The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

Then he got up and called Jin Jiazhu: "Didn't my sister say she wanted to go to Delin Palace to thank the Crown Princess? I happen to be free today, so let's go to the palace together, and I'll go see my little niece too."

Jin Jiazhu was puzzled, but her intuition told her that something was amiss. She kept a watchful eye on things and said that she was getting ready. When she returned to her room to do her makeup, she said to her maid Xi'er in Korean, "When we enter Delin Palace later, find the Crown Princess's maid. I remember there is a girl named Chunyu, who has an apple-shaped face. Tell her that I'm afraid the Princess Consort of Li has bad intentions."

Xi'er quickly agreed.

After tidying up, Jin Jiazhu followed Ge Xijia into the palace.

Chapter 221 Provoking Daiyu, She Remains Calm

Seeing Ge Xijia arrive with Jin Jiazhu, Daiyu's eyelids twitched: Ge Xijia had been having a rough time lately and was in a bad mood, but suddenly she came to visit with a beaming smile. She seemed to be no ordinary person.

Ge Xijia had intended to use teasing her little niece to start a conversation, but little Princess was not in the palace; she had gone to Consort Guo's place to play with her aunt.

Although Daiyu was unaware of Ge Xijia's purpose, Chunyu had already heard the words from Jin Jiazhu's maid, Xi'er, and took the opportunity of serving tea to wink at the Crown Princess.

Daiyu knew then that her guess was correct: Ge Xijia had indeed come with ill intentions.

So Daiyu took the initiative and looked at Ge Xijia with a smile: "Sister-in-law, it's been a long time since you've been to the palace. Is there something you need today? We're sisters-in-law, so just say what's on your mind."

Ge Xijia had originally come to watch the spectacle, but before she could even speak, the Crown Princess had already taken the initiative, leaving her momentarily at a loss for words.

But giving up like that wasn't in Ge Xijia's nature. After thinking for a moment, she gave the Crown Princess a smile: "It's not that there's anything wrong, I just heard some rumors and felt I should come and let the Crown Princess know."

The phrase "rumor" is quite intriguing. Daiyu didn't respond, because she believed that Ge Xijia wouldn't be able to hold back and would continue talking.

Sure enough, seeing that Daiyu showed no curiosity, Ge Xijia's patience waned, and she adopted a pitying expression towards Daiyu: "The Crown Princess probably doesn't know yet. Originally, it should have been the Crown Prince who told the Crown Princess when he returned, but I thought that since we are sisters-in-law, it would be fine if I didn't know, but since I already know, it would be unfair not to tell the Crown Princess."

The buildup has been quite long; it must be something big, something related to Xiao Tingjun. But Daiyu remained silent, simply watching Ge Xijia.

This was the first time Jin Jiazhu had witnessed the Crown Princess's abilities: no matter what Ge Xijia said, the Crown Princess remained calm and composed, without any change in expression. She was truly worthy of being the Crown Princess. She was afraid that even if she practiced for another ten years, she might not be able to achieve this level of self-cultivation.

In contrast, Ge Xijia was completely impatient. Jin Jiazhu was truly glad she had chosen Prince Li. Even without knowing what Ge Xijia was going to say, Jin Jiazhu had a premonition that no matter what Ge Xijia said, the Crown Princess would be the one who remained calm.

"I heard that someone has submitted a memorial requesting the selection of concubines for the Crown Prince." As Ge Xijia said this, she carefully observed the Crown Princess, afraid of missing even the slightest change in the Crown Princess's expression.

Upon hearing this, the Crown Princess merely gave a faint "oh" and said nothing more, her expression remaining largely unchanged.

Everyone says the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are a loving couple, right? How could this be? Doesn't the Crown Princess care at all? Does she really not care at all?

"I should thank you for your concern, sister-in-law," Daiyu said simply. In fact, it's not that she was completely oblivious; the matter of becoming the Crown Prince's concubine had always been a major concern for Daiyu.

Even if Xiao Tingjun himself didn't want to, he was the Crown Prince. The court officials, the royal family, and even the Emperor would probably hope that the Crown Prince would have many children and much happiness, especially after Prince Li had already taken a concubine, since Prince Rui had taken a concubine even earlier.

But in front of Ge Xijia, who clearly wanted to see her make a fool of herself, Daiyu had to keep her composure.

Seeing the Crown Princess's composure, Jin Jiazhu admired her even more and quickly said, "This is a matter between the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess, and it is not something we should interfere with."

