Chapter 919: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 919: The Imperial Marriage (4)
The words Chu Heng spoke were things he had never said to Emperor Hui'an before. As he watched his father’s face grow pale, the resentment in his heart slowly dissipated. He understood well that being born into the imperial family meant many things could not be helped. There had only been one emperor in history who abolished the harem and devoted himself to a single empress—the founding emperor of the previous dynasty.
Looking at the son who resembled his late wife, Emperor Hui'an hid the pain in his eyes, his voice heavy as he said, "I agree to your request! But you must promise me that if one day he has any ill intentions, you cannot show mercy."
A flicker of joy passed across Chu Heng’s face, and he replied solemnly, "I promise you, Father Emperor!"
---
The Crown Prince’s residence had a lotus pond, now filled with lush green lotus leaves and vibrant pink lotus flowers in full bloom. Yet, standing by the pond, Xiao Ruiyuan and Yan Junyu were not in the mood to admire the beauty of the flowers and leaves.
Yan Junyu looked at Xiao Ruiyuan with a furrowed brow and asked, "What does the Emperor truly mean?"
Xiao Ruiyuan shook his head and answered in a low voice, "The Emperor’s thoughts are hard to read. I’m not sure either. My cousin seems to know, but he won’t tell me."
Yan Junyu’s frown deepened. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Apart from this, has the Emperor shown any other signs of abnormal behavior?"
"Other signs?"
Xiao Ruiyuan thought for a moment, then suddenly recalled something that had happened recently. "Not long ago, the Emperor planned to arrange a marriage between Princess Ruining and Xiao Ruiqing, but my cousin stopped it."
Yan Junyu was well aware of the old issues with the Wei Yuan Marquis' family and knew that Xiao Ruiqing was coveting the title of Marquis. Hearing that Emperor Hui'an had intended to marry Princess Ruining to Xiao Ruiqing, his eyelids twitched sharply.
Xiao Ruiyuan noticed his discomfort and his expression darkened. "What are you thinking?"
Yan Junyu took a deep breath, looking around to make sure no one could overhear them, and then leaned in close to Xiao Ruiyuan. He whispered, "If my guess is correct, the Emperor might have grown wary of you."
Xiao Ruiyuan’s expression changed abruptly, his eyes flickering as he fell into thought. A growing coldness enveloped him.
The air, filled with the scent of lotus leaves, seemed to freeze. The once gently swaying lotus flowers now stood still in the silence.
Yan Junyu sighed and patted his friend’s shoulder to offer comfort. "This is just my guess. No one knows the truth, so don’t overthink it."
Xiao Ruiyuan shook his head, his voice low and tinged with a tired rasp. "Apart from what you’ve mentioned, I can’t think of any other reasons."
He had joined the army at thirteen and spent nearly ten years fighting on the battlefield. At first, it was for training, to become stronger, but after the first battle, after killing an enemy who had entered the city to harm a child, his perception of military life changed. He etched the words "defend the homeland" deeply into his heart.
He could not remember how many battles he had fought or how many times he had been wounded. His current status had been earned with his life, his sword, and his blood. He had never entertained the thought of rebellion. He simply wanted to protect everything he cared about.
The achievements of his past were now nothing more than a cruel irony.
Yan Junyu looked at his exhausted friend and, in his heart, felt a sense of injustice. Over the years, he had come to understand that Xiao Ruiyuan was not someone who coveted power or had any rebellious intentions. Yet, after all this time, the achievements he had earned had been enough to grant him a noble title. However, because he carried the title of the Wei Yuan Marquis' son, he had never been granted one. His influence in the military now far exceeded that of many long-established generals in the court.
Even though he had already surrendered his military command, as long as he raised his hand, there would be plenty of people in the army willing to follow him. He had earned the trust of the Crown Prince, and his future prospects were only set to improve. It seemed that the Emperor feared the Crown Prince might rely too heavily on him, causing him to grow wary.
Although he had figured out the cause, Xiao Ruiyuan still had many questions lingering in his heart. He turned to Yan Junyu and asked, "I understand the Emperor’s desire to use Xiao Ruiqing to counter me, but why would he not want me to marry Yan’er? The Mo family is of no significant standing—wouldn’t that be more in line with his wishes?"
This was the part that confused him the most.
Yan Junyu himself wasn’t sure either and speculated, "Maybe the Emperor already has someone else in mind—a daughter from one of his trusted ministers, perhaps."
Having a trusted minister's daughter by his side would make it easier to keep an eye on any possible rebellious intentions.
Xiao Ruiyuan thought about it for a while and found the reasoning plausible. The more he reflected on Emperor Hui'an's actions, the colder his heart grew. Even though he had no rebellious thoughts, he did not want the person he loved to harbor any suspicions. Fortunately, he had met the woman he loved, and fortunately, she loved him in return.
Yan Junyu, not knowing what was truly on Xiao Ruiyuan’s mind, saw his friend’s expression soften and felt a small sense of relief. He said, "For now, just pretend you don’t know anything. With your cousin supporting you, the Emperor won’t rush to arrange a marriage for you. From the way things are going, it seems like your cousin is determined to clash with the Emperor. Perhaps he can really secure a marriage decree for you."
Xiao Ruiyuan nodded slightly but said nothing.
If such a marriage decree had been issued in the past, he would have been thrilled. But now, knowing the Emperor’s true thoughts, he could no longer hold onto any hope...
[End of Chapter]
No comments: