The royal family of Osnabrock could not claim that every member possessed peerless beauty, but on average, they brushed the edge of superior looks. This was largely thanks to generations of empresses and imperial consorts—Osnabrock’s founding emperor had been imposing, yet had nothing to do with “beauty.” Fortunately, the royal bloodline had been continually refined by the genes of empresses and consorts, each more beautiful in her own way. By the time of the current king and Duke Wilson, the royals were all dignified in appearance. The three princes who appeared at the ball today could all be called handsome.
This was the first time Ye Tang had seen the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and the Third Prince. Unlike their father, their portraits had not circulated nationwide. From their hair and eye colors, it was clear the three could not be full brothers from the same mother.
Different mothers basically meant the nobles backing and supporting the three princes were not entirely the same. From the nobles’ reactions, Ye Tang believed they had received no prior hints from these three princes. Thus, when the nobles saw the king arrive with all three sons, everyone was shocked and uncertain, whispering among themselves.
Ye Tang had a very bad premonition.
The royals did not adhere to the principle of “holding the bowl level.” This was not to say the king and queen only cared about the heir and ignored the other children. In fact, to ensure the royal bloodline continued unbroken, the royals had plenty of heirs, and the king and queen’s “favoritism” was necessary: by openly showing support for one son from the start, the chances of the other princes harboring improper ambitions greatly decreased. The nobles, knowing they gained nothing from backing princes other than the Crown Prince, would be less likely to incite fratricide.
In terms of outcomes, this “favoritism” that ensured smooth succession was a win for all.
In Osnabrock’s royal situation, the Crown Prince was the eldest, significantly older than his younger brothers, and at marriageable age. It made sense for the king to bring the Crown Prince to the ball personally, but what need was there to bring the other two sons? Did the king not know how the nobles would interpret this “fairness” or what impact it would have?
No, he could not be unaware. That left only one explanation: what the king planned to do had far greater implications than any “level bowl” among the princes.
“Next, let us invite our great king, His Majesty Frederick V, to deliver a speech—”
With extreme sycophancy, he bowed deeply to the king. The jester, wearing a white wig, with his face painted deathly pale, and dressed all in white, quickly retreated to the side, yielding the position overlooking the crowd to Frederick V.
Compared to Duke Wilson, Frederick V appeared utterly frail and aged. From his sons’ ages, he should not have been so decrepit, but looking at his turbid old eyes, Ye Tang had a sudden realization—this man was likely the type who indulged excessively in private, his vitality long exhausted in the flowers of pleasure. No wonder he and the princes were so wary of Duke Wilson; even after recovering health, the duke had to feign weakness and could not even attend the ball today.
“Ahem, my dear subjects and people, I apologize for interrupting your enjoyment.”
Frederick V had a magnetic, pleasant voice. If one closed one’s eyes and ignored his face, women would easily take a liking to him.
“As everyone knows, this ball is held for my three sons. It will last three days, regardless of status or class. I hope everyone enjoys it fully. At the same time—”
Raising a smile, Frederick V said in feigned warmth, “My sons will select women here worthy to be their fiancées. In the future, the empress and consorts will come from among these women.”
“””””——————””””
At these words, the entire hall erupted in clamor. The nobles could no longer restrain themselves before the king; many wore ferocious expressions as they whispered furtively. The great nobles barely maintained composure, but the bulging veins on their foreheads and hands revealed the storm in their hearts.
Those present were not just nobles; there were also wealthy commoners. After commoners led by Mrs. Clement and Mrs. Hedelin seized transportation routes, newly rich commoners had multiplied.
Let the daughters of these upstarts become fiancées of princes—even the Crown Prince? Let commoners marry into the royal family and sully the bloodline? Frederick V must be mad or a fool!
“Your Majesty! Forgive my impertinence! I wish to ask Crown Prince Your Highness, Second Prince Your Highness, and Third Prince Your Highness! By what standards will you select your fiancée candidates!?”
The first to speak was a baron. From his expression, he was not volunteering as the canary in the coal mine. He must have been prompted by a superior noble.
The Crown Prince’s gaze intentionally or otherwise swept over Claudia and Gloria behind Ye Tang, then over Charlotte behind Daisy. With gentlemanly poise, he said on the surface, “I hope my future wife is a woman who devotes herself fully to the nation, chaste and virtuous. As long as she meets that, I have no requirements for her background or appearance.”
