On our wedding night, my wife acted strangely.

The next morning, Lin Yi got up for his morning exercise as usual, without fail.

I really messed with Xiuzhu last night.

Big split, small split, old tree roots gnarled and wax hanging upside down; front backpack, back backpack, reaching inside through the buttocks.

That's really awesome.

Moreover, Lin Yi noticed that she had a lot of energy, which might be related to her years of service as a maid.

The two of them were up until late at night, but she wasn't sleepy at all. She sat up and fanned the sleeping Lin Yi, and sat there all night. She had just dressed and returned to the west wing.

She was clever enough not to cause any trouble; she made up a reason, and Luo Qingyu believed her without a doubt.

After all, Luo Qingyu was like a drowning person right now. Apart from Xiuzhu, she couldn't grab onto anything else, so naturally she wouldn't have any doubts.

After finishing his morning exercise, Lin Yi sat in the octagonal pavilion, sipping his millet porridge. He pondered that so many days had passed, and the one in the palace should have made some moves by now, especially after hearing that her son had been crippled by a dog. It was impossible for her to remain completely silent.

As the saying goes: It's easy to go from poor to rich, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.

An emperor accustomed to the highest level of luxury would certainly find it unbearable to suddenly become a pauper, eating cornbread every day.

Just then, the butler strode over.

"Your Highness," Lin An bowed.

Lin Yi didn't even look up, continuing to drink his porridge: "What is it?"

"Your Highness, someone from the palace has arrived. It's the Grand Eunuch Sun Fu, who says he has important business to discuss with you."

Lin Yi paused in his scooping of porridge, his brows furrowing slightly.

He guessed that Nangong Xiong would send someone, but he didn't expect it to be "Nine Thousand Years Old" Sun Fu.

It seems the emperor is really getting restless.

Lin Yi put down his spoon, picked up his teacup, and rinsed his mouth. "Let him in."

"Yes." Lin An accepted the order and withdrew.

Soon, Sun Fu, dressed in a dark red chief eunuch's uniform, entered with three junior eunuchs, taking small, quick steps.

They didn't bring any guards, which was probably Sun Fu's idea. He knew that bringing more guards to a place like the Regent's Palace would be useless and might even displease Lin Yi, so they simply came with a small entourage.

Upon entering the pavilion, Sun Fu, without saying a word, lifted his robe and knelt down before Lin Yi with a "plop," adopting an extremely humble posture, showing no trace of the arrogance of a high-ranking official.

"Your humble servant Sun Fu greets Your Highness. May Your Highness live a thousand years!" The three eunuchs behind him also knelt down.

Lin Yi leaned back in his chair, sipping his tea without telling them to get up.

He didn't say anything, and Sun Fu wasn't in a hurry. He just knelt there, his face still wearing a fawning smile.

Lin Yi nodded to himself.

He thought to himself, "This old eunuch is indeed a remarkable person. His patience alone is something that ordinary people cannot match."

Several minutes passed before Lin Yi slowly put down his teacup.

"Oh, it's Steward Sun. Get up."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Sun Fu then stood up, bowing deeply and not daring to look Lin Yi in the eye.

Lin Yi asked, "Why are you here?"

"Your Highness, this servant has come specifically to deliver good news."

"Oh? Then tell me, what's the cause of this celebration?" Lin Yi found it somewhat amusing. "It's not that you're congratulating me for cutting off your palace's food supply, leaving you all starving, is it?"

These words were spoken without any politeness; anyone else would have reacted with a drastic change in expression.

But Sun Fu seemed oblivious to the barb in his words, and replied with a smile, "Your Highness is joking. Your Highness is a pillar of the nation, and everything you do is for the sake of the Great Zhou Dynasty. What does it matter if we servants go hungry for a few meals?"

That's a very eloquent way of putting it.

Lin Yi became interested: "In that case, tell me what the good news is?"

"Your Highness, this servant offers my congratulations. His Majesty has decreed that Miss Luo Qingyu of the Luo family is of improper conduct and immoral character, violating the virtues of a woman, and is truly unfit to be the First Lady of the Prince's Mansion. His Majesty, out of compassion for Your Highness, and unwilling to see Your Highness deceived by such a woman, has specially decreed that the most noble princess be married to Your Highness, and the wedding will be held on a chosen date!"

After he said that, Lin Yi was stunned for a moment.

He really hadn't expected this.

However, he quickly realized that Nangong Xiong was planning to form a marriage alliance with the Prince's Mansion, making him his father-in-law, in order to buy him time to mobilize his troops.

Most importantly, he hoped that, out of consideration for his relatives, the palace lockdown would be lifted.

Hehehe, that's really surprising.

If it were an ordinary person, or someone who values ​​etiquette, morality, and the hierarchy of elders and juniors, they would definitely have gone along with it and given Nangong Xiong such face.

But me... I'm in Class 2, from elementary school to high school.

I want the princess, and I want the money too.

I need your life even more.

Having figured this out, Lin Yi smiled mischievously: "Hehehe, Your Majesty is very kind. Knowing the Lin family's hard work and great contributions, your subject Lin Yi thanks Your Majesty for your grace!"

After speaking, Lin Yi raised the millet porridge towards the direction of the palace, as if offering a toast.

Sun Fu's lips twitched.

It seems that Lin Yi no longer has any respect for imperial power, which is not good news.

Lin Yi put down his bowl of porridge and looked at Sun Fu with a half-smile: "Oh, by the way, since His Majesty is marrying off his daughter, the dowry can't be too meager, can it?"

Dowry? What dowry?

What era are we living in? Dowries still exist? Shouldn't you give a bride price when you get married? The royal family should just give some bedding as compensation.

That bastard has absolutely no shame!

Of course, he only dared to think these words in his heart. The most important thing right now was to lift the lockdown on the palace so that his masters could have a meal.

As for the rest, we'll just have to make do for now.

Anyway, His Majesty has plenty of treasures in his private treasury, so he won't feel bad about taking out a few items.

"Of course, of course!" Sun Fu nodded and bowed, his smile almost squeezing out wrinkles. "The Princess is His Majesty's apple of his eye, a golden branch and jade leaf, so her dowry is naturally the most lavish in the world. As long as Your Highness asks, let alone a dowry, even if you wanted the stars in the sky, His Majesty would find a way to pluck them down for you!"

"Stop flattering me." Lin Yi waved his hand impatiently. "I have no interest in the stars in the sky. Here's what we'll do: go back and tell His Majesty to make a list of the Princess's dowry so I can take a look. If I'm satisfied with it, the marriage is settled."

Sun Fu's heart sank.

This kid is about to ask for an exorbitant amount.

I hope Your Majesty won't feel sorry for those dead things, otherwise everyone will still go hungry.

"Of course, everything is up to Your Highness." Sun Fu paused, then said, "Um... Your Highness, you see, you'll soon be His Majesty's son-in-law, the imperial consort. Your relationship with your father-in-law can't always be..."

"Old Sun," Lin Yi interrupted him.

Sun Fu was taken aback and waited to hear what was going on.

"I know what you're trying to say. Let me tell you plainly, I won't lift the blockade until I see the dowry. So stop wasting your breath."

Sun Fu secretly wiped away his cold sweat.

He thought to himself, "This young prince is really damn hard to deal with."

"That's right, that's right. Then this servant will go back and report to His Majesty immediately, and make a list to satisfy the Prince as soon as possible."

Lin Yi picked up his teacup again: "Go."

"Yes, this servant takes his leave." Sun Fu knew that there was no point in saying more, so he could only go back and persuade Nangong Xiong properly. He knelt down and bowed again before leaving.