Madam Lian turned her head in surprise, looking at Song Chaoyu who had frozen in place. She quickly said to Song Chaoyu, "Fourth girl, get up quickly! It's too impolite for you to sit like this!"
Get up—get up?
Yes, she had to get up!
Song Chaoyu took a deep breath, quickly suppressed her surprise and confusion, and accepted the scrutiny of everyone's gaze, including the Emperor and Empress.
She could feel that most people were shocked and confused.
There were also some who looked at her with ill intentions.
She could ignore those gazes, but she couldn't ignore what Mu Changxi had said.
Why her?
Why did he suddenly say this at this time?
"This is..."
Finally, Princess Tiya broke the silence in the hall, which had been lingering due to astonishment: "I only heard that Minister Song has a daughter who has already become the Princess of Ning. I never heard that he had a legitimate daughter?"
The words "legitimate daughter" might be a thorn in the eyes of others.
However, for Song Chaoyu, this was not important.
She bowed to Tiya and calmly introduced her identity: "Replying to Your Highness the Princess, this humble one is a concubine's daughter from the Song residence, ranked fourth."
"Concubine's daughter?"
This time, Tiya looked at Mu Changxi in surprise: "Why a concubine's daughter? You are the dignified Prince Chang, and you want to marry a concubine's daughter as your official wife?!"
Let alone Princess Tiya, anyone present would probably be confused.
In an instant, the previously silent main hall was like an overturned pot. Everyone was whispering to each other, creating a clamor.
But Song Chaoyu just stared at the ground before her, unable to understand why things had turned out this way.
—
After a moment of commotion, it was Lord Sha who stepped forward and asked the Emperor: "Your Majesty, this humble subject wishes to ask on behalf of our Princess. Is Prince Chang's hasty engagement to a concubine's daughter because he is unwilling to marry our Princess?"
"Your envoy misunderstands!"
The Emperor, seated above, had been watching Mu Changxi with a deep gaze.
Even now, his eyes still held some guilt towards Mu Changxi: "Prince Chang has always told me that his relationship with Princess Tiya is that of siblings, so I never thought that Princess Tiya coming for a marriage alliance was to be Prince Chang's consort. Moreover, Prince Chang has always told me that his leg... is truly unworthy of Princess Tiya. That is why I thought of letting Princess Tiya marry Prince Wen, so that they would have a harmonious union in the future."
He glanced at Song Chaoyu and continued: "As for Prince Chang's marriage to this Song family girl, although I have not yet announced it to the world, it was settled early on. However, seeing that the fourth daughter of the Song family is still young, and the Song family married off two girls this year, with only the fourth daughter remaining. The old madam's wish is to keep the fourth daughter by her side for a couple more years, which is why no imperial decree was issued for the marriage."
At least for now, the Emperor looked very kind: "I did not expect that this matter would cause your esteemed envoy and Princess to misunderstand. This is my fault, and also Prince Chang's fault. But if you do not believe it, you can ask the Imperial Concubine, ask the people in this palace, whether they all know about Prince Chang's marriage to the fourth daughter of the Song family?"
As soon as he said this, naturally the Crown Prince was the first to stand up and look apologetically at Princess Tiya and Lord Sha: "At the banquet when Prince Chang first returned to the palace, he saw the fourth daughter of the Song family save the Crown Princess. He was instantly smitten with this fourth daughter and said that the status of legitimate or concubine's daughter was not important. Since he was to marry the Princess Consort, he should marry a kind and sensible woman, and the fourth daughter is just such a person!"
As he spoke, he glanced at Prince Ning, Mu Hansu, beside him: "Prince Ning, isn't that right?"
Even though Prince Ning knew this was not the case, he couldn't say anything at this moment.
This was a matter of the Great Yue Dynasty's reputation. He could not and dared not disregard the Emperor's face, so he could only nod repeatedly: "Yes! My younger brother Prince Chang has also told me many times that no matter if the Song family girls are legitimate or concubine's daughters, they are definitely good. It's just that the fourth daughter of the Song family is still young, and the old madam is reluctant to see three girls marry consecutively, so His Majesty said to delay it a bit!"
Even though both princes had come forward to testify, Lord Sha's eyes were still filled with doubt.
Before they came to the Great Yue Dynasty, they had clearly inquired and investigated.
Therefore, among the assembled court officials, he accurately found Minister Song Yuan, who was equally surprised, and cupped his hands towards Song Yuan: "Minister Song, is this matter true?"
Song Yuan had no idea that the status of Song Chaoyu, his illegitimate daughter, could impress the dignified Prince Chang so much!
Moreover, he had been ill for a period of time and had not inquired about matters in the inner chambers.
Now he didn't know whether his heart should be overjoyed or worried.
Overjoyed that his family might actually have two princesses? This was an honor that countless residences could not even beg for!
Worried that this matter was clearly false. He feared there might be some trickery that would displease the Emperor, Empress, and even the Imperial Concubine. How could the Song family establish itself in the capital in the future?
However, despite the myriad thoughts in his heart, Song Yuan had to maintain a calm expression and answer Lord Sha: "Lord Sha, this matter is indeed true. Although our fourth girl is a concubine's daughter, she is usually very filial, sensible, and obedient. We also feel that it is truly a great honor for our fourth girl to marry Prince Chang! However, it is their young people's affairs; as long as they are happy, that is all that matters."
He spoke as if he were a loving father.
However, Song Chaoyu's heart was in turmoil, unable to settle.
In her previous life... in her previous life, she had never had such an opportunity!
She admitted that she had feelings for Han Xi.
But Mu Changxi before her... was not Han Xi!
Even though he always made her heart unsettled whenever he appeared. But marrying Han Xi and marrying Mu Changxi were two different matters.
Moreover... she was originally a concubine's daughter.
After marrying Prince Mu Changxi, who knew how others would mock him for marrying a concubine's daughter.
She didn't care, but could he truly not care?
"Alas! Forget it!"
Lord Sha saw that everyone was saying this, and finally waved his hand, looking at Princess Tiya: "It seems we were too presumptuous!"
"No, I don't believe it!"
Unexpectedly, Princess Tiya's eyes turned red in front of everyone, and then she suddenly looked at Song Chaoyu: "Brother Chang Wang, what is so good about her? I don't believe you would like her and not me!"
She pointed at Song Chaoyu: "You! Come and compete with me! If you win, I will willingly admit defeat and never pester Brother Chang Wang again!"
This Princess Tiya, as expected, still had a child's temper!
This was the main hall of the Great Yue Dynasty, and so many people were watching them.
What kind of competition could determine the winner or loser of such a matter?