Apologize to Song Wanchu?
There was no way!
"I'm not going!"
"If you don't go and apologize, then you'll be sent to Shu for a political marriage. You choose."
Princess Lingyang was firmly in the Crown Prince's grip.
"What's wrong with my love for Liang Yuzhou?" she tried to play the victim again and divert the topic.
The Crown Prince sneered.
"What's Wanchu's fault for being loved by Liang Yuzhou?"
"Brother Crown Prince, why are you just like Cheng Simian, using such words to retort me? You two aren't even married yet, but you've already joined hands to bully me!"
Did Simian say something similar?
It seemed that he and Simian were truly in sync.
The Crown Prince's lips curled up involuntarily.
"Lingyang, you're not the center of the world. Not everyone will revolve around you, tolerate your arrogance, and endure your willfulness. For all the harm you've done to Wanchu, Liang Yuzhou didn't hold it against you just because of me. You can only choose one between apologizing and the political marriage."
Princess Lingyang stiffened her neck and refused to yield.
She still didn't realize that Liang Yuzhou would never love her. He would never spare her a second glance in this lifetime.
That man was very narrow - minded. Wanchu alone filled his heart.
Other women were just breathing creatures in his eyes.
The Crown Prince had to make her completely give up.
"Do you know who came up with the idea of the political marriage for you?"
Princess Lingyang was taken aback.
The Crown Prince stared at her expressionlessly. "It was Liang Yuzhou. He's so annoyed with you that he can't wait to send you out of the capital!"
Unable to bear such a blow, Princess Lingyang covered her face and ran out.
The Crown Prince stopped her with a single hand. "Do you understand now? Apologize or go for the political marriage?"
...
Song Wanchu was invited to the Eastern Palace by the Crown Prince.
Princess Lingyang's eyes were red from crying. She sat beside the Crown Prince like a docile lamb.
She bit her lips almost to the point of bleeding before reluctantly saying, "Sorry."
"Insincere," the Crown Prince said like an impartial inspector.
"Sorry, Song Wanchu!"
Lingyang raised her voice, her voice full of heart - break. "I shouldn't have resented you because I loved Liang Yuzhou. I shouldn't have targeted you, threatened you, or set dogs on you. I'll never bully you again!"
Song Wanchu listened to her apology calmly.
"I won't argue with a child."
Princess Lingyang was only less than three years younger than Song Wanchu.
The word "child" made Princess Lingyang truly feel ashamed.
It turned out that all her previous actions seemed so absurd and childish in others' eyes, things only a child would do!
The Crown Prince finally saw a hint of shame on Lingyang's face.
He felt somewhat relieved.
"Alright, the carriage is ready for you. Go to the Rong's old mansion now and apologize to your sister - in - law!"
After Lingyang left, Liang Yuzhou walked out from the inner room.
The first thing he did was to pull Song Wanchu into his arms.
"Crown Prince, Lingyang only had to come to your Eastern Palace to apologize to Wanchu, but when it comes to apologizing to Miss Cheng, she has to visit in person? You're treating them differently."
The Crown Prince raised his eyebrows, looking in a good mood. "Each man should dote on his own woman."
Liang Yuzhou snorted softly and left with Song Wanchu in his arms.
...
April slipped away quietly. The peach blossoms had fallen, and the spring was waning. The thick green shade of the trees welcomed the coming of midsummer.
Cheng Simian had a rare moment of leisure today.
Nanny Qing and Aunt Fang had returned to the palace to report. She didn't have to study today and was leaning on the couch, reading an old poetry collection.
The warm wind of May blew gently, dispelling a bit of the coldness between her eyebrows.
The room was quiet. Qiluo was sitting beside her, concentrating on her embroidery.
Cheng Simian was not good at needlework. Some of the wedding handkerchiefs for her wedding with the Crown Prince were all embroidered by Qiluo.
Shuyi pushed the door open. "Miss, Steward Chen heard some news outside..."
She glanced at Qiluo.
After all, Qiluo had only been here for a short time. Although she was also a first - class maid, she was not as trusted as Shuyi, who had served Cheng Simian since childhood.
Qiluo was smart. She put down her embroidery. "Miss, I'll go and check if the sour plum soup in the kitchen is ready."
But Cheng Simian smiled. "You don't need to go. If it's ready, they'll bring it here."
It meant that Qiluo could hear any secrets.
Such trust moved Qiluo.
Shuyi's eyes were full of worry. "Miss, the Crown Prince is asking everywhere about the whereabouts of Mr. Mingxi. He's even asked at the homes of some of your former poetry friends. If this goes on, I'm afraid your identity..."
Cheng Simian put down the old book in her hand, a complex look flashing across her eyes.
