I only wished to take up my fiefdom, but my elder brother forced me to rebel.

"I am merely a servant of the escort agency; how dare I disturb His Majesty's presence?"

Before Zhao Mingzhu could kneel down, Zhou Fu led her to the imperial carriage, but Lu Cangqiong raised his hand to excuse her from the formalities.

"You weren't this cowardly when we were killing the assassin!"

Zhao Mingzhu lowered her head, but her eyes still lingered on Lu Yuan out of the corner of her eye.

Lu Yuan sat on the Crown Prince's carriage, smiled at her, and pointed to the nine-chapter imperial robe he was wearing.

Zhao Mingzhu's heart pounded wildly; this imposter was incredibly audacious!

Zhao Guoqiang followed behind and bowed.

"Your Majesty, this girl has been learning martial arts from bodyguards since she was a child and is unaware of the rules of the palace. If she has been disrespectful in any way, please forgive her."

"She just protected the emperor; what crime has she committed?"

Lu Cangqiong sized up Zhao Mingzhu.

"She dared to draw her knife and step forward when facing an assassin, and she didn't back down even when she was injured. She knows how to advance and retreat with composure, and she knows how to protect herself and others. She's a very good girl."

Zhao Mingzhu quickly bowed.

"I am only repaying the kindness that saved my life."

"A life-saving grace?"

Lu Cangqiong looked at Lu Yuan, "How come I heard that you and the Crown Prince have some other relationship?"

Zhao Mingzhu's face immediately turned red.

She wanted to deny it, but Madam Zhao had already come out from the crowd, first apologizing to the emperor, and then pulling her daughter to her side.

"Your Majesty, Mingzhu is straightforward and easily embarrassed."

"His Highness the Crown Prince did indeed save the Zhao family a few days ago and also said that he would personally come to propose marriage."

Zhao Mingzhu raised her head.

She wanted to stop her mother, but didn't know where to begin.

Seeing that her daughter was not speaking, Madam Zhao assumed that her daughter was just shy, and her smile widened.

Lu Cangqiong nodded. "Since that's the case, I will grant your wish."

"Zhao Mingzhu, would you be willing to marry into the Eastern Palace and become the Crown Prince's concubine?"

The wrinkles on Zhao Guoqiang's face smoothed out, and he quickly pushed Zhao Mingzhu out.

"Hurry up and thank the Lord for His great favor!"

Mrs. Zhao also held her daughter's hand.

"Mingzhu, His Majesty has personally bestowed this marriage upon you; this is a blessing that the Zhao family has accumulated over generations!"

But Zhao Mingzhu did not move.

Marry the Crown Prince?

So what should she do in the future?

She has already given her body to a stand-in.

He was the double sent out by the Crown Prince. To outsiders, the two looked exactly alike, but in reality, they were not the same person at all.

Once she marries into the Eastern Palace, the palace maids will discover that she is no longer a virgin.

At that time, deceiving the emperor, defiling the Crown Prince's palace, or damaging the royal family's reputation could cost the entire Zhao family their lives.

Seeing that she hadn't made a move, Zhao Guoqiang urged her again.

"Mingzhu, His Majesty is still waiting for your reply."

Zhao Mingzhu took a step back and then knelt down.

"This humble woman thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness."

"But I am of humble birth and have a rough personality; I am unworthy of His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"We hope Your Majesty will rescind your order!"

Zhao Guoqiang's smile froze.

Madam Zhao was also stunned and reached out to pull her daughter.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Haven't you always hoped that His Highness would come and propose marriage?"

"His Majesty has personally presented you with the betrothal letter, why are you still not agreeing?"

Several officials from the Ministry of Rites nearby also stopped in their tracks.

They had seen people refuse ordinary marriages, but they had never seen anyone refuse a marriage bestowed by the emperor in front of him.

Not to mention that she was betrothed to the Crown Prince as a concubine.

When the Crown Prince ascends the throne, even a concubine will be at least a Noble Consort!

Lu Cangqiong looked at Zhao Mingzhu for a while, then turned to look at Lu Yuan.

"What happened?"

After Lu Yuan alighted from the Crown Prince's carriage, he approached the imperial carriage.

"Father, this is my fault."

"She kept pressing me about my identity, and at the time, I didn't know if she was friend or foe, so I said I was the Crown Prince's double!"

"I haven't found a suitable opportunity to reveal my identity yet."

