Chapter 120: The Gift

The news of the Crown Prince’s recovery spread like wildfire. Naturally, the discussion turned to how he had been cured, which brought the Ninth Prince’s noble character into the spotlight. It wasn’t that people hadn’t seen noble men before, but the sudden, unexpected nobility of the Ninth Prince caught everyone off guard.

When Xiao Jian heard the news, he realized that the Heavenly Mountain Snow Lotus had been purchased by Xiao Yi. It made sense; Xiao Yi had gone that day with the eighth daughter of the Xue family. Since the eighth daughter was the biological niece of Jin Buhuan—a closer relation than the seventh daughter—he had granted Xiao Yi the favor. No wonder Jin Buhuan had refused to speak; he had been holding this ace up his sleeve all along.

But if Xiao Yi had obtained the snow lotus, why did he give it to the Crown Prince instead of destroying it or hiding it away? Did he no longer want to be Emperor? And if he didn’t want the throne, why drag all his other brothers into a mutual destruction? How truly vicious!

Xiao Jian could not fathom Xiao Yi’s motives, so he asked his advisors, "Tell me, has the Ninth Prince been hexed?"

The advisors nodded. "Or perhaps he offended the Five-Path Spirits!"

Xiao Jian found this explanation even more plausible. Exactly!

In the mansions of the Sixth and Seventh Princes, the topic was the same. Everyone shared the Eighth Prince’s sentiment: had their ninth brother gone mad? Why did he always make them feel the terror of a "sink or swim together" situation?

Wen Xian was even more furious. Upon hearing the Crown Prince had recovered, she smashed several sets of dinnerware. Pacing her room incessantly, she muttered, "Has the Ninth Prince lost his mind? How could he do this? This is definitely not the Ninth Prince. This person isn't him; he must have been devoured by wolves and had his skin stolen. He’s no longer human!"

She then ordered her servants to prepare her carriage. If her Ninth Prince had been replaced, she would go and rescue the real Xiao Yi.

Wen Huayu had been listening at the door, breaking into a cold sweat. He stormed in and slapped his daughter across the face. "I think you’re the one who has lost your mind! How dare a young lady like you discuss imperial matters? Do you want our entire family to be buried with you?"

Wen Xian, who had never been struck before, leaned against her couch, clutching her face and sobbing. "Father, you don’t understand! This is truly not the Ninth Prince. The real Ninth Prince would never save the Crown Prince; he wants to be Emperor himself!"

"Be quiet!" Wen Huayu was nearly driven to death by his daughter’s antics.

"But the Ninth Prince isn't acting right!" she wailed. "He isn't himself!"

Wen Huayu actually doted on Wen Xian because she had been clever and bright since childhood. After hearing her repeat this so often, he began to have his own doubts. Rationally speaking, the Ninth Prince would never willingly save anyone. Could it be that he really had offended some supernatural power? He thought for a moment and asked, "You know the Ninth Prince so well—have even his personal tastes changed?"

If a person’s preferences changed too drastically, there was indeed a problem. Wen Xian thought about Xiao Yi’s interests and realized... it was Xue Fanzhi! She sat up straight, biting her lip. Thinking about it, the Ninth Prince hadn't changed in that regard. So why would he treat the Crown Prince’s illness?

Among those familiar with Xiao Yi’s character, only the Fourth Prince expressed a different kind of surprise. "What? The Crown Prince was ill?"

The people in the Fourth Prince’s residence were speechless.

...

As the days grew brighter, the rumors circulating among the people shifted constantly, and the death of Prince Shou soon became a thing of the past.

Wang Yunzhi was called back home by the Wang family. As a legitimate son—though not the eldest—he possessed unparalleled status. His bedroom was even larger than the courtyard where Xue Fanzhi lived. He sat in the corridor under the eaves, leaning against a small table, staring blankly at the sun in the sky.

Yuanbao ran in, holding an exquisite small box. "How is this, my lord?"

Wang Yunzhi sat up, opened the box, took a look, and shook his head. "Is there nothing more sincere than this?"

Yuanbao took back the box, looking troubled. "My lord, how can I be more sincere than I already am? I put my heart and soul into this!"

Wang Yunzhi said irritably, "So, do you see me in a good mood?" He was in a bad mood precisely because he couldn't think of a sincere gift.

Yuanbao thought to himself that his master claimed not to like the eighth daughter of the Xue family, yet a simple coming-of-age ceremony had him stressed to this extent. Adding fuel to the fire, Yuanbao said, "The Ninth Prince also likes the young lady!"

This was precisely what caused Wang Yunzhi the most distress. He actually had a rival. Was that Xue Fanzhi really so wonderful?

"What do you mean by 'also'? I don't!" Wang Yunzhi kicked Yuanbao.

Yuanbao smiled apologetically. "Yes, yes, you don't. How could you like a woman of Xue Fanzhi’s standing? Only the Ninth Prince likes her, taking her on boat trips for spring outings and making such a spectacle at the Flower Queen ceremony that everyone is talking about it!"

"He really took her on a boat trip?" Wang Yunzhi narrowed his phoenix eyes, his face turning cold.

"Could it be false?" Yuanbao nodded. "Although not many people know them, they were recognized when they boarded the boat!"

Damn it. That woman actually enjoyed going out with men so much.

Wang Yunzhi flicked his wide sleeves, stood up, put on his wooden clogs, and walked out.

Yuanbao hurriedly called after him, "My lord, where are you going? Are you giving up because you think the young lady and the Ninth Prince are already together and you have no hope?"

Wang Yunzhi turned back with a dark face. "Stop talking nonsense. I am going to get a sincere gift!"

Yuanbao: "..."

...

The matriarch of the Wang family was the Grand Princess Suyang. The second daughter-in-law was the Grand Princess’s niece, the Princess of Yunhua.

After the afternoon nap, Grand Princess Suyang called the Princess of Yunhua into her room.

"How old is Yunlang?"

Yunlang, Wang Yunzhi! The second son of the Princess of Yunhua.

The Princess of Yunhua knelt respectfully and said, "Eighteen."

"Eighteen already," Grand Princess Suyang sighed. "No wonder; it is time to discuss marriage."

"Indeed." The Princess of Yunhua agreed, but her tone was melancholy. "The eldest and second princesses have passed away, the third princess has a crippled leg, the fourth princess doesn't look like our royal family, and the other princesses are too young. The only one worthy, Minglan, lacks virtue. I’ve looked at my sister-in-law's family, but there is no one suitable."

Just hearing these names, one could tell that the Princess of Yunhua had extremely high standards for her future daughter-in-law. In fact, it seemed as if no one in the world was worthy of Wang Yunzhi.

If it were anyone else, they might try to persuade her, as her son had to marry eventually, but Grand Princess Suyang nodded in complete agreement.

"That is my thought as well. However, one cannot stop those little vixens from seducing him. I called you here precisely because of this: Yunlang has taken the Wang family’s heirloom jade pendant. I don't know if he has set his sights on someone and intends to give it to her!"

There was a pair of heirloom jade pendants in the Wang family. Originally, they were to be passed only to the eldest son, but because there were only two brothers in the next generation and both grandsons favored them, it was decided that each would receive one to give to their future wives, continuing the tradition as heirlooms.

Wang Yunzhi knew this, yet he had taken the pendant without even asking the elders!