Chapter 140: A Fire Pit Disguised as a Honey Pot

Fei Ying was lost in his own fanciful imaginings when he was suddenly interrupted by Jun Jun Zijin's cold voice.

"What is the Old Lady's reaction?" Jun Jun Zijin asked, tilting her head slightly.

No sooner had the words left her lips than a maid hurried into the room, bowed slightly, and respectfully reported:

"Young Lady, the Old Lady requests your presence at Jingzhu Courtyard to discuss matters."

Hearing this, Jun Jun Zijin understood immediately. She nodded, signaling the maid to withdraw, then adjusted her sleeves and headed toward Jingzhu Courtyard.

When Jun Jun Zijin arrived, Zhou Zhou Yiniang and Jun Jun Shuyan were already there.

Jun Jun Yiyi, the one being proposed to, had not only arrived but was the first to do so; her eyes were fixed tightly on the gift list held by the nanny from Prince Yi Wang Fu, her face full of joy and longing.

Since the head of the Jun family, Xiang Xiang Junzheng, was currently not in the manor, the heavy responsibility of receiving the proposal fell upon the Old Lady's shoulders.

At this moment, the Old Lady's brows were tightly furrowed, her demeanor Solemn.

Though she was advanced in years, had difficulty walking, and usually stayed within the inner quarters, she was after all a First-Rank Titled Lady who had weathered countless storms and changes; her heart held deep wisdom, and she could perceive the ways of the world. Regarding this sudden marriage proposal, she knew well the deep meaning and weight behind it.

Even setting aside the Second House, the family already had a prospective Crown Princess; if another Imperial Prince's concubine were added, with the winds and clouds of change, should the prince later vie for the throne, turmoil would surely erupt again, undoubtedly dragging the entire Jun family into the vortex of power, leaving the Jun household above and below facing eternal destruction.

Inside the main hall of the Jun manor, the nanny from Prince Yi Wang Fu sat seated below, her attitude humble and polite, her movements revealing the upbringing and rules of the Wang Fu.

No sooner had Jun Jun Zijin stepped into the hall than she heard Zhou Zhou Yiniang whispering a reprimand to Jun Jun Yiyi:

"The Eldest Young Lady should have withdrawn; it is improper for a young lady to be present when someone proposes marriage, and it might invite unnecessary criticism."

But where would Jun Jun Yiyi listen to advice? Her gaze remained fixed tightly on that gift list.

Now that her mother was dead, she could rely on no one; everything depended on herself. If she did not come to watch over things, this marriage would surely fall through. She could not let the opportunity she had waited so hard for slip away like this.

Jun Jun Zijin smiled faintly and said:

"Zhou Zhou Yiniang, since the Eldest Sister insists on this, why not let her stay? After all, this is her own affair." The protagonist isn't even here; how can the play go on?

Just as the Old Lady was lost in thought, she spotted Jun Jun Zijin entering the hall; her arrival was like a spring breeze, blowing away the gloom from the Old Lady's heart.

The Old Lady's demeanor immediately softened, a trace of affection appeared on her face, and she smiled, calling out:

"Second Daughter is here; come, come sit beside your grandmother."

Hearing this, the nanny from Prince Yi Wang Fu immediately understood; this was Lady Lady Qingping, the rising star, the Jun family's Second Young Lady, Jun Jun Zijin.

The nanny inwardly admired; this Princess truly lived up to her reputation, her every gesture and movement displaying the bearing of a great family.

Thus, with a face full of smiles, she hurried forward to pay her respects and said respectfully:

"This old servant greets the Princess; may the Princess be in good health."

Jun Jun Zijin smiled calmly, her gaze revealing a touch of wisdom and composure. She glanced at this nanny, then walked unhurriedly to sit beside the Old Lady.

Her movements were elegant and generous, neither losing her status nor appearing unapproachable.

Once Jun Jun Zijin was seated, the nanny from Prince Yi Wang Fu turned once again to the Old Lady to formally express the Wang Fu's intentions:

"Old Lady, my Lord Prince greatly admires the talent and character of the Jun Eldest Young Lady and hopes to form an alliance with your household, taking the Jun Eldest Young Lady as a Side Consort."

