Her eyes were calm, yet her voice did not match her gaze, carrying a slight choke as she performed a great bow. “Father Emperor, please hear me. Mother Empress is kind; this matter is the fault of this daughter-in-law.”

Nanny Zhang, now standing to the side, revealed a trace of pity.

“What fault do you have?” The Emperor had long known Lin Yuanjin’s purpose in entering the palace, and had also learned the full course of events from Nanny Zhang. The moment she spoke, his voice became much gentler.

It formed a striking contrast with how he had spoken to the Empress just now.

From this, the Emperor understood in his heart that the Crown Princess had suffered a loss and must have been deeply wronged.

How old was she? Just at the age of coming of age, only a few days since entering the Eastern Palace—she had already fallen ill, confronted others at a banquet, and now her husband had been taken away midway. How could it be that all she suffered were losses—implicated by her maternal family, blamed by her husband’s family, and even made to bear the blame for others?!

Let alone whether Lin Yuanjin felt aggrieved—the Emperor himself felt a surge of anger just hearing it.

“It is the Lin family’s improper conduct and lax discipline; my elder sister was momentarily led astray, and this daughter-in-law failed to notice, allowing her to commit acts that disgrace the Lin family and disrupt the Crown Prince’s inner courtyard.” Lin Yuanjin spoke each word in self-blame, sincere yet tinged with sorrow. “I only ask that this matter be borne by this daughter-in-law alone, and that others not be blamed.”

The way the Empress looked at Lin Yuanjin grew increasingly strange.

She looked at Nanny Zhang, who seemed quite gratified, then at Lin Yuanjin’s bowed figure—kneeling yet with her back still straight—and finally at the Emperor, who was filled with emotion. For a moment, she could not distinguish whether Lin Yuanjin was truly naïve or merely pretending.

Were these words her own, or taught by that old nanny?!

If spoken by someone calculating, such words would likely be a blatant attempt to absolve oneself, taking advantage of the other party’s contrary feelings to shift all blame onto others.

But it was precisely Lin Yuanjin—whom the Emperor saw as simple and sincere—who spoke them. He was already biased, and now had found a perfect reason.

“Your intentions are sincere, yet you do not know whether others will appreciate it.” The Emperor sighed with emotion and shook his head. “Rise and sit. This matter may be big or small; I will not punish you.”

Only then did Lin Yuanjin slowly rise. There was even a faint red mark on her forehead. Nanny Zhang pulled her to sit at the side, her face still showing hesitation.

“How do you wish to handle your elder sister’s matter?” The Emperor asked with a gentle smile. It did not feel like an Emperor speaking with the Crown Princess, but rather like an ordinary family discussing affairs between in-laws, casual in tone.

Lin Yuanjin placed her hands before her, her fingers unconsciously intertwining, and said hesitantly, “Now that matters between the Crown Prince and her are already a done deal, for the sake of propriety, a reason must be found to bring her into the residence.”

But as the Crown Princess, and with Lin Weiyin being her legitimate elder sister, in terms of maternal family status, Lin Weiyin’s rank should not be too low.

“This daughter-in-law thinks that, when Cui Xinyi enters the residence as a secondary consort, my elder sister may be brought in together?” Lin Yuanjin glanced at the Empress and said obediently, “This way, it will not be too ostentatious.”

“That is generally acceptable.” The Emperor pondered for a moment, his fingers tapping the table again and again, as if he had long made his calculations. “However, there is no need to rush the matter of a secondary consort.”

“If Cui Xinyi is to enter the Eastern Palace, conferring her as a cairen¹Cairen (才人): a low-ranking imperial consort title within the palace hierarchy, below higher ranks such as consorts or secondary consorts. will suffice. If she renders merit in the future, she may be promoted—so as not to leave no ranks available above.” The Emperor glanced lightly at the Empress, then looked at Lin Yuanjin and said casually, “As for your elder sister, this matter is not honorable; her methods are low, her character flawed. Let her, together with the other concubines, serve as a xuanshi²Xuanshi (选侍): an even lower-ranking concubine title, typically for women of minimal status in the imperial harem, often without significant authority or favor..”

The Emperor smiled and asked, “What do you think?”

Though he asked in this manner, it was clearly the will of the Emperor, not to be questioned.

“Father Emperor is far-sighted and thoughtful. This daughter-in-law is fortunate to receive Father Emperor’s guidance and will naturally comply.” Lin Yuanjin agreed at once, her gaze toward the Emperor filled with admiration.

If it were her, she would not dare to so openly suppress the ranks of Cui Xinyi and Lin Weiyin. The Emperor had decisively resolved her difficulty.

This “Father Emperor” was spoken by Lin Yuanjin with particular sincerity.

The Emperor nodded in great satisfaction, about to issue a decree when he saw the Empress suddenly react in panic. With a stiff smile, she spoke quickly, interrupting the arrangement that had just been settled between the Emperor and his daughter-in-law.

“This matter concerns the Crown Prince’s inner courtyard. If the three of us decide it just like this, without any regard for the Crown Prince’s wishes, it would be somewhat inappropriate?” The Empress said hurriedly with a smile, though a trace of unwillingness showed in her eyes.

Though the Empress spoke as if the three of them were deciding together, in reality it was entirely the Emperor and the Crown Princess arranging the Crown Prince’s inner courtyard on their own!

Her niece, the legitimate daughter of the Cui clan—not only had she not become Crown Princess, but now she was reduced to merely a cairen. How could she accept that?!

The Emperor paused, then sat back down, his expression slightly darkening. “That is not without reason.”

Seeing that the Emperor seemed somewhat moved, the Empress let out a small sigh of relief in her heart.

