The Crazy Emperor's Pampered Cousin

The fifth day of the sixth lunar month is auspicious; it is easy to observe the divination.

Consort Ming invited noble ladies from the capital who were of similar family background and age to the palace for the Flower Festival banquet.

The event was ostensibly for flower viewing, but in reality, it was for Prince Cheng, Xie Xuancheng, to select a potential bride.

Prince Cheng is the second son of His Majesty. He is already twenty-one years old, and his marriage has been delayed for a long time, which has long been a concern for Consort Ming.

In the Imperial Garden, lotus flowers are just beginning to bloom, and pomegranate blossoms are like fire.

The pavilions were already filled with beautifully dressed young women, their voices soft and their fragrance wafting through the air.

The gentle tinkling of jade pendants and the shifting gazes revealed a subtle scrutiny and weighing of emotions.

"Your Highness Consort Ming and His Highness Prince Cheng have arrived!"

The announcement was made, and the garden fell silent instantly. The noble ladies all curtsied gracefully.

"Greetings to Consort Ming and His Highness Prince Cheng."

Consort Ming was dressed in an orange palace gown. Although she was nearly forty, she was well-maintained, with a beautiful face and a charming demeanor.

She smiled and raised her hand: "Get up, all of you. Look, the flowers in this garden today are not as vibrant as those of you young ladies."

Before the words were finished, a beautiful figure stepped forward from the crowd.

He Qinghui, dressed in a begonia-red ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), said in a clear voice, "Auntie, you truly look radiant today! You even look younger than us!"

She was the legitimate daughter of Consort Ming's younger brother, and also Consort Ming's preferred candidate to become Princess Consort of Cheng.

As she spoke, her gaze seemed to casually sweep over Xie Xuancheng beside Consort Ming, and a slight blush appeared on her cheeks.

Consort Ming took this scene in stride, smiled faintly, and said nothing.

The noble ladies below each had a different appearance.

Some lowered their eyes to hide their disdain, some frowned to reveal their worry, and some secretly pondered and calculated.

He Qinghui's special status makes her the strongest contender.

Shen Yunlan stood a little behind the crowd, looking at He Qingsui with a hint of mockery in her eyes.

So what if she's from the He family? Prince Cheng has long desired her.

The two had secretly met several times, but it was Xie Xuancheng who took the initiative to seek her out.

Today's banquet is just a formality; Shen Yunlan is the destined Princess Consort of Cheng.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel shy and timid as she looked at the gentle figure in the pavilion.

Xie Xuancheng stood quietly beside Consort Ming, dressed in a moon-white prince's casual robe, which accentuated his slender figure.

He had a deep-set face and fair skin. Although he was not as handsome as Crown Prince Xie Yanzhao, he had a gentle and calm demeanor.

At this moment, his long eyelashes were lowered, and his gaze was fixed on the outside of the pavilion, as if the sounds of birdsong around him had nothing to do with him.

Consort Ming gently nudged him and whispered, "Cheng'er, what are you daydreaming about? Today is the day for choosing a consort for you, so take a look."

Xie Xuancheng snapped out of his reverie, a gentle smile curving his lips: "I stayed up late last night reading books, please forgive me, Mother."

Consort Ming, feeling helpless, turned to the garden and said, "Everyone, don't stay here. The Imperial Garden has a beautiful view, go and take a stroll."

After the noble ladies dispersed in twos and threes, Consort Ming lowered her voice and spoke earnestly.

"Your mother knows what's still on your mind. But that person... is no longer possible. You're already twenty-one. How many imperial family members of your age in the capital are still unmarried?"

She paused, her voice lower, tinged with weariness and desolation.

"Cheng'er, one must always look forward. Your mother... doesn't know how much longer she can stay with you. If you truly have filial piety, then let your mother witness you settle down and start a family, okay?"

With the Crown Prince in power and His Majesty engrossed in Taoist arts, he might abdicate and become the Retired Emperor at any time.

Over the years, Consort Ming had long since lost all hope.

She used every means to enter the inner palace and outlived Empress Ye, but she was never destined for the empress's position.

Her son also seemed to be separated from that supreme position by an insurmountable chasm.

Xie Yanzhao's increasingly sharp imperial aura made her even more sober.

Some things cannot be obtained through struggle.

And all those things she did in the past to win favor and scheme for her son... the day the crown prince ascends the throne will probably be the day she dies.

