Out of the Blue (2)

In the following days, the entire capital sunk into a bizarre atmosphere. The business for the various accessory shops, fabric stores, rouge and powder shops were all very lively. The more expensive the place, the more people there were. Pulling out any random person, if not this family’s noble daughter, then it was just that family’s official madam.

And Jing Wan’s selection range for her daughter-in-law was very wide. Aside from Li Tian Lin’s cousins that were closely related by blood, in the capital, the daughters of official families of the seventh rank or higher, ranging from the age of fourteen to eighteen, that haven’t discussed marriage, as well as some large influential families’ daughters were all in the ranks. This range really was quite big. However, a sixteen year old having yet to marry, this wasn’t really anything, but to not even be engaged, one can’t help but suspect whether or not there was some problem. But now, these people actually even had the chance to become the crown princess? This truly made quite a few people be shocked.

However, this was the decree issued by her Highness. No one can say anything about it.

And for the people that already had ideas when Li Tian Lin was born, at the time, they were even lamenting that their family’s daughter was older than the crown prince, so two three years ago, they’d already had the person married off. And as for the ones that haven’t married, even though they were given the best education, their aptitude still can’t compare with the already married daughter in front. This while, their internal organs were all green from regret. Your Highness, why didn’t you say so earlier? If you’d long said, if you’d told us, we would’ve had our family’s daughter kept behind!

However, these people also didn’t consider, only one can become the crown princess. If they don’t get picked, and their age is high, then how will they be able to find a good in-law family? However, for the people that can already have ideas as soon as the crown prince is born, then naturally don’t count on them considering for their daughter’s happiness. In their eyes, there was just benefit and interest.

If their family doesn’t have a suitable young lady, there was still their niece, or grand-niece. Unfortunately, the time to enter the capital was relatively tight. The ones in the outer regions, if the trip is longer than three days, then they for the most part won’t make it back in time.

Towards these situations, Jing Wan had long predicted. She didn’t have any views towards family status, because her son didn’t need a capable in-law family, just needing to look at the girls themselves. However, there can’t be too big of a discrepancy either. Under the current societal backdrop, the gap between an official family’s daughter and a commoner family’s daughter was enormous. The cultural disparity that exist between a commoner family’s daughter and her son wasn’t just a tiny bit. Even though among the commoners, there certainly didn’t lack outstanding girls, but the range was too big and too board, truly no need to waste that energy.

And among these people, the shu daughters were also included. Towards this type of people, Jing Wan didn’t have any good feelings, but towards they themselves, she also didn’t have any objections. Just, towards these girls, Jing Wan still didn’t hold any hope. It was impossible for shu daughters to receive the best education to begin with. Especially after Jing Wan’s ‘likes and dislikes’ were revealed, never mind the amount of shu children severely dropping, the ones that already exist, even if once receiving their father’s doting, the favor afterwards afraid will also reduce.

This kind of thing wasn’t really what Jing Wan wished for, but she also didn’t have the energy to interfere. There was always two-sides to a matter. Moreover, for the assessment towards a person’s temperament, it also wasn’t just the things on the surface.

As for the age, in Jing Wan’s eyes, it further wasn’t a problem. How can eighteen be considered an old maid, clearly very young and youthful. For her that married at fifteen, and had her tofu eaten at fourteen, such a loss, truly such a loss. The her after completely growing up, compared with the her back then, it was absolutely heavens apart. Sometimes, she quite wanted to ask a certain someone, the her at the time was just like a beansprout, how could he bear?

Jing Wan actually didn’t have the thought of picking the best, the most outstanding, and the most beautiful wife for her son either. To put it bluntly, the moral character was still the most important. The rest were all secondary. In fact, they don’t even necessarily need to have the ability to be the mother of the country. Just being a good wife was enough. Of course, if able to be a virtuous helper, then naturally it can’t be better.

Regardless of what those girls’ true nature was like, whether it’s really good, or just pretending to be good in front of Jing Wan, how many people can really escape from Jing Wan’s eyes? Besides, if Jing Wan really wanted to figure out a person’s inside information, she can even have the private matters in their boudoir all investigated clearly.

Of course, things certainly won’t reach that step.

In the imperial gardens, there was all kinds of beautiful flowers. Wherever they passed, there was just a fragrant breeze.

Speaking of which, through this matter, Jing Wan’s little treasury once again gained quite a sum. One has to know, the recipe given to Rouge Pavilion back then, to this day, was still being used. Even though, after all these years, there were already some changes, Jing Wan still continued receiving a share in profit. Princess Heyang, Yun Niang, already had the Rouge Pavilion given to her granddaughter-in-law. However, the money for Jing Wan every year only just increased without reducing. In this matter, it certainly was just her share in profit that simple. However, Jing Wan didn’t refuse, using it to fill the state treasury. She also understood Princess Heyang’s meaning. Ever since her husband ascended the throne, Princess Heyang has always just remained invisible, content with her lot. As such, looking after them a little also wasn’t anything.

Jing Wan and Consort Dowager Qin were both present. Jing Wan even had those wangfeis and jun-wangfeis of the imperial family invited over. Li Tian Lin got dragged away by his old man to work.

After more than a decade, Jing Wan was absolutely the target that the women of the world envied the most. The most honorable status, the ruler’s deep and faithful love, and also overflowing power all concentrating in the hand of one woman, how can one not envy? They even dreamed of taking her place. However, a daydream forever can only be a daydream. Back when she was still a wangfei, there were still people cursing her out of jealousy, but now, similar situations won’t even happen in private, and can only be hidden in the heart.

TN: All

They can’t replace Jing Wan, yet want to become a second her. The crown prince was his Majesty and her Highness’s only child. Moreover, he was already sixteen, and for the most part, already set as the next emperor. Will he be influenced by his Majesty, also becoming a faithful and devoted man? Moreover, because there was the precedent with his Majesty in front, becoming the next emperor’s empress, even if the imperial harem doesn’t have other consorts, one also won’t get denounced as not virtuous. As such, even if not going for his status, but rather the possibility of obtaining a devoted relationship, even the relatively indifferent girls all worked up their spirit.

The people of the imperial family all had the intention of finding out Jing Wan’s preferences. After all, although the crown princess selection had nothing to do with them directly, but who didn’t have a few in-law families.

Jing Wan leisurely chatted with them, yet from beginning to end, didn’t reveal anything. The people around her couldn’t help but feel defeated. However, what kind of person was her Highness, that was someone capable of sitting on an equal level with his Majesty. For them to not be able to dig out anything, it couldn’t be more normal.

This period of time lasted for a total of three days. Jing Wan didn’t actively stop anyone from entering the palace again, and she also didn’t deliberately organize anything. But, if someone wanted to show off their talents and such in front of her, she also gladly accepted. However, they still didn’t obtain any useful information. The people that her Highness praised weren’t few.

Three days later, it was like as if there were suddenly no more movements, very quiet, making everyone that were waiting for the results all feel anxious. The great majority of the people knew that it wasn’t too possible for them to get picked by her Highness, but they still carried a bit of hope. And for those that were very confident, they similarly were very nervous. What if they don’t get picked?

Another three days later, the palace directly issued a decree. The one that got picked was a girl from the Xie clan, and this young lady really was beyond everyone’s expectation, including the person herself. They absolutely never thought that the crown princess position would land on her head, because she was an ‘old maid’, already seventeen. On her marriage matters, it was also very unfavorable, even getting rumored to ‘curse husbands’. As one would ask, this kind of young lady, how could her Highness fancy? However, things were just that unexpected.

Setting aside how startled that girl was, her mother practically cried tears of joy, Originally, for the sake of her daughter’s marriage, don’t know how much tears she has shed, chunks of her hair already turning white. In fact, she didn’t even hold hope anymore, having the thought of ‘as long as the conditions were decent enough, then just marry off’. But who knew that things have taken a new turn, and this turn of events even turned out to be this lucky.

Jing Wan had that girl’s situation as well as portrait given to her son to look at. As gongbi style became widespread, portraits were at least eighty percent close to the actual person. Reputation, this kind of thing, Li Tian Lin also didn’t take seriously. As for the other areas, there wasn’t anything he was dissatisfied about, “Imperial mother’s eyesight, sure enough, is pretty good, very much matching this son’s desire.”

“Oh you, don’t just say pleasant words. Previously, let you say what kind of criteria you have, yet you didn’t say a single word. Now, you say it very much match your desire?”

“It’s just that there’s too many women in the world, this son truly doesn’t know what kind is good. Once imperial mother picks out, one just feels it’s very good. What does this mean? It means that imperial mother understands this son even more than this son, no?” Li Tian Lin said with a smile.

Regardless whether it was sincere, or just saying to make her happy, Jing Wan was also too lazy to say anything more. “Since that’s the case, imperial mother will just have the person summoned into the palace so you can meet in person.”

“Imperial mother can just arrange.”

Having such an obedient son, she was also very helpless.

This meeting naturally was successful. And don’t know as to what Li Tian Lin said, the young lady that was originally still nervous and in disbelief, after the two of them privately chatted, that Miss Xie entirely just brightened up, her face carrying shyness and joy. Jing Wan was somewhat amazed inside. Her son even had the talent of coaxing girls? If really like this, how come he wasn’t able to win over his ‘first love’?

Shortly after, the three documents and six rites followed up. Another two years slowly passed. During this time, regardless of the rite, the things Jing Wan sent out were absolutely ample.

Even though the Xie family was anxious over their young lady growing more and more ‘old’, but seeing that her future in-law family wasn’t pressed at all, they also gradually calmed down.

Li Tian Lin got married in that autumn after his eighteenth birthday. For the crown prince’s wedding, the entire capital was filled with jubilation. Everyone’s wedding and funeral arrangements all avoided from clashing. To say it was widely celebrated wouldn’t be an exaggeration either.

Just like the other ‘him’, Li Tian Lin also had the intention of nicely bonding with his wife. As such, prior to the wedding, never mind sending things from time to time, at the beginning of their marriage, they were indeed in perfect harmony, sweet like honey. However, this kind of situation just lasted for a month.

The main reason being———-

His old man suddenly announced his retirement, wanting him to immediately inherit the throne.

This was practically just out of the blue! For Li Tian Lin, it was like this, and for the court officials, it was also like this.

Even though Li Tian Lin had also realized that his old man might retire early, but he completely didn’t think that it would be this early!