Luo Huier watched Xiao Mingche's figure disappear into the light and shadows, biting her lip before stomping her foot in frustration.
Why was The Crown Prince so heartless toward her? Wasn't it he who chose her to enter the palace? If he selected her, didn't that mean he liked her?
Luo Huier raised her eyes, still wanting to follow him inside, but was stopped by the guards at the door.
"Liangdi Luo, please stop. Without His Highness's orders, you cannot enter."
Luo Huier had no choice but to glare fiercely at the guards before angrily returning to her own quarters with the chicken soup.
Her eyes reddened as she angrily slapped the table. She had always sailed smoothly through life and had never suffered such humiliation before. Yet the one who humiliated her was none other than The Crown Prince.
The reason Luo Huier and Jiang Sixian were at odds was twofold: on one hand, Jiang Sixian was beautiful, dignified, and poised, often being compared to her; on the other hand, Luo Huier also liked The Crown Prince and viewed Jiang Sixian as a rival.
When Luo Huier learned she had been chosen, she was overjoyed, thinking she had finally won The Crown Prince's affection and surpassed Jiang Sixian.
But The Crown Prince treated her so coldly, as if she were a complete stranger…
Luo Huier sniffled, unable to hold back her tears, feeling utterly wronged.
News of Luo Huier's rejection spread throughout the Eastern Palace the very next day. For a while, everyone had their own thoughts on the matter.
Xue Rumei was naturally pleased to see Luo Huier suffer a setback, though she dared not show it openly. Instead, she adopted a more proactive approach to get closer to Xiao Mingche.
Xue Rumei had someone investigate The Crown Prince's return time and the route he would take, then waited along the way. When The Crown Prince approached, she played the qin under a tree, hoping to catch his attention.
In the end, The Crown Prince walked past without stopping, not even sparing her an extra glance.
This incident, too, quickly spread throughout the Eastern Palace.
Zhao Qiang had yet to make any moves. However, after hearing about the rejections of the other two, she went to see Jiang Xuerong.
"Sister Jiang, have you heard about what happened to Sister Luo and Sister Xue?"
Although Jiang Xuerong didn't want to hear about it, the Eastern Palace was only so big, and news inevitably reached her ears.
She could only force a smile and ask, "What about it?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Since The Crown Prince doesn't like Sister Luo or Sister Xue, could it be that he likes Sister Jiang?"
Jiang Xuerong replied, "It's also possible he likes you."
Zhao Qiang quickly waved her hands. "I know The Crown Prince couldn't possibly like me. I'm not pretty, my family background isn't high, and I have no special talents. I don't even know how I was chosen."
Jiang Xuerong said, "Actually, I don't know why I was chosen either."
Zhao Qiang said, "I know—it must be because Sister Jiang is beautiful. I think Sister Jiang is prettier than both Sister Luo and Sister Xue."
Jiang Xuerong didn't know how to respond and could only smile awkwardly. "I don't think so. Besides, The Crown Prince is definitely not that shallow."
Zhao Qiang added, "Why don't you give it a try too, Sister Jiang? Be more proactive. Maybe you'll win The Crown Prince's favor?"
Jiang Xuerong shook her head. "Let's forget it. I won't go and humiliate myself."
After Zhao Qiang left, Jiang Xuerong watched her retreating figure with suspicion. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something odd about this Zhao Qiang.
Sigh, life in the palace was indeed more scheming and treacherous than in Jiangguogongfu.
At least the scheming and infighting in Jiangguogongfu were all out in the open, but in the palace, it was impossible to tell people's true intentions.
Jiang Xuerong sighed. Well, when the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a path; when the boat reaches the bridge, it will straighten itself out naturally.
Better to focus on planting her vegetables first.
Jiang Xuerong asked Lu Rui to request a hoe from Eunuch Fu. Such a request was indeed quite odd, and when Eunuch Fu inquired about the reason, Jiang Xuerong simply said, "I wish to plant some flowers and plants in the palace. I apologize for troubling you, Eunuch."
