Chapter 133: Extra Story 09

From the moment Jiang Sheng was born, he was the most noble legitimate son of the empress.

The starting point of his life was a destination that ninety-nine percent of the people in the world could never reach in their entire lives.

According to the words of Noble Consort Hui in the palace, his life was destined to be one of "cool, domineering, wild, dazzling, smooth, and Long Aotian." Moreover, unlike the ordinary "Long Aotian," he genuinely had a throne to inherit.

Jiang Sheng happily accepted "Long Aotian" as his childhood nickname.

Aotian, looking down upon all heroes and rivaling the heavens—what a mighty and imposing name, perfectly suited to his aura.

Yes, despite Jiang Sheng's outwardly serious, composed, and calm demeanor, leading outsiders to marvel, "The Crown Prince is as steady as Mount Tai at such a young age, truly a born prodigy!"

In reality, he was a secretly eccentric, chuunibyou, narcissistic, scheming, and clingy monster—this was also Noble Consort Hui's assessment of him.

When he was still very young, Jiang Sheng only displayed the single character trait of "being privately clingy." At that time, his birth mother, the empress, was still alive, and he had three targets for his clinginess: his mother, Consort Hui, and his eldest imperial sister.

Being clingy with his mother required perfect timing and measure because she placed immense importance on him and was dedicated to cultivating him into the most perfect prince. How could a perfect prince exhibit such childish behavior as being clingy? Even though he was indeed a child back then. Therefore, he could only be clingy when his mother was in a good mood, using it to get what he wanted.

With Consort Hui, he didn't need to watch the clock. According to Consort Hui herself, she was a "face connoisseur" and a "baby creature enthusiast" (where did Consort Hui always come up with these strange terms?), utterly incapable of resisting an adorable youngster like him. He only needed to whimper a couple of times or hug Consort Hui for a cuddle, and she would never refuse anything he wanted.

However, Consort Hui was cunning! If he wanted to eat more sweets, she would divide the usual portion into several smaller plates to trick him, and being young, he truly believed he had eaten more. Or, if he proposed other ideas, Consort Hui would always suggest something else that interested him to divert his attention, and then he would forget his original thought.

Jiang Sheng's favorite was being clingy with his eldest imperial sister. His eldest sister was determined to protect their mother and him, granting his every wish almost without fail. Jiang Sheng grew accustomed to her doting. It lasted until the night after their mother passed away, when the phoenix coffin was sent to the imperial mausoleum. He saw his eldest sister, who had been putting on a strong front and hadn't cried, holding her "Mianmian" and silently weeping, her eyes red and swollen, her lips marked with bite impressions.

From that moment on, Jiang Sheng never acted clingy with his eldest sister again. He began learning to be good to her, just as she had been to him.

As he grew older, the "clingy" aspect of his personality became hidden, while simultaneously, "chuunibyou narcissism" proliferated. Jiang Sheng didn't quite understand what "chuunibyou" meant; he knew what "narcissism" was, but he refused to admit to it.

He believed himself to be accomplished in both civil and military arts, a towering figure of talent and strategy, as handsome as Pan An, as mighty as Xiang Yu, with a heart encompassing the world—was this narcissism? Clearly, this was simply the truth.

After all, he had such a heroic and divine emperor for a father; it was only natural that he, too, was a heaven-sent prodigy.

But soon, Jiang Sheng began to doubt himself—he started attending court to observe governance.

By then, he was already the Crown Prince, second only to the emperor, the chosen successor. His father, the emperor, had decreed that he attend court daily to observe state affairs.

It was only after attending court that Jiang Sheng realized the kind of treacherous environment his father lived in every day. Those usually respectful and smiling faces gradually took on a sinister and cunning aspect in Jiang Sheng's mind. Among them were good officials who served the country and its people, but they all had private interests. They formed cliques for personal gain, attacked rival factions, and treated the world as a chessboard and the common people as pawns to consolidate their own power and benefits!

They even dared to encroach upon imperial authority!

Unforgivable! Heinous beyond measure!

During his initial days at court, Jiang Sheng burned with inner fury daily. For the first time, he felt the loneliness and chilling fear of being surrounded by wolves. His father was the emperor, the most exalted existence under heaven, and the entire Zhao Kingdom belonged to their family. Yet, even someone as mighty as his father could not act entirely as he wished.

