Listening nearby, Song Shiyue quickly grasped the Crown Prince’s intentions based on her recent understanding of the current political situation.
He wanted both wealth and military power.
Song Shiyue glanced sideways at the Crown Prince, whose gloomy expression and sinister eyes clearly marked him as malicious.
If such a person became emperor, neither officials nor commoners would fare well in the court or beyond.
“Miss Li, why must the princess yield to that Gu woman?”
Song Shiyue’s attention was drawn by the question from behind her right side.
Yuan Sufang, a long-faced woman who believed she was speaking softly, stared at Song Shiyue’s back as she voiced her confusion.
“Miss Yuan, if I may say, having just returned to the capital and wanting to establish yourself, you should speak less and observe more. Don’t ruin things when you know nothing.”
Miss Li spoke to her discontentedly, “If you want to impress the princess, don’t drag us down without first making proper inquiries.”
“What inquiries?”
Yuan Sufang frowned slightly. Having recently returned to the capital, she had been confined at home by her grandmother to learn the manners and etiquette of noble ladies, only occasionally being taken to banquets to be introduced to various madams and noblewomen.
She had only recently been permitted to attend gatherings of young ladies with Princess Linghui and lacked sufficient knowledge of many prominent figures in the capital.
Miss Xue behind Miss Li rushed to answer, “Inquiries about whom not to provoke in the capital. Gu Da Shao is one of them.”
“Isn’t he just from a merchant family?”
“Ignorant!” Miss Xue rolled her eyes discreetly. “The Gu family is the foremost imperial merchant of Da Chu, holding more favor before the emperor than many imperial relatives.”
“More than that! The emperor’s fondness for Gu Da Shao surpasses that for many princes.”
Yuan Sufang truly hadn’t heard any of this. Her grandmother had never mentioned the Gu family to her, let alone Gu Da Shao.
Miss Li lowered her voice, “Gu Da Shao is also the man Princess Linghui wishes to marry.”
Miss Xue added, “Whether he’s married or not, the princess won’t tolerate you insulting him in her presence.”
After tonight, Yuan Sufang would likely no longer appear in the princess’s inner circle.
Thinking this, Miss Li and Miss Xue exchanged a glance, then lowered their heads to eat and drink, ignoring Yuan Sufang.
Song Shiyue tilted her head slightly and caught Yuan Sufang’s bewildered expression from the corner of her eye.
Served her right! In a place like the capital, teeming with nobility, recklessness could get one killed quickly.
If Yuan Sufang actually managed to enter the Eastern Palace, people would still respect her. But if she failed, she would struggle to find her footing in the capital.
Song Shiyue felt no sympathy for her.
Using the motion of drinking, Song Shiyue covered her face with her sleeve and scanned the people in the hall.
Her gaze caught a curious stare, and Gu Yu Chen, who was speaking with the Junior Prince, also noticed that person.
“That’s the eldest legitimate son of the Marquis of Guangping. He likely means no harm, just curiosity.”
Song Shiyue could see it too. The man noticed their gaze, raised his cup openly, then looked away.
The Junior Prince wondered, “Why has Song Zhengyi come too?”
“Shouldn’t he be here? Or is he not allowed?”
Hearing the surname Song, Song Shiyue’s heartbeat skipped.
Seeing her distraction, Gu Yu Chen knew she was thinking about her origins. “You share the same surname; there might truly be a connection. I’ll have someone investigate.”
“Thank you!”
Song Shiyue said softly, “It’s just a coincidence. The surname ‘Song’ was randomly given by the old Taoist. I don’t know my original family name.”
Her name was one she had requested her master to call her after she learned to speak—it was her name from her previous life.
Abandoned at birth, she did not know her biological father’s surname in this life, nor what name she might have been given, but she could use the name from her past life.
When her master asked why she chose this name, she said she had dreamed of it, or she could adopt her master’s surname. However, her master thought the name was fine and simply settled on it, never revealing his own surname to her.
