The Princess Who Married The Crown Prince - Chapter 9

A few elegantly dressed noblewomen sat together in the warm chamber of the Zifeng garden at the An Ning Marquis Manor, with a brightly painted screen set before them.

Seated below the guests in a deferential posture was Madam Wang. The usual authority in her brows and eyes had vanished, replaced entirely with meekness and politeness. She smiled as she conversed with the two women seated above.

Of those two ladies, one appeared slightly older—serene and dignified, her gentle manner betraying that she had surely been a beauty in her youth. The other, in her thirties, shared equal seating and bore sharp, clever features, her expression laced with worldly astuteness.

“Reporting to Princess Jingrong, County Princess Lin’an, and Madam—Seventh Miss has arrived. She is waiting outside…” A maid, elegant in bearing and poised in manner, stepped forward with the announcement.

Princess Jingrong was the cousin of Prince Zhen’nan’s grandmother, while County Princess Lin’an was the aunt of the Third Prince himself—both here, no less, to propose marriage.

“Qinyu, go on then… Ask the girl what she truly thinks,” said Princess Jingrong, her voice calm and measured.

“But we agreed, didn’t we? Whoever the Seventh Girl chooses, that’s who she’ll marry,” County Princess Lin’an reminded with a smile.

“My word is my bond,” Princess Jingrong replied coolly, giving Madam Wang a brief glance. Madam Wang instinctively shrank under the gaze, feeling the words might well be aimed at her.

“Princess Jingrong, County Princess Lin’an, I shall take my leave first…” Madam Wang bowed out politely and instructed someone to bring Su Qiuqiu into the hall.

“Qiuqiu, come sit. Mother has a few questions for you,” Madam Wang said gently once Su Qiuqiu entered, with a face warm with a mother’s affection.

“Greetings, Mother.” Su Qiuqiu gave an internal shiver at the performance but played along, taking delicate steps to Madam Wang’s side. She wasn’t sure what play Madam Wang was putting on, but she would act her part.

“My dear Qiuqiu has grown up. You’re now at the age to be married…” Madam Wang said this while gently taking Su Qiuqiu’s hand.

“Mother…” Su Qiuqiu feigned shyness and covered her face with a handkerchief. She had already noticed a hem of clothing peeking out from behind the screen—someone was clearly listening in.

“There’s no need for shyness before Mother. Let’s speak honestly. Tell me, between the Third Prince and the Prince of Zhen’nan Heir, which do you wish to marry?” Madam Wang maintained a warm smile, her tone serene, but her grip on Su Qiuqiu’s hand was tightened slightly.

“Why does Mother ask this? Isn’t the Prince of Zhen’nan Heir my betrothed? You and the  Princess of Zhen’nan Consort made a promise. How could we break it? Though your daughter is neither talented nor virtuous, I know the importance of keeping one’s word. You’ve taught me that a person stands by their integrity, and a woman must be faithful to one man. How could I forget?” Su Qiuqiu asked, feigning confusion, her voice trembling. In truth, Madam Wang’s arrangement was originally for her legitimate Fifth Miss. Having Su Qiuqiu stand in as the bride was merely a trick. However, Su Qiuqiu had now reversed the situation, positioning herself as the moral superior. She silently applauded her own cleverness.

“The Prince Zhen’nan’s Heir is frail and often ill. I only worry for your future. I wanted to give you a second option. Don’t you think the Third Prince is a better match?” Madam Wang’s face prickled with heat, but she kept her motherly act up. Looking at Su Qiuqiu’s seemingly timid and naive expression, she nodded and continued, her tone laced with concern. To someone unaware of the context, she might’ve seemed genuinely loving.

“The Third Prince is a good person, but he has nothing to do with me. My future husband can only be the Prince of Zhen’nan, and there will be no one else. So long as he breathes, I belong to the Lu family (Prince of Zhen’nan household). If misfortune claims his life, I’ll be the Lu family’s widow in death. I will never bring shame upon you, Mother, for your teachings are carved into my heart. I cannot trade my integrity for mere ease in life.” Su Qiuqiu flushed, her voice was passionate, and even she was moved by her own performance.

“Qiuqiu… you are truly my good daughter… So you’ve already made up your mind?” Madam Wang’s voice quivered, pleased by Su Qiuqiu’s stance, though she wondered when this once-weak daughter became so quick-witted and unyielding.

“I have. I’m not a child anymore. A woman must be faithful to one man.” Su Qiuqiu replied resolutely.

