Ethan Bennett was initially pondering whether Her Highness the Princess had some ulterior motive, perhaps using him as a warning to others.

But in the end, he realized she really just made him stand there all morning; everything else proceeded as usual, and after court was dismissed, she seemed to have forgotten about him entirely.

Since there was no deeper meaning, it meant the Princess was truly punishing him.

But since it was only standing as punishment, the matter couldn’t be too serious.

“‘If a son is not taught, it is the father’s fault’”—this meant the problem lay with his son.

Ethan Bennett had several sons, but his second son, William Bennett, was the most useless—spending his days indulging in pleasure and pretending to be cultured, often making a fool of himself.

After thinking it over, Ethan Bennett concluded that it must be his second son who had done something foolish again, and word had reached the Princess.

At this thought, Ethan Bennett’s expression darkened slightly, deciding he would have to properly discipline his son when he got home.

Ryan had just arrived in the capital and was to participate in the consort selection tomorrow. At such a critical moment, how could any trouble be allowed? What if it ruined Ryan’s perfect impression?

On the Baishi Imperial Road, the officials gradually dispersed.

Ethan Bennett stood alone outside the hall, unsure whether to leave or stay, his expression growing increasingly awkward.

Fortunately, at last, an elderly man with a goldfish pouch at his waist walked out from the hall, accompanied by several officials, and called out to him warmly from afar:

“Han Chou, go on home. The Princess was so absorbed in state affairs just now that she must have forgotten about you.”

Ethan Bennett turned to look—it was the current Prime Minister, James Thompson.

James Thompson held the office of Prime Minister, the highest among all officials, and had served under three emperors. His experience and connections were formidable; at times, he could even outshine the Princess herself. In the Dan Dynasty, he was the most respected minister of all.

Seeing James Thompson speak, Ethan Bennett hurriedly raised his hand in salute:

“Thank you, Prime Minister Thompson. It must be that my foolish son has done something stupid again and made you laugh, Prime Minister Thompson. I take my leave.”

James Thompson, nearly seventy, had white hair and beard but looked vigorous. After gesturing in acknowledgment, he watched as Ethan Bennett departed first.

Once Ethan Bennett had gone some distance, an official beside Prime Minister James Thompson quietly teased:

“Tomorrow the Princess will choose her consort. I hear Ethan Bennett even summoned a nephew from the distant Qinghe Commandery. Hmph, trying to marry into the royal family—does he not see his own status?”

James Thompson, walking ahead, let his earlier smile fade to calmness:

“Ethan Bennett is a smooth operator. Whether or not his candidate is chosen, he must show his loyalty. The Prince of Lie and the Zong family have both petitioned for the Princess to marry. Though she agreed to the consort selection, in my view, the Princess will not relinquish power so soon. The consort will be someone close to her, a very important position. Have the candidates been arranged?”

“Rest assured, Prime Minister Thompson. Among the young talents who have come to the capital this time, there are nearly twenty who could serve your interests. In terms of character and ability, they are the best of the best. The consort will surely be chosen from among them.”

James Thompson nodded slowly, but before he could speak, another official from the southern four commanderies frowned and said:

“Yesterday my nephew arrived in the capital. I asked him if there were any outstanding candidates among those from the southern four commanderies. My nephew said over thirty people came from the south, and it’s hard to judge their backgrounds and talents. But in terms of appearance, Ryan Bennett of the Zuo family in Qinghe Commandery is unmatched. He described him as ‘phoenix eyes and sword-like brows, bright eyes and white teeth, skilled in both pen and sword, and, most importantly, of good character.’ This Ryan Bennett seems to be Ethan Bennett’s nephew.”

Upon hearing this, James Thompson frowned, but quickly returned to normal and shook his head:

“The Zuo family of Qinghe Commandery are half-farmers, half-merchants, rooted in the south for generations, with little foundation in the capital. Their only outstanding member is a third-rank assistant minister. The Princess governs on behalf of the Emperor and already faces much resistance. Choosing a consort is a chance to win over a powerful faction—she won’t pick someone just for their looks. Besides, don’t you have talented and handsome men under your own command? With so many young talents across half the country, surely they can outshine a mere youth from Qinghe Commandery?”

The surrounding officials thought this made sense and said no more, following James Thompson out of the palace.

……

On the east side of the imperial city, inside Fuyuan Palace, the residence of Princess Longli.

Over a hundred palace maids stood silent and motionless at their posts; the vast hall was utterly quiet.

The personal maid Ethan Reed stood bewildered outside the carved wooden doors of the bedchamber, trying to listen for any movement inside, but heard nothing, which only made her more anxious.

Last night, the Princess had told her to return to Fuyuan Palace first. After obeying and waiting in the hall for the Princess to return and retire for the night, Ethan Reed was shocked when the Princess finally came back—soaked to the skin, hair in complete disarray, as if she had been mistreated by someone without the slightest care.

Her face was even more frightening. Having grown up with the Princess, Ethan Reed had never seen her show such a terrifying expression.

Ethan Reed thought something had gone wrong and wanted to ask, but the Princess said nothing, slammed the door, and began smashing things, muttering words like “shameless, scoundrel…” and the like.

With such a furious temper, Ethan Reed dared not get in her way and spent the night in a side chamber. In the morning, she didn’t even dare wake the Princess, only mustering the courage to knock when it was nearly time for court.

After waking, the Princess, unusually, did not immediately wash up and head to the Zhengyuan Hall, but instead stood behind her desk, brooding for a long time with a brush in hand, then, with a fierce look in her eyes, wrote a letter and sent it to Qihuang Valley.

Standing while writing the letter seemed odd, so Ethan Reed asked why she didn’t sit down. As a result, she was punished to stand until now.