"These people are shameless. They started this trouble first, and now they're still making a scene." Zhao Guihua took a bite of the fried cake angrily, chewing and cursing.
"There are too many people here. If a fight breaks out, innocent people could easily get hurt. Let's go somewhere less crowded." Xingxing instructed Qingyan and Qingluo to cover them as they walked out of the crowd.
They soon arrived at the other side of the temple, a place full of trees and weeds, where few people usually come. It was a good place to kill and silence witnesses.
The guards quickly caught up, and the maid who had led the way and identified the people looked smug, her expression clearly saying, "Run! Let's see where you can run. I'm not done until I've beaten you half to death today."
"Oh, there are two more people. Then arrest them all at once. Quickly tie them up together," the maid ordered arrogantly.
The guards were brought by the noble lady's maid, and now they naturally had to listen to the maid. They lined up and quickly surrounded Xingxing and the others.
"Beat them all down! Beat them hard! They're so annoying, like ghosts that won't leave you alone!" Xingxing shouted in response.
The maid was puzzled when she suddenly heard someone fall down beside her. She turned around and was immediately dumbfounded. All the guards she had brought had been knocked unconscious. The ones who did it were a group of people dressed in black. She couldn't see their faces clearly, only catching a glimpse of their backs as they left.
"Ah, murder! Help..." the maid screamed, but before she could finish speaking, Qingyan struck her pressure points and she was unable to move.
"Tie this maid up, so she won't come jumping around in front of me again." Xingxing glared at the maid, then led Zhao Guihua and Chen Yueru to continue strolling through the temple fair.
After that, no one bothered them anymore. The three of them had a good time, ate a lot of snacks, and bought many trinkets. They went back home at 3:45 AM.
The eldest prince and Consort Duan were bedridden for two whole months before they could walk freely again, suffering greatly. A month later, the day of the princess's contest to find a husband arrived.
The competition was divided into two parts: literary and martial arts. The literary part involved composing poems and essays, while the martial arts part involved two people competing in a ring. In short, the winner would be qualified to become the prince consort.
"Brother Lin will definitely win the martial arts contest, but it's hard to say when it comes to poetry and prose." Old Zhou looked regretful, as if he had already decided that Zhu Linwen was no match.
"Don't be so hasty. Look at how talented Senior Brother Zhu and the others are. They can answer all the questions that Brother Fu and the others don't understand. Brother Lin is the young master, so even if he's not very good, he won't be too bad." Zhao Guihua had a lot of confidence in Zhu Lin.
When the Zhou family first learned that Xingxing wanted Shang Zhulin to be their son-in-law, they were all unhappy and felt that no one was good enough for that girl. But Xingxing reasoned with them and said that she would marry the son-in-law sooner or later.
But who the prince consort is is very important. She definitely wouldn't want anyone else. She even asked Zhou Laoda and his wife, along with Fu Ge and his friends, to imagine what it would be like if other people became prince consorts. In comparison, isn't Zhu Lin the most suitable and the most pleasing to the eye?
"That makes it easier to picture. If it were anyone else, it would be unbearable to watch. After thinking about it, I still think Brother Lin is more likable." Boss Zhou agreed wholeheartedly.
The brothers tried to imagine that scenario and all agreed that Zhu Lin was the most reliable, and no one else would do.
Zhao Guihua had long thought that Zhu Lin was perfect in every way. Since it was just a formality and they weren't getting married right away, she was more at ease trying to win back this good young man. In her eyes, this young master Zhu was the best in terms of both looks and status, and no one could compare to him.
However, in the eyes of the Emperor and Empress, many of the legitimate sons or grandsons of the court officials were more suitable for the princess. They felt that the young master Zhu was too unpredictable and the people around him were too enigmatic and difficult to get along with. If the princess married him, they would have no way to hold the other party accountable if the princess was bullied in the future.
The court officials were easier to control. The emperor and empress didn't need to intervene; the princess's status alone was enough to intimidate them. No one dared to say a harsh word in front of her.
It's a pity that the eldest princess didn't appreciate it and instead fell for that young master Zhu. She was too young to understand the implications.
Well, the princess is a stubborn girl, and no one can persuade her. Now, we can only hope that the legitimate sons and grandsons of those ministers and nobles will live up to expectations and not be outdone by that young man in white.
Xingxing, that quirky and stubborn girl, had only returned to the palace a few days ago. This little girl was true to her word; if the emperor didn't send someone to summon her back, she really wouldn't go back.
At first, the emperor could keep his composure, but the longer time went on, the less he could contain himself. Alas, the princess had been away from home for so long that she had become wild. Not having to return to the palace was exactly what she wanted. Just look at the daily reports from the secret guards about the princess's whereabouts.
Today she goes to the temple fair, tomorrow she goes boating on the lake, and even when she has nothing to do, she carries several thousand taels of silver notes and goes to the streets and alleys to look at shops, hoping to buy shops for her parents in the countryside.
Tsk, she really doesn't care about her parents in the palace at all. This little ungrateful child. After thinking it over, I still have to bring her back to the palace. I can't let her stay with that farmer couple all day long. If she stays there for too long, that little ungrateful child will forget about him and the Empress.
The marriage contest was to be held at Xuantian Gate. The Imperial Guards had already surrounded the area completely, and the ministers, along with their eligible sons and grandsons, were waiting for the Emperor and Empress to arrive.
Xingxing, dressed in formal attire and wearing a veiled hat, followed the Emperor and Empress. The three of them boarded the imperial carriage together and headed to Xuantian Gate. As soon as they got in the carriage, Xingxing said, "Once Brother Lin wins the competition, I'll have the Ministry of Rites prepare for our wedding."
"Shameless! Why does a young lady always talk about marriage? You're so young and you want to get married? I won't allow it." The emperor's face darkened, his imposing presence overwhelming, and even the empress dared not reply.
But Xingxing wasn't afraid of him and laughed heartlessly, "He must allow it. If Father doesn't allow it, I'll elope with him, just like General Zhang's eldest son. Zhang Xiantao went back to the swamp forest with Zhao Mingyue."
"Nonsense! You dare to be so presumptuous because you know I won't do anything to you. The marriage of the eldest princess is not a trivial matter. You are still young, and I will not let you act recklessly. If you do not listen to my advice, then I will have to be forceful." The emperor seemed to be really angry. He usually liked to call Xingxing and Long'er, but now he directly called her the eldest princess, which showed that he was really angry.
Xingxing couldn't bear to really upset him, so she moved closer and gently stroked the emperor's chest. "Father, don't be angry. I didn't mean to upset you. I'm serious. What difference does it make whether we get married early or late? It's just marriage, not an immediate wedding night. What's wrong with that? After we get married, Brother Lin and I will still sleep in separate rooms. We'll consummate our marriage when I turn eighteen."
"Who told you all this?" Emperor Taikang felt a pang of heartache. After all, he hadn't had her by his side for several years, and she had learned a lot of random things outside. She dared to say anything and had no scruples at all.
"I forgot who told me, but it's not some earth-shattering secret. Everyone knows it. Even four-year-olds playing house know about marriage and the bridal chamber," Xingxing said innocently.
The Emperor and Empress paused, their chests feeling even tighter.
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