Dominate the ancient academy

A group of noble ladies with gorgeous clothes and distinguished family backgrounds were chatting and laughing on the lakeside. From time to time, bursts of silvery laughter could be heard, and they looked very happy.

But seeing them standing on the shore and not getting on board, it was clear that they were still waiting for someone. Upon closer observation, one could find that these noble ladies had been complimenting two younger girls who were more gorgeously dressed, vying to please them, while their eyes had been lingering on the other two young men, or to be exact, the taller ones.

The boy has bright eyes, handsome looks, gentle as jade and has an innate nobility. When he smiles, it makes people's hearts flutter.

These two girls are the fifth and sixth princesses respectively, and there are also the sixth prince and the eleventh prince.

The Eleventh Prince thought of taking a cruise to get close to Yun Qinghan, because he felt that there were too many people attending the banquet, and with so many people it would be easy for things to go wrong, so he might as well find a way to meet outside.

Compared to the General's Mansion, the Dingbei Marquis Mansion where Yun Qinghan is located is more important. If his cousin Yun can support him and say a few good words to the emperor, then it will be just a matter of time before he surpasses his elder brother and even becomes the prince that the emperor values ​​the most.

Also, if he had the support of Marquis Dingbei and Aunt Anyang, it would be very likely that he would become the crown prince, so he would definitely ask Yun Qinghan out alone.

But if he spoke directly, there was a high possibility that Cousin Yun would refuse, and it would also easily arouse the vigilance of his royal brothers.

So she thought of her two imperial sisters in the palace. She mentioned the lake cruise in front of her fifth and sixth imperial sisters who had always wanted to go out of the palace for fun, which made the two sisters yearn for it. They asked their father to leave the palace. He also wanted to follow her on the grounds of curiosity and wanting to protect his sisters.

The Fifth Princess was interested in Prince Yun, so naturally she wanted Cousin Yun to participate, so his plan was successful.

What I didn't expect was that my father would actually call my sixth brother. Although it was a bit unexpected, my sixth brother and cousin Yun were fellow apprentices and were considered favored by my father. But seeing that he usually had no intention of that position, he should be able to be won over. My sixth brother's maternal family was not too weak either, so they could be used.

It would be beneficial to win over either Cousin Yun or Sixth Brother today.

Thinking that he would be able to ascend the throne in the future and all his brothers would depend on him, the Eleventh Prince became more and more ambitious.

The Sixth Prince still felt at a loss whether to laugh or cry when he thought about what his father told him yesterday.

Yesterday, his father suddenly asked him to have a heart-to-heart talk. He was flattered at first, but later he was left speechless.

"Xiao Liu! Tomorrow you will take your fifth sister and sixth sister on a boat ride. We also have other tasks." Emperor Jingming looked serious.

At that time, the Sixth Prince thought that he was going to be entrusted with an important task, so he was ready for battle.

"Father, please say whatever you want. I will definitely fulfill my mission!"

"Well, you still remember the divination that Master Wuyou gave to your cousin Yun, right?"

"A genius sent from heaven, who serves the country and the people and helps the emperor achieve great things, will die alone and lonely all his life?" the Sixth Prince asked in confusion.

He also had great respect for Master Wuyou, and everything else was fine, but he just couldn't believe this hexagram. Just based on his cousin's identity, many women were flocking to him.

Furthermore, my cousin has good looks and talent, and many women are attracted to him. How could he end up alone and lonely all his life?

He has seen many people who want to throw themselves into the arms of his cousin, and he will definitely have many children and grandchildren in the future.

The Sixth Prince hesitated and said, "Father, it is possible that Master Wuyou made a mistake in this divination?"

Emperor Jingming nodded with relief: "Yes, I also suspect that Master Wuyou has made a mistake, so we must act quickly."

"I have asked the Queen to find some more noble ladies for this cruise. Ostensibly, they are here to entertain the Fifth and Sixth Princesses, but in reality, they are here for your cousin."

"Your task tomorrow is to create more opportunities for those noble ladies to interact with your cousin and see if your cousin is special to those noble ladies. Your cousin is sixteen and will soon be seventeen. You should hurry up and arrange the marriage. Your aunt wants to have a grandson."

The Sixth Prince reluctantly retracted his surprised expression and asked in confusion, "Isn't the Hundred Flowers Banquet in two days? Is it necessary for my cousin to...see me now?"

The point is that he, an unmarried prince, was asked to do this. Didn't he feel it was disgraceful? If the news got out, how could he maintain his dignity as a prince?

Emperor Jingming said indifferently: "There are too many people participating in the Hundred Flowers Banquet, and they are all mixed, so it is difficult to observe. What if Qinghan becomes impatient?

The noble lady on this cruise was specially selected by me. She has a good status, appearance and character. I guarantee that she will not bore your cousin."

Alas! If it weren't for Qinghan, he really didn't want to explain so much. He hoped that Xiaoliu would be of some use tomorrow.

