Chapter 81: Want to Burn Incense? The Kind Like a Blind Date

The inner palace and the imperial court are intimately connected; whatever happens at court cannot be concealed from the harem. News of the proposal to appoint a crown prince quickly reached the ears of the masters who had long been paying close attention. Though they dared not interfere in matters of state, clandestine maneuvers were inevitable.

After all, this was a matter that would determine the fate of themselves and their families.

At the same time, word spread through the harem of Minister Song kneeling in the imperial study. Many speculated that the relationship between the Emperor and Minister Song—both sovereign and subject, and brothers in arms—was finally coming to an end.

It was cause for celebration; Minister Song was about to fall from his lofty perch.

Yet, at court the next morning, the Emperor unexpectedly issued an edict summoning several grown princes to attend government affairs, among them the Second, Third, and Fourth Princes. This stoked the hearts of many officials.

Could it be that the Emperor was finally resolved to choose an heir?

More people secretly believed that Minister Song was indeed the Emperor’s foremost confidant; it was likely he had made the suggestion, which led to his kneeling, and then the Emperor consented. If so, his reputation as the Emperor’s right-hand man was well deserved.

Regardless, allowing the princes to attend court was a clear signal to all officials: the Emperor’s resolve to appoint a crown prince was wavering.

For a time, both the palace and the court seethed with undercurrents; ambitions flared, some rejoiced while others fretted.

The intricate web of noble families grew restless. More and more mistresses arranged visits to temples and shrines to pray and burn incense, always accompanied by daughters of marriageable age. These encounters inevitably led to meetings with mistresses from other families, and, by chance, greetings from eligible sons, nephews, and cousins.

The most sought-after household was, of course, the Song residence.

The Song residence currently boasted several sons and daughters of suitable age. Minister Song’s legitimate son and second daughter were both unmarried, and besides them, Minister Song’s younger brother had a pair of twin children yet to wed.

Some might say the young gentlemen of the Song household were still underage? Not so. Though not yet adults, they were already twelve or thirteen—an ideal age to be considered for marriage. After all, a betrothal did not mean immediate matrimony; a host of rituals must be prepared, dowries assembled, so a marriage could take two or three years from its inception.

And even if those young gentlemen were not yet grown, Minister Song’s younger brother was himself unmarried and in his prime.

Thus, every son in the Song household—from Song Zhi Yu to Song Ling Su and their brothers—was watched keenly by many families. Beyond the prestige of the Song residence, people admired its family values.

Among the nobility in the capital, almost every household had several concubines; yet the Song residence was unique: apart from the patriarch, none of Minister Song’s married brothers had taken a concubine. This made many mothers envious. For those who truly loved their daughters, nothing would please them more than marrying their cherished girls into such a family.

Consequently, the ladies of the Song household received countless invitations to attend incense offerings at temples, even Song Ci herself received several. After all, she was the mother of Song Zhi Yu—any potential daughter-in-law must first pass her scrutiny.

“Burning incense is just a pretext; matchmaking is the real purpose, isn’t it?” Song Ci, having acted in period dramas and read novels, immediately saw through the hidden ploy.

Madam Gong nodded. “It’s not as though you accept every invitation; you need to carefully select whom to meet. Only after private contact do you arrange for your son and their daughter to meet—see if they take a liking to each other.”