During that period, even the gaze Jiang Sheng directed at his most respected Grand Tutor was tinged with vigilance and suspicion.

This mindset and these feelings persisted for two years. Every day, he watched his father's actions, pondered the reasons behind them, and silently absorbed the lessons. Thus, he came to understand why his father had him attend court.

His father was teaching him the art of rulership.

A ruler needed schemes, methods, and resolute decisiveness—all of which could be trained in a relatively short time. Only the most crucial skill of "balance" required years of trial and error, experimentation, and accumulation.

Officials are human, and humans have private interests. Private interests give rise to benefits, and people band together because of these shared benefits.

What his father wanted him to learn was to find a balance among these interest groups to consolidate imperial power.

The immersion in court sessions allowed Jiang Sheng to mature rapidly. He became increasingly adept at not letting his emotions show on his face, hiding all his ambitions and desires in the deepest recesses of his heart.

He learned to be cold-hearted, he learned indifference, he learned solitude.

He remembered one day when he and his eldest sister were dining with Consort Hui. Consort Hui suddenly fell silent, looked at him for a long time, and then said, "You are becoming more and more like your father."

Was being like his father a bad thing?

He was destined to become the supreme emperor, revered by all, just like his father.

He should resemble his father.

For Jiang Sheng, his father was not as close as his mother, his eldest sister, or Consort Hui had been. But if he had to choose the person he admired most in his heart, it would undoubtedly be his father—who in the palace didn't feel the same way?

Soon, in the year Jiang Sheng turned eighteen, he faced the same dilemma his father had at that age.

He needed to select a Crown Princess.

The Crown Princess, the future empress—such an important position required the most meticulous selection of candidates.

But Jiang Sheng was luckier than his father had been.

The present Zhao Kingdom commanded respect from all directions, was powerful and prosperous, with imperial authority firmly established. There were no internal troubles or external threats, and he was the Crown Prince firmly supported by his father. Therefore, Jiang Sheng did not particularly need a powerful maternal clan to consolidate his position.

But that didn't mean he couldn't have one, nor did it mean the Crown Princess would come from a lowly or insignificant family. The imperial family cared most about face.

Jiang Sheng's luck lay only in the fact that he could choose a more personally agreeable young lady from a broader range of candidates.

The selection process lasted three months, and in the end, three choices were placed before Jiang Sheng.

The first young woman is named He Shuying, the granddaughter of Master He Yuan, Dean of Maoshan Academy. He Yuan himself once achieved the highest honor in the imperial examinations, served as the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor, later left his official post to establish Maoshan Academy, cultivating scholars for the realm. Although he holds no official rank or noble title, his literary reputation is extremely prominent within the Zhao Kingdom, and many court officials respectfully address him as "Master He."

With the Northern Li pacified, the court will undoubtedly promote civil officials for many years to come. Enfeoffing He Yuan's granddaughter as Crown Princess could help Jiang Sheng win the hearts of the kingdom's literati.

The second young woman is Qi Shutao. She is the granddaughter of Minister of Revenue Qi Caishang, the eldest daughter of Tiger Guard Commander Qi Chuchu, and also the niece of Imperial Noble Consort Hui. Qi Caishang is a key minister his father cultivated to assist him, and with the connection through Imperial Noble Consort Hui, the Qi family are staunch supporters of the Crown Prince. Barring unforeseen events, Qi Caishang will be a pillar of his court upon ascension. The Tiger Guard is also of great importance. The Qi family boasts strength in both civil and military affairs. Enfeoffing Qi Shutao as Crown Princess would be like adding wings to a tiger for Jiang Sheng—an enhancement to an already strong position.

Furthermore, with no Empress in the palace, only the Imperial Noble Consort, acting with the authority of a deputy, manages the six palaces. According to protocol, once a Crown Princess is established, the authority over the inner palace should be transferred to her. If it were someone else, disputes over this authority would likely arise (though Jiang Sheng suspected Imperial Noble Consort Hui might actually be quite happy to relinquish it, given her temperament). But if the Crown Princess were Imperial Noble Consort Hui's own niece, she could presumably integrate into the inner palace swiftly.

The third young woman is Jiang Yuelan. In terms of lineage, Jiang Yuelan's is actually the most prestigious. The Jiang family is an established aristocratic clan with deep roots and includes the meritorious Marshal Jiang. Where she slightly falls short compared to the other two is that her father is only a minor official, the kind obtained through monetary contribution, holding no real power.