As a result, she had called him “Master” for over a decade without knowing his name or his origins.
Gu Yu Chen nodded, “No matter what, we must investigate this.”
They had an agreement; whether out of honoring their pact or repaying a debt of gratitude, he would do his utmost to help her.
“This Song Zhengyi is a devoted son. His ailing mother has been bedridden for years, and he has been dutifully caring for her, rarely attending gatherings. He would certainly not appear in such a place.”
So that was the reason—how peculiar.
Prince Rui had approached unnoticed and interrupted their conversation.
“Yu Chen, after being away for over half a year, you return with a wife. When will you hold the wedding banquet?”
“We’ll wait for the old master to return and choose an auspicious date.”
Many nearby overheard this and glanced at the Crown Prince. Someone asked Gu Yu Chen, “Did Old Master Gu agree to the Young Master marrying a woman of unknown origins?”
A wine cup flew toward the speaker’s face, and the Crown Prince’s attendant hurriedly pulled him aside.
The cup embedded itself into the pillar behind the man without shattering.
What kind of skill was this? The crowd gasped in astonishment.
All eyes turned to the one who had thrown the cup—Song Shiyue, composed and unruffled under their scrutiny.
She spoke deliberately, “Though I am an orphan, I was raised by my master and grew up among neighbors. My background is clean and honorable.”
Her tone suddenly turned sharp, “You say I am of unknown origins? Then what about you? Where did you spring from? What right do you have to question my husband?”
“Madam, do not be angry. He is merely a petty person bullying others under someone’s influence. Let us consider the bigger picture and not stoop to his level.”
The Crown Prince’s expression was as grim as it could be.
If he were to reprimand the man, it would only reveal to everyone that the fool was his subordinate.
Gu Yu Chen would not spare him any face.
“Husband, though you come from a merchant family, the Gu family is the emperor’s appointed imperial merchant. Half of the Da Chu Kingdom’s treasury is filled by the Gu family.”
Song Shiyue scanned the room, her face flushed with anger, “One could say the Gu family supports every person present here. The fact that you are here today, eating and drinking at our expense, is only by my husband’s permission.”
This woman truly dared to speak! The crowd stared at Song Shiyue in horror—she was indeed a crude country woman, utterly reckless.
But then, Song Shiyue’s next words were even more outrageous, “You eat from the Gu family, drink from the Gu family, and yet you don’t know how to keep your mouths shut? Truly, a dog’s mouth…” cannot spit out ivory.
Gu Yu Chen had to cover her mouth—this girl would say anything without restraint.
“Madam, you have been wronged, but the Crown Prince and several princes are present here. There are plenty who will stand up for you.”
Gu Yu Chen reminded her not to truly burn bridges.
Song Shiyue immediately turned to the Crown Prince, adopting a posture of someone seeking justice after being wronged.
“Crown Prince, my marriage to my husband was arranged by our elders, with the Three Letters and Six Etiquettes, and the Marriage Certificate is registered at the Yamen. How can it be said that I am of unknown origins?”
“Madam speaks rightly. That person was spouting nonsense and causing trouble.”
Gu Yu Chen cupped his hands and bowed to the Crown Prince. “Your Highness, my wife is a commoner who saved my life, a woman from a respectable family. She must not be subjected to baseless slander. I implore Your Highness to uphold justice.”
The Crown Prince had never expected that a mere remark about the woman’s dubious origins would escalate into such a major incident.
She was forcing him to acknowledge their marriage.
How foolish! Even if he acknowledged it, he could still send other women to Gu Yu Chen’s side.
And now, to expect him to uphold justice and recognize that woman’s status? In his dreams!
“Yu Chen, I’ve heard that Old Master Gu does not approve of your marriage to this woman. Let’s wait until the old master returns and see what he thinks!”
This was the Crown Prince’s way of indicating that he, too, believed Song Shiyue to be of dubious origins.