"Congratulations, Crown Princess." Fourth Prince Song Lian beamed, looking particularly amiable. Of course, only he knew what he truly thought in his heart.

In the commissioner’s memory, he always wore a smiling face, never seen to have argued with anyone.

But he certainly wasn’t a good man.

Ah Chen returned the friendly smile, "Thank you, Fourth Brother, we are all siblings, and I will still need to rely on you in the future."

Song Lian left smiling, maintaining just the right distance, neither close nor distant.

Beside them, only Song Li remained, looking at Ah Chen with a complex expression, the situation was too sudden, and he still hadn’t reacted.

"Fifth Brother, aren’t you going to congratulate me?" Ah Chen asked with a smile.

Song Li came back to his senses and said, "Ninth Sister, things aren’t as simple as you think. Even if Father supports you, if the ministers don’t accept you, your position as Crown Princess will be unstable."

"The situation is indeed complicated, but it doesn’t mean I can’t handle it."

"Just saying that having Father proclaim me as Crown Princess isn’t something anyone can achieve. Not to mention my sisters, even among you brothers, none of you can have Father proclaim you as Crown Prince, right?"

"So, Fifth Brother, don’t use your own understanding to predict how I will fare in the future. What happens is something you’ll never be able to foresee."

"Fifth Brother, being able to say such things ultimately comes down to you thinking I shouldn’t be Crown Princess, believing I lack the capability, looking down on me, right? If I’m not suitable, are you? You can’t even have Father proclaim you as Crown Prince, so don’t talk about me."

"Not qualified."

Song Li’s face was unpleasant, wanting to refute something, but her words were factual, leaving him with a sense of frustration, not knowing how to vent it, feeling stifled.

"If you won’t congratulate me, then let’s disperse." Ah Chen lifted her steps to walk outside.

Song Li did not follow, watching her back in speechlessness.

What she said was reasonable too. Among their brothers, who dared to propose to Father to proclaim them as Crown Prince? Just on this alone, they were not as good as her.

"Crown Princess? Didn’t hear it wrong?" Cui Jing was dumbfounded when she heard the news.

Song Chen was established as Crown Princess? Meaning she could be Emperor in the future!

She felt extremely uncomfortable; did Your Majesty really favor her so? Nan Qi didn’t lack princes.

"I heard that the whole court opposed, but His Majesty insisted on establishing Princess An Ning as Crown Princess. The edict has already been issued; the ministers’ opposition is futile," the maid stated.

Cui Jing waved off the maid with a blank stare.

At the same time, the news of Song Chong establishing her as Crown Princess spread to all sides.

The princesses couldn’t believe it when they heard, feeling both envious and jealous, knowing Ninth Sister was favored, but didn’t expect Father to favor her so much.

"What?" Ning Family nearly fell over upon hearing from Cui Yu that Ah Chen was made Crown Princess. Didn’t His Majesty know Chenchen wasn’t a real princess? Even if she were, with five princes in Nan Qi, it shouldn’t be the princess inheriting the throne, should it?

Has His Majesty gone mad?

"How is that possible?" Cui Chen reacted strongly, "How could she be named Crown Princess? Does His Majesty favor her that much? A woman inheriting the throne of Nan Qi, isn’t it ridiculous? Has His Majesty lost his mind?"

Song Chen’s status was already high enough to bully Jing’er casually.

Now being named Crown Princess, inheriting the throne in the future, wouldn’t Jing’er be even more at risk?

The Emperor was truly mad, entrusting the position of Crown Heir to someone like this, wasn’t he afraid of the nation’s downfall? He couldn’t believe it, nor was he willing to accept it.

But the news was spoken by his father, something that happened during the morning court today. Father would not speak recklessly about such matters.

So it was true, Song Chen was named Crown Princess.

Even the usually composed Cui Zhao couldn’t help but ask, "Father, is it true?"

Cui Yu nodded, "Even with the court’s opposition, His Majesty insisted on establishing Princess An Ning as Crown Princess, the matter is settled."

He glanced at Ning Family, exchanging a look. Very few knew Song Chen wasn’t a genuine princess, especially His Majesty, who clearly knew this fact. Would the establishment of a Crown Princess go this way?

This was something proclaimed personally by His Majesty. He even secretly observed him in the morning but didn’t seem confused, as usual. If His Majesty was ill, issuing just one edict, one might say Song Chen pulled some strings behind the scenes.

But Cui Yu believed it was impossible for His Majesty to name Song Chen as Crown Princess, not knowing what strangeness lay within.

He felt a need to meet His Majesty and ask what’s really happening.

There was certainly something strange going on. He was afraid he might not come out once he went in, so he had to make some arrangements first. If he really couldn’t come out, there would still be others who could come up with solutions outside.

If it came to that point, revealing the true princess’s identity would be the only solution; reputation was nothing compared to Nan Qi. Once Song Chen wasn’t the Ninth Princess without the royal bloodline, even if something happened to His Majesty, insisting on making her Crown Princess would be out of question.

Late at night.

Ning Family asked, "What is really going on? His Majesty can’t possibly make Chenchen the Crown Princess."

"Chenchen is indeed our daughter, right?" Cui Yu still asked, feeling a bit uneasy.

Ning Family replied, "There’s no need to doubt this point; Chenchen is our daughter."

"That’s good." Cui Yu pondered, "This morning at court, His Majesty did not seem to have any issues, but as far as we know, it is impossible for His Majesty to name Chenchen as Crown Princess; there must be some strangeness. Either His Majesty was threatened, or someone used a mind-bending trick on His Majesty. Surely His Majesty couldn’t have been threatened; it is likely some manipulative technique was used."

"Do you mean that the person using this technique is Chenchen?" Ning Family asked in disbelief, her eyes reddened, "If this matter is resolved, won’t Chenchen lose her life?"

"Her life doesn’t matter anymore," Cui Yu’s expression was grim, "As long as it doesn’t implicate our entire Cui Family, his wife. I must go to the palace once to see His Majesty so as not to be implicated by her. Even if the entire nine generations aren’t wiped out in such a coup, executing an entire family is inevitable."

Ning Family’s face turned pale as tears fell, "How did it come to this? How could Chenchen use such methods?"

"Probably learned from Bei Qi, or perhaps there’s a capable person by her side," Cui Yu analyzed, "Didn’t they say she spent a lot to hire experts? Most likely, that’s the case. Madam, the entire Nan Qi may be at risk, so don’t think about her being our daughter anymore. She brought this on herself."