"Finding someone younger than her, unmarried, or even good-looking, wasn't difficult. But to find someone both accomplished in both literary and martial arts, of noble family and status, and genuinely willing, with mutual affection—wasn't this making things difficult for me?
Those few who were accomplished in both arts and had ambitions, would they be willing to become a consort? If this lass was still unmarried, it would be one thing. But she had been married before, even had a child. This fact, even if she were a princess, could not be changed. How many people would willingly marry a widow? Especially when she also demanded no concubines, and a lifelong ban on taking concubines. Even if I were to directly issue a decree for marriage, I'm not sure anyone would agree. And it has to be mutual affection. Is that even possible?"
"Mother, I'm laying my cards on the table today. I won't manage this matter anymore. From now on, she can do as she pleases. If she truly meets someone she likes, then she can figure it out herself. Don't expect me to decree a marriage for her. I don't want to decree a marriage that ends up creating enmity, making my own daughter hate me, and the one who is decreed also hate me. I truly wouldn't know how to face anyone then."
Dugu Xiao was genuinely exasperated, and thus was about to give up, declaring that she could do whatever she wanted, he wouldn't care, wouldn't bother, and would be a dog if he cared any further.
When he had chosen the Duke of Jin as the decreed consort for Dugu Luan, it was primarily because, among the ministers and nobles, only the Duke of Jin's status and position were somewhat comparable to his daughter's, and he was also a widower. He had discussed this with the Duke of Jin beforehand. Seeing the Duke of Jin's reluctance, he had promised many benefits and said many conciliatory words.
As soon as he mentioned it to Dugu Luan, she immediately refused sternly, questioned him, and argued with him. She even spoke of remaining chaste for Emperor Ling. This led to his subsequent rage and confinement.
Later, Dugu Xiao had to explain the situation to the Duke of Jin with regret. Although the Duke of Jin repeatedly said it was fine and that he was not worthy, Dugu Xiao still felt that it had affected their relationship, and his daughter was disobedient and unreasonable. He had thought of her so well, but she didn't appreciate it at all, just slapped his face and wasted his goodwill.
Yet, he didn't consider what his so-called kindness entailed. Whether his daughter was willing or happy.
As for why he didn't look for a young, handsome, and unmarried partner for his daughter, there were two main reasons. First, there truly weren't any young, handsome individuals of comparable status and family background to his daughter. Second, he himself felt that his daughter was a widow, and remarried. Thus, it was most suitable for her to be a second wife to someone else.
It was precisely because Dugu Xiao believed he was in the right that he became so angry and displeased.
"Did you listen to me just now? Why are you still talking about family background? Didn't I just say that Ah Luan specifically mentioned she didn't consider family background, and that a lower status and family background was fine? You're just not listening. Besides, we are already royalty now. What family background can compare to ours? Don't always think you are still the head of the Dugu clan. Now, our children can only marry down or be married down to. Where can we find people of equal standing for high marriages? Do you still want your daughter to marry for political alliances, marrying into other surrounding countries? Otherwise, where can we find those of equal standing?
If you don't decree a marriage, then don't. But don't stop me from issuing an imperial edict. Alright, alright, this matter is settled. Come, serve the meal. The matter is decided!"
Dugu Xiao's lack of attention undoubtedly made his mother even more displeased. Moreover, she also couldn't understand her son's so-called good intentions. Thus, she immediately reprimanded him a couple of times and then promptly ended the conversation. It also served to definitively settle the matter. It just meant that her son no longer needed to worry about it. She and her daughter-in-law would personally handle it.
Dugu Xiao thought about it and couldn't be bothered to argue with his mother over this matter. Besides, his original intention in wanting to decree a marriage for his daughter was indeed good. Since she didn't appreciate it, then it was fine if he didn't bother. Therefore, he neither refused nor objected, even nodding slightly, indicating his tacit consent to the matter.
Following this, they proceeded with the normal meal. Since this was a gathering specifically arranged by the Empress Dowager to mediate between her son and granddaughter, no one else was involved. It was just their family of five, plus Ding Yun's daughter, making a total of five people who had lunch together. It was a tense reconciliation. After the meal, the Empress Dowager and the Empress each bestowed many good things upon Ding Yun to take back. This was to show their support for Ding Yun, lest others think she had fallen out of favor and was being suppressed.
