I have suffered enough in my previous life, my cousin will never marry me

Chapter 21 Helping My Second Sister

The palace ceremony of conferring the title of princess on the princess was scheduled for three days later.

Thinking of the scene at his daughter's coming-of-age party, Ji Yuan prepared a grand banquet to make up for his debt to his daughter. He sent out invitations in advance and invited many dignitaries to attend the banquet.

Ye Wanshu was fully focused on preparing for the enthronement ceremony and paid no attention to what was happening outside. It was not until the day of the enthronement that she learned from the maids who came to the palace to help her dress up that there had been considerable turmoil in the Rongguo Mansion in recent days.

After Gu Tingzhou returned that day, he was severely scolded by Gu An, who forced him to drive Jiang Yueling out of the house.

But this stubborn prince not only refused to obey, but also resisted with death. He would rather be stripped of his title as prince than marry "Jiang Guiren" as his wife.

I heard that the throne of the crown prince has now been inherited by Gu Tingchen, and Gu Tingzhou has been imprisoned in the mansion.

The maids knew that the newly-appointed Princess Tongyang must have hated the Rongguo Mansion, so they were very happy to talk about interesting stories of the Gu family in front of her.

Ye Wanshu listened silently, with no sadness or joy on her face, but she felt a little sympathy for her cousin.

She had a very deep relationship with the brother and sister Gu Qingmian and Gu Tingji. She estimated that it was time for them to return to Lin'an. She didn't want the brother and sister to be implicated in this matter from the bottom of her heart.

Fortunately, my aunt's position in the Duke's Mansion is still stable and she can take care of her two children.

After finishing her makeup and donning the ceremonial attire for the coronation ceremony, Ye Wanshu heard the maids still chatting about the Gu family. She casually asked, "Do the maids know how the wife of Duke Rong is doing now?"

The leading nurse replied, "The night before yesterday, an imperial physician from the palace was summoned to the Duke of Rong's mansion. I wonder who was being treated there? Since the imperial physician was so alarmed, I think it could only be a noble from the mansion."

After he finished speaking, he deliberately added, "If I were to tell you, the princess doesn't need to worry about the people in that mansion anymore. The Rongguo Mansion relies on the support of the Empress Dowager and doesn't even take the Prime Minister seriously. Why should you sympathize with them?"

Ye Wanshu finally figured out the reason. It turned out that the maids who had been talking nonsense about the Duke of Rong's Mansion in her ears were brainwashing the emperor, and their purpose was nothing more than to sever her ties with the Gu family.

This is really redundant.

She just wanted to live her own carefree life without getting involved with anyone.

Thinking about what the maids said, which might alarm the imperial physician, I'm afraid my aunt must have been very angry with Gu Tingzhou this time, and she should change her paranoid temper.

She smiled to herself and was about to go out with her skirt lifted when Chunhong suddenly came in in a hurry and whispered in her ear, "Miss, the young master and the second son of the Duke of Rong's mansion have come to congratulate you. They are already outside the east side door."

Gu Tingchen?
Ye Wanshu pursed her lips speechlessly.

Didn't this person hate her completely in both lives? Now he came to express his congratulations in a hypocritical manner. What kind of congratulations was this? Could it be that his aunt was really sick?
Anyway, now that she is no longer bound by marriage, she doesn't need to pretend to be nice to them. She can just treat them as ordinary relatives.

If Gu Tingchen was a little more kind, she could still talk to him, but if he still had that arrogant look on his face, there was no need for them to have any further contact in the future.

"You stay in the room and call the maids. Xingtao and I will go out and take a look."

After giving Chunhong some instructions, Ye Wanshu went out, lifting her skirt.

Just as I was leading Xingtao to the middle courtyard, I suddenly saw Ji Ningxi walking towards me, dressed up in gorgeous clothes.

She was surrounded by many maids, including Zheng Yi Niang's daughter Ji Ningxuan, and all of them looked at Ye Wanshu with envy.

"Big sister." Although Ji Ningxuan didn't like her elder sister, she still pretended to be respectful and called her.

Even with this perfunctory attitude of respect, Ji Ningxi glared at her fiercely, and Ji Ningxuan was so scared that she quickly lowered her head.

Xing Tao looked very dissatisfied, pouting and sneering, "The second young lady is dressed like this, and if you don't know, you might think you are the one who has been promoted to a princess today."

"You slut, you have no right to speak here."

Ji Ningxi raised her hand and slapped Xingtao, but Ye Wanshu held her wrist tightly.

