Clement's trip to the palace was not without reason.
In the East, there existed a long-standing tradition that the crown prince did not go to war. While no such tradition existed in the West—where it was common for kings to personally lead their armies—Clement's mother, Queen Maria of Spain, naturally had her own concerns.
Chief among them was Clement's single status.
He needed to return to the palace to hear her opinion on his marriage.
The mere thought of his mother gave Clement a headache.
Even before reaching adulthood, Clement's intelligence and keen judgment had earned him a certain degree of influence. However, these advantages came at a cost—the most significant being Queen Maria's favor.
Under normal circumstances, a talented child gaining a mother's attention would be considered a blessing.In Clement's case, it was not.
Historically, Queen Maria was a power-hungry woman. Combined with Charles IV's laissez-faire approach to governance, real power in Spain had effectively fallen into her hands.
How would such an ambitious woman—one comparable to Empress Lü or Wu Zetian—react to her child's exceptional ability?
The answer was obvious: an overwhelming desire for control.
What was called "cultivation for your own good" was, in truth, constant surveillance and restraint. Even Clement, a transmigrator with memories of another life, found himself powerless under such pressure.
At first, he considered resistance—but quickly abandoned the idea.
When Carlos III was still alive, Clement was merely a promising royal child, lacking influence, supporters, or an independent power base. In the eyes of others, he was simply someone with "great potential."
By the time Clement finally came of age and began building his own faction, Carlos III had less than two years left to live, and Queen Maria's authority had grown even stronger. Resistance at that point would have been futile.
In the East, with his own royal guard, Clement might have attempted something akin to the Xuanwu Gate Incident or the Tumu Crisis. Unfortunately, this was Europe—such methods were unrealistic.
Left with no alternatives, Clement endured.
He feigned absolute obedience and filial devotion, presenting himself as exceptionally sensible and respectful in order to gain the favor of both Queen Maria and Charles IV.
The strategy worked.
Queen Maria was highly satisfied with Clement's "maturity," and over the past year or two, her control over him had noticeably loosened. Two years earlier, she had even moved out of the palace to establish her own residence, further consolidating her power elsewhere.
Given this trend, Clement believed he stood a real chance of gradually seizing authority from both his indifferent father and his power-hungry mother.
Unfortunately, external circumstances denied him that opportunity—chief among them, the outbreak of the French Revolution, which disrupted any chance of a smooth transfer of power.
There was nothing he could do.
Having such a mother was both a misfortune for Clement—and, paradoxically, a blessing for Spain.
When Clement arrived at the palace, Queen Maria was seated at a table piled high with portraits.
The sight made his eyelid twitch.
Good heavens… she's really choosing a wife.
At this time, Spain remained a major power, and the Bourbon family still commanded immense prestige. It was only natural that noble families across Europe would flock to the Crown Prince of Spain in hopes of a marriage alliance.
Clement bowed respectfully and greeted her."Good afternoon, dear Mother. May God bless you with good health."
Queen Maria smiled warmly, setting aside the portrait in her hand."Oh? Look who's here," she teased. "The dream lover of countless noble ladies in Madrid. Come here, my good boy."
She beckoned him closer.
"Look," she said, gesturing to the portraits. "These are all noble ladies from across Europe. Do you like any of them?"
Like? What does liking matter…
I'd rather marry Sophie Marceau—don't you agree?
Clement cursed inwardly.
As the Crown Prince of Spain and a core member of the Bourbon family, his marriage options were extremely limited—even in Europe, where ancient noble lineages were commonplace.
With his status, appearance and personality were irrelevant. What mattered was pedigree.
That was the reality of a political marriage.
Keeping his thoughts hidden, Clement maintained a calm smile and replied,"I will follow Mother's decision."
"Oh, you child," Queen Maria said, clearly pleased. Her smile widened before she suddenly remembered something and laughed softly."You say that now, but didn't you refuse the marriage I arranged before? You handed that opportunity straight to Antonio."
Clement chuckled awkwardly."I was young and immature back then, Mother. Please don't take it to heart."
In truth, Clement had refused deliberately.
The marriage Queen Maria referred to involved Prince Gabriel of Spain and Mariana Vitória of Portugal. Originally, Queen Maria had intended the princess to marry Clement instead.
He could never agree to that.
Though such marriages were common among royalty in both East and West, Clement—armed with memories from his previous life—simply could not accept it.
He had already resigned himself to a political marriage, but producing several intellectually impaired children was something he could not tolerate.
Fortunately, Queen Maria did not press the matter. She sighed and continued,
"Don't be deceived by the number of portraits. Choosing a truly suitable match isn't easy.
"The best option would have been the Austrian Habsburgs, but unfortunately, their direct line has no suitable young lady, and the collateral branches aren't worthy of your status.
"As for the British and Danish royal families—the Danish princess is already engaged, and the British have yet to respond. I've also heard that the British queen is reluctant to marry off her daughter, so that's unlikely.
"At this point, our best options are noble houses from smaller states—Bavaria or Saxony, perhaps. See if any appeal to you."
She shook her head, then added as if recalling something,"Oh, and there's also a Russian princess. She appears to be unmarried, but there are rumors she's illegitimate. I wouldn't recommend her."
Russia…
Russian women were famously beautiful.
More importantly, Russia and Spain were natural geopolitical allies—one in the east, one in the west—with virtually no conflicting interests.
In the future, Russia would be a key counterbalance against both Britain and France. Establishing ties through marriage would be extremely advantageous.
Clement's eyes lit up immediately.
"Do you have a portrait of the Russian princess?"