The Imperial Grandson’s brow furrowed slightly, a hint of discomfort flashing across his face. Subconsciously, he retorted, “Mǔfēi ^[1]a formal way to call mother, you’re mistaken. I’m not close with Ling Jingshu and her brother.”

“Oh?” The Crown Princess raised her eyebrows, and the corners of her lips seemed to smiling but not smiling: “Since you don’t know each other well, why did you go out of your way to reward them with your name card? Whether Young Master Ling can see Imperial Physician Wei earlier, what does it have to do with you?”

The Imperial Grandson showed a rare trace of teenage embarrassment, but quickly resumed nonchalantly, “It’s just a small favor.”

What a small favor!

The Crown Princess twitched her lips, but there was not much smile in her eyes: “I don’t know when you became so warm-hearted.”

The Imperial Grandson was speechless and simply closed his mouth and stopped talking.

The Crown Princess looked at the Imperial Grandson intently, with a sharp glint flashing in her eyes: “Ah Yao, there are only me and your father here, no outsiders. Tell me honestly, did Ling Jingshu deliberately take the opportunity to get closer? Did she try to seduce you?”

For some reason, the Imperial Grandson always felt that these words were a bit harsh and replied without hesitation: “No!”

“Really?” the Crown Princess asked with a frown.

The Imperial Grandson also frowned, with a hint of forbearance and impatience in his tone: “If I say no, there will be no. Am I still lying?”

There was obvious displeasure in his tone.

The Crown Princess’s expression softened considerably. “That Ling Jingshu is indeed exceptionally beautiful, clever, and adept at handling situations. You haven’t married yet and haven’t experienced the company of women. It’s understandable if you were momentarily captivated.”

The Crown Prince, who had remained silent, finally spoke up, “Ah Yao is also fifteen years old. It’s natural for young men to be attracted to beauty and admire young ladies. There’s no need to make a fuss about it.”

“Furthermore, she came to us seeking help for her younger brother’s illness, showing her concern for her sibling. For us, it’s just a matter of preparing an empty guest room, nothing more. Since you’ve agreed to it, don’t overthink it anymore.”

The words were much more pleasant to listen to.

The Imperial Grandson’s originally frowning brows relaxed.

Once the Crown Prince spoke, the Crown Princess no longer pressed the matter aggressively, and her tone softened: “I’m not intentionally overthinking. It’s just that Ah Yao is still young, and I always worry that he might be swayed by beauty.”

As she said that, she looked at the Imperial Grandson again. She said sternly: “Ah Yao, it’s time for you to choose your wife. Choosing a wife and getting married is not only a matter for you, but also a major event related to our Eastern Palace and even the world.”

“When you marry a wife, you should marry a virtuous wife. Of course, she must be dignified and beautiful. What is more important is her family background, temperament, manners, etc. Beware of women with evil intentions who deliberately approach you.”

The “woman with evil intentions” obviously refers to Ling Jingshu.

The Imperial Grandson subconsciously wanted to open his mouth to refute.

Ling Jingshu was not that kind of person. From the first time they met, she was so cold, stubborn, and proud. She never took the initiative to talk to him…

When the words came to his lips, he swallowed them back.

He knew the Crown Princess’s temper very well.

She looked approachable and had a gentle temperament, but deep down she had the aloofness and pride of a noble lady from a scholarly family. After being a Crown Princess for so many years, she was used to being aloof and did not allow anyone to go against her will. Just follow her and say a few words. If anyone competed with her verbally, she would be even more unhappy. The prejudice against Ling Jingshu would also deepen…

After the Crown Princess said this, the Crown Prince became interested in Ninth Miss Ling: “Is Ninth Miss Ling very beautiful?”

As for the evil intentions, he didn’t pay much attention to it.

For men, a woman’s beauty and charm were what truly captivated them. As for intentions… what ambitions could a woman confined to the inner chambers possibly harbor?

The Crown Princess thought for a while and replied: “She is indeed beautiful. She is not inferior to Wei Jieyu^[2]a rank of concubine back then.”

Coming from a commoner background, Ninth Miss Ling was said to possess unparalleled beauty, often compared to Wei Jieyu, renowned as the most beautiful woman in the imperial harem. The fact that Ninth Miss Ling could be mentioned in the same breath as Wei Jieyu speaks volumes about her appearance.

The Crown Prince had a clear look on his face and said casually: “Since she has a good appearance, and Ah Yao likes her, he can just take her into the house together after the wedding.”

The Crown Princess hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly replied, “Well, despite the humble background, being a concubine is barely acceptable.”

The Imperial Grandson: “…”

The Imperial Grandson pursed his lips and looked a little ugly. He said in a deep voice: “Father, mǔfēi, I have no other thoughts about Ninth Miss Ling, and I have no intention of accepting her as a concubine. There is no need to mention this matter in the future.”

“It’s getting late. Father, it’s time for mǔfēi to rest. I don’t want to disturb you both too much, so I’ll take my leave first.”

After saying that, he stood up, bowed, and left expressionlessly.

…

The Crown Princess watched her son leave helplessly, feeling as if something was blocking her heart, making her extremely unhappy. She complained to the Crown Prince: “Look at him. I just said a few words about Ninth Miss Ling casually, and he showed me his face. He also said that he had no other thoughts about Ninth Miss Ling. I don’t believe this.”

“I have given in and will allow her to come in as a concubine from now on. What else does Ah Yao have to be dissatisfied with? Is it possible that he still wants to marry her as his main wife?”

In the last sentence, there was a strong sense of dissatisfaction.

The Crown Prince furrowed his brow slightly, speaking with a deep voice: “Ah Yao is mature for his age and has his own opinions. You should know when to stop talking and be mindful of your words. If he truly admires Ninth Miss Ling, and you keep mentioning her lack of noble birth and potential role as a concubine, do you think he’ll be pleased?”

The Crown Princess choked for a moment and said after a while: “What I said is true, of course, it doesn’t sound so good. That Ninth Miss Ling is indeed very beautiful, but her background is too low. She looks soft, but she is actually very scheming…”

“You just met her for the first time, how do you know that she is very scheming?”

The Crown Prince found it amusing and interrupted the Crown Princess: “I think you’re biased against her!”

The Crown Princess raised her eyebrows slightly, her tone full of disapproval: “Ah Yao has only met her a few times, but he still misses her. It shows that she is a scheming and capable person. Moreover, she came to ask for help today. At that time, she happened to meet Changping.”

“You know Changping’s temperament well. When she sees someone younger and more beautiful than her, she can’t help but feel a bit uncomfortable. She said a few words, which managed to turn Changping’s anger into joy. She even invited her to attend the Lotus Appreciation Feast at the Princess’s Mansion in a few days.”

“How can someone be so skillful at such a young age?”

After all that talk, the gist of it was just one thing.

And it was that she didn’t like that Ninth Miss Ling.

The Crown Prince didn’t want to argue with the Crown Princess over a girl he had never met before, so he smiled casually and said, “That’s all, we’ll discuss this later.”

When Ninth Miss Ling came to the house in the future, he wanted to meet her.

…(To be continued.)