Ge Xijia had intended to provoke the Crown Princess, but seeing that she hadn't gotten the chance to make a fool of herself, she immediately became displeased. Hearing Jin Jiazhu say this, she became even more dissatisfied: "Hmph, she's supposed to be a princess of Goryeo, yet she's always trying to please the Crown Princess."

"Your Majesty, I certainly wouldn't dare to interfere. I've only come to let you know the news so that you can be mentally prepared and avoid upsetting or hurting her if the news comes too suddenly," Ge Xijia couldn't help but say sarcastically.

Jin Jiazhu was speechless. She really didn't know what the Princess Consort of Li was thinking. Why bother with this kind of verbal argument? It was all pointless.

“The matter of the Crown Prince’s concubine is not only a family matter, but also a matter of state. Therefore, the Emperor, the Empress, and the Crown Prince will never let personal matters interfere with public affairs.” Daiyu appeared calm, but her heart was in turmoil.

If a minister had indeed submitted a memorial, even if Xiao Tingjun wanted to object, he would likely have no grounds to do so.

After all, he is the crown prince.

Being a prince is difficult; being the crown prince is even more difficult. Throughout history, countless crown princes met tragic ends. Was it really because they weren't good enough? Not necessarily.

The crown prince is watched by the emperor above, by civil and military officials below, and by his brothers who are eyeing him covetously. If he makes a wrong move, he may face utter ruin.

Regardless of the minister's intentions or whether he was instructed by someone, as long as the content of the memorial was in consideration of the prosperity of the royal family, even the emperor would not be able to reject it.

Not only could they not refuse, but perhaps even the Emperor himself would think the same thing: he and Xiao Tingjun had been married for many years, and now they only had Yueyue. Even if Yueyue were a boy, it wouldn't stop the Crown Prince from taking a concubine.

Seeing that she couldn't make a fool of Daiyu at all, and instead received a righteous speech from the Crown Princess, Ge Xijia felt bored and had no desire to stay any longer, so she got up to take her leave.

Jin Jiazhu had come in with him, and not knowing what to say, she naturally got up as well.

Xueyan saw the two out and when she returned to see the Crown Princess, she found Zijuan already beside her. The two exchanged a glance and didn't know how to start the conversation.

Xueyan suddenly remembered something, so she said to Daiyu, "Your Highness, don't be sad. Last time I went out with you, when we were at the imperial palace, the Princess Consort of Rui County and the Princess Consort of Li County said some things that hurt your feelings. His Highness summoned me the next day."

Daiyu remembered that it was during the Qingming Festival when the two men came over, trying to stir up her grief and sorrow by deliberately mentioning that her parents were no longer alive and she could not pay her respects.

"At that time, His Highness told me that if Princess Rui and Princess Li came in the future, and they said anything inappropriate, the Crown Princess should not refute them directly. He told us to just refute them and say it was His Highness's idea." Xueyan thought that His Highness loved the Crown Princess very much.

Daiyu was unaware of this, and was deeply moved upon hearing it, but also felt a pang of sadness: if Xiao Tingjun had not been a prince, they could have truly been a couple for life.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Tingjun never returned, and the Empress sent someone to invite Daiyu over.

Chapter 222 The Crown Prince's Frankness Moves the Emperor

Upon receiving the memorial, the Emperor was immediately filled with emotion. Before he knew it, his second and fourth sons had both taken concubines, and the Crown Prince had been married for so many years, with Yueyue already almost four years old.

Looking back over the past few years, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are both good children, smart and responsible, capable of handling both big and small matters. However, having only one daughter is a bit too much.

After thinking for a while, the emperor summoned the crown prince and handed him the memorial, saying, "Take a look. After you've read it, let's have a good talk, father and son."

Xiao Tingjun was completely unaware of anything and was utterly confused, because judging from his father's expression, it shouldn't be anything bad, and there hadn't been any major events in the court lately.

With doubts, Xiao Tingjun opened the memorial. After reading only a few lines, he understood that the minister meant to advise him, the crown prince, to quickly select a concubine for the crown prince.

Xiao Tingjun pondered how to begin, but the Emperor spoke first: "You have been married for several years now, and I am very satisfied with both you and the Crown Princess. But you are the Crown Prince, and I think it is time to choose a consort for you."

To the emperor's surprise, the crown prince knelt down immediately. Upon seeing him kneel, the emperor's heart skipped a beat, sensing that his son intended to refuse.

