Shen Cang stood there stunned after hearing this, forgetting even to receive the imperial decree.

He turned to look at Shen Qiyin in a daze, his eyes filled with helplessness: "A...a marriage bestowed upon Lord Shen? Is it for your elder brother?"

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Before Shen Qiyin could answer, Old Madam Shen punched him first: "Emperor Guangzong is gone, are you out of your mind?"

"...That...that's Yaozu?"

"Oh dear, are you so happy you've gone mad?" Old Madam Shen smiled apologetically at E Mingfu, "He hasn't realized it yet, please don't laugh at him, Father-in-law."

"Of course not, I should congratulate you all." With that, E Mingfu pushed the imperial edict forward again: "Master Shen, please accept the edict and express your gratitude."

With his head pressed down by the old lady, Shen Cang accepted the imperial edict with a heart full of doubt.

Compared to Shen Cang's bewilderment, Old Madam Shen was overjoyed, feeling that her health had improved significantly.

Even if she was ignorant, she knew that ordinary people were not worthy of being granted a marriage by His Majesty. It had to be a family of high rank and power, or a member of the imperial family, or someone who had made great contributions to the country.

Could it be that Er Yatou cured some nobleman's illness again, and His Majesty had nothing left to reward her with, and since he happened to learn that her father had divorced his wife, he arranged a wife for her?

No matter how you look at it, being granted a marriage is a glorious thing for the family.

Shen Qiyin, however, felt that things were not so simple.

How could a good person like her father get to marry her?

Thinking of this, she probed E Mingfu's intentions and asked, "May I ask you, sir, what kind of person is this Consort Hui's younger sister? We are just ordinary people and don't usually associate with noble families, so we don't know much about her."

As she spoke, she poured him another cup of tea herself.

E Mingfu took it and sat down again, saying, "Speaking of this Lady Li, we must mention Consort Hui."

"In her early years, she was just a lowly palace maid in the Empress Dowager's palace. Later, thanks to the Emperor's favor, she was granted a position."

"However, before the late Emperor passed away, she was only a Noble Lady, and was posthumously granted the title of Imperial Concubine."

"She died trying to save the Empress Dowager. Before she died, she only prayed that the Empress Dowager would take good care of her sister and find her a good home."

"For this reason, the Empress Dowager and His Majesty have worried countless times over the years for this Lady Li." After a pause, E Mingfu changed the subject and said, "Now I have heard that there is no mistress in your household, and since Master Shen is upright and honest, and has a good appearance, he is a perfect match for Lady Li!"

Madam Shen smiled so much her eyes narrowed into slits: "A perfect match, a perfect match..."

Shen Xiyin understood.

This imperial edict was mainly issued to that Lady Li; its arrival here was merely a formality.

Shen Cang was stunned by the sudden marriage. For a moment, he couldn't even mourn his lost chastity. He was urged by Madam Shen to prepare the betrothal gifts and go to the Li family to present the betrothal gifts.

Furthermore, upon hearing the contents of the imperial edict, Jiang Wan was so enraged that she almost ground her teeth to powder!

She had endured humiliation and hardship for so long, and finally managed to outlive Sun Shi. She thought that the position of the principal wife was within her grasp, but she never expected that another unexpected obstacle would appear!

But no matter who it is, if they dare to block her way, they won't get away with it!

However, as she vaguely recalled the terrifying dreams she had during those two nights, Jiang Wan couldn't help but shudder. She secretly told herself that no matter how she fought this time, she couldn't kill anyone again.

Otherwise, if the other party becomes a ghost, it would be convenient for them to come looking for revenge, which would be a loss.

As she twirled the consecrated Buddhist beads she had obtained from the temple a couple of days earlier, she murmured "Amitabha."

Although she missed out on becoming the principal wife, Jiang Wan comforted herself by saying that her relationship with Shen Cang was different after all. Besides, she felt that that damned Lady Li might not be as good as her. Otherwise, how could Shen Cang have gotten to marry her!

pity--

However, neither Madam Shen nor Shen Cang could see through this.

As is often the case with happy events, he was so busy preparing for the wedding that he gradually forgot about the unpleasant incident from that day. Only when he woke up in the middle of the night would he suddenly wake up in a fright, and the burly man in his dream would turn into a cold sweat in reality.

I lay down again, but couldn't fall asleep.

The night was long, and he could only place his hopes on his future wife. He thought that he was middle-aged and could actually marry a beautiful woman again. If she could give him a son, then his life would be complete.

Perhaps it was divine intervention, but everything went very smoothly.

With no elders left in the Li family, on the day Shen Cang went to propose marriage, he met Li Zhenzhu herself, but was separated by a screen and could not see her true face.

She said that as a woman, living alone would be inconvenient, so she wanted to get married as soon as possible.

Although Shen Cang found it a bit strange, he thought that it was a marriage bestowed by the Emperor, and that Consort Hui had influence. He also knew that he was in need of someone to manage things, so he readily agreed.

The twelfth day of the twelfth lunar month is an auspicious day.

Shen Cang was overjoyed to welcome back his long-awaited bride.

After bowing to heaven and earth and being led to the bridal chamber, Shen Cang, with a heart full of excitement, slowly lifted the large red veil with mandarin ducks from the bride's head, using a red silk-bound auspicious scale...