Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 867 Beauty as a Weapon
On the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, after the snow had cleared, the incense burner in the warm chamber of the Eastern Palace was burning brightly. Li Zhi sat upright at his desk, reviewing New Year's greetings from various regions, while Xiao Wu stood quietly by his side, grinding ink and adding incense for him.

Changsun Wuji entered slowly, followed by two elderly princesses from the imperial clan. He was not wearing his official robes today, but only a dark purple casual dress, and his smile was as warm as the spring sun.

"Your Highness has been working hard lately, so I have come to inquire after your well-being."

Changsun Wuji bowed slightly, his attitude so respectful that no one could find fault with him. But everyone knew that this old fox wouldn't come to the temple without a reason, so his presence meant he must have some trick up his sleeve.

Li Zhi put down his vermilion brush and rose to greet them: "Prime Minister Changsun, there's no need for such formalities. May I ask who these two are?"

An elderly princess dressed in a crimson palace gown stepped forward with a smile: "I am the Princess Consort of Hejian County, and this is the Princess Consort of Longxi County. We have come today to congratulate His Highness the Crown Prince."

"Congratulations?" Li Zhi's eyes flickered slightly, but his face was full of blankness.

Changsun Wuji replied with a smile, "That's right. Your Highness is already fourteen years old, and it is time to establish a Crown Princess to secure the Eastern Palace. The two Princesses are skilled in physiognomy and have come to advise Your Highness."

Xiao Wu paused slightly while grinding the ink, and the ink stick made a screeching sound as it scraped across the inkstone.

At this moment, the Princess Consort of Hejian stepped forward, carefully examined Li Zhi, and then smiled and said, "Your Highness has the bearing of a dragon and the grace of a phoenix, and is worthy of a lady from a noble family. I have heard that Pei Wan, the daughter of Minister Pei, is gentle and refined, and skilled in music and chess. She is a suitable match for you."

Princess Consort of Longxi immediately chimed in: "Cui Lin, daughter of Minister Cui, is no less remarkable. She is well-versed in poetry and literature, and what is even more commendable is her skill in managing household affairs. If the Crown Prince were to acquire such a daughter, she would surely bring order to the entire household."

Li Zhi lowered his eyes and remained silent, glancing back at Xiao Wu every now and then, clearly somewhat flustered.

The women these two old ladies were referring to were the legitimate daughters of noble families from the Guanzhong region. Marrying either of them would be tantamount to binding the Crown Prince's palace firmly to the Guanzhong Group.

Changsun Wuji observed Li Zhi's expression and chuckled inwardly. He then added fuel to the fire: "This old minister believes that both young ladies are excellent choices. Why not ask Your Majesty to issue an edict to marry both of them into the Eastern Palace, with Lady Pei as the Crown Princess and Lady Cui as a concubine? This would put everyone at ease."

What a brilliant move of feigning retreat to advance! Not only does the Crown Prince have to marry women from Guanzhong, but he has to marry two at once, thus completely placing the Eastern Palace under the shadow of Guanzhong's power.

The warm pavilion fell silent for a moment, with only the crackling of the charcoal fire breaking out.

Just then, Old Zhang's hearty laughter suddenly came from outside the pavilion: "How lively! What happy occasion are they discussing?"

But he was still wearing his old fox fur cloak, carrying a wine gourd in his hand, and staggered in with hazy, drunken eyes, looking just like a damn drunken swordsman.

Upon entering, he casually bowed to the two princesses and said, "Greetings to the princesses."

Princess Consort of Hejian frowned: "Is Minister Zhang drunk again?"

It's not surprising that Lao Zhang knows them. After all, who is Zhang Zhongchun? With his talent and temperament, plus his age of around forty and his "Pu Cunxin" persona, he is a true idol for middle-aged and elderly women. In this respect, even Xia Lin can't compare, because Xia Lin not only has a bad temper and a bad reputation, but more importantly, his appearance is too aggressive, unlike Lao Zhang's gentle and refined demeanor.

"Drunk? Not at all." Zhang Shuo sauntered over to Li Zhi's desk and sat down by himself. "I came here because I heard that someone is going to arrange a marriage for the Crown Prince, so I came to share in the joy."

He suddenly leaned closer to Li Zhi, lowered his voice so that everyone in the room could hear him clearly: "Your Highness, last night this old minister observed the celestial phenomena and saw a Peach Blossom Star next to the Purple Star, indicating that the marriage will be fraught with difficulties. It would be best to postpone the selection of the concubine."