Thus, Ding Yun happily returned, laden with gifts. She continued to proceed with her plans systematically and methodically. She wouldn't stop her plans or abandon the trial of the "Eternal Emperor System" just because of these small favors. If her mother and grandmother were good to her, she would remember it. Moreover, even if she became emperor, it wouldn't affect her mother and grandmother's status. At most, her mother would be promoted to Empress Dowager, and her grandmother to Grand Empress Dowager.
With this realization, Ding Yun's last trace of hesitation completely disappeared. She then unreservedly instructed her subordinates to accelerate the relevant progress. Previously, she felt that having conflicts with the emperor made it difficult to do certain things too openly and ostentatiously. Now, while their relationship hadn't fully recovered, at least they shouldn't trouble her over trivial matters. Therefore, Ding Yun naturally had to speed up the process.
Recruiting soldiers and acquiring territory couldn't be done openly in the capital, but building workshops, researching new technologies, and opening shops to sell and earn money had nothing to avoid. If Ding Yun were a prince, people might accuse her of competing with the public for profit. But she was a princess, and it was perfectly acceptable for princesses to engage in commerce. After all, many ministers' shops and land were managed by their wives or mothers. If they were to impeach a princess for doing business, wouldn't that be inviting trouble upon themselves?
So, to a certain extent, Ding Yun's status as a princess brought her both disadvantages and conveniences. For now, as long as she was only seeking wealth, the conveniences outweighed the disadvantages. However, if she advanced to the point of wanting to be emperor, it would likely cause the entire empire to revolt. But it clearly hadn't reached that stage yet. Therefore, Ding Yun was not in a hurry at all.
Of course, while busy with these matters, Ding Yun also remembered to maintain good relations with her mother and the Empress Dowager in the palace. Now, she had no other backing. The emperor was definitely unreliable, so she could only rely on her mother and the Empress Dowager. However, she felt it wouldn't be good to be too eager. Therefore, Ding Yun set a standard for herself: to visit the palace twice a month. If the craftsmen she hired happened to develop a new product before her visit to the palace, she would bring those new products to the palace. This way, she could offer them as gifts to her mother and the Empress Dowager, and also get them to help promote them, creating a "royal exclusive" gimmick. If there were no new products, she would bring her daughter, along with some interesting small items that the palace wouldn't usually procure, to chat with them and pass the time.
Under this mode of interaction, Ding Yun truly gained a lot. Not only did her relationship with her mother and the Empress Dowager become closer, but her daughter's relationship with them also grew closer, even becoming familiar in the Weiyang Palace and Changle Palace. In addition, the sales of products such as soap, perfume, essential oils, and mirrors produced by her subsequently built workshops were astonishing. It could even be described as earning a fortune daily.
Most importantly, Ding Yun didn't have to worry about her business being unfairly taken away. As long as she guarded her secret recipes, no one would dare to forcibly seize her property. After all, if a princess couldn't even protect her own business, then the dignity of the imperial family of a nation would be too contemptible. In such a situation, Ding Yun's income was more than substantial. Not only did she recover her initial investment in a short period, but by the end of the year, she held over three million taels in cash. This was even with limited production capacity and limited sales channels, only selling in nearby prosperous areas and not being able to transport goods to the grasslands or overseas.
Originally, Ding Yun thought she could continue to develop steadily like this for another three to five years, accumulating tens of millions in assets and tens of millions of stone of grain, and then begin the next phase of her plan. However, she ultimately overlooked one point. That is, although ordinary ministers and nobles, no matter how tempted by her income, dared not act against her, in the capital, besides ministers and nobles, there were also members of the royal family. Her mother and grandmother would not act against her, but what about her brothers? Those brothers who were thinking of contending for the position of Crown Prince, desperately needing large sums of money to win over officials, were bold enough to reach out to her, their sister. Even if they didn't act, they wanted her support, not just verbal support, but financial support.
