activa-t Chapter 37 Imperial Marriage
Chapter 37 Imperial Marriage
Qin Yaoyao looked at Dongxue and asked softly, "Isn't Brother Yanxi very amazing?" Dongxue nodded slightly in agreement, but her gaze was clearly elsewhere. At this moment, Dongxue asked in confusion, "Since the Prince is not interested in women, why is he so intimate with Miss?" Everyone laughed upon hearing this.
Yingchun laughed and said, "Oh dear, Dongxue, you're so silly! Of course, it's because the Prince likes Miss, otherwise why wouldn't he go looking for other people?" Qiuye chimed in, "The so-called 'not getting close to women' is just for those unimportant people. Naturally, he wants to be closer to the one he likes."
Banxia quickly added, "It seems we need to find some romance novels for Dongxue to read, otherwise she might have a hard time getting married if she continues like this." Yingchun nodded in agreement, "That's right, not for any other reason than that Dongxue doesn't understand anything and only knows how to bury herself in martial arts all day. To prevent her from being lonely for the rest of her life, we have to find a way to help her!" Banxia also agreed, "We definitely need to help Dongxue understand things."
Autumn Leaf chimed in, "How about I prescribe you some brain-clearing medicine?" Winter Snow, unable to bear the teasing any longer, turned to slip away. Everyone laughed uproariously, the atmosphere incredibly lively. After a period of playful banter, Qin Yaoyao sent them all back to their rooms to rest. After washing up, Qin Yaoyao climbed into bed. She clearly remembered that on the return journey, He Yanxi had told her to request the Emperor's decree for marriage. Whenever she thought of this, Qin Yaoyao was too excited to sleep. She hugged the blanket tightly, tossing and turning in bed several times, finally succumbing to exhaustion and managing to drift off to sleep. However, she slept until dawn, and even had a beautiful dream.
Meanwhile, after returning from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, He Yanxi did not go back to his own residence but went straight to the palace. Fortunately, he arrived before the palace curfew. Now, the Emperor had entrusted most affairs to the Crown Prince, while he himself spent his days enjoying flowers and the moon with the Empress, living a carefree life. When He Yanxi arrived at the Imperial Study, he saw the desk piled high with memorials, and the Crown Prince was struggling with them with a troubled expression. However, the Crown Prince was ultimately capable and soon finished processing all the memorials. He Yanxi recognized the Crown Prince and couldn't help but laugh, "Brother, you've dumped all these troublesome matters on me again, while you and Sister-in-law go out to have fun." Seeing He Yanxi enter, the Crown Prince quickly stood up from his desk, respectfully bowed, and replied, "Yes, this isn't the first time; I'm used to it."
He Yanxi nodded slightly and then said, "Fortunately, you are capable enough to handle these matters. Is Your Majesty with Your Majesty right now?" The Crown Prince nodded in reply, "That's right, Father always does." He Yanxi nodded in understanding and then said, "Then you can handle it slowly for now. I have something to discuss with Your Majesty." Before he finished speaking, he turned and left.
The Crown Prince glanced at his young uncle, who had come and gone in a hurry, and chuckled softly. He muttered to himself, "At this hour, Father should already be resting. Only my young uncle has the audacity to disturb him." With that, the Crown Prince sat down again and continued his arduous "battle" with the mountain of memorials piled up before him.
He Yanxi hurriedly left the imperial study and headed straight for the Phoenix Palace. He was extremely anxious, as if he had important business to attend to. When he arrived at the entrance of the Phoenix Palace, he immediately saw Eunuch Liu guarding outside the palace.
He Yanxi quickly stepped forward and asked Eunuch Liu, "Eunuch Liu, has the Emperor already rested?" Eunuch Liu thought to himself, "Why did this little rascal suddenly come here? The Emperor must be getting up again." He hurriedly replied, "Your Highness, His Majesty and the Empress have already rested."
Upon hearing this, He Yanxi frowned slightly, but then said firmly, "Please ask the eunuch to come inside and inform him that I have urgent business to attend to with my elder brother." Eunuch Liu looked troubled, knowing that he could not refuse, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go inside to inform him.
