Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

Wang Yuyan pretended to be puzzled and said, "Mother, how can this affect the prince's status in the court? He is just with my cousin, what can happen? The encounter was just a woman, how can it affect the prince?"

Queen Kun frowned and said with a hint of worry, "Yan'er, you are right, but the Crown Prince is the heir apparent to the throne. His behavior affects the nation's image. Besides, Qiao Xinran is of low status and is not a good match for the Crown Prince."

Wang Yuyan frowned slightly and retorted, "Mother, status cannot be the criterion for measuring love. As long as they truly love each other, why should they care about those external conditions?"

Queen Kun sighed and said with a wry smile, "Yan'er, you are still too young to understand the interests involved. If the Crown Prince and Qiao Xinran are allowed to continue their relationship, it will probably cause unrest in the court and even affect the stability of the country."

Wang Yuyan pondered for a moment, finally understanding her mother's concerns. She gritted her teeth and said firmly, "Mother, I understand your concerns. But I believe the Crown Prince knows his limits and won't let his personal affairs interfere with state affairs. As for Qiao Xinran, perhaps we can help her improve her status in other ways, making her worthy of the Crown Prince."

Queen Kun looked at Wang Yuyan's determined eyes and felt a surge of relief. She nodded and said softly, "Yan'er, you've grown up and have your own ideas and responsibilities. Since you're so insistent, I won't say any more. I hope you can handle this matter well and not let it affect your relationship."

Wang Yuyan smiled slightly, a hint of confidence flashing in her eyes: "Don't worry, mother, I will do my best."

Queen Kun wanted to test Wang Yuyan's attitude towards the affair between the Crown Prince and his cousin. So, she carefully observed Wang Yuyan's reaction. However, to Queen Kun's surprise, Wang Yuyan's expression and words showed that she didn't seem to mind the matter.

This made Queen Kun feel relieved. If this was true, then she would not need to bother trying to persuade Wang Yuyan. She could just quietly tell her that the Crown Prince had only taken a concubine. This way, it would not cause too much controversy in either the court or the harem, as it was only a concubine after all.

In truth, the words he had just spoken didn't truly come from his heart. He had done so simply to deliberately contradict himself, testing Wang Yuyan's reaction and attitude. So far, the results seemed quite satisfactory. This Crown Princess was not only intelligent and perceptive, but also able to consider the overall situation and understand the situation. She displayed the qualities and demeanor of a qualified Crown Princess. Such a woman was truly worthy of praise.

Queen Kun said this and did not stay any longer. She said a few words to comfort Wang Yuyan, asking her to have a good rest, and then turned and left. Li Ma, who was beside Wang Yuyan, saw Queen Kun leaving and hurried forward. While wiping her tears, she said to Wang Yuyan with heartache: "Miss, you have suffered so much! You are still in confinement, and you have to deal with these dirty things. I really don't know what Queen Kun was thinking, actually letting you handle this matter."

Wang Yuyan's face turned serious when she heard Nanny Li say this. She responded solemnly, "Nanny, please don't say anything careless! Queen Mother has entrusted this matter to me, showing her trust in me. Furthermore, the Crown Prince and I are one, sharing honor and disgrace. If he really causes those unbearable scandals, how will our children cope? Furthermore, the Crown Prince's brothers have always been eyeing his position. If they seize this opportunity, they will definitely bring him down without hesitation. So, this is not only for the Crown Prince, but also for my future and the future of my child!"

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, a month had passed. On this day, Wang Yuyan left her confinement without anyone noticing. She quietly prepared various daily necessities and utensils on both sides of the Crown Prince's palace. These items were prepared according to the standards of a concubine. Although this was for the Crown Prince to take a concubine, after all, the other party was his cousin and someone else, so the surface work had to be done well.

When the prince saw Wang Yuyan still busy with his affairs after she left her confinement, his heart was filled with joy and gratitude. He knew that he had married a very good wife, not only smart and beautiful, but also kind-hearted and considerate. At this moment, his love for Wang Yuyan became even deeper.

Wang Yuyan has always been a man of swift and decisive actions. She decisively ordered the palace servants to clean the prince's side hall thoroughly. This was not just an ordinary cleaning, but a thorough cleaning involving two courtyards. Wang Yuyan thought to herself: "Since this matter is my responsibility, I must do it properly and beautifully!

