The Great Tang Dynasty: The Celestial Master Descends the Mountain, Starts by Being Deceived into Ma

Chapter 50 Imperial Marriage

Inside the Taiji Hall, the court session should have ended, but none of the officials moved.

All eyes were on Lu Jing and the young Taoist priest.

Lu Jinghe stood with his hands behind his back, looking completely at ease, as if he wasn't the one being stared at by dozens of eyes.

Li Shimin sat high on the dragon throne, looking at his ministers who seemed to want to say something but held back, and felt extremely satisfied.

You're all usually so eloquent, why are you all mute now? Don't you know who this is? Are you itching to know?

He leaned against the dragon throne, saying nothing, just watching.

The generals all turned to look at Cheng Yaojin.

Cheng Yaojin stood in the queue, eyes downcast, pretending to be a wooden figure.

But those gazes were too piercing, especially those of Yuchi Gong, whose eyes seemed to pierce a hole through him.

Cheng Yaojin was suffering in silence.

Of course he knew who Lu Jinghe was. He had beaten up his son and Lu Jinghe himself, and had even taken his son to Lantian to develop his career.

But can you really say that?

His Majesty hasn't officially bestowed the marriage yet, and he, an outsider, has already spoken out. Isn't he just asking for trouble?

Besides, although Cheng Yaojin was rude, he wasn't stupid.

This is clearly something His Majesty wants to announce personally. If he says anything out of turn, he'll definitely be punished later.

So Cheng Yaojin continued to play dead, staring at the floor as if flowers were blooming on it.

Yuchi Gong couldn't hold back any longer and asked in a low voice, "Old Cheng, who exactly is that Taoist priest?"

Cheng Yaojin didn't even lift his eyelids: "I don't know."

You don't even know who beat up your son? You're such a bad father.

"You didn't know?" Yuchi Gong's eyes widened. "You didn't know your son had been out with him for so long?"

"I have many sons, who knows which one went out with him?"

Yuchi Gong: "————"

You're ruthless; you're the one who can lie through your teeth.

Meanwhile, the civil officials on the other side were also whispering among themselves.

"Who is this person?"

"Never seen him before, he looks completely unfamiliar."

"He certainly has an extraordinary air about him, but that Taoist robe—"

"Could it be a high-ranking priest from some Taoist temple?"

"High-level skills entering the Taiji Hall?"

Discussions rose and fell, but no one could give a clear answer.

Lu Jinghe sat down next to Gao Yang with a faint smile on his face, letting them look him over.

Gao Yang, on the other hand, had a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth and a hint of smugness in his eyes.

You can't guess it even if you rack your brains.

Little Sizi nestled in Li Shimin's arms, her big eyes darting around as she curiously watched the adults.

She didn't understand why everyone was looking at Guoguo, but Guoguo looked so good standing there, better looking than everyone else.

Seeing that the time was right, Li Shimin cleared his throat.

"cough."

The court fell silent instantly.

Li Shimin glanced around, a smile on his face, and said solemnly, "My beloved ministers, I have some good news to announce today."

happy event?

The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment.

Li Shimin looked at Lu Jinghe, then at Gao Yang, his eyes filled with affection.

"Lu Jinghe is my son-in-law, and he will marry Gao Yang next month."

boom!

The imperial court erupted in chaos.

"What? The princess is marrying him?"

"Your Majesty, this—"

"The princess is marrying a Taoist priest?"

"This is against etiquette!"

Exclamations and doubts arose one after another, giving Li Shimin a headache.

He wasn't in a hurry, so he just waited until they had finished arguing before raising his hand to signal them.

"Guards, draft the imperial edict."

Wu She hurriedly presented the imperial edict that had been prepared beforehand and respectfully unfolded it.

Li Shimin solemnly read aloud: "My rule over the world is based on ensuring the well-being of the people and maintaining harmony among relatives."

"Looking at Lu Jinghe, he is extraordinary in bearing and possesses both talent and virtue, which is exactly what I desire. My daughter, Princess Gaoyang, is virtuous and well-mannered, and is skilled in etiquette. She has reached the age of marriage and should be matched with a good husband."

"Today, I personally bestow this marriage upon you, the princess. May you be married and enjoy lasting happiness together, fulfilling my expectations."

The moment the words were spoken, the court erupted in uproar.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"

A figure rushed out from the ranks of civil officials and stood in the center of the hall.

Upon closer inspection, everyone recognized Wei Zheng.

Li Shimin's eyelids twitched.

Well, I knew you'd jump out.

Wei Zheng cupped his hands, his neck stiff, and said, "Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!"

"Why not?" Li Shimin asked calmly, though he seemed somewhat unhappy.

Wei Zheng was always like this, but this time he was officiating at his daughter's wedding.

Although I had already guessed he would jump out, I was still unhappy.

Wei Zheng remained unfazed and declared loudly, "The princess's marriage is a matter of great national importance; how can it be handled so hastily?"