The nanny looked at the Old Lady with a face full of smiles. Yet inwardly, she could not help but sigh.

She thought that for the Jun family's Eldest Young Lady to be chosen by Prince Yi was truly bad luck.

One Physician after another had been sent into Prince Yi Wang Fu, but all had been secretly dealt with by Prince Yi; although the matter of Prince Yi's inability to perform had been sealed, as a nanny of Prince Yi Wang Fu, she had also heard whispers of it.

The Old Lady gently stroked the back of her chair, slowly set down the teacup in her hand, took a deep breath, and then spoke slowly, her tone steady and carrying an undeniable authority:

"Nanny, this matter is of great consequence. Although our Jun family cannot compare to the Imperial House, we are still considered a prestigious family. You may return and inform Prince Yi that marriage is no trivial game; it requires careful deliberation by both families before a decision is made."

This marriage concerned not only Jun Jun Yiyi's personal happiness but was also inextricably linked to the fate of the entire Jun family.

Although the Old Lady did not like Jun Jun Yiyi's conduct, ultimately, Jun Jun Yiyi was after all her own granddaughter; regarding her granddaughter's happiness, she naturally cared.

Looking at Jun Jun Yiyi below, whose face was full of expectation, the Old Lady was filled with worry; she knew well that marrying into the Imperial family was no good thing, especially with Prince Yi Wang Fu, which was connected to High Chancellor Gao, undoubtedly a fire pit that needed to be avoided.

But before the nanny could speak, Jun Jun Yiyi, unwilling to wait, jumped in and said:

"Grandmother, Prince Yi's betrothal gifts are already at the gate; how can we refuse? To spare Grandmother any difficulty, this granddaughter is willing to marry." Her tone held a certain urgency.

Hearing this, the nanny from Prince Yi Wang Fu helplessly sighed again.

But as a person of Prince Yi Wang Fu, even if she sympathized with Jun Jun Yiyi, she could not undermine Quan Quan Tianyi.

Thus, the nanny smiled and replied:

"What the Jun Eldest Young Lady says is reasonable; Prince Yi's betrothal gifts have already been carried out, so how could they be carried back in? Furthermore, our Prince Yi has said that he truly highly values the Jun Eldest Young Lady; although she cannot be the Principal Consort, once she enters the manor as Prince Yi's Side Consort, she will still be recorded in the Imperial Genealogy."

The nanny paused, a hint of ambiguous meaning flashing across her face, and added:

"Prince Yi's Principal Consort has borne no children for many years; in the future, as long as the Jun Eldest Young Lady bears the Prince a son or daughter, her status in the Wang Fu will naturally be unmatched by anyone."

The light in Jun Jun Yiyi's eyes grew even brighter; the Principal Consort of Prince Yi could not bear children, and the position of Side Consort was vacant; as long as she married in and became pregnant, what did the Principal Consort matter? She was merely a hollow title; those concubines below were just trinkets; if she didn't like them, she could simply beat or kill them.

Hearing the words of the nanny from Prince Yi Wang Fu, Jun Jun Zijin almost laughed herself sick; Prince Yi's vital organ was already ruined; if Jun Jun Yiyi actually bore a child, that would truly be a strange thing.

The Old Lady's face grew even more Solemn, but there were some things she could not say in front of the nanny from Prince Yi Wang Fu.

She looked sternly at Jun Jun Yiyi, her tone carrying an undeniable authority:

"Eldest Daughter, as the legitimate eldest daughter of the Jun family, you should know that marriage is no trivial game. Although the betrothal gifts have been carried to the gate, everyone knows the process of engagement; the Jun family is not a family without manners; how could we so easily accept them?"

These words of the Old Lady were both a reprimand to Jun Jun Yiyi and a rebuke of Prince Yi's lack of propriety.

The nanny naturally understood clearly, but this was exactly what Prince Yi had intended; what could she say?

Jun Jun Yiyi did not grasp the Old Lady's good intentions; she was furious to the point of death, cursing inwardly, "You old dead thing," thinking, "When Crown Prince sought to marry that wretch Jun Jun Zijin back then, why didn't you say anything?"