Chapter Eleven: Requesting the Emperor's Grace for Marriage
The Imperial Study.
Li Xiangyuan knelt respectfully on the ground, his voice earnest: "Your Majesty, I have a request."
The old emperor raised his eyelids slightly: "Please speak freely, my dear minister."
"My daughter Bao'er has long been in love with Your Highness Prince Jing," Li Xiangyuan lied without batting an eye.
"Now that she has reached the age required, I humbly request Your Majesty to grant her marriage."
The old emperor paused, looking at him suspiciously: "How come I heard that your girl is always following the third prince around?"
Li Xiangyuan, having anticipated this, immediately feigned helplessness: "Your Majesty is wise; it was merely the petty thoughts of a young girl."
Li Xiangyuan lowered his voice, feigning mystery: "The one I truly cherish is the Second Prince."
The old emperor squinted and lightly tapped his fingertips on the imperial desk.
How could he not see that Li Xiangyuan was lying?
He had heard of Li Bao'er more than once. She was in love with Yuan'er, but was not trusted by Li Xiangyuan and lived a life worse than that of a concubine's daughter.
The emperor pondered that Prince Jing, who now held considerable military power, was reluctant to marry. If he could arrange a marriage between Prince Jing and the nominally legitimate daughter of the Li family, it would relieve his worries.
But Li Bao'er is, after all, the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's family. The Prime Minister's wife was born into the Qingyue Wang clan. Even if Li Xiangyuan doesn't rely on this girl, it's hard to say what the future holds.
Seeing the Emperor's hesitation, Li Xiangyuan guessed what it was about and quickly said, "Your Majesty, although Bao'er is not my legitimate daughter, she is unruly and of poor character. She is truly unworthy of His Highness the Third Prince!"
"How dare you! You're not good enough for Yuan'er, but you're good enough for the second son?!" The old emperor slammed his pen down on the table, his expression displeased.
"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong! Please forgive me!"
But after a moment's hesitation, the old emperor did not really blame him. He felt relieved to see that his second son was not doing well.
"In that case, I grant your permission."
Li Xiangyuan was overjoyed and immediately knelt down to kowtow, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!"
Outside the main gate of the Li residence.
Li Bao'er stood in front of the mansion gate, her legs so weak they were almost trembling.
She walked the entire ten-odd miles back.
The hem of my skirt was already covered in dust, and my feet were burning with pain.
She leaned against the vermilion doorpost, took a breath, and looked up at the sky; it was already late.
As dusk settled, the setting sun cast a blood-red shadow on the horizon, making Li Bao'er's shadow long and thin.
"The young lady is back! The young lady is back!"
Upon seeing Li Bao'er, the guards were initially stunned, but then rushed into the courtyard with great joy, their voices echoing through the courtyards.
Inside the side room of Qingfeng Pavilion, Wang Qingzhi's fingertips trembled, and the embroidery needle pierced her fingertip, instantly drawing blood into the pear blossoms on the brocade.
Her baby is back!
"Madam, please slow down!" Zhi Qiu hurriedly went to help her, only to see her mistress lift her skirt and stride out quickly, her usually dignified gait now somewhat unsteady.
Wang Qingzhi gripped the handkerchief tightly with her fingertips, a rare sense of relief welling up in her heart.
This morning, Li Xiangyuan hurriedly left the residence. He finally remembered his blood ties and went to personally fetch his daughter.
In the center of the front hall, Li Bao'er was slumped in a rosewood chair, rubbing her sore calves, when she suddenly heard a series of hurried footsteps.
"Sister!" A clear, youthful voice shattered the twilight.
She looked up, and suddenly saw a figure rushing towards her.
The fifteen-year-old boy, Lang Yu, had his crown askew and his brocade robe stained with mud, clearly having come directly from the training ground.
This is her younger brother, Li Yu, the legitimate son of the Prime Minister's family.
“They all say you’ve been detained by Prince Jing. I was just about to take some men to find you!” Li Yu grabbed her hand, her fingertips still bearing the calluses from the sword.
"Nonsense." Li Bao'er laughed and poked his forehead, but suddenly stopped.
She noticed that Li Yu had dark circles under his eyes, and there seemed to be a handprint on his face.
Li Bao'er's heart sank, and her voice turned cold: "What happened to your face?"
