The Empress Dowager was taken aback: "These two places are extremely vast, and you're just giving them to Yu'er like this?"
Zhu Dan smiled and said, "Fourth Brother has devoted himself to the Great Zhou, which is what he should do, and I trust Fourth Brother."
The Empress Dowager nodded: "Since you brothers are harmonious, I naturally will not object. You, the Emperor, can decide for yourself."
Zhu Dan stood up and bowed to the Empress Dowager again: "Yes, then I will take my leave."
"Yes, although you are busy with state affairs, you must also take care of your health. I heard from Zhang Zhongwei that you were busy until midnight again yesterday. You can't keep going like this."
Zhu Dan smiled and replied, "My grandson is still young, it's nothing."
"You're young, so you shouldn't take such a waste of your health."
"Alright, I've got it. Don't worry, Grandmother, I still have many things to delegate to my fourth brother. I'm not doing everything myself."
The Empress Dowager knew his little scheme, but didn't expose him, and waved him away.
After returning to his study, Zhu Dan personally wrote two imperial edicts. One edict conferred upon Lu Xiaoyun of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion the title of Second-Rank Princess of Zhenguo, granting her a fief of two thousand li. The other edict granted both Jiangnan and Huainan to Prince An, Zhu Yu, as his fiefdom.
Princesses of the first rank are generally of the first rank. Since they are not born to princes, they are usually demoted one rank to the second rank.
The imperial edict was delivered to the Prince of An's residence and the Duke of Zhenguo's residence.
Li Feng and Qi Yu were overjoyed, and even the Duke of Zhenguo was delighted, but Zhu Yu only raised an eyebrow when he held the imperial edict.
"Miss, Miss, shall we address you as Princess from now on?"
Zhu Yu casually placed the imperial edict on the table. Zhu Dan, who still had some conscience, said, "Why call me Princess? Call me Consort."
"Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations, Your Highness!"
Lu Xiaoyun, who was writing furiously in her study, smiled.
Ruoling and her party met with the wedding delegation of the Third Prince of Southern Liang in Liangzhou City ten days ago, but for some reason, so many days have passed and the Third Prince still hasn't mentioned when they will depart for the capital of Southern Liang.
Prince Hui has already led 500 guards on their way back to Shengjing.
Just as Lu Xiaoyun picked up her pen to process the official documents, Feng Yan rushed over to report: "Master, we have received news that Old Madam Lu has passed away."
Lu Xiaoyun frowned: "Wasn't she in very good health? How could she suddenly pass away?"
Feng Yan lowered his voice: "He was struck by lightning and died."
"What? He was struck by lightning and died?" Lu Xiaoyun was shocked. In ancient times, people were feudal and only the most wicked and evil people would be struck by lightning and die.
Could it be that God couldn't stand this old hag's behavior anymore?
"Was anything found at the scene?"
Feng Yan handed a thin steel needle to Lu Xiaoyun: "I found this next to the scattered carriage. According to the coachman, Madam Lu insisted on going down the mountain early this morning. It was thundering and raining, and no matter how much Granny He and the coachman tried to persuade her, they couldn't stop her. As a result, just as they left the gate of Ganlu Temple, a bolt of lightning struck the carriage, killing Granny He and Madam Lu instantly. The coachman was injured."
Lu Xiaoyun took the steel needle, a smile playing on her lips. She had seen Zuo Xiu holding this needle before. "I understand."
As for why the old woman insisted on going down the mountain, it was undoubtedly Zhu Dan's doing.
There's a huge locust tree at the entrance of Ganlu Temple, and a lightning rod on the carriage—isn't that perfect?
The Emperor had just passed away when Madam Lu was suddenly struck by lightning and died in such an inglorious manner. Her funeral was extremely simple.
...
The late emperor had been buried and the new emperor had ascended the throne. On August 28th, Lu Xiaoyun went to the palace to bid farewell to Zhu Dan.
Zhu Dan thought she was going to her fiefdom with her fourth brother and almost didn't dare to see her.
