The Aloof Lord's Mysterious Wife
Chapter 202: Exploring New Paths

Chapter 202: Exploring New Paths

With the position of the Royal Heir’s primary consort vacant, the court officials naturally began to make plans behind the scenes. The Palace Office sent people to inspect various young ladies, and after compiling a list, they had artists draw portraits, which were then presented to Empress Xie for her selection. Empress Xie didn’t have much of an opinion, so she called Ye Chengyan to pick a few that caught his eye. Later, she prepared a flower-viewing banquet and invited the selected young ladies to the palace.

Even Nanli received an invitation from the palace.

The invitation was personally delivered by Xie Beihan. Nanli used to be the Sixth Miss of the Mansion of Marquis Anyang. For the sake of the marquis’s mansion and family, she couldn’t refuse, thus saving the empress some face. But now, as the Ninth Princess, leaning on a powerful tree for shade, she could directly decline any banquets she didn’t want to attend.

"I don’t want to go," Nanli said.

"But please, Aunt, the empress wants you to come and take a look at the high-born ladies’ appearances," Xie Beihan blinked, pleading.

Empress Xie valued Nanli because, during a previous face-reading session, Nanli had noticed something amiss about Rong Dongling. That’s why Empress Xie wanted Nanli to come to the palace again to examine the appearances of various high-born ladies and check their birth charts. Although it seemed like picking merchandise, the selected candidate would become the future queen, so everything had to be cautious and meticulous, without any sloppiness.

While setting up a formation to nurture Madam Xu’s soul, Nanli didn’t even lift her head to look at Xie Beihan.

She said, "To examine the appearance and birth chart of one person costs about two hundred taels of silver. Now you want me to examine so many high-born ladies? How should we settle this business?"

Xie Beihan knew there was room for negotiation and quickly said, "No problem, one hundred taels for each, how about that?"

After thinking about it, Nanli didn’t feel like she was losing too much and agreed.

Xie Beihan leisurely left the Prince Yu Mansion, and the news spread.

Who wouldn’t want to be the first choice among the selected beauties to become the Royal Heir’s consort? However, the key to being chosen lay with Nanli.

The next day, a servant from the Mansion of Marquis Wuyang waited eagerly at the Prince Yu Mansion, claiming that there was a demonic presence in their house and requested the Ninth Princess’s presence to eliminate it.

Seeing the anxious look of the servant, Zhi Mi led him to the main hall.

Nanli glanced at him, her expression turning colder. "There are no demons in your mansion. Tell your master not to scare himself."

The servant hurriedly said, "The Ninth Princess indeed has profound Taoist skills, and I admire that. This is a gift from our lord, asking the Ninth Princess not to despise it."

He brought out a small box and placed it on the table, showing that some effort had been put into it.

Upon opening it, they found shiny gold ingots inside.

Zhi Mi widened her eyes. "Didn’t my senior sister say that there were no evil spirits in your mansion? Why send gold?"

Nanli furrowed her eyebrows. "What does this mean?"

The servant said with a flattering tone, "I am from the Mansion of Marquis Wuyang. Our young lady will be attending the palace flower-viewing banquet in a few days. Our lord simply wishes for the Ninth Princess to speak a few good words on her behalf."

He lowered his voice, oozing with obsequiousness.

Hearing that the Ninth Princess charged for exorcisms and talisman drawings, they thought she was fond of money. With so much gold, they believed they could easily buy her off.

Nanli smiled sarcastically, not expecting to be bought like this one day.

She glanced at the gold ingots in the box, feeling helpless. "While I do enjoy silver and gold, this shouldn’t be mine. I never accept it."

"As long as the Ninth Princess is willing to help, this is what you deserve," the servant quickly persuaded. "If the amount is not enough, our lord can double it to ensure your satisfaction."

"You just said you’re from the Mansion of Marquis Wuyang, right?" Nanli raised her eyebrows.

The servant’s forced smile froze, and he was stunned on the spot.

"What does ’the Ninth Princess’ mean?"

"It means exactly what it sounds like," Nanli’s sharp gaze narrowed, sending shivers down the servant’s spine.

The servant hadn’t expected to bungle things so badly. Moreover, there were two Black Armor Guards outside the door, so he didn’t dare to push further. He closed the box hurriedly and left in a rush.

After seeing the servant leave the main hall, Nanli stretched lazily and muttered to herself, "This kind of job can also make money like this. It’s quite enlightening."

Zhi Mi said, "It seems that every family is using all means. Are you really going to tell Empress Xie not to let the young lady from the Mansion of Marquis Wuyang attend the palace banquet?"

He didn’t think his senior sister was wrong; he was just afraid she would make enemies and face retaliation in the future.

Nanli smiled and winked at him. "I won’t meddle too much, lest it affects someone’s future or ruins others’ opportunities."

Zhi Mi breathed a sigh of relief. "That’s good."

But where there’s one, there’s another. Several more families sent people, either falsely reporting unrest in their homes or delivering invitations, all wanting to meet Nanli.

Moreover, some even approached through Xiao Wanyi or her brothers, but they all knew Nanli’s character and immediately refused.

They didn’t inform Nanli of these matters to avoid adding to her worries.

Even if others held grudges, they wouldn’t dare to trouble the Mansion of Marquis Anyang.

The people from the Mansion of Marquis Wuyang were restless. After waiting for several days and hearing no news from the palace, they breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Marquis Wuyang had no intention of staying quiet.

In the past, the Mansion of Marquis Wuyang and the Mansion of Marquis Anyang were evenly matched.

But later, Chu Hanlin made military achievements, his eldest son was very capable, his second son excelled in business, his third son topped the imperial examinations, and even his remaining two sons were talented in both literature and martial arts.

Not to mention their recently returned Sixth Miss, who was proficient in Taoist arts and had saved the emperor from danger several times, leading the whole family to merit and promotion. Moreover, she had married the Ninth Prince, becoming a royal daughter-in-law.

Nowadays, the Mansion of Marquis Anyang was far ahead, leaving the Mansion of Marquis Wuyang far behind.

Marquis Wuyang always compared himself to Chu Hanlin. Seeing this situation, how could he bear it?

His sons were not talented, and there was only one daughter who was elegant and beautiful. Now that Rong Dongling had been demoted to a secondary consort, leaving the position of Royal Heir’s primary consort vacant, how could he miss this opportunity?

Unable to get anywhere with Nanli, he sent people to inquire discreetly and finally invited a Taoist master.

The Taoist master’s name was Tiancheng, with no specific sect. He wasn’t particularly skilled in exorcising demons, but he was proficient in unorthodox methods like changing people’s appearances.

Seeing his shifty appearance, Marquis Wuyang also felt a hint of distrust. "Can you really change my daughter’s appearance and make her emit purple aura?"

"Of course," Tiancheng stroked his beard confidently.

"You must have heard of the Ninth Princess, right? This woman is proficient in Taoist arts, and the empress has even invited her to preside. Can your methods deceive her?" Marquis Wuyang pressed.

"A little girl like her can’t really be proficient in Taoist arts. The several times she saved the emperor were mostly just luck," Tiancheng snorted disdainfully. "My methods have never failed. Your lordship can rest assured."