A slight change in behavior shouldn’t raise too many suspicions. Liu Yin truly had no desire to put on a lovestruck act in front of such a large audience. She hadn’t thought much of it before, but after witnessing Princess Qiyang’s performance just now, she suddenly realized how foolish she must have looked in the past. Absolutely unbearable.

“Your Highness,” she greeted evenly, lowering herself into a measured bow—neither too eager nor too slow.

Beside her, Liu Guozheng’s expression shifted ever so slightly. He stared at his usually impetuous daughter, momentarily wondering if he was seeing things.

The gathered officials, too, exchanged subtle glances. They had all witnessed how this young lady from the Liu family used to chase after the Crown Prince at every turn. But now… Had she truly changed?

Princess Qiyang turned away, a flicker of mockery flashing through her eyes. Women in the capital always love to put on a show, so delicate and pretentious.

“I hear Second Miss Liu has been serving as the Sixth Princess’s study companion,” one official suddenly remarked. “Grand Tutor Shen even mentioned just a few days ago that she is remarkably intelligent and astute. Lord Liu, you are indeed fortunate.”

With that, the room seemed to recall the tutor’s words, and their opinions of Liu Yin subtly shifted. Whether out of genuine belief or simple politeness, the flattery soon followed.

Hearing this, Liu Guozheng chuckled non-stop. He hadn’t seen his daughter in days and had no idea if she had truly taken the Grand Tutor’s words to heart. If she had, he might just wake up laughing in his sleep.

But Liu Yin couldn’t handle praise for long. She stole a glance at the man across from her and muttered gloomily, “Hardly. Father, you don’t know—just a few days ago, Crown Prince gege was calling me stupid.”

Liu Guozheng immediately cleared his throat, his expression stiffening. “Nonsense! How dare you speak to His Highness like that?”

Liu Yin: “…”

But I was telling the truth!

Qin Yan’s lips curled slightly, his voice steady and deep. “Cousin has always been intelligent.”

The words sent a ripple through the gathered officials. Liu Guozheng, in particular, was momentarily overwhelmed—this was the first time the Crown Prince had ever openly praised his daughter. He could barely suppress the grin stretching across his face.

The others quickly followed suit, offering polite agreement, though their thoughts varied. Meanwhile, Liu Yin stood there, visibly torn between speaking up and staying quiet. Some people sure know how to put on a show. He had clearly called her an idiot the other day, yet now he was pretending otherwise? His acting skills were even better than hers.

At that moment, Prince of Zhennan added with a hearty chuckle, “Lord Liu is indeed fortunate. Unlike the girl in my household—getting her to study is like trying to take her life.”

“Father!” Princess Qiyang glared at him in protest, clearly displeased.

As the exchange of pleasantries dragged on, Liu Yin had enough of the endless flattery. She quietly slipped away, returning to her seat. Glancing around, she suddenly gestured for the Sixth Princess to come closer.

“Cousin, what is it?” The Sixth Princess asked softly, her posture impeccable, every move exuding royal grace.

As a legitimate princess, she had to maintain the dignity of the imperial family in public. Liu Yin, however, had no such concerns. Leaning in with a disgruntled expression, she whispered, “If I told you that your imperial brother called me an idiot a few days ago, would you believe me?”

She caught the flicker of surprise in the Sixth Princess’s eyes before it quickly turned into a look of helpless amusement. “Cousin, you must be joking. My imperial brother is always courteous—he’s never spoken a harsh word to me. How could he have scolded you?”

There was something the Sixth Princess didn’t dare say aloud—her imperial brother barely even acknowledged Liu Yin’s existence. Why would he bother insulting her?

Liu Yin sighed internally. She knew she wouldn’t believe her. Some people had such an untouchable reputation that no amount of truth could shake it. No matter how much she argued, it wouldn’t change anything.

She slumped back in her seat, sipping fruit wine in frustration.

If she really does end up marrying into the Eastern Palace, what happens if the Crown Prince decides to torment her? No one would believe her. They’d just think she was making things up. The more she thought about it, the more terrifying the idea became.

“His Majesty arrives! The Empress Dowager arrives! Her Majesty the Empress arrives!”

At the sharp call of the eunuch, the grand hall fell into instant silence. The dancers swiftly retreated, and every person in the room dropped into a deep bow.

“We humbly greet Your Majesty—long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress Dowager! Long live the Empress!”

Their voices echoed through the hall.

A figure draped in imperial yellow robes moved forward and took his seat. Then, with a wave of his hand, he spoke: “Rise, my ministers. There is no need for such formalities.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

Liu Yin rose with the rest of the court and returned to her seat. Her position was near the front, allowing her a clear view of those seated above. But she didn’t dare to openly stare—only sneaking quick glances before straightening her posture and fixing her gaze on the wine cup before her.

The emperor’s gaze swept across the hall before finally settling on the Prince of Zhennan. “Wang He, you’ve traveled a great distance to the capital. Such dedication is commendable.”

At these words, all eyes turned toward the Prince of Zhennan. He immediately stood, bowing his head in respect. “Your Majesty flatters me. It is my greatest honor to offer my wishes for the Empress Dowager’s birthday. The privilege belongs to my entire household.”

The emperor responded with a faint smile, his expression unreadable as his fingers idly traced the rim of his cup.

It was the Empress Dowager, her hair a cascade of silver, who suddenly spoke. “The Prince of Zhennan is indeed thoughtful. I hear that Xin’er has also arrived in the capital. She must come to the palace soon to keep this old woman company.”

At this, Princess Qiyang stepped forward. “It would be my greatest pleasure to accompany Your Highness,” she said with a practiced smile.

