Luo Lingyue stepped into the main hall. As far as her eyes could see, Emperor Wen was sitting upright on a chair, while Concubine An was sitting obediently beside him, drinking tea and chatting with him.
Emperor Wen saw Luo Lingyue walk into the hall, and a kind and gentle smile immediately spread across his face: "Xiao Qi is here, come and sit down!"
Luo Lingyue hurriedly stepped forward, bowed to Emperor Wen and said, "May your majesty be blessed with good health!"
Emperor Wen's smile curled slightly, but it seemed a bit stiff and unnatural. "Xiao Qi! The instant noodles you made have already been delivered to Beiyuan. The soldiers are full of praise for them and love them extremely. Today, I will hand over the royal granary outside the northern city to you! From now on, the dry food supply for the entire army of Dazhao Kingdom will be entirely yours!"
Hearing this, Concubine An was delighted and hurriedly urged, "Xiao Qi, why don't you thank me quickly!"
Luo Lingyue was slightly startled, and responded somewhat stiffly: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!" Her voice was so soft that it seemed as if only she could hear it.
Emperor Wen chuckled and said gently, "Xiao Qi, don't be so polite to me in the future! I am your uncle! You are almost reaching the age of marriage, and your aunt is worried sick about your marriage!"
Concubine An's expression changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. She silently reached out and clutched her skirt tightly, her fingertips turning slightly white from the excessive force. In fact, she had long anticipated that Emperor Wen would ultimately refuse to change his mind.
Emperor Wen cast his gaze towards Luo Lingyue, who lowered her head in silence. After a soft cough, he continued, "I believe that Prince Xiao is of high character and integrity, and has a beautiful appearance like the clear wind and bright moon. He and you are a perfect match made in heaven! I wonder what Xiaoqi thinks? Are you satisfied with this marriage?"
Concubine An stared at Luo Lingyue intently, her eyes revealing a hint of anxiety and worry. However, to her disappointment, Luo Lingyue kept her head down, seemingly oblivious to her gaze. Concubine An was extremely anxious, but in front of Emperor Wen, she had to remain calm, fearing that her emotions would cause unnecessary trouble.
Recalling that before, she specifically asked An Qingxuan to convey an important message to Xiao Qi: Emperor Wen's proposal must not be accepted under any circumstances.
But now, Xiao Qi actually said those heartbreaking words without hesitation: "Xiao Qi listens to His Majesty!"
These few simple words struck Concubine An's heart like a heavy hammer. She felt her vision go dark and her body sway slightly. What was wrong with Xiaoqi? Was she truly stupid? Or was she so frightened that she chose to compromise, willing to sacrifice her own happiness to avoid implicating her family?
Concubine An couldn't understand Xiaoqi's thoughts, and she was filled with confusion and helplessness. She sighed secretly. She had hoped Xiaoqi would firmly reject Emperor Wen's request, but she didn't expect things to develop like this. What should she do now? Seeing Xiaoqi about to be dragged into a potentially unhappy marriage, Concubine An felt unprecedented helplessness.
Emperor Wen was extremely happy, his face filled with a brilliant smile. He gently patted Luo Lingyue's frail shoulder and said earnestly, "I have always known that Xiao Qi is a smart, sensible, and understanding child. Don't worry! The poison that Prince Xiao has been suffering from will surely be cured quickly! After you have your coming-of-age ceremony, you can hold a grand wedding with Prince Xiao!"
Hearing this, Luo Lingyue's heart remained calm. She maintained her dignified demeanor and kowtowed respectfully to Emperor Wen, expressing her gratitude to His Majesty beyond words.
Upon seeing this, Emperor Wen felt that the little girl was more well-behaved and lovely, so he continued in a loving tone: "Xiao Qi, when you get married with Prince Xiao, I will personally take care of all matters and give you an extremely generous dowry! This way, it can be regarded as a token of my blessing and expectation for your happy marriage, hahaha!" After saying that, Emperor Wen could not help laughing.
Emperor Wen spoke a few more kind words to Concubine An. Seeing that she was absent-minded, he knew that she was not happy with this marriage.
Emperor Wen's face looked a little gloomy. He frowned and said, "Qinghuan! Look, the Imperial Observatory has already calculated that Luo Lingyue is Prince Xiao's lucky star! Their marriage is destined by heaven! I have other things to deal with now, so you just stay here and accompany Xiaoqi." After that, Emperor Wen turned and left.
As soon as Emperor Wen left, Concubine An immediately grabbed Luo Lingyue's hand tightly and asked anxiously, "Xiao Qi! Why are you so confused? This matter concerns your lifelong happiness! How could you agree so easily? Even if you don't want to agree, we elders, including your parents, uncle, and me, your aunt, will do everything we can to persuade His Majesty..."
Hearing Concubine An's words, Luo Lingyue's face became paler. She bit her lip and said softly, "Aunt, I really feel very tired! I just want to go back home now..." It seemed as if she would not be able to hold on for another moment.
Concubine An was furious, but seeing Luo Lingyue's listless and dispirited appearance, she felt helpless. Ultimately, she could only wave her hand and signal the maid beside her to escort her out of the palace.
Luo Lingyue slowly walked out of the palace gate, her steps feeling heavy and weak. Linglong, beside her, worriedly helped her board the carriage. Liuli, clutching the palace maid's sleeve, lowered her voice and asked, "What on earth happened to my young lady in the palace..."
The maid's face was as pale as paper, her lips trembling slightly as she replied in a very small voice, "The Emperor has granted the marriage! And... and the young lady herself agreed to it!"
Inside the carriage, Linglong asked doubtfully, "Miss, what did His Majesty say?"
However, Luo Lingyue seemed to have lost all her strength at this moment. Her eyes were blank and vacant, and she was in a trance. She weakly replied, "I'm really tired! I just want a good sleep!" Before she finished her words, she leaned limply into Linglong's arms and fell asleep instantly.
Liuli panicked and climbed onto the carriage. Looking at the sleeping Luo Lingyue, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and burst into tears. Linglong's heart sank when she saw this. She immediately understood that His Majesty had indeed issued an imperial decree to grant the marriage.
Eagle Twelve felt like she was trapped in a fog, unable to escape. What mission had the Pavilion Master assigned her? He simply told her to wait for her return. Where exactly was this place? Why was it all foggy?
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