Chapter 336 Choosing a Wife by One's Beloved
"Hahaha..." Xiao Yu laughed, "Today's wedding banquet of Prince Jin, A-Chuan, you are too good at playing tricks on people. Look how frightened Minister Chen is."
"I know I was wrong, and I hope Your Highness will not take offense," Pei Yanchuan said calmly.
The imperial son-in-law, Chen Jie, stood up awkwardly and sat back down in his original seat. "I was overthinking it."
"Your Majesty, I have devoted myself to you with my life and never dared to have any other thoughts. Otherwise, how could I have remained unscathed and uninvolved in the matter concerning the Grand Princess?"
I'm sure Your Majesty understands this.
Xiao Yu still smiled and said, "How could I not know?"
“However…” Xiao Yu changed the subject, “A-Chuan has reminded me that Minister Chen is now all alone and should indeed consider finding someone to remarry.”
"If a man doesn't have a woman to take care of him, then his home is no longer a home."
"In my opinion, it would be better to tell you when, so that I won't have to worry about it."
Before Chen Jie could reply, Xiao Yu continued to Pei Yanchuan, "Achuan, you always think more comprehensively than I do. In that case, do you have a suitable woman to recommend to Minister Chen?"
Before Pei Yanchuan could speak, Song Zhuran interjected, "Your Majesty, isn't today the day of Prince Jin's wedding? Why are you arranging a marriage for someone else?"
"Won't the Prince of Jin and the Princess be unhappy about this?"
"Furthermore, I think that since the Grand Princess and Princess Ping'an have only been gone for a short time, the Prince Consort probably doesn't have much interest in finding a new wife yet, which would be unfair to the Grand Princess."
Song Zhuran's words naturally displeased Xiao Yu. Only he himself knew how stifled he was as emperor when the Grand Princess was alive.
Now that he has allowed the Grand Princess to be buried in the imperial mausoleum, it is already an act of leniency. If it weren't for the fear of being held accountable by these ministers, Xiao Yu would definitely have dug up the Grand Princess's body and whipped her to vent his hatred.
Song Zhuran seemed oblivious to Xiao Yu's darkening expression and continued, "Your Majesty, the Grand Princess is, after all, your aunt. I don't think the Prince Consort is particularly keen on finding someone else for the time being."
"No matter how hard we try, it will be a year from now, after the Grand Princess has just passed away."
"Consort Chun," Xiao Yu said with a hint of displeasure, "I didn't expect you to know so much about these things at such a young age."
"Your Majesty," Empress Song Zhuyi said, "Ranran only spoke carelessly because she still cares about Princess Ping'an. This world belongs to Your Majesty, and the rules are naturally up to Your Majesty to decide."
"Oh?" Xiao Yu looked at Empress Song Zhuyi. "If I remember correctly, Consort Chun and Princess Ping'an not only didn't get along, but they almost fought over Young Master Xuan. Why are you suddenly thinking about him?"
“I remember this happened; the Princess Consort of Langya was also present at the time.” Xiao Yu looked at Jiang Wan Ning.
Jiang Wan Ning gave a slight curtsy and said, "Your Majesty, it is indeed true. At that time, I accompanied Her Majesty the Empress to watch Young Master Xuan's performance."
"However, I imagine that Her Majesty the Empress can say such a thing, so she must know something, and Her Majesty has no intention of protecting her."
After Jiang Wan Ning finished speaking, the Empress continued, "Your Majesty, it is indeed as the Princess Consort of Langya said."
"However, Your Majesty, I have indeed concealed something from you, which concerns the matter of Young Master Xuan."
Xiao Yu frowned slightly. "Wasn't that Young Master Xuan supposed to have disappeared long ago? How come he's still in the capital? He's got some nerve."
"Your Majesty, that Young Master Xuan is actually..."
"Sister!" Song Zhuran interrupted Empress Song Zhuyi, "Sister, what are you doing?"
"Your Majesty, I misspoke just now."