Lu Xiaoyun said, "Since Nanliang is unwilling to cancel the marriage alliance, there is no better way. Let's do as we originally agreed. Zhu Yu and I will go and meet the third prince of Nanliang."
Zhu Dan smiled gently: "Alright. Once you've resolved the matter with Nanliang, I'll bestow a marriage upon Ayan and Ruoling."
Lu Xiaoyun gave him a grateful smile: "Zhu Dan, thank you."
Zhu Dan stood up and walked to Lu Xiaoyun's side: "Yun'er, when you return from Nanliang, please switch back with Fourth Brother as soon as possible and make her my Empress, okay?"
Lu Xiaoyun shook her head slightly, took a step back, and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty, I am unwilling."
Zhu Dan's smile froze, and he took a step closer: "Yun'er! I am now the Emperor of the Great Zhou. Every day, ministers submit memorials urging me to establish an Empress as soon as possible. What do you say to me?"
Looking into his eyes, Lu Xiaoyun said slowly, "Zhu Dan, you know that I only have Zhu Yu in my heart. There's a two-thousand-year gap between us. I've told you before, I stopped liking you a long time ago. The person I love now is Zhu Yu!"
"And what about me?" Zhu Dan's eyes reddened as she took another step closer.
"You are the emperor of the Great Zhou. There are countless young and beautiful women in the Great Zhou. You can always find a suitable person to be your empress."
"Heh." Zhu Dan gave a bitter smile, tears welling up in his eyes. "You know that I can only find a suitable person to be my empress, not someone I love."
Lu Xiaoyun took another step back, cupped her hands in the gesture of a subject, and said, "Therefore, Your Majesty, for the sake of the Great Zhou, I urge you to establish an Empress as soon as possible!" After saying this, she turned and left.
"What if I imprison you and Fourth Brother!" Zhu Dan shouted from behind Lu Xiaoyun. "Lu Xiaoyun, I already know how to exchange you two. I possess the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, and a mere seven or eight thousandths of it is nothing. In just a few days, you can be exchanged!"
"Lu Xiaoyun, you are mine!" Zhu Dan stood behind her, speaking each word fiercely. "No one can take you away from me, not even Zhu Yu!"
Lu Xiaoyun stood at the door of the Imperial Study, without turning around, and said coldly, "Zhu Dan, don't make me look down on you!"
After saying that, he left without lingering.
Zhu Dan, it's too late. Lu Xiaoyun doesn't need me anymore. Even if the breakup was incredibly painful, I'm still unwilling to accept your offer of reconciliation now.
Sometimes, things that seem impossible to let go of are actually not so bad when you look back on them after you've truly let go.
Zhu Yu was waiting for her at the palace gate. When Lu Xiaoyun saw him, a smile appeared on her lips, and she strode towards the palace gate.
"Let's go, let's set off early."
Zhu Yu nodded to her: "Did he give you any trouble?"
Lu Xiaoyun smiled at him, walked over and hugged him tightly, planting a deep kiss on his forehead: "Don't worry, I'll handle it."
"Alright, everything is ready. Ayan and Fengyan are already waiting for us at the city gate." Zhu Yu didn't ask any more questions.
The two mounted their horses and galloped toward the palace gate.
Zhu Dan stood on the city wall, watching the two figures disappear into the distance. He became the loneliest person in the imperial city.
Autumn has arrived, and the chilly autumn wind is lifting his robes.
Zuo Xiu stood quietly behind him.
"Your Majesty, the two prime ministers request an audience and are waiting for you in the Imperial Study." With the old emperor's passing, Zhang Zhongwei aged considerably, his body becoming even more hunched.
Zhu Dan nodded, turned around and went downstairs to see the two prime ministers. The Great Zhou was not strong, the people were not rich, and the Northern Qi, Chen, and Southern Liang were eyeing it covetously. He was not yet in a position to wallow in self-pity.
If Fourth Brother and Yun'er can resolve the matter of Southern Liang, then Great Zhou will only have a few years to recuperate. During these years, he needs to ensure that Southern Liang, Northern Qi, and Chen will never dare to invade an inch of Great Zhou's territory again.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
