"Ah Huan is indeed as Mingzhu described."
Hearing Song Yu's words, Gu Zheng couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
Shouldn’t a normal person, upon hearing such praise for their daughter, at least modestly deflect the compliment? How could Prince Qin just... accept it outright?
"Mingzhu's victory this time proves her daily efforts haven’t been in vain." Song Shihuan's eyes sparkled with starlight. "I look forward to her performance in the championship competition."
Upon hearing this, Gu Mingzhu felt a surge of sense of mission:
"Your Highness, I’ve made thorough preparations for the championship. I, Gu Mingzhu, will always follow in your footsteps."
Her greatest demand of herself was:
She must never embarrass the princess!
Seeing this, Gu Zheng looked at Song Shihuan as if she were a living deity.
"Mingzhu’s improvement is all thanks to Your Highness’s guidance. The entire Gu Family is grateful." Gu Zheng spoke with earnest humility. "The Gu Family may not possess rare treasures, so today, I, Gu Zheng, pledge that from now on, if Your Highness ever commands, the Gu Family will go through fire and water without hesitation."
This was a public declaration of allegiance!
Yet when the news reached the ears of the court officials, not a single one thought to accuse Prince Qin of forming factions. Instead, they all marveled at how fortunate the Gu Family was.
To have bound themselves so tightly to the Qin Prince's Mansion in such a manner.
In fact, the court officials began sternly instructing their own daughters:
"You must learn from that little girl of the Gu Family. Be clever around Princess Fu'an, and strive to earn her special favor."
In an instant, Song Shihuan became the most sought-after figure among the noble ladies of the capital.
......
Ping Prince's Mansion.
"Is this the result you desperately fought for in the competition?"
Song Yanzheng’s face turned livid with rage as he raised his right hand high. "Song Xiyan, you’ve utterly disgraced the Ping Prince's Mansion and the Shen Family!"
"The Shen Family’s disgrace was brought upon by Shen Lin'er herself. What does it have to do with me?"
Song Xiyan, however, remained unruffled. "Right now, the rumors outside are mostly about how impressive Gu Mingzhu was and how pathetic Shen Lin'er performed. I was running a high fever that day, and barely anyone mentions me. So how has the Ping Prince's Mansion lost face?"
Slap!
A harsh blow landed on Song Xiyan’s cheek.
"Perhaps Eldest Brother is just worried the Shen Family will blame the Ping Prince's Mansion."
After being struck, Song Xiyan’s emotions flared. "A princely mansion, cowering before a mere noble family—even drugging me to save the Shen Family’s face! If Father were still here, he would have disowned you as an unfilial son!"
"Song Xiyan, how dare you spout such nonsense?"
The most shameful part of his heart laid bare, Song Yanzheng flew into a rage. "If we hadn’t foolishly believed you were the ‘lucky star,’ we would never have turned against Song Shihuan. Song Xiyan, you’re nothing but a calamity from start to finish!"
Hearing this, Song Xiyan’s lips curled into a mocking smile.
"Since things have come to this, if Eldest Brother wants to salvage the situation, go beg the Shen Family yourself."
Seeing her defiance, Song Yanzheng coldly declared, "From now on, the Second Princess’s allowances will be further reduced. All expenses for talent cultivation are canceled—clearly, they’re of no use anyway."
"You—!"
The once-close siblings had now become bitter enemies.
Song Xiyan stormed off, her fury with no outlet, and marched straight to Song Yanchao’s courtyard.
Moments later, agonized screams echoed from within.
......
Because of Shen Lin'er’s disgrace, Shen Pu was furious. Even Shen Hua'er’s repeated petitions to the Shen Family went unanswered.
"Yanzheng, nearly the entire court has shifted their support to the Qin Prince's Mansion. If we can’t win over the Shen Family, the Ping Prince's Mansion will never rise again."
Shen Hua'er’s words made Song Yanzheng frown deeply.
"Then what does the Princess Consort suggest we do?"
"At the very least, we must show our stance—make it clear that the Ping Prince's Mansion still values the Shen Family. If they refuse to support us, they’ll only drift further from the center of power."
As she spoke, Shen Hua'er felt utterly exhausted. Once a daughter of the Shen Family, now married into the Ping Prince's Mansion, she had to scheme against her own kin.
"You’re right."
That afternoon, Shen Hua'er and Song Yanzheng sought an audience with the Emperor.
Purple Palace Hall.
"Why are you here?" Emperor Yuanyou didn’t even look up, still engrossed in his memorials.
"Imperial Father, are you aware of the recent academy competition?" Shen Hua'er ventured cautiously.
"I am. That little troublemaker from the Gu Family defeated Xiyan and Shen Lin'er." Emperor Yuanyou rolled his eyes inwardly. With the commotion Gu Zheng had stirred, it was impossible not to know.
"Imperial Father, isn’t the Gu Family being excessively boastful?" Shen Hua'er sighed. "Xiyan is a proud child, and the Gu Family’s endless celebrations have made her ill for days."
"Moreover, the Gu Family even went to the Shen Family to provoke them... Imperial Father, if such behavior isn’t checked, given the Gu Family’s military background, they might grow arrogant with their achievements."
"Indeed, Imperial Grandfather. A mere inter-class competition has caused such a stir, and they didn’t even show proper respect to Xiyan, a royal princess..." Song Yanzheng chimed in.
Emperor Yuanyou’s smile vanished.
"Boastful?"
"Your uncle was ten times more extravagant than Gu Zheng last year."
"Should I drag him here and scold him too?"
The Emperor was displeased. What was wrong with celebrating one’s own child’s success?
"And Gu Zheng didn’t go to the Shen Family to provoke them—he went to console Shen Pu, fearing he might take it too hard. If Xiyan’s temperament is poor, that’s on you to discipline her."
Hearing this, Shen Hua'er and Song Yanzheng’s expressions froze, looking utterly ridiculous.
"As for ‘disrespecting a royal princess,’ that’s pure nonsense." Emperor Yuanyou couldn’t even bear to look at these fools. "The Gu Family knows gratitude. They even marched to the Qin Prince's Mansion to thank Ah Huan with gongs and drums. I see no issue with them."
"You’re overthinking this."
From entry to expulsion, their audience lasted barely fifteen minutes.
Standing outside the hall, Shen Hua'er and Song Yanzheng were still in shock. The Emperor’s favoritism toward the Qin Prince's Mansion was now blatant.
"Princess Consort..."
"We’ll discuss this back at the mansion."
Shen Hua'er clenched her fists inside her sleeves. What future did the Ping Prince's Mansion have...?
Upon their return, after much deliberation, Song Yanzheng finally confessed to Shen Hua'er:
"Princess Consort, there’s something I’ve kept from you."
"When Mother was pregnant with Xiyan and Ah Huan, a seer prophesied that one of them would be the Eastern Palace’s lucky star. We mistakenly thought it was Xiyan."
"But now... I believe it was Ah Huan all along."
In an instant, Shen Hua'er’s face paled.
