She Holds the World After Being Reborn
Chapter 142: The Seventh Prince Chooses a Consort, A Love Story

Chapter 142: Chapter 142: The Seventh Prince Chooses a Consort, A Love Story

The Emperor had fasted today, and he had no interest in the delicious food before him, instead opting to drink continuously.

Suddenly recalling something, he asked, "Why hasn’t Imperial Consort Sun attended the feast today?"

Zhang Lanyi, with a smile, replied, "Your Majesty, have you forgotten? Imperial Consort’s sister is about to give birth. The weather is very hot today, so I took the liberty of excusing her from the banquet to spare her any distress that might harm the treasure in her womb."

The Emperor, reminded of the potential heir Prince in Sun Lianyi’s womb, was very pleased and a smile curled his lips.

Praising himself for still being virile in his old age, the fact that Sun Lianyi was about to give birth proved he still had the virility of a man.

"I have indeed become forgetful, forgetting such an event," he said, beckoning with his hand, "Take some delicacies from the banquet and send them to the Imperial Consort to satisfy her cravings."

"Perhaps you should select more sour dishes, Your Majesty," Zhang Lanyi suggested with laughter.

The old Emperor, feeling even more pleased with himself, declared, "Very well, very well, I will choose them myself." Saying so, he actually stood up and picked several dishes himself to be delivered by the palace maids.

Calmitude reigned over the feast; the Emperor was facing the prospect of having children late in his life and appeared outwardly very self-satisfied.

However, this scene took on a different flavor in the eyes of Prince Xiao Hongshen.

He had struggled hard to reach his current position.

He had finally managed to have Crown Prince Xiao Pingfeng sent to the battlefield, unable to return to the Capital City.

Yet now, was Imperial Consort Sun’s child in her womb actually a prince?

Deep contemplation flashed through his eyes.

With the child still unborn, the father Emperor already showed such affection.

If it really was born a prince... what would the Emperor do then?

An uneasy Xiao Hongshen licked his lips and emptied his cup in one gulp.

Seeing this, Li Chengyuan by his side hastened to offer comfort, "Your Highness, it is best to drink less of the strong liquor."

Xiao Hongshen impatiently shook off her hand, signaling to the palace maid beside him to keep pouring the wine.

Li Chengyuan, having been brushed off and noticing other nobles’ daughters laughing disdainfully, could not hold back her embarrassment and decided to occupy herself with eating and drinking.

Soon, amidst the rising music and dance, the banquet reached a climax of merriment.

Suddenly, the Emperor put down his cup and said,

"It seems to me, the seventh son has not yet chosen a queen, has he?"

Caught off guard, Xiao Hongshen quickly stood up: "Father Emperor, I have devoted myself to the state and am still young, not in a hurry at this time."

Upon hearing this response, the Emperor shook his head dismissively, "What are you saying? How can you sweep the world if you can’t sweep your own house? A man must establish a family before he can build his career."

As he spoke, he looked around at the assembled dignitaries and their prestigious daughters, and made a final decision, "Today, with all of you and your esteemed daughters here, why don’t we let the Empress organize a selection for you? I also wish to see what kind of woman will ultimately win my son’s favor."

Zhang Lanyi stood and nodded in agreement: "As you command."

The Emperor continued, "This son of mine is already well into his twenties, not only without children but without even a queen. It doesn’t look right; when I was your age, I already had you."

Under all eyes, Xiao Hongshen dared not refuse again and could only nod in agreement.

The news that the Emperor and the Empress would immediately select a queen for the seventh prince excited all the noble daughters present.

Li Chengyuan, sitting next to the prince, was particularly thrilled.

If at this banquet, in front of the Emperor and the Empress, the prince chose her, he wouldn’t be able to change his mind later.

With this thought, Li Chengyuan’s eyes were determined to succeed.

Zhang Nian had been holding the hand of her close friend Wang Keren throughout, saying "It’s the seventh prince’s queen; are you really not going to participate? If you go, none of these others can compare to you."

Wang Keren bashfully shook her head no.

