Chapter 3 Setting Rules for the Women of the Crown Prince
"If not her, then who?!" Gao's mother rolled her eyes. "Could it possibly be because of you?! Shanshan's older brother is an advisor to the Eastern Palace and a favored confidant of the Crown Prince. With just one word, he could help Zheng get appointed as a Capital Official! Unlike you—completely useless, only capable of spending Zheng's money!"
Gao Zheng frowned and said, "Mother, please stop talking."
"What, am I wrong?" Gao's mother retorted angrily. "I reckon you've been utterly bewitched by her!"
Gao Zheng's expression turned complex. "Enough. Let's eat first."
Shen Yinning tilted her head, fiddling with her wine cup.
She cast a meaningful glance at Yin Shanshan but did not say a word, merely smiling.
After a few rounds of drinks, Yin Shanshan, a little tipsy, began describing the bustling activity of the Capital: "In two days, it will be the Bathing Buddha Festival. I've heard that every year during this time, Shengguo Temple hosts a lively dharma assembly. Even the Crown Prince and Crown Princess Consort will go there to distribute porridge and perform acts of charity! The elderly abbot at Shengguo Temple will personally open a lecture on the scriptures. Only those with status—high-ranking officials' spouses and matriarchs from noble families—can attend the lecture!"
Believing in Buddhism, Gao's mother hurriedly said, "Shanshan, isn't your older brother well-connected with the Crown Prince? Could he ask the Crown Prince to arrange a spot for me to attend the lecture?"
Yin Shanshan readily agreed: "That's not a difficult task at all. My brother will surely take care of it."
Her brother had only been appointed to the Eastern Palace last year.
In truth, she didn't even know the specifics of her brother's role there or how close he was to the Crown Prince. When she asked him in a letter to speak kindly about Zheng to the Crown Prince, it was completely on a whim.