However, Jiang Yuelan's background as a descendant of the Empress's clan is her greatest advantage.

Jiang Yuelan served as the Eldest Princess's study companion, and Jiang Sheng had met her a few times, leaving a favorable impression. Jiang Sheng had always known how much his late mother cared for the Jiang family. Currently, Jiang Ruheng is the only Jiang family member of note in court. If he were to marry Jiang Yuelan as Crown Princess, the Jiang family would surely regain its former prosperity.

But...

Perhaps his pressures weren't as heavy as his father's in his time, or perhaps he had listened to too many of the romantic tales Imperial Noble Consort Hui loved to recount, Jiang Sheng still hoped that his future Crown Princess would be someone who truly understood his heart and shared his sentiments.

So, did he have a woman he admired in his heart?

When this question arose, a mischievously clever figure surfaced in Jiang Sheng's mind.

On this day, Jiang Sheng went to the Palace of Eternal Spring.

The Palace of Eternal Spring was located in a remote part of the palace grounds, yet it was the liveliest place. Consorts, princes, and princesses all loved to visit, solely because Imperial Noble Consort Hui, who resided there, was always concocting some novel amusement.

In Jiang Sheng's memory, the Palace of Eternal Spring was a place of beauty. Many happy hours of his childhood were spent there. Back then, after finishing the studies assigned by his mother, his greatest anticipation was for his eldest sister to take him to the Palace of Eternal Spring to play. Once there, he would nestle in Imperial Noble Consort Hui's embrace, eating sweet pastries while listening to her stories about the Great Sage.

Entering the palace and seeing the familiar setup in the courtyard, Jiang Sheng couldn't help but smile.

The Palace of Eternal Spring was full of children's playthings: swings, a trampoline, a slide, even a small sandpit. In the past, it was for them to play (Jiang Sheng knew Imperial Noble Consort Hui would secretly play too); now it was for his fifth brother, fourth sister, and fifth sister.

As soon as he appeared, the large white dog named "Batiao," who had been lying under the osmanthus tree, ran over, wagging its tail excitedly.

Batiao was Siyu's dog, now almost ten years old—an elderly dog. Batiao had a very gentle temperament, especially fond of bustling activity. It used to love circling around the children; now, older and with less energy, it preferred lying under the tree watching them play.

And in the osmanthus tree, there was a plump orange tabby cat named "Liutong." This cat was acquired by Imperial Noble Consort Hui after Batiao, notoriously greedy, and loved to jump into the tree for a nap after eating.

"A happy life with both a cat and a dog"—that was Imperial Noble Consort Hui's reason for getting the cat, though Jiang Sheng didn't quite understand why having both meant happiness.

"Batiao, where is Imperial Noble Consort Hui?" Jiang Sheng asked.

Batiao barked once towards the main hall, then barked twice more.

"There are guests?" Jiang Sheng understood Batiao's meaning.

Then Lizhi, the maid attending Imperial Noble Consort Hui, came out smiling to greet him. "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince. The Eldest Prince's wife has brought the young Commandery Princess to pay respects and is currently keeping Her Ladyship company. Consort Xian and Consort De are also present."

Jiang Sheng understood.

Two years ago, his father enfeoffed his eldest brother, Jiang Hao, as the Prince of Chu. That same year, Jiang Hao married Lady Fan. Earlier this year, Lady Fan gave birth to a daughter. As the family's first grandchild, she was greatly doted on by his father, who personally bestowed upon her the title of Commandery Princess.

This Lady Fan was from the same clan as Consort De, Fan Ningyan, within the palace. Whenever Lady Fan came to pay respects to Imperial Noble Consort Hui, Consort De would always come to the Palace of Eternal Spring.

Jiang Sheng entered the main hall, greeting the elders present with his usual composure.

To Consort Xian, he said, "I noticed my third brother has developed blisters at the corner of his mouth these past few days, likely due to the autumn dryness. Consort Xian might consider sending him some loquat syrup to clear the heat."

Nie Zhiyu had been promoted to Consort Xian six years prior. Hearing Jiang Sheng's words, she complained, "It must be from eating too much roasted mutton. Ever since returning from the autumn hunt, he demands a dish of roasted mutton on the table every single day. No wonder he's getting heated!"

