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“Madam Su, the children are no longer young. Some decisions must be made at the right time. If you keep hesitating, you will lose a lot,” the Princess of Xian remarked.
Madam Su knew very well that her daughter was of age; waiting any longer wasn’t an option, and a choice was indeed necessary. However, they still hadn’t figured out what to do.
The Princess continued, “Our family is different from others. I’m sure you understand my son Rui’s temperament—he’s gentle and considerate. In terms of character and appearance, he is exceptional. The emperor treats him like a younger brother, offering him a great deal of support. Within Nanyang City, many noble young women wish to marry into our family, yet we have not accepted any in all these years. This shows our sincerity. If we wait any longer, not only will Qingyue be unable to afford to wait, but your son, as a man, also cannot afford to wait. If it were like other families, I might already have grandchildren by now.”
Madam Su understood the Princess’s implication. However, understanding didn’t make the choice any easier.
She replied, “I understand your point, Your Highness. Rest assured, we will provide an answer within a month. We certainly don’t want to delay our daughter any longer.”
Hearing this, the Princess felt relieved, knowing that a conclusion to this marriage matter was finally on the horizon after so many years of dragging it out.
“Good, I’ll wait for your good news.”
“By the way, if you really do find your daughter, I suggest you consider sending your younger daughter into the palace. Who knows, the Su family might end up with two empresses. If that happens, the sisters can help each other, which would make things easier.”
Madam Su was taken aback by the suggestion of sending her child to the palace. They could never dare to think of such a thing.
However, faced with the Princess, Madam Su could only smile and brush it off. “We’re not even at that point yet, Your Highness. You’re speaking too soon.”
The Princess smiled and gave Madam Su a deep look before leaving.
Madam Su managed to collect herself and hurried to see her off.
After sending the Princess away, Madam Su returned to find Su Qingyue standing at the entrance.
Seeing her daughter, Madam Su frowned slightly. “What are you doing here?”
Su Qingyue asked, “Mother, was my sister really dead back then?”
Madam Su’s expression turned cold, and she scolded, “Qingyue, this is not something you should concern yourself with. Just wait patiently. Within a month, whether it’s to marry into the Prince of Xian’s Manor or the Prince of An’s Manor, we must have a result. This marriage cannot be delayed any longer.”
Su Qingyue replied calmly, “Mother, I just want to understand what happened to my sister. I want to know the truth about it.”
Madam Su became even angrier, her brows furrowing tightly. “Qingyue, have you also learned to be disobedient?”
Su Qingyue stood her ground. “Mother, I only want to know about my sister. How is that being disobedient? What are you and Father hiding from me? Why do you never seem happy when talking about my sister or the possibility that she might still be alive?”
Madam Su was furious but didn’t dare show too much anger. She suppressed her irritation and said, “We just don’t believe your sister is still alive. If she truly is, we would naturally bring her back. Qingyue, please don’t concern yourself with this matter anymore. Just focus on preparing for your marriage.”
After saying this, Madam Su left without wanting to speak further to Su Qingyue, fearing that saying more would lead to trouble.
Su Qingyue watched her mother’s hurried departure and felt exhausted as she thought about the looming marriage prospects with the Prince of Xian and the Prince of An. While she could find a way to escape those engagements, her parents were a different story—she couldn’t escape them.
With a sigh, Su Qingyue returned to her courtyard.
Ziluo was practicing swordplay in the yard, while Yuzhu was applying medicine to Yuling and a few others.
Su Qingyue sat down on a stone bench in the courtyard, her face filled with worry.
Noticing her troubled demeanor, Ziluo paused her practice and asked with concern, “Miss, is something wrong? You look preoccupied. Is there anything I can assist you with?”
Su Qingyue glanced at Ziluo, letting out a helpless sigh as she shared her worries with her.
Ziluo thought for a moment and suggested, “Miss, why don’t I help you escape? We can forget about all these matters. Running away wouldn’t be such a big deal.”
Su Qingyue shook her head. “With the emperor having no heirs, the one who ascends the throne will inevitably be from either the Prince of Xian’s Manor or the Prince of An’s Manor. If I run away, whichever family takes the throne will not spare the Su family. In that case, all our lives would be at stake.”
“But Miss,” Ziluo countered, “if you make the wrong choice, the Su family may also face dire consequences.”
Su Qingyue knew this all too well. Sometimes she truly resented the fate that had been bestowed upon her. Did she really have the destiny of an empress? Who would ascend the throne simply because they married her? She didn’t believe it, yet it seemed that everyone else did.
“Miss, why not marry an ordinary person? That way, neither family would pay you any attention, and no one would harbor any grudges against you.”
Ziluo proposed another idea.
Su Qingyue smiled wryly. “Finding someone to marry is not as easy as it sounds. If he is an ordinary person without the power to resist the two royal houses, he might lose his life because of me.”
Ziluo sighed in agreement. “Then what about we just choose? Whether it’s the Prince of Xian or the Prince of An, you decide, and then we can support the royal house to help them ascend the throne. In the future, you could be the one to lead the nation as empress. If we lose, then at worst, we die. After all, everyone has to die; there’s no need to fear that.”
Seeing Ziluo’s straightforwardness, Su Qingyue couldn’t help but smile helplessly. Wasn’t that the kind of thinking she had in her past life? Even if she ended up not marrying the heir, she had still desperately supported Nangong Mo in his ascent to power. But once he reached the throne, what had she gained?
Su Qingyue understood that true power lay in her own hands. Only then could she be the one in control. Husbands, parents, even children—no one could be trusted completely. They would all abandon her for their own interests.
Unfortunately, that power was out of reach for her. No matter how hard she worked, she was merely sewing clothes for others.
“Miss, is there really no one in this world greater than the Prince of Xian and the Prince of An? Can’t we find a bigger backing than those two families?”
Su Qingyue replied, “The only greater backing would be the current emperor.”
Ziluo frowned. “It’s said that the current emperor has no heirs, and his harem is entirely empty. Even if you entered the palace, that support wouldn’t last long. But even so, if you had greater power than those two royal houses, they wouldn’t be able to do anything to you. However, in that case, your lifelong happiness would be lost.”
Su Qingyue chuckled bitterly. “Lifelong happiness? What does it mean to have lifelong happiness? To marry someone of high status, have a few children, and become a wealthy noblewoman? But it seems those noblewomen are not necessarily happy. Every day, they are either busy managing household affairs or dealing with concubines and illegitimate children. I rarely see smiles on their faces. That’s not happiness.”
“Ziluo, I believe that true happiness comes from having control over one’s destiny. I want to grasp my own fate. I don’t want to be a puppet, controlled by my parents at home and then by my husband after marriage, unable to make my own decisions throughout my life.”
Ziluo didn’t know what to say and could only respond, “Miss, no matter what you decide, I will support you and stand by your side. I can’t help you with your worries, but I can accompany you.”
Su Qingyue smiled, “Thank you, Ziluo.”
Suddenly, she declared, “I have decided. I want to take the imperial examination.”
Ziluo looked at her in surprise, then skeptically. Was her young mistress too anxious, to the point of losing her senses?
Can women even participate in the imperial examination?
Wait, she recalled that it seemed there was a decree from years ago stating that both men and women could study, and those with exceptional abilities could participate in the exams, just like men.