good season

Chapter 171 Arranged Marriage (Two chapters combined)

“Father, you are wise. It is absolutely true that my father-in-law was unaware of this matter. He has nothing to do with me. But I did lie. It is all my fault.”

The Third Prince spoke earnestly, and it seemed that Feng Ke was indeed unaware of the matter. Emperor Yongjia looked at him with more affection.

"Stand up and answer. Since this matter has nothing to do with your father-in-law, then how did you lie?"

The third prince quickly stood up, his face full of shame, and carefully told the truth.

It turns out that the one who truly fell for Yan Xia was Miss Lang, Lang Yuyu herself.

Yan Xia rose to fame in the capital for solving a series of major cases. After Lang Yuyu came to the capital, she met Yan Xia by chance on the street and fell in love with him. However, the Lang family was determined to marry her into the prince's mansion. Lang Yuyu dared not disobey her family, so she secretly told the Third Princess Consort Feng Jiahe and asked Consort Qiao to match them up. If Consort Qiao was willing to help, then Lord Lang and his wife would have no choice but to agree, and the marriage would be settled.

In short, this is Lang Yuyu's unrequited love, while Feng Jiahe wants to help her best friend, and the Third Prince, being devoted to his wife, comes to Consort Qiao for help.

Consort Qiao looked helpless and scolded, "Your Majesty, listen to this. They're all just talking like children. They really think marriage is like playing house. Since ancient times, marriage has been about the goodwill between two families. It's not as simple as you think."

Emperor Yongjia smiled, realizing that it was just a young woman's little musing.

But he quickly suppressed his smile. This matter was caused by Lang Yuyu. Because Lang Yuyu was afraid of her father's opposition, she bypassed the Lang family and asked the Third Prince to present the matter to Consort Qiao. But what if the Lang family knew their daughter's thoughts? Would Lang Jing really object?

Emperor Yongjia had no liking for Lang Jing, whom he considered an opportunist. This was the main reason why Consort Qiao had been reluctant to agree to let Lang Yuyu become the Third Prince's concubine.

If the Nalang family knew that their daughter liked Yanxia, ​​they would most likely agree to the marriage.

After all, there was only one Duke of Wei's mansion and one Yan family in the entire court, and Yan Xia was the most outstanding among the sons of noble families.

Once Lang Yuyu marries into the Duke of Wei's mansion, the marriage between the Yan and Lang families will be equivalent to a marriage between the Yan and Feng families.

How could Emperor Yongjia still smile at the thought of the marriage alliance between the Duke of Wei's mansion and the Feng family?
The head of the civil officials is Feng Ke. Although the Duke of Wei is not the head of the military, the Yan family has an extremely high reputation among military officers. If these two families were to form a marriage alliance, this would be the last thing Emperor Yongjia wanted to see!
The third prince, trembling with fear, whispered, "Father, please don't upset yourself. I will never dare to do it again."

Emperor Yongjia sighed and said, "You still lack experience in doing things and need more practice. How about this, starting tomorrow, you will go to the Dali Temple to observe the administration."

The Third Prince was secretly pleased. The Ministry of Personnel, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate were places where princes had to avoid suspicion, even though his father-in-law was a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Personnel.

He knew all too well what it meant that his father had now sent him to the Dali Temple to observe government affairs.

As for the story of Lang Yuyu's secret crush on Yan Xia, that was obviously made up by him.

That Lang Yuyu practically had "wanting to sleep with me" written all over her face. She even flirted with him right in front of Feng Jiahe. Only that fool, the Princess of Qingchuan, couldn't see through her intentions.

The Lang family are lackeys of the Feng family. The Third Prince already has Feng Jiahe, and he doesn't want another woman related to the Feng family in the inner quarters.

However, after this incident, the Emperor disliked Lang Yuyu and the Lang family even more. Out of consideration for his father-in-law, he would not target Lang Jing, but it would be extremely difficult for Lang Yuyu to find a good marriage.

That evening, after Emperor Yongjia finished dealing with the memorials, his attendant Liu brought him a late-night snack. Emperor Yongjia tasted a piece of pastry. Although the pastry came from the Imperial Kitchen, it was made according to Consort Qiao's recipe. Thinking of Consort Qiao, Emperor Yongjia thought of the Third Prince, and then he thought of the events that had happened that day.

The Feng family isn't the only one trying to win over the Yan family now, and the best way to do so is through marriage.

Of course, Yan Xia wasn't the only eligible young man in the Yan family, but he was the most valuable.

Emperor Yongjia pondered for a long time before finally making a decision.

The next day, Lady Yu, the wife of the Duke of Wei, was summoned to the palace by the Empress. The Empress smiled and said, "In the blink of an eye, all the children have grown up. Alas, we are getting old too."

Once the Empress started, Madam Yu guessed what she was going to say. She smiled and said, "That's right. I'm just hoping that my blockhead will come to his senses soon so that I can have my daughter-in-law's tea soon."

