"A conflict between a wedding and a funeral? Don't try to fool me with such nonsense. What if the Crown Prince doesn't wake up?"
"If I fail to revive the Crown Prince, Your Ladyship can do whatever you like to me. I won't complain."
"Fine. I'll make the arrangements right away. Just now you said there was someone whose birth - chart was compatible with the Crown Prince's. Do you have a suitable candidate in mind?"
Concubine Mu nodded with a smile. "I do have a suitable candidate, and Your Ladyship is quite familiar with this young lady."
"Who is it?"
"Feng Manshu, the second daughter of the Feng family."
Inside the inner palace of the Eastern Palace, there was an ice coffin. Due to the strict guards outside the palace, no idlers were allowed to enter. So, except for the Queen, Concubine Mu and a few others, no one knew that the Crown Prince was lying in that ice coffin, lifeless.
Meanwhile, at the Prime Minister's Mansion.
When Feng Manshu received the imperial edict brought by Eunuch Fu from the palace, she was getting along very closely with the young master Wu from the Duke of Dingguo's family. By now, Feng Manshu had given up hope of becoming the Crown Princess, so the young master Wu had become her new target.
After all, among the noble families in the imperial city, the Duke of Dingguo's family had always been highly valued by the emperor of the Dan Kingdom. The title of the Duke of Dingguo was personally bestowed by the previous emperor, making it a powerful and influential family.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees that Feng Manshu, the second daughter of the Feng family, is gentle, kind, and of outstanding appearance. The Emperor and the Queen are very pleased to hear of her virtues. Now that the Crown Prince is of marriageable age, a worthy young lady should be chosen as his wife. As Feng Manshu is unmarried and is a perfect match for the Crown Prince, she is hereby betrothed to the Crown Prince as his principal wife. All the wedding ceremonies shall be arranged by the Ministry of Rites and the Chief Astronomer. A lucky day shall be chosen for the wedding."
Prime Minister Feng and his first wife led the people of the mansion to kneel down to hear the edict. After hearing it, Feng Manshu's face became more and more rigid. She suddenly opened her eyes wide and stared at Eunuch Fu.
"Eunuch Fu, is there a mistake in this imperial edict? Maybe it's meant for someone else?"
Eunuch Fu gave Feng Manshu a cold look. "What are you talking about, Second Miss Feng? The edict was personally written by the Emperor. How could there be a mistake? Are you questioning His Majesty?"
Before Feng Manshu could say anything, Prime Minister Feng and his first wife immediately stepped forward, pressed Feng Manshu's shoulders, and made her kowtow to apologize. "Our daughter was just overjoyed and too excited, so she spoke out of turn. She definitely has no intention of questioning His Majesty. Please forgive her, Eunuch Fu!"
After saying that, the first wife signaled the maid beside her to step forward and stuff a few large - denomination silver notes into Eunuch Fu's hand.
"Manshu, quickly thank His Majesty for his great kindness and accept the edict!"
Reminded by her mother, Feng Manshu had no choice but to force a smile and reach out to take the edict. She reluctantly kowtowed and said, "Thank Your Majesty for his great kindness!"
Eunuch Fu secretly pocketed the silver notes. Only then did his iron - faced expression soften. He forced a smile and helped Feng Manshu up. "The Crown Princess is really too kind to this humble servant. Please get up quickly."
Feng Manshu couldn't help but feel contemptuous in her heart. Sure enough, eunuchs were such money - grubbing wretches.
After Eunuch Fu left, Feng Manshu held the edict in her hand, looking on the verge of tears as she looked at her father and mother. "Father, Mother, isn't the Crown Prince leading troops to the front line? I've heard that he was seriously injured. Why would His Majesty arrange for me to marry the Crown Prince at this time?"
Prime Minister Feng and his first wife also found this rather strange. "It's true that we've heard the Crown Prince was seriously injured. We didn't expect His Majesty to issue such an edict at this time. What on earth does this mean?"
Prime Minister Feng fell into deep thought for a while. Then he looked at Feng Manshu. "How His Majesty thinks is not something we should speculate about. Manshu was originally the best candidate for the Crown Princess. This edict actually fulfills our wishes. Manshu, this is a good thing. You should be happy."
"But Father, daughter—"
There was no sign of joy on Feng Manshu's face. She still frowned, looking very worried.
"Enough. The edict has been issued, and the Ministry of Rites will probably start making preparations. Manshu, you should also start getting ready."
As Prime Minister Feng spoke, he stroked his beard and continued, "Once you enter the Eastern Palace and become the Crown Princess, you can't be as willful and reckless as you are now. You need to think carefully about everything. Your mother and the instructing maids from the palace will teach you the rest. I have other things to attend to."
After Prime Minister Feng left, Feng Manshu looked at her mother, wanting to say something several times but holding back.
"Manshu, are you still thinking about the young master Wu?" After all, women understood women better. Her mother naturally saw her daughter's knot in her heart.
Feng Manshu nodded. "Daughter really has feelings for the young master Wu, and he also has feelings for me. We're in love. Why should we be separated at this time?"
"Manshu, what's the young master Wu? I've told you before that only by becoming the Crown Princess can you become the mistress of the six palaces in the future. By then, you'll be the most noble woman in the Dan Kingdom. Who would dare to disrespect you?"
"But—"
"Have you forgotten how Feng Yunshu bullied our mother - daughter pair before?"
Her mother clearly knew her daughter well and hit the nail on the head.
"Mother, what are you talking about? Didn't that Feng Yunshu die?" At the mention of Feng Yunshu, Feng Manshu's expression became a bit more ferocious.
"Do you really think she died so easily?" Her mother frowned. "I'm afraid this matter is not that simple. Moreover, the Emperor sent so many people to search for her but there's still no news. Unless we find her body, we have to be on guard!"
Thinking that Feng Yunshu might not be dead, Feng Manshu changed her previous expression. She gritted her teeth and made up her mind. "Mother, I must become the Crown Princess! If that dead girl ever comes back one day, I'll make her life a living hell!"
Her mother looked at her daughter with satisfaction. Obviously, her words had worked.
"Good, Manshu. Whether the Feng family can continue to maintain its status in the imperial city depends entirely on you!"
"Mother, don't worry... Daughter will surely live up to your expectations!"
At nightfall.
Although Feng Yunshu had increased her speed to the maximum while flying on clouds, she was still a mortal who needed to eat, drink, and rest. So, it took her about a day. When night fell, she finally arrived above the Dan Kingdom.
Hidden by the clouds, Feng Yunshu clearly looked at the land below, which she was extremely familiar with. There was a bit more coldness and determination in her eyes. "Concubine Mu, huh? I'd like to see what kind of monster you are!"
"Hey, Master, look! Isn't that the bad - tempered Second Miss Feng, Feng Manshu?"
Xiaoling suddenly pulled Feng Yunshu's sleeve and motioned her to look down.
Feng Yunshu looked down in the direction Xiaoling pointed. Coincidentally, she was right above the Prime Minister's Mansion. Looking down, she saw Feng Manshu sneaking out of the back door. She wondered what she was up to.
"I didn't expect there'd be a good show right after I came back. Come on, let's follow her and see what she's sneaking around for in the middle of the night."
Xiaoling loved causing trouble. She nodded excitedly and followed Feng Manshu's footsteps with Feng Yunshu, hidden by the clouds.
They saw Feng Manshu sneak out of the Feng Mansion, walk for a long way, turn a corner, walk for a while more, and finally stop under a willow tree by the moat.