The Cui family's daughter who was sent to the palace for selection this time is one year older than Lin He, and is now sixteen years old. However, the Emperor has clearly stated that he will not choose a consort for the Crown Prince until two years from now. By then, the Crown Prince will be sixteen years old, but Cui Shi will already be eighteen years old. The Crown Prince can wait, but Cui Shi cannot, so it is unlikely that the Cui family wants this daughter to enter the palace.

  But Lin Xiao remembered that Cui had a younger sister of the same age, who was only twelve years old this year. In two years, her age would be just right for the crown prince.

  As expected, after reviewing, Cui Xianfei found Lin Xiao and asked her to be a matchmaker for her own defeated niece to seek a marriage.

  Lin Xuan was a bit curious about who the Cui family had set their sights on, and smiled as she asked Cui Xianfei: "Oh, Xianfei, who is it that you have your eye on? I'll go sound them out for you."

  Cui Xianfei also smiled slightly and said: "Prince of Yanping."

  "King of Yanping?"

  Yanping Junwang is the son of Queen Dowager Liang. Because of what happened last time, Empress Cian gave Lin He's affairs to Queen Dowager Liang to manage. Afterwards, Queen Dowager Liang and Lin He got along harmoniously and often came to Lin He's palace for a visit.

  Princess Lian was also a very interesting person, with witty remarks and a straightforward way of speaking that would often unintentionally flatter you. She was also good at observing people's expressions and would sometimes share stories she had heard from Prince Yong of the First Rank about events outside the palace, which made Lin Daiyu enjoy talking to her.

  Cui Xianfei asked Lin Yi to be the matchmaker for Lian Taifei, which was indeed the best choice. Firstly, Lin Yi had a good relationship with Lian Taifei, and secondly, as the empress, Lian Taifei would have to give some face to Lin Yi.

  However, the King of Yanping was only a few years younger than the Emperor and had been married to a queen. The queen had died of illness a few years ago, leaving behind a pair of legitimate children.

  If the Choi family wants to form an alliance with the King of Yeongping, even if they marry into the royal family, it would only be as a secondary wife or a concubine who has already borne children. For someone of Choi's status, this is somewhat humiliating.

  But Lin Xiao thought about the entire imperial clan and noble families, and found that the Cui family actually had very limited options. The prominent nobles and sons and daughters of aristocratic families were all in high demand, and those who matched the Cui family's age requirements were either already married or already engaged, while the rest were not within the Cui family's consideration.

  If it's a declining noble family, the Cui family wouldn't be willing either. Moreover, as the future emperor's mother, Madam Cui was brought up with high aspirations and vision, so she might not even consider such a declining noble family. If not a noble family, then perhaps they would think of the imperial clan.

  There were still kings who did not marry, but they could not be reused by the emperor. Marrying into the royal family was just a good name, and only the Prince of Yanping, born to Empress Dowager Cixi, was reused by the emperor. Although he was only a king, he had real power in his hands.

  Since the Cui family didn't mind feeling wronged and the young lady voluntarily proposed marriage, Lin Xiao was delighted to see it happen.

  Lin Xiao told Lian Tai Fei, and at first, Lian Tai Fei was very happy. Her family background is ordinary, and the daughter of the Cui family is willing to marry down, which is like a pie falling from the sky. If it were said that the Prince of Yanping married his original wife, it would be acceptable, but now she's just a concubine.

  But even the Empress Dowager thought for a while, called her son in to discuss it, and finally regretfully declined this marriage proposal on the grounds that Prince Yanping had already been betrothed to his maternal cousin.

  The original wife of King Yeongpyeong's family background was not as good as that of the Choi family. If the original wife had not given birth to a legitimate son, it would have been easier to say, but she left behind a legitimate son. The status of the second wife is even higher than that of the original wife, and the Choi family is considered to be married down, who knows whether she will covet the title or not. Even if the Choi family does not covet the title, when they are really brought in and give birth to a legitimate son, the status of this grandson will also be embarrassing.

  Although it's a pity, thinking about the peace of mind afterwards, even the Empress Dowager thought it was better to give up. The filling is too big, and if you're not careful, you'll knock someone unconscious. Besides, she only hopes that her son will be healthy and wealthy all his life, and doesn't ask him to do great things. This marriage with the Cui family is just a bonus, it's not a must-have.

  Lin He understood Lian Taifei's concerns and didn't persuade her again. She informed Cui Xianfei of the reason given by Lian Taifei.

  Cui Xianfei felt a little regret after hearing this, but since the Cui family had humbled themselves to marry their daughter off as the second wife of Prince Yanping, they must have had some thoughts about future titles. Judging from Prince Yanping's current favor with the Emperor, it was only a matter of time before he would be promoted to Imperial Prince.

  According to the idea of the Cui family, the title of Prince would eventually be left to the son born by the Cui family. As for the eldest son born by the Empress Yuan, they could find a way to get him a title as a Duke King. In this way, the son of the Cui family could inherit the title, and the eldest son also had a future. The two sons of the Prince of Yanping could both inherit the title, which was a win-win situation for everyone.

  But since neither the Grand Empress Dowager nor Prince Yeongping had any intention of rewarding him with a noble title, there was no need for the Choe family to form an alliance with him through marriage.

  King Yeongping refused the marriage proposal from the Choi family, but King Heung was very interested in Lady Choi. He rushed into the palace and told his mother, Queen Dowager Sinjeong about his thoughts.

  Duan Gui Taifei listened and thought, "Hmm, this marriage proposal is not bad. Yanping Junwang is a junwang, the Cui family is willing to marry him as a secondary wife, his son is a qinwang, wouldn't they be even more willing to let Cui Shi marry him as a secondary wife?"

  Cao Guifei excitedly found Cui Xianfei to discuss the marriage, and promised that if Cui's family gave birth to a son in the future, he would definitely be made the crown prince. However, Cui Xianfei thought of the many concubines in the backyard of the Heng Wangfu and the previous Heng Wangfei who was bullied to death by the concubines, as well as the 70 or 80 children born out of wedlock in the Heng Wangfu. She coldly said: "My niece is not suitable for Heng Wang, Heng Wang is even older than my niece's father."

  King Yeongping was only a few years younger than Choi's father. To say such things means that he didn't take a liking to her son.

  Empress Cao was enraged and then began spreading rumors about Cui's misdeeds throughout the palace.

  Later, Wu Ce Fei of the Qinghe Wangfu heard that the Cui family was looking for a husband for their daughter everywhere. Thinking of her own son, she was overjoyed and clapped her hands, thinking that her own son was not a perfect match for Miss Cui.

  The son of Wu Ce Fei, Xiao Er Gongzi, is 22 years old this year. Given that Wu Ce Fei has always had high standards, she thinks that those who are worthy of her son in the entire capital city do not want to marry him, and those who are willing to marry him are not worthy of her excellent son. As a result, even his younger brother Xiao San Gongzi married Lin Huan five or six years ago and finally had a son this year, but Xiao Er Gongzi is still single.

  Madam Wu, the imperial concubine, thought that her son and Cui's daughter were a match made in heaven. She went to tell Qinghe King about her idea, but was scolded by him instead. Madam Wu was not willing to give up, so she entered the palace again to find her cousin, Imperial Consort Wu, hoping that she would help mediate this marriage. However, she was scolded and chased away by Imperial Consort Wu as well.

  However, this matter did wake up Wu Guifei. What the Wu family lacked was military power, and the Cui family had it. If they could win over the Cui family, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have their support. Anyway, the third prince couldn't become the crown prince like this, so there's no need to guard against him. Didn't she still have a younger brother of the same parents who was a good match for the Cui family's daughter?

  But since the Cui family had ideas about the crown princess position, they didn't plan to collude with the Wu family again and rejected this marriage.

  The marriage of the eldest daughter of the Cui family was discussed for a month or two, and finally settled on the second son of the main branch of the Li family from Zhaojun as her husband, who is also the maternal grandfather's family of Lin Di's grandmother, but the Li family is a side branch of the second house of the Li family in Zhaojun.

  But that's a story for later. For now, Lin Xuan is facing her aunt, the Queen of Qinghe, who is complaining to her about Wu Ce Fei's intelligence.