He is now the emperor!
The emperor, second only to the emperor!
An emperor destined to be alone!
Upon realizing this, the emperor's face immediately turned cold.
There's nothing more to say about this; his choice was not wrong.
Shen Yunting holds military power and enjoys immense prestige both among the common people and in the army. The very existence of such a person poses a significant threat to him.
As the emperor, he absolutely could not tolerate this happening.
Moreover, people's hearts are fickle. Just because Shen Yunting is loyal to him now doesn't mean he will be loyal forever.
He couldn't afford to gamble on this uncertainty.
Because if he loses the bet, he will be utterly ruined.
More importantly, the Emperor had to admit that, deep down, he was indeed jealous of Shen Yunting.
When they were young, the two studied literature and martial arts under the same master, but he could never surpass Shen Yunting.
It seems that as long as Shen Yunting is around, he will always be the loser.
The Emperor's gaze involuntarily fell on Qu Jingyun, and a bitter smile appeared on his lips.
Perhaps even in terms of family, he is not as good as Shen Yunting.
Not far away, Shen Cong and Shen Yue were happily playing around.
Shen Song fawned over Yin Xue, seemingly offering her a gift.
Shen Yunting and Qu Jingyun were busy with their own things, and although they didn't exchange a single glance, the atmosphere between them was warm and inviting.
This was a scene the emperor had never seen before.
Having held a high position for so long, he had long forgotten the happiness of ordinary people.
"Yun Ting, Yue'er is at the age where she should be looking for a partner, isn't she?"
The Emperor's sudden question shocked everyone present.
Shen Cong quickly shielded Shen Yue behind him, displaying a strong protective instinct.
Although he didn't say anything, it was clear that he was on guard against something.
“She’s still young, and I want to keep her at home for a few more years. There’s no rush to get married,” Qu Jingyun said first.
“I had an accident a few years ago, and I regret that I was never able to be by her side. Now that I finally have the opportunity, I naturally want to spend more time with her.”
"If this goes on for too long, I'm afraid we won't be able to keep any good men in the capital. I wonder what kind of man Yue'er likes? Tell your uncle the Emperor, and he'll keep an eye out for you."
The Emperor spoke gently, but an inscrutable emotion flickered in his eyes.
Stared at by those eyes, Shen Yue suppressed the urge to hide behind Shen Cong.
She spoke calmly, "I prefer a man as upright and honorable as my father. However, regarding the marriage, I believe my parents will make their own decisions, and I will follow their arrangements."
Upon hearing this, the emperor couldn't help but laugh out loud.
He remarked with a sigh, "You and your mother are quite different."
“When your mother was young, she always said that no one could interfere with her marriage, and that she was the only one who could decide her marriage.”
As if he had thought of something amusing, the Emperor couldn't help but chuckle.
Few people at the scene were actually happy; they just smiled along.
The Emperor also realized the awkward atmosphere, coughed lightly, and stopped laughing.
He whispered, "If you ever take a fancy to someone in the future, you can tell your uncle, and your uncle will arrange a marriage for you."
The more gentle his attitude, the more cautious everyone present had to be.
Seeing this, Shen Yue expressed her gratitude, but did not take his words to heart.
"We will naturally follow Yue'er's lead in choosing whatever kind of man she likes in the future, as long as she is happy," Shen Yunting suddenly said.
The emperor remained noncommittal on this matter.
A thought suddenly popped into my head.
He turned his gaze back to Shen Yue.
He lowered his voice and asked, "Yue'er, what do you think of my third son?"
"I remember that you two seemed to get along well in the suburbs that day, and he even helped you out."
"Given my relationship with your parents, if you were to get together with the third prince, I would still protect you and would never let that brat bully you."
Upon hearing this, everyone present changed their expressions.
Shen Yue, in particular, quickly spoke up upon hearing this, saying, "Yue'er knows how lowly I am and am not worthy of the Third Prince. Please, Your Majesty, stop joking with Yue'er."
“Your Majesty, our family has a rule that whether a man marries or a woman marries, they must be a couple for life and never take concubines. The princes of the royal family have the important responsibility of continuing the family line, so I’m afraid it’s not suitable for my daughter.”
Qu Jingyun also stepped forward, her expression resolute.
She was very determined.
The Emperor may not have been joking when he said that.
If Shen Yue were to marry into the royal family, she would, to some extent, only become a tool for the emperor to manipulate Shen Yunting.
This is something they don't want to see.
Not to mention that Shen Yue's personality is not suitable for marrying into the royal family.
Seeing the seriousness in everyone's eyes, the Emperor paused for a moment before laughing out loud.
"I was just saying it casually, you don't need to take it to heart. To be honest, I do feel that my good-for-nothing sons are not good enough for Yue'er."
"Your Majesty is joking. Princes are of noble birth, how could Yue'er be worthy of them? Jingyun only hopes that Yue'er will marry someone she truly loves, even if the other person comes from a humble background."
Qu Jingyun stepped forward again, a faint smile playing on her lips.
But his eyes were cold as he said this.
If someone who knows her well saw this, they would know that she was on the verge of losing her temper.
Shen Yunting didn't say anything, but gently held Qu Jingyun's hand under the cover of the table to comfort her.
The emperor's smile vanished, but he showed no displeasure.
She only glanced deeply at Shen Yunting, her expression hesitant and unspeakable.
He really wanted to ask the other person if they blamed him.
But he couldn't bring himself to ask the question, so he could only sigh.
He suddenly stood up and said, "It's getting late, and I should return to the palace. I won't disturb your family's New Year celebration any longer."
"This humble subject respectfully sees Your Majesty off." Shen Yunting bowed respectfully, subtly changing his self-address.
The emperor's figure disappeared silently into the night, appearing utterly forlorn.
As soon as he left, everyone slumped into their chairs, looking utterly exhausted.
"Is there something you need for His Majesty's visit today?" the old lady asked hesitantly.
They can't withstand any more trouble.
"Nothing will happen, don't worry," Shen Yunting quickly reassured him.
"What about my sister? I hope the Emperor won't issue an imperial decree one day to arrange her marriage." Shen Cong asked with great concern.
“No,” Shen Yunting said again.
He looked at Shen Yue, who looked nervous, and softened his voice before continuing, "Don't worry, with your parents here, you will never be wronged, not even by the Emperor."
Shen Yue breathed a sigh of relief, a big smile spreading across her face.
He nodded heavily, his eyes filled with affection as he looked at everyone.
Qu Jingyun smiled back, her gaze fixed on the direction the Emperor had gone, a hint of worry in her eyes.
But when she felt Shen Yunting take her hand, her heart immediately calmed down.
"Don't worry, I won't give him a chance to hurt you."
"Mmm," Qu Jingyun responded, then leaned on his shoulder.
Everyone who saw this couldn't help but smile.
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