Chapter 753 Don't Cut the Hair of the Man on the Roadside (18)
The first one to arrive was Young Master Li Chengjin.
Ning Yan met the other party.
"Greetings, Princess Xiaoyao."
Ning Yan invited him to sit down. "Lord Li, it's been several years since we last met. You are now a fifth-rank official. If my elder sister were still alive, she would probably regret what she said back then."
Li Chengjin took a sip of tea and smiled, "I should thank her. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have wanted to become an official in the court."
"We really have to thank her. She has added a dutiful and good official to our Great Yu Dynasty."
Li Chengjin, the Right Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, was a fifth-rank official who was in charge of reviewing cases. In just one year, he discovered three wrongful convictions.
Ning Yan didn't know whether the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was satisfied, but she knew that the common people were certainly satisfied, and the aggrieved parties were even more satisfied.
Li Chengjin's smile became even more beautiful after Ning Yan praised him.
"Your Highness, I've heard that your family is currently selecting a husband for you?"
Ning Yan: "It is true."
"I wonder if I would have the honor of becoming the princess's consort."
Ning Yan quickly waved her hand: "No, you should just focus on being an official. I can't ruin your career."
Li Chengjin: ...What kind of talk is this? How is it that he's a menace if he becomes a prince consort?
The requirements for imperial sons-in-law in this dynasty are not high; as long as they do not take concubines, they can continue to hold official positions. Even those without official rank are still entitled to the title of Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant according to regulations.
Of course, this doesn't mean that commoners can't take the imperial examinations, but rather that if they've already become imperial sons-in-law, why bother taking the exams?
"Does the princess find me unsuitable? Although I am a bit old, I have never been married or taken a concubine. If it weren't for the rumors from the Kang'an Marquis's residence that the princess was unwilling to marry early, I would have sent someone to propose marriage to her long ago."
Ning Yan didn't want to be misunderstood, so she explained, "Lord Li is dashing and talented, and most importantly, he is incomparably handsome. How could I not be interested in him?"
"But I'm going to marry several men in the future, I'm afraid you won't be able to handle that!"
Li Chengjin: ...
After Li Chengjin left, Mo Qinglan came again.
Ning Yan sighed.
After what Li Chengjin did, she could roughly guess Mo Qinglan's intentions.
This person is destined to become a high-ranking official of the first rank in the future, so she must not be allowed to bring harm upon him.
So she told him frankly.
Mo Qinglan also left.
However, what happened next was beyond Ning Yan's expectations.
I don't know how the Emperor found out about this.
Both of them were summoned to the palace by the emperor.
The emperor and his ministers drank tea and played chess. "I've heard that both of you ministers are interested in my Princess Xiaoyao?"
The two handsome men exchanged a glance, then looked away.
"Do you know why I bestowed upon Ning Yan the title of 'Xiaoyao' (逍遥, meaning carefree and unfettered)?"
Before the two could speak, the Emperor answered his own question: "She saved my life back then, and I wanted to repay her. She said she didn't lack gold or silver, and her only request was that she could marry whomever she wanted in the future, because she was fond of beautiful women."
That's why I bestowed upon her the title "Xiaoyao" (逍遥), because I intend to protect her and let her live a carefree life forever.
I have summoned you two here today for no other reason than to grant you marriage to Xiaoyao if you are willing. You will both be her consorts, regardless of your age.
"If you disagree, I already selected ten male concubines for her a few days ago, and they will be delivered to the princess's residence tomorrow."
Li Chengjin and Mo Qinglan both frowned.
Mo Qinglan, who was playing chess with the Emperor, made a mistake, and the Emperor immediately turned the tide of the game, which was originally a sure win.
Since ancient times, only men have three wives and four concubines; never has a woman married two men at the same time. Yet the emperor still arranged male concubines for the princess. It would be impossible for these two equally outstanding men not to be conflicted.
However, if it were an imperial decree to arrange the marriage, they wouldn't be so conflicted.
After all, disobeying an imperial edict is a capital offense, and even if someone wanted to reason with them, they could only do so behind their backs, not to their faces.
Two days later, the emperor's edict was issued to the three families' residences.
Madam Li had long known her son's intentions and had no complaints about the contents of the imperial edict.