Sixth Prince:......

You are not so devoted to your own son's marriage. No wonder your royal brothers think you are too partial to your cousin Yun. They are absolutely right.

If he didn't know about Master Wuyou's divination and the shallow relationship between him and his brothers, he would definitely be jealous of his cousin Yun.

However, compared to those brothers who are as ferocious as wolves and tigers, he wishes that his father would favor his cousin Yun more!

"Father, don't worry. I will observe carefully tomorrow and try to get my cousin married as soon as possible and my aunt to have a grandson as soon as possible."

"Well, then you should go to bed early and don't be late tomorrow." Emperor Jingming then left with peace of mind.

If he had explained it so clearly and Xiaoliu still couldn't do it, he wouldn't have to marry his own princess.

Fortunately, the Sixth Prince didn't know what his father was thinking. If he knew...if he knew, it seems that he would have no way to deal with it, wuwu...

As for the fifth princess, her mother was not very favored and her family background was ordinary. It was only because of her child that she had some status in the harem. At least she would not be bullied like those concubines who had no children and were not favored.

Having tasted the benefits of a mother's status through her daughter, Concubine Xian naturally hopes that her daughter can continue to be noble, so the status of the prince consort she marries cannot be too low.

The virtuous concubine had good taste. Among all the nobles in Kyoto, she immediately set her eyes on Prince Yun. In terms of status, Prince Yun's mother, Princess Anyang, was top-notch even in the royal family. Prince Yun himself was even more favored than the average prince. He was also a cousin of the Fifth Princess, so wouldn't it be better to have a closer relationship?

As for talent and appearance, there are few better men than Prince Yun in Kyoto, so Concubine Xian said a lot of good things about Prince Yun in front of her daughter. Adding on Prince Yun's appearance and talent, it is not surprising that the Fifth Princess fell in love with him.

The other noble ladies had ulterior motives. The Eleventh Prince was too young to be considered at all. Although the Sixth Prince was already engaged, the concubines were also willing as they were also included in the royal jade book. And there was Prince Yun, who was an old bachelor. It was no big deal for them to wait on the shore.

Among the group, only the Sixth Princess came here simply to cruise the lake.

So, with the Fifth Princess admiring him, the Sixth Prince shouldering an important responsibility, the Eleventh Prince wanting to win him over, the Sixth Princess fresh in the mind, and the other noble ladies having ulterior motives, they all waited on the shore and maintained their best attitude before Yun Qinghan arrived.

When the Sixth Prince saw Yun Qinghan, he hurried over to him and said, "Cousin, we've been waiting for you. Let's get on the boat."

He really didn't want to talk to the Eleventh Prince by the lake. Damn it, he originally thought that he was trying to win him over for the sake of the First Prince, but he didn't expect that it was just his own ambition.

I really didn't expect this! Eleventh Brother has a small body but big dreams. Do Concubine De and the eldest prince know this?

Are the eldest, second, and fourth brothers vegetarians? The eleventh prince has nothing but an ambition greater than that of the emperor. He would be crazy to follow the eleventh prince. He has a higher chance of success if he does it himself than if he follows the eleventh prince.

So when he saw his cousin Yun, the Sixth Prince was very excited. He would rather be a matchmaker for his cousin Yun than continue chatting with his Eleventh Brother.

Seeing Shu Xiaoxiao behind him, the Sixth Prince also called out, "This must be Cousin Yun's junior brother, have fun today."

The Sixth Prince looked normal, but he was thinking in his heart: Judging from the look of my junior brother, my cousin likes girls who are particularly good-looking, so he quickly went to take a look at the noble lady who came on the cruise today.

The emperor was very attentive in choosing the best concubines, including those with delicate features, those with beautiful looks, those with charming looks, those with tender feelings, those with sweet and lovely looks, and those with dignified elegance. He had chosen all kinds of concubines. I guess I didn't pay so much attention to choosing concubines.

Tsk! Even with this appearance, no one can compare to Junior Brother!

Ask the emperor to find some more good-looking ones sooner. Food, sex and nature are all important! Maybe my cousin will be dazzled and fall in love with the girl at first sight and get married!

The cabin is fully furnished, with rosewood wooden tables, tea sets, chairs, couches and several bookshelves filled with books; exquisite murals are hung all around, with lifelike landscapes, flowers, birds, insects and fish; there are also exquisite porcelain and antiques, which are definitely masterpieces of famous artists.

This is much richer than most people's homes. This ship must be worth two houses in Kyoto.

Two people sat in the boat. It was rare for someone to sit next to Prince Yun, who always sat alone. The eyes of the people in the boat drifted towards Shu Xiaoxiao from time to time.

Shu Xiaoxiao, who had been thinking about going boating with her boyfriend, looked straight ahead and ate the fruit on the table calmly. No matter what happened, it had nothing to do with her anyway.

