Eldest Princess Tantai Min was Emperor Deyuan's full sister and his most dearly cherished sibling.
Her husband, Xue Yuanyu, courtesy name Yucheng, had been the Third-Ranked Scholar in the third year of Emperor Deyuan's reign.
Xue Yuanyu was a gifted, elegant writer, as handsome as Pan An. The Eldest Princess had fallen for him at first sight at the Luming Banquet and asked Emperor Deyuan to grant their marriage.
After more than ten years of marriage, the Eldest Princess and her husband remained deeply devoted to each other and had one son. He had neither bedchamber maids nor concubines and was wholeheartedly faithful to her, while she kept no male favorites. They were renowned at court as a loving couple.
Yet the husband in this model marriage actually preferred men-and got up to such wild games...
How could gossip like this not get someone excited?!
By comparison, the other juicy tidbit was a little less spectacular.
Its protagonists were none other than this book's male and female leads-Third Prince Dantai Huai and Jian Chuxue.
According to the book's plot, Dantai Huai and Jian Chuxue shared a doomed romance.
They fell for each other at first sight at the Eldest Princess's Residence, but Jian Chuxue's status was so low that she did not even qualify to become the Third Prince's secondary consort. The gulf between their stations created a natural chasm across their path to love.
Unable to refuse Emperor Deyuan's marriage decree, Dantai Huai tearfully married one principal consort, two secondary consorts, and four lesser consorts.
Jian Chuxue also endured the pain of marrying a Hanlin Academy scholar's son.
After Jian Chuxue married, Dantai Huai could not forget her and frequently used various excuses to meet her in secret.
Jian Chuxue suffered terribly. On one hand, she could not bear to betray Dantai Huai's profound love; on the other, she felt she had wronged her husband. Her heart was tormented.
After Dantai Huai rebelled and claimed the throne, they went on to stage a grand, anguished romance in which a sovereign stole his subject's wife.
The Hanlin Academy scholar's son ultimately could not withstand the emperor's pressure and had no choice but to let her go.
Jian Chuxue first entered a convent, then entered the palace, where she alone enjoyed the emperor's favor.
Though their road to love was rough, the lovers finally ended up together.
Their pursuit of love was one great, melodramatic spectacle of "she flees, he pursues, and even with wings, she cannot escape."
Very thrilling.
The Third Prince created one iconic scene after another while pursuing his love. On Jian Chuxue's wedding day, he stood in the rain, calling her name with domineering tenderness-a scene readers never tired of discussing.
Another iconic scene in the story was the fight between Jian Chuxue's husband and Dantai Huai, now emperor, while Jian Chuxue cried out in anguish beside them, "Stop fighting, you two!"
Still, their first meeting probably could not rival the excitement of the imperial son-in-law's threesome. Jian Ruonan weighed the pros and cons, made a swift decision, and chose the rockery.
Min was tied up with the other ladies, and Jian Xilu had been drawn away by her close friends to discuss their performances. Left alone, Jian Ruonan used a trip to the privy as an excuse and headed straight for the rockery with her maids and serving women.
When it came to catching juicy gossip, speed, ruthlessness, and precision were essential. Hesitation meant defeat.
Pushed by a court eunuch, Dantai Mo passed Jian Ruonan with an imposing air. She ignored him completely.
Dantai Mo: "..."
[Ding-] [The target character has been detected to be in a poor mood. Points -1]
Jian Ruonan: ??
Why was he in a bad mood again?!
She looked at Dantai Mo. He had handsome features and calm, unruffled eyes, and his ink-black python robe gave him an exceptionally noble air.
Nothing was wrong. The Fourth Prince looked perfectly normal.
Forget it. No point dwelling on it. Gossip mattered more.
[Points -1] [Points -1] [Points -1] [Points -1] [Points -1]
Jian Ruonan: "..."
"Has the Fourth Prince gone haywire?"
The system: "...Doesn't seem like it."
Jian Ruonan: "Seriously. So freaking weird. Whatever, I'm magnanimous enough not to squabble with a paralytic. Gossip matters more."
Dantai Mo: *"..."*
Watching Jian Ruonan lift her skirts and jog toward Jingxiang Garden, Dantai Mo narrowed his eyes.
Wasn't she a lazybones? She certainly ran fast when gossip was involved.
The Black Tortoise System: "Your Highness..."
Dantai Mo: "Not in the mood today."
That useless system nagged him to steal lamp oil all day long. It was infuriating.
The Black Tortoise System: "No, Your Highness, I still have enough lamp oil."
Dantai Mo: "Then what do you want?"
