After saying this, the emperor turned to the chief eunuch beside him and ordered, "Draft an edict!"

Everyone was shocked upon hearing this; no one had expected the emperor to grant the marriage on the spot. Lady Liu and Lady Li looked ashen, as if their strength had been drained from them, and they were on the verge of collapse. Their carefully planned plot had not only failed, but had, through some unintended consequence, facilitated this auspicious event. Regret gnawed at their hearts like a venomous snake.

"The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven," the Chief Eunuch respectfully unfolded the imperial edict and read it word for word in a shrill voice, "The newly crowned number one scholar, Jiang Yan, is of unparalleled talent and looks like Pan An, a true pillar of the nation; the Prime Minister's daughter, Su Jinli, is exceptionally intelligent and talented, a role model for women. They are a perfect match, a match made in heaven. I am deeply pleased and hereby grant them marriage. I direct the Ministry of Rites to select an auspicious date for their wedding, to create a glorious story. I decree this!"

Tears welled up in Su Jinli's eyes as she turned to look at Jiang Yan, who was also looking at her lovingly. Both of them were filled with endless smiles and happiness. At this moment, sunlight streamed in through the cracks in the window, like a layer of golden gauze, gently falling on them, as if the heavens were also sending them their best wishes.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!" The two men knelt at the same time, their voices filled with gratitude and joy, and kowtowed to the emperor to express their gratitude.

Liu's legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground, her eyes hollow, as if she had lost her soul. Madam Li's face was ashen, her lips trembling slightly, but she couldn't utter a single word. Princess Pingyang stamped her feet in anger, her eyes filled with jealousy and resentment, but she dared not say anything more and could only watch helplessly as it all unfolded.

The emperor nodded with satisfaction, a delighted smile on his face. "Alright, alright, you two go back and get ready. I still need to go to the Queen Mother to ask for a glass of wedding wine!"

With that, he happily left the study, accompanied by the chief eunuch. Leaving behind them a room filled with people, some immersed in joy, others shrouded in loss and regret. This dramatic turn of events completely altered everyone's mood. After this unexpected experience, Su Jinli and Jiang Yan's feelings for each other became even stronger, and they looked forward to the blissful life that lay ahead.

After the emperor left, a brief silence fell in the study. Su Jinli and Jiang Yan slowly stood up, their gazes meeting. It was as if everything around them had vanished, their eyes fixed on each other. Jiang Yan gently grasped Su Jinli's hand. Su Jinli trembled slightly, but didn't struggle. She could feel the warmth of Jiang Yan's palm, a warmth that seemed to dispel all the anxiety and tension in her heart.

"Jinli," Jiang Yan called softly, his voice filled with deep affection, "I never thought that our fate would be recognized by His Majesty the Emperor in this way."

Su Jinli nodded slightly, her cheeks still flushed, and said softly: "Yes, this is all like a dream. I never thought there would be such a surprise."

The two were immersed in this sweet atmosphere, but were interrupted by a cold snort. Liu struggled to get up from the ground, her eyes filled with resentment, and she looked at Su Jinli fiercely: "Su Jinli, don't be too proud. Even if the emperor grants us a marriage, I won't let you succeed so easily."

Su Jinli frowned slightly, a trace of annoyance welling up in her heart, but she suppressed her anger and said calmly, "Liu, why are you so stubborn? You have been deliberately framing me all these days, but what have you gained?"

Liu gnashed her teeth and said, "If it weren't for you, the master wouldn't be so cold to me, and I wouldn't be in this situation now. All of this is your fault!"

Jiang Yan protected Su Jinli behind him and looked at Liu coldly, "Madam Liu, Jinli is the daughter of the Prime Minister's family. As her stepmother, you don't think about how to care for her and teach her, but instead repeatedly harm her. This is truly a loss of virtue. Now that His Majesty has granted her marriage, this is the happiness that Jinli deserves, and no one can stop it."

Liu was choked by Jiang Yan's words and was speechless. She was so angry that she was shaking all over, but she could do nothing. Mrs. Li saw that the situation was not good and hurried forward to hold Liu back: "Sister Liu, it's come to this. Let's go."

Liu glared at Su Jinli and Jiang Yan fiercely, and reluctantly left the study room at Madam Li's beckoning. Princess Pingyang also stamped her feet fiercely and turned away, muttering, "Su Jinli, just wait for me."

After everyone left, Jiang Yan turned and looked at Su Jinli, his eyes full of worry: "Jinli, Liu and Princess Pingyang will not let this go. We must be careful."

Su Jinli nodded gently: "I know. But, with you by my side, I'm not afraid of anything."

Jiang Yan smiled gently: "Don't worry, I will always protect you. No matter what means they use, we can face it together."

From then on, Su Jinli and Jiang Yan began to prepare for the wedding. Jiang Yan was busy preparing various items needed for the wedding. He carefully selected every piece of jewelry and every piece of fabric, hoping to give Su Jinli a perfect wedding. Meanwhile, Su Jinli was in the Prime Minister's Mansion, discussing the details of the wedding with Su Qingyao and Su Xiaohouye. Su Qingyao gave her advice and taught her how to choose wedding clothes and how to decorate the wedding room. Su Xiaohouye ran around excitedly, helping to prepare various things, and kept saying, "I'm finally going to have a brother-in-law. I'll have someone to practice martial arts with me in the future."

During this time, Su Jinli didn't forget about the affairs of the poetry club. She told the sisters in the poetry club about her wedding, and they all sent their blessings and said they would prepare a special gift for her. The atmosphere in the poetry club became particularly warm, and everyone was happy for Su Jinli.

However, even as wedding preparations were in full swing, discordant rumors began to spread throughout the capital. Some accused Su Jinli of shamelessness, of trespassing in a man's study and behaving in a dissolute manner. Others accused Jiang Yan of clinging to the powerful and using any means necessary to marry Su Jinli. These rumors spread like wildfire throughout the capital, placing immense pressure on both Su Jinli and Jiang Yan.

After Su Jinli learned about these rumors, she was furious: "How can these people confuse right and wrong and talk nonsense like this?"

Jiang Yan held Su Jinli's hand tightly and comforted her, "Jinli, don't be angry. These rumors were deliberately spread by Liu, Princess Pingyang and others. They want to use them to ruin our wedding. We can't let them succeed."

Su Jinli took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down: "Then what should we do? Let these rumors spread?"

Jiang Yan pondered for a moment and said, "Let's not panic. I'll go investigate and see who's behind this. At the same time, we can ask some influential people to help us clarify the rumors."

Jiang Yan then began to travel extensively, visiting dignitaries in the capital and explaining the truth to them. Su Jinli was also busy, writing an article detailing the events and having it posted throughout the capital. Their efforts persuaded some to believe their words, and the spread of the rumor gradually slowed.

However, Liu and Princess Pingyang were not prepared to give up. They came up with a more sinister plan, intending to deal a fatal blow to Su Jinli and Jiang Yan on their wedding day...