Chapter 82

"Lin'er, what do you think of that girl? She's the youngest daughter of the newly appointed Minister of Rites, gentle and beautiful, they say she excels in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting."

Peering through the flower-patterned screen, Eight Princess meticulously watched the girls in the garden opposite, wholeheartedly wanting to find a suitable match for her second son.

Zhou Yulin glanced over, dissatisfied, "She needs assistance even just to walk, how will she accompany me for a horse ride in the countryside in the future?"

"If you want to go horse riding, hire a stable boy, what's the use of finding a wife?" the princess scolded him.

Zhou Yulin raised an eyebrow, "If it's just for that trivial matter in bed, anyone will do. Mother, it's up to you."

Eight Princess forced a smile through gritted teeth, "What do you mean by that trivial matter? Where did you learn such words? Beware of your father hearing and scolding you."

Zhou Yulin stuck out his tongue, laughed, "My father won't scold me. If I were to marry a delicate woman who only knows playing music and reciting poetry, I'm afraid my father would be extremely displeased. I want a wife like my elder sister-in-law, beautiful, intelligent, courageous, and far-sighted, someone who can run, jump, how wonderful would that be."

Eight Princess scrutinized her youngest son from head to toe, sternly asking, "Lin'er, tell me, do you have feelings for your elder sister-in-law..."

"Mother!!" Zhou Yulin shuddered abruptly, "Where did you get such an idea? You didn't say that before while my elder sister-in-law was here. It was my elder sister-in-law who enhanced your taste... exactly, if that's the case, why did you ask me to look at that girl from the Minister of Rites' family?"

"I thought you might like her. Who was it that said I was too controlling before?" Princess Eight's eyes widened in exasperation.

Ignoring the death-stare from his own mother, Zhou Yulin glanced back at the garden, "At the very least, find someone like mother, kind and generous, not like these women who bind their feet, can't even loosen up while sleeping. I remember when mother once kicked father, wow, that kick was truly remarkable..."

"Zhou! Yu! Lin!!" The princess's fingers clamped down on her son's ear, left and right in slow motion, nearly making Zhou Yulin cry out in pain.

"Mother, please... let go, if the ladies see me like this, I won't be able to show my face anywhere." Zhou Yulin whispered in a panicked tone.

Suddenly, a scream came from the garden, "Oh no, Miss Jin has fallen into the water!!!"

"Someone fell into the water?" Zhou Yulin frowned, "What's wrong with these women? They always manage to stir up trouble at every gathering. Mother, I will go check."

"I'll come with you." Eight Princess, well aware of the various tricks and schemes of these girls, followed her son out from behind the screen.

Chaos ensued in the garden, and when Zhou Yulin arrived, a young man was swimming towards Miss Jin in the water, shouting, "Don't be afraid, miss, I'm here to save you."

"Isn't that the foolish son of Duke Shuo?" Zhou Yulin whispered to his own mother.

Eight Princess pursed her lips and suppressed a smile. Glancing around, she quickly understood the situation, "It's a pity for that girl, if she doesn't marry him, she might have trouble finding a husband in the future."

Just as she finished speaking, a red whip suddenly flew out from the crowd, the whip quickly wrapped around Miss Jin's left arm in the water, followed by a soft shout from the shore, "Hold on tight!"

Miss Jin, in shock, held onto the whip tightly, barely able to grab it. Someone swiftly pulled on the whip, and within moments, Miss Jin was pulled out of the water and onto the shore.

The foolish son of Duke Shuo stood dumbfounded in the water, before finally uttering, "Who? Who dared to steal my thunder?"

Eight Princess almost burst out laughing. She looked towards her son but found him staring blankly at the crowd. Following his gaze, she saw a girl in red clothes stripping off her cloak and wrapping the wet Miss Jin in it.

"Where is your maid? Can't even take care of your mistress, disgraceful!" The girl in red looked around sternly, then added, "Even falling off a high bridge railing, either you were in despair, or... someone pushed you. What a shame, this lovely garden has been tainted by some malicious minds."

