Jiang Qingyue stepped forward, knelt on both knees, her heart pounding so fiercely it felt like it would leap out of her throat.
“Your servant receives the decree!”
“By the mandate of heaven and the emperor’s command, it is decreed: Jiang Qingyue, daughter of Prime Minister Jiang Wenxiang, graceful and virtuous, intelligent and wise, is bestowed upon Third Prince Jing Mofeng as side consort. She shall marry two days later alongside her legitimate younger sister Jiang Qingran. So it is decreed!”
Side consort?
Jiang Qingyue seemed not to comprehend, her stunned eyes vacant and empty.
The rest of the Jiang family instantly changed expressions. Shen Ruoliu’s legs went weak, nearly collapsing to the ground.
Gao Jian spoke in a sharp voice, “Fourth Miss Jiang, receive the decree.”
“Your servant… your servant receives the decree.”
But the moment Jiang Qingyue held the imperial decree in her hands, tears instantly streamed down her face.
Jiang Wenxiang took two silver ingots and pressed them into Gao Jian’s hand.
“Eunuch Gao, why has His Majesty bestowed my fourth daughter upon the Third Prince as a side consort? Shouldn’t it be the position of principal consort?”
Gao Jian glanced at him coolly and said, “Prime Minister Jiang, are you not being foolish? The Third Prince is the most likely candidate to become the Crown Prince in the future. How could his principal consort possibly be a mere concubine-born daughter?”
Jiang Wenxiang’s mind went blank with a “boom.” “But, looking across the entire Imperial City, whose daughter could possibly surpass my Yue’er?”
Gao Jian couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “I say, Prime Minister Jiang, you favor concubines over your wife and value illegitimate children over legitimate ones, but that doesn’t mean everyone else does. Especially in the imperial family, legitimate is legitimate, and illegitimate is illegitimate. If legitimacy and illegitimacy are not distinguished, wouldn’t that lead to chaos?”
“But…”
Jiang Wenxiang still wanted to say something, but Gao Jian pressed his hand.
“Even this position of side consort was only obtained after the Third Prince endured twenty heavy strikes early on and Huang Hou Niang Niang knelt for half an hour to plead for it. A few days ago, when His Majesty bestowed a consort upon the Seventh Prince, although the decree did not mention a name, everyone knew it referred to Fourth Miss Jiang.
Once the imperial word is spoken, it cannot be changed. Fortunately, Fifth Miss Jiang shares the same birth year, month, and day as Fourth Miss Jiang. Having her marry into the Seventh Prince’s Mansion allowed this matter to be smoothly resolved. Otherwise, with the designated Wang Fei losing her chastity before marriage, Prime Minister Jiang, you would likely have been dismissed and forced into retirement. I advise you to never bring this up again.
As the saying goes, a tall tree attracts the wind. Even disregarding the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate, no family could possibly have two principal consorts for imperial princes.”
Jiang Wenxiang’s heart sank with a “thud.” How had he not considered this?
The emperor was suspicious by nature and had been gradually weakening his influence. Why would he allow his most favored daughter to become the principal consort of the most powerful prince?
It seemed that his earlier betrothal of Yue’er to the Seventh Prince had merely been taking advantage of Consort Zhao’s words to go along with the flow.
“Thank you for your guidance, Eunuch Gao. This official understands.”
“Hahaha… understanding is good. We all serve the imperial court; everything must strictly follow the emperor’s commands.”
After Gao Jian left, Jiang Qingyue slumped to the ground, weeping uncontrollably.
“Why? Father, why?
Since childhood, I have far surpassed others in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. I am equally skilled in martial arts and medicine. My appearance is outstanding, and my nature is gentle.
Where exactly am I lacking? Why did His Majesty only appoint me as the Third Prince’s side consort… sob…
I can’t accept it, Father, I can’t accept this!”
Jiang Wenxiang patted her shoulder, as if he had aged several years in an instant.
“Yue’er, as long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood. What does it matter whether you are a side consort or the principal consort? As long as Third Prince loves you enough, in the future when he becomes the crown prince and ascends the throne, won’t it just be a matter of a single command to make you empress?”
He firmly believed that his Yue’er was destined to be the mother of the nation!
Jiang Qingyue’s tears streamed down her face, her heart aching as if cut by a knife.
Side consort… side consort, wasn’t that just a concubine…
Those noble daughters from prominent families would surely mock her endlessly.
Jiang Qingran, and that bastard Zaixing Jiang Qingran!
Indeed, she was laughing!
“Jiang Qingran, are you satisfied now?”
Jiang Qingran shrugged her shoulders. “Such a trivial matter requires a wish? Anyone knows that a mere concubine-born daughter like you could never become Third Prince’s principal consort. It was just your wild fantasy, nothing but a dream. Hahaha… all of you are fools!”
Jiang Qingyue fell silent, as if suddenly remembering something.
She turned and looked reproachfully at Jiang Wenxiang. “Father, you love me and Mother so much. Why won’t you divorce your wife and elevate Mother to the principal wife? Then, wouldn’t I become a legitimate daughter?”