CHAPTER 26: CHAPTER 5: DANCING PRINCESS (5)

Prince Yu stayed at the Yu Wang Mansion for a few days and also disseminated information about Gu Youran through some contacts, but unexpectedly, after several days, there was still no news, something seemed off.

He was certain that Li Shuning was that child from back then, otherwise, why would the Empress Dowager view her so favorably?

If that were the case, Gu Youran bullying Li Shuning, coupled with the Empress Dowager’s guilt towards him, should naturally lead to the annulment of the engagement. So where was the problem?

Or could it be that the Empress Dowager still prioritized herself and didn’t hold Li Shuning in as high esteem as he imagined?

Gu Youran had already been confined.

Minister Gu, having reached his position today, naturally understood the importance of the situation.

Gu Youran’s behavior in the Imperial Palace that day made him quite angry.

The Empress Dowager’s affection for Li Shuning was an undeniable fact. Moreover, this was in the Imperial Palace. As a high-status lady, trying to bully a Dancing Girl was inappropriate, both in terms of timing and manners.

Now, Gu Youran was already at an age where if her engagement was broken off, she’d end up dying alone at home, which would also affect the marriages of other Gu family children.

Minister Gu naturally couldn’t allow Gu Youran to cause more trouble, so she was confined, and he even went to the palace the next day to apologize, fortunately, His Majesty did not hold it against him.

Prince Yu was anxious to annul the engagement, but he couldn’t create more trouble. After all, he couldn’t be too obvious. If he slipped up and attracted the Empress Dowager’s attention, his plan would be ruined.

In the past few days, the Empress Dowager had her confidants gather information on some talented young men. She thought that the child was already a Dancing Girl, and she was helpless. After all, things from the past were unavoidable. The child had maintained her reputation over the years, and no matter what, she needed to find her a good match.

If she could find the right person, with Li Shuning’s beauty and capability, she would surely win her husband’s heart. At that point, with the Emperor’s goodwill, she’d have a standing in the court and her husband’s status, rendering any attempt to bully Li Shuning a matter to be reconsidered.

The rumors of the Empress Dowager seeking a husband for Li Shuning naturally reached her ears through certain channels.

Prince Yu went to great lengths to stir the pot, making Li Shuning feel that if she didn’t seize the opportunity, leaving the palace would mean a life of inferiority.

No matter how they looked, once Li Shuning married, could her position ever compare to that of a Princess Consort?

The Empress Dowager’s birthday had passed; the Vassal Kings were preparing to return to their own fiefs, making Prince Yu a bit anxious.

If he didn’t settle things this time, matters would become quite inconvenient once he returned to his fief.

With determination, Prince Yu went straight to the palace to meet the Empress Dowager, expressing his wish to prepare for his wedding and delaying his return to the fief.

After all, the Emperor’s grand wedding was only six months away. By then, he could marry the Gu family’s eldest daughter.

Seeing Prince Yu’s eagerness to marry, the Empress Dowager felt somewhat relieved she didn’t immediately annul the engagement over the matter with Gu Youran.

Prince Yu, indeed, was too clever for his own good.

But in her heart, the Empress Dowager had decided that after Prince Yu’s marriage, she would keep them in the Capital City for a while to guide Gu Youran, to avoid embarrassing Prince Yu later on.

For all these years, due to past events, the Empress Dowager held a slight sense of guilt toward Prince Yu, so she continued to care for him in many matters.

Prince Yu rarely visited, so the Empress Dowager naturally kept him for a meal.

When Prince Yu came out, he was summoned by the Emperor.

The two discussed some serious matters before Prince Yu began to test the waters.

"Your Majesty, I see that Mother treats Miss Shuning exceptionally well, it even makes her son a bit jealous."

"Haha, even I get a little envious sometimes, but Xiao Ning is a good girl. Mother is rather lonely, and having her around is nice."

"Your Majesty, not long ago, Youran, provoked by others, went to trouble Shuning. I heard that some officials’ families look down on Miss Shuning and try various means to belittle her. I feel that it’s strange for the Empress Dowager to care so much for Miss Shuning and yet not make her a foster daughter. Do you think Miss Shuning might have been prepared for you by the Empress Dowager?"