Changsun Wuji's face darkened: "Minister Zhang, this is an internal affair of the Tang Dynasty. As a Wei official, you would be better off not interfering."

"Oh dear!" Zhang Shuo slapped his thigh: "What are you saying, Prime Minister Changsun? I have a mentor-student relationship with the Crown Prince. What's wrong with me showing concern for my student's lifelong happiness?"

He suddenly turned to Xiao Wu, squinted and sized her up for a moment: "If we're talking about a good match, I think this Miss Wu is quite suitable. She has the air of a dragon and phoenix between her brows, she's sure to be a woman who brings good fortune to her husband."

Caught off guard, Xiao Wu blushed instantly and lowered his head in silence.

The two princesses turned pale upon hearing this, as if they were about to make a commoner of unknown origin the crown princess.

This is utterly ridiculous! It's not just a disgrace to propriety, it's a disgrace to the nation.

Changsun Wuji sneered: "Minister Zhang is joking. The selection of the Crown Princess concerns the national dignity; how can it be treated so lightly?"

"Child's play?" Zhang Shuo shook his wine gourd, his drunken eyes glancing sideways, a dangerous glint in them: "Prime Minister Changsun recommending two daughters of important officials in one go, isn't that child's play? Could it be that he wants the Crown Prince to follow Emperor Hui of Han's example and marry a daughter of a powerful maternal relative, so that certain people can maintain their wealth and status forever? Oh right, right right, people will eventually be troubled by what they couldn't have in their youth. Some people didn't become maternal relatives, and they have regrets in their hearts!"

These words were so blunt that the atmosphere in the warm pavilion instantly froze.

Zhang Zhongchun's foul mouth really had no intention of giving anyone a way out. Changsun Wuji's hand was almost reaching for the long sword at his waist, but then he realized that he was in the palace and couldn't carry weapons.

Li Zhi spoke at this opportune moment, his tone gentle yet undeniably firm: "Thank you for your kind intentions, Grand Chancellor Changsun and the two Princesses. However, the selection of consorts is a matter of great importance, and we must consult the Empress Dowager for her decision. Moreover..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present before finally settling on Xiao Wu. He smiled slightly and said, "Besides, I've heard that a true match is not about social status but about mutual understanding."

The words were said subtly, but the meaning couldn't be clearer.

Changsun Wuji stared at him for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "Your Highness is right. Then this old minister will await Your Majesty's decree."

After saying that, he turned around, gave the two old women a look, and left in a huff.

Old Zhang glanced at the two of them, then laughed and said, "I'm going to take a nap in the back. This isn't over yet. I've already written to your lecherous old man. You can't handle this. Just wait for his news."

"Thank you very much, Uncle. If it weren't for you, I really wouldn't know how to handle things today."

"Don't thank me, we're family." Old Zhang yawned, staggered to the back room, and closed the door. "Call me if you need anything."

After a while, Xiao Wu said softly, "Your Highness shouldn't have said that. I'm afraid the news that Your Highness is in love with this commoner will spread throughout Chang'an tomorrow."

Li Zhi didn't mind, took her hand and kissed it: "I was just worried about how to turn down this marriage, but Uncle has helped me a lot."

His fingertips were warm, causing Xiao Wu to tremble slightly: "But..."

“No buts.” Li Zhi gazed at her. “Senior sister, do you remember when we were in Fuliang, you taught me to read the Book of Songs, and the first poem was ‘Guanju’?”

Xiao Wu lowered his eyes and softly recited: "The ospreys cry 'guan guan' on the river's islet. A fair maiden is the gentleman's ideal."

“That’s right.” Li Zhi smiled. “In my heart, there has only ever been one lady.”

On the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month, incense wafted through the warm pavilion in the back garden of the Pei residence.

Pei Wan sat gracefully before the embroidery frame, her slender fingers holding a silver needle as she embroidered mandarin ducks on the silk. She was Pei Shu's granddaughter, only fifteen years old, and had already blossomed into a beautiful young woman with exquisite features. She was indeed a bright and lovely girl. Xia Lin had liked this type of girl when he was young, and she looked somewhat like Tang Bao'er when she was a teenager.

"Miss, I heard that Prime Minister Changsun recommended you to the Crown Prince the other day," the personal maid whispered.

Pei Wan didn't even look up, her stitches continuing steadily: "Is this something you're allowed to discuss?"