Li Yu's eyes darted around, and he subconsciously rubbed his cheek, forcing a grin: "Still as handsome as ever, what could possibly be wrong?"
He was racking his brains trying to figure out how to get out of this when he suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure under the eaves and felt as if he had been granted a pardon.
"Mother, slow down! Sister is back safe and sound!"
"She looks much weaker now."
Li Yu helped Wang, who was panting heavily.
"How dare you talk about your sister like that?!"
"Ouch, that hurts!" Li Yu covered her head where she had been hit, puffing out her cheeks in anger, but secretly winked at Li Bao'er.
He knew that once his older sister returned, his mother would no longer have a place for him.
But it's okay, he likes his older sister the most too.
Wang Qingzhi hurried to Li Bao'er's side, stroked Li Bao'er's thin face, and said with heartache, "My child, you've been missing for several days."
"They don't even bother to send a message home; they're becoming increasingly unruly."
Seeing that Li Bao'er's once radiant cheeks had sunken in, Wang Qingzhi knew that she had suffered outside, and felt extremely distressed.
Li Bao'er felt a pang of sadness; she couldn't bear to see the pain in her mother's eyes.
Before transmigrating, she was just an orphan. After transmigrating into Li Bao'er's body, she felt Wang Qingzhi's love for her from a young age.
Li Bao'er genuinely regarded Wang Qingzhi as her mother.
Just as she was about to speak coquettishly, a sweet, cloying voice suddenly pierced through the tenderness.
"Oh, isn't this my esteemed elder sister?"
Li Bao'er looked up and saw Li Yan leaning against a vermilion pillar, her bright pink dress dazzlingly beautiful.
She slowly waved her round fan, her expression disdainful.
"I was overjoyed to hear that my sister had been missing for several days, but I never expected you to come back!"
"What a pity."
Li Yan is only one year younger than Li Bao'er, and she loves to go against Li Bao'er most of all.
If any concubine's daughter dared to speak to her elder sister like that in any other family, she would have been punished according to family rules long ago.
But this is the Li family, known throughout the capital for their favored concubines who overshadow the principal wife.
Because of Li Xiangyuan's doting on her and her mother, Li Yan naturally didn't take Li Bao'er seriously from a young age.
Moreover, it's uncertain whether Li Yu or Li Zhou will use more ruthless methods in the future.
"You!" Li Yu instantly bristled, wishing she could tear Li Yan's mouth apart.
That damned woman always wants him to have a falling out with his sister.
"Yu'er." Li Bao'er pressed down on Li Yu's hand and tapped his wrist bone three times with her fingertips.
This is a secret code the siblings have used since childhood, meaning, "Don't rush, watch me."
Li Yan is the type of person who forgets the pain once the wound heals. She has suffered countless injustices from her since childhood, yet she still doesn't learn her lesson.
Like chewing gum that you can't shake off, it's sticky and annoying!
Li Bao'er smiled, but her eyes were icy: "The aromatherapy you wore today is quite nice, little sister; it'll perfectly cover up your foul mouth."
Upon hearing this, the smugness on Li Yan's face suddenly froze.
Why couldn't Li Bao'er just die out there?!
And then there's Wang Qingzhi, who looks frail and delicate, but is actually quite shrewd!
For more than a decade, she and her mother have set up countless schemes, including poisoning, defamation, and arson, but each crisis has been easily resolved by the three of them.
What's most hateful is her status! Her father clearly doted on her the most, and she excelled in everything from music and chess to calligraphy and painting, but all she was because of the title of "illegitimate daughter."
She always sits in the second seat at banquets!
She always had two fewer hairpins than Li Bao'er at her coming-of-age ceremony!
Even during the marriage negotiations, those ladies from prominent families harbored a subtle, almost imperceptible, contempt in their eyes!
Wang Qingzhi patted Li Bao'er's hand and slowly walked towards the main seat in the hall, a position that Zhang Yingying could never reach when kneeling to serve tea.
Wang Qingzhi spoke in an unfriendly tone, glancing disapprovingly at the arrogant Li Yan.
"Li Yan, you're getting bolder and bolder. You dare to be so presumptuous in front of me?"
Li Yan was startled, and her heart sank.
Something's not right!
Wang Qingzhi was always elegant and composed. Even when she and Li Bao'er were fighting fiercely, this mistress rarely got involved herself.
Did Wang Qingzhi take the wrong medicine today?
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