After a moment, Eunuch Liu came out and gestured for He Yanxi to enter. He Yanxi stepped into the palace and saw the Emperor sitting on the edge of the bed, a hint of resentment in his eyes. The Emperor looked at He Yanxi and said with displeasure, "You brat, don't you know what time it is? Coming to see me so late."
With a mischievous smile on his face, He Yanxi teased, "Could it be that I have disturbed Your Majesty's good time? If so, I will come back later so that Your Majesty and Your Majesty can rest a little longer, how about that?" His words were somewhat playful, as if he were teasing the Emperor.
The Emperor glared helplessly at He Yanxi, thinking to himself that this fellow was always so disrespectful. But he also understood that He Yanxi wouldn't have come to bother him at this time unless it was something important. So, the Emperor waved his hand, signaling He Yanxi to sit down, ready to hear what urgent matter he had to discuss.
The Emperor chuckled in exasperation. He shook his head helplessly and said, "I'm already awake, how can I possibly fall back asleep? Speak plainly, what is it that has made you, a slippery fellow, so eager to come and tell me?" He Yanxi silently took a sip of tea but didn't speak. Seeing this, the Emperor couldn't help but chuckle and tease, "Why are you suddenly silent? You seemed so rushed just now. If you remain silent now, I can only assume you have nothing important to tell me, and I can finally rest in peace."
Upon hearing this, He Yanxi said urgently, "Your Majesty, I humbly request that you grant me this marriage." Caught off guard, the Emperor couldn't help but spit out the tea he had just drunk. He asked in astonishment, "What did you say? What do you need me to do? Please repeat it again." He Yanxi respectfully repeated his request.
The Emperor finally heard him clearly this time, and asked in confusion, "What wind has blown by that has made the usually dull and clueless Xiao Jiu suddenly become so perceptive? Tell your brother quickly, which girl has captured your heart?" The Emperor asked excitedly, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Looking at the emperor's gossipy expression, He Yanxi felt utterly helpless, but still managed a smile before softly saying, "Your Majesty, the person I'm seeking is the fourth young lady of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor became excited and laughed loudly, "Haha, I knew it! You rascal, every time I offered to bestow a marriage upon you, you always made excuses and refused. And you're always hanging out with that brat Yun Ji; I really thought you had some kind of peculiar fetish! Now you've finally come to your senses and are finally willing to get married. However, was this something you and Yao Yao discussed beforehand? Does she agree to marry you? If she agrees, I will naturally bestow a marriage upon you two. But if she's unwilling, then this matter should not be mentioned again! We can't force this young lady; the Duke of Zhenguo and I are close friends, and we absolutely cannot wrong his beloved daughter. Besides, this girl is quite opinionated; how can we let her harbor resentment?"
Actually, the matter wasn't nearly as difficult or serious as it seemed! It was merely that the Emperor was somewhat displeased after being woken up, and thus planned to use the marriage decree to stall He Yanxi. However, the next few words immediately shattered the Emperor's initial interest in watching the spectacle. He Yanxi replied cheerfully, "Your Majesty is absolutely right! Of course, I've already asked Sister Yao'er, and she readily agreed! Otherwise, how could I have dared to so rashly enter the palace to request the imperial decree for marriage?" Hearing this, the Emperor felt a loss and casually asked, "If I were to refuse to grant you marriage today, what would you do?" He Yanxi immediately replied, "Your Majesty, you have your sister-in-law by your side every day, which is truly enviable! Therefore, I will definitely come to you every day to learn how to get along well with women. At that time, I'm afraid I'll need Your Majesty's guidance! After all, I also yearn to live a happy and fulfilling life like Your Majesty as soon as possible."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor thought to himself, "Good heavens, she wants to stick to me all the time! How can this be allowed? I still want to travel to the south of the Yangtze River with the Empress to enjoy the beautiful scenery!" So he sighed helplessly, "Ah, you little rascal, since you've already discussed it, then I, your elder brother, will grant you this favor and bestow marriage upon you. After all, it's truly rare for a boy like you to be enlightened!" With that, he turned to Eunuch Liu and ordered, "Go and fetch the things." Eunuch Liu respectfully replied, "Yes, sir." Before long, Eunuch Liu returned with all the items needed to write the imperial edict. The Emperor pondered for a moment, then wrote the imperial edict of marriage in a flash. The Emperor nodded in satisfaction, then handed the edict to He Yanxi, urging, "It's finished! Take it! What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go, you have no sense of propriety!" He Yanxi happily accepted the edict with both hands and turned to leave in high spirits. Before leaving, he couldn't resist a joke: "Your Majesty can finally rest easy now. After all, Your Majesty is so vigorous and healthy, you should definitely find a chance to exercise properly! I'll take my leave now!" Before he finished speaking, He Yanxi had already vanished like a gust of wind. He knew that the Emperor might change his mind and rescind the imperial decree, so he had to take this opportunity to get away as quickly as possible.