After all, if his husband didn't marry Princess Xiaoyao, he would be a bachelor forever. Although now two men are sharing the princess, it's still better than having no one at all, right?
As for Mo Qinglan, thanks to the hundred taels of silver Ning Yan had given him, his mother was spared, though she could no longer do heavy work.
Upon receiving the imperial decree and learning that her son was to marry a princess, and that the princess was none other than Miss Ning, who had shown her son kindness and support, the old lady simply sighed and accepted it.
She knew her own body best; she estimated that her body wouldn't last more than a few years. Her only wish was to see her son get married and have children soon. Before, when her son refused to get married, she had a vague feeling that he might have some feelings for his benefactor.
After becoming the top scholar in the imperial examination, he stayed in the Hanlin Academy for less than half a year before being assigned by the emperor to the Censorate.
After that, he went to the south to provide disaster relief, and upon his return, he was promoted to the position of Deputy Secretary of the Office of General Affairs, a fourth-rank official.
He was arguably the fastest-rising official from a poor family.
With her son's official position going smoothly, the old lady had finally put her mind at ease. If she could have another son or daughter so she could hold her grandson, she would die without regrets.
In contrast to these two families, the Kang'an Marquis's family was the most prominent.
The fact that their daughter (granddaughter, sister) was bestowed the title of Princess Xiaoyao was already surprising enough, but now she was even granted a marriage by imperial decree, and she was to marry two men. Not to mention the old lady, even Xia Wenqing couldn't accept it.
How can a woman serve two husbands?
Is there some deeper meaning behind the Emperor's actions?
Is her husband also going to resign from his official post and go home to farm?
Kang Anbo was driven crazy by his anxious wife. He also suspected that the emperor had some kind of problem with their family, allowing a woman to marry two husbands. He had never heard of such a thing in his life since the founding of the dynasty.
Could it be that such a great favor has turned into a source of trouble, and the Emperor intends to punish their entire family?
Amidst the family's speculation, Princess Xiaoyao's wedding day arrived quickly, and Ning Yan married both of her husbands into the mansion.
Everyone in the capital was speculating about which consort Princess Xiaoyao would visit tonight. Some even started betting on it, while others said the two consorts would definitely fight frequently.
After all, there can only be one princess. Which one to sleep with and which one to have children with are all problems. Men are petty, and the two of them would probably end up fighting like cats and dogs.
As a result, the excitement that everyone wanted to see didn't materialize.
After the weddings of Princess Xiaoyao's two husbands ended, they rode together in one carriage to court. It is said that the princess herself saw them off to their carriage.
After court, the two had breakfast together, which was said to have been prepared by the princess herself.
The next day, after court, the emperor summoned both ministers away so that they could share their breakfast.
What on earth is going on here?
Moreover, the betting on which consort Princess Xiaoyao would choose for their wedding night is still ongoing, and the Emperor has also placed a small bet.
Therefore, during breakfast, the Emperor kept trying to get information out of the two of them, but they kept their mouths shut!
The answer to this question finally came nine and a half months later.
After two hours of labor, Ning Yan gave birth to twin sons.
The eldest son looks 88% like Li Chengjin, so Ning Yan named him Li Huan. The younger son looks exactly like Mo Qinglan, so Ning Yan named him Mo Xian.
The meaning is that the two brothers will live a happy and leisurely life.
Anyway, this kind of thing is considered a rare sight even in modern times, let alone in ancient times. When the two families saw the child, they were speechless.
Li Chengjin wanted to become the emperor's son-in-law for one reason: he genuinely liked Ning Yan.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have made him take the imperial examination and become an official in the court.
Secondly, he planned to resign from his official post after becoming the princess's husband, as traveling with the princess would be the greatest joy in his life.
However, with Mo Qinglan vying for his wife, he dared not resign from his post.
This person already held a higher official position than him. If he were to resign, wouldn't he be forever overshadowed by him?
So the two of them started to compete silently.
They only retired and returned to their hometowns after their sons came of age and entered the imperial court.
At that time, Mo Qinglan was already the prime minister, while Li Chengjin became the Minister of Revenue after Lord Guo resigned.
Yes, he was always overshadowed by Mo Qinglan his whole life.
Fortunately, the family has always lived in harmony and happiness.
He felt he had no regrets.
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