At the Crown Prince’s words, the nobles went mad. The merchants were still stunned—the political instincts of commoners could not match the nobles’. Many merchants had yet to grasp the Crown Prince’s implication.
Claudia and Gloria, swept by his gaze, felt a chill down their spines. Gloria did not understand why, but she soon noticed the nobles casting hostile glares at her and her sister.
Claudia’s scalp tingled under the needle-like stares. Translating the Crown Prince’s words, he meant: “If I see a family willing to pay any price for me, even if their daughter is a commoner, I will consider marrying her.”
So, what exactly needed to be done, to what extent, to count as the Crown Prince’s “full devotion to the nation”?
The Crown Prince’s gaze gave the nobles the answer: money.
It was well known that the two richest commoners present were Mrs. Clement and Mrs. Hedelin. And both families had marriageable daughters… The Crown Prince’s words flung wide the gates for these upstarts’ daughters, giving commoners a chance to approach the royals.
When it was the Second Prince’s turn, he stepped forward. “The same as my imperial brother. As a member of Osnabrock, I hope my future partner is a woman who understands the big picture, grasps the overall situation, and considers the nation.”
After the Second Prince finished, the Third Prince stepped up. Unlike his seventeen- or eighteen-year-old brothers, the mere thirteen- or fourteen-year-old Third Prince appeared stiff, his expression full of the awkwardness of being pushed onto the stage.
“My brothers… no, my imperial brothers’ ideas are also my ideas.”
The Third Prince stammered this out and immediately retreated. However, lowering his head could not hide the embarrassed flush on the little prince’s face.
Frederick V paid no mind to the Third Prince’s gaffe. He laughed heartily in feigned joviality and waved his hand. “Come! Let the ball continue! Today is a day to share joy with the people. Everyone must enjoy it properly!”
Enjoy? Who had the mood to enjoy now!
The thought of being climbed over by upstart commoners enraged the nobles. Seeing the Crown Prince’s gaze lock on Mrs. Hedelin’s daughters, and the Second Prince heading toward Mrs. Clement’s daughters, many noble ladies hurried forward to block the Crown Prince and Second Prince’s paths.
“Your Highness, may I have this dance?”
“No, Your Highness, please dance with me.”
The ladies crowded before the Crown Prince, but he wore a smiling mask. “My apologies, I have already chosen my dance partner. Please excuse me from this dance.”
“Second Prince Your Highness—”
“I too have a woman I favor. Sorry.”
The ladies could not stop the Crown Prince and Second Prince. Ye Tang could not flee in haste upon seeing them approach her side—that would be great disrespect to the royals.
“B-brother, imperial brother, wait for me… ah!!”
The Third Prince also wanted to complete the task his father had given him. Unlike his brothers, he had been pampered since childhood and lacked experience with grand occasions. When nervous, he lost all dignity and dropped the ball at the crucial moment.
Fian loved such cute little ones. He blew a feather over. The Third Prince felt his nose itch and slipped on the stairs, tumbling down.
The Third Prince’s unexpected fall forced the Crown Prince and Second Prince to turn back to their brother. At that moment, when even the king who had just sat rose to his feet, Ye Tang pulled Cinderella along, Claudia pulled Gloria along, and they left.
Daisy hesitated. Seeing Ye Tang leave without looking back, she pulled Charlotte and departed from the shadowed corner.
“Mother, what’s wrong? Where are you going!?”
Claudia had never seen such tension on her mother’s face. She thought leaving the palace would calm her mother, but once out of the palace, her mother stuffed her sisters and Charlotte into a carriage, then rode another with Mrs. Clement.
“Claudia, take Gloria and Cinderella home. Charlotte stays with us for now. Do not attend the balls tomorrow or the day after. If palace messengers come, say you have a cold and fever. Do not go out or see those messengers.”
“But Mother—”
“I’ll explain when we get back.”
Ye Tang said this and shut the carriage door. She ordered the coachman May to take Claudia and the others home immediately.
Daisy was also startled by Ye Tang. Puzzled, she said, “Anna, I know you don’t want to oppose most nobles. But Claudia or Gloria catching the eye of Crown Prince Your Highness or Second Prince Your Highness isn’t so bad, is it? It’s not easy for a commoner to become a consort… but doesn’t that make a commoner consort all the more romantic?”
“—She won’t become a consort.”
Ye Tang turned back, her eyes gleaming in the night, startling Daisy.
“This is a trap, specifically to lure us ‘upstarts’ in. Once we fall into it, we become cannon fodder in the war.”