Chapter 264: Marriage in Three Days

"emperor……"

The bamboo basket filled with pork fell to the ground. Bai Moyan knelt on the ground with his knees bent, his hands hanging on both sides of his body clenched into fists nervously.

Seeing his appearance, the emperor narrowed his eyes slightly and called out in a deep voice, "Prince Wuping, what's your name?"

"Your Majesty, my name is Bai Moyan."

"It's been a while, I can't remember clearly." The emperor glanced at him and said calmly, "Why are you here?"

"Father..."

"Don't say too much."

Just as Rong Qing was about to plead for mercy, the emperor interrupted him with a wave of his hand. Helplessly, he looked at Yan Ci for help.

Yan Ci received her sister's gaze, rolled her eyes, and suddenly held her stomach and cried out in pain, "Ouch!"

Everyone's eyes turned in the direction he was.

Yan Ci curled up, looking a little ugly, "Why does your stomach hurt?"

Seeing him in such pain, the little girl immediately jumped off the stone bench and ran into the house, "Uncle Yan, Cuicui will go and call you grandpa!"

"Little ancestor, come back." Yan Ci hugged her little body and winked at her from an angle where the emperor couldn't see.

Su Zhijun didn't understand and asked in a low voice, "Uncle Yan, why is your face twitching?"

"That's enough!" The emperor was furious, glaring at Yan Ci with disapproval. "How old are you? There are children in the courtyard, and you're so eager to act like this. Aren't you afraid that the children will learn bad habits from you in the future?"

Yan Ci was obedient now. He stood up angrily and gave Rong Qing a helpless look.

The emperor glanced at these careless children one by one, took a deep breath, and then looked at Su Cheng with a gentle look, "Miss Zhao, is there any vacant room in the yard?"

"Yes." Su Cheng nodded obediently and pointed to the side, "Your Majesty, the west wing is empty."

"Okay, okay." The emperor nodded with a smile, looked at Bai Moyan, and his smile disappeared instantly, "Prince Wuping, come with me for a private chat."

Bai Moyan lowered his head, not daring to disobey, "Yes."

"Father..." Rong Qing was anxious. He took two steps forward but was forced back by a glare from his father.

The emperor reached out and pushed open the door of the west wing. In the room full of dried herbs, his eyes met with a man. The man suddenly raised his hands and covered his face with his wide sleeves.

Unfortunately, the emperor had already recognized him, "Du Heng!"

Old Man Du was so frightened that he trembled and put down his hand tremblingly, "Your Majesty."

Everyone in the yard froze in their tracks. The emperor stood in front of the wing door, turning his head and glaring at them. "What the hell is going on? Is this yard haunted?"

Why are all the people who are supposed to be dead standing here alive?

Yan Ci bravely stepped forward, dragged Du Heng out, and smiled ingratiatingly at his father, "Father, please deal with the matter of Prince Bai first. As for Court Officer Du, I will explain everything to you in detail later."

Du Heng hid behind the younger generation and grinned at the emperor, but that smile looked awkward no matter how you looked at it.

The emperor snorted coldly and walked into the house. Bai Moyan followed him obediently. Before closing the door, he looked up at Rong Qing.

"Mo Yan..."

The door of the west wing closed. Rong Qing couldn't help crying and threw himself into Su Cheng's arms, "Ah Cheng, what should I do?"

"Don't be afraid, Princess." Su Cheng patted her back gently and said soothingly, "The Emperor intends to have a private chat with the Crown Prince, but it doesn't necessarily mean he wants to blame him. He has been trapped in Changqing Palace for several months and suffered countless hardships. He has figured out many things a long time ago."

Rong Qing leaned on her shoulder, sobbing, "I'm just afraid that the emperor will not agree with me and Mo Yan. If that happens, I might as well die in the northwest."

"If that's the case, all of us will try to plead with the Emperor." Su Cheng smiled helplessly and put his arm around her shoulders. "If Princess is really worried, why not give the Third Prince a few blows to vent your anger?"

Rong Qing paused, slowly turned his head, and met the eyes of a handsome man who was tasting scallion sauce not far away.

Yan Mu couldn't understand, "Why...why did you hit me to vent your anger?"

Rong Qing forced a smile and stared at him closely, his little fist raised high, "Because it was you, you bastard, who brought Father here!"

Yan Mu hurriedly threw down the onion in his hand and ran around the yard, "Don't—Royal Sister! Show mercy!"

-

"You sit down too."

The west wing was filled with the aroma of herbs. The emperor sat at a round table, twirling a dried herb idly. "I never thought you'd still harbor feelings for Rongqing after all these years."

Bai Moyan sat down opposite him, lowered his eyes, and didn't dare to look around. "Your Majesty, I have no second thoughts about the princess."

"But Rongqing is already married." The emperor looked up at him, carefully observing the slight expression on his face.

Fortunately, Bai Moyan didn't show any disgust at all.

"Your Majesty, I know that the marriage was not your original intention. A peace agreement took away my beloved and caused you to lose your beloved daughter." Bai Moyan lowered his head, his hands tightly gripping his knees. "For the princess, the eight years in the northwest were torment and humiliation. In my heart, if she was unwilling, this marriage would not count."

"He's still a lovesick man." The emperor glanced at him and softened his tone. "What about that old fellow Bai Shigang? Is he willing to accept Rong Qing?"

"Your Majesty, my father gave the family heirloom to the princess a long time ago. Unfortunately, the princess has long adapted to life in the small courtyard and has fallen in love with this simple yet warm life. She doesn't want to be trapped in the backyard." A smile flashed in Bai Moyan's eyes. "This courtyard originally belonged to Miss Su. Seeing that the princess really liked it, she offered to give it to her."

"Your Majesty, the princess is now living a happy life, with friends always by her side. I dare to ask, can you please let her continue to be so happy?"

The emperor was silent for a long time before clearing his throat. "Will you be free in three days?"

Bai Moyan was stunned for a moment, then asked, "I haven't returned to the Marquis' Mansion yet. I'm usually free. Does the Emperor have any important instructions for me?"

"Three days later, I want to see you and Rongqing get married with my own eyes."

Bai Moyan raised his head suddenly. For a moment, he even doubted his ears. "Your Majesty..."

"You can't have a grand ceremony, so there's no need to prepare anything extra. Three days will be enough. You two can arrange the wedding in this small courtyard. Invite your closest friends and relatives, and have that old man Bai Shigang prepare the betrothal gifts for me. Although the ceremony won't be grand, every penny that should be given to Rong Qing must be given."

The emperor suppressed the soreness in his eyes and said calmly, "Tell him not to worry. The princess will get married with more dowries than not. Also, although Rongqing will not show up, you still have to return to the court."

"You are a good commander in battle. The court needs you, the people need you, and you and Rongqing's family need you to support them."

Bai Moyan could no longer sit still. He knelt down beside the round table and kowtowed three times to the emperor. "I kneel to thank Your Majesty for your great kindness. Your Majesty is willing to fulfill my wish. I am also willing to defend Daqi to the death. I have no other intentions."

The emperor glanced sideways at the blurry light yellow figure on the window, a flicker of reluctance in his eyes, and said in a hoarse voice, "Please help me take good care of Rongqing, and I will thank you."