Remarrying Chun Yuan

Chapter 251 (Optional)

The Empress was in the palace at the time, listening to the message from Xia Zhi relayed by Granny Chang.

"How can all the women in the Left Chancellor's household be so vicious? Whether they enter the palace or not, they are just as wicked. The Jiang family is truly corrupt from top to bottom!"

Consort Yu was always Emperor Qi Xiao's favorite concubine, and her popularity was comparable to that of the Empress.

Because of Consort Yu's power, the Jiang family occupied many important positions, especially Consort Yu's second brother, who was stationed on the northern border and held military power.

The rest of the Jiang family members also held positions in various places. They may seem insignificant, but their intricate network of marriages made them quite influential.

Now she's even eyeing the Liu family. Jiang Yunjiao keeps making moves, trying to bring down Liu Yuechu.

"The Liu family is truly disappointing. They should have just refused the arranged marriage, yet they've been manipulated like this." Qin Mushuo was also summoned by the Empress and learned about what had happened at the Left Chancellor's residence.

The Empress rolled her eyes at him. "Consort Yu is, after all, a consort. How can she refuse a marriage decree so easily?"

"Refusal is also a way of surrendering to me. I can help them out. Now they're making a scene, neither here nor there, and they even deliberately leaked the information to the maids so they could tell the Empress Dowager. Isn't that just to get rid of the Jiang family's troubles? And they don't appreciate your help?!" Qin Mushuo was full of disdain and indifference.

Granny Chang paused for a moment, but the words she was about to say remained unspoken.

The Empress glared at him. "Surrender? Do you think the Liu family needs you, the Crown Prince? This is a good opportunity to build connections. You expect them to fawn over you?"

"Don't be fooled by the fact that the Liu family are merchants. Liu Yiren is extremely arrogant. When my younger brother wanted to marry her, she refused. She even looked down on the young master of the Duke of Jin's mansion."

"Back then, her kite-themed marriage selection caused quite a stir. She even deliberately excluded all the dukes, marquises, and earls. She just didn't want to marry into a wealthy family." The Crown Princess rarely chimed in.

She had met Pei Chun several times recently and had learned about the Liu family's affairs in detail.

Fang Ziqing chimed in, "Liu Yiren is the type who responds to kindness but not force. She never flatters anyone. When she was bullied before, she cried and made a scene in front of His Majesty. She is not a weak woman from an official's residence."

……

The Crown Prince only said one sentence, yet it attracted the ire of three women? He simply couldn't understand why the Empress valued the Liu family so much!

"Then what does Mother Empress say we should do? Should we just continue to observe? I think it's too early for me to get involved now. Being too close to the Liu family is completely unnecessary."

The Empress was truly exasperated with him. "Has there been no news of Yuan Cuo lately? Is there no word of him in the court?"

“He would submit memorials every now and then, and they were very detailed. Not only were the landscapes and scenery depicted, but even the food was recorded in great detail. He would also send people to deliver them to the palace urgently so that the Emperor and the ministers could taste them… He got a good job, using the Emperor’s name to go out and eat, drink and have fun.”

Qin Mushuo was very envious.

He sometimes felt that the title of Crown Prince was a huge burden.

The Empress couldn't help but sigh, "He really understands His Majesty so well..." Emperor Qi Xiao had longed to see what the beautiful landscape of Qi looked like all his life, otherwise he wouldn't have admired Liu Zhong's paintings so much.

"There's no time to figure out what he knows right now. What's the point of this marriage between the Liu and Jiang families? Should we get involved?" Qin Mushuo was losing patience.

The Empress was also momentarily unsure of her pulse and hesitated.

Fang Ziqing suddenly stood up and said, "I have an idea, but I don't know if I should say it."

The Empress's eyes lit up. "Go ahead," she said.

Fang Ziqing brought up Huang Wanwan, "...why not summon Liu Yuechu to the palace and let her test the waters? Even if the Empress Dowager can't do anything, at least the Liu family will know that you care about her."

"Tomorrow is the fifteenth, and His Majesty will be dining with the Empress Dowager. You might as well take this opportunity to chat with His Majesty for a bit," the Crown Princess suggested.

The Empress had no better idea and could only say, "Now that Consort Fang is familiar with the situation, please lend a hand."

Fang Ziqing immediately stepped forward, bowed, and accepted the order.

However, when she summoned Huang Wanwan to the palace to discuss this matter, Huang Wanwan refused quite decisively!

"No, I'm not going to the Liu family. What would I do if I went?"

Fang Ziqing was puzzled. "Weren't you and Liu Yuechu on very good terms, often going to her place to eat, drink, and have fun, and even running a teahouse together? Why are you suddenly unhappy?"

“Yue Niang and I are indeed very close, but the timing isn’t right.” Huang Wanwan bit her lip, wanting to avoid the question. “Anyway, it’s not appropriate for me to ask about this. You should choose someone else, like Lin Mengyu!”

"Wanwan, you're hiding something from me." Fang Ziqing and she grew up together, but it was only after entering the palace that their contact became less frequent.

Huang Wanwan was embarrassed by the question, but she didn't want to hurt Fang Ziqing. "I'm not hiding it from you. It's just that Liu Musheng is already engaged. If I go and ask, others will misunderstand and think I have some strange intentions... I want to avoid suspicion."

“Huang Wanwan, I asked you to visit Liu Yuechu, but you didn’t mention Liu Musheng at all.” Fang Ziqing grabbed her and wouldn’t let go. “You didn’t…”

"I didn't!"

"You definitely have it."

"Oh dear, he had that intention, but I didn't."

"You can't fool me. If you had no lingering feelings for Liu Musheng, you wouldn't have even mentioned avoiding suspicion." Fang Ziqing directly exposed the truth!

Huang Wanwan's face burned with embarrassment. After a long pause, she hesitated for a moment, then finally admitted to it.

"Although he's a bit of a rascal and a troublemaker, he still has a bit of manly backbone at times. At least he's not a hypocrite. You can see right through him, and he's not tiring to be around."

"It's better than my father, who's a smiling tiger and two-faced, and it's better than your family's complicated rules, where every word is spoken in a roundabout way, making life exhausting."

"So you understand, it's even more inconvenient for me to go to the Liu family now..."

"You must go!" Fang Ziqing became even more determined!

Huang Wanwan jumped up and down in a panic, "I've already told you everything, why are you still making me go?!"

"You're just going to give away your own happiness? Since you like Liu Musheng and he has feelings for you too, why don't you go and snatch him away?" Fang Ziqing said.

Huang Wanwan stared in disbelief, as if she didn't recognize Fang Ziqing. "What did you say? You actually want me to rob it? How could you say such a thing?!"

"Why not..." Fang Ziqing gave a bitter smile.

“I’ve met Liu Yuechu a few times, and I envy her. She’s choosing her own life, and whether her choice is right or wrong, it’s her own decision.”

"And you and I, no matter how good our backgrounds or how proud our personalities, are still chosen by men from among a group of women."

Fang Ziqing grabbed Huang Wanwan's hand and earnestly advised, "I did have my own selfish reasons for asking you to interfere in this marriage, because it would be a good thing for His Highness the Crown Prince."

"But it's also a great thing for you... Otherwise, you've reached the age to choose a spouse, and judging from your father's personality, he'll probably arrange a marriage of convenience for you. Your life would be just like mine now, miserable to the bone, and you wouldn't even be able to cry."