Volume One, Chapter 15: You Want to Become Prince Xuan’s Princess Consort? Let Me See Your Resolve

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Chang Le was taking a desperate gamble today.

She felt that Linlang’s analysis from the night before had been entirely correct. If she wanted Wei Chengxuan as her protector, what could be more secure than marrying him outright?

Although Wei Chengxuan had been unwilling, and might even have found her tiresome, he had still helped her because he had given his word. That alone proved he was a man who valued his promises above all else.

She had thought it through. If Wei Chengxuan refused, it would not matter. She could simply pretend to faint, and once she woke, they could both act as though the conversation had never happened.

After all, she still had a lingering chill. Fainting after being exposed to the wind would be perfectly plausible.

As long as she did not bring it up again, Wei Chengxuan would likely do the same.

The schemes in Chang Le’s mind clattered away like a string of firecrackers. Once the words had left her mouth, however, she felt far less awkward and nervous.

She stared intently at Wei Chengxuan, waiting for him to frown or show the slightest sign of impatience. The moment he did, she would pretend to faint.

But Wei Chengxuan did not frown. Neither did he show any impatience.

He merely looked at Chang Le, his eyes deep and somber, revealing almost nothing of what he was thinking.

At first, Chang Le had been bold enough, appearing as spirited and fearless as a little wolf. But after holding Wei Chengxuan’s gaze for a while, her eyes began to waver, and unease gradually crept into her heart.

Just as Chang Le felt she was about to surrender beneath his gaze and faint of her own accord, Wei Chengxuan finally spoke.

“What did you mean by what you just said? Were you trying to play matchmaker for me?”

Now that the conversation had reached this point, Chang Le was no longer as nervous as she had been at the beginning.

“No, Imperial Uncle. I meant that if you are in need of a princess consort, would you consider making me your princess consort?”

“I know I was once engaged to Wei Shuye, and you are Wei Shuye’s imperial uncle. If I break off my engagement with him and then marry you, people will inevitably gossip behind our backs.”

“But you needn’t worry. I will deal with it myself. I absolutely will not let your reputation suffer in the slightest.”

“My reputation will remain intact. What about yours?”

Mine?

What about mine?

My reputation?

Chang Le was stunned by the question. She rose, bowed, and lowered her head.

“Whether I have any reputation left or not does not matter. So long as yours remains untouched, that is enough.”

“Besides, everyone in the capital already thinks I am shameless and thick-skinned. My reputation could hardly get any worse.”

“Imperial Uncle, you need not concern yourself with me. A bad reputation has its advantages sometimes. At the very least, when someone provokes me, I need not put on airs and pretend to be magnanimous.”

“I know I can be impulsive at times, and that I may act without sufficient consideration. You can rest assured on that account as well. If I truly enter the prince’s residence, I will never cause you any trouble. Even if I do, I have the ability to resolve it myself. I certainly will not trouble you.”

Chang Le worked hard to sell herself, while Wei Chengxuan continued to watch her with a cold, profound gaze. The more she spoke, the less confidence she felt. She was already beginning to regret blurting out, in a moment of reckless enthusiasm, that she wanted to marry Wei Chengxuan and become the Princess Consort of Xuan.

Wei Chengxuan was a man of overwhelming power, and he was far senior to her both in age and rank. He had lived through far more than she had; in his eyes, her little scheme was probably nothing more than a joke.

Moreover, setting all that aside, there were countless outstanding young ladies who would eagerly vie to become the Princess Consort of Xuan.

With Wei Chengxuan’s status, he would naturally choose a princess consort whose family background matched that of the Prince of Xuan’s household.

Chang Le was indeed the daughter of the Marquis of Chang’an, but the marquis’s household had been steadily declining and was no longer what it once was. Besides, her parents and elder brother would not help her in times of trouble. If they learned that she had gotten herself into difficulty, they might well sever ties with her outright. They could never serve as her support.

The silence lasted too long—so long that Chang Le abandoned the last trace of hope she had been clinging to.

She had only been trying her luck. If he refused, then so be it. It was what she had expected.

It was merely a pity that such a powerful patron—one who could command the entire court, a man whose word was law—had failed to become her protector.

Chang Le sighed silently to herself. She bent down, placed the jade pendant in her hands respectfully on the small table, and pushed it toward Wei Chengxuan.

“Imperial Uncle, I was only joking just now. Here is your jade pendant. From now on, I will not come before you and disturb you again—”

“I want to see your determination.”

Wei Chengxuan interrupted her. His heavy gaze remained fixed upon her, as though a sudden gale had risen from the depths of an abyss, stirring the winds and clouds while concealing countless emotions that could not be discerned.

“Ah?” Chang Le had already been preparing to retreat. For a moment, she failed to understand what he meant.

“You may marry me, but I need to see your determination.”

“Or rather, I need you to sever your own retreat.”

“Of course, I can also promise you this: if I marry you, the Prince of Xuan’s household will have only one mistress, and that will be you. Think it over carefully.”

“I needn’t think it over!” Afraid that Wei Chengxuan might change his mind, Chang Le hurriedly agreed. “Imperial Uncle, I needn’t think about it. I can do it!”

“You should still think it over.” Wei Chengxuan nevertheless insisted that she reconsider.

Chang Le thought to herself that he was not asking her to think it over at all. He was the one considering whether to change his mind, wasn’t he?

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“Imperial Uncle, are you the one who wants to think it over again?”

Wei Chengxuan understood at once from the probing look in Chang Le’s eyes. She was afraid he would go back on his word.

“I have no need to think it over.”

“I have never married, nor do I have any woman with whom my relationship is ambiguous. You are a good person. Marrying you would not be a loss to me, and I will not change my mind.”

“I asked you to think it over because I was afraid you would regret it later. If you have considered it carefully, then show me how determined you are to become the Princess Consort of Xuan.”

“And besides, I have always kept my word—especially where you are concerned.”

His explanation was exceedingly clear, even considerate. For a brief moment, Chang Le felt as though warmth had been pressed against her heart, especially at his words: You are a good person.

Chang Le thought happily that Wei Chengxuan was not only handsome, but also very good at saying exactly what a person wanted to hear.

Then how was she supposed to show him her determination?

Chang Le understood perfectly well that the determination Wei Chengxuan wanted to see meant severing all ties with Wei Shuye—not merely breaking off their engagement.

After all, she had loved Wei Shuye for so many years. No one would believe that she had already become completely disillusioned with him.

A man like Wei Chengxuan would never permit his princess consort, even without love between them, to keep another man in her heart.

Chang Le fretted over it for several days, racking her brains over how to prove herself to Wei Chengxuan. She was so troubled that she could not even concentrate on the account books when someone took the initiative to place a pillow beneath her head.

A senior palace matron from Consort Rong’s household came to see her, saying that Consort Rong wished to meet her and had arranged to see her the following day at Drunken Breeze Pavilion.

Chang Le understood why Consort Rong wanted to meet her. There was no wall in the world that could keep out every breeze. Even though the Marquis of Chang’an’s household had deliberately tried to suppress the news that she intended to break off her engagement, word had nevertheless reached Consort Rong’s ears.

And no matter how dissatisfied Consort Rong might be with her, compared with Lin Xinyan, Chang Le was naturally still the more suitable candidate for the Third Prince.

Moreover, Consort Rong would never allow Lin Xinyan—a woman of low birth—to ruin the reputation of the son she had painstakingly raised merely because of an engagement and a past romance.

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