After receiving the imperial edict, Consort Li couldn't wait to go see the Emperor, but it so happened that the Emperor was meeting with ministers. Even as foolish as she was, Consort Li didn't dare barge in at this time. She was anxious in her heart and couldn't sit still, so she took her people to Ci'an Palace again.

In Ci'an Palace, the Empress Dowager was chanting scriptures. When she heard it was Consort Li who came, she originally didn't want to pay attention. But thinking that Zhen Si was about to enter the palace after all, it wouldn't be good to slight Consort Li too much at this juncture, so she had to let her in.

After this short while, Consort Li had calmed down a lot. She properly paid respects to the Empress Dowager and timidly brought up the matter of Zhen Si. The Empress Dowager said indifferently: "Oh, that girl has good fortune. I'm quite satisfied with her. The palace hasn't selected consorts for three years and the Emperor is in need of people by his side. Isn't this just right? As soon as Zhen Si enters the palace, she will be conferred the rank of consort. This is also the Emperor's grace to your maternal family."

Consort Li forcibly suppressed the anger in her heart and forced a smile, saying: "Empress Dowager, I'm already a consort of the Emperor. Si'er is a generation below me. I'm afraid this is inappropriate. It's fine for me, but how should Ruan'er address her in the future?"

The Empress Dowager glanced at Consort Li, sneering in her heart. She really thinks highly of herself. Let alone that there are precedents from previous dynasties, even if there weren't, it's just taking in another concubine, what's appropriate or not?

The Empress Dowager's tone grew more impatient: "She is a consort, Ruan'er is a prince. They won't see each other much to begin with. No need to worry about that. Besides, it's only a couple years until Ruan'er leaves the palace to establish his own manor, how will they even meet?"

For every sentence Consort Li said, the Empress Dowager countered with one, and every sentence the Empress Dowager said was reasonable and irrefutable. Consort Li knew this matter could no longer be changed. She could only exchange a few pleasantries before taking her leave.

Consort Li returned to Linzhi Palace with a bellyful of anger. As soon as she sat down, Chu Shaoruan arrived. Consort Li knew he must have also just received the news. Seeing her son so enraged, Consort Li felt extremely tired and said: "Sit. Mother Consort just went to see the Empress Dowager. This matter can't be changed. The Empress Dowager clearly wanted to select a princess consort for Chu Shaoling, how did it suddenly go to the Emperor! I finally tidied up those seductresses by the Emperor's side, and now comes another one so young and beautiful, I..."

"Saying this now is useless. Why didn't the Empress Dowager's heart move after hearing the words of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau?" This was a trap Chu Shaoruan had carefully designed. His scheme was very good and he proceeded according to his plan at every step, how did it fail in the end?!

The more Chu Shaoruan thought, the more wrong it felt. Everything was fine before, it only started going wrong from the Imperial Astronomy Bureau. Chu Shaoruan said urgently: "Mother Consort, think carefully, what exactly did the Imperial Astronomy Bureau people say yesterday?"

Consort Li calmed down and carefully recalled, slowly saying it out. In the end, she wondered: "The Imperial Astronomy Bureau said all good things, there's no mistake."

Hearing this, Chu Shaoruan's face had already turned pale. This wasn't at all how he instructed the Imperial Astronomy Bureau!

The Emperor had just recovered from a serious illness. Going to tell the Emperor now that the future Princess Consort Qin has the fate of a phoenix, how could the Emperor tolerate that?

Chu Shaoruan was furious. Not caring about avoiding suspicion, he immediately summoned the Chief Astronomer of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau. As soon as he arrived, Chu Shaoruan slapped him and angrily said: "Muddleheaded thing! How did I instruct you before?! I only told you to say she has an appearance conducive to bearing sons and assisting her husband. When did I tell you to nonsensically say anything about a phoenix soaring high?! Talking rubbish, seeking death aren't you?!"

The Chief Astronomer was also dumbfounded. Trembling, he took out from his bosom the letter Chu Shaoruan had someone deliver to him. He originally kept this as evidence in case the matter failed and implicated him. Now it came in handy. The Chief Astronomer handed the letter to Chu Shaoruan and said in a shaky voice: "Second Prince, these... aren't these what you told this humble official to say?"

Chu Shaoruan startled and snatched the letter to read. In black and white, it said: "Zhen Si has a fate of nine phoenixes flying together, with an appearance of mothering the world."

Chu Shaoruan was completely stunned. This was clearly his own handwriting, but he definitely didn't write this. If Chu Shaoruan hadn't gone mad, he couldn't possibly write down these things.

The Chief Astronomer said tremblingly: "Second Prince said it was too conspicuous. This 'fate of a phoenix soaring high' was changed by this humble official, this..."

Chu Shaoruan closed his eyes. He understood. From beginning to end, he had been schemed against.

His carefully designed chain of schemes, he didn't know from when it had already been seen through. Otherwise this matter of switching the letter wouldn't have gone so smoothly. And to think he wanted to take advantage of Chu Shaoling not settling this matter. Who would have thought, who would have thought... Chu Shaoruan fiercely tore the letter to shreds. Chu! Shao! Ling!

