"Alright, I'll go wait. Eunuch Gao, go tell my cousin to hurry up. If he doesn't come soon, I'm leaving with my men." Xiao Liuchen twirled the jade pendant at his waist, looking every bit the spoiled brat, a stark contrast to his demeanor in front of Lu Qingyan.
"Sigh!" Eunuch Gao responded with a headache. This Second Young Master Xiao is quite capable, so why is he so unruly? He wondered how the Princess raised him. He shook his head and went inside to see the Emperor, whispering, "Your Majesty, Second Young Master Xiao has arrived."
"What, you're already impatient after only a short while?" The Emperor said, tossing his pen aside and scoffing. "What kind of noble ladies doesn't this capital have? Why did you have to make this trip and take a fancy to the daughter of a poor family? If the Princess finds out, she'll surely come crying to the Empress Dowager."
With a forced smile, Eunuch Gao said, "Young Master Xiao has high standards and values ​​relationships the most. Since he has taken a liking to Miss He, he will not get entangled with other women. Miss He must have something special about her."
"How high can his standards be?" the Emperor said with dissatisfaction. "The Princess and the Empress Dowager have begged me for his marriage more than once, and he ruined it every time. I thought he would take a fancy to someone, but it turns out he is an orphan."
Eunuch Gao knelt on the ground and advised, "Your Majesty, Prince Xiao is a prince of a different surname, and his current mistress is a princess. The heir apparent is also married to Princess Fuchen, a member of the imperial clan... The second young master Xiao works for Your Majesty. As long as he is loyal to Your Majesty, there is no need for his maternal family to be so prominent. Besides, Miss He's father served Your Majesty before Your Majesty ascended the throne. Your Majesty's good treatment of her now is to fulfill this bond between ruler and subject."
Having served the Emperor for many years, Eunuch Gao could guess the Emperor's thoughts with remarkable accuracy. These words, coming from his mouth, were they not also the Emperor's intentions?
The Emperor laughed heartily: "You understand me best. I truly had no intention of ruining this marriage."
Eunuch Gao chimed in, "His Majesty is kind-hearted and treats loyal ministers and descendants well. He has a deep brotherly bond with Young Master Xiao and couldn't bear to refuse his request. This marriage was requested by Young Master Xiao himself. If the Princess and the Empress Dowager are dissatisfied, then it is Young Master Xiao's fault!"
The Emperor unfurled the bright yellow scroll and picked up his brush: "No matter what, Xiao Liuchen is my cousin. As his elder brother, I've arranged this marriage for him to prevent others from having the opportunity to criticize and look down on him. As for Lady He, she's just a woman; how could she possibly turn the world upside down? I'll just give her the title of Princess. After all, she's not a member of the imperial family, so I can't give her a fiefdom. Just make sure the rewards aren't too meager. Women eventually have to marry, and she's going to marry Liuchen. Giving those things to her is the same as giving them to Liuchen."
Eunuch Gao kowtowed and exclaimed, "Your Majesty is wise!"
A moment later, the Emperor put down his pen, and Eunuch Gao, understanding the implication, handed over the imperial seal. The bright yellow imperial edict was instantly imprinted with a bright red jade seal, which looked exceptionally vivid against the black ink of the characters.
"Put away the imperial edict for now, let's go see that He family woman." The Emperor was curious about what kind of woman Xiao Liuchen, his cousin, was so determined to marry.
In the side hall, Lu Qingyan was holding a flower-shaped pastry, a handkerchief wrapped around her wrist in one hand, her eyes slightly narrowed, seemingly enjoying the taste immensely. Xiao Liuchen watched her with doting eyes, unaware that his teacup was empty.
The bright yellow hem of his robe twitched, and the Emperor nodded in satisfaction: "Hmm, not bad. Good looks, good manners, and not tainted by the coarseness of those from the countryside."
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