...
"Minister Lu seems to be putting on a show. He even had his attendants buy the answers."
"Indeed, he's giving us a hint."
"Otherwise, Minister Lu could have just asked for the answers directly, why spend money?"
"Fortunately, we're not fools either."
The officials spent money and then carefully read the circled content. Though it was extensive, it was manageable.
They were all talents who had gone through over a decade of non-compulsory education. Memorizing texts was a basic skill for them. Although it was a lot, it wasn't beyond their abilities.
Having spent money to highlight the key points, they all went back to diligently memorize them.
Some outstanding performers even memorized content beyond the key points, just in case they might need it.
...
At the Seventh Prince's Mansion.
A servant brought in a set of key points from the rules and regulations.
It was also bought with money.
After the Crown Prince left, several princes remained in the Capital City, not returning to their respective fiefs.
Now the Crown Prince was out of the running, having been rebuked by the Emperor for his treacherous intentions, and was confined to reflect on his actions.
He probably had no hope left.
The Second Prince died young, leaving a vacancy.
The Third Prince was the Crown Prince, now deceased.
The Fourth Prince died young, leaving another vacancy.
The Fifth Prince enjoyed reciting Buddhist scriptures and had been a lay Buddhist disciple since childhood. He appeared to be aloof from worldly affairs. His mother held the rank of Imperial Consort, giving him an advantage.
The Sixth Prince excelled in both civil and military affairs. His mother was a Noble Lady.
The Seventh Prince had no notable reputation. His mother was of low birth, and the Emperor disliked him. He also seemed to be excluded from consideration.
The Eighth Prince died young, another vacancy.
The Ninth Prince was of a wild nature, indulging in cockfighting and dog racing, causing chaos in the Capital City. His mother was a Primary Consort.
The Tenth Prince was frail. He had several consorts including a Primary Consort, Secondary Consort, and concubines, but no children.
The Eleventh Prince died young.
The Twelfth Prince died young.
...
The Seventeenth Prince was still young. He was currently the only prince still living in the palace.
He was also born in the Emperor's later years.
He was thirteen years old.
He still appeared to be mentally underdeveloped.
...
Although there were many princes.
All things considered, only the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, and Tenth Princes remained. The Seventh Prince was also implicitly excluded by everyone, firstly because his maternal clan was practically non-existent, secondly because the Emperor disliked him, and thirdly because he had no legitimate son.
The Tenth Prince was also excluded due to his frailty and lack of heir.
This left only the Fifth, Sixth, and Ninth Princes competing for the position of Crown Prince.
The Sixth Prince currently seemed to have the best chance, given his excellence in both civil and military affairs, his good reputation, and his mother's clan not being weak.
At this moment, the Seventh Prince was holding the rules and regulations, pondering over the parts circled in red.
Although the Emperor was elderly, he was not senile. Every move he made had a purpose. Could it be that he was using this to test them?
It was said that Old Ninth was causing a ruckus with them.
Old Sixth had probably already memorized everything.
Old Fifth, despite appearing detached, had surely memorized it secretly as well.
Although he pretended to be indifferent, he would definitely have to memorize it too.
Perhaps this was the Emperor's way of testing everyone.
As the Seventh Prince was flipping through the regulations, Heir Apparent Chu Xi entered.
The Seventh Prince casually asked a question, and Chu Xi answered fluently.
The Seventh Prince was very satisfied. His eldest son could always stay ahead of things and was extremely outstanding.
One of the reasons for his ambition was because of his son. His son was so excellent that he deserved that position.
Seeing his father in a good mood, Chu Xi took the initiative to speak, "Father, I wish to marry my cousin Jiang Wan. She's mother's niece, so if she enters our family, she'll surely get along well with mother."
The Seventh Prince's expression cooled slightly, feeling somewhat disappointed. Romantic entanglements were destined to not go far.
However, the Seventh Prince didn't directly refuse, instead saying, "I have no objections. If you like her, that's fine. Ask your mother about it. For such matters, her approval is necessary."
Chu Xi, hearing his father's words, couldn't tell if he was happy or not.
He obediently went to ask the Seventh Prince's Consort Jiang Yuluan.
When Jiang Yuluan learned that Chu Xi actually wanted to marry Wan'er, her expression immediately changed, "I don't agree."
She herself had married into the royal family, marrying the Seventh Prince. To outsiders, it seemed she lived extremely well, but only she knew the true cold and warmth of her situation.
Wan'er was her only niece, whom she regarded as her own daughter. She had provided her with all the support she wanted in the Capital City, but now she was also to be married into this family. She knew this father and son pair too well - they had no hearts and weren't worth it.
Chu Xi had no choice but to take his leave.
He couldn't understand why his mother would refuse. He was marrying her niece. His mother had no children of her own, so wouldn't this make their relationship more stable in the future? Wasn't it beneficial in multiple ways?
...
As Chu Xi was thinking about how to persuade his mother, bad news came one after another from Immortal Liu's family.
First, Minister Lu's youngest son was injured by a falling beam.
Then, Young Master Liu fell into the river.
It was said that Immortal Liu's grandmother had also suffered a stroke.
Even the Seventh Prince couldn't help but advise his son, "Isn't this fate a bit too strange? Is there anyone left unharmed around her? If you marry her, wouldn't you be next?"
Chu Xi might not have listened to other words, but when it came to matters of fate, he indeed took notice and was startled.
He no longer mentioned marrying his cousin.
However, on the other side, Liu Tong had caught a chill after falling into the water and was constantly talking nonsense, calling out for Immortal Liu. Left with no choice, Liu's parents had to go to Immortal Liu to plead.
With the Liu family being sworn siblings like this, the most awkward position fell to Miss Dong. She, an unmarried young lady, was now the laughingstock of the entire Capital City.
It was said that Miss Dong had been hurriedly sent out of the Capital City by her parents to clear her mind.
...
The neighbor, Jiang Changtian, who did good deeds anonymously, felt very strange about this.
This Jiang Wan really had something about her.
She herself never encountered any problems, but those around her always did.
The people around her could always ward off disasters for her.
Thinking about it this way, it was fortunate that he stood in opposition to her.
If he were on her side, who knows when he might end up warding off a disaster for her without even realizing it.
At night.
The family was eating dinner together.
When father returned, Mianmian was very excited, chattering to her father about everything she had seen and heard today.
Jiang Changtian listened with a smile on his face.
He occasionally took the opportunity to add some food to her bowl.
"On the ninth day, I'll go to the temple with you all. That day should be my rest day. This is one downside of the Capital City, there are few rest days, and we have to report to the office every day. What do you think, Congheng?"
Zi Congheng had already progressed from eating silently to eagerly answering questions.
He spoke up, "That's great, my father enjoys lively atmospheres."
...