She did not intend to oppose the Emperor outright, only to make a slight compromise.

At the side, Lin Yuanjin lifted her eyes, noticing the contemplation in the Emperor’s gaze. She did not think the Empress should feel reassured at this moment—in fact, she felt the Empress should not have brought up the Crown Prince at all.

How could the Crown Prince go against what the Emperor had already decided in his heart?

“Since there is time today, let us settle this matter clearly, lest the household be unsettled in the future.” The Emperor looked toward Eunuch Li. “Summon the Crown Prince. I would like to hear what he thinks.”

“Sit and have some tea; do not remain standing, or it will seem as though I am treating you harshly.”

The Empress had little appetite for tea or food, her mind entirely on the matter of the Crown Prince and Cui Xinyi. Even the tea in her mouth had lost its taste.

Lin Yuanjin was the complete opposite. She was truly hungry. From last night to this morning, she had drunk who knew how many bowls of ginger soup and bitter medicine, filling her stomach to the point of discomfort, leaving her unable to eat anything.

Now that her body felt somewhat better, she could naturally eat some pastries.

Nanny Zhang was far more at ease in the palace than in the Crown Prince’s residence. As if accustomed to it, she had someone bring sweetened milk, with almond powder added to remove the smell. Smiling, she handed it to Lin Yuanjin. “Crown Princess, please have some. Do not choke.”

It was as if she were treating her own granddaughter, attentive in every detail.

“Eat slowly, do not choke.” The Emperor said with a smile. Seeing Lin Yuanjin eating in small bites with evident enjoyment, he casually asked, “Have the servants in the residence been neglectful of the Crown Princess? Shall I assign a few cooks from the palace?”

“Last night… the wind was strong. The Crown Princess caught a chill and drank too much medicine, so she did not eat much.” Nanny Zhang paused, her tone helpless, as if wanting to say more but holding back.

She made Lin Yuanjin seem even more pitiful because of the Crown Prince.

The smile on the Emperor’s face stilled for a moment. He responded with a soft “hm” and said no more.

Fortunately, the Crown Prince was already in the Eastern Palace today, so it did not take long to reach Xuanyang Palace. In less than half a shichen, he had arrived before the hall and was summoned inside by the Emperor.

As the eunuch’s sharp voice rang out—seemingly lingering in the air—“The Crown Prince requests an audience,” a man in crimson robes walked in slowly against the light.

Lin Yuanjin placed a hand on the armrest of her chair and unconsciously leaned forward slightly. Though she restrained herself, she still looked carefully toward the man. But as he drew closer, her dark eyes gradually lowered, leaving only quietness.

The Crown Prince walked closer and closer, his handsome face calm and composed, performing a proper bow to the Emperor.

All of Lin Yuanjin’s reactions, like those of an infatuated young girl, were fully seen by the Emperor. Seeing the Crown Prince kneeling below, his dissatisfaction grew even stronger. “Rise.”

But since the Empress had spoken, he would give the Crown Prince a chance.

“I have already learned of what happened last night between you and the Lin family’s eldest daughter. The Crown Princess, virtuous and gentle, even came to me to plead guilty.” The Emperor watched as the Crown Prince stood, speaking slowly, his tone steady, as if he did not care. “Since matters have come to this, your mother wishes to bring her, together with Cui Xinyi, into your residence.”

Only then did the Crown Prince understand the reason for the Emperor’s summons. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced to the side. The Empress appeared calm, but her hand was tightly gripping her handkerchief, while Lin Yuanjin, holding her teacup, seemed distracted and uneasy.

The Crown Prince sneered inwardly, not believing that the Empress had such far-reaching means. This matter must have been spoken of by Lin Yuanjin upon entering the palace, allowing the Emperor to learn of it.

Young, not clever enough, lacking in methods—so she relied on others to help her.

“I see nothing unacceptable, but there are still doubts regarding the ranks.” The Emperor deliberately did not state his own thoughts, instead looking at the Crown Prince with calm composure. “What does the Crown Prince think?”

As the heir of a nation, having just recovered from illness caused by medicine, the Crown Prince was all the more high-spirited, and could not tolerate a young Crown Princess who had only just entered the Eastern Palace to instruct him on his inner courtyard.

“Xinyi is the legitimate daughter of the Cui clan, raised in the palace since childhood; she is naturally worthy of the position of secondary consort.” The Crown Prince slightly lifted his chin, his brows like mountains, carrying a matter-of-course air. “Lin Weiyin is the Crown Princess’s legitimate elder sister. If her rank is too low, it would show disregard for the Lin family and the Crown Princess, and would also make the Crown Princess appear harsh toward her sister. She is likewise worthy of the position of secondary consort.”

In short, all secondary consorts!

The atmosphere suddenly became stiff.

Lin Yuanjin lowered her head even further, as if avoiding, unwilling to look at the Crown Prince’s face again.

The Empress’s expression turned panicked at once. Her whole body tensed, her features stiff, her smile twitching unnaturally as she frantically signaled the Crown Prince with her eyes—yet while she was anxious here, the Crown Prince did not look at her at all.

She only wanted Cui Xinyi to obtain the position of secondary consort!

Not for the Crown Prince to defy the Emperor!!

The Emperor’s smile did not change, yet the authority around him suddenly turned cold.

It made one’s heart tremble to behold.

Footnotes

• 1
  Cairen (才人): a low-ranking imperial consort title within the palace hierarchy, below higher ranks such as consorts or secondary consorts.
• 2
  Xuanshi (选侍): an even lower-ranking concubine title, typically for women of minimal status in the imperial harem, often without significant authority or favor.