The Empress Dowager’s face remained warm and gentle, though it was difficult to tell if she was truly pleased. Beside her, the emperor gave a slight wave of his hand, signaling for them not to be overly formal.

Next came the reading of the tribute list—a eunuch droning on about the countless gifts from court officials. The scroll was absurdly long, and Liu Yin had no idea how much longer it would go on. Seeing others begin to eat, she lowered her head and focused on nibbling on pastries. The banquet had been arranged by her aunt—if there was poison, she was the least likely target.

“Stop stuffing your face. Do you really think you’d go hungry in the palace?”

Madam Zhang, sitting beside her, sighed and shook her head. Other noble daughters carried themselves with quiet grace, yet this girl had no composure whatsoever.

So, even eating was off-limits. Liu Yin had no choice but to put down her pastry, straighten her posture, and assume the demeanor of a proper lady. “Fine, fine. I’ll just sit here for hours like a statue.”

Watching this amusing display, the Sixth Princess couldn’t help but scoot a little closer and lower her voice. “I’ll take you to the imperial kitchen later. I heard they have roast suckling pig—you definitely won’t go hungry.”

Liu Yin’s eyes lit up instantly. She plucked a small fruit from the table and placed it in front of the princess, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “You really are the best, cousin.”

The two whispered like a pair of mischievous children, their hushed voices brimming with excitement. Madam Zhang let out a quiet sigh, a helpless smile tugging at her lips. Yet her gaze held a trace of something more—uncertainty. Had she spoiled her daughter too much? Was this carelessness or kindness? She could only hope that the Liu family would be able to shield this girl for a lifetime.

By the time the gift list was finally read in full, nearly half an hour had passed. It included birthday tributes from foreign envoys, making the proceedings drag on endlessly. Only when the dancers returned to the hall did the atmosphere start to liven up again, allowing Liu Yin to speak more freely.

After whispering to the Sixth Princess about Princess Mingyue’s situation, she noticed her cousin still looked uneasy. But at this point, there was no turning back—denial was the only path forward. Even if Princess Qiyang had seen something, she had no proof it was them.

Watching the two girls chatting like the closest of sisters, the Empress let out a small, resigned laugh. Casually turning to the Empress Dowager, she remarked, “Yin’er is getting older, yet just the other day my sister-in-law was fretting that no one would want to marry her. Look at her now, still acting like a child.”

The Empress Dowager, who had been watching the performance, slowly lowered her gaze and responded with a mild rebuke. “Nonsense. I think the girl is wonderful—graceful, charming, and beautiful. You all worry too much.”

Hearing this, Consort Li couldn’t help but cover her mouth with a sleeve, masking the sneer on her lips. The Empress’s intentions were as clear as day—she might as well announce them to the entire court. Did she really think someone as reckless as Liu Yin was fit to be Crown Princess?

“I have been comforting my sister-in-law the same way,” the Empress continued smoothly, her gaze shifting toward the emperor. “But the Crown Prince has long passed the coming-of-age ceremony, and yet his principal consort’s seat remains empty. Affairs of state are important, of course, but marriage is no small matter either.”

The emperor took a sip of his wine, his expression unreadable. He made no immediate response.

Just then, an elderly censor stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, forgive this old official for speaking out of turn, but even the eldest prince has already taken a wife. The Crown Prince should also marry soon—the royal bloodline must continue.”

As soon as he spoke, other ministers began voicing their agreement, one after another.

Liu Guozheng, however, remained silent, as if the matter had nothing to do with him. Meanwhile, the Prince of Zhennan observed the scene with quiet contemplation. He had underestimated the Liu family’s influence in court. Still, the question remained—who would ultimately claim the title of Crown Princess?

The emperor leaned against the armrest of his chair, his gaze sweeping across the officials below with an inscrutable depth. “Oh? Then tell this emperor—who do you propose as a suitable Crown Princess?”

The atmosphere in the hall shifted.

Seated calmly, Qin Yan took another sip of wine, his expression unreadable beneath his lowered gaze.

Liu Yin, on the other hand, felt her heart pounding. Watching the ministers rise to speak one by one, she was, for the first time, witnessing the true extent of the Liu family’s influence. But at the same time, she couldn’t shake her unease. No emperor would enjoy being pressured like this.

Then, a court official stepped forward.

“This humble official believes that Minister Liu’s daughter possesses both beauty and virtue—she is the perfect choice for Crown Princess.”

Finally, as one minister spoke up, a wave of voices followed in agreement.

“This humble official believes that Chancellor Lu’s daughter is both talented and beautiful—she would also be an excellent choice.”

A different opinion emerged, and soon, more voices joined in.

Liu Guozheng remained still, as steady as a mountain. Across the hall, his gaze briefly met Chancellor Lu’s before both men turned away, each lost in their own thoughts.

“Princess Qiyang possesses outstanding virtue—she too would be a worthy candidate.”

The court was now divided, each faction pushing its own preferred candidate.

Liu Yin sat stiffly, her palms damp with sweat as she struggled to maintain her composure. She had never been this nervous, not in this life or the last.

Beside her, Madam Zhang remained unshaken, though she hadn’t expected so many to vie for the position.

Meanwhile, many neutral officials stayed silent, refraining from making their stance known.

The tension thickened. Even the dancers quietly withdrew from the hall, leaving only the officials, their voices firm and resolute as they put forth their nominations.

The debate dragged on, filling the grand hall with clashing opinions.

At last, the emperor turned his gaze toward the Crown Prince.

“My son, what do you think?”

=^_^=