The room was deathly silent.
Cheng Simian stared blankly at the Crown Prince.
For a person of lower status to stare at a person of higher status for a long time was extremely presumptuous and overstepping.
But she was so confused and shocked that she even forgot such basic rules.
She didn't consider herself extremely intelligent, but she wasn't stupid either. Most of the time, she could read between the lines.
During her time with the Crown Prince, she had always been able to accurately gauge his thoughts.
But this sentence from the Crown Prince not only stirred up the waters of her heart but also filled her mind with fog.
What did it mean exactly?
Should she carefully analyze the hidden meaning of this sentence or simply understand it literally?
"May I ask, Your Highness, do you want this humble girl to stay by your side because you still need me to do something for you?"
Cheng Simian had no choice but to ask.
This time, she really couldn't guess the Crown Prince's thoughts.
Surely the Crown Prince didn't keep her because he liked her?
She couldn't blindly agree or refuse.
The Crown Prince's affairs were important, and so was her happiness for the rest of her life.
After she asked this question, the atmosphere in the room turned a bit cold.
The Crown Prince showed no expression, except for a slight change in his eyes. But she couldn't discern the emotions in them.
The man opposite was as cold and towering as a mountain.
For the first time, Cheng Simian had a direct experience of a monarch's sternness and reserve.
It was a kind of aura that made one tremble with fear and reverence from the depths of their heart.
She stood still quietly and didn't ask any more questions.
The Crown Prince's eyelids fluttered slightly, covering the self - mockery in his eyes.
Suddenly, a sense of desolation welled up in him, a desolation deeper than when he was rejected by Wan Chu.
Daoist Qiu was absolutely right. As the future monarch, with boundless power came boundless loneliness.
True love was a luxury for him.
Even though he had already declared his love, the woman he fancied, who was so intelligent and perceptive, still didn't believe that his feelings for her were genuine.
Simian's question clearly showed that she regarded his confession as a political tactic.
Even if he said "I like you" to her face, Simian probably wouldn't believe it.
Would she, like Wan Chu, be unwilling and afraid to bear the love of a monarch?
After a long while, he lifted his eyelids and looked at her with calm eyes. "I need you to stay. Are you willing?"
Cheng Simian secretly heaved a sigh of relief. So the Crown Prince needed something from her.
"What does Your Highness want this humble girl to do?"
She asked seriously, like a dedicated official serving the monarch.
"I want you to be my Crown Princess."
Saying this, the Crown Prince felt ashamed of his words and actions for the first time.
He was so despicable, using his power to keep Simian.
Once, he had deeply detested Liang Yuzhou for imprisoning Wan Chu, thinking that Wan Chu was disappointed in him, and his forced retention would only deepen the estrangement and hatred between them.
And now, he was using the same method as Liang Yuzhou on a woman who was also unwilling to stay by his side.
With the mental preparation, Cheng Simian wasn't as shocked as before.
But she still felt a little stunned.
Although she had nothing to do with the crimes of the Cheng family, the fact that she had the surname Cheng couldn't be changed.
The Crown Prince had just ordered a strict investigation of the Cheng family. The fall of the Cheng family was only a matter of time.
Yet, at this critical moment, the Crown Prince wanted a daughter of the Cheng family to be his Crown Princess?
Could it be that he wanted to use her as a symbol to show the world his benevolence?
The Marquis of Wude's mansion had colluded with Lu Ningzhen and committed countless evils, but the Crown Prince was just and upright and would never implicate the innocent.
By gaining the praise of the world, he could downplay the horror of purging Lu Ningzhen's cronies and shift the focus.
Cheng Simian could imagine how explosive a topic she would become in the capital once she became the Crown Princess.
As for how miserable the Marquis of Wude's mansion was and how many of Lu Ningzhen's cronies were purged, people wouldn't care anymore.
She didn't care what others said. If becoming the Crown Princess could help the Crown Prince maintain his virtuous reputation, she was willing to take on this hot potato.
"Your Highness, this humble girl is willing."
The Crown Prince thought that Cheng Simian would need a long time to think.
But the speed at which she made her decision surprised him.
It made sense. She didn't need to hesitate for too long because in Simian's mind, being the Crown Princess had nothing to do with love.
