good season

Every word spoken by the Princess of Qingchuan struck Princess Huixin's heart like a heavy hammer.

She was in so much pain, it was excruciating!

The person surnamed Gao mentioned by the county magistrate of Qingchuan is indeed a real person.

After the Spring Banquet last year, the Empress mentioned this marriage to her and said that she would choose a day for her to meet the suitors. However, the matter was dropped, and later, Gao was replaced by Lin Sen.

When she heard about it, she was only slightly surprised and didn't take it to heart.

Regardless of who it was, it was all given by the emperor, and she, as the person involved, had no right to choose. The so-called matchmaking was just a formality; even if the person was a monster or a demon, she could only express her satisfaction.

Little did she know that the man surnamed Gao was already dead. Heh, he died in a brothel, the cause of death being jealousy. This man was clearly a lecher. This was the consort the emperor had chosen for her.

If this person is not dead, then he will be her husband.

absurd!

As for Princess Qingchuan's claim that Lin Sen had already married and had children, Princess Huixin had actually guessed it long ago.

Lin Sen comes from a wealthy family, so there's no reason why he wouldn't be engaged by the age of twenty-five. It's most likely that his wife's background is inferior to Lin's, so he's long harbored the idea of ​​marrying into a noble family. The fact that he dared to marry the princess means that he and his previous wife didn't have a marriage certificate, which can withstand the investigation of the royal family.

These days, it's common for men to take concubines before marriage, especially since the Lin family is a merchant family and doesn't have many such customs.

Give her some silver and send her far away. As for the child, either keep him as a child born to a maid or give him to a member of the Lin clan.

If someone is of the same status as Princess Jiayi or Princess Jia'an, and has children in their previous marriage, they would naturally be excluded from the selection of a consort.

But she was neither Princess Jiayi nor any of Emperor Yongjia's princesses. She was just a helpless orphan. Even if the Imperial Clan Court found out that Lin Sen had been married and had children, as long as Lin Sen did not have a legal wife or legitimate son at the moment, if Lin Sen offered some benefits, the matter could be easily covered up.

Because no one will stand up for her, and no one will stand up for her. Even if they don't mock her to her face like Princess Qingchuan, they will stand aside and wait to see her make a fool of herself, to see her embarrassed, to see her make a fool of herself, and to see her become a laughing stock in the capital.

And the one who started all this, her high-ranking royal uncle, might even think that she has brought shame to the royal family.

Just like her sister Huiming.

She believed in her sister; she knew who her sister liked, but she didn't believe her or her sister. They only believed what they wanted to believe.

Princess Qingchuan vented her anger fiercely; she was also getting married, and to a distant place at that.

Just yesterday, she was betrothed to An Shichong, the youngest son of the Prince of Nangui, that good-for-nothing homosexual!

Nan Gui is so far from the capital; once she leaves, she may never be able to return.

She didn't want to get married. She had already tried her best. She had been a companion to Princess Jiarou and a follower to the Third Prince's wife, Feng Jiahe. She could have married very well!

In the morning, she went to beg Feng Jiahe. If Feng Jiahe could say a few good words for her in front of Consort Qiao, she would still have a chance to stay in the capital.

However, Feng Jiahe told her that the imperial decree had already been issued, and even Consort Qiao could not persuade the emperor to retract his order.

That's why she came to find Princess Jiarou. On the way, she realized that the marriage was definitely not going to change. So she could settle for second best and let An Shichong come to the capital. If Zhao Tingxuan could come to the capital as a hostage, why couldn't An Shichong, the youngest son of a prince of a different surname, come as well?

If An Shichong comes to the capital, she can stay there. As long as she is in the capital, An Shichong will not dare to cause trouble. Then she will still be the Qingchuan County Princess who can get whatever she wants, instead of the youngest daughter-in-law of the Prince of Nangui.

But Princess Jiarou wasn't in the manor, and she suddenly thought of Princess Huixin.

Princess Huixin also lives here.

Princess Huixin was also betrothed.

An Shichong was, after all, the son of a prince, yet Princess Huixin was to marry a poor scholar who had passed the imperial examination.

But why is it that this shameless woman can stay in the capital openly, while she has to be married off to a barbarian land?

She was unwilling to accept it.

She suddenly remembered what Feng Jiahe had told her. In order to make her believe that she hadn't married the worst man, but that there were even worse men than her, Feng Jiahe had told her that Lin Sen had already married and had children. At the time, she had just taken it as a joke, but now, seeing Princess Huixin's disheveled appearance, she felt very pleased and happy!