Watching the crowd of noble daughters rushing to the nursemaid by the Empress to register, each eager to showcase her talents later, Zhang Nian questioned in puzzlement, "Why? Don’t you like the seventh prince, or is there already someone you fancy?"

Wang Keren’s face quickly flushed red.

Zhang Nian clicked her tongue, "Which young master is it? Look at you, hiding secrets."

Wang Keren hurriedly dodged the playful attacks from her close friend when Madam Wang approached, her face paling quickly, "Mother."

Seeing Madam Wang, Zhang Nian dared not make further fuss and promptly greeted, "Greetings to you, Madam."

Madam Wang nodded at Zhang Nian, "Miss Zhang, my daughter and I have some private matters to discuss..."

Zhang Nian quickly spoke up, "My father is also looking for me, you go ahead." Saying so, she walked towards Minister Zhang who was gesturing to her.

The moment Wang Keren saw her mother’s face, she knew what she was about to say, "... Mother, I don’t want to go."

"This matter does not accommodate your wishes. Your father is getting old, and he’s still but a mere Vice Minister. If you could marry into Prince Seven’s family, it would greatly help your father and brothers’ careers. Everyone is already saying——" Madam Wang lowered her voice and leaned toward Wang Keren to whisper.

After listening, a spark shone in Wang Keren’s eyes, and her brows furrowed deeply.

Madam Wang sighed, "After all, a girl must marry, and marrying anyone would not be better than marrying Prince Seven."

Wang Keren watched Madam Wang’s retreating figure, sinking into troubled thoughts, her gaze inadvertently falling on her good friend Zhang Nian in the distance.

She walked away from the registration booth, her cheeks flushed red.

Seeing this, Wang Keren tightly twisted the handkerchief in her hands.

...

Zhang Lanyi looked at the eager noblewomen below, her lips curling slightly.

Prince Seven, Xiao Hongshen, now the least desirable prince, had suddenly become the popular choice for the girls of Capital City to marry.

If this had happened a few years earlier, she, Zhang Lanyi, would have been the first to disbelieve it.

While she was thinking, someone by her side picked a grape and placed it on her plate.

Looking up, Zhang Lanyi saw Yan Wanqing peeling a second grape for her, changing her previously lazy posture, "What are you doing?"

Yan Wanqing finished peeling the sparkling grape, half-smiling, "Empress jests, just peeling grapes, which you like most, do you not?"

Zhang Lanyi watched as she quickly peeled a grape and set it on the plate, soon piling it into a small mound, unable to stop herself from swallowing.

"Aren’t you going to eat, Empress?" Yan Wanqing was cleaning her hands with water brought by a Palace Attendant at that moment.

Zhang Lanyi gave an embarrassed smile.

She knew that today Xun Wu was going to see Yan Wanqing.

It must have been that monk who didn’t handle the matter well.

Now, this young maid was taking her frustration out on her.

Zhang Lanyi, knowing full well that the maid had been busy rallying support and resources for her at court, felt guilty and could only use a fork to eat the grapes one by one.

After eating one, she immediately frowned due to its sourness.

Damn, who brought such sour grapes to the banquet!

Just as Zhang Lanyi was about to set down her fork, a voice as cold as a ghost summoning surfaced by her side.

"Empress, do the grapes I peeled not suit your taste?"

Zhang Lanyi didn’t even dare to look at her expression, continuously stabbing two or three grapes with her small fork and stuffing them into her mouth, her eyes tearing up from the sourness.

"This palace loves sour grapes, the sourer, the better, especially those peeled by Wanqing, they are indeed delicious," Zhang Lanyi said with tear-rimmed eyes. "But this is something that Palace Attendants should do, you, a Commandery Princess, should stop, this is enough."

Yan Wanqing’s smile didn’t reach her eyes, "What matters most is that Empress likes them, it’s no trouble for me." saying so, she already reached for the lychees next to her, seemingly ready to peel a whole basin.

Zhang Lanyi: "..." Sour and sweet, would my teeth even survive after finishing this?

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