Chu Chengyan ignored the strange looks from the courtiers and continued, "Prince Anle is young and strong, at the peak of his life. He will definitely be able to father many children!"
An Qingxuan, standing aside, lowered his head, thinking to himself, the Third Prince was clearly trying to use this opportunity to win over Shang Boxian. Shang Boxian and the Crown Prince were now complete enemies, and if he wanted to avenge his son, he might very well form an alliance with the Third Prince!
Emperor Wen smiled faintly and said with a double meaning, "Marriage is a matter of mutual affection. I cannot just randomly match people up! Everything depends on whether they are destined to be together."
Shang Boxian took a deep breath, then walked out of the crowd resolutely, bowed and said: "Thank you for your kindness, Third Prince! Your Majesty is wise! I am willing to marry the Third Prince's sister Kong Luanying!" His words were firm and powerful, as if he had made some decision.
Emperor Wen immediately issued an imperial decree to finalize the marriage between Shang Boxian and Kong Luanying, and granted them generous dowries and gifts. After Shang Boxian and Kong Luanying were married, they could set off to take up their posts in Shang Boxian's fiefdom.
However, at the same time, Prince Anle Shangwei was asked to stay in the capital and continue to serve as the general of the Gyeonggi Guard.
Although everyone knew that Shang Wei was actually a hostage deliberately left in Shangjing by Emperor Wen to check and balance Shang Boxian, for Shang Boxian, this only son who had once held high hopes was now useless...
After he and Kong Luanying tie the knot and celebrate their wedding, they will still welcome the birth of many new lives in the future! After all, with Shang Boxian's status and Kong Luanying's beauty and talent, the children they will produce will surely be numerous and of exceptional talent. So, for Shang Boxian, even if he loses Shang Wei, what's the big deal?
In Deqing Palace, the Emperor sat on a gorgeous chair, looking at everything in front of him with an indifferent look. At this time, the third prince Chu Chengyan walked up cautiously and handed a cup of steaming hot tea to the Emperor.
Emperor Wen took a sip; the tea was perfectly warm and had a light fragrance. However, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible sneer. "Chengyan! You performed truly well in court today! I bet that old fellow Shang Boxian has already completely trusted you!"
Chu Chengyan lowered his head and said nothing, secretly thanking himself for not revealing any flaws in his performance in the court. He knew that Emperor Wen said this because he had successfully deceived Shang Boxian, making him mistakenly believe that he was on their side.
Emperor Wen went on to say, "As for Kong Luanying, I'll leave it to you to arrange. Remember, I don't want Shang Boxian to die easily, but I want him to live. Only when he is alive can Kong Luanying eat away his Shang family army bit by bit. After Kong Luanying completely controls the Shang family army, we can wipe out the Shang family in one fell swoop and prevent future troubles!" At the end, Emperor Wen's voice became cold and ruthless, as if it came from the depths of hell.
Chu Chengyan's heart trembled upon hearing this, but he quickly regained his composure. He raised his head, his eyes gleaming with determination, and assured Emperor Wen, "Your Majesty is wise! Shang Boxian has dared to defy imperial authority in this way. His crime is truly heinous! I, your son, will faithfully follow your instructions and make the best arrangements for this matter!"
Emperor Wen looked at his well-behaved and obedient son with a wave of relief. The Crown Prince, by contrast, always contradicted him, giving him considerable trouble. Chu Chengyan, on the other hand, was not only intelligent but also obedient to Emperor Wen's every word, earning him a deep affection.
Emperor Wen gently patted Chu Chengyan's shoulder, a hint of appreciation on his face. Then, he slowly waved his hand, signaling Chu Chengyan to leave. Only when Chu Chengyan gradually walked away, until he disappeared, did Emperor Wen slowly withdraw his gaze and sigh deeply, as if he were lost in endless contemplation...
At that moment, the sound of gentle footsteps reached Emperor Wen's ears. He looked up and saw Consort De Zhang Lijun, the Consort of Virtue, approaching from a side hall. She was dressed in simple, elegant clothing, her face pale and haggard, her eyes filled with endless sorrow and despair. Ever since the Crown Prince had brutally murdered the Zhang Liu clan, Zhang Lijun had become silent and withdrawn, as if she had lost her soul. She neither approached Emperor Wen to cry and complain, nor did she raise a fuss. Instead, she silently endured this sudden and devastating blow, lost in her grief.
Emperor Wen looked at the once stunningly beautiful woman, now so haggard, and a strong sense of guilt welled up in his heart. He had been feeling guilty and uneasy about this incident for the past few days, so he had been visiting Deqing Palace more often than before.
Emperor Wen gently patted Concubine De's delicate, boneless hand and said earnestly, "My beloved, you have lost a lot of weight in recent days. It pains me deeply to see this. I have specially ordered the Imperial Kitchen to prepare nourishing delicacies for you every day to ensure that you have a proper diet and good health. This is all my care and love for you!"
The gentle voice of Concubine De rang out: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great grace. I am deeply grateful! But I am troubled and can't let go!"
Emperor Wen quickly pulled Concubine De to sit beside him, and said in a gentle voice, "I will find a way to resolve the Zhang Liu issue. Chengyan has already secretly uncovered many of the Crown Prince's secret locations. My beloved concubine, there is no need to worry. I will fully support Chengyan. As soon as the right opportunity arises, I will... depose that incompetent Crown Prince! My beloved concubine, just wait patiently. This magnificent empire that I have conquered will surely be passed on to Chengyan one day!"
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