Entering the Palace as a Consort
Princess Jade Hayes lifted her eyelids and glanced at Quentin Qian. She had already guessed that Quentin’s special visit today was bound to spell trouble.
Quentin Qian chuckled, "Chancellor Evans, as long as you agree to let my three granddaughters marry into the Qin Palace, I’ll immediately send a letter to my clan urging them to deliver the regional tax silver. That way, you’ll have the funds to build your academies, and the Qian family will have peace of mind. It’s a win-win, don’t you think, Chancellor Evans?"
Princess Jade Hayes snorted, raising her brow at Quentin Qian. "So, letting Qian family women enter the palace as consorts is Lord Qian’s condition?"
Quentin Qian replied, "That’s exactly my condition."
Just as Quentin Qian finished speaking, Mia Qian entered from the doorway, a confident smile on her lips as she looked at Princess Jade Hayes. "Chancellor Evans, since we’re laying our cards on the table, there’s no need for pretenses. The real problem in Qin isn’t just an empty treasury—it’s that local officials aren’t cooperating with the court. Most of those officials come from the three great clans. With the royal succession unsettled, everyone’s feeling uncertain."
"As Queen, you should know that the royal harem cannot consist of only one woman. Welcoming new consorts and forging alliances with noble families is your duty as Queen."
"If King Alexander Hayes marries our Qian sisters as consorts, it’ll put the Qian family’s worries to rest. Our clan and the regional officials will pledge loyalty to His Majesty, and he’ll no longer have headaches over unruly provinces."
Mia Qian finished in one breath, raising her chin at Princess Jade Hayes, her eyes full of challenge. "Surely Her Majesty isn’t so selfish as to monopolize the King and ignore the fate of the realm?"
Quentin Qian stroked his beard with a smile. "Mia’s words are timely. Since ancient times, an emperor’s marriage isn’t just a family matter—it’s a matter of state. The consorts in the harem not only bear heirs and continue the royal bloodline, but also serve to win over noble families and officials. Her Majesty should understand: an emperor’s harem should be vast, and as Queen, you ought to set an example and help His Majesty take more consorts. Otherwise, you’re unfit to be Queen. Or has Her Majesty not figured this out yet?"
Facing the aggressive Qian Clan Elders, Princess Jade Hayes’s expression was as calm as water.
She had long known this day would come. King Alexander Hayes was, after all, a monarch—and there would always be officials with too much time on their hands, submitting memorials urging him to fill his harem.
But she hadn’t expected it to happen like this.
Mia Qian and Quentin Qian exchanged a glance, both wearing expressions of absolute determination.
Right now, Princess Jade Hayes lacked silver and the cooperation of local officials—making this the perfect leverage to force her hand.
Princess Jade Hayes was clever; she ought to make clever choices.
Letting the Qian family’s young ladies enter the palace seemed like the best—perhaps the only—solution to the current crisis.
Princess Jade Hayes lowered her gaze to the pitiful treasury reports on the desk, staring for a long moment before a faint smile appeared at her lips.
She looked up at the determined Qian Clan Elders, her fingers tapping lightly on the tabletop, and shook her head. "You make some valid points, but I will not agree. His Majesty will have only one woman in this life—me. There will be no harem, no consorts. Mia Qian, if you want to enter the palace, forget it. Not a chance."
Mia Qian hadn’t expected Princess Jade Hayes to dare refuse. Her face twisted in anger as she clutched her handkerchief. "You actually reject an alliance with the Qian family? Without our support, where will you get your silver? How will you govern the nation? I suggest you think it over!"