The Empress said, "There is a good marriage prospect right now, but we have to wait another two years. I wonder if you mind?"

Madam Yu understood immediately: "Good things come to those who wait, and a good woman will never have trouble finding a husband. Since it is a good match, what's wrong with waiting a couple more years? I beg Your Majesty to consider my humble opinion and put some effort into finding a suitable match for my good-natured son."

The Empress breathed a sigh of relief. As expected of her best friend, she understood immediately.

"So, you know which family's daughter she is?"

Madam Yu smiled and asked in return, "The one from the Liang Prince's Mansion?"

The Empress nodded: "It is her. She is the same age as Yanxia and should be of marriageable age. However, she is still in mourning. Even if the marriage is arranged, it will have to wait two years before they can get married. I just don't know if Yanxia is willing."

Madam Yu looked at him with disdain: "What does he know? He's someone who studied at the Righteousness Hall for five years, and he still wants to be picky? Does he deserve it? He's the eldest grandson of the eldest son's family, how can he not get married? Let alone a princess, even if she came from a humble family, as long as she's obedient and docile, I would be more than happy to marry her."

Upon hearing the words "docile and obedient," the Empress felt somewhat embarrassed: "That princess from the Liang Prince's mansion is said to have practiced martial arts since childhood, so perhaps she is not docile enough."

Madam Yu laughed and said, "Oh, Your Majesty, you are joking. The old Princess Liang comes from the Nie family, which is a scholarly family. The old Princess Liang is a very disciplined person. Her daughter, even if she has practiced martial arts since childhood, will definitely have good manners, not to mention her temperament. Besides, when a new bride marries into the family, there will inevitably be some shortcomings. Her family is far away, so I will teach her when the time comes."

The last sentence made the Empress's hair stand on end. Thinking about her friend's usual behavior, she couldn't help but worry for the future Crown Prince's wife.

Even before the wedding, she's already prepared for her daughter-in-law to be sent far away to live a long and difficult life.

I wonder how this man intends to discipline his daughter-in-law—whether it's through beatings or kneeling as punishment.

She is a princess after all. Would she really lay a hand on her? Hitting a princess? But thinking about it carefully, other mothers-in-law might not dare, but this one might really dare!
"Since you have no objections, then go back and wait for good news." The Empress picked up her tea.

Before taking her leave, Madam Yu repeatedly expressed that she was extremely satisfied with the marriage and that she had no desire to have any dealings with her in-laws. She wished she would never see them again. The Liang Prince's Mansion, though far away, was a perfect match in terms of social standing and family background.

After seeing Madam Yu off, the Empress sighed. At this moment, Emperor Yongjia walked out from behind the screen. The Empress quickly stood up to pay her respects, but Emperor Yongjia smiled and said, "You don't need to be so polite, Zitong. Come, sit down next to me."

The Empress did not dare to sit down directly, but waited until Emperor Yongjia sat down before sitting down below him.

Emperor Yongjia said, "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that you and she were such close friends. Zitong is gentle and virtuous, and that Duchess, well, hehe."

Emperor Yongjia shook his head helplessly. Having grown up in the palace since childhood, the women he had seen were either virtuous and kind, gentle and considerate, or alluring and charming. As for the legendary shrew, he had only ever seen one woman, Lady Yu.

The Empress hurriedly replied, "Although she was willful and capricious in her youth, she also possessed a certain chivalry. Whenever I was bullied, she was always the one who stood up for me." Emperor Yongjia had already investigated their past. Although the Empress came from a prominent family, she lost her father at a young age, leaving her and her mother dependent on others. She was often bullied and ostracized within her clan. In contrast, Madam Yu was the daughter of a military family and the eldest legitimate daughter, enjoying the adoration of her family. This fostered her spoiled and willful personality. As the Empress said, their friendship began when Madam Yu protected the Empress when she was bullied by her clan sisters.

Emperor Yongjia recalled what Madam Yu had just said and sneered inwardly. Although they were not yet married, he could already foresee that Zhao Yunnuan's life after marrying into the Duke of Wei's mansion would not be easy.

First, Yan Xia couldn't forget his cousin who died because of him, and then there was Yu Shi, the wicked mother-in-law who was determined to torment her daughter-in-law. Even though Zhao Yun Nuan was a woman who was just as capable as any man, once she entered the inner quarters, she was just a new bride bound by rules.

Nothing can erode a person's spirit and drive more than keeping them in a cage.

Emperor Yongjia took the Empress's hand and said with a smile, "The Empress is determined to drink this matchmaker's tea."

The Empress's eyebrows twitched slightly, and a smile appeared on her lips: "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. Then I'll be waiting to have some tea."

After leaving the palace and getting into her own carriage, Madam Yu patted her chest and then snorted proudly. Did they think she was stupid? What was her relationship with the Empress? She understood everything from just one look at the Empress. She knew how to play the part.