"Thank you, miss..." Miss Jin, still shaken, pale-faced, was helped up by her maid and gave a slight bow to the girl in red.

The girl in red waved the whip in her hand, "No need for formalities, go back and change out of those wet clothes immediately!" With that, she turned and walked away without looking back.

"Mother, mother..." Zhou Yulin only turned his gaze away when the girl was no longer in sight, his expression pleading as he looked at Eight Princess. "Mother, who is that girl?"

Eight Princess thought for a moment before responding, "If I remember correctly, she is the younger daughter of Princess Jingning, a cousin of the Prince of Jing. Why, are you interested in this girl? I must warn you beforehand, this girl is not to be trifled with."

Zhou Yulin, having spent his childhood in the capital, glanced at the foolish son who had climbed ashore and was now scolding his attendants, then he pulled Eight Princess away quietly, whispering, "Isn't the Prince of Jing always in the northwest? I heard he has been unwell and hasn't returned to the capital for a long time."

Eight Princess nodded, "Indeed, both the prince and his son are frail. Initially, the old prince wanted to send him to the capital, but once he arrived, he began coughing up blood and had to be sent back. Despite his poor health, he is known to be quite amorous, with many women around him."

"This girl in red is the daughter of his favorite cousin, who unfortunately passed away shortly after giving birth to her. The Prince of Jing personally brought her back to care for her and even bestowed upon her the title of princess. Rumor has it she is willful and arrogant, causing her betrothal to be broken off. It seems the Prince of Jing wants his niece, Princess Duan Rui, to arrange a marriage for her during her visit to the capital."

Zhou Yulin counted on his fingers, "So, does that make us related by the fifth generations now?"

Eight Princess raised an eyebrow, "Are you really interested in that girl? Think carefully, with your physique, you might not be able to withstand a single whip from her."

Zhou Yulin responded, "From what I saw just now, I don't think she's a haughty girl. It's more likely that she has offended someone because of her straightforward nature."

Eight Princess shook her head, smiling, "Lin'er, you should know by now, the kind of wife you need in your position. Being too straightforward may not be suitable. It's not that you can't protect her, but even the strongest feelings can fade over time with repeated setbacks, and may even turn into resentment."

Zhou Yulin pondered and replied, "Mother, you have a point. But we've only met once, so the emotions aren't that deep yet, just a spark of interest. Sometimes, I'd prefer someone straightforward over someone with hidden intentions. With so much on my plate every day, I don't have time to decipher her thoughts. Let's wait and see."

Although they said they'd wait, both mother and son had their thoughts on the matter, and within a few days, information about the girl in red was placed on their desks.

The Prince of Jing had once had a romantic history with this cousin, but due to circumstances, she ended up marrying someone else. It seemed that wasn't a good match either, as she was unhappy and passed away shortly after giving birth.

Her widower remarried soon after, leaving the young girl orphaned.

The Prince of Jing took measures to care for the girl and raised her as his own in his household. He even bestowed upon her the title of princess at the age of eight to ensure her protection.

As she grew older and more beautiful, her biological father arranged a marriage for her, but it turned out to be a mismatch. The intended husband behaved worse than her biological father and sought other relationships, leaving the girl in disdain.

Princess Jingning did not inherit her late mother's gentle nature but was fiery and skilled in martial arts. She publicly punished her intended husband, leaving him bedridden for two months.

Despite her high status and protection by her prince father, rumors of her unruliness spread, causing the betrothal to be broken off, and suitors to hesitate to pursue her hand. Concerned, the Prince of Jing sought help from his aunt, who arranged for Princess Jingning to come to the capital.

Princess Jingning had been in the capital for over two months, living quietly in the Princess's Mansion. However, her first public appearance resulted in a scandal that attracted much attention.

