Chapter 0211: Shen Yuan’s Confidante, the Sharp-Eyed Cheng Wuxue
The Peach Blossom Banquet had never been strict about rules, so Xie Chengze ultimately went to the female guests’ area.
Although the Peach Blossom Banquet was open to all scholars, the children of nobility and those from humble backgrounds were separated. Unless a noble scion condescended to visit the commoners’ area to pick a few followers for show, there was little opportunity for interaction between the two groups.
Xie Chengze, disguised as Sheng Yiren, naturally headed to the seating area reserved for the esteemed daughters of Jingcheng.
It was an elegantly rustic wooden pavilion, neatly arranged with several chess tables and zither platforms. Here, noblewomen competed in arts during the Peach Blossom Banquet to vie for the title of Jingcheng’s Top Talented Lady. Winning this title not only boosted their reputation and set an example for other women but also attracted the favor of noble young men, paving the way for a favorable marriage.
After taking his seat, Xie Chengze kept a low profile in a corner, observing the long pavilion. This Ancient Pavilion was specially reserved for the esteemed daughters of prominent families in Jingcheng. Other young women sat farther away, casting curious glances filled with admiration and hope toward the pavilion.
They envied the status, prestige, and talents of these noblewomen and aspired to one day achieve the same.
“Sigh, I wonder if any of the princes will attend the banquet this year,” one of the four esteemed daughters at the chess table next to Xie Chengze remarked idly.
“Probably not. Everyone knows the princes have never attended the Peach Blossom Banquet.”
“Speaking of which, the princes are long past the age to take consorts. Yet, not only are the princes in no hurry, but His Majesty hasn’t arranged any marriages for them either. Why is that?”
“Who knows? Perhaps the timing isn’t right?”
“By the way, have you heard? The Eldest Prince has returned from the border. Maybe once he marries, it will be the Second Prince and the Crown Prince’s turn.”
“Then, the Top Talented Lady chosen at this year’s Peach Blossom Banquet might have the best chance of being selected as a prince’s consort? Perhaps even the Crown Princess!”
“Alas, we have no hope,” one of the esteemed daughters sighed, shaking her head. “Everyone knows the Top Talented Lady will either be Sheng Yiren or our Wuxue.”
Wuxue?
Xie Chengze’s ears perked up at the familiar name.
Could it be that other confidante Shen Yuan met after returning to Jingcheng—Cheng Wuxue, daughter of Minister Cheng Yuan of the Court of Judicial Review, known as the “Little Talented Lady”?
In the original novel, she had used her status as the minister’s daughter to assist Shen Yuan on numerous occasions. Moreover, she had fallen for him at first sight, but Shen Yuan, as unromantic as a block of wood, had eyes only for overthrowing the Second Prince.
Xie Chengze leaned forward slightly, trying to identify which one was Cheng Wuxue. He recalled the book’s description of her: her face was as elegant and dignified as a peony, with a small mole beside her nose bridge that stood out strikingly, adding a touch of charm to her features and making her easily memorable.
He discreetly scanned the area and, sure enough, among the four esteemed daughters, one dressed in a dark wine-red gown stood out. Her slender, jade-like fingers held a black chess piece as she pondered over the board, the small mole on her nose bridge particularly noticeable, lending a lively spark to her otherwise serious expression.
“Wuxue, which prince do you intend to marry?” one of the esteemed daughters asked gossipily.
Hearing this, Cheng Wuxue slightly raised her eyes, a hint of mockery curling at her lips. “Such matters are not for us to decide.”
For noblewomen of their status, marital arrangements had never been their own decision. Had the princes shown any intention to marry, they would likely have long been offered by their families to one prince or another, becoming mere tools in political exchanges.
“Indeed, had the Crown Prince and the Second Prince not both refused to marry for political consolidation, our fathers would have surely pushed us into marriage alliances by now,” one Esteemed Daughter sighed. “One wrong bet, and we’d all be buried alongside them.”
“But have you truly never considered marrying one of the princes?” Another Esteemed Daughter took a delicate sip of tea. “The princes are all quite handsome, and their temperaments are generally agreeable. Well, except for the Second Prince.”
Xie Chengze shot an unhappy glance at the woman.
What did she mean, “except for the Second Prince”? His temper was perfectly fine!
Were their sources of information outdated? Hadn’t they been keeping up with the times?
“Agreeable temperaments? You must be misunderstanding something,” a third Esteemed Daughter clicked her tongue. “Setting aside how the Fourth Prince is like a wooden block—always finding excuses to leave whenever someone tries to converse with him and never engaging with any woman—just consider the Crown Prince…”
She lowered her voice, “You know the youngest daughter of the Censor? Last year at the New Year’s banquet, she secretly confessed her feelings to the Crown Prince, only to be rejected with such sharp words that she couldn’t sleep for three days and nights. She’s never held any affection for him since.”
“Wow! How come I never heard about this?”
“It was kept tightly under wraps! It only came out recently when she and the second daughter of the Assistant Director were competing for the same man. In contrast, women who confessed to the Second Prince were all gently rejected and even received gifts as consolation!”
“So the Second Prince is that considerate?”
“Moreover, the Second Prince is now the Prince Regent. Thinking about it, he might actually be more suitable for marriage than the other princes.”
Xie Chengze nodded along, thinking to himself that these women had excellent judgment. But then Cheng Wuxue snorted coldly, “Gently rejecting them and giving gifts? More like deliberately stringing those women along with ulterior motives.”
Those in power always have dirty hearts, and the royal family is the worst of all.
Xie Chengze couldn’t help feeling wronged. Although those things weren’t done by him, the Second Prince had genuinely never shown interest in any woman. Even in the books, the Second Prince never had any romantic companions nor sought to consolidate power through marriage.
On this point, he actually agreed with the other.
He couldn’t help interjecting, “Miss, you’re not the Second Prince. How can you be sure his gifts weren’t given to thank them for their affection rather than as some calculated ploy?”
In the memories and feelings he had inherited, the Second Prince had never truly experienced love meant solely for himself. While these women might prefer his status and appearance, at least they weren’t fond of “Xie Chengze.”
When he was pleased, he would bestow rewards.
But he was seldom pleased.
Hearing the challenge, Cheng Wuxue and the three Esteemed Daughters turned to see Xie Chengze, whose face was mostly obscured by a curtained hat. They exchanged glances before asking, “Which family’s Esteemed Daughter are you? We don’t seem to have seen you before.”
This Ancient Pavilion often attracted daughters of minor officials seeking excitement, and even daughters of concubines would attend these gatherings. With such a mixed crowd, someone hiding their features like this might well be of dubious background.
Cheng Wuxue also narrowed her eyes slightly, scrutinizing Xie Chengze with a sharp gaze.
Judging by this person’s physique, though the peach-colored robe created an illusion of feminine delicacy, their height and pelvic structure far exceeded that of ordinary women. The voice was ambiguously pitched, making gender difficult to ascertain, while the distinctly prominent hand bones appeared more characteristic of a slender-framed man than a woman.
Could this be some depraved man disguising himself as a woman to infiltrate the female guests’ quarters with ill intentions?