Chapter 23: No Matter What, She Cannot Become the Crown Princess

Two days later, it was the Baoci Palace's Flower Viewing Banquet.

Xiao Youlan had Feihong send Nan Xueyin brand-new clothing and jewelry early on.

Recently, the spring atmosphere in Fengdu had grown thick; the clothes sent over were made a bit thinner, consisting of a white silk jacket with orange-red trim painted with vermilion birds and mandarin ducks, and a light crimson gauze skirt with precious flower patterns. The pearl hairpins were much more exquisite, including a gold comb with rubies and a small mountain-shaped hairpin with flying peacocks; one look and it was clear they were fine items.

Nan Xueyin rose before dawn, and after being attended to by Cui Mama and Linglang to get dressed, she went to the Crown Prince's bedchamber.

While dressing Xiao Youlan, Nan Xueyin said softly, "The clothes I wore when I went to the Kang Wang Mansion for the banquet last time were only worn once and are still in good condition; why did Your Highness send new ones again?"

Xiao Youlan glanced sideways, "You don't like them?"

Nan Xueyin said, "I just feel it is a bit wasteful."

She had repeatedly heard that the current Crown Prince was incorruptible; the Crown Prince must love to hear such words.

Sure enough, Xiao Youlan laughed, "It is only two sets of clothes and a few accessories; it is what you deserve for serving me."

His gaze landed on her, "Besides, they suit you very well. You look very beautiful wearing them."

Nan Xueyin's eyes softened, "As long as Your Highness likes them."

In Great Ye, there was not a morning court session every day, so today there was leisure time.

Nan Xueyin followed Xiao Youlan to Baoci Palace; they calculated that they had arrived early, yet noble ladies were already waiting in the courtyard.

They were well-acquainted with Dou Fangchun and were huddled together chatting and laughing; once the Crown Prince arrived, they stood up in unison to salute, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

The Crown Prince was incomparably handsome, possessed a noble status, and kept himself pure; he could be called the dream lover of thousands of young girls in Fengdu. Seeing him in person now, everyone felt as if a beautiful dream had come true, and the more timid noble ladies had already blushed.

Xiao Youlan nodded to them and led Nan Xueyin straight toward the main hall to pay his respects to Zong Taihou first.

Nan Xueyin had sharp hearing and heard a female voice ask from afar: "Who is that beside the Crown Prince? Looking at her attire, it is not common; could it be that some young lady has gained the upper hand and won the Crown Prince's favor?"

Dou Fangchun sneered, "Sister Yan, what are you saying? She is no young lady from a noble family; she is just a girl from the countryside sold into the palace by her father and brother. Last month, didn't the Emperor send several palace maids to the Eastern Palace? She is one of them, called Doukou."

Nan Xueyin walked further away, and she could no longer hear what followed.

Dou Fangchun also knew this point and continued, "When the Crown Prince meets her, it is as if he has been fed a love potion; he rewards her with all sorts of good things and keeps her by his side every day, unable to do without her."

Yan Zhirong, who had asked the question earlier, was intrigued, "The Crown Prince is famously cold and self-restrained, keeping away from women; why is he willing to indulge her?"

A noble lady nearby with curved willow-leaf eyebrows covered her mouth and chuckled: "Sister Yan doesn't know? These palace maids were specifically taught seduction arts; she must have some extraordinary skills in bed."

Another with an egg-shaped face said with a hint of sarcasm, "She is just serving others with her beauty, a thing that cannot be brought into polite society."

Dou Fangchun loved hearing this, a triumphant smile rising in her eyes. When they had said enough, she then spoke to dissuade them: "Don't say such things; if she hears it and goes to complain to the Crown Prince, we will have a hard time!"

That woman was puzzled, "How come even you are so afraid? You are the Crown Prince's cousin, a girl raised at the Empress Dowager's knees."

Dou Fangchun feigned a mournful sigh, "She is the first to serve in the Eastern Palace; with this honor and the Crown Prince's favor, she is naturally fearless and does not even put me in her eyes. She is ignorant, but I cannot be ignorant along with her. If I were to really make a scene, wouldn't that put the Crown Prince and the Empress Dowager in a difficult position? I can only try to avoid her as much as possible; if we can live in peace, it doesn't matter if I suffer a little."

The group looked at one another, and the resentment and anger in their hearts toward Doukou could not help but burn even more intensely.

On the other side.

Still outside the main hall door, Nan Xueyin heard the voices coming from within.