"Your Majesty," the Empress said, meeting Song Zhuran's warning gaze without flinching, her voice slightly raised, "I am guilty; there is indeed something I have concealed from Your Majesty."
"I am bringing this up now so that Your Majesty will not be angry with Consort Chun for her disrespect. It is all my fault for disciplining her."
Xiao Yu remained silent, waiting for Empress Song Zhuyi to continue.
Empress Song Zhuran did not hesitate for a moment and said directly, "That former Young Master Xuan is my younger sister, now Consort Chun."
"Back then, because of her poor health, she was kept at home and not allowed to go out. Unexpectedly, she disguised herself as a man and not only went out, but also went to a restaurant to work as a storyteller and perform ventriloquism."
"And Princess Ping'an couldn't forget her."
"When I found out, it was too late, but Ranran had already passed away long ago, which is why I feel somewhat guilty towards Princess Ping'an."
That's why I disobeyed His Majesty just now.
"Your Majesty, please forgive Ranran this time, considering her deep remorse towards the princess."
The Empress's words were earnest and seemingly aimed at protecting Song Zhuran, but in reality, they were all about exposing Song Zhuran's true nature to the public.
Xiao Yu looked at Song Zhuran in disbelief, "Consort Chun is Young Master Xuan."
"Your Majesty, please consider that Ranran was young at the time and spare her," the Empress continued.
Song Zhuran clenched her teeth, trying hard to remain calm. "Sister, you..."
"Ranran, you should apologize to the Prince Consort and even more so to His Majesty. It was my sister's fault for covering it up for you." After Empress Song Zhuyi finished speaking, she kowtowed to Xiao Yu. "Your Majesty, I know that I have committed a grave mistake of covering up."
"Your Majesty, I request to be punished and go to Huangjue Temple to eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures for three months."
“Your Majesty,” Jiang Wan Ning said, “the Empress is currently pregnant, and it would be very difficult for her to have a healthy pregnancy in a place like Huangjue Temple.”
“Those three thousand steps alone are difficult for an ordinary person to climb, let alone a pregnant woman.”
Xiao Yu naturally didn't want anything to happen to the child in Empress Song Zhuran's womb, and besides, the fault didn't lie with the Empress.
If there is a mistake, it is Song Zhuran who is even more wrong. He really did not expect that the seemingly simple and obedient Song Zhuran would be Young Master Xuan.
If anyone should be punished, it should be her. Just as Xiao Yu was thinking this, he saw Song Zhuran kneeling down beside him. "Your Majesty, it's all my fault."
"I was young and ignorant back then. I originally thought of the princess as a friend, but she misunderstood me. I never had a chance to explain it to her."
"Your Majesty, please don't punish my sister. Ranran was wrong, and she even said the wrong thing. Let Ranran go and repent."
"Ranran only asks Your Majesty to take good care of your health."
Song Zhuran's last words were loaded with meaning, and Xiao Yu naturally thought of the elixir of immortality. The Taoist priest seemed to value Song Zhuran exceptionally highly, and more importantly, the priest said that Song Zhuran possessed an extremely yin constitution, and her blood was a key ingredient in this elixir of immortality.
If she goes to Huangjue Temple, then the elixir of immortality will no longer be able to be refined.
Thinking of this, Xiao Yu smiled and asked, "What are the Empress and Consort Chun doing?"
"It's just that Consort Chun was young and playful. This matter is over, and there's no point in punishing the living."
"What do you think, Prince Consort?"
"Your Majesty is right."
Since the Emperor had said so, Chen Jie didn't say anything, and the others certainly wouldn't dare to say anything more.
"About your marriage..."
"Your Majesty, why not let Consort Chun handle the marriage arrangements?" Empress Song Zhuyi said. "I will assist Consort Chun diligently."
"This can be considered as Consort Chun making amends for her mistakes."
Letting her choose a wife for her beloved is a truly devastating move by the Empress and Jiang Wan Ning.
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