Although An Shichong is not a good person, it depends on who you compare him to. Compared to Lin Sen, one is like snow in the sky and the other is like mud on the ground; there is no comparison at all.

The anger that had been building up in Princess Qingchuan's chest finally dissipated. Feeling refreshed, she gave Princess Huixin a disdainful look and strode away with her head held high.

She still had time. She would have her mother plead with Consort Meng. The Emperor respected Consort Meng greatly. Besides, it wasn't that she didn't want to marry; she just wanted to stay in the capital.

Princess Qingchuan has left, but Princess Huixin remains unable to find peace for a long time.

She stood there blankly, her eyes vacant. In front of her was Gao, and behind her was Lin Sen. Did the Emperor and Empress think she wasn't miserable enough?
She walked towards the door, but a newly arrived maid rushed after her and stopped her.

"Princess, didn't you just come back from outside? Why are you going out again? If the maids find out, they will definitely scold you."

Princess Huixin ignored her and pushed her away. These maids and servants all looked down on her and knew that she was not valued, so they didn't take her seriously at all.

The maidservant panicked and turned to run back. She was going to inform the matrons that the princess was too willful and lawless.

Princess Huixin walked to the door and saw two maids following behind her. These were the two who had accompanied her to the shop today. She had carefully selected them from the new batch of maids; they were honest, obedient, and simple-minded.

The two maids were trembling with fear. The older sister had already gone to report the news, and they had failed to stop the princess. They were sure to get a beating when she returned.

"I left my handkerchief at the shop; I need to go back and get it."

After Princess Huixin finished speaking, she walked out of the gate with her head held high, and her two maids quickly followed.

That candy shop was part of Empress Xiaokang's dowry. Before the Meng family left the capital, they gave her and Huiming several shops, including this one, as part of their dowry.

Although the shop had been open for many years, business was not good. Later, she asked Princess Jiarou to help her get some candy recipes from the palace. She was also fortunate enough to hire an old eunuch who came from the palace and was good at making candy. In the meantime, Huiming had an accident and she was confined to her quarters. The old eunuch was so scared that he dared not use the palace recipes. It was only after she was released from confinement that the shop's business gradually improved.

Since Huiming left, this shop is the only place where she feels a little better.

Sweets can make people happy.

Half an hour later, Princess Huixin sat by the window on the second floor of the candy shop again.

A few days ago, she was sitting right here when she saw that familiar figure.

Remembering Lin Sen's matter, she said to one of the maids, "Go and call Manager Li here."

Manager Li arrived soon after. He was also one of the Meng family's people left in the capital. He was so-so at business, but he was absolutely loyal to the Meng family.

Although Princess Huixin was not Empress Meng's biological daughter, she regarded Empress Meng as her stepmother. To Manager Li, Princess Huixin was practically his mistress. "Princess, what are your orders for summoning me here?"

"Manager Li, you've been in the capital for decades, you must have quite a few connections. Could you help me investigate someone, Lin Sen, who was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) last year? Also, do you remember that customer who bought a lot of things the other day?"

Manager Li had also heard about Princess Huixin's impending marriage to Lin Sen. The princess was going to investigate the suitor, which was not difficult for him.

However, he didn't quite remember the guest the princess mentioned.

Since the new candies were introduced, the shop's business has been getting better day by day, with many customers every day. How could he not remember them all?

Princess Huixin said, "That customer bought every kind of candy in the shop."

Manager Li slapped his forehead. He remembered that there was indeed such a person, and the princess had asked about this guest that day.

"I remember, I remember. That guest was a scholar, with delicate features."

Princess Huixin smiled and said, "It's him. Let's investigate him as well. It would be best if we could find out where he lives."

Two days later, Lin Sen's affair was discovered.

Of course, what she could find out was what Lin Sen wanted others to find out.

Lin Sen was single-mindedly focused on the imperial examinations and devoted all his energy to studying. His mother had arranged for him to take a concubine, who was his distant cousin. This concubine bore the Lin family a pair of children.

Before the arranged marriage, Lin Sen had already reported to the Imperial Clan Court that he had two children born out of wedlock and had written a letter of release for his concubine. Since the concubine's family was poor, Lin Sen gave her a decent dowry and allowed her to return home to find another husband.

As for the two illegitimate children, they have been sent to the Lin clan and are being personally raised by the clan elders.

Princess Huixin couldn't help but laugh out loud after hearing this.

