“Elder Sister, don’t worry. With Prince Zhou, Grand Prince Liang, Yan Zifang and me, it is a four choose one situation. I have half the chance.” Sheng Chumu remained calm.
Consort Han did not think so and was anxious on his behalf. “Do you really think you have a fifty percent chance of winning? Let me tell you. You probably don’t have any chance of winning. Much less a fifty percent chance!” This was not simple at all. Otherwise, why would the Emperor push the decision to the Empress and the Empress was using her illness as a way to procrastinate on making the decision? It was not easy at all.
“Grand Prince Liang’s father is the Grand Emperor. Prince Zhou’s father is the Emperor. Your father is just a Duke. How can he be compared to the Grand Emperor and Emperor? Just based on status, Grand Prince Liang and Prince Zhou triumphs over you. Amongst the four men, Imperial Mother will not even consider you, much less Yan Zifang who used to be a pirate. This situation is not a four choose one. It is a two choose one. Imperial Mother has to make a decision between Grand Prince Liang and Prince Zhou.”
Sheng Chumu did not make a sound. He studied military techniques before. How could he not know this? However, he was not going to give up on himself.
“If Imperial Mother ignores the Grand Emperor and the Emperor and allows you to marry Fu Rou, it would be the day where disaster befalls the Duke Lu Residence.”
“Elder Sister, can’t you help me think of a solution?” Sheng Chumu’s eyes shone. “Enter the palace and help me beg the Empress?”
“There is no point in begging.” Consort Han sighed, “If I did not force Fu Rou to enter our Han Mansion back then to be a seamstress, she would not have been selected by Imperial Mother to enter the palace. The situation today would not have happened. Chumu, I have let you down.”
“Elder Sister, you make it sound like there is absolutely no hope.” Sheng Chumu’s eyes were filled with determination. “Heaven never blocks out one’s way. I will not let Fu Rou marry another man!”
Ultimately, Consort Han still believed that there was no hope. “Imperial Mother is dignified and you cannot offend her. Fu Rou is a good lady. However, now that things have reached this stage, you should not force it. There are so many other ladies that admire you, why would you need to worry about not being able to marry? Look at Lady Ma. She comes to Han Mansion everyday for you.”
Sheng Chumu was stunned. “She is still here? I thought you had already scared her away.”
“Initially, I thought I could scare her off. I did not expect her to persevere. She seems to be quite infatuated with you.” Consort Han was surprised as well.
“Infatuated? If you complete that sentence, it is infatuated and delusional! Don’t mention her. Every time I hear her name, I get annoyed.” Sheng Chumu waved impatiently.
“For you, she has been learning etiquette and embroidery. She even memorises books word for word. I don’t know how many times her fingers have been hit by a ruler.”
“Elder Sister, I have seen many women in my life but I have never seen one as shameless as her. She holds the antidote in one hand and shamelessly demands for the guy to marry her. The only reason why I am willing to deal with her is for the antidote. If not, I would have chased her far away.”
Consort Han’s expression soured. Sheng Chumu turned and saw Ma Hainiu standing outside the pavilion.
Ma Hainiu was frowning. “Sheng Chumu, I heard whatever you just said. What explanation do you have for yourself?”
Sheng Chumu laughed, “If you heard everything, what is there for me to explain? I won’t explain.”
Ma Hainiu gritted her teeth. “Fine! Fine! I finally understand. You can rest assured. I don’t need you to chase me. I will stay far away from you in the future!” She turned and left.
Sheng Chumu shouted, “Don’t run away! What about my antidote? Since you have given up, you should be magnanimous and give the antidote to me. Even if you are a pirate, you have to be upright!”
Ma Hainiu turned back sharply, with tears running down her face. Her expression was one of sorrow mixed with anger. Sheng Chumu froze and watched her run away.
Chapter 41.2: Surrounded by Four
Sheng Chumu was in trouble and Fu Rou was under pressure as well.
The entire morning was filled with people pointing and talking about her as well as those that tried to get on her good side. They all thought that Fu Rou must have some good skills to be able to attract four guys at once. They did not know how it felt to be caught in the middle. Her head was splitting.
This time, she went to Huayin Palace on her own accord. It was both to hide from other people as well as to have a heart to heart talk with her sworn sister.
Li Baolin smiled as she welcomed Fu Rou. “Congratulations, Fu Siyan. Bless you, Fu Siyan. It is almost time for you to fly onto a higher branch and become a phoenix.”
Fu Rou sighed, “When other people say this, I bear with it. But if you say this as well, I am going to get angry.”
“Don’t get angry, I admit my mistake.” Li Baolin held onto Fu Rou’s arm as they walked into the palace.
Fu Rou repeated what happened the previous night.
“So that is what happened.” Li Baolin surmised. “Grand Prince Liang is despicable, Yan Zifang is determined to carry out the engagement both of you had when you were young. Prince Zhou just happened to be at the right place. Only you and Sheng Chumu are innocent and pitiful.”
“With so many people involved, the whole thing has blown up. Now, the decision is up to the Empress.” Although this was what Fu Rou said, she was extremely indignant.
Li Baolin could tell. “But the one in your heart...is the one that the Empress will definitely not choose. On the surface, it seems like a decision between four men but it actually is a decision between two.”
“Even you think this way?” That is why she felt uneasy.
“Anyone with a slightly functioning brain would think so. Would the Empress disappoint Grand Prince Liang and Prince Zhou to favour the Duke Lu Residence? What does Sheng Chumu have for the Empress to take this kind of risk for him?”
It was not that the Empress was cruel but this was the pressure of reality.
“But I can’t just sit and wait.” Fu Rou had never believed that success would come to those that did not do anything. Especially after she entered the palace, the various things she witnessed made her understand how lamentable it was for someone else to decide your fate.
“Now there is only one solution. It is for Her Majesty to not choose Grand Prince Liang or Prince Zhou.”
Shuangxi was looking around. A palace maid, Xi’er from the Rites Office, had arranged to meet her in the Imperial Garden. All of a sudden, she saw Fu Rou and Li Baolin walking in her direction and quickly hid herself.
Li Baolin said, “With Prince Zhou, only good days await you.”
Fu Rou replied, “I don’t wish for good days. I just want my future to be peaceful and not have people create trouble for me.”
“The Crown Princess was baselessly nitpicking on you when you were submitting embroideries to her. Everyone in the palace knows about it. Even the Empress said that the Crown Princess was not magnanimous. In the past, you were serving the Crown Princess and had to bear with her. In the future, you will become Prince Zhou’s consort. What can the Crown Princess do to you? I think the Crown Princess will be extremely jealous of you.”
“Why would she be jealous of me?”
Li Baolin continued, “Prince Zhou is talented and gentle. Since he has asked His Majesty for your hand, he must love you deeply. When you are married to Prince Zhou, you would naturally be loved and treated importantly. Whereas in the Crown Prince’s heart, the Crown Princess is not...with how the Eastern Palace is like recently, you should have heard about it right?”