These words caused a stir among the people in the hall, who were surprised to find that the Marquis of Anding, who had always been known for his good reputation, had this side to him.
"This Lord Lu is so pitiful. I thought Lord Lu treated his eldest son very well. No wonder Lord Lu didn't seem very happy when he heard about Lord Lu's promotion."
"Indeed, everything that happens in the inner quarters has been brought into the open, which shows that Lord Lu has suffered a lot in private!"
As Lu Chengyuan listened to those words, his brow twitched. He was about to say something more when he heard the person in the main seat say, "Since Lord Lu has said so, let's leave it at that."
However, although this matter is indeed a family affair of Lord Lu, it happened right under my nose, so I cannot let it go so easily.
Lord Lu failed to manage his household properly, which led to this disaster. He was fined two years' salary.
As for Madam Lu, as the matriarch of the Lu family, you harbored ill intentions towards the eldest son. Considering that the matter did not escalate into a major disaster and that Lord Lu did not pursue the matter, I hereby order you to reflect on your actions in the Lu family ancestral hall.
No one may step out of the ancestral hall without my permission.
Lord Lu, is there anything else you wish to say?
Lu Chengyuan glared at Jiang Yimian and the other person before clenching his fists and saying with a gloomy expression, "Your subject accepts the punishment and has nothing to say."
In the current situation, there's no point in him saying anything more; he should think carefully about what to do next.
Chen Shuyu, who was standing to the side, just slumped on the ground, looking at the people in the hall in disbelief, unable to understand how things had turned out this way.
Jiang Yimian clearly seemed like a coward, so how dare she openly slander her at the palace banquet? And the evidence was irrefutable, leaving her unable to refute it.
Xie Jingxuan glanced at the expressions of everyone in the hall before continuing unhurriedly, "Miss Jiang has made many contributions in Qingnan on this trip, so I hereby bestow upon you the title of Princess Ning'an, and grant you a princess's residence and a considerable amount of jewelry."
As for other matters, I have heard that you are interested in the Bureau of Imperial Sacrifices.
Although you are a woman and cannot serve as an official in the court, the Bureau of Classics is currently not involved in politics. If you wish to go, that is fine. I will appoint you as a proofreader in the Bureau of Classics, and you may enter the Bureau of Classics at any time.
He was genuinely surprised that someone who was usually aloof and uninterested in anything would ask him to help Jiang Yimian get into the Bureau of Justice.
It seems his cousin is indeed interested.
He didn't believe Xie Yu at first, but since Xie Yu asked for his help and confessed his feelings in public, he had no choice but to believe it.
Jiang Yimian was stunned for a moment before she hurriedly knelt down to express her gratitude. She never expected that Lu Cijian's method was to go directly to the emperor, which made her both amused and exasperated.
However, the others who heard this were almost speechless.
To everyone's surprise, Jiang Yimian was granted the title of Princess. This was the first Princess Xie Jingxuan had conferred after ascending the throne, and he had even bestowed a special title upon her, making it exceptionally significant.
Xue Lingyu was also furious, gritting her teeth as she sat in front of her seat, glaring at Jiang Yimian with resentment. The silk handkerchief in her hand was already crumpled beyond recognition.
She couldn't believe that the person she had always looked down on had suddenly become a princess, with a title bestowed by the emperor himself. Wouldn't that mean she would have to bow to this wretched woman whenever she saw her in the future?
What right does this despicable person have? She should clearly be a lowly commoner.
The others looked at Jiang Yimian with envy.
Xie Jingxuan just smiled, ignoring the thoughts of everyone in the hall. Suddenly, he thought of something and looked at Lu Cijian, saying, "Lord Lu is now of marriageable age. Since you just said that Princess Ning'an is your beloved, then I will take the liberty of bestowing a marriage upon you."
Upon hearing this, Lu Chengyuan felt a headache coming on and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, this is absolutely not allowed! Ci Jian has been engaged to Miss Xue since childhood, and he is about to fulfill his engagement with Miss Xue. How can he marry Princess Ning'an as well?"
Upon hearing this, Xue Lingyu's heart, which had been in her throat, finally settled down. She knew that Lu Cijian could only marry her and could not marry anyone else.
She is the one who should marry Lu Cijian.
Xie Jingxuan merely raised an eyebrow at Lu Cijian, his eyes filled with schadenfreude.
Lu Cijian simply said, "This marriage was arranged by my mother, but at that time it was for the eldest daughter of the Xue family. Now that the eldest daughter of the Xue family is no longer here, and my mother is also no longer here, the marriage should be null and void."
Besides, this marriage agreement should have been none of my concern while I was still in the capital.
His words were quite sarcastic, and everyone present understood them perfectly, their gazes toward Lu Chengyuan becoming increasingly subtle.
If Lu Cijian hadn't returned to the capital and joined the Censorate, repeatedly making meritorious contributions, this marriage contract would probably still be with the second young master of the Lu family.
Even though he was the one who was engaged, the Xue and Lu families never mentioned it, so when people in the capital thought of this marriage, they initially talked about Xue Lingyu and Lu Lin.
Lu Chengyuan was so angry at these words that he looked at Lu Cijian with a cold expression, feeling for the first time that his eldest son seemed to have slipped out of his control.
Originally, he had no expectations for anything Lu Cijian did, after all, this person's return to the capital was only to help him better secure his control of the Imperial Guard.
However, he felt gratified when the other party repeatedly made a name for himself in the capital, but that was all.
After all, this person was only returning to the capital for his own plans, so no matter how well he did, it was unnecessary for him.
But now, he realizes that this person is not so easy to control, and will not care about his plans at all, and may even ruin them.
Lu Cijian's gaze towards him lacked the respect a son should have for his father, and it also lacked the fear Lu Lin had shown him. It was as if he were looking at a stranger, someone insignificant.
He disliked that look in his eyes.
Xie Jingxuan pretended not to see the undercurrent between the father and son, and nodded, saying, "Lord Lu is right. However, I think Marquis Lu is reluctant to give up this marriage."
"I recall that Lord Lu has another son. In that case, why not let the second young master of the Lu family and Miss Xue be the ones to carry out this marriage?"
Lu Chengyuan frowned and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, although the marriage was arranged by my late wife, I also agree to it."
The two ladies had already discussed and agreed on the wedding date; how could they change it because of his words?
Marriage is a major event traditionally arranged by parents and matchmakers. I am a man of my word, and I implore Your Majesty to rescind your decree.
The more Lu Cijian tried to break free from his control, the less likely he was to let go easily; this marriage was a warning.
Lu Cijian simply smiled, showing no sign of panic. Instead, he appeared confident and didn't take him seriously.
Lu Chengyuan's eyes suddenly sharpened, and he silently clenched his fist.
He had seen that look on another person's face before; it was a look he utterly disliked.
Xie Jingxuan narrowed his eyes upon hearing this. He stared intently at the person kneeling on the ground, his expression softening, but his voice carried a hint of coldness. "So, Lord Lu intends to defy the imperial decree? How can I take back what I have said?"
I never expected that Lord Lu and Lord Xue would be so close in private, even to the point that they've already made preparations for their marriage.
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