Before the Crown Prince could speak, the Emperor preemptively expressed his thoughts: "I know that you and the Crown Princess are a loving couple, which is a good thing. But that doesn't prevent you from having a concubine. First of all, you are the Crown Prince, and a flourishing family is the foundation of prosperity. Secondly, your brothers have concubines, and it is only natural for the court officials to offer suggestions when you are the only one in this situation."

Xiao Tingjun's wife's face flashed before his eyes. After a moment of silence, he kowtowed and said, "Father, in addition to marrying a wife, taking concubines is mostly for the purpose of having offspring, except for those who love beauty. Now that the Crown Princess has already given birth to a daughter, a son will come sooner or later."

Looking at his son's resolute face, the emperor couldn't help but sigh: "That may be true, but as the crown prince, the matter of having offspring is not just your own business. The sex of a child is beyond human control."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Tingjun quickly replied, "Your subject is deeply grateful for the Emperor's grace in appointing me as the Crown Prince. While studying historical records, I have also often pondered the matter of the Crown Princes of past dynasties. Our dynasty draws on the strengths of various dynasties and learns from the experiences of past dynasties, establishing princes based on their virtue and ability, not on the principle of primogeniture."

These words struck a chord with the emperor, who nodded and said, “Indeed, our ancestors were wise; only the virtuous and capable are fit to rule the world! Looking at the emperors of our dynasty throughout history, none of them were the eldest sons of the legitimate wife, yet all were wise and virtuous rulers.”

"However, even so, our dynasty is still not immune to disputes among princes. The mere mention of the deposed crown prince still makes many people turn pale at the mere mention of it." Xiao Tingjun spoke frankly at this moment. The deposed crown prince was his uncle, and the emperor's brother.

The suspicion between the deposed crown prince and the retired emperor back then affected many princes, including the emperor himself.

The emperor was somewhat reluctant to discuss this matter, but now that his son brought it up, he became curious: "What do you mean by all this, and what does it have to do with your Crown Prince and Consort Liang?"

Xiao Tingjun steeled his heart: "I am foolish, but I think if we could gather the eldest son, the most virtuous son, and the most capable son into one person, wouldn't that reduce the disputes?"

Upon hearing this, the emperor fell into deep thought: Yes, the disputes among princes throughout history have always revolved around these few things: the eldest son of the legitimate wife must be virtuous and capable. Moreover, since everyone is a prince, how many of them can be the one to subdue their brothers and ministers when the Purple Star descends upon the world?

Seeing that his father seemed to be wavering, Xiao Tingjun brought up the matter of the harem: "Father is wise. Looking at the dynasties throughout history, the women in the harem have stirred up a lot of trouble in order to win favor. Even princes and princesses have died young or been crippled. It is not a good thing."

Upon hearing his son's words, the emperor immediately thought of the long-deceased Lady Qiao, Xiao Tingjun's birth mother! Back then, when Lady Qiao passed away due to illness, a knot that was difficult to untie was planted in the emperor's heart.

At the same time, another memory surfaced—of Consort Cheng. She was six months pregnant, eagerly anticipating the arrival of her daughter. However, fate cruelly cruelly intervened, and she ultimately failed to give birth. These successive misfortunes became an indelible wound in the Emperor's heart.

Therefore, even the emperor had to admit that what the crown prince said made some sense.

"No, I almost fell for your trick. I think you're too naive." After a while, the emperor realized what was happening and looked at Xiao Tingjun with a stern face.

"I see you have a lot of ideas, so kneel down for now." The emperor was actually undecided and decided to go to the empress's place.

On the way, the emperor was thinking, "The third son is the eldest son of the legitimate wife, he's good at selecting and appointing people, and he's even involved in palace intrigues. In the end, isn't he just a lovesick fool?"

Speaking of which, it was the third prince who took a liking to the Lin family's daughter and even went so far as to beg the Empress for help.

The emperor couldn't possibly know who the child resembled, and as he pondered this, he thought of the young and deceased Lady Qiao.

This child is probably just like his mother. His mother was just like that. Ever since she married him as a concubine, she has been wholeheartedly thinking about him. He remembered once when he was sick, Qiao Shi took care of him day and night without taking off her clothes, and he lost a lot of weight.

Upon arriving at the Empress's Phoenix Palace, the Emperor's mood changed somewhat. He sighed to the Empress and told her about the court officials' memorial suggesting that a concubine be chosen for the Crown Prince, and how the Crown Prince had refused.

