Watching the other person walk out of her courtyard like a victorious peacock, Madam Mu's face turned ashen with anger. She immediately ordered the old woman beside her to inquire about any young masters who appeared decent on the surface but were actually a mess inside, guaranteeing a life of misery for anyone who married them. She had to quickly make arrangements to marry off this stepdaughter. If she stayed in the manor any longer, Madam Mu felt she would be driven to an early grave.
Meanwhile, in the carriage, Wu Caiwei pondered his identity in this life while recalling memories of the Empress from her mind. The original host had actually met her the day after her wedding, but Xu Minghui was quite displeased with her then, so the Empress hadn't spoken to her properly either. From then on, she was confined to the back courtyard and naturally never saw her again. The next time she received news of the Empress was after she had left the courtyard, upon hearing that the Crown Prince and the Empress had fallen out.
At that time, she was already the Empress Dowager, accusing the Emperor of being unfilial, and the Emperor accused the Empress Dowager of interfering in court affairs. The two sides were in a bitter dispute. It was then that people discovered that nearly half of the court officials sided with the Empress. It turned out that the Emperor had summoned them specifically before his death and given them instructions. It was only then that everyone realized the Crown Prince was the Crown Prince because he was the Empress's stepson, and the Emperor had allowed him to ascend the throne smoothly out of respect for the Empress.
The Emperor had anticipated this day before his death and had specifically left another imperial decree. The Xu family father and son were frantic with preparations, but the original host had no way of knowing the outcome, as she didn't live to see that day.
Soon, the carriage stopped before the palace gates, and was replaced by a sedan chair. Although it was Wu Caiwei's first time entering the palace, she had lived in the imperial palace for countless years in her previous life and had been a person of high status, so she naturally felt no fear.
This caused the嬷嬷 escorting her into the palace to glance at her more than once. Wu Caiwei, as if not noticing her scrutiny, remained composed.
They soon arrived at the Empress's sleeping quarters. Recently, the Empress had been particularly attentive to any matters concerning the princes that the Emperor had assigned. She had also heard of the reputation of the eldest daughter of the Mu family, as the Xu and Mu families were about to become in-laws. She was looking forward to seeing her today.
Although the Fifth Prince had said that the other party was nothing like the rumors, the Empress did not believe him, as she felt that men and women had different perspectives when it came to judging people. But the moment Wu Caiwei walked in, the Empress did not know how to describe the shock she felt.
At that moment, she walked in from outside, appearing gentle and poised, with a radiant aura behind her. As she approached, the Empress finally got a clear look at her face. Although she was not as beautiful as Mu Fei, her bearing was, without exaggeration, unmatched by anyone in the palace to this day. Sudan Novel Network
First, she silently acknowledged her in her heart, while also feeling a sense of regret. If she hadn't been misled by her rumors and had gone along with the mistake of marrying her to her own nephew, things wouldn't have turned out this way. Of course, it was too late to say anything now.
The Empress then chatted with her about everyday matters. As they talked, they felt a sense of having known each other for a long time. No matter what she said, Wu Caiwei could respond and offer sharp insights. Such a person was too intelligent.
As soon as Wu Caiwei left, the Empress eagerly went to the Emperor to share this good news. Seeing the Empress's delighted expression, the Emperor couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Was this eldest daughter of the Mu family truly that remarkable, to have drawn all the praise from the Empress, whose expression was usually unchanging?
Just as the Empress came out from seeing the Emperor, she saw the Fifth Prince waiting by the side, fidgeting restlessly. Looking at his simple and honest demeanor, she smiled and remarked, "A fool is indeed blessed."
Xuan Yuan Xin looked at the Empress's retreating figure with confusion. When there was no one else around, his lips involuntarily curved upwards. He knew that things had likely been settled.
The palace was full of eyes and ears, and filled with astute individuals. News naturally spread. "I didn't expect this matter to actually work out. Do you think this eldest daughter of the Mu family is really that good?"
The Second Prince absentmindedly placed a white chess piece. The Third Prince, seeing that he was bound to lose this game, said with some dejection, "Who knows? We both met the eldest daughter of the Mu family back then, and there was nothing particularly remarkable about her."
"But do you really believe in so-called love at first sight? Although the Fifth Prince usually appears innocent and carefree, what child who grew up in the palace doesn't have a hundred cunning schemes? The more someone is like that, the more insidious they are. I always feel that things are not as simple as they appear on the surface," the Second Prince mused, stroking his chin.
The Third Prince and the Second Prince were full brothers. The Third Prince considered himself less intelligent than his elder brother and was content to stay behind him, offering his support.
"But the Mu family is merely a third-rank official. Although they are in-laws with the Empress, there is still the Crown Prince in between. They wouldn't support the Fifth Prince. Could you be overthinking it?"
"Let's hope so." The Third Prince's words were also something he couldn't quite figure out. Their main opponent was still the Crown Prince. As for the Fifth Prince, they would assign more people to monitor him and see what he was up to.
When the imperial decree for the Emperor's bestowed marriage arrived, the Mu family people could hardly believe what they had heard. That brat had returned that day saying the Empress had merely glanced at her and chatted with her for a few sentences before sending her back. At the time, they had been bewildered. They never expected her to be favored and made the consort of the Fifth Prince.
Although the Fifth Prince had a very slim chance of ascending the throne, he was still a prince. To become a prince's consort upon entering the manor was such a fortunate occurrence that it fell upon her. This made Madam Mu's face contort with jealousy.
It was only when Old Master Mu reacted quickly, gesturing to Madam Mu, that he stepped forward to receive the imperial decree and courteously bid farewell to the imperial envoy.
Turning around and seeing his wife's teary eyes, he knew she was thinking of their second daughter who was about to be married. He could only say it was all fate.
Upon hearing the news, Mu Fei smashed all the porcelain in her room. Her mother had already found her a suitable marriage, and they were discussing when the proposal would be made in a few days. The thought of marrying a disgusting man who loved male companions more than women excited her.
She could not bear the thought that the person she had always trampled underfoot had now soared above her. Her jealousy twisted her features beyond recognition.
"She thinks that a bestowed marriage will turn her into a phoenix flying to a higher branch? There is still a year until her wedding. If she doesn't have the fortune during this year and dies before the wedding, everyone will only say she was fated to have a meager life."
Her personal maidservant looked at her mistress's terrifying expression with trepidation. Although maids were supposed to obey their masters unconditionally, she felt that her mistress had no need to antagonize the eldest daughter, as they were both members of the Mu family. Once they left this door, they should support each other.
Having heard her mistress's true thoughts today and seeing her mistress giving her a murderous glare, she quickly knelt down to declare her resolve.
After an unknown amount of time, her mistress's gaze finally shifted away from her. She breathed a sigh of relief and struggled to get up. She knew without touching that her back was already drenched. Having such a mistress, she silently worried about her own future.