Raising a wife? The mistress of the Hou family divorced and remarried her younger uncle

Chapter 397 The Sixth Princess

Nianqing's face flushed even more as she asked Su Qingwan and the Princess, "I wonder which princess Mother and Aunt favor?"

Qingwan and the Eldest Princess did not mince words, each stating their chosen ones. Nianqing nodded in understanding, his gaze sweeping over the princesses. In his eyes, these young girls were still quite immature, their youthful innocence lingering. After a moment of contemplation, he said softly, "Mother, Aunt, may the princesses withdraw first."

"Could it be that you have already made your choice?" Su Qingwan was slightly surprised—she and the princess were still dazzled and unsure of what to do.

Nianqing nodded in response, though she couldn't hide the nervousness and shyness in her eyes, she forced herself to remain calm. The Princess and Su Qingwan found this amusing, so they signaled to the head maid to lead the princesses away first.

Their curiosity only intensified, and they asked in unison, "Who have you chosen?"

Young Ji was still young, not yet at the age of experiencing first love, and his thoughts were deep and unpredictable. Even the eldest princess, his mother, did not know which kind of woman he favored.

"Sixth Princess." Nianqing's choice was neither Su Qingwan's preference nor the eldest princess's. She had her own reasons.

Su Qingwan and the Eldest Princess were both bewildered upon hearing this: "Sixth Princess? Who is that?"

The princesses were either exceptionally talented or stunningly beautiful; aside from the truly outstanding ones, the two men couldn't remember them all due to their large numbers. In desperation, they quickly retrieved portraits of the ladies and a list of princesses to consult.

It turns out that the Sixth Princess was the legitimate daughter of the Xilin Princess and the elder sister of the Ninth Princess. Her talents were not particularly outstanding, and she was quiet and taciturn, like a silent gourd. Among the princesses, she was inconspicuous and almost blended into the crowd.

Only after Nianqing mentioned it did Su Qingwan and the Eldest Princess vaguely remember—the girl was eleven years old, the same age as the Fifth Princess. At that time, all the princesses were trying their best to impress, but she was the only one who behaved herself, sitting quietly to the side enjoying her snacks, occasionally whispering a few words to her younger sister. What impressed Su Qingwan the most was that she was the most plump of all the princesses, with round cheeks, but her eyes were exceptionally clear, giving her a rather innocent and naive appearance.

"Could it be that Nianqing has a particular fondness for such a lovely girl?" Su Qingwan wondered to herself, then asked, "Have you ever met the Sixth Princess?"

Nianqing lowered her eyes and replied, "No." "Then why did you choose her alone?" The princess became even more curious.

Nianqing slowly explained, “Since Huainan and Xilin agreed to the marriage alliance, Lord Lin has thoroughly investigated all the princesses of Xilin. The sixth princess’s mother, the late Empress, passed away early, and the Imperial Concubine is currently enjoying great favor in the palace. The Imperial Concubine and the late Empress were mortal enemies in their youth, and she is ruthless. The sixth princess protected her younger sister and stayed in the Cold Palace for three years, yet she emerged unscathed and later gained the favor of the King of Xilin. The fact that the two legitimate princesses could survive under the noses of their enemies and, after escaping from the Cold Palace, were able to clear their mother’s name shows their intelligence and strategic thinking. I have always favored intelligent people, and besides, the situation in Huainan is complex. The future princess consort needs to be able to manage the household affairs internally and command respect from the court externally. Choosing her as the consort will save us a lot of trouble in the future.”

The eldest princess fell silent upon hearing this, and Su Qingwan was also speechless for a moment. The two of them had been carefully considering their choices, hoping to find someone that Nianqing liked, but they did not expect that he would take the overall situation and temperament into account when choosing a consort, without caring about his personal likes and dislikes.

Su Qingwan hesitated, but the eldest princess finally spoke: "Nianqing, you are still young and may not know that mutual love is the most precious thing in the world. If you can find a woman you love and spend the rest of your life with her, your days will be vibrant and joyful. If you and the sixth princess are incompatible, what will you do in the future?"

“Mother, you are mistaken.” Nianqing’s tone was gentle but her attitude was firm. “This is a marriage alliance. No one can predict whether the princesses’ temperaments will be compatible with mine. Since it doesn’t matter who we choose, why not choose a wise person? I believe that after marriage, we can grow affection over time by living together day and night, and our temperaments can be adjusted to each other. Mother, Aunt, my mind is made up. I will choose the Sixth Princess.”

Su Qingwan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Have you already made up your mind?"

“Exactly.” Nianqing nodded. “I originally planned to have Lord Lin convey this idea to my mother and aunt, but I didn’t expect that the two of them would summon me to choose for myself.”

Su Qingwan couldn't help but sigh—Nianqing was truly a very decisive child. Xilin proposed a marriage alliance, and he made the final decision; he already had a plan in mind for which princess to choose as his consort, and had even sent people to thoroughly investigate and weigh the options beforehand, knowing the personalities of each princess intimately. It seemed that the information Lin had presented was far from simple; it must have been detailed and comprehensive. Nianqing's choice of the Sixth Princess alone suggested that the young woman must possess extraordinary qualities.

The eldest princess and Su Qingwan exchanged a glance, both knowing that this boy was no longer under their control—his mind was too meticulous and his opinions too firm.

After a long silence, the princess sighed softly, "Fine, so be it."

Nianqing immediately bowed and said, "Thank you, Mother, for your kindness!"