A Fine Bird Chooses Its Tree

"Don't let the good stuff go to outsiders," Consort Noble Consort Ning.

The Crown Prince said calmly:

"Am I just a concubine? Who am I supposed to marry? It's not about marrying."

However, her status is far too low; she's truly unworthy of me.

Noble Consort Ning sighed and said:

"It's true that my status is a bit low, and none of my family members can help me."

Her three older brothers haven't participated in the scientific expedition yet; they're all country bumpkins and don't deserve you. But she's rich!

You could have her manage the shops and estates outside for you then, wouldn't that be great!

The crown prince thought for a moment and said, "It is entirely up to Mother Empress to decide."

This crown prince is a womanizer; he has several concubines, not to mention his maids.

There are so many that they're countless; one more or one less won't make a difference.

Besides, he's just a child; why would he care?

The trees in the yard were furious. "This kind of stallion doesn't even deserve to be our Wanwan, Wanwan!"

"Not only is he ugly, but he's also as stupid as a pig. Does someone like that deserve to be the crown prince?"

The prince walked out, but after taking only two steps, he tripped on the steps. He took two more steps and tripped on the steps again.

He shouted, "Help! What's going on? What's on the road? Why do I feel like something's tripping me up?"

But after inspecting the area, the palace maids and eunuchs reported, "Your Highness, there's nothing on the road; it's perfectly smooth."

The prince angrily retorted, "Was that my imagination? Didn't you all see me just trip and fall?"

The palace maids and eunuchs all lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

The prince continued walking forward, but after taking only two steps, he tripped and fell flat on his face.

He fell and got up repeatedly on that short distance of just a few hundred meters. Finally, he got so angry that he sat on the ground and said, "Bring my sedan chair over here."

Finally, more than a dozen eunuchs carried him back. As soon as he got home, the Crown Princess came to greet him and asked, "Your Highness, what happened to you?"

His head was bruised and blackened, and his knees were scraped; it was a gruesome sight.

The crown prince muttered curses:

"Today is really unlucky. I've had bad luck ever since I left my mother's place."

I keep tripping and falling even after walking just a few steps! It's so infuriating!

The Crown Princess looked at him and said, "I'm afraid you've been working too hard lately. You should get some rest."

The Crown Prince looked at the Crown Princess and said:

"My mother summoned me to the palace today and said that now that I am of noble status, I should take in more concubines and bring some more women into the Eastern Palace so that we can continue the family line as soon as possible."

Your mother values you most and wants you to choose a suitable woman.

"And Zhou Wanwan too, take her in as well."

The Crown Princess paused for a moment and said, "Zhou Wanwan?"

The Crown Prince nodded and said:

"Yes, it's Zhou Wanwan. This little girl is a bit young, but she has a lot of things in her hands."

Her family has no influence, so she'll definitely have to rely on us. If you take her in, it'll be like gaining a powerful ally."

The Crown Princess was silent for a moment before saying, "That's just a six-year-old child. What could she possibly understand? Your Highness, please reconsider!"

The Crown Princess felt it was absurd to take in a six-year-old girl who knew nothing.

The crown prince looked at her coldly and said:

"My mother has her reasons for saying that, why do you need to nag her?"

You just need to do as we suggest.

After saying this, the crown prince turned and left.

The Crown Princess stood there, stunned. The old nanny beside her advised, "Crown Princess, please say less! Just do as he tells you to do, otherwise you'll be the one who suffers."

The Crown Princess clenched her fist and said:

"Granny, I'm tired. I've thought of them, mother and child, time and time again, but what about them?"

They've pushed me out to take the fall time and time again. If they really force Zhou Wanwan to become their concubine this time, how will I face the Princess?

The old nanny beside him said, "Actually, the eldest princess is nothing to worry about..."

The Crown Princess shook her head and said, "The Eldest Princess is not a concern? What about Zhou Wanwan?"

The old woman was silent for a moment before saying, "A six-year-old girl is not worth mentioning."

The Crown Princess shook her head and said:

"You think this little girl is ordinary? I think that for a six-year-old girl to do this, she must be quite remarkable."

In which instance do you think the Empress Dowager ever got the better of her? Even the Empress Dowager couldn't get the better of her.

Not to mention those princesses.

The old woman dared not speak further. The Crown Princess entered the room and looked at the Daya beside her, saying, "Do you know Zhou Wanwan's shop in the capital?"

The Daya nodded and said, "There's a snack shop, a restaurant, a pharmacy, and quite a few others."

The Crown Princess smiled faintly and said, "Go to her shop and tell her employees that the Crown Princess wishes to see their mistress, Zhou Wanwan."

The Daya frowned and asked, "Will this work?"

The Crown Princess snorted coldly and said, "Just do as I say. There's no other way. The Crown Prince and Consort Ning are not wise rulers. A good bird chooses a good tree to perch on."

The Daya responded and turned to leave.

The Daya hurriedly walked towards the Crown Prince's palace, looking around as she went.

Suddenly she was entangled in vines, and she screamed, "What is this? What is this?"

She was quickly dragged into the woods, and a short while later, Zhou Wanwan arrived after receiving the news.

The Crown Princess was visibly taken aback when she saw Zhou Wanwan: "Your speed is... that's too fast! The time it takes for an incense stick to burn!"

Zhou Wanwan smiled faintly and said, "Bring her up."

The Crown Princess then saw her subordinate Yunshu being dragged up.

The Crown Princess frowned and said, "Zhou Wanwan, what do you mean by this?"

Yunshu looked at the Crown Princess and cried out, "Help! Crown Princess, they're trying to harm me!"

Zhou Wanwan looked at her and said, "Yunshu, the Crown Princess asked you to come find me today, where did you go?"

Yunshu looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "Of course I'm going to find you."

Zhou Wanwan smiled faintly and said, "Yunshu, you're lying. You went to see the Crown Prince. You're one of the Crown Prince's people."

Yunshu shook her head vigorously, like a rattle-drum. "No, no, I didn't, you're slandering me."

Zhou Wanwan looked at the Crown Princess and asked, "Do you believe me?"

The Crown Princess stood up and immediately knelt down. "Xin, I don't know why, but I have a gut feeling that I trust you, and I'm willing to serve you."

Zhou Wanwan thought this Crown Princess was quite a character. She smiled faintly and said, "Eight out of ten people around you are spies. This Yunshu is the Crown Prince's person, and she's already pregnant with his child."

Yunshu looked at Zhou Wanwan with disbelief and said, "Impossible, how did you know?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at her and said, "Don't keep it a secret unless you've done it in the first place. Someone will always find out."

Zhou Wanwan looked at the Crown Princess and said, "I've put those spies around you to sleep."

The Crown Princess looked at the wet nurse on the ground and said, "This is my wet nurse. I tell her everything. How could she betray me?"