The Crown Prince's eyes darkened.
He was glad that he hadn't blurted out the promise of making her the future queen.
Otherwise, Simian would surely have run away.
He could only take things slowly.
"Good. Go back and tell your mother. I'll go to the palace soon to ask the Emperor and the Empress for permission. Go home and wait patiently for the imperial edict conferring you as the Crown Princess."
"This humble girl thanks Your Highness for your great kindness."
Cheng Simian raised her eyes, her gaze earnest. The Crown Prince met her eyes, and his heart sank again.
He hoped that their conversation would end here.
But Cheng Simian still said, "Your Highness, this humble girl has a request. After this humble girl has fulfilled her mission as the Crown Princess, could Your Highness grant this humble girl freedom?"
She was very clear about her own position.
She was more like a mascot as the Crown Princess.
This position would surely be taken by a more suitable person in the future.
Night had fallen, and the room was dimly lit. The lanterns outside the hall were lit one by one, but none of their light reached the Crown Prince's eyes.
"I will seriously consider your request."
To Cheng Simian, this meant agreement.
The Crown Prince was always cautious in his words. This answer meant that he couldn't be sure how many years she would be the Crown Princess.
"Xiao Anzi, you go and send Miss Cheng back in person. Send Aunts Baizhi and Luocen to Miss Cheng's home to serve her."
Cheng Simian understood that assigning female officials to her was to teach her all kinds of etiquette and rules.
Although she was only a temporary Crown Princess, there couldn't be the slightest mistake in her manners.
Once she became the Crown Princess, going out meant representing the royal family.
She readily accepted.
On the way back, Cheng Simian shared a carriage with Nanny Chen and Shuyi.
Baizhi and Luocen, due to their special status, took a separate carriage.
Their young mistress had inexplicably become the Crown Princess, but Nanny Chen and Shuyi were not happy at all.
The palace was not a good place. It was a den that devoured people without spitting out the bones.
"I don't know how Madam will react when she hears this."
Nanny Chen looked worried.
"I'll explain it to mother." Cheng Simian was calm. "Mother will understand and support me. This is a debt of gratitude I owe to the Crown Prince."
After repaying this debt, she could go to the south of the Yangtze River without any burden.
"Miss, I always feel that the way the Crown Prince looks at you is a bit strange."
Shuyi was young and simple - minded. She made judgments based on her intuition. "Could it be that he's lusting after you?"
Cheng Simian laughed. "You're overthinking. The Crown Prince already has someone in his heart. No one else can ever enter it."
"The Crown Prince has someone he likes?" Shuyi was curious. "Do you know who it is, Miss?"
"It's Wan Chu."
Shuyi was shocked. "Miss Song? How is that possible? She used to be a concubine in the Duke's mansion and was a couple with Daoist Qingzhou..."
In the little girl's mind, Miss Song and Daoist Qingzhou were like a pair of immortals in love.
The Crown Prince seemed like a proper gentleman. How could he interfere in their relationship?
Cheng Simian smiled meaningfully. "I can't be wrong. The Crown Prince's eyes don't lie."
In the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince was immersed in darkness, staring blankly at the painting on the wall.
Xiao Anzi tiptoed in. "Your Highness, the person has been sent safely."
The Crown Prince's hand moved and touched the "Poetry Collection of Mingxi" on the table.
"Has there been any news from the people sent to look for Mr. Mingxi?"
Xiao Anzi said, "Just received a letter. They found Mr. Mingxi's old residence, but Mr. Mingxi left the south of the Yangtze River and headed north after the New Year. They haven't found out where he is yet."
"Keep looking. You must find Mr. Mingxi."
At first, the Crown Prince only read Mr. Mingxi's landscape poems.
Later, he read her boudoir poems and love poems.
She didn't write about flashy, vulgar, and whining love. She analyzed the relationship between men and women deeply and thoroughly.
The Crown Prince was amazed. This Mr. Mingxi not only understood the psychology of men and women but also had an insight into life.
He was eager to meet her and consult this wise elder about matters of the heart.
Although he was a future monarch, he didn't want to be alone for the rest of his life.
But how could a monarch love someone well without using his power?
He had failed once and didn't want to lose Simian.
Mr. Mingxi must have the answer for him.