“My dear girl…” And so they finished a scene of mother-daughter harmony.

“It’s cold outside. Take this silver fox fur cloak.” Madam Wang personally gifted her the fur and instructed the servants to escort her back.

Su Qiuqiu didn’t refuse. She wrapped herself in the cloak and stepped out into the cold wind, letting out a long sigh.

Looks like things were mostly settled. All this for the position of a bride everyone else avoided like the plague. She might be the most hopeless transmigrator of them all. Any other transmigrator would surely scoff at her choice…

Su Qiuqiu no longer knew what had happened afterward in Zifeng Courtyard. She returned to her own Qinglan Courtyard, drank a steaming bowl of snow fungus soup, and curled into her blankets.

This day had been exhausting—like a year-end theatrical drama. Thankfully, there were no unexpected twists. After a full day of anxiety, she could finally rest.

After an hour of sleep, Su Qiuqiu was awakened by Lingxiang to inform her that Madam Qin had come.

“The marriage has been decided. The name-giving ceremony and everything were completed today… I heard the Prince of Zhen’nan Heir is gravely ill, so the wedding must be held quickly, to ward off ill fate…” Madam Qin’s eyes brimmed with tears, her voice cracking by the end.

“Your father said there’s no going back. Although the Prince of Zhen’nan’s household has lost favor, he still maintains considerable influence over both the people and the military. The An Ning Marquis household can’t afford to lose this alliance… You really are going to…” Madam Qin choked up, unable to finish.

Su Qiuqiu found the situation oddly amusing and offered a few words of comfort, though nothing she said could lift Madam Qin’s spirits. In the end, Madam Qin  dared not cry too hard, fearing that her tears might further doom Su Qiuqiu’s already unlucky “fate.”

“Fifth Miss is engaged to the Third Prince as his concubine,” Lingxiang reported.

Su Qiuqiu wasn’t surprised. Fifth Miss had long fancied the Third Prince, and with her mother’s support, it was an effortless match.

Unaffected by the others, Su Qiuqiu quietly embroidered her dowry, eagerly anticipating her marriage to the Prince of Zhen’nan manor, where she anticipated a life of “widowhood” before eventually upgrading to an actual one.

Because of the Prince of Zhen’nan Heir’s poor health, her wedding, originally set for half a year away, was moved up to just over a month before the New Year. It was said to be a matter of life and death. Even the imperial astrologer declared the union must occur before the New Year to turn misfortune into fortune.

Su Qiuqiu’s feelings were complex. She hadn’t expected the heir to be this close to death. If things continued this way, her status as a “future widow” might become literal. She couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for the fiancé she’d never even met.

But her situation was far from good. If he died after the wedding, she’d be labeled cursed. If he survived, the situation could potentially become more complicated.

Su Qiuqiu resolved: she’d first build a solid “sisterhood” (hey, just because he’s not functional doesn’t mean he’s a eunuch or crossdresser, right?) —they’d become good friends. Yes, friends…

Soon after her engagement was confirmed, the Eighth Miss returned the silver notes she owed and was no longer as arrogant as before. Her gaze toward Su Qiuqiu carried a hint of guilt and sympathy.

Su Qiuqiu found herself liking this sister more. She made an effort to grow closer, and the Eighth Miss began visiting her frequently. Eventually, Su Qiuqiu even got to pinch her cheeks.

As for Sixth Miss, she was busy with her own marriage preparations and had no time for Su Qiuqiu. The few times they met, she looked at Su Qiuqiu like she was a fool.

“Sigh, didn’t you realize there was someone behind the screen? If you had just said you wanted to marry the Third Prince, who could’ve stopped you? Now all you can do is hope for the best!”

Sixth Miss shook her head in sympathy.

Su Qiuqiu didn’t care, but she felt that the Sixth Miss was not the kind of person who would let the Third Young Master of the Duke of Anguo ruin her reputation.

Su Qiuqiu’s marriage was brought forward, and as a result, the wedding dates for the fifth and sixth young ladies were also moved up to follow the order of seniority. The sixth young lady had already started preparing, and the fifth young lady’s dowry had also been prepared by Madam Wang a long time ago. Only Su Qiuqiu’s case was a mess.

Naturally, Madam Wang wasn’t invested in Su Qiuqiu’s dowry. All she prepared for Su Qiuqiu were things that looked big but were actually worthless. Though the list boasted seventy-two trunks, the actual value didn’t even reach a tenth of the fifth young lady’s dowry.

