?”
Qingyang changed the subject.
Consort Li:
“He does. Why do you ask so suddenly?”
Qingyang replied,
“Father has five children, but Uncle Wang only has one. Seeing the contrast today made me think about it.”
Consort Li’s expression changed slightly, becoming evasive.
“They’re all low-status mistresses—none have the right to bear children for your uncle.”
Qingyang was confused.
“If adults sleep together, they have children. Why does status matter?”
Consort Li:
“If Uncle Wang doesn’t want them to have children, he can have them drink medicine that prevents it.”
The Yong Prince’s Consort was the sister of Duke Dingguo Deng Chong.
With the friendship between Deng Chong and the Emperor since childhood, even Prince Yong had to give her some respect!