Lu Cangqiong stared at him, curled his lip, and said, "You're even lying to your own woman now?"

"Your subject was not formally enthroned at that time."

"Besides, she chased me with a knife. Even if I tell the truth, she might not believe me."

Lu Cangqiong glanced at the knife at Zhao Mingzhu's waist.

"So she still thinks you're an imposter?"

Lu Yuan nodded.

"almost."

Lu Cangqiong rolled his eyes at him.

"You made this mess, so you have to explain yourself later."

After he finished speaking, he turned to Zhao Mingzhu and said, "Marriage is a major life event, and you can't just turn it away by saying you're not good enough for her."

"Today, I formally bestow this marriage upon Zhao Mingzhu, making her the Crown Prince's concubine."

Zhao Mingzhu immediately looked up.

"Your Majesty, I cannot..."

"That's settled then."

Lu Cangqiong didn't give her a chance to refuse again.

Zhao Guoqiang quickly knelt down to express his gratitude.

"On behalf of the Zhao family, I thank Your Majesty for your grace!"

"Mingzhu has been sensible since childhood. I guarantee that after she enters the Eastern Palace, she will serve His Highness the Crown Prince wholeheartedly and ensure the continuation of the royal family's lineage!"

Zhao Mingzhu's expression changed when she heard the words "spreading branches and leaves".

She looked at Lu Yuan, hoping he could help her refuse.

Lu Yuan winked at her and made a gesture to calm her down.

The imperial entourage resumed its journey.

After the Imperial Guards cleared the Imperial Road, officials from the Ministry of Rites continued to lead the procession to the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Zhao Mingzhu remained by the rope railing, still in a daze even after the prince's carriage had gone far away.

Madam Zhao grabbed her arm.

"What's wrong with you?"

"His Highness saved the Zhao family and publicly declared his intention to marry you."

"You changed your clothes four times just a few days ago to see him, and today His Majesty has bestowed this marriage upon you, why did you refuse in public?"

Zhao Mingzhu looked around and pulled her mother into the alleyway next door.

"Mother, he is not the Crown Prince."

Madam Zhao frowned.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Lu Yuan".

"He was just a stand-in placed outside by the Ninth Prince."

"The real crown prince is someone else."

Madam Zhao reached out and touched her daughter's forehead.

"Did you hurt your head during the fight?"

"He sat on the Crown Prince's carriage, receiving the homage of all the officials alongside His Majesty. How could he possibly be a stand-in?"

He told me himself.

Zhao Mingzhu recounted all the things Lu Yuan had said.

The carriage on Zhuque Avenue belonged to the Ninth Prince himself.

Lu Yuan was just a lookalike stand-in.

The Ministry of Justice officials cooperated with him in his act in order to trick Wu Yu into confessing to the arms case.

Even the Crown Prince's token and the Imperial Sword were given to him in advance by the Ninth Prince.

Madam Zhao's expression gradually changed.

"So, what stage have you reached with him?"

Zhao Mingzhu lowered her head.

She recounted how Lu Yuan impersonated the crown prince to rescue the Zhao family and then claimed he would elope with her.

As for the blue cloth book that night, staying overnight at the Crown Prince's residence, and the fact that the two eventually turned their fake relationship into a real one, she did not elaborate.

Madam Zhao knew the outcome just by looking at her daughter's expression.

She took Zhao Mingzhu's hand and then walked towards the escort agency.

"Go back and pack your things."

"Let's leave today!"

Zhao Mingzhu caught up with her mother.

"Mother, where are we going?"

"Go to Jiangnan, go to Lingnan, go anywhere."

"You are no longer a virgin. If you marry into the Eastern Palace, the Imperial Household Department will definitely find out during their inspection."

"The Crown Prince's concubine lost her virginity before marriage; this is a crime of deceiving the Emperor, punishable by the extermination of her entire family!"

"The Zhao family, numbering in the hundreds, will also suffer misfortune along with you."

Zhao Mingzhu stopped.

"Then what about him?"

"I will send someone to inform him so that he can run away on his own."

"No, he saved my whole family, I'm going to find him!"

Just as the mother and daughter were about to leave, several eunuchs appeared behind them.

The head eunuch, holding a document, stopped them with a smile.

This servant wishes the Concubine Congratulations

Your Majesty, please come with me to the Imperial Household Department.