"... You are still ill, why did you run here too?" Zong Taihou asked.

"They say that parents' love for their children is deep and far-reaching; Mingyu's position as Prince Consort has always been empty, and I cannot help but worry day and night. Hearing that you were going to hold this Flower Viewing Banquet, I immediately understood the painstaking efforts of you and the Emperor, and I truly could not rest easy, so I forced myself to come and take a look. Fortunately, the weather is warm today, and I am dressed warmly, so I feel no discomfort." After finishing her respectful reply, she coughed twice.

Nan Xueyin raised her eyes; the person speaking was a thin, beautiful woman sitting in the chair on the left, who was the Virtuous Consort, her brows and eyes quite similar to Xiao Mingyu's.

Xiao Mingyu was also there, sitting one position down from the Virtuous Consort, and he laughed, "Mother's words make me feel ashamed."

Zong Taihou said, "Then hurry and marry a Duan Prince Consort back; perhaps your mother's illness will be cured."

"The Crown Prince has arrived."

A palace attendant sang out.

The gazes of everyone in the hall turned over.

Zong Taihou's eyes brightened, "Youlan is here!"

"Grandson pays his respects to Grandmother Empress Dowager. Greetings, Virtuous Consort. Fourth Brother." Xiao Youlan saluted respectfully.

He was a meticulous person, and his etiquette was so thorough and detailed that no one could find any fault.

Nan Xueyin bowed behind him.

Zong Taihou's attention was already entirely on this good grandson, her smile becoming increasingly kind and peaceful, "Good, come quickly, sit down and have some tea first."

Xiao Youlan responded and stepped forward.

Nan Xueyin naturally had no seat and just stood behind him.

She felt a gaze land on her, sticky and cold, carrying displeasure.

She did not need to look to know who it was.

Xiao Mingyu.

"Is this young lady the one who accompanied the Crown Prince to the Kang Wang Mansion for the banquet a while ago?" Before long, Xiao Mingyu could not help but speak.

Xiao Youlan replied, "Yes."

Xiao Mingyu smiled mockingly, "The Crown Prince likes her, that is nothing; taking her to the Kang Wang Mansion is also nothing, but bringing her to this Flower Viewing Banquet, I fear it is inappropriate, is it not?"

Xiao Youlan raised his eyes, "Where does Fourth Brother's remark come from?"

"The women outside all admire the Crown Prince and have broken their heads trying to marry into the Eastern Palace, but if they see the Crown Prince bringing such a beauty by his side, I fear they will be deterred,"

Xiao Mingyu looked at Nan Xueyin again, curling his lips into a playful smile, "As for this Miss Doukou, although she is beautiful, she has a lowly background and, no matter what, can never become the Crown Princess."

Nan Xueyin was not surprised; if the two brothers did not argue the moment they met one day, that would truly be the sun rising in the west.

She just did not understand, if they wanted to argue, why come to mock her?

Xiao Youlan glanced at him indifferently, composed and unhurried, and said to the Virtuous Consort, "Virtuous Consort, please forgive him; Fourth Brother's words were an unintentional slip."

The Virtuous Consort was puzzled, "How so?"

Xiao Youlan said, "Just now, Fourth Brother said that the palace maid Doukou has a lowly background and cannot become the Crown Princess. However, before you received the Emperor's favor and were promoted to Virtuous Consort, you had already spent several years as a palace maid in Qianqiu Hall. I believe that as a son, one would not despise his mother's background, nor would he make veiled criticisms or point at the mulberry to abuse the locust; therefore, I can only say it was an unintentional slip by Fourth Brother."

The Virtuous Consort was still smiling, but that smile was extremely strained.

Xiao Mingyu's expression stiffened, and he was just about to retort and explain.

Empress Dowager Zong laughed aloud and said, "Alright, let's go enjoy the flowers together!"

Xiao Mingyu immediately stepped forward to support her, but Empress Dowager Zong gave him a deep look, "Your mother, the Consort, has not fully recovered from her illness; support her instead."

Xiao Mingyu stiffened for a moment, knowing that the Empress Dowager was expressing her dissatisfaction; he forced a smile and agreed.

Empress Dowager Zong smiled and beckoned to Xiao Youlan again, "Youlan."

"Grandmother." Xiao Youlan supported her.

The grandmother and grandson walked out of the main hall supporting each other, while Xiao Mingyu watched from behind, his gaze growing faintly cold.