The Cross-Dressing Legend Is Excessively Beautiful - Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Song Xialan sat upright in her seat, only the tightening of her hands at her side betraying a flicker of tension.

Song Xizhi rose and walked briskly to the center of the Great Hall. Bowing, he declared, “Reporting to Your Majesty, Xizhi and the Crown Prince have never met before. I truly do not understand the meaning behind His Highness’s words.”

As he spoke, he pressed a fist to his lips and coughed again. Sharp-eyed onlookers were shocked to see traces of blood seeping through his fingers. “Xizhi has been sickly since childhood, plagued by constant ailments; a slight chill is enough to take half my life. My father has sought every famous physician, but to no avail. A doctor once prophesied that Xizhi is destined not to live past twenty. Calculating the days, the end is near—it is this very year.”

Jing Jianhua cupped his hands. “Miss Song, I—”

Song Xizhi cut him off. “Xizhi knows that a body such as this cannot bear the heavy favor of the Crown Prince, much less the position of Crown Princess. I do not wish to be a burden to others. I only desire to spend my few remaining days in peace, accompanying my father. If the Crown Prince insists on his view,” his gaze turned resolute, “for the sake of the state and for my own selfish heart, this official’s daughter is willing to cut her hair to prove her resolve and enter a nunnery.”

The hall erupted in an uproar. Being sent to a family temple was one of the harshest punishments for a woman, usually reserved for those who had brought shame upon the clan. For the Eldest Miss Song to say this now demonstrated her absolute determination not to marry the Prince.

Even Jing Jianhua was momentarily stunned; he hadn’t expected such a fierce and direct reaction. Standing tall in the center of the hall, handsome yet appearing heartbroken, his cool voice echoed softly: “Miss Song indeed has the right to refuse, but I also have the right to persist. I am willing to wait.”

Wait for her to change her mind, the crowd silently completed the sentence.

When a noble, handsome, and aloof man reveals a moment of sorrow for a woman, it possesses lethal charm. The noble ladies in the hall looked at Song Xizhi with uncontrollable envy.

Song Xizhi’s gaze remained sharp. The Prince was clearly determined to cling to him. By declaring his “no one but her” stance before the officials, the Prince had made Xizhi’s consent irrelevant. Using “true love” as an excuse not only silenced the Emperor’s pressure to take other consorts but also intensified the friction between the Song family and the court.

In the quietest moment of the hall, Song Xialan slowly rose and walked to the center to stand beside Xizhi. One man, two women. Everyone was captivated by the eerie atmosphere; no one noticed the Fourth Prince take a step forward in the seating area, only to pull back.

Song Xialan’s words were like a boulder dropped into a boiling pot: “This official’s daughter has long admired the Crown Prince. I beg Your Majesty to fulfill my wish.”

The crowd was in a frenzy. A handsome prince loves her, but she doesn’t love him. Her sister says she loves him. He only wants the sister who rejects him. What a magnificent drama!

Amidst the noise, Jing Jianhua flashed a charming smile at Song Xizhi. Xizhi mocked him expressionless, his eyes suggesting the Prince looked like a “versatile courtesan.” Jing Jianhua’s face turned ashen; he was successfully disgusted by Xizhi’s remark.

The Emperor, seated high above, rubbed his temples. “Enough! Silence!” He turned to Song Ci. “Minister Song, what is your view?”

Song Ci stepped forward calmly. “To speak of private feelings, they are both my daughters; both are dear to me. Xizhi is frail and pitiable, while Lan’er is serene and lovely. Hurting either would be a blow to me. However, for the sake of the state, I believe my second daughter is virtuous, dignified, and blessed—a perfect match for the Crown Prince.”

The Emperor pondered and turned to Consort Chen, mother of the Fourth Prince. Song Ci was surprised; Xizhi’s eyes deepened. Consort Chen knew the Emperor favored the Prince and wanted the best for him. Song Ci’s power was immense; Song Xialan was healthy and capable. If she became the Crown Princess, the Prime Minister’s Manor would become the Prince’s ultimate support.

Despite her own ambitions for her son, Consort Chen smiled charmingly. “Both Song daughters are excellent. However, the Crown Prince is a man of rare temperament. Since he has set his heart on the Eldest Miss, Your Majesty should be careful not to ‘mismatch the mandarin ducks,’ lest it cause chaos later. Remember how the previous dynasty was ruined by harem troubles?”

The Emperor nodded. “The Crown Prince?”

Jing Jianhua replied, “I will marry no one but the eldest daughter of the Song family.”

“Since the Prince likes her,” the Emperor declared, cutting off any protests, “I shall fulfill the wish of these ‘lovers.’ Pass my decree: Song Xizhi, the legitimate eldest daughter of Minister Song, is virtuous and outstanding. She is hereby bestowed as the Crown Princess. Let the wedding be arranged for an auspicious day.”

Song Xizhi bowed in thanks. In his peripheral vision, he caught the pale face of Song Ci. He sighed internally—the “death node” of this world was fast approaching. He was curious to see what his “dear father” would do next.

A decree from the Son of Heaven could not be revoked. As the music resumed and the hall returned to laughter and song, no one noticed several figures quietly exiting the banquet—including the center of the storm, Song Xizhi.