Planting flowers and plants did not violate palace regulations, so Eunuch Fu said nothing more and had someone deliver a hoe.
Jiang Xuerong and Yin Chan spent several days using the hoe to turn over the soil in the abandoned flowerbed, refreshing it.
Next, all that was needed were seeds.
Flower seeds were available in the palace, but vegetable seeds were clearly not.
Jiang Xuerong found herself in a dilemma again, but unexpectedly, Lu Rui said, "Ah, I know a eunuch from the imperial kitchen. He's responsible for purchasing ingredients outside the palace and often helps bring small items from outside for everyone. I can ask him to bring vegetable seeds into the palace for you, Chenghui Jiang."
Jiang Xuerong clapped her hands. "That would be wonderful!"
Lu Rui said, "Just write down what kinds of seeds you need, Chenghui Jiang, and I'll go find that eunuch later."
Jiang Xuerong immediately listed several types of vegetable seeds and, reluctantly taking out a tael of silver, handed it to Lu Rui, entrusting her with the task.
The eunuch Lu Rui found turned out to be reliable, and within a few days, he delivered the seeds Jiang Xuerong needed.
Once Jiang Xuerong received the seeds, she promptly planted them in the flowerbed.
The flowerbed was quite large, so Jiang Xuerong planted flowers in one half and vegetables in the other.
She carefully tended to her vegetable plot, eagerly anticipating their growth so she could harvest them.
While she was busy with her vegetable plot, more than twenty days had unknowingly passed.
During these twenty days, The Crown Prince still had not favored anyone. The additional consorts were like four beautiful vases placed in the Eastern Palace.
Zhao Qiang had come at first, but later, perhaps realizing Jiang Xuerong truly had no interest in competing for favor, she gradually stopped visiting. When Jiang Xuerong saw Zhao Qiang again, she was already chatting and laughing alongside Xue Rumei.
This was just fine, and Jiang Xuerong wasn't surprised. She simply continued tending to her vegetables.
She also heard that during these twenty days, Luo Huier had tried every means to get close to The Crown Prince but was rejected every time. Xue Rumei had also attempted a few times, similarly without success.
Jiang Xuerong even grew somewhat curious: among the three of them, who would be the first to win The Crown Prince's favor?
Speaking of The Crown Prince, Jiang Xuerong realized that since entering the palace, she hadn't seen him even once.
Well, whether she saw him or not didn't really matter.
The Empress had been closely monitoring the movements in the Eastern Palace and finally could no longer sit still. She summoned Xiao Mingche to Fengwu Palace.
The Empress massaged her temples and said, "It seems I won't live much longer."
Xiao Mingche felt somewhat helpless. "Mother, you're talking nonsense again."
The Empress looked at Xiao Mingche and shook her head. "If you want to see your mother die, just keep refusing to favor anyone."
Xiao Mingche explained, "Your son is merely busy with political affairs and has no mind for the harem."
The Empress said, "No matter how busy you are with political affairs, can you be busier than your father? Your father visits the harem over a dozen days each month. Why can't you?"
Xiao Mingche was momentarily speechless.
Indeed, being busy with political affairs was just his excuse. These days, whenever he saw those women taking turns throwing themselves at him, he felt nothing but disgust.
The Empress continued, "Regardless, you must favor one of them tonight. If you don't, tomorrow I will select ten more young ladies from noble families to enter the palace. The choice is yours."
Ten more? Wouldn't that mean ten more sources of annoyance?
After weighing his options internally, Xiao Mingche agreed to the Empress's demand. "Mother, rest assured. Your son will certainly choose one to favor tonight."
The Empress had little faith in his words. Pointing at Ting Xia, she said, "Ting Xia, you will accompany the Crown Prince back to his palace tonight and supervise him on my behalf."
Ting Xia complied.