"This Taoist priest Lu, I have never heard of him before, I know nothing of his background, his family, or his talents. How could he possibly be worthy of the princess?"

"Furthermore, since ancient times, princesses' marriages have always been political alliances, aimed at consolidating the state and forging connections with meritorious officials. As His Majesty's beloved daughter, Princess Gaoyang should choose a worthy husband to appease the people!"

"Your Majesty's hasty bestowal of this marriage may invite criticism from both the court and the public. We urge Your Majesty to reconsider!"

His words were forceful and resounding, and many civil officials nodded in agreement.

Li Shimin's face darkened.

Before he could speak, another person stepped forward.

"I second that proposal!"

When everyone saw Fang Xuanling, they were all taken aback.

What does this have to do with you? Why are you jumping in?

Fang Xuanling walked to Wei Zheng's side, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, what Lord Wei said is absolutely right. A princess's marriage is no child's play; how can it be done so hastily?"

He paused, then added, "Moreover, I have heard that this Daoist Lu is a recluse, without official position, without family background, and without social standing."

"What benefit would it bring to the country or the state if the princess married him?"

Li Shimin's eyes turned cold.

On the surface, Fang Xuanling was talking about etiquette, but in reality, he knew very well that Fang Xuanling had privately approached him a few days earlier, wanting to ask for his second son, Fang Yi'ai, to marry Gao Yang.

He refused at the time.

Now that he has promised Gao Yang to Lu Jinghe, it's no wonder Fang Xuanling is unhappy.

Sure enough, Fang Xuanling continued, "If Your Majesty wishes to choose a husband for the princess, there are many sons of meritorious officials in the court. Why worry about not finding a good match?"

My second son, Yi'ai, has studied with the princes since childhood. He is of upright character and excels in both literature and martial arts. If he could—”

"That's enough!"

Li Shimin slapped the dragon throne and stood up abruptly.

The hall fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop.

Li Shimin's face was ashen, and he stared intently at Fang Xuanling.

"Fang Xuanling, what do you mean?"

Fang Xuanling was taken aback, then realized he had said the wrong thing.

Fang Yi'ai has been telling him every day that he wants to marry Gao Yang, and he's been muttering about it for a month now, making him dizzy.

In his haste, he blurted out his true thoughts. Wasn't that blatantly stealing the horse?

But the words had already been spoken and couldn't be taken back.

Fang Xuanling forced a smile and said, "I just feel that the matter of the princess's marriage needs to be considered more carefully—"

"Take it a long time?" Li Shimin sneered. "My daughter, can't I even make decisions for her?"

"That's not what I meant—"

"Then what do you mean?" Li Shimin pressed on, "You just said that a princess's marriage should be a political alliance to consolidate the state and connect with meritorious officials, and that is not untrue."

He swept his gaze across the assembled officials, his voice suddenly rising: "But I ask you, what is a princess? She is my daughter! My precious daughter whom I raised with the utmost care! Not a tool for your political alliances!"

"You all keep talking about propriety and the nation, but have you ever considered whether Gao Yang is willing?"

The hall was completely silent.

Li Shimin looked at Wei Zheng: "Wei Zheng, you just said that a princess should be married to a good match in order to appease the people. Then I ask you, where is Jinghe not a good match?"

Wei Zheng opened his mouth, but didn't know how to answer.

He really didn't understand Lu Jinghe.

Li Shimin then said, "You say he has no background or social standing, but do you know that he built a glass factory in Lantian, and the products it produces are priceless?"

"You say he lacks talent and learning, but do you know that Li Chunfeng once played chess with him and lost a mansion?"

"You say he's a recluse, without official rank or position, then today I will bestow upon him the title of Celestial Master, a third-rank official. Is that enough?"

"The messenger drafted an imperial edict, appointing Lu Jinghe as the Celestial Master of the Tang Dynasty, placing him in the Imperial Observatory, and assigning him the position of Grand Astrologer alongside Li Chunfeng!"

Wei Zheng was stunned by the barrage of words.

The courtiers were also stunned.

Celestial Master? Third Rank?

Who exactly is this young man?

Li Shimin took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and lowered his voice.

"I know what you're thinking. A princess marrying into a powerful family is of no benefit to the country or the nation. But I'm here to tell you today that my daughter is not a commodity to be traded!"

"Gao Yang loves Jing He, and Jing He loves Gao Yang. They are mutually in love. As their father, why shouldn't I grant their wish?"

"Do you really want Gao Yang to marry someone she doesn't know and doesn't like, and live a life of unhappiness before you're satisfied?"

These words were so powerful that they left the assembled officials speechless.

Wei Zheng's lips moved, but he ultimately couldn't utter a word.

He had offered countless pieces of advice throughout his life, but this time, he didn't know how to refute them.

Li Shimin was right. A princess is first and foremost a daughter, and only then a princess.

What right do these officials have to decide the princess's fate?

