Sui Sui said in all seriousness, "Sister Nannan, you can't be discriminatory. While the classics are good, storybooks can also teach people useful things."
"For example?"
"For example, this princess can now tell at a glance whether a woman is true to herself or two-faced."
As a long-time friend, I understood what she meant as soon as she said it. She was going to talk about Song Shuxian. I chuckled and led her hand to sit at the table in the outer room. "No hurry, let's eat first."
Then I asked A Xiu to bring the meal here.
No talking while eating, no talking while sleeping. But generally, no one adheres to it that strictly, though it's also not appropriate to talk loudly while eating. So, after Sui Sui and I finished dinner, I had a pot of tea brought, dismissed the attendants, and then we began to talk privately.
Sui Sui said, "Sister Nannan, were you wronged at the Song manor today? I heard the eldest daughter of the Song family specifically called you aside. What did she say?"
I was surprised. "You followed so quickly. I thought you didn't know about this matter."
"If I hadn't known about it, why would I have followed you? It's just that the fruit wine's aftereffects were indeed quite strong. I didn't feel it at first, but then it started to get to my head." Sui Sui looked a little embarrassed. "I didn't get to say anything and ended up taking a nap."
"Actually, there's not much to say. She was just in a hurry because I spoke a few more words with the Crown Prince."
"Is she sick? What's wrong with my elder brother speaking a few words to you? You saved his life in Meicheng, so how could he possibly ignore you? Besides, who does she, Song Shuxian, think she is, to interfere with my elder brother's affairs?" Sui Sui's voice suddenly rose by eight octaves.
I quickly pacified her, "Don't get angry over such a small matter. I've already rebuffed her anyway."
"Hmph, I really didn't see it before. She actually has such great ambitions. No wonder she was so eager to curry favor with those palace servants when we were in the palace. She was trying to gain a reputation for virtue. Tsk, she doesn't even consider that none of our family of five cares about that kind of empty fame."
Ambitions? I became even more curious. "The matter of her wanting to be the Crown Princess has even reached you?"
"Sister Nannan, how did you know she wants to be the Crown Princess? Oh, right. Today, the Crown Prince, my elder brother, only spoke a few words to you, and she caused trouble for you because of it. It would be a miracle if you *couldn't* guess."
"Actually, there's nothing wrong with wanting to be the Crown Princess. After all, that position is a coveted prize, and the Crown Prince is quite outstanding in both appearance and character. Official Song serves as Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and is highly regarded by the Emperor. Given her family background, she is indeed worthy of that position."
"What's the use of just having a matching family background? The key is having good character, isn't it?"
I fell silent.
Before today, I didn't think Song Shuxian had any issues with her character. But her performance today truly exceeded my expectations. This woman was ambitious, yet she maintained such a perfect persona among the palace staff. To say she wasn't cunning would mean I had a problem with my brain.
Sui Sui, not paying attention to my thoughts, took a sip of tea and continued, "Sister Nannan, you don't know, but after you went to sea last year, my mother made a joke at a banquet, saying she wanted to choose a Crown Princess for my elder brother. Soon after, there were rumors in the palace that Song Shuxian was dignified and virtuous, and Jia Min was gentle and docile, making her the ideal candidate for the Crown Princess."
"And then? You wouldn't care about such rumors, would you?"
"I don't care, but my elder brother does. It's strange, there have been rumors before about him marrying this girl or that. But that time, his reaction was exceptionally strong. He said only two words: 'Thorough investigation.' Guess what happened? The rumor actually originated from my Yongyue Palace. When my elder brother came to ask, I was stunned. Fortunately, it was eventually found out that she had bribed people in my palace."
Sui Sui became increasingly angry. "She, a companion reader, actually bribed my people to frame my brother. This is simply a grave insult."
I never expected something like this to happen.
Song Shuxian is truly something.
I looked at her curiously. "And then? This is no small matter. Even though I only recently returned to the capital, I shouldn't be completely unaware of it."
"It's because of my father, the Emperor. He said that a father is responsible for his son's upbringing and reprimanded Uncle Song, telling him to discipline his daughter properly. He also said that Song Shuxian was about to come of age and that marriage negotiations were imminent, and he didn't want her reputation to be sullied, so he ordered the news to be suppressed."
Sui Sui was very displeased because she, the victim, had discovered the culprit but could not seek revenge.
However, I also understood the Emperor's intentions.
Given his relationship with Uncle Song, how could he ruin the reputation of Uncle Song's eldest daughter over rumors that they themselves never cared about?
And Song Shuxian probably misunderstood.
She thought the Emperor's leniency meant he also favored her as his daughter-in-law, so her actions became increasingly audacious.
I explained the situation to Sui Sui, who looked somewhat speechless. "That shouldn't be. I even confiscated her token for free entry and exit from the palace, yet she still dares to have such dreams?"
"Then how else can we explain her behavior towards me today?"
"Jealousy, that's what. She can't get what she wants from the Crown Prince, my elder brother, yet he was willing to speak to you actively. How could she not be jealous? But my elder brother is also quite something. Knowing clearly that she has aspirations to become the Crown Princess, he still attended her coming-of-age banquet. Now, who knows what new things she'll imagine. She might even think my elder brother is interested in her, which is why he specifically visited her."
I didn't dare to speak, only using the action of drinking tea to conceal the unnaturalness in my expression.
Situ Yao, that scoundrel, probably went there because of me.
As for Song Shuxian, even if she harbored fantasies when the Crown Prince first arrived, she should have understood after witnessing the entanglement between the Crown Prince and me with her own eyes.