The Empress Dowager was displeased. Xiao Zhen's meaning was clear: he would not allow anyone to mistreat Xiao Man. Xiao Man could marry whomever she pleased, as long as she was happy. Xiao Zhen, relying on the Emperor's favor, truly held no one in awe.
"Prince of Qin, the eldest daughter of the Xiao family has fallen into a coma and it's uncertain when she will awaken. You are no longer young, you cannot possibly be without someone close to attend to you. Choose two secondary consorts first, so you won't be without someone to serve you."
"Imperial Grandmother, how can secondary consorts enter the manor before the primary consort? This is against propriety," Nangong Yu replied, setting down his wine cup.
"Her situation is special, and now she has become like this. You cannot remain unmarried and childless just because she is in a coma, can you?" the Empress Dowager said disapprovingly. "Besides, that girl has always been sensible. She surely wouldn't mind these things."
"Imperial Grandmother, you misunderstand Xiao Man. With her fearless nature, if any secondary consort dared to enter the manor before her, she would certainly not agree to the marriage. This is unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable," Nangong Yu shook his head, rejecting the idea.
"If Xiao Man disagrees to marry into the Prince of Qin's manor, what will you do?" the Empress Dowager inquired.
"This..." Nangong Yu's gaze involuntarily shifted to Xiao Man, only to find her engrossed in battling the food before her, completely oblivious to their discussion. He felt a headache coming on. "If she doesn't agree to marry into the Prince's manor, your grandson can also marry into the General's manor."
The moment the Prince of Qin finished speaking, an absolute silence fell over the imperial garden. Everyone was stunned by his words.
"Cough, cough." Xiao Man choked, patting her chest incessantly. Many eyes turned towards her. Xiao Man quickly picked up a nearby wine cup and drank three cups in a row, finally swallowing the food stuck in her throat.
The Empress Dowager glanced at Xiao Man, finding her unfamiliar, and then shifted her gaze back to the Prince of Qin. "Nonsense! A dignified prince, marrying into a general's family, how utterly improper!"
Xiao Zhen's lips twitched, then quickly returned to their usual solemn expression. The image of the Prince of Qin marrying into the General's manor was too much for him to imagine for a moment.
"Yusheng has no law that prohibits princes from marrying into other families. Furthermore, our country's history has seen princes who married for political alliances with Lan Yue," Nangong Yu said unhurriedly, his voice clear and cold, yet possessing an inexplicable charm that made others feel he was entirely correct.
Xiao Man shot Nangong Yu a glare. Was he determined to push her into the spotlight? If this news got out, what chaos would ensue?
"Fourth Brother, you claim to be deeply in love with Yongning, yet I recall that not too long ago, you were intimate with a woman from the Jianghu, and I, myself, witnessed it. Has Fourth Brother forgotten his confidante so quickly?"
The Crown Prince slowly dropped a boulder into the already turbulent waters. The matter of the Prince of Qin being intimate with a Jianghu woman was, after all, merely a rumor, something everyone had dismissed as gossip. But now, with the Crown Prince mentioning it publicly, and claiming to have witnessed it personally, it was no longer deniable.
"Oh, so Imperial Brother refers to her. She climbed into my bed while I was drunk. Does Imperial Brother wish to know her fate?" Nangong Yu asked faintly, his starry eyes filled with a chilling frost. If the Crown Prince hadn't brought it up, he had almost forgotten that this matter remained unresolved!
The Crown Prince curved his lips into a smile. That woman was his junior sister. Whether she had climbed into his bed or he had acted rashly while drunk, it did not change the fact that he had been intimate with another woman!
"Fourth Brother, even if the girl was in the wrong, you cannot be too heartless," the Crown Prince said gently. "As the saying goes, a hundred days of kindness after a single union. Moreover, that girl not only shared intimacy with Fourth Brother, but she is also Fourth Brother's junior sister. Is Fourth Brother going to ruin the girl's innocence and then disgrace her?"
Nangong Yu poured a cup of wine and downed it in one gulp. "If there are no severe punishments, then wouldn't everyone dare to climb into my bed?"
"Men, generally speaking, have three wives and four concubines. Since Fourth Brother was intimate with the girl, why not take her in?" the Crown Prince said with a smile. "On one hand, you would have someone close by, and on the other, you would gain a good reputation, wouldn't you?"
"Your subordinate is certainly not as loving as Imperial Brother the Crown Prince, with countless beauties in your manor, nor as energetic, indulging in pleasure every night," Nangong Yu said calmly.
"You..." The Crown Prince's expression changed, and he quickly glanced at the Emperor on the high seat, then withdrew his gaze, gritting his teeth. "In my humble opinion, the Prince of Qin should indeed marry soon, as he is not young. Thirteenth Brother is getting married next month. How can an elder brother not be married while his younger brother is? To avoid delaying Thirteenth Brother, Imperial Grandmother should bestow a consort upon the Prince of Qin soon." Su Dan Novel Network
Nangong Yu's expression grew cold, and a displeased aura emanated from him as he circled the wine cup with his fingertip. "I heard that Imperial Brother the Crown Prince took in a married woman, and even killed her husband to obtain her?"
As the Prince of Qin spoke, everyone looked at the Crown Prince in unison. The old Emperor sternly rebuked, "Crown Prince, is this true?"
"Slander!" the Crown Prince quickly rose. "Father Emperor, Fourth Brother is clearly slandering your son. The women in my manor are all innocent ladies of good families. They were carefully selected by the Crown Princess, noble daughters from esteemed families. How could there be a married woman? As Crown Prince, how could I possibly steal another man's wife?"
"Ning'er, you tell me, what exactly happened?"
"Replying to Father Emperor, Mother Empress, the concubines in the manor were all personally selected by me. Before entering the manor, a professional嬷嬷 (māma - elderly female attendant/confidante) conducted a physical examination. There is absolutely no truth to the Prince of Qin's claims of stealing another man's wife." Xue Ning'er harbored hatred in her heart but had to cover for the Crown Prince. They were one entity; if the Crown Prince fell, she, as the Crown Princess, would not fare well either!
"The Prince of Qin claims His Highness the Crown Prince stole another man's wife. Do you have any evidence?"
"Your subordinate merely heard about it," Nangong Yu said indifferently. "Who knew Imperial Brother the Crown Prince would react so strongly? Your subordinate almost believed it was true."
"You..."
"Enough," the Empress Dowager finally spoke. "You are all brothers. Such jokes are not to be made again, lest you damage brotherly harmony."
"Yes, Imperial Grandmother."
"However, the Prince of Qin should also have someone close by." The Empress Dowager's gaze fell upon the young ladies below. She could not push too hard, but she also could not indulge them too much.
"How about this, Lianyi, you go to the Prince of Qin's manor to attend to the Prince of Qin."
"This servant obeys."
Lianyi, a senior palace maid to the Empress Dowager, was in her early twenties, graceful and elegant. She slowly stepped out from beside the Empress Dowager, walked behind the Prince of Qin, knelt by his side, and attended to him.
"Prince of Qin, Lianyi has been by my side for many years and is quite attentive. You must treat her well." The Empress Dowager's meaning was evident. Ostensibly, she was giving a maid to Nangong Yu, but in reality, she was giving him a woman.
Nangong Yu's expression remained unchanged. "Yes, Imperial Grandmother."