Chapter 413: Chapter 240 Birthday
In the Palace of Prosperity, the Eighth Prince was reading a book. Just then, Yu Hai respectfully walked in, first making a bow to the Eighth Prince before promptly taking out a letter from his bosom and presenting it with both hands to the Eighth Prince.
The Eighth Prince put down the book in his hand, extended his hand to take the letter. He opened the envelope, took out the letter to have a look, and immediately a faintly smiling curve appeared at the corner of his mouth. Then, he held the letter to the candle flame and burned it.
Seeing the Eighth Prince’s expression was not quite right, Yu Hai, standing by, hurriedly asked with concern, "Your Highness, what’s wrong? Did something happen?"
The Eighth Prince picked up the book from the table just now and lightly tapped it on his palm.
"Marquis Xuanping and Prince Dai are more useless than I thought."
Yu Hai said from the side, "Your Highness, how could Marquis Xuanping be a match for Duke Zhen."
"I did not expect them to be so useless." The Eighth Prince’s eyes were full of ridicule, and he let out a snort of disdain, "A mere Princess Consort Ying made them powerless to retaliate."
"Your Highness, if Duke Zhen and the Crown Prince continue like this, I’m afraid Marquis Xuanping and Prince Dai..." Yu Hai spoke, a sinister expression appearing on his face, making a throat-slitting gesture with his hand, "Your Highness, why not let Princess Consort Ying put an end to Noble Princess Consort Rong..."
The Eighth Prince raised his hand to stop Yu Hai, saying, "Noble Princess Consort Rong cannot have an incident for the time being. Once she and Prince Dai completely fall out of favor, Duke Zhen will be hard to deal with."
"Then, Your Highness, do you mean," Yu Hai asked, "to let Princess Consort Ying secretly assist Noble Princess Consort Rong?"
"Princess Consort Ying and Noble Princess Consort Rong are mortal enemies; how could Princess Consort Ying help Noble Princess Consort Rong." The Eighth Prince stressed the words "mortal enemies" quite deliberately.
"But Marquis Xuanping and Prince Dai still have not taken any action. What should we do?" Yu Hai mentally despised Marquis Xuanping and Prince Dai, thinking these two truly too useless. "What on earth are they up to?"
"Isn’t Prince Dai recently worried about the issue of offspring?" The Eighth Prince tapped his palm with the book in his right hand, "Let them give that fertility remedy to Princess Consort Dai."
Yu Hai looked surprised upon hearing this.
"Your Highness, really give it?"
"Yes, isn’t Prince Dai searching everywhere for a remedy to have children? As his younger brother, I’ll fulfill his wish."
"But hadn’t you previously said to wait a bit longer?" Yu Hai continued, "After Princess Consort Dai takes that remedy, she won’t live long after giving birth; what about our plans then?"
"Wang Siqi’s sister would be suitable to become Prince Dai’s heir concubine." The Eighth Prince said with a meaningful look.
"Wang Siqi’s sister, someone from the Wang Family?" Yu Hai said in shock, "Your Highness, how is it possible for the Wang Family to agree to let Wang Siqi’s sister marry into Prince Dai Mansion? The Wang Family supports the Third Prince."
The Eighth Prince smiled with deep intent: "Once Princess Consort Dai dies, the heir concubine will undoubtedly be chosen from the Wang Family, Xun Family, or Yuan Family."
"Your Highness, do you mean once Princess Consort Dai dies, the Emperor will let Prince Dai marry someone from the Wang, Xun, or Yuan Families as Heir Princess Consort? Why is that?" Yu Hai asked, mystified, "The Wang Family supports the Third Prince, the Xun Family supports the Fifth Prince, the Yuan Family supports the Sixth Prince. Why would the Emperor let Prince Dai marry women from those families as concubines?"
"Because Father intends to deal with the aristocratic families next." The Eighth Prince laughed and said, "I’ve always thought Father would select a woman from one of those three families to grant to Prince Dai as a consort, but Father hasn’t made a move yet."
"Your Highness, isn’t it wrong? Didn’t the Emperor previously arrange for Prince Dai to marry the youngest daughter of Official Kong as a consort?" Yu Hai got confused by what the Eighth Prince said, "The Emperor never allowed Prince Dai to marry a woman from the Wang or Xun Families as a consort."
The Eighth Prince suddenly squinted, a profound light flashing in his eyes.
"No, Father might decree to grant a marriage to Prince Dai, first letting a woman from the Wang or Xun Family to be given as a consort."
Yu Hai listened, completely bewildered: "Your Highness, this servant doesn’t understand."
The Eighth Prince’s eyes suddenly shone with a sharp light, "Princess Consort Dai is pregnant, so Father has a reason to grant a marriage to Prince Dai."
"But, Your Highness, if that’s the case, we can’t guarantee that the Emperor will grant Wang Siqi’s sister to Prince Dai as a concubine, can we?" His Highness got him confused.
"Although there are many young women in the Wang, Xun, and Yuan Families, at present, only Wang Siqi’s sister has just reached marriageable age, while the girls from the Xun and Yuan Families are not yet of age; only Wang Siqi’s sister can marry Prince Dai as a concubine." The Eighth Prince lightly tapped his own forehead with the book, "I can’t believe I didn’t think of this."
"Your Highness, will the Emperor really let Prince Dai marry Wang Siqi’s sister as a concubine?" Yu Hai found the Eighth Prince’s conjecture too bizarre; he thought it unlikely.