Xie Xuancheng's hand, hidden in his sleeve, curled slightly, but his expression remained calm: "Mother, please don't overthink it. Your son... understands."

The person in his heart was the one the Crown Prince had chosen.

More than a decade ago, we were already separated from each other.

It's just that he's obsessed and unwilling to let go.

"The Crown Princess has arrived!"

The eunuch's voice suddenly rang out, even clearer and higher than before.

Everyone fell silent, their eyes all turning towards the garden gate.

Shen Tinghe, dressed in a light blue silk dress with silver patterns, walked gracefully towards them.

Her hair was loosely tied up, adorned with only a jade hairpin and a few pearl flowers. Yet, with bright eyes and white teeth, and a clear and cheerful demeanor, she appeared as if the bright moon were descending upon the sky, making all the lush and beautiful flowers in the garden pale in comparison.

The noble ladies bowed again, their posture even more respectful than before: "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Princess."

"No need for formalities." Shen Tinghe's voice was gentle, yet it carried an air of unyielding elegance.

She walked to the pavilion and nodded slightly to Consort Ming: "Consort Ming."

As the Crown Prince's principal wife, she was, according to custom, second only to the Empress in the imperial harem. This nod was merely a polite gesture to save face for her elder.

Consort Ming's smile deepened, and she raised her hand in a gesture of support: "The Crown Princess has arrived, please sit down. I thought you were too busy to have any free time."

Shen Tinghe sat down gracefully, her tone natural: "His Highness had some matters to attend to before leaving the palace, which caused a slight delay. I hope Your Majesty will not take offense."

In reality, she was just a sleepyhead and woke up late. But it would be more appropriate to pin these things on Xie Yanzhao.

Consort Ming smiled and said, "It's alright, the banquet has only just begun."

At this moment, Xie Xuancheng, who had been silent all along, stood up, cupped his hands in a salute, and spoke in a gentle voice as usual.

"Royal Sister-in-law."

The moment he raised his eyes, his gaze swept quickly across Shen Tinghe's calm and beautiful face before he lowered them again. Deep in his eyes, there seemed to be a very subtle ripple, but it eventually returned to that quiet gentleness.

Given Shen Tinghe's status as the Crown Princess, she was not required to attend the selection of a consort by the Prince of Cheng.

But since Consort Ming had invited her, she was willing to give her the honor.

Consort Ming knew her son's hidden thoughts.

Given their status as Prince Cheng and Crown Princess, it would be almost impossible for them to meet except for grand ceremonies and banquets in the palace.

Today, I have taken this opportunity to invite Shen Tinghe here, simply so that Consort Ming can fulfill her son's hopeless wish and grant him this small but precious desire.

Not long after Shen Tinghe sat down, Consort Ming looked over with a smile: "The Crown Princess has good taste. Please help me take a look. There are so many beautiful girls in this garden, it's dazzling. I really don't know which one to choose."

Upon hearing this, Shen Tinghe smiled faintly, her warm gaze sweeping over the figures in the garden before landing on Xie Xuancheng, her voice gentle and soft.

"The selection of a consort is ultimately Prince Cheng's own business. I wonder if Your Highness already has someone in mind?"

Xie Xuancheng paused almost imperceptibly in the hand holding the cup, his eyelids lowered slightly, and his voice remained as gentle and respectful as ever, revealing no emotion.

"Marriage is a major life event, and it is the parents' decision. Your son will leave the rest to your mother's discretion."

Shen Tinghe understood. This meant there was no one she liked.

She grew up in the palace and had known Xie Xuancheng since childhood; they had even played together when they were young.

The little prince who used to be so delicate and adorable, always running behind her, has now grown into such a composed young man. He seems much more aloof than he was when he was a child.

With a slight thought, she couldn't help but raise her eyes and look at Xie Xuancheng. Unexpectedly, at that very moment, he was also looking up at her.

Two pairs of eyes met unexpectedly in mid-air.

Shen Tinghe's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly looked away.

This is incredibly embarrassing. What a coincidence!

She was naturally unaware that from the moment she stepped into the garden, that seemingly calm gaze had been subtly lingering around her.

Xie Xuancheng took in her momentary panic and forced composure, and his fingers tightened slightly as he held the cup.

She remains the same.

She appears dignified and composed, but the occasional hint of helplessness she reveals still subtly overlaps with her delicate and lively appearance in her childhood.

Xie Xuancheng took a breath, suppressing the slight smile that was about to appear on his lips, along with the bitterness surging in his heart.