Just as Su Qiuqiu was pondering how to extract some decent items from Madam Wang, an opportunity unexpectedly arrived.

A decree arrived from the palace—an imperial commendation.

The general idea was to say that she was “virtuous and kind,” “a kind heart and a gentle nature,” “loyal and righteous,” etc., and she was specially named the Princess of Zhenqi County and was rewarded with two hundred taels of silver, five pieces of silk, twenty oriental pearls, a jade ruyi, and a lot more. She was also rewarded with two beautiful and elegant maids. At the same time, Madam Wang was also rewarded, praising her for raising a good daughter.

This recognition, of course, came from none other than Princess Jingrong and County Princess Lin’an. Both had access to the palace, and once they spread Su Qiuqiu’s tale, the narrative of the “chaste and virtuous woman” became widely known.

Although this County Princess didn’t receive her own fief nor a stipend better than the others, the title alone placed her above the commoners—no longer just a mere girl of lowly birth! That girl she used to toy with so casually, thinking she could be pushed around at will, had now surpassed her in rank!

What infuriated Madam Wang even more was that the standards for marrying off a County Princess were much higher. When a county princess got married, the Ministry of Internal Affairs had to step in and there were standards. There was a formal protocol: one hundred and eight sedan chairs for the dowry procession. She was a County Princess granted her title by imperial decree—if the dowry was too meager, wouldn’t that be a slap to the Emperor’s face?

Madam Wang was so furious that she couldn’t sleep for nights. Only when she thought of Su Qiuqiu marrying that sickly, impotent weakling, while her own daughter was set to marry a prince who might very well become the next crown prince—and possibly even make her the future empress—did her rage finally subside.

Su Qiuqiu, on the other hand, was delighted to receive her County Princess title. She could feel the envy, jealousy, and resentment radiating from her “sisters.” Although she maintained a shy appearance, internally, she was filled with joy.

And never mind the silver and jade that came with the title—Su Qiuqiu thought the best part was the two stunning palace maids who accompanied it. Their beauty and poise were enough to make her want to cry tears of joy.

The palace girls were truly exceptional. Their looks and figures were flawless, their manners were refined, and their voices were sweet and gentle—true examples of elite upbringing. Even more astonishing, they treated Su Qiuqiu with the utmost respect, always smiling no matter how much she poked or prodded them…

If there was anything to complain about, it was the title itself: “County Princess Zhenqi.” The name just had a whiff of those rigid old values—chastity, virtue, loyalty—it felt like something out of a moralistic tract. “Zhenqi”? As in “true wife”? Were there even fake ones?

Still, that was a minor gripe. Su Qiuqiu didn’t dwell on it. Her focus now was on preparing for her wedding.

Her dowry couldn’t be put together by her alone. Some of the items were ready-made from embroidery shops, while others were handcrafted by her two new maids, Xuezhan and Xueming. Even Madam Qin lent a hand.

Aside from working on her dowry, Su Qiuqiu was also studying etiquette and protocol with the governess assigned to train her. She had an extremely busy schedule.

The bustle of wedding preparations engulfed the entire An Ning Marquis Manor in a flurry of activity that winter.

After recovering from her illness, Zi Rui returned to Su Qiuqiu’s side. While Su Qiuqiu hadn’t been able to visit her, she frequently sent Lingxiang to check, bringing good food and even hiring a top physician to tend to her.

“Miss… it’s such a relief that you’re alright!” The moment Zi Rui saw Su Qiuqiu, she dropped to her knees and choked out those words, tears streaming down her face in a rush of emotion.

“Zi Rui, get up—talk to me properly…” Su Qiuqiu was genuinely touched by her loyalty. Zi Rui had taken a heavy punishment for her—twenty strokes and reassignment to the laundry house. She’d suffered terribly and grown so thin that her once-round face had become angular.

Although Zi Rui’s features were ordinary compared to those of Lingxiang, Xuezhan, and Xueming, Su Qiuqiu shared a long-standing bond with her. When she had fallen into the water years ago, it was Zi Rui who had jumped in to save her. Su Qiuqiu remembered that clearly. She would never judge someone by looks alone—Zi Rui would still serve as her personal maid.

Besides, now that she was a County Princess, she was entitled to four personal maids instead of two.

Everything was going smoothly, and soon after the Fifth and Sixth Misses were married off, Su Qiuqiu’s own wedding day to the heir of the Prince of Zhen’nan arrived.