[Dream of the Red Chamber] The Princess Consort

[Serious Blurb] The Ninth Princess was the Sage's beloved daughter, born in his later years. Her childhood name was Wanwan. Since she was much younger than her elder brothers, she was doted on from childhood. She excelled at calligraphy and painting, and was born to a life of carefree luxury. Xue Baochai lost her father when she was young, and her elder brother was a wastrel. Though the family had wealth, there was no one to carry on its legacy and uphold its status. Having seen the ways of the world, she kept all her thoughts to herself, hoping only to be selected for the palace and restore the Xue family's fortunes. Then, on the day she entered the palace selection, she met the little girl she had encountered by chance many years ago. Her eyes shimmered with gentle warmth, just as they had back then, as she said: "What a beautiful elder sister." [Not-So-Serious Blurb] Wanwan: Sister, you're so well-read. Why don't you take the imperial examination and become the top scholar? Sister Bao: To become the top scholar, one must study hard for years and be learned in every subject... and also be a man. Wanwan: Then, since you're so beautiful, Sister, why don't you become my prince consort? Sister Bao: Huh? Wanwan: A prince consort needs no special qualifications. He can be appointed as a Commandant of the Imperial Guard and discuss affairs of state... There's just one condition: that person has to be you, Sister. Sister Bao: ///// [Another Blurb] One day, while they were studying, the Ninth Princess suddenly said, "Everyone says Sister has designs on marrying into the imperial family." The brush in Xue Baochai's hand paused as she annotated a book. She drifted into a daze, overcome by an indescribable mix of embarrassment and bitterness. The Ninth Princess took her hand and asked earnestly, "Why don't you try to marry into my family, Sister? Is it because I'm not a dragon or a phoenix?" Xue Baochai's cheeks flushed, but this time it was for another reason. [Reading Notes] A short story, yuri. It touches only lightly on the original plot. No textual research, no textual research, no textual research; includes my own interpretation and additions to the plot. The pairing is Sister Bao x the Ninth Princess, not the other way around. Happy ending / sweet romance / almost everyone gets a happy ending / has been coveting Sister Bao for a long time Blurb completed on June 1, 2021 Theme: Staying by each other's side.