This person is either a prince, a prince, or a princess. Adding so many noble ladies, her status is probably the lowest among those present.

There are only ladies on the boat, but where are the men? The ratio of men to women is so large, isn't it embarrassing? If there were men, she could still say a few words, but if there were ladies on the boat, if she said something wrong, people would think she was a lecher. She should eat more fruit.

Not only was the boat luxuriously decorated, the service was also top-notch. After they sat down, pretty maids brought them various fruits and drinks. Melodious music immediately started playing, adding a touch of vitality to the boat.

The Eleventh Prince had no interest in the young cousin of the General's Mansion. Even though he looked good, he was just a poor little guy living under someone else's roof. He was lucky enough to have hooked up with Cousin Yun. Besides, he was not worth his attention.

So in the following games such as pitching pots, composing poems and writing couplets, Shu Xiaoxiao performed mediocrely, but because she was still young, had a delicate appearance, and had Yun Qinghan to protect her, no one bothered her.

Even these noble ladies, including the Fifth Princess, looked at Senior Brother Yun with somewhat fiery expressions, but they also maintained their dignity as noble ladies.

Yun Qinghan was not very interested in these things. After playing for a while, he sat in his seat and drank by himself. He had received an oral order from the emperor yesterday that he could not leave the lake cruise early until the two princesses said goodbye.

Tsk, boring.

Shu Xiaoxiao saw Senior Brother Yun pouring his own drink and immediately came to help pour the wine: "Senior Brother Yun, don't you want to play?"

Yun Qinghan drank the wine in the glass and asked lazily: "Is it fun?"

"Well, it's okay. It's not as fun as in the academy."

There were too many people, and they had to line up to throw the ball into the pot. And the noble ladies were like smart people, having to take care of the two princesses' face and maintain their own graceful manners. It was no better than them shooting arrows in the academy!

Shu Xiaoxiao looked up at the noble ladies playing the game of tossing pots. She didn't know how many of them were trying their best. It would be better for her to pour wine for Senior Brother Yun.

Shu Xiaoxiao was just about to get the wine jug when a hand suddenly appeared and snatched it away. It was the Fifth Princess: "Little Junior Brother, go and play. I'll just pour wine for Cousin Yun."

Perhaps in order to get closer to Yun Qinghan, everyone on the boat started calling her "Junior Brother".

Shu Xiaoxiao: The name is just a code name, you can use it as you like!

Looking at the shy expression of the fifth princess, Shu Xiaoxiao quickly left her seat and decided to stop being a third wheel and start with herself.

Moreover, the Fifth Princess is attracted to Senior Brother Yun, which shows that she has good taste.

"Cousin, don't you like pitching pots? Why are you sitting here alone?"

As he spoke, he took the wine jug and poured wine into the cup in Yun Qinghan's hand.

Yun Qinghan threw the cup directly on the table: "I don't like drinking."

The fifth princess blushed immediately. It was not that he didn't like drinking, it was obvious that he just didn't like her.

The eleventh prince at the side immediately said, "What kind of games do you like, cousin? We are out here to have fun. Does cousin have any good suggestions?"

Although the others were playing games with the Sixth Princess, they immediately looked over when they heard the noise here.

Even the Sixth Princess was a little curious about what fun games Cousin Yun had. She had had enough of playing the game of pitching pots.

"me......"

Yun Qinghan paused.

The Sixth Prince stroked his forehead, feeling that what he was going to say next was definitely not what everyone wanted to hear.

Seeing that everyone was waiting for his next words, Yun Qinghan continued, "I went to bed a little late yesterday, so I want to go back and rest early."

Everyone on board: ...

The Sixth Prince remembered his father's instructions. He didn't see that his cousin had any special feelings for any woman, so he couldn't let his cousin go back like this.

He immediately said, "My cousin, you are joking. We have been playing the game of pitching pots for a while now. I heard that all the young ladies are talented and versatile. Why don't you show them to my two sisters so that they can see what you have learned?"

The noble ladies' eyes lit up, and they said in unison, "We are willing to show it to the fifth and sixth princesses."

This is a good opportunity to show themselves. If they perform well and catch the eyes of the Sixth Prince and Prince Yun, then their trip will be worthwhile.

The reason they came out this time was to accompany the Fifth Princess and the Sixth Princess. Even if they were praising their talents, it was for the Fifth Princess and the Sixth Princess to see. It would be best if they could catch the eyes of the Sixth Prince and Prince Yun, but even if they couldn't, there would be no loss.

There are all kinds of musical instruments on the ship. The ladies just need to find the stewards and tell them what instrument they need.

The cabin was quickly decorated to be suitable for performances. The ladies played the piano, danced, or played the flute. Shu Xiaoxiao watched with great interest. These ladies each had their own strengths, which would surely dominate the charts of certain music in modern times. Unfortunately, in the eyes of these ancients, they were just so-so.