The Emperor was stunned for a moment. When he came to his senses, he hurriedly looked towards the door, but there was no one to be seen. He shook his head helplessly and was about to turn back when he suddenly caught sight of the Empress, her face flushed and her expression shy. That captivating look made the Emperor's heart instantly flutter, a surge of heat rising within him. Soon, the entire room was filled with an ambiguous atmosphere that made everyone blush and their hearts race.
Meanwhile, on the other side, He Yanxi, having received the imperial edict, was so excited he couldn't stop grinning. He was beaming all the way, seemingly immersed in joy. As he stepped through the gates of the Prince's residence, he immediately saw the steward and Lan Feng and Lan Yu waiting for him in the courtyard. Upon seeing He Yanxi's return, they immediately stepped forward, asking curiously, "Your Highness, why are you so late?" Looking at the expectant expressions on their faces, how could He Yanxi not understand their thoughts? This wasn't simply concern for his return; they were clearly waiting to hear some interesting gossip! So, He Yanxi, quick-witted, deliberately replied casually, "I went to the palace to get something from my elder brother, so I'm a little late." He then smiled nonchalantly.
The steward wasn't lying; he'd watched He Yanxi grow up! He knew his personality better than anyone. Just looking at He Yanxi's expression, he knew this matter must be extremely important. If it weren't something so urgent, why would the prince be in such a hurry, even skipping his own residence to rush straight to the palace? The only thing that could make the prince so anxious was probably Miss Qin's matter. Lan Feng remained silent, sharing the steward's thoughts and naturally considering the same thing. He was always very good at reading people. However, only Lan Yu asked with a blank expression, "Your Highness, what exactly did you go to the palace to retrieve? Why were you in such a hurry, not even returning to your residence?"
He Yanxi glanced at the three people in front of him, and his mind was already clear. He knew that Uncle Fu and Lan Feng had probably guessed the general outline of the matter; even if they couldn't fully grasp it, they could at least guess that it was related to Yao'er. Only Lan Yu, that blockhead, was completely clueless—truly utterly dull-witted!
He Yanxi's lips curled into a slight smile as he looked at the three people before him. He then slowly produced the newly issued imperial edict, still fragrant with the scent of ink. With a joyful expression, he displayed the edict before them, happily proclaiming, "This is the imperial edict bestowed upon me and my sister Yao'er by my elder brother!" Upon hearing this news, the other three showed expressions of ecstatic delight, the most excited being Uncle Fu. Tears welled in his eyes, and his voice trembled as he exclaimed, "That's wonderful! The Prince is finally getting married!" as if he had been eagerly anticipating this moment for a long time.
On the other side, Lan Feng didn't say anything, but from the slight upturn of his lips and the joy in his eyes, it was clear that he was also happy for He Yanxi deep down.
As for Lan Yu, his expression was even more direct. He jumped up excitedly, waving his arms and shouting, "Great! Our royal palace will finally have a mistress!" His joy was palpable, as if he couldn't wait to meet his future queen. The whole scene was filled with an atmosphere of joy and anticipation, which was truly touching.
He Yanxi was overjoyed, his smile wide. He thought to himself, "When Yao'er reaches marriageable age, I can marry her!" The thought brought a smile to his face, as if he could already see that happy day. He couldn't help but imagine Yao'er's reaction when he saw her tomorrow, whether she would be as happy as he was. This anticipation and longing made him even happier, completely immersed in his yearning for a bright future.