Therefore, even though Ding Yun had tried her best to report high costs and claim low profits, over time, her brothers were still tempted. They then began to plot to steal her secret recipes. That's right, the princes initially had no intention of allying with Ding Yun; they just wanted to steal her secret recipes and then secretly conduct business themselves. To earn profits.
However, because Ding Yun not only paid her artisans very high wages but also had them work in collaboration, and even included their families, relatives, and friends within their protection scope, coupled with stringent security measures in all aspects, their plans ultimately ended in failure. But at that time, Ding Yun didn't know they were trying to steal her secret recipes. She thought it was people sent by other noble families tempted by the profits. It wasn't until later, when the princes found it impossible to steal the secret recipes and began sending people to contact Ding Yun, giving gifts and exchanging pleasantries during festivals, and promising her substantial benefits if they became Crown Prince, that Ding Yun understood that some of the previous theft attempts were not entirely the work of noble families, and that her brothers were definitely involved. However, since they couldn't steal the secret recipes, they resorted to seeking cooperation with her to obtain her financial assistance.
But how was that possible! Putting aside the fact that Ding Yun herself wanted to be emperor, even if she didn't, what benefits could her brothers promise her that would impress her, given her current status? She had no shortage of money, and in fact, they wanted to cooperate with her precisely because they wanted her money. As for power... Forget them becoming Crown Prince, even if they became emperor, they could at most promote her title one more level, from Grand Princess to Grand Princess of Zhenguo. However, the difference between a Grand Princess and a Grand Princess of Zhenguo was not significant. It was just a slightly higher salary and a more pleasant-sounding title. In reality, their powers were almost identical, which was hardly impressive to Ding Yun.
Therefore, Ding Yun naturally refused directly, no matter how many people came, how many sweet words they spoke, or how many promises they made, it was a refusal, with no other possibility. Then, Ding Yun didn't rush to report them. Instead, she quietly waited for them to make a mistake, to see what they would do.
What followed was largely as Ding Yun expected. Some princes temporarily restrained themselves, feeling angry but not daring to act. However, some princes, who had the support of many ministers in court, were not as patient. They soon began to target Ding Yun's businesses. For example, deliberately ambushing transport teams and seizing products. Arson at workshops and raw material warehouses. Even spreading rumors and secretly ordering ministers who supported them not to purchase Ding Yun's goods.
As for Ding Yun, she naturally collected all the evidence, both human and material, and then donned her Grand Princess's ceremonial attire, marching with great momentum towards the Dali Temple hall with the evidence. She stated that she was the wronged party, accusing the First Prince, Second Prince, Fourth Prince, and Sixth Prince of disregarding human lives, possessing private troops acting as bandits, looting, and engaging in extortion, totaling eighteen major crimes and thirty-six minor crimes, and demanded that the Dali Temple immediately accept her case. After speaking, Ding Yun sat down there.
When the Deputy Minister of the Dali Temple and related officials reacted, such a major matter, whether it was the Grand Princess personally submitting a lawsuit or accusing four princes, was not something that the Deputy Minister of the Dali Temple could decide. Therefore, he could only offer a wry smile and apologize, stating that he dared not decide and asked Ding Yun to wait there. He would immediately go to the palace to report to His Majesty and await His Majesty's decree. Ding Yun did not make things difficult for him, waving him away. She herself continued to wait there.
Although it would have been simpler to file a direct imperial complaint, or even to go directly to the palace to report the matter, according to her estimation, if she did that, the matter might be downplayed, and at most, her brothers would apologize to her. But this was definitely not the outcome Ding Yun wanted. Ding Yun wanted to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys. She wanted them to learn a lesson, to make them not dare to think of her as easily bullied anymore. Most importantly, she didn't want to worry about these matters or interfere with her business empire. If they weren't taught a lesson this time, they would definitely continue to do so in the future. How could she develop with peace of mind? Moreover, if they continued to eye her businesses and try to take a piece of the pie, it would also be detrimental to her own secret efforts to gather forces and occupy territory in the future. Therefore, this lawsuit had to be filed. And it had to be as big as possible. It was best to make it known to everyone, so that no one could ignore it. After all, even killing the chicken to scare the monkeys required the monkeys to be present. If the monkeys were too far away and couldn't see her kill the chicken, how could she scare them!