In the floral hall of the back garden, amidst a heavy silence, Princess Anhe, Li Chanying, was already seated in the seat of honor.
Palace maids stood silently on both sides.
Their presence made the already elegant setting appear even more solemn.
Li Chanying's gaze slowly swept over the noble ladies in the hall. A perfectly measured smile played on her lips, and her voice was as clear and melodic as pearls dropping onto a jade plate. "The autumn light is lovely today, and the charm of the chrysanthemums is enduring. I invited all of you sisters here to admire them together, firstly to delight our hearts, and secondly because it is a rare opportunity for us to gather. There is no need to be formal; just treat this as an ordinary family banquet."
Her gentle words and composed demeanor fully displayed her royal upbringing.
However, deep within those smiling eyes lay a quiet, calculating scrutiny.
On the surface, her flower-viewing banquet today was for admiring chrysanthemums and tasting tea, but in reality, it was to select a primary consort for her royal brother and a husband for herself. Men and women were to be kept apart, bound by strict etiquette. Even though her brother was a prince, if he were to rashly appear among this flock of beauties, he would inevitably face impeachment.
Therefore, the candidates for her brother's primary consort ultimately had to be carefully observed and weighed by her, his younger sister, here in the back garden.
As her gaze shifted, the first person it landed on.
Was Shen Ninghuan.
The woman stood quietly by the window, wearing a pale lotus-root colored satin dress with a moon-white thin silk jacket over it. In her hair, she wore only a single pure gold hairpin inlaid with kingfisher feathers and a few autumn begonia flowers. She was as elegant and pure as a frosted magnolia on an early autumn branch.
Li Chanying sighed softly in her heart.
Shen Ninghuan, the brightest pearl in the capital city of Shengjing. She could compose poetry at seven, mastered the zither at nine, and at twelve, won the Empress Dowager's nod of approval with a rendition of Moonlit Night on the Spring River.
Her status, appearance, talent, and character were all top-notch.
She was only two years older than her royal brother. A woman two years older would know better how to care for a husband. She would have been the most suitable candidate, but it was a pity... she was already married.
And the one she married.
Was the concubine-born second branch of the Marquis of Weiyuan's estate.
Li Chanying had naturally heard about that swapped marriage scandal.
What was supposed to be a good marriage alliance between old family friends was forcibly turned into such an absurd ending, causing this bright pearl to fall into a seemingly unremarkable pile of rubble.
What a pity.
Truly a pity.
If only she could annul her marriage with the Marquis's estate, then her royal brother would have found a treasure. Li Chanying withdrew her gaze, unwilling to look any longer, looking more would only add to her regret.
Her line of sight shifted slightly, falling on the young girl in a pale yellow dress standing beside Shen Ninghuan. The girl had a round face and blinking big eyes. She was holding Shen Ninghuan's arm, whispering and laughing, her expression naive and lively.
Jiang Tian.
The only daughter of Jiang Zhiwei, the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicature and Revision. Her personality was flighty and her mind simple, which made her quite endearing.
But Li Chanying only took one look before rejecting her in her heart.
It wasn't that Jiang Tian was bad.
But rather that her royal brother, Li Chenglu, had a temperament that was far too soft and gentle.
He had lost his mother at a young age. Although he received some pity and affection from their imperial father in the palace, he had no powerful maternal family to rely on. This cultivated a personality that never fought or competed, and was even somewhat overly gentle. If such a prince were to be paired with an innocent and naive primary consort who knew nothing of the world...
She feared that in the future.
They wouldn't even be able to uphold their own princely estate.
What her royal brother needed was a princess consort who could stabilize a situation, command a room, and even... give him a push at crucial moments.
Such a figure was unlikely to emerge from a scholarly family.
She could only.
Choose from military families.
Li Chanying's fingertips unconsciously rubbed the gold-threaded peony pattern embroidered on her cuff as her thoughts raced. The legitimate daughter of the General Who Guards the North? She seemed a bit too young.
The young lady from the Marquis of Wuan's family? She heard she was arrogant and willful, likely unable to tolerate others.
The Earl of Zhongyong's estate...
She lowered her eyelids, picked up the celadon teacup beside her hand, and took a shallow sip. The tea's fragrance was clear and cool, but it could not dissolve the heavy lump of contemplation in her heart.
Her sweet and soft brother must absolutely not fall into the hands of a malicious person!
...
The waterside pavilion in the front courtyard presented an entirely different scene.
The floating wine cups had already passed three rounds. Glazed cups filled with amber osmanthus wine drifted slowly down the winding waterway. Young masters sat or stood, gathering in groups of three or five. Some played pitch-pot, some played chess, and some recited poetry. They appeared leisurely, but in reality, undercurrents were surging.
Who didn't know.
That today's flower-viewing banquet was to select a prince consort for Princess Anhe?
If one could marry the princess, they would become royal relatives, and their future prospects would be undeniable. Therefore, everyone was dressed in brocade and fine clothes. In their speech and manners, all deliberately showed off a bit of elegance and heroism.