In Thousand Longevity Villa, Chu Shaoling looked at the secret report Tingyu delivered and chuckled. What a pity. If it wasn't for making Chu Shaoruan let down his guard, he really wanted to stay in the palace to properly watch this good show. Chu Shaoling burned the letter in his hand with the fire in the incense burner. Watching the dancing flames, he smiled. He had heard of Zhen Si, quite a beauty. He had no fortune to enjoy her. He only hoped his Imperial Father would like her.

Chu Shaoling was playing chess with Wei Ji. Wei Ji blankly watched Chu Shaoling burn something with a smile and asked: "Is there some good news from the palace?"

"Mm." Chu Shaoling chuckled and threw the entire letter into the incense burner. "The Emperor gained a young and delicate beauty. He must be happy."

Wei Ji didn't feel this was anything good. He continued to be engrossed in the chessboard. Recently, he had grown to like playing chess. Unfortunately, Zhang Lifeng only played ten matches with him each day. Coming to the temporary palace, there weren't any matches at all. Fortunately, there was still Chu Shaoling to accompany him.

Chu Shaoling was thinking about palace matters absent-mindedly. Dividing his attention, his hand placing the pieces wasn't slow at all. He played white while Wei Ji played black. The black pieces on the board were steady and secure with tight defenses. The white pieces were scattered, attacking here and there without any pattern.

When Wei Ji first played chess with Chu Shaoling, he thought Chu Shaoling wasn't very skilled. Only after truly playing a match did he realize how formidable he was. Chu Shaoling was good at setting up ambushes. The initial placement of his pieces looked like discarded pieces. Only when the black and white pieces connected into a whole on the board did one discover the discarded pieces from earlier suddenly became a knife at one's own throat. A board of scattered sand gradually formed an encircling momentum, not wasting a single piece, and trapping the black pieces tightly.

Wei Ji couldn't hide anything he felt in his heart from showing on his face. He exclaimed in pleasant surprise: "Your Highness is so amazing! You completely trapped me." Wei Ji originally thought Zhang Lifeng's chess skills were already very impressive. Only now did he know there are always those better and the sky beyond the sky. Compared to Zhang Lifeng's relentless pressure move after move, Chu Shaoling's foreshadowing thousands of miles away made one gasp in admiration.

Chu Shaoling raised his phoenix eyes slightly and chuckled: "When have I not always completely trapped you?"

Wei Ji spoke without thinking just now, and Chu Shaoling's words made his face turn red instantly. Chu Shaoling couldn't help but laugh. He didn't continue the game either, as the outcome had already been decided long ago. Continuing would make no difference.

Chu Shaoling got up and walked over to Wei Ji's side, pointing at the chessboard and explaining to him bit by bit. Wei Ji still had some insight. Although his troop deployment didn't have many ingenious moves, it was very steady and tightly guarded. Wei Ji had just learned, but if he practiced for a few years, Chu Shaoling would have to put in quite some effort to play against him. Chu Shaoling carefully explained the tricks to Wei Ji, smiling, "Not bad already. How old are you? You're already playing very well."

Wei Ji was still feeling embarrassed from his earlier slip of the tongue. Upon hearing this, he nodded, "Thank you for the praise, Your Highness." Wei Ji stared at the chessboard, slowly pondering what Chu Shaoling had just taught him.

Chu Shaoling, afraid that Wei Ji was thinking too hard, messed up the chessboard with one hand and laughed, "We've been playing for an hour. Take a break. You haven't been to the east side of the temporary palace yet, right? There's a peach orchard there. The peaches should be ripe by now. Come with me to take a look."

"Really?" Wei Ji had heard that there was a peach orchard in the east, but he thought it was just for viewing peach blossoms. He didn't expect there to be actual peaches. Hearing this, Wei Ji was delighted and eagerly followed Chu Shaoling, taking a shortcut through the back corridors. The two didn't take the main road, but wound through the painted corridors. Before long, they finally reached the peach orchard. It was the time when peaches were ripe. No one dared to pick the fruit in the temporary palace. Bowl-sized honey peaches hung from the trees.

Wei Ji's eyes lit up, and he asked eagerly, "Your Highness, can we pick the peaches?"

Chu Shaoling chuckled, "Who's stopping you? Do you like eating peaches?"

"Mm-hmm." Wei Ji smiled and nodded. "I've never picked them myself." Having played with Chu Shaoling in the temporary palace for the past few days, Wei Ji was no longer so restrained. He took off his outer robe to use as a makeshift basket and picked the big red ones.

Chu Shaoling turned to tell the guards in the distance to bring water, then turned back to Wei Ji and laughed, "Wait a moment. We'll wash them and eat them right here. You—"

Chu Shaoling was torn between laughter and tears. In the time it took for him to talk to the guards, Wei Ji had already picked a peach, rubbed it on his outer robe, and taken a bite. Upon hearing what Chu Shaoling said, he immediately froze, a mouthful of peach flesh puffing out his cheek. Wei Ji just stared at Chu Shaoling like that, not daring to chew or swallow. Chu Shaoling couldn't help but laugh. "Never mind. Is it sweet?"

Wei Ji chewed and swallowed, then nodded. "Sweet."

Chu Shaoling chuckled, walked over, took Wei Ji's hand, and took a bite from the same peach. He nodded. "Mm, it is quite sweet."