"My people are not subject to the teachings of my second sister."

The two of them stared at each other. Ye Wanshu pinched her wrist until it hurt. Ji Ningxi struggled to break free, blushing and looking embarrassed. "It's just being named a princess. What's so great about that? Wait until I do it..."

She stopped short of saying the word "Princess Qi", fearing that her elder sister would find out something. Ji Ningxi left quickly with a shy look on her face.

Seeing this, Ji Ningxuan and the maids did not dare to hesitate for a moment and followed closely.

Ye Wanshu watched the group walk away in bewilderment. As she led Xingtao out, she said, "The Second Young Lady is acting a little strangely today." "Just now, I came in from the outer courtyard and heard the servants talking. It seems the Master has invited Prince Qi to the mansion today."

Xing Tao asked suspiciously, "Could it be that the Second Miss dressed like this to attract Prince Qi's attention?"

Xingtao's reminder made Ye Wanshu remember something.

In her previous life, Ji Ningxi had always wanted to marry into the royal family. Knowing that the position of the principal wife in Prince Qi's mansion was vacant, she tried her best to get close to Prince Qi, and she almost jumped on him.

However, Prince Qi was not appointed as the crown prince in the end. After his rebellion failed, his family suffered a miserable end.

I don't know whether my half-sister is flirting with Prince Qi in order to become his princess or to cry at the grave of that family.

If I want to avenge my mother, I can start with her half-sister.

As her mind wandered, Ye Wanshu suddenly frowned, feeling that something was wrong.

"Father has always been good at calculating. Why would he invite Prince Qi into the mansion at this time?" She looked at Xingtao in confusion.

The imperial court now is almost making its stance clear on the plaque. My father would never have open dealings with Prince Qi without absolute certainty, unless he was certain that Prince Qi's ascension to the throne would allow the Ji family to make further progress.

Among them, the safest way is naturally to let the daughter of the Ji family become the future queen.

But Prince Qi was born as the eldest son of the legitimate wife. According to the rules of the royal family of the Daye Dynasty, even if he remarried, he would marry a daughter of the legitimate wife. Both my father and Aunt Zhou were well aware of this.

Then they invited Prince Qi to attend their enthronement ceremony today, probably for only one purpose.

Thinking of this, Ye Wanshu's heart couldn't help but feel cold: "Father is still the same father, he has never changed."

It's ridiculous that I have been reborn and still dare to believe in that extremely hypocritical fatherly love.

Xing Tao hurriedly supported her and said, "Miss, are you worried that the master will betroth you to Prince Qi? But the master clearly said that he would choose a husband for you among the candidates who passed the imperial examination this time."

"How can his words be believed?"

Ye Wanshu sorted out her thoughts. It didn't seem like her father was just trying to please her that day. His sudden change of heart must have been due to Aunt Zhou's instigation.

She tolerated me in every way, and her purpose was to pave the way for her daughter.

Ye Wanshu smiled and said, "Since my second sister is determined to marry into Prince Qi's mansion, why don't I help her?"

Aunt Zhou knew very well that entering Prince Qi's mansion was a hell of a place, yet she still dared to plot against me. I guess the only thing that could force me to submit was some dirty tricks in the harem.

In that case, let's see who has the more sophisticated method.

"Xingtao."

Ye Wanshu leaned close to her ear and whispered a few words. Xingtao's ears turned red, she nodded shyly, and left in a hurry.

After Xingtao left, Ye Wanshu thought about it again. Now that the marriage has been called off, and she has picked up the identity of a princess for free, it will be time to leave the Ji family after the title is conferred. She doesn't want to wait until she returns to her ancestral home and let her father control her at will.

Turning her gaze towards the east side door, Ye Wanshu walked out thoughtfully step by step, only to see Gu Tingchen already waiting by the small lake outside the courtyard.

"Wanwan."

Seeing Ye Wanshu, Gu Tingchen seemed like a different person, and came forward with enthusiasm.

But before he could get close to her, Ye Wanshu quickly took two steps back as if avoiding a snake or scorpion.

Gu Tingchen's almond-shaped eyes paused for a moment, and she was stunned for a moment. Then she realized that she was being a little emotional because she had been deliberately ignoring her before.

As for women, just coax them and they'll be fine.

Anyway, the only one she can rely on now is the Duke's Mansion, so she won't break off all ties with herself.

Handing over the prepared gift, Gu Tingchen pursed his lips and said, "Wanwan, you are being crowned as a princess today. This is the gift I chose for you."

(End of this chapter)