Chapter 450 Wedding in the Capital

Upon learning this, the Emperor was furious once again: "That King of Siam! How dare he try to negotiate with me!"

Seeing that war was about to reignite, Yuan Hongqu resolutely volunteered: "Your Majesty, since this matter arose because of me, please allow me to go to Siam and explain the situation to the King of Siam."

Daiyu hurriedly stopped her: "Granny, you mustn't! The situation in Siam is still unclear; it's too dangerous to go there!"

Yuan Hongqu replied, "It is precisely because of the danger that I should go. If a careless remark ignites a war, I will be guilty of a thousand deaths."

After pondering for a long time, the Emperor finally nodded: "In that case, I grant your request. You may immediately prepare to go on a mission to Siam. But remember, the dignity of the Celestial Empire must not be lost. If the King of Siam makes any unreasonable demands, do not force him."

So, before the end of the first month of the lunar calendar, Yuan Hongqu led the delegation on a journey to Siam. Daiyu stood at the dock, watching the official ship sail away into the distance, her heart filled with worry.

Lan Su comforted her, "Don't worry, nothing will happen. The guards trained by our family are no match for ordinary people. This time, Mr. Yuan brought them all with him."

The Tenth Prince also said, "My brother has ordered the navy to patrol the South China Sea. If Siam dares to make any unusual moves, we will immediately send troops to support them."

Even so, Daiyu was still unable to eat or sleep properly.

Every day she would go to the dock to look out, hoping that Yuan Hongqu would return safely.

A month later, news finally came: Yuan Hongqu had successfully persuaded the King of Siam, and the two countries reached an agreement.

Siam handed over all the spies involved in the case and apologized; China promised not to hold the King of Siam accountable and exchanged envoys to strengthen relations.

When the news arrived, the whole city rejoiced.

Daiyu was overjoyed and wept tears of joy, counting down the days until Yuan Hongqu returned.

Half a month later, Yuan Hongqu's official ship finally appeared at the dock in the capital.

Daiyu was waiting at the dock early, and as soon as she saw that familiar figure, she ran over immediately.

"Granny!" She threw herself into Yuan Hongqu's arms, tears streaming down her face. "You're finally back!"

Yuan Hongqu gently stroked her hair and said softly, "Silly Yu'er, why are you crying? Your nanny is perfectly fine."

Only then did everyone notice that Yuan Hongqu was followed by several women dressed in Siamese attire.

Seeing everyone's confusion, Yuan Hongqu smiled and said, "This is a gift from the King of Siam: four artisans skilled in Siamese embroidery and spice making. I plan to have them teach at the academy and pass on Siamese skills."

Daiyu burst into laughter through her tears: "Granny, you really are something, even on your mission you don't forget to recruit talent for the academy."

That evening, the Lin family hosted a banquet to welcome Yuan Hongqu. During the banquet, Yuan Hongqu recounted her experiences as an envoy, and everyone listened intently.

“The King of Siam was indeed tough at first, but his attitude softened after he learned that it was just a joke,” Yuan Hongqu said. “He was also afraid that war with our dynasty would really break out.”

The Tenth Prince laughed and said, "Lord Yuan's intervention resolved a conflict; his merit is truly timeless!"

Yuan Hongqu shook her head: "This matter was originally caused by me. It is already a blessing that it could be resolved peacefully. What merit is there?"

Daiyu grasped her hand: "Granny, there's no need to blame yourself. After this incident, our country and Siam have actually strengthened their ties, which is not necessarily a bad thing."

Yuan Hongqu returned safely, bringing great joy to everyone.

However, one thing was delayed in this turmoil—Lin Ruhai's marriage to Qiu Hui.

The wedding, originally scheduled for the first month of the lunar calendar, had to be postponed due to Yuan Hongqu's mission to Siam.

On this day, the Emperor summoned Lin Ruhai to the imperial palace for an audience.

Inside the imperial study, the Emperor looked at Lin Ruhai and smiled, "Ruhai, your marriage was delayed because of Mr. Yuan's mission. In truth, it was my fault."

Lin Ruhai quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty is too kind. State affairs are of utmost importance; my marriage is not worth mentioning."

The Emperor waved his hand: "That's not how it works. I've already made up my mind. Now that Mr. Yuan has returned safely, it's time for your marriage to take place. How about this, I grant you special permission to get married in the capital, with the Empress personally officiating?"

Lin Ruhai was flattered and surprised: "This...how can this be?"

"Of course, of course," the Emperor laughed. "You are an honest official and a good mother; this is an honor you deserve. Besides..." He lowered his voice, "I've heard some gossip about the Rongguo Mansion. Holding the wedding in the capital is a good opportunity to show them how much I value the Lin family."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ruhai was deeply moved and immediately kowtowed to express his gratitude for the Emperor's favor.

When the news reached the Rongguo Mansion, it indeed caused quite a stir.

Upon hearing the news, Grandmother Jia remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh: "What was bound to happen has finally happened."

Lady Wang remarked sourly from the side, "I heard that the Emperor himself bestowed the marriage upon us, and the Empress officiated. What a grand affair!"

Jia Zheng frowned and said, "It's only natural for Ru Hai to remarry. But this Miss Qiu is a bit too young."

However, despite these words, most people in the Rongguo Mansion harbored reservations about the marriage. After all, if Lin Ruhai remarried, he would no longer be the Jia family's only son-in-law.

When Daiyu learned that the wedding was to be held in the capital, she was filled with mixed emotions. She was happy for her father, but also worried about her maternal grandmother's feelings. That day, she made a special trip back to the Rongguo Mansion to pay her respects to Grandmother Jia.

When Grandmother Jia saw her arrive, she forced a smile and said, "Yu'er, you've come? I heard your father is going to hold a wedding in the capital. Are you happy?"

Daiyu said softly, "Father, I am naturally happy that you have someone to keep you company. But... I am more worried about my maternal grandmother."

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia's eyes reddened slightly: "Silly child, what is there for your grandmother to worry about?"

Daiyu nestled close to Grandmother Jia and said softly, "Yu'er knows that Grandmother is reluctant to part with Father. But please think about it, if Mother were alive, she would surely want Father to be taken care of, wouldn't she?"

She took out a brocade box: "This was specially sent by Sister Qiu to Yu'er for my maternal grandmother. She said she had long admired my maternal grandmother's name and had always wanted to pay her a visit, but was afraid of being presumptuous."

When Grandmother Jia opened the brocade box, inside was an exquisite jade ruyi, finely carved and clearly of considerable value.

"This..." Grandmother Jia was somewhat surprised, "It's too precious."

Daiyu said, "Sister Qiu said that she knows she is young and inexperienced, and she will need to learn more from her grandmother about how to manage a household in the future."

After a moment of contemplation, Grandmother Jia finally sighed, "She's a sensible child. Well, well, since Ru Hai has chosen her, what more can I say?"

Seeing that her grandmother's attitude had softened, Daiyu was delighted and said, "Sister Qiu also said that after the marriage, she will often accompany Father to visit Grandmother. If Grandmother doesn't mind, she would like to learn how to manage household affairs from Grandmother."

These words struck a chord with Grandmother Jia. Her greatest pride lay in her skill in managing the household, and now that someone was humbly seeking her advice, she naturally appreciated it.

"Since you are so sensible, I must meet you." Grandmother Jia finally smiled. "I will also go and join in the fun on the wedding day."

A huge weight was finally lifted from Daiyu's heart.