Pei Cijing shrank into a corner.
Holding a plate of freshly served osmanthus cake in his hands, he took small bites while narrowing his eyes, observing the various expressions of the people in the venue with great interest.
Those two on the left were superficially composing linked verses, but their glances kept darting toward the seat of honor, they were waiting for the Ninth Prince to arrive, weren't they?
In the pitch-pot group on the right, that young master in blue hit three arrows in a row, winning applause from the whole room. Yet he feigned humility and waved his hand, though the smugness at the corner of his mouth could hardly be hidden.
And over at the other end of the pavilion, several scions of noble families were gathered around a painting titled Autumn Chrysanthemums, making comments and quoting classics. Their voices were louder than the last, as if afraid others wouldn't hear their brilliance.
Tsk, a wild dance of demons.
Pei Cijing muttered in his heart, picking up another piece of pastry and popping it into his mouth. It was sweet but not cloying, carrying a rich osmanthus fragrance. The cooks in the Princess's estate had good skills.
He was eating happily when suddenly...
The Ninth Prince arrives!
The eunuch's shrill announcement pierced through the noise.
The entire venue instantly fell silent.
All the young masters turned in unison, facing the entrance of the pavilion. Adjusting their clothes and putting on serious expressions, they bowed and saluted: Greetings to His Highness, the Ninth Prince.
Pei Cijing quickly stuffed the last half piece of cake into his mouth.
He wiped his hands haphazardly.
He lowered his head along with the crowd, but out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but peek upwards in curiosity.
He saw a group of people surrounding a youth.
Stepping slowly into the waterside pavilion.
The youth was about sixteen or seventeen years old. His frame had not yet fully developed and appeared slightly thin. He wore an extremely luxurious scarlet brocade robe. The robe was embroidered with intricate cloud and dragon patterns in gold thread, gleaming brilliantly in the autumn sunlight and almost blinding the eyes.
His dark hair was tied high with a gold crown, inlaid with a thumb-sized eastern pearl that shone with a lustrous glow. The jade belt at his waist and the folding fan in his hand were all exquisitely unparalleled.
However...
Pei Cijing's gaze landed on that face.
Brows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn water, and skin so fair it was almost transparent. His lips were a pale cherry pink. His facial features were as delicate as a finely drawn meticulous painting, every part perfectly placed.
He was beautiful... almost to the point of being effeminate.
Especially those eyes. The outer corners tilted slightly upwards. When he looked at people, it seemed full of tender affection, yet also careless and casual.
This...
A strange feeling welled up in Pei Cijing's heart, and he couldn't suppress it no matter how he tried.
This Ninth Prince...
Why did he look...
A bit girly?
It wasn't just that his appearance was feminine, it was common enough for men to have feminine features.
It was his entire bearing, the slight sway of his waist when he walked, the delicate fingers he inadvertently formed when holding his fan, and the few hints of... that unconsciously slipped out when his eyes shifted.
Coquettishness?
Pei Cijing shuddered, startled by his own thought. He quickly lowered his eyes, not daring to look any further, but the impression from that brief glance was deeply branded into his mind.
The Ninth Prince, Li Chenglu, had already walked to the seat of honor and sat down. The folding fan in his hand snapped open. He fanned himself gently, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips:
Please dispense with the formalities, everyone. Today the autumn air is crisp and the chrysanthemums are in full bloom. This is meant to be a joyful occasion, so there is no need to be constrained just because this prince is here. Please feel at ease.
His voice was clear and resonant, his tone soft and gentle.
Yet as he spoke, his gaze swept across the room in a seemingly casual manner, as if he were observing and filtering the crowd. He, too, had come with a mission: to select a Prince Consort for his younger sister, Princess Anhe.
He was watching.
He was observing these noble scions to see who was worthy of his only sister. The Prince Consort had to be exceptionally good-looking—with Chan Ying's stunning appearance and grace, she certainly couldn't be paired with some ugly toad.
This was a matter of the princess's dignity, as well as the prestige of the royal family.
His character couldn't be lacking, either!
That was the guarantee for a peaceful married life.
As for family background and capability...
Li Chenglu gently waved his fan, a trace of indifference flashing through his eyes.
A princess was already one of the most noble women in the world; why would she ever need to rely on her husband's family? As long as the couple got along harmoniously and shared a mutual understanding, it would be the perfect marriage.
As for whether his sister would be satisfied with his choice, he wasn't worried in the slightest. After all, he and Chan Ying were twins born to the same mother, and their taste in people was surprisingly identical.
The man he chose...
Chan Ying would most likely be satisfied with as well.
With these thoughts in mind, his gaze gradually settled on a few young lords who possessed decent reputations and outstanding looks. As for the man in the corner who was solely focused on burying his head in his pastries...
Li Chenglu's gaze swept over Pei Cijing.
He paused slightly.
The man certainly had a handsome face and a pure, unblemished aura about him, but why did he give off the distinct impression of being somewhat dim-witted?