Following the incident, rumors tarnishing Princess Jingning's reputation started to circulate in the capital. Even though the Princess's Mansion remained silent, not clarifying the situation, many young ladies sought her acquaintance and built a seemingly amicable relationship with her.

"Do you know why Princess Duan Rui hasn't stepped in to clear Princess Jingning's name?" Eight Princess asked her son with a smile.

Zhou Yulin, not a fool, thought for a moment and replied, "If I'm not mistaken, Princess Duan Rui might be playing a strategic game. Despite the rumors spreading fast in the public, it doesn't pose a significant threat to Princess Jingning."

"By not intervening, allowing Princess Jingning to build relationships with those ladies, she may have identified the instigators behind the rumors. Those who have aligned with Princess Jingning might have been thoroughly investigated by Princess Duan Rui."

When there are rumors circulating in the city, there will be individuals who will step forward on certain occasions to clarify. The ladies despise those frivolous and irresponsible men the most, although the city is large, the social circles are small.

"It's likely that soon the rumor-mongers will come forward to address these rumors in person. After all, they wouldn't want to be seen as despicable in the eyes of the ladies. Mother, am I correct in my assumptions?"

Eight Princess nodded and said, "Men have their ways, and women have theirs. Sometimes, if you try to explain or suppress rumors personally, it might only fuel them further. Finding a clever solution can dispel rumors effortlessly."

Zhou Yulin smiled, "Mother, you are truly intelligent. If I could learn even a fraction of what you know, it would benefit me immensely."

Eight Princess chuckled and scolded him lovingly, "You are quite the smooth talker, but it seems that girl is not bad."

"Mother..." Zhou Yulin quickly moved behind the Princess to massage her shoulders, saying, "When will you visit Princess Duan Rui's mansion? Allow me to drive for you?"

As expected, the rumor in the capital was quickly put to rest by someone coming forward, not only dispelling it but also praising Princess Jingning as a hero. Within just a few days, Princess Jingning's image soared from the ground to the sky.

Even so, there weren't many suitors seeking her hand in marriage. Those who did were merely trying to elevate their status. Not only did Princess Jingning reject such suitors, but even Princess Duan Rui found them unsuitable.

"Don't always carry that whip with you. It scares people," the Princess advised earnestly. "Even without the whip, a few strikes can subdue any miscreants."

Princess Jingning slowly sipped her tea and replied, "Grandmother, I simply don't want to dirty my hands."

The Princess suggested, "I have a few capable maids who can serve you. Otherwise, even if someone comes to propose, seeing that whip at your waist, they may hesitate to speak."

Princess Jingning chuckled, "Grandmother, if men are all this timid, why should they deserve to marry me? If someone truly loves me, regardless of the whip or even two large hammers hanging on me, they will still adore me. I seek a heart that remains steadfast till old age. I'm not unwilling to be a gentle and virtuous woman, but I need to find a man who can make me willingly let go of my guard."

"Well said!" a female voice interrupted.

Princess Duan Rui was surprised and exclaimed, "Heavens, how did you come here? No one informed me!"

The Eight Princess walked over with a smile on her faces and said, "Wasn't I trying to give you a surprise?"

Princess Duan Rui said, "Where is the surprise? You almost scared me."

Princess Duan Rui and the eight princess were of similar age, but Princess Duan Rui was slightly older. They had been close friends since childhood, even though they were both married, their relationship was closer than others.

The Princess laughed and said, "The surprise is that my youngest son wants to propose to the county princess."

Princess Duan Rui was really happy and said, "Really? Oh my, this is great news. Jingning, that young prince is quite good, you must have heard of his older brother, he is a great hero who killed the foreign king in the North, and now he is the famous General Xuanwei."

County Princess Jingning asked, "Can the young prince fight?"

The Princess said, "He's not really a fighter, he just learned a few basic moves for fitness."

County Princess Jingning looked a little disappointed.

Princess Duan Rui asked, "Has Lin'er heard the rumors in the streets?"