"Taking one concubine is the same as taking two, so why not take more? This way, you won't draw too much attention to yourself, and you can also add a few more points to your virtue. Isn't it killing two birds with one stone?" Qiao Xinran naively thought that as long as she married the prince, she would be able to enjoy wealth and glory without worries. But she didn't know that Wang Yuyan had already planned to take concubines for the prince and find something for Qiao Xinran to do so that she wouldn't be too idle.

On a bright, sunny day, the Crown Princess carefully selected an auspicious date and dispatched her servants to her mother's palace to fetch her and bring her back to the Crown Prince's residence. Upon her arrival, the Crown Princess personally greeted her and arranged for her to stay in a side room of the Crown Prince's palace. However, before officially settling into the side room, Wang Yuyan decided to have a face-to-face conversation with Qiao Xinran. So, she sent for Qiao Xinran to come before her.

When Qiao Xinran arrived before Wang Yuyan, she knelt without hesitation, her eyes filled with guilt and remorse. She said in a trembling voice, "Sister, please forgive me. I didn't do this on purpose. I simply adore the Crown Prince so much that I couldn't help but promise him my life. Please don't blame me. I had no choice!" With tears streaming down her face, Qiao Xinran continued, "My love for the Crown Prince is so deep that I can't help myself. I hope you can understand my difficulties and not blame me."

Wang Yuyan listened to Qiao Xinyan's gossiping and chattering, her heart boiling with rage. She simply couldn't stand such hypocrisy and affectation, but she tried hard to control her emotions, not letting her anger show on her face. She smiled slightly, trying to make her voice sound calm and gentle, "Sister, what are you talking about? You and I are sisters, and we both like the Crown Prince. This is a blessing for the Crown Prince."

However, deep down, Wang Yuyan was very dissatisfied with Qiao Xinyan's behavior. She thought Qiao Xinyan's words were too false and were only said to please the prince. But in order to maintain superficial harmony, she decided to endure it for the time being.

She then continued, "From now on, we will work together to take good care of the prince and not let him worry about trivial matters." This statement was both a response to Qiao Xinyan and a form of self-consolation. She hoped that this statement would demonstrate her magnanimity and kindness, while also indicating to the prince that she was willing to work with Qiao Xinyan to care for him.

Finally, she looked at Qiao Xinyan, a glint of determination in her eyes. "From now on, I'll have to trouble you to take care of the prince's health." Though her tone was calm, it held a hint of challenge. She knew Qiao Xinyan was adept at deceiving with sweet words, but true care and concern required concrete action. She looked forward to seeing how Qiao Xinyan would handle this responsibility.

Although her heart was filled with rage, Wang Yuyan managed to control her emotions and responded to Qiao Xinran's provocation in an elegant manner.

The Crown Prince wasn't his own, but his harem belonged to the entire world, and new women would constantly be joining. He knew he couldn't completely break up with the Crown Prince over this matter, as doing so would lead to irreversible consequences. Therefore, he could only choose to produce offspring for the Crown Prince to a limited extent, to stabilize his position in the harem. Xinran would definitely not be his first woman, nor would she likely be his last. In the future, all kinds of women would emerge one after another, and he couldn't lose his mind or let his emotions get the better of him.

After Qiao Xinran left, Wang Yuyan summoned the two newly-acquired concubines. She whispered, "Since you've just arrived, you must take good care of the Crown Prince wholeheartedly. He's already exhausted from his time in the previous court. Don't let him be bothered by trivial matters once he returns to the palace." The two concubines responded respectfully, "Understood, Crown Princess. We will do our best to take care of him." Both of them had been carefully selected from the palace, with clean family backgrounds and fathers and brothers holding important positions in the court.

In the past, imperial maids were chosen from impoverished families. Now, however, they were the daughters or sisters of high officials. This was both a source of honor and a symbol of their status as hostages. Their status within the palace was a gift, but it also made them victims of political strife.

The ministers in the court were well aware of this, but they had no choice but to send their daughters or sisters to the palace. This was not only a show of loyalty to the emperor, but also a political tactic. In this way, they hoped to gain more power and status while also protecting their family interests.

For those chosen, their fate becomes inextricably linked to the palace. They must adapt to the rules of palace life and navigate complex interpersonal relationships while maintaining their dignity and status. While all this is difficult, they have no choice but to accept this reality and strive to survive.