She then smilingly requested of Jiang Sheng, "Please, Crown Prince, help me admonish him on my behalf. He pays less and less heed to my words these days, but he will certainly listen to you."

Jiang Sheng agreed with a smile.

Simultaneously, he inwardly admired her. No wonder Consort Xian's path in the palace had been smooth since her entry, and his third brother had grown up safely. Consort Xian's skill with words was truly remarkable.

Among princes, no matter how close they were in childhood, friction was almost inevitable as they grew up. This was especially true for the first few princes, whose age gaps were not large.

Among Jiang Sheng's brothers, the eldest prince, though holding the "firstborn" status, had a mother whose virtue was flawed and a maternal family exiled far away. His father's early enfeoffment of him as a prince made his stance clear: the eldest prince was destined to have no claim to the throne. The eldest prince himself was simple-minded, content to be a carefree prince, so their relationship remained quite good.

The fifth prince was the youngest, just over six years old. His birth mother, Consort Li, enjoyed imperial favor but came from a lowly background, making the fifth prince's chances in any succession struggle minuscule.

The only threats to Jiang Sheng were his third and fourth brothers.

Fortunately, the third brother's mother, Consort Xian Nie Zhiyu, only desired a peaceful life. She had taught her son since childhood to respect the Crown Prince and to follow his second elder brother in all matters.

Jiang Sheng had once asked Imperial Noble Consort Hui, didn't Consort Xian have any ambition?

After thinking for a moment, Lady Hui's reply was: "Perhaps because her own path here was difficult, she only wishes for her child to live a safe and uneventful life?"

Later, Jiang Sheng specifically inquired and learned that Consort Xian's life had indeed been full of hardships. Originally the granddaughter of the Prince Xiang's household, she discovered she had been switched at birth just before her betrothal was finalized. She returned to her biological Nie family for only a few days before being sent to the palace for the imperial selection.

After giving birth to the Third Prince, both the Prince Xiang's household and the Nie family sought audience with Consort Xian, but she refused to see them all, even forbidding them from contacting the Third Prince. She did not even send anyone from the palace to offer condolences when the old Princess Consort of Prince Xiang's household, who had raised Consort Xian, passed away.

Consort Xian severed her own familial ties, yet she did not wish for her son to fight with his brothers. Therefore, she instilled this teaching in the Third Prince from a young age.

Nowadays, the Third Prince is at his most rebellious age, sometimes not even listening to Consort Xian's words, yet he dares not disobey his Second Brother, the Crown Prince.

As for the Fourth Prince... Jiang Sheng was unwilling to discuss him.

After paying his respects to the elders, Jiang Sheng then turned his gaze to his little niece. "My eldest brother boasts in my ear all day about how well-behaved his daughter is. Now that I've seen her, it seems he wasn't exaggerating." With that, he took a jade pendant from his waist and presented it as a meeting gift for his little niece.

The wife of the First Prince accepted it on her daughter's behalf and expressed her thanks.

Qi Daiyu teased him: "Then why don't you hurry up and settle on a marriage arrangement?"

Jiang Sheng clasped his hands: "It is precisely for this matter that I have come."

This indicated he had something to discuss. Nie Zhiyu tactfully found an excuse to lead Consort De and the First Prince's wife away, giving the two space to talk.

Qi Daiyu was curious. "Have you decided on someone?"

She also found it strange in her heart. If he had chosen, he should have reported directly to the Emperor. Why come to the Changchun Palace instead?

Could it be...

"The person I wish to marry is connected to you, Lady Hui. Naturally, I should first seek your opinion."

Qi Daiyu paused. "Is it Shu Tao?"

To her surprise, Jiang Sheng shook his head.

"Then who?" Who else could it be, related to her?

Jiang Sheng, unusually, showed a hint of bashfulness. "It is the daughter of Commander Zhou of the Huguang Regional Military Commission."

After hearing this, Qi Daiyu was silent for a long while before finally saying softly, "When did you ever meet Ya Shu?"

Shu Tao had accompanied the Wan family to palace banquets before, so Jiang Sheng might have had a chance to see her. But Ya Shu had never been to the palace. Jiang Sheng couldn't possibly have developed feelings for Ya Shu without reason; they must have met privately.

Jiang Sheng: "During the southern inspection tour to Jiangning, when you returned to the Qi family home."

