Several palace servants quickly lowered their heads, appearing cautious.
Indeed, as the young lord had said, they knew very well what should and should not be said. Inside were Consort An and Princess Jinrong; their affairs were not for the servants to discuss. One wrong word could cost them their lives.
The palace servant who went to announce his arrival hurried back out, "Young Lord, Noble Consort requests your presence."
The vast palace hall was empty of any attendants, save for Madam Gu, who was by Consort An's side.
Gu Sinian first paid his respects to Consort An. She chided him, saying they were family and there was no need for such formal courtesies.
Gu Sinian replied earnestly, "Rituals must not be neglected."
With that, he looked towards Jinrong, who stood beside her.
Her lips were pursed, and her eyes were red, clearly indicating she had been crying.
"Look at yourself, where is the dignity of a royal princess? What can I say about you? If this were anyone else besides your cousin, you would be a laughingstock. What is so special about that Yan family's sixth son? You haven't even met him, and you're already infatuated? Infatuated to the point of throwing tantrums and being willful with the mother who gave birth to you?" Consort An said angrily.
Jinrong sniffled, "But I just like him."
"Like, like, do you even know what liking is? Hmm? The Yan family's sixth son already has someone he fancies. Are you going to use imperial power to force him to marry you? If it comes to that, do you think your future life will be easy? He will have to show you respect outwardly, even if he dislikes you, due to imperial authority. Jinrong, you are still young and have a long life ahead. Are you going to spend your entire life with a man who doesn't have you in his heart? You might not feel wronged, but I, your mother, feel heartbroken for you!" Consort An spoke earnestly, her self-address shifting to that of an ordinary mother.
On this matter, she was not a noble consort or a person of status, but simply a mother who doted on her daughter.
"He hadn't met me before and didn't know my good qualities. Besides, aren't most couples strangers before marriage? And don't they develop feelings for each other after marriage? Mother, I'm sure it will be the same with him," Jinrong pleaded.
"Aunt, I hadn't heard that the Yan family's sixth son had someone in his heart before," Gu Sinian frowned.
In his opinion, his cousin was at most a bit spoiled, but otherwise excellent in every way, worthy of any talented young man. Moreover, her noble status was something many people could only dream of.
Even if the Yan family's sixth son could no longer serve in court after marrying a princess, the Yan family had five other sons, and it would not affect the family's prestige. Furthermore, the Yan family would then be completely loyal to Emperor Chongwen, free from suspicion.
This was a good thing for the Yan family. When he was at the border, he had briefly mentioned this matter to the Yan family's eldest son, who was very pleased. It didn't make sense!
"Aunt, does the Yan family have any explanation?"
"The Yan family hasn't said anything, but it's rumored that the Yan family's sixth son has someone he fancies. The messenger didn't clarify the specifics."
"Your cousin's future happiness is at stake, and this cannot be taken lightly. Why don't I, your nephew, take on this matter and investigate the truth? Once I have any news, I will inform you, Aunt," Gu Sinian suggested after some thought.
Consort An glanced at her daughter, knowing her stubborn nature. Forcing her might lead to unexpected actions. She could only let Ah Nian investigate the truth for now! In any case, she would not let her daughter break up someone else's relationship. It was not only unvirtuous but also affected her daughter's lifelong happiness. She could not compromise just because of her daughter's temper.