As long as she stood high enough, her sister's husband wouldn't dare to take concubines.
Of course, she hoped even more that her sister's husband would be a kind-hearted man who loved her sister wholeheartedly.
The imperial villa was less strict with its rules compared to the palace, making it possible to properly evaluate potential suitors.
"This humble servant greets Imperial Consort," a peach blossom-like young man paid his respects to Jiang Xinyue at the foot of the pavilion steps. "Greetings to Third Miss Jiang."
He didn't forget to acknowledge Jiang Xinyan either.
The young man wore a pink robe with subtle patterns, its floral designs traced in silver thread that gleamed dazzlingly in the sunlight.
Combined with his fair and beautiful face, he naturally inspired goodwill in others.
Jiang Xinyue first glanced at her sister, noting that while she returned the greeting with a faint smile, her eyes revealed hints of disgust and impatience.
This person was Pei Zhishuo, the eldest legitimate grandson of Minister Pei of the Privy Council, and Pei Wu's half-brother.
"Please rise, Young Master Pei."
Jiang Xinyue spoke in a gentle, sweet voice: "I heard Young Master Pei mention earlier that you already hold a position in court?"
Pei Zhishuo glanced at the pure and lovely Jiang Xinyan, his eyes flashing with disappointment, but when he looked at the charming and alluring Jiang Xinyue, his eyes couldn't hide his amazement.
He straightened his posture even more: "In response to Imperial Consort, this humble servant currently serves as Director of the Ministry of Rites."
At such a young age, he had already achieved the rank of Director of the Ministry of Rites, a fifth-rank position. Reportedly, he hadn't relied on his family's influence but had properly followed the imperial examination path, being assigned to the Ministry of Rites after passing the exams.
A promising youth, handsome and graceful, from a prestigious family - no wonder the capital's scholars had named him one of the Eight Young Talents, causing unmarried young ladies to secretly admire him.
On this point, Jiang Xinyue admired her sister's self-control for not throwing herself at him despite his excellent credentials in all aspects.
Thinking of what her sister had said about suspecting him of having certain unspeakable preferences, she smiled even more gently: "Young Master Pei, please come closer to speak."
Pei Zhishuo couldn't ask for more and stepped forward eagerly.
"Your Majesty, please stay calm, stay calm..."
The Emperor had arranged a surprise for the evening banquet, thinking that since Jiang Xinyue had accepted his apologetic gifts, he wanted to test if he could enter the Changchun Pavilion.
Unexpectedly, halfway there he saw another beautiful young man seemingly engaged in pleasant conversation with his beloved Yue'er.
Wang Dequan grabbed the Emperor's dragon robe: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty... that's the eldest legitimate grandson of Minister Pei. The Pei family has been recently inquiring about the Jiang family's intentions, hoping to arrange for young Master Pei to marry the Imperial Consort's sister as his primary wife!"
The Imperial Consort's sister was currently in the pavilion, standing beside her sister.
"Perhaps the Imperial Consort wishes to examine her future brother-in-law."
"The Pei family?" The Xuanwu Emperor's anger turned to confusion. "The Pei family wants to form a marriage alliance with the Jiang family?"
If he remembered correctly, the Pei and Jiang families had been fighting to the death before, and his Yue'er had engaged in a fierce battle with Noble Consort Li, Minister Pei's granddaughter.
How could they suddenly talk about marriage?
"Young Master Pei's attire is truly excellent, your family's embroiderer is highly skilled."
Pei Zhishuo waved his hand, releasing a pleasant perfume, and smiled: "If Your Grace likes it, this humble servant will arrange for the embroiderer to make new clothes for you upon returning to the capital, however..."
"However what?"
The moment the fragrance wafted out, both Jiang Xinyue and Jiang Xinyan felt their faces flush and their hearts race.
Something was wrong with that fragrance!
But Pei Zhishuo maintained his gentlemanly appearance, though his eyes shamelessly lingered on Jiang Xinyue: "However, Your Grace would need to provide your measurements to this humble servant for the embroiderer to begin work!"
An unworldly young lady might have felt her heart flutter like a frightened deer and believed she had fallen in love with him.
But Jiang Xinyue was no naive girl. She covered her nose, showing an expression of near nausea: "What is that smell on Young Master Pei? It's horrible."
??
Pei Zhishuo stumbled back several steps in shock, frantically sniffing his sleeve. To him it smelled perfectly fragrant. Still shaken, he looked up: "This..."
Only to see the devastatingly beautiful Imperial Consort covering her mouth, whispering with Jiang Xinyan, both looking at him with aversion and scrutiny.
It was that kind of... unfriendly scrutiny, accompanied by what sounded like mocking laughter as they spoke.
Jiang Xinyue was playing the role of a mean girl bullying the good student at school.
She scanned him from head to toe with provocative eyes, whispered with her companion, and let out unpleasant laughter, finally making faces with an expression of barely contained, acidic disdain.
Pei Zhishuo's fair face turned "whoosh" red, not from embarrassment but from humiliation.
He had never been treated this way by women before.
Momentarily losing his composure: "No... Your Grace... this humble servant... this humble servant doesn't smell..."
"Eww..."
The more desperately he tried to explain, the more Jiang Xinyue pulled Jiang Xinyan back, acting as if she might faint from the smell.
She whispered: "It's not his body that smells... could it be bad breath? How disgusting, such a handsome man actually... tsk tsk tsk... what a shame."
Pei Zhishuo covered his mouth with lightning speed, beginning to question his very existence.
He hastily retreated further, covering his mouth with his sleeve: "This humble servant... shall take his leave first."
Not only had he failed to gain any advantage, but Jiang Xinyue's series of reactions had caught him completely off guard, causing him to flee in panic.
Even Jiang Xinyan gave her sister a thumbs up: "Sister, why didn't I think of this method before?"
Just remembering that day on the boat when Pei Zhishuo deliberately arranged to "accidentally" meet her, and how he had looked at their mother with that same sticky, disgusting gaze, made Jiang Xinyan shudder.
What was previously just suspicion could now be confirmed...
Pei Zhishuo... had a thing for married women.
Jiang Xinyue snorted with laughter: "People like him who use their looks to deceive others care most about their appearance and others' opinions of them. Just tell him he's ugly or smelly, and he can't handle it - he'll break down."
It was what people in later generations would call: completely destroying someone's psychological defenses.
Breaking his confidence from within was more effective than anything else.
"Why does the Imperial Consort seem to dislike Young Master Pei so much?"
Wang Dequan watched Pei Zhishuo's panicked retreat and observed Jiang Xinyue's sardonic expression. Though he couldn't hear what they had said clearly, he could certainly tell that the Imperial Consort had been teasing someone again.
In this aspect, Wang Dequan felt the Imperial Consort's skill had reached an unmatched, supreme level.
The Xuanwu Emperor also saw everything clearly and privately thought that he would need to be wary of Minister Pei that evening - if he were to publicly request an imperial decree for the marriage, he couldn't agree to it.
Neither Yue'er nor her sister seemed particularly pleased with the match.
