Chapter 278 The Marriage Proposal
Mingzhu was actually exhausted from crying, and the desperate, life-or-death feeling she had felt was somewhat diluted by Shen Yisheng's expression of utter despair.
Looking at the little princess's eyes, swollen like peaches, Shen Yi sighed resignedly.
"Alright, alright, little ancestor, stop standing here in the wind. Your face is all wet with tears and snot. If you catch something bad, the Emperor will skin me alive!"
He disdainfully picked up his wet sleeve with two fingers and shook it.
"Let's go, let's find a place, I'll buy you a drink to calm your nerves."
So, half an hour later, in a quiet pavilion in the palace, several plates of refreshing side dishes and a pot of "Autumn River Moon" tea were laid out on a stone table.
Shen Yi's original intention was to calm Mingzhu down, but little did he know that Mingzhu's alcohol tolerance was barely greater than that of an ant.
After a few drinks, he couldn't suppress his shock, but he also started talking non-stop, and he talked like a madman.
"Shen Yi, let me tell you!"
Mingzhu raised her hand and slammed it down, making the cups clink. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were exceptionally bright because of her drunkenness.
Have you ever been deceived or schemed against by the person closest to you? Have you ever suddenly realized that the person who loves you the most also wants to destroy you the most? ...No!
"As for me... I just didn't want to marry anyone casually, but my grandmother tried every means to lure me into spending time with another man in the same room."
Shen Yi paused in his cup-holding hand, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, and asked calmly, "Did you see who it was?"
Mingzhu shook her head repeatedly, took another swig of wine, and angrily put the wine glass on the table.
"I can't see clearly, but all men in the world are the same; they're all the same!"
Shen Yi raised an eyebrow: "You're wronged, Princess. You can't condemn everyone just because one man schemed against you."
Isn't that so?
Mingzhu slammed her hand on the table again, her voice fierce: "You and the Imperial Uncle, one always has a cold face and only knows how to scare people, the other is foul-mouthed and mean-spirited, only knows how to make sarcastic remarks!"
Shen Yi shook his head and chuckled, showing no embarrassment whatsoever.
"Your subject thanks you for your praise, Princess."
I wasn't praising you!
Mingzhu was so angry that she threw an empty wine glass at him, but Shen Yi caught it easily.
"You're all the same, all you know how to do is make arrangements! Why should you decide my marriage? Don't I know what kind of person I like?"
She became more and more agitated as she spoke, and stood up unsteadily, poking Chen Yi's chest randomly with her fingers.
Shen Yi was too lazy to dodge, so he simply chuckled and slowly poured her another cup.
"Then tomorrow I will accompany the princess to the Temple of the Old Man Under the Moon and pray to him to give the princess a perfect husband from heaven, okay?"
"Stop being sarcastic."
Mingzhu snatched the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp. "Even if I can't find anyone, I'll just never get married!"
As if words alone weren't enough, Mingzhu's gaze fell on the wine pot again, and she boldly reached out to grab it.
But Shen Yi, with lightning speed, grabbed him and pulled him away first.
"Alright, you've drunk all the wine in the palace. Leave some for us drunkards."
Seeing Mingzhu's drunken state, he was both annoyed and amused.
It's okay to indulge yourself for a while when you're in a bad mood, but don't get drunk.
Then he changed the subject: "The matter of being forced into marriage is not actually that serious. I have an idea."
“The princess has not been seriously looking for candidates before, which is why she has been in such a passive position. This time, why don’t you calm down and make a list for your royal uncle to review?”
"Just say that you carefully selected all these men and wanted to see them one by one. This will prolong the marriage process and give you more choices. With this legitimate reason, the Empress Dowager won't be able to get angry. What do you think?"
Mingzhu's mind was clouded by alcohol, and she didn't react for a moment, staring blankly at him.
Shen Yi, however, was already seriously planning this matter, and the more he thought about it, the more ingenious it seemed.
This would not only solve the problem of this nagging little devil, but also add a brick to Huo Lin's ability to check and balance the Empress Dowager.
Most importantly, his gaze fell on the horribly disfigured sleeves of his robe, and his lips twitched slightly.
Well, so she won't ruin my clothes again.
Without delay, after persuading Princess Mingzhu to return to the palace that night, Shen Yi didn't rest. He stayed up all night to compile a list of eligible handsome men in the capital for her.
The next day, after court, Shen Yi, carrying the list of names, went to the Imperial Study in a mysterious manner.
He slammed the list down on Huo Lin's desk.
"Here's a list of young men from respectable families who are decent in appearance and character. Use it to shut the Empress Dowager up. I'm telling you, your little niece is too difficult to please. Sending me just a jar of century-old wine isn't enough."
Huo Lin was slightly taken aback. He glanced at the list, which even carefully noted the personality traits and reputation of some people.
He looked up, his gaze falling on Shen Yi's two large dark circles.
Wow, that's rare.
This guy didn't even like doing his homework when he was young, but now he can stay up all night writing furiously for Mingzhu?
Thinking of this, his tone couldn't help but carry a hint of mischief: "Oh? Why does someone bring up alcohol as soon as Mingzhu's wedding is mentioned? Trying to drown one's sorrows?"
Shen Yi nearly choked on his own breath: "Cough cough, this is the important point!"
“I’m doing this for your own good. She’s always causing trouble, threatening to jump into the lake or hang herself. Can you handle that? Besides, the Empress Dowager is watching closely. If she’s really used, won’t you, her uncle, be the one who regrets it?”
Huo Lin naturally understood and nodded slightly: "I understand, I will consider it."
To be honest, Shen Yi's move was very thoughtful and clever.
But before he could investigate further, Mingzhu, after sobering up, realized what was going on.
There must be a list of potential spouses, a list of suitable husbands to choose from, and a plan to delay things.
Since that's the case, why not be bold and just put all the men in the world on the list!
Without hesitation, Princess Mingzhu practically ran to Weiyang Palace.
As soon as she saw Jiang Huan, she rushed over and cried out, "Your Majesty, save me! My Imperial Uncle and Shen Yi have teamed up to betray me! You have to help me!"
Jiang Huan was startled by her abrupt words: "Tell me slowly, what happened?"
Mingzhu spilled the beans, telling him about Shen Yi handing over the list and Huo Lin's consideration of betrothal.
Finally, she stomped her foot hard, her face turning red with anger: "I agree with this method, but I should be the one to vet the list of candidates. So I've decided that I'm going to publicly announce my marriage proposal and choose my own husband!"
Jiang Huan was stunned: "A marriage proposal?"
It seems that Mingzhu was really provoked. In this day and age, posting a marriage proposal would shock so many people.
However, as a woman who has traveled from the new era, she supports the princess!
"Great!" Jiang Huan slammed her hand on the table, her eyes shining brightly. "You've got guts! I support you!"
"You should make your own decisions about your life's most important event. What's wrong with publicly seeking a spouse? It's like casting a wide net and targeting the best, selecting the best of the best. It's a million times better than arranged marriages!"
Mingzhu was overjoyed to receive support.
"I knew Your Majesty would understand me!"
Meanwhile, He Ling, who was also diligently farming in Weiyang Palace, felt large beads of sweat rolling down her face.
The idea is good, but isn't it too difficult to implement?
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