The Princess sat beside her and said, "More than just rumors, the day the county princess saved someone, the foolish son of the Shuo County prince returned disappointed, Lin'er and I were both impressed. Since that day, he has been thinking about the county princess and asked me to propose. But I was afraid the county princess wouldn't like him, so I didn't dare to arrange a matchmaker, I came to ask for myself first."

She finished, then looked at Princess Jingning.

Princess Jingning bowed and said, "If the young prince admires me, I should be happy. But Jingning is impulsive, if she knows her man has a wandering eye, she might lose control..."

"Jingning!" Princess Duan Rui was helpless.

The Eight Princess smiled and said, "Young couples will always be deeply in love at first, but nowadays, loyalty is hard to guarantee. If both partners want to support each other for a lifetime, it is not a simple matter, and it's not just one person's business. If Princess Jingning only wants to be loved without giving back, then this visit is just to see the princess. But if the county princess is willing to entrust her true feelings, there may be a chance to receive another sincere love, right?"

Princess Duan Rui also smiled and said, "Jingning, you may not know this if you're not in the capital. When it comes to the most loving couples in the capital, the Eighth Prince and Princess are definitely at the top. The Eighth Prince has never had concubines, although he was a bit flirtatious when he was young, he has been devoted to the princess after marriage, which is enviable."

The eight princesses sighed, "Not only that, why did my eldest son hurriedly leave the capital? He was afraid that someone would put a woman in his house. He couldn't afford to offend anyone in the capital, so he took his wife and hid. It was a pity for me, but I managed to bring him back..."

Princess Jingning said, "Isn't his wife the appointed noblewoman Wei Ning from the Emperor? I heard that the noblewoman used the family's resources to transport goods to the North, even sending several loads of food and supplies during a drought. To have such a wife accompanying you for life, what a great thing it is, isn't it? While the General Xuanwei may be envied, I find the noblewoman more admirable."

The eight princesses smiled but said nothing, inwardly sighing a hundred and eighty times. It was because her daughter-in-law was too outstanding that she couldn't bear to let the young couple leave the capital.

Princess Jingning continued, "Your Highness, I am not good at traditional women's skills, and I only know how to cook the dishes from the Northwest. I can't speak with the soft and delicate voice of the women in the capital. If you and the young prince don't mind, I am willing to meet with him in person."

The Princess: ???

This girl is too bold, she even wants a personal meeting?

"Jingning..." Princess Duan Rui was helpless, "Where have you heard of unmarried girls meeting with single men? If this gets out..."

"Grandmother, I'm not afraid of rumors, I'm just afraid of marrying the wrong person. Even if it's a meeting, it doesn't have to be just me and the young prince, you and the princess can attend as well. I just don't want to end up like my mother, loving someone in silence, hating someone silently, and ending up in despair."

"Jingning!" Princess Duan Rui sighed, "You have no sense of propriety at all? How can you say such things so casually."

Princess Jingning smiled and said, "Now that I have grandmother's protection, I dare to express my thoughts to the Princess. And I think, if I have to speak insincerely after marriage, it would be too painful to bear."

The Princess: ...

"Never mind, it's all about you young people, I'll find a day for you two to meet."

The Princess suddenly remembered the conversation between Zhou Yinuo and Song Dingxiang hiding in the room, feeling a bit sad, and continued, "If you marry into my family, you will be protected by your in-laws and husband. But a person cannot always rely on others' protection, they must also learn to protect others. You admire the noblewoman Wei Ning so much, right? Without her, my son might not have become a General Xuanwei. But without my son, she might not have been appointed as a noblewoman. When two people come together, they must support each other, if there is mutual distrust, then marriage is out of the question."

Princess Jingning smiled, bowed gracefully, and said, "I greatly anticipate the day when this will happen."

——— Author's Note:

Zhou Yulin: My wife, riding a tall horse, holding a long whip, dressed in fiery attire, is coming to marry me... No, to marry me!!

The Princess: Headache...