Qi Daiyu was taken aback. There was such an incident. On the fourth day of her stay at the Qi residence, the Crown Prince had once visited incognito, staying only for an evening meal before leaving. But that was so long ago!

Moreover, she stared at him wide-eyed, "Ya Shu was only six years old then!"

Jiang Sheng immediately understood her misunderstanding and quickly waved his hands. "I meant that was the first time I met A Shu... Miss Zhou." He smiled wryly. "Miss Zhou was just a child then. How could I possibly have had any such thoughts for her..." He himself was just a child back then.

However, their first meeting had indeed left a deep impression on Jiang Sheng.

That little girl who was climbing the crape myrtle tree to rob a bird's nest, only to be startled by him and fall from the tree—if he hadn't reacted quickly and caught her, she would have surely fallen and cried.

"After that, it was after returning to the capital. Over the years, Si Yu often visited the Qi residence. When I went to pick her up to return to the palace... I also happened to see her a few times."

Happened to? Qi Daiyu didn't believe that for a second. Her gossipy heart stirred, but she also knew Jiang Sheng definitely wouldn't tell the whole truth. It seemed she would have to find an opportunity to ask Si Yu, or ask Ya Shu directly.

Although she now understood the cause and effect, Qi Daiyu was still hesitant. "But Ya Shu is not even fourteen yet this year. She's too young." Still a child. She was unwilling to let her niece marry so early.

Jiang Sheng, however, said, "I am willing to wait." Since his heart was set, he had naturally considered everything thoroughly. "I will request His Majesty the Emperor to grant the marriage first. Then, I would ask you, Lady, to bring Miss Zhou into the palace under the identity of the future Crown Princess, to keep her by your side and provide guidance for two years. After that, the grand wedding ceremony can be held."

After all, once the Crown Princess is chosen, palace instructors would be sent to teach her palace rules and etiquette. Since A Shu is your niece, Lady Hui, why not bring her directly into the palace? A Shu is young, which is perfect for learning and gaining experience ahead of time. With your protection, Lady Hui, she certainly won't be wronged.

Qi Daiyu hadn't expected he had already thought this far ahead.

Two years later, Zhou Yashu would be sixteen. Though still quite young, in this world, it is a perfectly normal age to marry. Even if not as Crown Princess, the Zhou family would arrange another marriage for her.

Thinking this, Qi Daiyu found it hard to object further.

She asked again, "I've watched you grow up. If you have a girl you care for, I am naturally happy and would not interfere. But Ya Shu is my niece. I must ask you one more thing: you wish to make Ya Shu your Crown Princess. Does Ya Shu know about this?"

The subtext of this question was: You care for Ya Shu, but does Ya Shu care for you?

Qi Daiyu: "One-sided affection is ultimately not as good as mutual affection, right?"

Qi Daiyu didn't know what connection existed between the Crown Prince and Zhou Yashu, but she feared this might all be just the Crown Prince's unilateral feelings, which could trap Ya Shu in a lifetime without freedom.

Therefore, she wanted to give Ya Shu a choice. If Ya Shu was unwilling, she would use all her past rapport to stop the Crown Prince from marrying Ya Shu. If Ya Shu also cared for the Crown Prince...

At the very least, Ya Shu would possess the sincere heart of a young man.

Qi Daiyu didn't know what Jiang Sheng did, but a month later, Ya Shu, through Si Yu, requested an audience to see her in the palace.

During this meeting, Qi Daiyu met the grown-up Ya Shu, lively and elegant.

The young girl, her ears tinged red, told her: "Brother Sheng... is very good."

In those clear, intelligent eyes was the unique longing and sweetness of a girl tasting love for the first time.

All the words—"Being Crown Princess is not as simple as you think," "Have you considered that when the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he will have other consorts," "The Crown Prince is not like your father; he won't promise you 'one man, one woman for a lifetime'"—all these words clogged in Qi Daiyu's throat as she looked into those eyes.

She couldn't say them.

Perhaps even if she said them, the girl at this moment wouldn't listen.

So Qi Daiyu could only smile and say, "Good."

That day, Zhou Yashu smiled especially brightly. Leaning on her aunt's shoulder, she softly recounted her past encounters with Jiang Sheng. She just didn't understand why, even though her aunt was smiling, she could see a hidden sadness on her aunt's face.

In the twenty-fifth year of the Yanli era, the Crown Prince married Lady Zhou, who took up residence in the Eastern Palace.