Judging from the Emperor's tone, the Empress already knew that the Emperor did not intend to blame the Crown Prince too much, but there was some worry in his voice: the Emperor was probably worried that the court officials would not let the matter rest.

If they refuse to give up, there is one advantage: they can take the opportunity to see if anyone is up to no good.

So the empress advised the emperor: "Your Majesty, it is said that one cannot be a father-in-law if one is neither deaf nor mute. Although we are the imperial family, the same principle applies between father and son. Besides, the crown prince is still young, so why are you in such a hurry to say that there are not many offspring?"

"I am well aware of this principle, but he is the Crown Prince, the heir apparent of the country, and the opinions of the people are always there." The Emperor shook his head.

Seeing that the Emperor seemed neither very angry nor entirely angry, the Empress was unsure what to do. So she tentatively spoke up: "How about I summon the Crown Princess and ask her?"

After thinking for a while, the emperor nodded: "Alright, let's do it this way. Summon the Crown Princess and hear her opinion."

The Empress then sent someone to summon the Crown Princess.

Not long after, the Crown Princess arrived. But to the Empress's surprise, the Emperor had actually hidden behind the eight-panel carved lacquer screen inlaid with precious stones and painted with landscapes.

The Empress was puzzled and deeply shocked, but she quickly calmed down.

Chapter 223 A Meeting of Minds: Xi Jia Suffers Resentment

The Empress spoke gently, but her meaning was clear: "The court officials have submitted a memorial requesting the selection of a concubine for the Crown Prince. As the Crown Prince's wife, what do you think?"

Daiyu had already received the news from Ge Xijia, so she wasn't too surprised. Could it be that Xiao Tingjun hadn't returned for so long because he had a falling out with the Emperor?

With that thought in mind, Daiyu spoke with a touch of caution: "As the heir apparent, it is the Crown Prince's duty to have many children."

The Emperor, listening from inside, felt both pleased and displeased. But he could already hear the Crown Princess continue speaking.

"However, as a wife, I will not deceive you, Mother. As a wife, I naturally hope for a loving and harmonious marriage, where we can be together all day long." When Daiyu said this, she was somewhat unsure, but she was willing to take the risk at this moment.

The Empress couldn't help but admire the Crown Princess. She clearly didn't know the Emperor was behind the screen, yet she had the courage to speak her true thoughts. It was evident that the Crown Prince and Princess were truly loving, which stirred a sudden surge of envy within the Empress.

Although the emperor respected and protected his principal wife in every way, in terms of affection, she was probably far less loving than the crown prince and his wife: she had only been married for a little over two years when the concubine Wu entered the household, and a little over a year later, another concubine, Qiao, also entered the household.

Moreover, Lady Qiao was an exceptionally beautiful woman. Even without makeup, her face was as pure as snow and as fresh as the morning glow. She was also skilled at playing the zither. Even the Empress, who had the good fortune to hear Lady Qiao play "Yangguan Sandie," exclaimed that such a piece should only exist in heaven.

Therefore, Lady Qiao quickly gained favor, and for a time, the emperor, who was still a prince, doted on her exclusively.

Meanwhile, the Emperor behind the screen was also shocked: the Crown Princess, who usually seemed so gentle and weak, dared to speak so boldly in front of the Empress. At the same time, the Emperor also felt a complex mix of emotions: if the Crown Princess had simply continued to talk about her duties, or even generously offered to choose a concubine for the Crown Prince, the Emperor might have been displeased. After all, his son had expressed such deep affection, so the Crown Princess should reciprocate.

Otherwise, wouldn't it be just the third brother doing all the work, with only one side of the effort being put in?

But the Empress's next words caught the Emperor's attention.

"I see, Yu'er, you don't seem surprised? What? You already know about this?" The Empress hesitated for a moment before deciding to ask.

Daiyu couldn't help but look up at the Empress, feeling that the Empress seemed to have asked the question on purpose. As their eyes met, Daiyu became even more certain of her guess.

So Daiyu knew how to reply: "This morning, my fourth sister-in-law came in with her concubine. During the conversation, she brought up this matter, saying that she was afraid her daughter-in-law would worry, so she told her this so that her daughter-in-law could be mentally prepared."

Seeing that the Crown Princess was so clever and instantly understood the purpose of her question, the Empress was very pleased and nodded: "That's fine. You should know that this matter is not just between you two. It concerns the court, and I cannot make the decision on my own."