Chapter 420: Concubine
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The fifth princess had long grown accustomed to her own arrogance, and her perspective on the world was deeply skewed. She genuinely believed that Qin Zhenzhen had secured a happy ending by “s.n.a.t.c.hing” a handsome man. Therefore, she wondered if she could attain a similar outcome by pursuing a handsome man herself.
In her view, men were fickle creatures. They might protest and resist initially, but once they tasted the sweetness of affection, their att.i.tudes would change dramatically. The fifth princess considered herself to be attractive and came from a more prestigious background than Qin Zhenzhen.
She reasoned that if Qin Zhenzhen could win Su Bin’s heart, she could do the same. And if Qin Zhenzhen couldn’t capture Su Bin’s affection, then she could certainly try. However, Su Bin’s public declaration of his commitment to Qin Zhenzhen had dampened her hopes. Forcibly taking such a man as her husband would only lead to ridicule.
Upon their return to the crown prince’s residence, the fifth princess confronted her brother, the crown prince, with a direct question. “Did you intentionally bring me to see Su Bin?”
The Crown Prince inquired, “Do you regret having seen him?”
Upon witnessing the expression on her fifth sister’s face, he understood the truth. He recognized that her infatuation with Su Bin had already taken hold.
“Why would I regret it?”
“In that case, I won’t squander my well-meaning gesture.”
The fifth princess remained extremely dissatisfied and pressed, “Can you just tell me your intentions?”
Her brother explained, “You’re infatuated with Qin Zhenzhen and want her, but she’s already married.”
“Do you want me to beseech Father to grant Su Bin my hand in marriage and anger Qin Zhenzhen enough for her to leave, leaving him available for you to pursue?” The fifth princess proposed with a sly glint in her eye.
The Crown Prince applauded her cunning plan. “You’re quite the strategist!” However, the fifth princess wore a displeased expression. “You’re actually plotting against me?”
The Crown Prince maintained an innocent demeanor. “This isn’t exactly a scheme. Big Brother was simply being considerate!”
“Fifth Sister, you have high expectations for your future son-in-law. None of the wealthy youths in the capital meet your criteria. Mother is growing increasingly anxious, as is Eldest Brother.”
“I had already identified a potential Prince Consort for you and was planning to make him the new Primus. But I never antic.i.p.ated Father’s unconventional choice of Su Bin.
“Su Bin is an exceptional talent. Father’s decision to appoint him as the Primus is a testament to his abilities.”
“I was thinking that if you could genuinely admire him, I would do whatever I could to a.s.sist you.”
The Crown Prince wasn’t being entirely truthful.
The fifth princess scoffed. “Then a.s.sist me in persuading Father to grant Su Bin to me in marriage and let’s see if you have the nerve to do it!”
The Crown Prince nodded. “If you genuinely fancy Su Bin, I’ll beseech Father right away!”
“But before that, you’ll need to pretend to fall ill.”
“I’ll inform Mother that you’re lovesick, unable to eat or drink, and that life has lost all meaning for you.”
“The one who unties the knot should be the one who tied it. Only by offering Su
Bin to Fifth Sister as her husband can we save her life.’
The fifth princess sneered. “And what if Su Bin refuses?”
Su Bin had promised Qin Zhenzhen in front of so many people. How could he abandon his wife and remarry?
The Crown Prince comforted her. “Don’t worry about that. As long as Father gives the decree, he won’t dare to disobey.”
Nonetheless, the fifth princess continued to address her brother in an accusatory manner. “Even if he doesn’t dare to defy the imperial decree, he already has an official wife. Are you suggesting that I become the mistress?”
The Crown Prince chuckled and responded, “Fifth Sister, you’re quite naive.
You hold the esteemed position of a princess; you cannot be a mistress.”
“Even though Su Bin has an official wife, if his official wife were to make a misstep, he wouldn’t have an official wife anymore..”