The Crown Princess calculated with her fingers and the prince was terrified.

The Emperor was majestic, and everyone knelt down. Jiang Xian Yue disappeared into the crowd.

“Minister Jiang, your eldest daughter, who was recuperating away from home, has finally entered the palace.”

Ever since the Imperial Advisor brought up this matter, His Majesty has been thinking about it every day. Because of a woman, the Imperial Advisor mentioned her in this way, which shows how precious her destiny is.

Fortunately, the Emperor is not incompetent; otherwise, it's uncertain who Jiang Xianyue would have married.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xianyue stood up and slowly walked to the Emperor.

"Your Majesty, please see me!"

Her bow was quite proper and showed complete etiquette.

At least, I didn't bring shame to my family.

Everyone had already heard Jiang Ruyan say that Jiang Xianyue grew up in the countryside. They were just about to say how vulgar this girl, who was envied by all the women in the capital, was, but she remained calm and uncompetitive.

At least, if Jiang Xianyue were vulgar, those people would be happy.

They always need to find ways to prove they are better than the chosen one to feel comfortable.

"You must be Miss Jiang?"

Jiang Xianyue raised her head confidently, and the Emperor was very pleased.

"When I asked you to return to the capital, your father made many excuses, saying that you grew up outside and did not know the rules. Now it seems that you have learned the rules quite well. You are a promising young man!"

Jiang Xianyue said calmly, "No one teaches manners in the manor, but who says that growing up outside means you don't have manners?"

This sentence was a slap in the face to the Jiang family.

Jiang Yu's face was grim, but Jiang Ruyan was the most embarrassed.

The more outstanding Jiang Xianyue was, the more embarrassed Jiang Ruyan became.

As soon as the emperor finished speaking, a man who wasn't wearing official robes and had an air of otherworldly elegance walked over and scrutinized Jiang Xianyue closely.

"Your Majesty, this is the woman I'm referring to!"

Jiang Xianyue stood in the crowd, unperturbed by praise or criticism.

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction and said, just as he had in his previous life, "Miss Jiang, because of your special destiny, I want you to choose one of my sons as your husband. Are you willing?"

Jiang Xianyue nodded: "Your Majesty's bestowal of marriage is my deepest gratitude."

However, the matter of choosing a husband will have to wait. After all, I don't know any of you princes, so it's difficult for me to give a proper explanation!

Jiang Xianyue remained calm as in her previous life, but she saw Shen Qinglan standing in the most conspicuous place, still wearing the butterfly pendant, looking spirited and admirable.

Jiang Xianyue closed her eyes, too lazy to look anymore; it was just an illusion.

His Majesty agreed, saying, "Then I will give you some time to think it over. After the palace banquet, I will hold another palace banquet next time. Tell me your thoughts then, okay?"

After all, the Imperial Advisor portrayed Jiang Xian Yue too well, even saying that this woman could choose the future king.

Therefore, the emperor also had doubts, but felt that it was worth a try.

……

Everyone enjoyed the feast and had a good time.

The young gentlemen and ladies had all gone to admire the flowers. At this moment, Jiang Yu came to Jiang Xian Yue and said seriously, "Xian Yue, you have just returned to the capital and do not understand the intricacies of this capital. Let me tell you about them."

Among all the princes, the Second Prince is outstanding, even comparable to the Crown Prince!

Jiang Xianyue looked up and saw Shen Shijing calmly drinking his wine.

"Oh?"

"You found a time to report back to the Emperor, and this is the answer he wanted to hear."

"Father, the Emperor said I can choose for myself. Does Father have mind-reading abilities and have read the Emperor's mind?"

"There are so many princes in the palace. If His Majesty really thought that way, he should have told me privately. It's too stuffy in here; I'm going for a walk outside!"

Jiang Xianyue walked to the pavilion in the middle of the lake, still thinking about what had happened that day.

In her previous life, she hadn't even noticed Shen Qinglan by this point; he only arrived after his brothers had made a complete fool of themselves.

After all, she wasn't particularly outstanding in her previous life, and her clothes were rather plain. Several princes were also unconvinced and pestered her, but their words were not very polite.

After all, he was the son of the royal family, while she was just the daughter of a vice minister; it was understandable that she didn't take him seriously.

Several princes gathered at the pavilion in the middle of the lake.

The eldest prince, Shen Yuzong, looked proud, the third prince, Shen Yufeng, looked obsequious, and the other princes, having heard the news, surrounded Jiang Xianyue.

Jiang Xian Yue didn't embarrass herself in this life, so everyone had a good impression of her and naturally didn't force her.

They talked about everything from poetry and songs to life philosophies, but Jiang Xianyue didn't respond to any of it.

In her past life, Shen Shijing came to her rescue, but she was so frustrated by being surrounded that no one came to her aid.

The man watched quietly from the shadows, then turned and left.

However, another person stepped into the pavilion in the middle of the lake.

"I was not good at studying since I was a child, I can only read, so there is no need for you princes to show off in front of me!"

Just as Jiang Xianyue was contemplating her refusal, Shen Qinglan arrived.

With a smile in his eyes, he first bowed to the other princes.

"Miss Jiang is here, which has made this prince search for quite some time. Miss Jiang, do you have an answer to the matter I was looking for you about before?"

With Consort Lin enjoying great favor, Shen Qinglan was smug in front of the Emperor. Before the Emperor allowed Jiang Xianyue to choose for herself, many people speculated that Jiang Xianyue would be betrothed to Shen Qinglan.

Now that Shen Qinglan has arrived, their conversation is filled with familiarity.

People generally wouldn't want to get to know a country girl beforehand, but seeing the friendship between the two, they realized that Shen Qinglan had already gained the upper hand, and they were displeased and prepared to leave.

"Miss Jiang, may I speak to you in private?"

Jiang Xianyue had a headache. One step forward meant her enemies from her past life, and one step back meant the princes who were constantly pestering her but whom she couldn't afford to offend. Moreover, Jiang Xianyue's abilities in this life, which were sometimes present and sometimes absent, were not yet sufficient to be used.

She didn't want anyone to know about her esoteric arts, just like in her previous life, when she helped Shen Qinglan become the crown prince, and he only thought she was good at political maneuvering.

"Then we won't bother you any longer!"

The eldest prince looked displeased, said one sentence, and left.

After the eldest prince left, everyone departed. Now, Jiang Xian Yue didn't need to make a choice; someone else had already done it for her.

"Second Prince, what brings you here too!"

Her voice was weary.

"I thought the Second Prince was of noble character, unlike those other princes who would do such pointless things just because of a word from the Emperor!"

To be honest, this Shen Qinglan is really different from the one in her previous life.

He seems to have become more attention-seeking.

She couldn't be bothered to look at Shen Qinglan; she didn't feel hatred, but seeing her annoyed her.

After all, Jiang Xianyue was willing to accept defeat. She made the wrong choice and could correct it. But Shen Qinglan was, after all, an enemy she had to deal with.

Shen Qinglan began, "At our first meeting, Miss Jiang pointed out a problem with me. I have been looking for an opportunity to have Miss Jiang take another look and see where the problem lies."

Miss Jiang's words that day remain vivid in my memory!

Jiang Xian Yue looked down, her gaze landing on the butterfly pendant. The perfectly fine butterfly pendant now had a crack, and the crack was very strange, faintly emanating black energy, something she had never seen in her previous life.

Jiang Xianyue pointed her finger at the butterfly pendant.

"Where did the Second Prince get this thing?"