The maid stuck out her tongue and dared not say another word.

Just then, a maid announced from outside the door, "Miss, Miss Cui has arrived."

Cui Lin, dressed in a pale yellow ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) and wearing a white fox fur cloak, walked in with a smile: "Sister Wan'er, what a fine mood you are in, still embroidering in this weather."

Pei Wan put down her needlework and smiled gently, "What brings you here, Sister Lin?"

“Naturally, I’ve come to congratulate you, elder sister.” Cui Lin sat down opposite her and poured herself a cup of tea. “I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince rejected Prime Minister Changsun’s proposal, but he treats you differently, elder sister.” Pei Wan’s hand holding the teapot paused slightly. “Where did you hear this gossip, younger sister?”

“This is no idle talk.” Cui Lin leaned closer and lowered her voice: “The other day, Minister Zhang said in the warm pavilion that His Highness the Crown Prince already has someone in his heart, that commoner girl surnamed Wu. In order to overshadow this, Prime Minister Changsun specially recommended you to His Majesty.”

Pei Wan lowered her eyes and remained silent, her fingertips gently caressing the teacup.

Cui Lin observed her expression and said, "If you ask me, why should you get involved in this mess, sister? That woman surnamed Wu is Xia Lin and Xia Daosheng's woman, and the Crown Prince is clearly protecting her. If you marry into the Eastern Palace, wouldn't you be making a fool of yourself?"

“Sister Lin.” Pei Wan raised her eyes, her gaze calm: “Marriage is a major life event, decided by parents and arranged by matchmakers. These are not matters for you and me to discuss.”

Cui Lin was met with a rebuff, and gave an awkward smile: "Sister is right."

In the end, the two chatted about everyday matters, but Pei Wan could clearly see that Cui Lin was desperate to become the Crown Princess.

After seeing Cui Lin off, Pei Wan stood alone by the window, gazing absently at the snow-covered courtyard.

The maid asked in a low voice, "Miss, are you really going to marry into the Eastern Palace?"

Pei Wan gently shook her head: "Whether I marry or not is not up to me. But..." She paused, then whispered: "Go and find out what kind of person that Miss Wu is."

Meanwhile, the scene at Zhang Shuo's residence was quite different.

"Uncle!!!" Li Zhi looked at the scrolls filling the room with a mixture of amusement and exasperation: "Are you going to bring here portraits of every eligible woman in Chang'an?"

Zhang Shuo, with his legs crossed, leisurely sipped his tea: "Since Your Highness has said you want to select a consort, you should naturally choose carefully. These are portraits of eligible young women from various noble families. Your Highness, please take a look."

Xiao Wu stood aside, looking at the scrolls scattered on the ground, his expression complicated.

Zhang Shuo glanced at her and smiled, "Miss Wu, please take a look too. In my opinion, this Miss Lu is quite good. I've heard she's gentle and compliant, so she certainly won't compete with Miss Wu for favor."

Li Zhi said helplessly, "Uncle, please don't make things worse."

“How is this causing trouble?” Zhang Shuo said seriously, “Since Your Highness wants to choose a concubine, then choose one! Not only should you choose one, but you should choose one in a grand manner, so that the whole of Chang’an can watch.”

He pulled out a scroll and unfurled it, revealing a bright-eyed, white-toothed young girl: "For example, this one, Xiao Yu's niece, the eldest daughter of the Lanling Xiao family. If we choose her, the gentry of Jiangnan will surely be delighted."

Then another scroll was opened: "This is the daughter of the Wang family of Taiyuan. If you choose her, the Shandong gentry will also support Your Highness."

Li Zhi seemed to be deep in thought: "Uncle means..."

"Changsun Wuji wants to use marriage to bind Your Highness to Guanzhong, so why doesn't Your Highness do the opposite? Taking a step back to advance is the best move. Xiao Wu, go boil some water."

Xiao Wu was very clever; he knew he couldn't stop talking now, so he quickly bowed and left.

After she left, Old Zhang's eyes gleamed: "If you lay out the selection process for concubines, one or two wouldn't be enough for you. Now, all the girls in Chang'an are scrambling into your bed. What do you say to that?"

Li Zhi rubbed his hands together and chuckled awkwardly, "I'm afraid I can't handle it..."

"You brat, you really want to eat this? Just like your dog of a father!" Old Zhang cursed. "Did you ask me to expand the search to several hundred people so you could sleep with girls? It was just to buy you time. Don't worry, I've found you a helper tomorrow."

