Pei Qianhao’s gaze deepened as it landed on Pei Yaran. Upon noticing it, Pei Yaran’s heart almost leapt out of her chest, and the smile at the corners of her mouth stiffened.
Suddenly, Xie Liuli spoke up. “Prince Hao, are you perhaps talking about the young lady I met in the teahouse the other day?”
Pei Qianhao nodded. “That’s right.”
Xie Liuli let out a pleasant chuckle. “Although that young lady was a maidservant, I was very impressed by her eloquent speech, as well as the way that she held herself. If the Pei and Xie families restore their former good relations, I’ll be happy that we can become friends.”
Xie Yun’s eyes darkened. I didn’t expect that my younger sister would not only reject the marriage in public, but even go as far as to endorse Pei Qianhao marrying Su Xi-er!
Apart from being one of Beimin’s three great beauties, Xie Liuli was also known for her many talents. However, because she rarely left her boudoir, she wasn’t mentioned very often by the people of Beimin. Now that there was a young lady impressive enough to have Xie Liuli sing her praises, it made some of the ministers very curious. Some were even able to discern that the maidservant in question was the one from the Palace Side Quarters.
With everyone’s eyes on him, Pei Qianhao continued. “That woman is called Su Xi-er. The wedding will be seven days from now, and it will be the day this Prince marries my main consort.”
The words ‘main consort’ were like an enormous rock dropping on each person’s heart. Pei Yaran softly chuckled. “If this Empress Dowager didn’t remember it wrongly, Su Xi-er is from the Palace Side Quarters. Prince Hao, with this kind of status, this Empress Dowager could understand if you were taking her as a room concubine servant. However, to take her as Princess Consort Hao… This Empress Dowager hopes you can reconsider.”
With the Empress Dowager taking the lead, the officials began standing up one by one and bowing with their hands held in front of them. “We hope that Prince Hao can reconsider.”
Just as the last of them had spoken, Grand Tutor Kong stood up and bowed to all of the important figures here before speaking up. “Not long ago, this humble subject accepted Su Xi-er as my goddaughter.”
The atmosphere nearly congealed in an instant, with the courtyard immediately becoming silent enough to hear a pin drop.
Pei Yaran forcefully suppressed the fury that was wreaking havoc within her. It looks like Pei Qianhao really went to great lengths just to marry Su Xi-er while I was confined in the Compassionate Peace Palace!
After a long while, Xie Yun’s soft chuckle could be heard. “Recently, Beimin has begun to value literature, and Grand Tutor Kong’s position has since risen because of it. Since you haven’t had any children, it is indeed time for you to accept a goddaughter so that someone can take care of you in your old age. Grand Tutor Kong’s goddaughter is naturally fit to become Princess Consort Hao.”
Without waiting to see everyone’s reaction, he poured himself a cup of wine. “This Prince offers Prince Hao a toast. Congratulations for successfully obtaining the woman of your dreams.” He smiled before saying in his usual genial tone.
Pei Qianhao picked up the wine pot and filled his wine cup to the brim, using both hands to raise it up. “This Prince accepts Commandery Prince Xie’s congratulations.” He then downed the contents of the cup.
Xie Yun followed suit, but his inner thoughts were the exact opposite. Pei Qianhao is really an old and cunning fox. He had already planned to marry Su Xi-er long ago, and already begun to plan for this as soon as he returned to Beimin.
Everyone saw Pei Qianhao and Xie Yun returning to their seats before turning to look at Grand Tutor Kong’s delighted expression at accepting a goddaughter. It looks like the matter of Prince Hao marrying Su Xi-er as Princess Consort Hao is set in stone.
Pei Yaran’s hands were tightly clenched in her sleeves for a moment before she glanced at Xie Yun and relaxed. From what I know of his tactics, Su Xi-er will never become Princess Consort Hao. It’d be better for me to silently wait and bait Pei Qianhao to come into my room tonight.