As she suspected, the fact that this matter had reached the ears of the Princess of Qingchuan meant that it was no longer a secret.

Lin Sen's actions were neither clever nor discreet.

That cousin was not a concubine at all; she was his first wife. However, the Lin family had made two plans from the beginning: if he passed the imperial examination, he would marry another noblewoman; if he failed, he would still have a good reputation for being devoted to his first wife.

My cousin's family was poor; if they weren't, she wouldn't have become a concubine for her wealthy cousin.

Even if a poor family's daughter gives birth to their eldest son, she may not receive a marriage certificate.

Princess Huixin smiled and then tears streamed down her face.

If that Gao guy is a lecher, then Lin Sen is a hypocrite and a beast in human clothing!

He wanted to marry a noblewoman, even if the position of imperial son-in-law was just a sinecure and he wouldn't achieve anything in his official career, it would still change the Lin family's social standing.

The Lin family is wealthy, but not extremely wealthy; their family background is respectable, but not noble. It took three generations of effort to support Lin Sen, all for the sake of transcending social classes.

The Lin family produced a princess consort, making them imperial relatives. Even if she died, Lin Sen's descendants would still be descendants of a princess. They wouldn't need to marry into poorer families; their marriage partners would be members of the imperial clan, nobles, or officials. If any of their descendants could pass the imperial examinations, then after three generations, the Lin family could join the ranks of aristocratic families, or at the very least, a second- or third-rate aristocratic family.

Seeing the princess cry, Manager Li was startled and wondered if he could still say what he was going to say.

Fortunately, Princess Huixin quickly regained her composure and asked, "Where is that guest? Do you have any clues?"

Shopkeeper Li nodded: "I've got it! That customer bought too many things from our shop, and one sedan chair couldn't hold them all, so he hired another sedan chair specifically to carry those candies."

The young man found the two sedan chair carriers. They were brothers who usually waited for work in this area. They had gone to help out at a relative's wedding a couple of days ago and only returned today. The young man inquired around and found out where they were.

They also remembered that guest; after all, not many people hire a sedan chair to carry their belongings, right?

According to the two brothers, the guest went to Tianjing Hutong, which is full of large houses and the hutong is very wide. Not to mention sedan chairs, even horse-drawn carriages can go in.

However, the guest did not allow them to carry the sedan chair inside, but instead let it stop at the entrance of the alley.

As soon as they alighted from the sedan chair, two burly men appeared out of nowhere, took the things out of the chair, and sent them away. Therefore, they only knew that the guests were going to Tianjing Hutong, but not which house.

Tianjing Hutong?

Princess Huixin's eyes lit up. She didn't know where Tianjing Hutong was, nor had she ever heard of it, but what did it matter? Since it was in the capital, many people must know about it.

"Manager Li, do you know where Tianjing Hutong is?"

Manager Li said, "I've only heard of it, but I've never been there. However, I'm sure all these sedan chair carriers know each other. Do you think I should go and ask them?"

Princess Huixin nodded quickly: "Then I'll have to trouble Manager Li."

Manager Li hurriedly replied, "It is my honor to be able to serve the princess."

The Meng family had been in the capital for decades. Even though they returned to their hometown more than a decade ago, they still maintained their connections in the capital.

Since Manager Li is a member of the Meng family, it's the most reliable way to entrust him with tasks.

Manager Li said he would go immediately, and after bidding farewell to Princess Huixin, he left.

Princess Huixin smiled as she watched Manager Li's departing figure.

If the Crown Princess knew that her personal attendant was working for her, she would probably be so angry that she would die again.

But so what?

Even though the Crown Princess died, she was posthumously honored as Empress, and the Meng family, though leaving the capital, remained a prestigious and influential family.

The Crown Princess dotes on Zhao Yuan so much, yet she treats her and Huiming like dirt. Haha, but so what?

Zhao Yuan is long dead; his bones have probably rotted away.

But the sisters are still alive, and not only are they alive, they can also inherit the Crown Princess's dowry.

The Meng family is truly stingy. The Crown Princess's dowry included a ten-mile-long procession, over a hundred palanquins, thousands of acres of fertile land, and more than twenty shops.

But he only left a tiny fraction of the money to the sisters.

Although she and Huiming were born out of wedlock, they were still daughters of Emperor Xiaokang, princesses bestowed with imperial titles. The Crown Princess had no children, and Zhao Yuan was dead; shouldn't her entire dowry be left to the sisters? (End of Chapter)