When they left Qiwugong, Ting Xia indeed followed Xiao Mingche back to the Eastern Palace.
Ting Xia advised, "Your Highness, please don't be angry with Her Majesty. She only has your best interests at heart. After all, you are a man. If there is no movement for too long, the officials might suspect that Your Highness… has some physical ailment, which would not be beneficial for you."
Xiao Mingche rubbed his temples, the faces of those women flashing through his mind.
The one who delivered soup was too proactive. Even without his favor, she would cling to him all day long. If he were to actually favor her, wouldn't that be even worse? It would only add to his annoyance.
Then there was the one who played the qin, who also frequently lingered around him.
Besides these two, he remembered there were two others. One often followed the qin player around, which left only one remaining.
Xiao Mingche silently calculated in his mind.
The remaining one had been in the palace for quite some time, yet he had never once seen her. She must be someone who knew her place and kept to herself.
Then let it be her.
Having made up his mind, Xiao Mingche asked Eunuch Fu, "Who is the one who hasn't shown her face before me all this time?"
Eunuch Fu thought for a moment and replied, "Your Highness, it is Jiang Chenghui."
Xiao Mingche said, "Then tonight, we shall proceed to her palace."
Eunuch Fu inwardly felt uneasy. After all, he had accepted favors from Marquis Pingnan to help Liangdi Luo gain favor. However, having served in the Eastern Palace for many years, he knew the Crown Prince's temperament well. This was absolutely not the time to speak up for Liangdi Luo. He had no choice but to send someone ahead to Mingyu Xuan to inform Jiang Chenghui to prepare quickly to attend the bedchamber.
When the messenger sent by Eunuch Fu arrived at Mingyu Xuan, the lights were already extinguished. The young eunuch hurriedly said, "The Crown Prince has summoned Jiang Chenghui for tonight. Jiang Chenghui, please prepare quickly."
Upon hearing this, Yin Chan was so overjoyed she nearly jumped. She rushed into the bedchamber and shook Jiang Xuerong awake.
"Chenghui, the Crown Prince has summoned you for tonight."
Jiang Xuerong had already gone to bed and was fast asleep. Groggily awakened by Yin Chan, she sat up in confusion.
"What? What pancake? I don't want any pancake…"
Yin Chan said urgently, "No pancake! It's the Crown Prince! The Crown Prince has summoned you for tonight! Please hurry and prepare!"
Jiang Xuerong could hardly believe her ears. Pointing at herself, she asked, "Me? Am I dreaming?"
Yin Chan had no time for further explanations. She pulled Jiang Xuerong out of bed, quickly tidied her appearance, and lit the lamps.
The Crown Prince's carriage arrived swiftly. Jiang Xuerong, still dazed, followed Yin Chan and Lu Rui to receive him.
"Your humble consort pays respects to the Crown Prince."
Jiang Xuerong kept her head lowered, seeing only a shadow fall before her. Then she heard a somewhat familiar voice say, "Rise."
It was the guard she had encountered that day.
Hmm… so he wasn't a guard, but the Crown Prince…
Jiang Xuerong rose in a daze, staring blankly at the Crown Prince.
Why would the Crown Prince summon her?
Yin Chan and Lu Rui had already tactfully withdrawn moments ago, leaving only their elongated shadows cast upon the window lattice within the hall, as the candle flame burned quietly.
Xiao Mingche slightly furrowed his brows, awaiting Jiang Xuerong’s next move.
Jiang Xuerong finally snapped back to reality, her mind still in a haze. Ah, attend the bedchamber…
She curtsied slightly, stepped forward, and began to undress Xiao Mingche.
Biting her lip, the thought “it’s over” surfaced once more.
Those books her concubine mother had given her to read last time—she hadn’t looked at them…
Surely it wouldn’t matter, would it?
Jiang Xuerong stole a glance at Xiao Mingche. The Crown Prince was so capable, surely he knew what to do, right? He wouldn’t need her to do much, would he?