The low-key prince summons trainees from the Imperial Household Department at the start of the game.

The news that the Taibao Mansion was arranging a marriage for the Fifth Prince was like a red-hot coal.

Thrown into the lukewarm waters of the capital's officialdom, the splashes of boiling water made all sides uneasy.

The first to lose their composure was not the imperial court, but the harem.

The osmanthus flowers in Fengyi Palace were in full bloom, and their rich, sweet fragrance was carried into the main hall by the autumn wind, mingling with the scent of sandalwood and lingering under the coffered ceiling.

The Empress sat on the phoenix throne, holding a cup of rose dew in her hand, her fingertips slightly white.

The head maid, who had returned from gathering information at the Taibao Mansion, was kneeling before her, repeating Yuwen Lie's words in detail.

The Empress's face grew increasingly grim as she listened; her concern wasn't about who the Fifth Prince would marry.

The Fifth Prince's birth mother died early, and he was raised in the Grand Tutor's mansion. In terms of background, imperial favor, and power in the court, he could not compare to her Xun'er in any way.

But precisely because the Fifth Prince has nothing, he is the most useful pawn.

Yuwen Lie's move wasn't about fighting for the Fifth Prince; it was about paving the way for himself.

If the Grand Tutor's Office chooses a civil official of integrity for him, then it will be to rival the First Prince.

If you choose the military general Xun Gui, then you'll be competing with Xun Er for power in the army.

Neither situation is good for Xun'er.

After pondering for a long time, she instructed the head maid to send someone to the Grand Commandant's residence to inform the Second Prince of the news of the Grand Protector's family's marriage proposal, and to make sure he paid close attention to the recent movements of the Yuwen family.

He then sent someone to invite several of his close concubines to Fengyi Palace to admire the flowers the next day, and finally specifically instructed them to send a letter to Consort Rong at Ningcui Pavilion.

The head maid paused slightly when she heard the words "Ningcui Pavilion".

Consort Rong had been out of favor for many years and rarely attended palace banquets. The Empress never took the initiative to associate with her.

She hesitated for a moment and asked Consort Rong if she was afraid she wouldn't come, as she had always claimed to be unwell when receiving invitations over the years.

The Empress took a sip of the rose dew and said in a calm tone, "I know she won't come, but the invitation must be delivered."

"That woman from Ningcui Pavilion has been so quiet all these years, so quiet that people almost forgot she has a son."

"The Third Prince is doing very well in both the Imperial Horse Administration and the Ministry of Personnel. I heard that he recently uncovered old accounts from the Fourth Prince's residence."

"His Majesty has praised him for this several times. The fact that the Third Prince was able to rise to prominence so quickly is likely due to the guidance of Ningcui Pavilion."

"I couldn't see through Consort Rong back then, and I can see through her even less now."

"Have Granny Zhou go to the storeroom and select a few bolts of newly arrived Yun brocade. Send them to Consort Rong tomorrow, saying it's a small token of my appreciation."

The head maid bowed in agreement and withdrew from Fengyi Palace.

The next morning, as soon as the gate of Ningcui Pavilion opened, the old nanny noticed a brocade box on the stone steps at the entrance.

She bent down, picked it up, and opened it. Inside were several pieces of neatly folded brocade, made of excellent material, gleaming softly in the morning light.

There was a note at the bottom of the brocade box, with a few lines of text written by the Empress herself.

"As autumn grows cooler, I am concerned about my sister Nianrong's frail health. I am sending her a few bolts of newly arrived brocade as a token of my appreciation. I look forward to your presence at the Phoenix Palace tomorrow to admire the flowers."

The old nanny handed the invitation to Consort Rong, who sat in front of her dressing table and read it from beginning to end in the morning light.

Her face was calm as still water in the bronze mirror, with a very faint smile on her lips, but the smile had no warmth, as if it were pasted on.

"Your Majesty is very kind." She gently placed the invitation on the dressing table, her voice still gentle, without any fluctuation of emotion. "Keep the invitation safe, and put the brocade into the storeroom. There's no need to use it."

The old nanny responded and lowered her voice, saying that this was the third time the Empress had sent gifts.

Since the Fourth Prince's case was resolved, the Empress has been unusually attentive, which is probably a test of the Empress's feelings.

Consort Rong picked up a comb and slowly combed through her long hair that hung over her shoulders. Her still beautiful profile and unfathomable eyes were reflected in the bronze mirror.

She said the Empress wasn't testing her; the Empress was afraid.

She used to think that Ying'er was just another Ninth Prince, inconspicuous, insignificant, and incapable of causing any trouble.

Now that Ying'er has suddenly caught His Majesty's eye and has done a few impressive jobs in the Ministry of Personnel's Performance Evaluation Department, the Empress has begun to panic.

The empress wasn't afraid of her, but of her son.

The post was ostensibly an invitation for her to admire the flowers, but in reality, it was a message to her.

I'm still watching you; I know everything.

She gently placed the comb on the dressing table, her tone suddenly turning colder: "Lord Yuwen handled the marriage negotiations with the Grand Tutor's mansion very well."

"His Highness the Fifth Prince has reached the age to be married."

"We can take this opportunity to thoroughly investigate and eliminate those aristocratic families in the capital who are still observing the situation."

"Let's see who's still thinking about the First Prince, who's secretly trying to curry favor with the Second Prince, and who's already quietly sent their calling cards to the Grand Tutor's residence."

"Make sure Lord Yuwen remembers all the details about these people; the Third Prince will need them in the future."

The old nanny nodded in agreement, and then said that Yuwen Gong had sent a message.

After the Taibao Mansion released the news, both the First Prince and the Second Prince reacted quickly, and people from both sides inquired about what kind of in-laws the Taibao Mansion wanted to find.

Yuwen Gong meant that there was no need to respond for the time being; let them guess. The longer they guessed, the more impatient they would become, and the more impatient they would be, the more mistakes they would make.

Consort Rong nodded slightly and then instructed her to tell Duke Yuwen that there was no need to reveal too much to the Third Prince for the time being.

Let Ying'er continue to focus on her duties at the Imperial Stables; she will keep an eye on matters of state for her.

It's not too late to let Ying'er know after the marriage is settled at Taibao's residence.

Meanwhile, several concubines of lower rank were admiring the flowers and chatting by the chrysanthemum garden in the Imperial Garden.

They dared not speak ill of the court, but the news of the Grand Tutor's family discussing marriage had already spread throughout the inner palace.

Several young dignitaries were whispering amongst themselves.

Some say that it's hard for Yuwen Taibao to find a suitable daughter-in-law than for him to find a top scholar.

Someone chimed in, saying that the Fifth Prince had been raised in the Grand Tutor's residence, and the Grand Tutor was choosing a principal wife for him. From now on, the Fifth Prince would no longer be a lonely figure in the court.

Some people said that the Fifth Prince has always been rather inconspicuous, so why is the Grand Tutor suddenly making arrangements for him?

An older, beautiful woman said something meaningful.

When has the Taibao Mansion ever had an easy time? Just wait and see, once this marriage is settled, the political landscape will likely be reshuffled.

These words were overheard by Granny Zhou, who happened to be passing by the chrysanthemum garden.

She quietly made her way back to Fengyi Palace and reported the gossip in the Imperial Garden to the Empress.

The Queen was pruning a pot of black chrysanthemums. With a snip, her silver scissors cut off an extra branch. Without looking up, she simply said, "Even they can see that this game of chess is becoming more and more interesting."