The Empress looked at the name Xiao Mingche pointed to: Jiang Xuerong, the fourth daughter of Duke Jiang's household.
The Jiangguogongfu was not a bad choice. The Empress remembered that the second daughter of the Jiang family was quite outstanding, and the third and fifth daughters were also decent. As for this fourth daughter, however, the Empress truly had no impression of her.
The Empress asked Ting Xia, "Do you know anything about this fourth daughter of the Jiang family?"
Ting Xia also shook her head. "This servant has not heard of this fourth daughter of the Jiang family either, but the second daughter is truly excellent. Since they are sisters from the same family, she probably won't be too far off."
The Empress thought the same and felt somewhat reassured.
Yet she still felt that Xiao Mingche's method of selecting candidates was too hasty. Perhaps he couldn't even match the names to their faces. The Empress insisted on having Xiao Mingche choose a consort not merely to add a formal woman to his side but genuinely hoping he would devote some attention to matters between men and women.
After pondering for a moment, the Empress said, "Having gone to such great lengths today and selecting only one candidate is not ideal. Why don't you choose a few more? Since you've already chosen this way, it won't require much effort."
Xiao Mingche did not object. He simply flipped through the booklet a few more pages and casually pointed to a few more names. Impatiently, he asked, "Now, is the Queen Mother in good health?"
The Empress pursed her lips and replied, "It is only because this palace is in good health that I haven't been angered to death by you."
Xiao Mingche made to rise and leave again but was stopped once more by the Empress. "Wait a moment. You must at least decide what ranks you intend to give these people, mustn't you?"
Without turning his head, Xiao Mingche replied, "The Queen Mother may decide as she sees fit. There is no need to consult me."
Watching his retreating figure, the Empress pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head helplessly.
She looked at the names in her hand and found herself in a dilemma.
The people Xiao Mingche had selected were clearly the fourth daughter of the Jiangguogongfu, Jiang Xuerong; the eldest daughter of the Pingnanhoufu, Luo Huier; the daughter of the Ministry of Rites Vice Minister Xue Jian, Xue Rumei; and the daughter of the Imperial Guard Bureau Deputy Commander Zhao Bingyue, Zhao Qiang.
Among these, the one with the highest family status was undoubtedly the eldest daughter of the Pingnanhoufu, Luo Huier.
However, the Empress knew this Luo Huier. She was somewhat spoiled and domineering, with a rather unpleasant temper, and did not seem well-suited for Che'er.
The Empress had originally intended to select the Crown Princess this time, but none of these candidates seemed particularly suitable for the position. Moreover, since Che'er had chosen them so casually, it would be inappropriate to decide the Crown Princess's position with such haste.
After a moment of thought, the Empress instructed, "Summon someone to draft the decree. Enfeoff Luo Huier as the Crown Prince's Liangdi, and Xue Rumei, Zhao Qiang, and Jiang Xuerong as the Crown Prince's Chenghui."
A palace attendant took the decree to the side hall to announce it. Everyone waiting in the side hall rose to their feet. "It's here, it's here…"
Jiang Sixian's heart tightened with nervousness once again. She looked at the palace attendant delivering the decree, her mind stirring with waves of emotion.
She knew it—Heaven still favored her.
The palace attendant proclaimed the decree: "By the decree of Her Majesty the Empress, Luo Huier is enfeoffed as the Crown Prince's Liangdi, and Xue Rumei, Zhao Qiang, and Jiang Xuerong are enfeoffed as the Crown Prince's Chenghui. So it is decreed. Congratulations to the four noble ladies. This is a token of Her Majesty the Empress's regard."
The palace attendant presented four jade Ruyi scepters as tokens of their selection, bestowing them upon the four women.
The other three accepted them with joy and delight, but Jiang Xuerong showed no reaction.
The palace attendant urged, "Miss Jiang? Who is Miss Jiang Xuerong?"
Jiang Xuerong heard her name and snapped back to reality, only to realize everyone was staring at her.
She blinked, unsure of what had happened, and turned to Jiang Sixian beside her in confusion.
"Second Sister, what's going on?"