She had come to the south of the Yangtze River at the age of fourteen and lived in the Cheng family's estate.
Although she was the eldest legitimate daughter, the people in the estate were snobbish. They thought she was sent here because she was out of favor in the Marquis's Mansion.
They not only didn't serve her well but also often sneered at her, saying that she ate and lived for free.
Nanny Chen and Shuyi couldn't bear such humiliation and had conflicts with the people in the estate several times.
When Cheng Simian left the Marquis's Mansion, Mrs. Rong was afraid that she would suffer, so she gave her a large sum of money.
She originally wanted to live in the estate for a few years and use the money to repay the people there.
Since they were ungrateful, Cheng Simian didn't want to waste her kindness.
She left the estate with Nanny Chen and Shuyi.
She had explored all the beautiful scenery in the south of the Yangtze River in eight years.
Mr. Mingxi was her alias and identity in the south of the Yangtze River.
After returning to the capital, she had never used the identity of Mr. Mingxi to publish any works.
In her heart, Mr. Mingxi was another her in the south of the Yangtze River, care - free, pure, and elegant.
She only belonged to the mountains and rivers in the south of the Yangtze River and shouldn't be defiled by the capital, a place full of intrigues.
The moment she decided to return for revenge, she temporarily bid farewell to the identity of Mr. Mingxi.
It was also the night before she entered the capital that she painted the "Spring in the Suburbs of the Capital". Sadly, she found that full of revenge as she was, she had lost the aura of Mr. Mingxi. The painting became vulgar and mediocre.
So Mr. Mingxi stopped writing.
Cheng Simian had made up her mind that she would consider resuming the identity of Mr. Mingxi only when she returned to the south of the Yangtze River.
She smiled calmly and picked up the old book again.
"Mr. Mingxi hasn't published any works since entering the capital. As the saying goes, it's easier to find someone with clues. The Crown Prince has no clues at all. He won't be able to find Mr. Mingxi for a while. Don't panic."
Shuyi's eyebrows relaxed a bit.
Qiluo listened attentively, lost in thought.
Nanny Chen entered the room, smiling from ear to ear. "Miss, Eunuch An from the Crown Prince is here!"
Cheng Simian quickly invited him to the main hall.
Little Anzi hadn't seen Cheng Simian for a long time and felt especially close.
"Miss, the Crown Prince has sent you rock sugar bird's nest. It's chilled with ice. He told me to be quick. If the ice melts, the taste won't be good."
A bowl of sweet rock sugar bird's nest was placed in Cheng Simian's hands.
Cheng Simian was not reserved. She invited Little Anzi to sit down and drink tea while she ate the rock sugar bird's nest with a white jade spoon.
The sweet and glutinous taste melted in her mouth, bringing a mouthful of coolness. After eating, all the summer heat in her body dissipated.
Little Anzi watched with a beaming smile.
The Crown Prince's gift of the rare summer - relieving delicacy showed his concern for her. Cheng Simian hadn't decided what to give in return for a moment.
To show her gratitude, she asked Little Anzi, "How is the Crown Prince recently? Does he have any troubles?"
Little Anzi beamed with joy. Look, Miss Cheng cared about the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince would be extremely happy if he knew.
"The Crown Prince has always been in good health. Miss, you don't have to worry. If there's a trouble, there is one."
Cheng Simian sat up straight, her expression becoming serious.
"The second prince carried Qin Xuanyan into the Chunling Villa in a small sedan chair the day before yesterday. Although she's just a concubine, the Rongxiang Duke's Mansion sent a lot of dowries. The ceremony was quite grand.
Also, a few days ago, the Chief Secretary Qin Feng recommended Marquis Dingyuan Gao Tianyu as the general to lead his 50,000 troops to clear the border and resist the raids of the Hu people. The Emperor approved it.
Today in the court, the second prince petitioned to go on the expedition as General Gao's deputy."
Cheng Simian immediately spotted the problem.
The Qin family had offended the Crown Prince and was now siding with Lu Siming.
He held great power, which was a significant hidden danger.
Lu Siming wanted to go on the expedition with his grandfather, obviously with the intention of taking over the Gao family's military power.
Fifty thousand troops were neither too many nor too few. For the Crown Prince, it was a threat.
So, what did the Crown Prince need her to do?
Cheng Simian glanced at Qiluo beside her.
She understood.
The inner courtyard of the Qin family was in a mess. It was inconvenient for the Crown Prince to interfere in women's affairs, but they had to start from the inner courtyard of the Qin family to find Qin Feng's weakness and prevent him from completely turning against the Crown Prince in the future.
After Little Anzi left, she asked Qiluo, "Do you know anything about that concubine in the Qin family who took the blame for Qin Xuanyan and was sold off?"