"After all, the Empress must be the mother of the nation, and before the grand wedding, someone must teach Your Majesty about such matters."

The Emperor was taken aback, thought for a moment, then shook his head: "I don’t think so, Mother specifically told me not to go after Xiao Ning."

"Haha, enough of that, Your Majesty. Shall we go play chess at the Cloud Watching Pavilion? The weather is lovely, we can take the opportunity to relax."

The Emperor and Prince Yu hadn’t been playing chess at the Cloud Watching Pavilion for long when Li Shuning and a Dancing Girl approached.

Seeing the Emperor and Prince Yu, they quickly knelt to pay their respects.

The Emperor felt somewhat awkward. After all, he had not yet been married, and he took the Empress and Empress Dowager quite seriously, thus his harem was not filled with unruly women.

After having just discussed Li Shuning with Prince Yu, seeing her now inexplicably led his thoughts in the direction Prince Yu had suggested earlier.

"Rise, what business do you have?" The Emperor curiously looked at Li Shuning.

He often met Li Shuning at the Empress Dowager’s Purple Cloud Palace and often felt an affinity towards her, so his manner of speech remained rather casual.

Li Shuning smiled knowingly, fully aware that this encounter was orchestrated by Prince Yu, yet she intended to go along with it.

"In response to Your Majesty, Shuning and Lou Ge are going to the peach blossom forest to pick some peach blossoms to make Peach Blossom Brew."

"Oh, do you know how to make Peach Blossom Brew?"

Li Shuning shook her head: "It is Lou Ge who knows how; Shuning does not."

"Very well, go on."

Li Shuning and Lou Ge carried small baskets as they made their way to the Imperial Garden.

It was Lou Ge who had asked Li Shuning to accompany her to pick flowers since not everyone was allowed to pick the blossoms from the peach blossom forest.

In recent times, Lou Ge had been trying to win Li Shuning’s favor, and Li Shuning hadn’t refused.

The Cloud Watching Pavilion sat at a higher elevation, with the peach blossom forest located just below it to the right.

The Emperor continued playing chess with Prince Yu, but gradually, his movements slowed down, and suddenly, he couldn’t help but curve his lips into a smile.

Prince Yu saw the Emperor’s expression and felt secretly pleased, thinking that this move had been played correctly.

Watching Li Shuning standing on tiptoe as she picked the peach blossoms in a somewhat awkward manner, the Emperor couldn’t help but stifle a laugh.

"Your Majesty, since we have some free time, why don’t we go down and help Miss Shuning? Perhaps then we might also have some Peach Blossom Brew to drink later?"

The Emperor hesitated for a moment. After all, picking flowers with a Dancing Girl was a breach of protocol and could potentially cause trouble for Shuning later.

"Xiao Lin, go and help out, would it bore you and Prince Yu to play chess with Me?"

"Of course not, Your Majesty’s chess skills are superior, it’s I who feel inadequate. Moreover, seeing Miss Shuning and the others seeming quite overworked, it’s only that, hehe..."

Indeed, this game of chess was a loss for Prince Yu.

Prince Yu suddenly produced a fan, opened it with a flourish, and began to fan himself gently.

The Emperor detected a sweet fragrance in the air, but soon after, there was nothing at all.

In the Cloud Watching Pavilion, originally, Xiao Lin and another young eunuch were serving, but they both went to help beforehand, leaving guards outside the pavilion. When Prince Yu took out the fan, they didn’t think much of it.

Xiao Lin took the young eunuch with him to assist, and Li Shuning smiled in gratitude, yet continued to pick peach blossoms with Lou Ge.

Lou Ge suddenly took out a handkerchief, intending to wipe Li Shuning’s face, but Li Shuning tilted her head and dodged.

However, that fragrance still spread in the air.

Lou Ge laughed: "Sister Shuning, I saw you were sweating and intended to wipe it for you."

Li Shuning chuckled: "I’m not sweating; it’s your forehead that’s all sweaty." With that, she simply pulled the handkerchief from Lou Ge’s hand and helped her wipe it away.