The legitimate daughter returns to the capital and embarks on a splendid life, tearing apart the fak

The emperor did not immediately agree, but remained silent for a moment before speaking: "Have the fifth prince tell me himself later. After all, it's his own decision to marry, and I should hear his opinion."

Consort Shu's heart sank. She didn't know if the emperor was making excuses or if he really wanted to hear Fan'er's opinion.

But she dared not ask, and could only nod in agreement: "Your Majesty is right. I will have Fan'er ask you himself later. After all, it is his own business, and he should take it to heart."

The emperor put down his wine cup, stood up, and said, "I still have memorials to review, so I'll be leaving now."

Consort Shu hurriedly got up to see him off, and after escorting him to the door, the Emperor left without looking back.

Consort Shu stood at the door, watching his figure disappear into the night, her smile fading little by little.

She turned and went back to the inner palace, leaned against the couch, closed her eyes, and unconsciously tapped her fingers on the table.

After a while, she called out to the outside, "Someone, have Fan'er come over after court tomorrow. Tell him I have something to discuss with him."

The female official responded and left.

The next day, Xiao Yifan finished court and had just stepped out of the main hall when he was stopped by a female official from Consort Shu's side.

The lady-in-waiting bowed and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, Her Majesty requests your presence here, saying she has something to discuss."

Xiao Yifan nodded and turned to walk towards Yongning Palace.

He knew that his mother was in such a hurry to find him most likely because of the arranged marriage.

In Yongning Palace, Consort Shu was sitting by the window, lost in thought, clutching a handkerchief in her hand.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw Xiao Yifan come in. She quickly waved for him to sit down.

Xiao Yifan bowed and sat down opposite Consort Shu, asking directly, "Mother, what did Father say?"

Consort Shu sighed and recounted her conversation with the Emperor during dinner the previous night in detail.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yifan frowned. "What does Father mean? Is he refusing, or does he have other plans?"

Consort Shu shook her head and said in a low voice, "Your father, the Emperor, speaks with great righteousness, but he is actually the most suspicious person in the world. He specifically mentioned Chu Duanshan, probably because he is worried that you have ambitions."

Xiao Yifan's eyes darkened, and after a moment of silence, he said, "I understand. I will go see Father Emperor now."

Consort Shu reached out and straightened his collar, instructing him, "Speak calmly, don't rush. If your father doesn't agree, don't worry, your mother will help you think of another way."

Xiao Yifan nodded, turned around and strode out of Yongning Palace.

In the imperial study, the emperor was reviewing memorials, growing angrier with each review.

As the year draws to a close, the memorials from various places are all pretty much the same, either praising the government or self-aggrandizing, and they are all devoid of substance.

The emperor had just finished reading a book of memorials. Not a single sentence in the entire book was useful. He didn't even want to write a review, so he simply crossed it out and tossed it aside.

Just then, a palace attendant came in to report that the Fifth Prince requested an audience.

He opened his eyes, put down his pen, and waved his hand: "Announce."

Xiao Yifan walked in and knelt down respectfully to pay his respects to the Emperor: "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

The emperor leaned back in his chair, looking at him with a detached gaze, and asked bluntly, "I heard from your mother that you have feelings for the eldest daughter of the Yun family? Is that true?"

Xiao Yifan lowered his head and replied firmly, "Your Majesty, it is indeed so. When I first saw Miss Yun at the palace banquet, I was filled with admiration for her. However, I never dared to say it, for fear of offending Miss Yun."

Furthermore, I feared it was unrequited love and did not wish to force a marriage. Only recently did I learn that she also had feelings for me. Only then did I dare to ask Father for your blessing.

The emperor tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table, his gaze falling on Xiao Yifan's face with a scrutinizing look. After a moment, he suddenly asked, "If she were just an ordinary woman, would you still be willing to marry her?"

Xiao Yifan raised his head, looked into the emperor's eyes, and replied frankly, "Father, my desire to marry Yunxiu has nothing to do with whose daughter she is. I admire her as a person, not her social standing."

The emperor stared at him for a long while, then suddenly asked, "Isn't it because she is destined to be a phoenix?"

