When Cui Yunfeng arrived at the main courtyard, Tang Qingwan was trying on her wedding dress.
The complex layers of the Crown Princess's attire draped over Tang Qingwan, graceful and luxurious. Paired with her aloof and elegant temperament, it gave her an aura of unattainable nobility.
By now, most of the young ladies who had come to offer dowry gifts had left, and the rest had been invited to the front hall for tea, leaving only the three sisters in the room.
Cui Yunchu sat on a small stool, resting her chin in her hands as she watched Tang Qingwan in front of the bronze mirror, her narrowed eyes practically glowing with a covetous light.
The phoenix and peonies embroidered with gold thread were lifelike, shimmering and swaying with Tang Qingwan's every movement. The design alone was something no ordinary family could ever obtain.
Cousin, is this wedding dress worth a lot of money?
Cui Yunchu's eyes held nothing but a yearning for wealth.
Tang Qingwan, however, gently stroked the patterns on her sleeve. Her eyes were dark and deep, filled with a longing for power. It is just a piece of clothing. How much could it really be worth?
Cui Yunchu nodded. True. Anyone who gets to wear this dress would not care about the monetary value of a mere garment.
The entire storehouse of the Crown Prince's estate would belong to her cousin.
Cui Yunchu lowered her eyes and sighed softly, I am afraid I have no hope for such things in this lifetime.
Tang Qingwan glanced back at her, teasing, What, have you not given up yet?
Cui Yunchu curled her lips. It is not men I cannot give up on; it is power and countless riches.
Her concubine mother had said long ago that men were the most unreliable creatures. Only power and wealth held firmly in one's own hands could be trusted.
Unfortunately, none of the eligible men with power and status looked favorably upon her.
If she could wear that wedding dress, she would wake up laughing from her dreams.
Tang Qingwan gave her an amused look. You are the only one who speaks so openly and shamelessly about chasing profit.
No wonder no one fancied her; what other young lady out there was this blunt?
Men had the strongest egos. If every woman were as outspoken as Cui Yunchu, no man would dare to marry them.
Cui Yunchu was unconvinced. What is the alternative? Being as hypocritical as Liu Wanting?
Everyone knew her reasons for marrying the Crown Prince, yet she shamelessly poured her heart out to him without feeling the slightest bit of disgust.
Tang Qingwan's expression faded slightly. But men fall for that trick the most. Whether it is real or fake, as long as you act well and the man believes it, that is all that matters.
Cui Yunchu frowned, beginning to reflect on herself.
She thought her acting skills were pretty good. Why did she always end up failing?
I heard that the day you fell off the cliff, the one who fell with you was Lord Shen, who oversees the Department of Punishments?
Tang Qingwan's sudden question made Cui Yunchu freeze for a moment before she nodded. You already know.
It was not hard to find out. Tang Qingwan stood up, dragging the heavy wedding dress, and looked at Cui Yunchu. Did you two spend a day and two nights together at the bottom of the cliff?
Yeah. Cui Yunchu nodded nonchalantly, completely missing the romantic implication in Tang Qingwan's words.
Tang Qingwan's eyes flashed. In the court today, aside from the princes, Lord Shen is considered highly powerful and deeply trusted by the Emperor.
To some extent, his words carried even more weight than those of Prince An and the Crown Prince, considering the Emperor was highly guarded even against his own sons.
Cui Yunchu naturally knew this; otherwise, why would Shen Xiabai be hailed as the new noble favorite?
She nodded.
Tang Qingwan suddenly asked, Did nothing happen between you two?
Cui Yunchu was stunned. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she jumped up from her stool. Cousin, what nonsense are you saying?
She would rather marry a pig butcher in the market than ever harbor thoughts about Shen Xiabai again.
Tang Qingwan raised an eyebrow. I was just asking casually. Why are you getting so worked up?
You cannot ask, you cannot ask. Cui Yunchu waved her hands repeatedly, as if terrified someone else might hear. If this gets out, someone will die.
That bastard Shen Xiabai would definitely come after her with a sword to settle the score.
Cui Yunchu's trauma regarding this matter was deeply rooted.
Tang Qingwan asked, Are you afraid of him?
I never noticed before that there was actually someone in this world our Yunchu was afraid of, rather than them being afraid of your pestering.
Cui Yunchu looked a bit dejected. Prince An and the Crown Prince were afraid of my pestering only because they had to consider you and Yunfeng. They did not dare do anything to me. They were not actually afraid of me.
Cui Yunfeng, who had been listening to them in silence, suddenly looked up and cast a sideways glance at Cui Yunchu. So you know. No wonder you were so fearless before. I thought you were just born bold.
...
Cui Yunchu shot a glare at her. Was anyone talking to you? Go back to wallowing in your sentimental sorrow. Children should not interrupt.
Cui Yunfeng obediently lowered her head, resting her chin in her hand and resuming her silence.
Cui Yunchu said, Cousin, it is not like you do not know our family has a feud with the Shen family. He looks like he wants to strangle me to death every time he sees me. You really cannot say such things recklessly.
Tang Qingwan blinked. What did I say?
She had only made a slight guess, yet Yunchu had panicked to this extent.
Tang Qingwan's inner suspicions grew deeper, while Cui Yunchu was merely acting like someone who, having been bitten by a snake once, fears a coiled rope for ten years.
So what if there is a feud? Tang Qingwan's expression was placid. Matters of the heart are beyond one's control. Currently, the most hostile person toward our Cui family in the royal court is him. If a daughter of our Cui family could tame him, would that not be wonderfully satisfying?
Standing there with her eyes casually lowered, Tang Qingwan looked as noble as a queen of her generation, looking down upon everything in the world.