Jiang Sixian's face was ashen, feeling that Jiang Xuerong's words were mocking her, and she refused to say a word.
It was Jiang Lanzhi who spoke up: "Congratulations, Fourth Sister, you've been chosen."
Jiang Xuerong let out an incredulous gasp, pointing at herself: "Who? Me? Chosen?"
Was she dreaming?
Jiang Xuerong secretly pinched herself inside her sleeve, wincing from the pain—clearly, this was no dream.
She looked at the palace attendant, still somewhat disbelieving as she accepted the jade ruyi scepter. "This humble girl thanks Her Majesty the Empress for her grace."
The palace attendant, having completed her task, returned to report.
With that, today's selection came to an end, and everyone dispersed.
Jiang Xuerong held the jade ruyi scepter, bewildered as she followed Jiang Yuehua and the others back. Jiang Sixian, who never expected to be rejected, found it even harder to accept Jiang Xuerong's selection than her own failure. She had already left ahead of them.
Jiang Yuehua also found it utterly unbelievable that Jiang Xuerong could have been chosen. Envy gnawed at her—why should Jiang Xuerong be the one selected?
"Who knows what His Highness the Crown Prince was thinking, for Second Sister to be rejected," Jiang Yuehua deliberately remarked with a sarcastic tone.
Jiang Xuerong didn't catch her sarcasm and agreed, "Yes, I find it strange too. How could Second Sister be rejected, and how could I be chosen?"
Her response left Jiang Yuehua momentarily speechless, making it difficult for her to say anything more.
Though Jiang Lanzhi was also surprised, she was less aggressive and merely covered her mouth with a smile. "Perhaps Fourth Sister is just blessed with good fortune, destined for wealth and honor."
Jiang Xuerong forced a smile. "Perhaps I am just lucky."
But inwardly, she sighed, feeling troubled.
She hadn't even considered marriage yet, thinking she could wait a couple more years. Who would have thought she'd unexpectedly become a palace concubine to the Crown Prince today…
With the Empress's decree, there was no room for regret. Yet the struggles and rivalries in the imperial harem were bound to be a hundred, a thousand times more brutal than in Jiangguogongfu. The days ahead would surely be difficult.
Jiang Xuerong boarded the carriage with a heavy heart. Jiang Sixian's expression remained grim, and when she caught sight of the jade ruyi scepter in Jiang Xuerong's hand, her face turned even more sour. She coldly turned away and ordered the coachman to depart.
The atmosphere inside the carriage was icy cold throughout the journey, with no one speaking.
Jiang Sixian clenched her palms tightly, almost drawing blood.
She had waited all these years—why… why wouldn't Heaven grant her wish?
If it wouldn't grant her wish, why mock her like this?
Among her half-sisters, she had always looked down on Jiang Xuerong the most—unambitious, lazy, and gluttonous. She had always believed someone like Jiang Xuerong would end up unmarried, yet it was Jiang Xuerong who caught the eye of His Highness the Crown Prince.
How laughable!
It was nothing short of a joke!
Now, she, Jiang Sixian, had become a joke herself. Everyone knew she had admired His Highness the Crown Prince for years, finally waiting for him to choose a consort, only to be rejected…
Jiang Sixian broke a fingernail inside her sleeve, the sharp pain spreading, yet it paled in comparison to the ache in her heart.
Madam Sun had been anxiously waiting at the estate and hurried out to greet them as soon as she heard the carriage returning from the palace.
Jiang Sixian stepped down from the carriage with a pale face. Seeing her expression, Madam Sun already had a vague sense of foreboding.
"Sixian, what was the result?" Madam Sun asked cautiously.
Upon hearing the question, Jiang Sixian’s face turned three shades paler. She strode quickly through the gate of the mansion and walked away without a word.
Madam Sun hurried after her.
Jiang Xuerong and Jiang Yuehua also dispersed, each returning to their own courtyards.
Zou Ruoshui was reclining on the daybed by the window, lazily fanning herself with a round silk fan. She glanced up and saw Jiang Xuerong returning with a somewhat dejected expression.
