C8 In the Future the Crown Prince

With each word Qingge spoke, Mrs. Sunn's fists clenched tighter. By the end, her body trembled as she pulled her arm away from Qingge's grasp, forcing a smug, cold smile. "So what? You've been out of touch for so long that you don't even know who's in charge around here now."

Ruan Yueer was stunned by Qingge's words, terrified that her and Mrs. Sunn's deeds might be exposed. She stood frozen, too scared to say anything, her hands shaking uncontrollably.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside. The butler of the mansion, bent over and sweating profusely, rushed in from the courtyard and hastily bowed. "Madam, I've finally found you! A decree just arrived from the palace, canceling the marriage between Ho King and the princess! The decree states that the princess's old illness hasn't healed, so she should rest quietly at home, while Ho King shouldn't delay and should find another suitable match."

Yesterday's fiasco at the palace gave the Empress the perfect excuse. She immediately went to the Emperor, describing Qingge's erratic behavior and subtly blaming the death of a maid on her, which finally convinced the Emperor to call off the engagement with Ho King.

Mrs. Sunn and Ruan Yueer were taken aback by this sudden turn of events, but their worry quickly turned to joy, and they stood up straighter.

"Heh, heh heh, hahaha." Mrs. Sunn laughed, circling the room with a sneer as she pointed at Qingge.

"What good is your gloating in front of me? The Empress still called off your engagement. Now, even if you're a lady, so what? Are you going to ask your mother, resting in her grave, to crawl out and beg the Emperor to take back his decree? I can't wait to see which noble in the capital would dare to marry a woman rejected by the royal family, hahaha!"

Though Ruan Yueer felt relieved, she still worriedly clutched Mrs. Sunn's sleeve. "Mother, but what if she's recovered from her illness? What should we do?"

"So what?"

Mrs. Sunn raised an eyebrow, her joy evident. "Everyone knows Qingge was a fool for ten years, causing countless jokes. The royal family can't afford such embarrassment. Once the decree is issued, they want to sever ties. There's no way to take it back. Prince Ho is the future crown prince, and his wife will be the future Empress. Who would let a notorious woman like her take such a position?"

Seeing their delight, Qingge smiled and sighed. "No one dares to marry a notorious woman like me, but who would marry a shameless woman? Aunt, are you so happy because you think the royal family will accept an illegitimate daughter as a princess, or are you planning to send your daughter to be a concubine?"

"Your Highness, even if Yueer becomes a concubine, wouldn't the other noblewomen still have to bow to her?" Mrs. Sunn smirked, adjusting her sleeves with an air of superiority, as if she were already the prince's mother-in-law.

Ruan Yueer, having been taught by Mrs. Sunn over the years, believed her beauty and talents were on par with Ruan Qingge's. She assumed the North Peace Marquis would eventually elevate Mrs. Sunn, so she considered herself of legitimate birth.

Hearing Mrs. Sunn's words, Ruan Yueer's expression changed. Her ambitions were sky-high; she had only cozied up to Xiao Ling out of resentment that Ruan Qingge was to be Ho King's consort. How could she settle for being a mere concubine?

Ruan Qingge noticed Ruan Yueer's displeasure and, understanding her thoughts, let out a silent scoff. She said with a smile, "Since I'm already out of the engagement, there's no need for you to disturb my peace, Aunt. Why not take your precious daughter back? When she becomes a concubine, I'll be sure to offer my congratulations."

With that, she flicked her sleeves and returned to her room.

The news of the emperor personally annulling Xiao Ling's engagement spread throughout the capital in less than half a day. The young ladies of various noble families, who had always felt it unfair that the future Ho King's consort was considered a fool, were overjoyed at the news. After all, Xiao Ling was a strong contender for the future crown prince. To be by his side promised a lifetime of glory and honor—who wouldn't be tempted by that?