The Black Tortoise System said coyly, "Don't you want to take a look at the rockery?"
The Black Tortoise System wanted in on the gossip too.
Dantai Mo: *"..."*
The Eldest Princess's Residence was enormous, covering more than ten thousand square meters. Its landscaping followed the contours of the terrain, with pavilions, terraces, and towers in all manner of designs.
Jingxiang Garden was the courtyard with the finest greenery in the Princess's Residence. Staggered rockeries stood on one side of its winding covered walkway, while leafy trees shaded the other.
Not far ahead stood a rockery large enough to accommodate several people.
The imperial son-in-law and his companions were inside, engaged in a hot-blooded battle.
Jian Ruonan arrived at Jingxiang Garden with her maids. The moment she stepped onto the winding covered walkway, a manservant guarding the entrance stopped her. "Honored guest, you cannot enter here."
It was as though someone had suddenly doused Jian Ruonan with cold water. "Why can't I go in?"
The manservant replied respectfully, "There are snakes inside. The servants have just applied repellent, and we're afraid the snakes might dart about and frighten our honored guests."
Jian Ruonan said, "I'm not afraid of snakes."
Snakes? Did he think he was fooling a three-year-old?!
It was obviously an excuse he had made up on the spot to keep her out.
The system: "I suggest you pretend to be frightened. That would fit your persona better."
Jian Ruonan: "I walk straight and sit upright. How could I possibly lie!"
In truth, she was afraid that lying would cost her this piping-hot serving of gossip.
The system: *"..."*
The manservant smiled. "Surely you jest, honored guest. There aren't just snakes inside, but scorpions, spiders, and other venomous creatures." He gestured with both hands to indicate something the size of a bowl's rim. "I hear there are spiders this big in there. One bite could leave you swollen for a month, and might even leave a scar."
Young girls loved looking pretty. Scars were what they feared most.
Jian Ruonan said, "I'm not afraid of those either."
Spiders and snakes were nothing in the face of juicy gossip.
The manservant: "..."
What a ruthless girl.
"You may not be afraid, honored guest, but I am. If a venomous creature hurt you, I'm afraid my life would be forfeit."
Servants' lives were cheap in ancient times. If they let Jian Ruonan inside, they might be beaten to death.
With an apologetic smile, the manservant said, "Please leave, honored guest."
Jian Ruonan sighed. She was missing out on a huge serving of gossip.
Unable to enter yet unwilling to leave, she gazed at the distant rockery and wondered, "Doesn't the imperial son-in-law know to pick somewhere else for his affair? At the Princess's Residence, and when there are so many people around? Isn't he afraid the Eldest Princess will discover him, making it this exciting?"
"Isn't an imperial son-in-law basically a man who marries into his wife's family, with a lowly position? How can he be so brazen?!" Jian Ruonan shook her head repeatedly. "Isn't he afraid she'll divorce him?"
The system: "Nannan, you're young. You don't understand. This is what makes it thrilling."
As the saying went, a wife was no match for a concubine, and a wife was no match for a stolen affair. Sneaking around, constantly fearing discovery-that was how to get the dopamine flowing.
The system said, "The Eldest Princess attaches great importance to this flower-viewing banquet and has reassigned all her attendants. That's what gave her husband an opening. Besides him, the other two gentlemen inside are no ordinary people either."
Jian Ruonan: !!
Who were the other two?!
"One is the famous Northern Kingdom Hostage, and the other is Prince Kang's Second Son!"
Jian Ruonan had heard of both. They were famous men.
What a shame. She couldn't watch.
Jian Ruonan was about to leave in tears when she happened to encounter the court eunuch pushing the Fourth Prince toward her.
Jian Ruonan gave a proper bow. "May you enjoy good health, Prince Rui."
Seeing her lower her head and eyes, Dantai Mo gave a cold snort.
Outwardly, she pretended to be so well-behaved and obedient. Inside, she was utterly unrestrained.
Jian Ruonan blinked. She hadn't offended the Fourth Prince. Why was he angry again?
She wanted nothing to do with this emotionally unstable, blackened killing machine and was about to find an excuse to leave.
Suddenly, Dantai Mo spoke. "Fifth Miss, would you kindly accompany me for a stroll here?"
Jian Ruonan's eyes lit up. The manservant might dare drive her away, but he would never dare drive away Prince Rui. Beaming, she took hold of the wheelchair and pushed Dantai Mo straight toward the rockery.
The Black Tortoise System: "Your Highness is wise and mighty! Now we can borrow lamp oil and catch the gossip in one go."
Dantai Mo: "..."
Before you continue