"Alright," the housekeeper responded, pronouncing each word with deliberate clarity, "There are rumors in the streets that the Empress Dowager intends to bestow marriage upon Chen Qianhu..."

The Prince's eyes widened to the size of copper bells before he shot up with a loud exclamation,

"What are you talking about?!"

The housekeeper continued, still speaking word by word, "The bride is said to be a member of the East Palace."

The Prince nearly dropped his tea bowl, his fury escalating, "Why are you talking so slowly?!"

"But wasn't it you, Your Highness, who instructed me to remain calm even if Mount Tai collapses in front of me..." the housekeeper's voice weakened.

"I... I!" The Prince, enraged to the point of trembling, shouted with a shaking finger, "If Mount Tai actually collapses, you should run for your life!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the Prince's face flushed bright red. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Grabbing the nearest object, he intended to lash out, but finding the tea bowl too small, he seized a sandalwood chair instead. The housekeeper, panicked, stumbled backward until he teetered on the threshold.

"Your Highness, calm down! Calm down!"

The housekeeper pleaded earnestly, his voice quivering with fear, while the Prince, still holding the chair, advanced toward him with each step.

At that moment, a gentle voice came from outside the threshold:

"What's going on here? Why all the noise?"

The Prince lowered the chair in haste and exclaimed,

"Princess, something terrible has happened!"

The Princess furrowed her brows, her gaze sweeping over the Prince's agitated face and the flustered housekeeper. She said,

"Then tell me quickly. There's no need to make life difficult for the servants."

The Prince took the hint, glared at the housekeeper, and said,

"Did you hear that? Speak up!"

"Yes."

The housekeeper nervously nodded and explained,

"There are rumors that the Empress Dowager intends to elevate Chen Qianhu's rank and marry him to a young lady from the East Palace. Allegedly, the wedding date is set for the Lantern Festival."

As soon as the words were spoken, the Princess, who had initially been composed, turned pale.

And for good reason—such a perfect son-in-law had been snatched away!

Given past grievances, the Prince always regarded Chen Yi as a thorn in his side, but the Princess held a different view. To her, Chen Yi increasingly resembled the ideal son-in-law with every passing glance.

Think about it—a man in his twenties, holding the rank of Qianhu, having achieved the monumental feat of saving the Emperor, and enjoying the favor of the palace. Soon to be ennobled, where else could one find such a prized match?

Moreover, at the poetry gathering, Chen Yi had made a public proposal, leading to an engagement witnessed by all. The matter was already set in stone and could no longer be altered. But if he was now coerced into marrying someone else, wouldn't that disgrace the Prince's Mansion?

If Chen Yi were to marry this unexpected East Palace lady, where would that leave Wei Ying and the Princess' daughter? Under a bed?

Even in the worst-case scenario where both the East Palace lady, Wei Ying, and the Princess' daughter entered the household together, there would still be an order to follow. As the legitimate eldest daughter of the Prince's Mansion, Yin Weiyin should naturally be the primary wife, not some co-wife in a makeshift arrangement.

With these thoughts flashing by, the Princess' expression darkened. No wonder the Prince had been so furious just now.

The atmosphere in the main hall turned oppressive, a thick tension filling the room.

The Prince's anger, though quick to rise, dissipated just as fast. He let out a sigh and muttered, "What should we do now?"

The Princess furrowed her brows deeply, several creases forming on her forehead, "What can we do? If the Empress Dowager truly intends to bestow this marriage, the Heavenly Family's will outweighs ours. I fear this East Palace lady might truly become the primary wife."

Both their faces were grim, the gloom hanging heavily between their brows. The housekeeper, meanwhile, trembled in the corner, even careful to slow his breathing.

"I have an idea."

The Prince, hands crossed behind his back, paced restlessly before raising a commanding hand and saying,

"Call off the engagement! Let Wei Ying go in person to break it off.

Let everyone see that the Empress Dowager is merely picking up the groom we at the Prince's Mansion discarded."

The Princess's eyes initially lit up, but her spirits sank just as quickly as she retorted,

"As easy as that sounds, Wei Ying is a strong-willed girl. Even if she were willing, such a move might embarrass Chen Zunming and offend the palace in the process."

In recent months, the Prince's Mansion had lost several esteemed experts from its roster of retainers. Outwardly, they had capitalized on the downfall of the Lin Party to prosper in officialdom, yet beneath the surface, their strength was a fleeting facade.

The Princess's words hit a nerve, for the Prince himself knew the truth.

Though he hadn't warmed up to Chen Yi entirely, after witnessing Yin Weiyin's determination last night and considering the engagement witnessed by so many, he had reluctantly come to terms with it. He had even started imagining a future where old grudges were forgotten, and he and his son-in-law shared a toast in harmony. Yet this sudden news was like a heavy blow to his head.

"So, what now?" The Prince frowned so deeply it seemed as though his brows might break. He slumped back into the main seat, muttering to himself, "That witch of an Empress Dowager is pressing the Chen boy. Can he defy the Heavenly Family? In the end, the solution must come from our side... but what solution?"

He paused, his thoughts seemingly catching on something before continuing,

"The solution must come from us. Time is short, so the simpler the plan, the better. Whatever the case, we must first stop the Chen boy from marrying that East Palace woman."

As his words fell, the Princess sank into deep thought.

The situation was undeniably thorny, involving the status of her legitimate eldest daughter and the reputation of the Prince's Mansion.

All of it stemmed from the Empress Dowager. But should she now enter the palace to plead with the Dowager? Impossible. For a matter of lesser importance, perhaps, but not when Chen Yi was so favored. Pleading would be futile.

Then what could they do?

After mulling it over, an unconventional idea struck the Princess.

A minimal-cost solution.

Between husband and wife, there was often an unspoken understanding. The Prince turned to the Princess just in time to hear her calmly say,

"This predicament is dire, so it requires an extraordinary solution."

"What solution?"

"My suggestion is for the Prince to feign death."

The Prince froze, his mind unable to process her words, needing a moment to regain clarity.

The Princess elaborated, "As a Prince Yizi, your death wouldn't warrant a national mourning, but the capital would nonetheless observe a period of mourning for several months. During this time, no weddings or celebrations would take place. Meanwhile, we can use the opportunity to conduct an undercover wedding for Wei Ying and Chen Yi—making it a done deal. Then, Your Highness could come back to life... The reasons for your miraculous return can be fabricated at any time. The key is to fake your death now and secure Wei Ying's position as the primary wife."

As the torrent of the Princess's words ceased, the Prince couldn't help but look troubled. In theory, this was indeed the least costly solution. He wouldn't truly lose anything, nor would it risk angering Chen or the palace.

After all, when a Prince "returned to life," wouldn't it be a joyous occasion? Would the palace dare to suggest they'd prefer a real death? Even if they harbored grievances privately, they would have to send formal congratulations and dispatch envoys to offer sympathies.

There was only one issue.

The Prince asked hesitantly, "Wouldn't it be... disgraceful?"

The Princess shook her head, saying, "If not this plan, then forget about making Wei Ying the primary wife."

Enraged, the Prince stormed, "I'll die this very moment to prove it!"

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