Ye You did not expect to encounter such an unparalleled beauty in the palace. He had overheard that maid call her a princess of some sort?
Jiang Ruan said indifferently, “Third Prince.”
“You know me?” Ye You was unexpectedly flattered that such a beauty recognized him, but he racked his brains and could not recall ever meeting her before.
“The Third Prince’s notorious reputation rings throughout the imperial court. How could there be anyone unaware?” A hint of mockery tinged Jiang Ruan’s smile. “However, in all my visits to the palace, this is the first time I’ve chanced upon Your Highness.”
Ye You had always been indulgent towards beauties, so he did not take offense at her taunting words. He smiled lecherously, “May I ask the young lady’s name?”
Lu Zhu was already fuming. “Your Highness, have some decorum! This is the Duchess of Hongan personally ennobled by the Empress Dowager.”
As a servant, though Ye You was a rakehell, he was still an imperial prince. She could not simply brush him off like an ordinary scoundrel. Lu Zhu felt flustered, but Ye You seemed to realize something. “Ah, so it’s Miss Jiang.”
The Duchess of Hongan’s name was renowned across the realm. He had heard she was an officially invested princess who had earned the Empress Dowager’s favor, reputed to be a peerless beauty. But commoners tended to exaggerate, so Ye You did not quite believe it – until now. He regretted not asking Consort Chen to request Jiang Ruan as a consort wife earlier. If he had such an alluring beauty in his manor, he could die without regrets.
However, Ye You did not expect the Empress Dowager Yide to so dote on Jiang Ruan that she would never allow her to marry a debauched son. Ye You shamelessly approached closer. “Well, since we’re family now, Sister Hongan, why don’t you and I have a little rendezvous?” A beauty like her – he could not resign himself to not possessing her in this lifetime.
“Where does the Third Prince wish to rendezvous with the Princess?” A deep voice came from behind – the Crown Prince and Fourth Prince Ye Lang were approaching.
Ye You frowned, clearly displeased by the Crown Prince’s interruption. The Crown Prince glanced at Jiang Ruan and guffawed, “Hongan, I happened to have something for you. Third Brother, you can go first if there’s nothing else. I’ll take Hongan with me.”
If Ye You was considered a rakehell in the palace, none of his brothers could match him – except for the Crown Prince. Likely aware of being disregarded by the Emperor, the Crown Prince had a reckless streak, equally matched against Ye You – neither better than the other. Realizing the Crown Prince’s presence today meant he had no chance with Jiang Ruan, Ye You angrily flicked his sleeve. His expression changed before he smiled slyly at Jiang Ruan, “Well Princess, I’ll come see you another time for a good chat.”
His insinuating words made Lu Zhu frown, though the Crown Prince and Ye Lang seemed unsurprised. After addressing Jiang Ruan, Ye You straightened up to glare at the Crown Prince. “Elder Brother, this prince takes his leave.” Without waiting for a response, he turned and strode off.
Ye Lang shrank slightly. The Crown Prince glanced at him, “Useless,” though without rebuke, indicating the two had a good relationship normally. Ye You’s attitude towards the Crown Prince suggested he expected the latter’s eventual dethronement, viewing his current title as merely nominal and hence his brazenness. The Crown Prince seemed long accustomed to this position. Looking at Jiang Ruan, he said, “Hongan, you’re quite the fragrant, juicy morsel now. Anyone would want a bite.” He chuckled lowly, “Even I’m a little envious of how much the Imperial Grandmother dotes on you.”
The Crown Prince’s gaze darkened as he spoke the truth – as the Crown Prince, even the Empress Dowager Yide disliked him, and though the Empress pitied him, she was powerless to change his current state. Jiang Ruan smiled faintly, “Your Highness the Crown Prince is the future sovereign of the great realm. Why envy this humble maid?”
“You, a maid? I see you as a precious treasure.” He abruptly smiled slyly, “Why don’t you become my consort? We have no blood relation, and there are precedents in the great realm.”
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly, “If the Crown Prince can persuade the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, this subject would have no objections.”
Seeing Jiang Ruan’s indifferent manner, the Crown Prince realized she did not take this matter seriously, which vexed him. However, Jiang Ruan glanced at Ye Lang, who trailed behind the Crown Prince with a harmless, gentle appearance. In the palace, the talentless Crown Prince and the inept Fourth Prince Ye Lang seemed to commiserate with each other’s plights. In truth, the Crown Prince did not have good relations with his other brothers, but treated this Ye Lang quite well. Yet Ye Lang’s demeanor easily reminded Jiang Ruan of Jiang Dan in the Jiang manor.
The same cowardice and timidity, the same penchant for backstabbing. In the previous life, was it not this ostensibly close Younger Brother who betrayed the Crown Prince, ultimately driving him to suicide in prison? Ye Lang had long sided with Consort Chen, yet the Crown Prince treated an enemy as a friend.
Jiang Ruan looked at the Crown Prince, “Your Highness mentioned having something to tell this subject? We can proceed now.”
The Crown Prince paused – he had only spoken idly and did not mean it seriously. As he was about to respond, Jiang Ruan addressed Ye Lang, “Does the Fourth Prince also have matters to attend to? If not, I shall go ahead with the Crown Prince first.”
Ye Lang froze, not expecting Jiang Ruan to so bluntly dismiss him. He looked at her with a flash of hurt, as if she had wronged this Fourth Prince terribly.
The Crown Prince frowned as Ye Lang recovered with an apologetic smile, “Then Brother, I’ll go first. Take your time chatting with the Princess. Excuse me.” He hurried off, his face betraying no anger but some agitation.
The Crown Prince watched Ye Lang’s retreating figure with displeasure and turned to Jiang Ruan, “Princess Hongan, what are you doing?”
“Does the Crown Prince know this princess has always disliked the Eighth Prince?”
The Crown Prince paused – he had noticed long ago that Jiang Ruan disliked Ye Li, though he did not know why she detested his handsome and talented Eighth Brother. However, as the Crown Prince also disliked Ye Li, he was quite satisfied with Jiang Ruan on this point.
Jiang Ruan said flatly, “This princess dislikes ants, anything ants crawl over will be discarded. This princess dislikes the Eighth Prince, and anyone associated with him is equally loathed.”
Though known as the Talentless Crown Prince, he was no fool. The Crown Prince understood Jiang Ruan’s implication and frowned, “What do you mean? How could the Fourth Brother be involved with the Eighth?”
Jiang Ruan glanced around and said, “Your Highness, I happen to need some books from the Jade Cloud Pavilion. If you have no other matters, you may accompany me.”
The Jade Cloud Pavilion housed many books, frequented by the Empress Dowager’s and consorts’ maids to fetch reading materials. The Crown Prince considered and said, “Very well. I was planning to browse there as well.”
The Crown Prince’s attendant eunuch was astonished – everyone knew the Crown Prince despised reading. If he went to the Jade Cloud Pavilion with Jiang Ruan today, there would be much palace gossip tomorrow. But the willful Crown Prince did not care about such things, and with the Empress Dowager Yide’s backing, Jiang Ruan was unafraid as well. So the two proceeded to the Jade Cloud Pavilion.
(End of Chapter)