Back at the manor, Madam Yu had just sat down when the Duke of Wei returned.

Upon seeing Madam Yu, the Duke of Wei looked her up and down several times. Madam Yu glared at him and asked, "What are you looking at?"

Duke Wei said, "I'm glad you came back unharmed, without missing an arm or a leg."

"Get out of my way!" Madam Yu glared at him irritably.

Duke Wei hurriedly and shamelessly approached, "What does Her Majesty the Empress want with you in the palace?"

Madam Yu said, "It's nothing, it's just that they brought up the marriage of my eldest son. I've agreed, so just wait to receive the imperial decree."

Duke Wei was taken aback: "What did you say? You arranged the eldest son's marriage after just one visit to the palace? You didn't even ask me!"

"What's the use of asking you? This is that person's idea. You don't know, but when I was talking to the Empress today, that person was hiding behind the screen eavesdropping. Tsk tsk tsk, even the Emperor is eavesdropping. Oh dear, I really don't know what to say." Madam Yu pouted.

Duke Wei slumped onto the table with a thud: "No need to ask anymore, you're just spouting nonsense again. You'll just say I'm not strict with my household and that I'm not a proper husband. What a disgrace to me!"

Madam Yu spat and said, "Our good life is all thanks to my lies. Isn't it only natural that you're so weak-willed as a husband?"

Duke of Wei: "What nonsense have you been spouting this time?"

Madam Yu: "No, not at all. I just played the role of a wicked mother-in-law."

Three days later, an imperial edict was delivered to the Duke of Wei's mansion, betrothing Princess Zhao Yunnuan of Xingyang to Yan Xia, the heir of the Duke of Wei. Zhao Yunnuan would hold her wedding after completing her mourning period.

At the same time, the imperial envoy departed from the capital for Liangdu.

As for Zhao Tingxuan, the second son of the Liang Prince's Mansion, he only heard about the marriage when the whole capital was talking about it.

He paused for a moment, then quickly sent someone to deliver a message to Zhao Shiqing, arranging for the two siblings to meet at the teahouse that Zhen Wuduo had recently bought.

Upon meeting, Zhao Tingxuan couldn't wait to say, "Little sister, have you heard? Your elder sister has been betrothed to Yan Xia!"

Zhao Shiqing asked helplessly, "Second brother, before this, you really didn't hear a single word about it?"

Zhao Tingxuan shook his head: "Did you hear that?"

Zhao Shiqing thought to herself, "It's not just that I heard rumors; I also played a part in making this marriage happen."

If it weren't for her, perhaps it wouldn't have been Yan Xia who was betrothed, but Zhu Yu.

However, she wouldn't tell Zhao Tingxuan any of this. She said to Zhao Tingxuan, "Second brother, once the imperial decree for the marriage is issued, you should prepare to return to Liang."

Zhao Tingxuan was puzzled: "Return to Liang? How is that possible? My elder brother doesn't have any children yet."

He can't go back until his nephew is five years old.

Sometimes, Zhao Shiqing even wanted to open her second brother's head to see if it was full of mush.

"Why do you think the emperor suddenly wanted to arrange a marriage for my elder sister?"

Zhao Tingxuan looked bewildered: "My elder sister has reached the age to get married?"

When Zhao Shiqing recalled the tragic ending of her second brother in her dream, she felt that there were some things she shouldn't hide from him anymore.

"You are partly responsible for your elder sister's arranged marriage."

"My reason?" Zhao Tingxuan pointed to his nose, incredulous. "How is that possible? Could it be because of the time when Yan Xia taught Nie Da and Nie Er a lesson, and the Emperor wants us to make peace? That shouldn't be the case. I've already been punished, and Yan Xia doesn't seem like the type to hold grudges."

Seeing that he was still muttering to himself, Zhao Shiqing interrupted him and said, "Are you aware that the old princess has been corresponding with Consort Qiao?"

Zhao Tingxuan's heart stirred. He suddenly remembered that his mother had once said in a letter that she had a way to get him back to Liang, and that Consort Qiao was willing to help.

His eyes widened. He wasn't stupid; he had just oversimplified everything.

“My elder sister is betrothed to Yan Xia, so she has to marry into the capital. If my elder sister goes to the capital, then I…” His face instantly drained of color, and he shook his head violently, “No, it can’t be! My elder sister is Mother’s own daughter. Mother wouldn’t, she definitely wouldn’t.”

Zhao Shiqing interrupted him impatiently: "Actually, you've already thought of it, you just don't want to believe it. You know she's capable of doing it."

The "she" that Zhao Shiqing mentioned refers to is Princess Nie, the wife of the late Prince Liang!

Zhao Tingxuan was stunned.

Zhao Shiqing continued to stab him in the heart: "Actually, the person they originally wanted to marry their eldest sister to was not Yan Xia, but Zhu Yu, that damned eunuch Zhu Yu who had done all sorts of bad things and was utterly wicked!"