Chapter 405: Chapter 405 - 405: Other Meaning

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

“Three thousand beauties? I’ve mentioned before that it’s a conservative estimate. The emperor selects a group of beauties to enter the palace every three years. Moreover, the palace maids chosen to serve in the palace also become the emperor’s consorts. In total, there are far more than three thousand!”

Su Ning found herself momentarily stunned, then leaned closer to whisper into Qin Zhenzhen’s ear, “With so many women, can His Majesty… fulfill his responsibilities towards all of them?”

Qin Zhenzhen replied softly, “Certainly not! Some of the beauties never even lay eyes on the Emperor before they pass away, yet the Emperor never bears any guilt for them.”

A hint of sadness crept into Su Ning’s expression. “If he can’t fulfill his duties, why did he marry so many women?”

Qin Zhenzhen explained, “Possession!”

“In fact, it’s not just the emperor. Besides the main and secondary consorts, there are numerous other beauties and concubines in the palace.” “It’s common for them to favor the new and neglect the old.”

“Some unloved ones are left in obscurity until they pass away from old age.”

“This is why it’s said that the royal family is the most ruthless.”

“INO one rrom outside tne royal ramuy can marry Into lt.’

Qin Zhenzhen shared these insights with Su Ning to underscore the impossibility of marrying the Third Prince. Regardless of Su Ning’s feelings towards the Third Prince, Qin Zhenzhen felt it was crucial to be cautious.

Upon hearing this, Su Ning appeared somewhat reluctant to accept it. “Not every prince… behaves this way, right?”

Qin Zhenzhen nodded with certainty. “That’s the general rule. There are hardly any exceptions. ”

“That’s because everyone within the royal family adheres to this tradition. If they don’t, they’ll be seen as unconventional.”

Upon hearing this, Su Ning visibly composed herself, yet her expression bore a hint of unease, suggesting that something weighed on her mind.

Qin Zhenzhen contemplated silently. Judging by Su Ning’s demeanor, it seemed that she might already harbor feelings for the Third Prince.

At the very least, the idea of marrying him had crossed her mind, or she wouldn’t have displayed such a keen interest in the matter.

Nonetheless, Qin Zhenzhen felt that her explanations had made an impact.

During the nighttime hours, Su Bin unexpectedly broached a topic with Qin Zhenzhen, asking, “Did you have some ulterior motive behind what you said to Sixth Sister earlier today?”

Qin Zhenzhen found herself taken aback. “You overheard our conversation? What else could I possibly mean?”

“I’m merely stating the facts. Perhaps I said too much,” she replied, refusing to acknowledge any hidden intentions.

Su Bin, however, wasn’t buying it. “Even someone with limited insight could see that you were cautioning Sixth Sister against trusting anyone from the royal family.”

“Are you concerned that Sixth Sister might develop feelings for… the Third Prince?”

Qin Zhenzhen’s surprise deepened. “How old is your sixth sister? Why would you even suspect such a thing?”

Su Bin inquired further, “Don’t you have any doubts? You know Sixth Sister better than I do.”

“The implications of your words are quite obvious. If I didn’t understand, I’d be quite naive,” Qin Zhenzhen admitted somewhat awkwardly.

“Alright, perhaps I was overly cautious,” she conceded. “I shouldn’t have imparted that to Su Ning. It’s possible the Third Prince won’t follow in his brother’s footsteps.”

Su Bin tenderly embraced her. “Wife, I don’t intend to blame you. In fact, I should thank you. You did the right thing.”

“Regardless of whether Sixth Sister entertains such thoughts or not, we must intervene promptly,” Su Bin asserted.

“Sixth Sister is incredibly naive; she wouldn’t fare well against those scheming women in the palace.”

“I’d prefer she marry someone from a less prominent family, one who’d pledge his lifelong fidelity and shield her from the intrigues of the palace.”

Qin Zhenzhen breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Su Bin shared her concerns.

Suddenly, Su Bin shifted the topic. “Wife, what’s on your mind?”

“I’m not thinking about anything,” Qin Zhenzhen replied.

“You’re not being honest. Are you pondering the fact that we haven’t spent any intimate time together today?”

“That’s not true!”

“I’m sure it is.’

With those words, Su Bin sealed Qin Zhenzhen’s lips with his own..