"helper?"

“That’s right.” Zhang Shuo smiled mysteriously. “I’ve already persuaded the Princess Consort of Hejian. Tomorrow, she will enter the palace as the eldest member of the imperial clan. With her involved, the selection of a consort will become even more interesting. However, in the end, your father will still have to make the decision for you. Since it’s a marriage arranged by parents and matchmakers, in principle, your parents should keep their word. But it’s inconvenient for your mother to come forward, and as for your father… hehe, but right now there’s heavy snow in the Western Regions, so it will probably be a month before he arrives. Therefore, we have to delay!”

"My dad's coming!?"

"If I call him, would he dare not come? Don't forget, the eldest brother is like a father to him; my words are no different from those of his own father!" Old Zhang raised an eyebrow: "Don't worry, I told him that this is a major event in your son's life. Whether he becomes an ordinary emperor who is constrained or a new and unconventional emperor depends on this moment. Do you think he will come?"

The next morning, a carriage drove into Xuanwu Gate.

Princess Consort of Hejian helped an elderly woman with white hair slowly alight from the carriage. The elderly woman was dressed in the robes of an imperial consort and held a phoenix-headed cane; she was none other than the most senior member of the imperial clan, the Dowager Lady of Lu.

"I heard that someone is choosing a consort for my grand-nephew, so I came to take a look." The Grand Lady of Lu's voice was not loud, but it had its own kind of majesty.

Inside the warm pavilion, Changsun Wuji rushed over upon hearing the news. Upon seeing the scene, he couldn't help but frown: "Why has the Grand Madam come?"

"What?" The Dowager Lady of Lu glanced at him. "As an elder of the royal family, am I not allowed to inquire about the Crown Prince's marriage?"

She walked up to Li Zhi, examined him carefully for a moment, and nodded with satisfaction: "He looks just like your mother when she was young." As she spoke, she glanced at Xiao Wu, who was standing to the side, "Is this girl Wu Shi?"

Xiao Wu quickly bowed and said, "This humble woman greets the Madam."

The Lady of Lu scrutinized her for a moment, then suddenly said, "Raise your head."

Xiao Wu looked up as instructed. The Grand Madam stared at her for a long while, then suddenly smiled: "She's a blessed woman. This face is quite rare—dragon eyes and a phoenix neck, a sign of extreme nobility. Much better than those delicate young ladies from noble families, very good, very good..."

Changsun Wuji's expression changed slightly: "Grand Madam, the selection of the Crown Princess concerns the very foundation of the nation..."

"National system?" The Lady of Lu snorted coldly: "Back then, I was not from any noble family. On the contrary, I was just a country girl picking mulberry leaves. Didn't I still get an imperial title? If you ask me, when it comes to marrying a wife, you should marry a virtuous one. Family background is all irrelevant."

She held Li Zhi's hand and said earnestly, "Zhi'er, remember, this marriage is your own business. Don't let those with ulterior motives take advantage of you."

The words of the Lady of Lu immediately made the situation even more delicate.

That evening, in the Pei family study, Uncle Pei looked at his granddaughter and sighed, "Wan'er, have you thought this through? The Eastern Palace is a very deep pool. In recent years, all the families in the country have suffered great losses. The position of Crown Princess will definitely be fiercely contested. You are gentle and weak, and I'm afraid you will suffer."

Pei Wan lowered her head and remained silent, her fingertips tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.

"Grandpa heard that the Lady of Lu State entered the palace today, and she clearly favored that commoner girl." Uncle Pei walked to the window. "Changsun Wuji's actions are an attempt to use my Pei family as a pawn."

"Granddaughter understands," Pei Wan replied softly.

“If you are unwilling, Grandpa will go and tell Changsun Wuji.”

Pei Wan raised her head, her gaze firm: "No, Grandpa, I'm willing."

Under Uncle Pei's astonished gaze, she slowly said, "Since I am destined to marry into the royal family, then I will be the most dazzling one. Neither that commoner nor Cui Lin can compete with me."

Outside the window, the north wind howled, swirling up piles of snow.

The selection of concubines, which was intertwined with the entire scene, was Changsun Wuji's ultimate move. This made Old Zhang somewhat accept this Minister of the Imperial Secretariat of the Tang Dynasty. If he could only be impotent and furious all the time, he would not know how this bastard became the prime minister.

But games are only interesting when there's a back-and-forth exchange.

(End of this chapter)