Fang Xuanling's face turned pale and then red, and he lowered his head, not daring to speak again.

Li Shimin glanced around and said coldly, "This matter is settled. Anyone who has objections, speak up now."

"Let me see who is more suitable than I, her father, to decide who Gao Yang will marry!"

The hall was deathly silent.

No one dared to utter a sound.

Li Shimin waited for a while, and seeing that no one spoke, he sat down again.

"Nobody said anything?" He waved his hand. "Then it's settled. Announce it to the world: Gao Yang and Lu Jinghe will be married at the end of next month!"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

The generals shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

Cheng Yaojin shouted the loudest; his voice was so loud it could lift the roof off.

He felt incredibly pleased. "You civil officials who whine all day long, you've finally met your match!"

Gao Yang sat to the side of the hall, his eyes slightly red.

She looked at Li Shimin on the dragon throne, her lips pressed tightly together, but she couldn't utter a word.

Father Emperor—he withstood the pressure from the entire civil service!

That damned Fang Yi'ai, he actually wants to marry her? A toad lusting after a swan! Just you wait! I'll get my revenge sooner or later!

Little Sizi nestled in Li Shimin's arms, looking around at this and that, when suddenly she exclaimed in her childish voice, "Father, you're so amazing!"

This sound shattered the atmosphere inside the hall.

Li Shimin couldn't help but laugh, patted her head, and asked with a smile, "Sizi, isn't Father Li amazing?"

"Awesome!" Little Si nodded vigorously, then pointed at Lu Jinghe, "Brother Lu is awesome too!"

"Does that girl like Guoguo?"

"like!"

"How about letting Guoguo be your brother-in-law?"

"Okay!" Little Sizi replied loudly.

Everyone in the hall burst into laughter.

The tense atmosphere from just moments ago was completely dispelled by the little girl's few words.

Li Shimin then remembered that he had important business to attend to.

He looked at his ministers and said solemnly, "Besides the matter of bestowing the marriage, I have another matter to announce."

The courtiers immediately perked up their ears.

Li Shimin said, "Jinghe built a glass factory in Lantian County. You have probably never seen the glass that it produces."

He looked at Lu Jinghe and gestured, "Jinghe, show them what you've got."

Lu Jinghe nodded and called out towards the outside of the hall, "Move it in."

The young eunuch who had been waiting outside the door immediately responded and quickly carried in a wooden box.

The box was placed in the center of the hall and opened.

In an instant, everyone was stunned.

"This—this is—"

The box contained dozens of glass items, including crystal-clear cups and exquisite small ornaments.

"This is... glass?"

"No, no, it's much clearer than glass!"

"My God, how much is this worth?"

The court erupted in commotion once again.

The military officers stared wide-eyed, and the civil officials, forgetting all restraint, craned their necks to look into the box.

Cheng Yaojin rushed over and reached out to touch it.

"Don't touch it!" Lu Jinghe reacted quickly, slapping his hand away. "You'll have to pay for it if you break it!"

Cheng Yaojin wasn't annoyed at all, rubbing his hands together and chuckling, "Pay up, pay up! How much is this thing worth? I'll buy one!"

Lu Jinghe glanced at him: "Can you afford it?"

Cheng Yaojin remained silent.

He probably can't afford it.

Something so translucent, one of those things could probably be worth half a year's salary for him.

Yuchi Gong leaned closer, his eyes practically bulging out of their sockets: "Old Cheng, did your son really help build this thing?"

Cheng Yaojin puffed out his chest, beaming with pride: "Of course! My son personally supervised the construction and guarded the site; he deserves a great deal of credit!"

"Come on," Yuchi Gong scoffed, "You just said you didn't know who the prince consort was."

Cheng Yaojin's face darkened, and he pretended not to hear.

Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, Lu Jinghe smiled and said, "These are the first batch of samples. They will be officially on sale in a few days."

"If any of you are interested, you are welcome to come and support us."

"Of course—" He paused, then smiled meaningfully, "The first batch is limited, and the highest bidder wins."

These words caused another uproar in the imperial court.

The highest bidder wins?

Does that mean whoever has more money can grab it?

Many ministers have already begun to assess their own assets.

Wei Zheng stood in the crowd, looking at the crystal-clear glass products, then at Lu Jinghe, his expression complex.

This person is indeed extraordinary.

No wonder His Majesty insisted on marrying off his daughter.

Li Shimin smiled so much that his eyes narrowed as he looked at the reactions of his ministers.

What a good son-in-law! This business is a sure thing!

He cleared his throat and said solemnly, "This matter is settled. Court is adjourned."

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Lu Jinghe wanted to go out with the court officials, but Li Shimin stopped him.

"Jinghe, you stay."

Lu Jinghe nodded and walked to the dragon throne.

Gao Yang also came over. Little Sizi was still in Li Shimin's arms, and he took out Little Li and played with her happily.

After everyone had left, Li Shimin finally spoke: "I have fulfilled my promise to you."