Xiao Yifan's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected that the Emperor had also heard about this. He steadied himself and said with a wry smile, "Father, that was just a trick by charlatans to swindle money. In those few days, any young lady from a prominent family in the capital with any beauty was said to have a phoenix destiny. That Taoist priest was later arrested by the Jingzhao Prefecture. Father should have heard about that too."

He looked at the emperor, his tone extremely sincere, "Father, you can find out by sending someone to investigate. I don't care about social status, much less the so-called destiny of a phoenix. Wouldn't it be utterly absurd for me to ask to marry Miss Yun for this reason?"

The emperor was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "You are indeed honest."

Xiao Yifan quickly lowered his head, his tone filled with trepidation: "Your subject dares not deceive Your Majesty."

The emperor leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table.

Xiao Yifan knelt on the ground, motionless. He didn't know what the emperor was thinking and could only wait.

After a long while, the emperor opened his eyes, his voice tinged with helplessness: "Fine. Since she is the girl you desire, I will grant your wish."

Xiao Yifan was overjoyed and quickly kowtowed, saying, "Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your grace!"

The emperor called out to the outside, "Fu Lai!"

Fu Lai quickly stepped forward: "This servant is here."

The Emperor said, "Draft an edict. Bestow marriage upon the Fifth Prince and Yunxiu, the eldest daughter of Yunheting, and choose a date for the wedding."

Fu Lai responded and immediately went to summon the Imperial Reader to draft an imperial edict.

The Emperor then said to Xiao Yifan, "Get up. Go back and make preparations. I will have Fulai personally go to the Yun residence to deliver the imperial decree, and I will also have the Imperial Observatory choose an auspicious day."

Xiao Yifan kowtowed again, stood up, and left.

Yunhe Pavilion returned to his residence after court and was about to change his clothes when the gatekeeper rushed in to report: "Master, Master! Eunuch Fu from the palace has arrived, saying he's here to deliver an imperial decree!"

Yun Heting suddenly stood up and hurriedly ran outside, but he forgot that his legs had only just learned to walk. In his haste, he almost fell.

Ping An quickly stepped forward to help him up, but Yun Heting waved his hand and loudly ordered, "Don't worry about me, quickly, open the main gate! Set up the incense table! Send someone to inform Madam and Miss!"

Soon, the incense table was set up, and the maids and servants knelt on the ground. Yun Heting knelt at the front, followed by Chu Wanqing and Yun Xiu.

Holding the imperial edict, Fu Lai stood behind the incense table, unfolded it, and read aloud: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: It is hereby decreed that Yun Xiu, the eldest daughter of Yun Heting, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, is gentle, virtuous, and of dignified character, a worthy match. Therefore, the Fifth Prince, Xiao Yifan, is hereby betrothed to her as his principal wife, and an auspicious day shall be chosen for the wedding. This is the imperial decree!"

Yun Heting trembled, his head hitting the ground, his voice shaking: "Your subject accepts the decree and thanks you! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Yunxiu was overjoyed. The day she had been waiting for had finally arrived. From this day forward, she would be the Fifth Prince's future wife.

After Fu Lai finished reading the imperial decree, he handed it to Yun Heting and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Lord Yun, congratulations, Miss Yun."

Yun Heting quickly took out a thick purse from his sleeve and stuffed it into Fu Lai's hand, thanking him repeatedly.

Fu Lai accepted the gift with a smile, offered a few words of congratulations, and then took his leave.

Yun Heting escorted Fu Lai's sedan chair to the door, watching it drive away before turning back to Chu Wanqing and smiling, "Madam, I'll need you to arrange Xiu'er's marriage. Also, I'll need your help with Xiu'er's dowry!"

(Yunxiu and the Fifth Prince are finally going to be tied together. Some fans feel the plot is a bit slow. Actually, I'm a little frustrated myself. I only thought the character setting was quite interesting.)

It was only later that she realized it was very difficult for an adopted daughter to have a voice in the household. Since she didn't want to easily kill her scumbag father and mistress, she could only raise her status first.

Now that Yunxiu and the Fifth Prince's marriage is settled, Yunjin should return to the capital. The story will get even more exciting from here on out.

Please give me a thumbs up and a good review; it will motivate me even more!