She comforted her, "Don’t be disheartened, Rong. It’s perfectly normal for you to have been eliminated."
Jiang Xuerong placed the jade ruyi in her hand on the round table and nodded in reply. "Yes, it would have been normal for me to be eliminated. But, concubine mother, I was selected."
"What?!" Zou Ruoshui sat up in surprise, her willow-like brows furrowing as she looked at Jiang Xuerong in disbelief. "You were selected?"
Jiang Xuerong leaned over the round table, propping her chin in her hand, and nodded. "Yes, I was selected and granted the title of Chenghui for the Crown Prince."
Zou Ruoshui rose from the daybed and sat beside Jiang Xuerong. She looked at the brocade box containing the jade ruyi, carefully opened it, and saw the ruyi inside. She took a sharp breath before closing the box again.
"This doesn’t make sense. How could this happen?" Zou Ruoshui never expected Jiang Xuerong to be selected. As her birth mother, she naturally wanted to find her daughter a good marriage, but becoming a palace concubine for the Crown Prince was clearly not a favorable match for Jiang Xuerong.
Zou Ruoshui sighed along with her. "What are we to do now? How will you manage once you enter the palace?"
Though Zou Ruoshui herself lacked ambition, she still possessed some cunning and means, enough to handle Jiang Ping when necessary. But over the years, Jiang Xuerong had clearly only inherited her lack of ambition, not her cunning or resourcefulness.
Zou Ruoshui slapped her thigh in regret. "If I had known this would happen, I should have been stricter with you earlier and made you learn more!"
Jiang Xuerong: "…"
In any case, it was too late now. They couldn’t defy the imperial decree.
Mother and daughter exchanged a glance, both falling silent. Before long, they both came to terms with it.
After all, she had to marry someone eventually. It made little difference where she idled away her days.
"Enough, what’s done is done. Let’s eat first."
When Jiang Ping learned the news, he was overjoyed, grinning from ear to ear.
"I always knew our Rong’er was blessed. It doesn’t matter if she’s only a Chenghui for now. Once His Highness the Crown Prince ascends the throne, our Rong’er will surely become an Imperial Noble Consort."
Zou Ruoshui forced a smile. "Yes, our Rong’er truly is blessed."
But when Jiang Ping wasn’t around, Zou Ruoshui’s advice to Jiang Xuerong was simply: "I don’t ask for you to seek great wealth or honor, nor do I ask you to compete for favor. I only hope you stay safe and sound."
Zou Ruoshui couldn’t hide her worry about Jiang Xuerong entering the palace. She herself was already worn out living in Jiangguogongfu, let alone within the rigid confines of the imperial palace. She understood all too well how cruel the palace could be.
Her foolish daughter… who knew whether this was a blessing or a curse?
Jiang Xuerong nodded, hugged Zou Ruoshui, and nestled into her embrace, cooing, "I know, concubine mother. Don’t worry. I won’t think about competing for favor. I’ll just do my best to protect myself."
Zou Ruoshui patted Jiang Xuerong’s shoulder and lovingly pulled her into her arms.
There was still some time before the day of entering the palace. Since Zou Ruoshui had recently gained favor, Jiang Ping specially hired someone to teach Jiang Xuerong the palace etiquette and also prepared some dowry for her. Although it was not a formal marriage, everything that needed to be prepared was arranged, even more than what had been prepared for her when she was supposed to be married off.
The few people in the mansion saw this, each with their own thoughts.
Jiang Sixian, since returning from the palace that day, had been weeping almost daily. Seeing her daughter in distress, Sun Shi felt equally heartbroken but was powerless to help, only able to offer words of comfort.
As for Jiang Yuehua, she felt envious, but after a couple of days, she came to terms with it. Although she was not selected, she still had Shen Ze.
Jiang Xuerong might have the fortune of being chosen, but she might not have the fortune of gaining favor. Even if she entered the palace, without the emperor's affection, she would only waste her youth and achieve nothing. Were there not plenty of women in the palace who lacked favor?
She waited for the day when Jiang Xuerong would live in misery without any grace, while she herself would shine brilliantly as the wife of the heir to the Dingbei Marquis.