Chapter 169 Extra: Ling Yumo and Yan Jinyue 2
With the marriage agreement settled, the next step was to set a wedding date.
After Ling Yumo returned to Xiling, he had only been on the throne for a short time, and the political situation in Xiling was not yet very stable, so he could not stay in Yong Kingdom for too long.
The wedding date is set for early October, leaving only half a month for preparations.
All matters related to the wedding were arranged by the Ministry of Rites.
For the remaining two weeks, Yan Jinyue stayed in Shou'an Palace every day, accompanying her father and mother. As the wedding day drew closer, she became more and more reluctant to leave.
"A daughter is like a tree that cannot be kept at home once she grows up." The Empress Dowager stroked her face, equally reluctant to part with her. "Anyway, she will get married sooner or later. This time, she is just marrying someone a little further away. If he treats you well and can cherish you for the rest of his life, it is worth it to be far away."
Yan Jinyue's eyes were slightly red: "Although I like Ling Yumo, the thought of going to Xiling and having difficulty seeing my father, mother, brother, and sister-in-law again makes me extremely sad."
The Empress Dowager's eyes reddened, and she hugged her daughter tightly, saying, "Your mother can't bear to part with you either."
The Emperor Emeritus was quite philosophical about it: "All good things must come to an end. This applies to fathers and sons, brothers and sisters; sooner or later, everyone will experience separation. You are just leaving us sooner, so there's no need to be sad. While we are still here, and you and Ling Yumo are still young, you may be able to come back to visit us in a couple of years."
Yan Jinyue thought so too, and nodded: "I must have him bring me back within three years."
The Empress Dowager remained silent.
It's not that easy to come back to visit relatives.
Long journeys are inherently difficult, and it is difficult for emperors and empresses to travel light. With more people, the journey is slower, and the round trip can take at least several months. Not only is it easy to fall ill, but it also consumes a lot of money and manpower.
Most importantly, barring any unforeseen circumstances, she must give birth within three years.
With a young infant in tow, how can you just pack up and go? You have to consider the child, not just the adults.
However, the Empress did not want to say these things and upset her daughter.
If she holds onto a sliver of hope, her sadness will lessen slightly. But if she thinks she won't be able to come back for three or five years, wouldn't she be even more heartbroken?
"After Jin Yue gets married, your brother should work even harder to train the troops," the Emperor Emeritus said calmly. "Love may not last, but a strong country is the best way to protect Jin Yue from being wronged in Xiling."
He never believed that a person's feelings could last.
Especially since the other party was an emperor.
Throughout history, emperors who wanted to secure their throne rarely prioritized personal feelings. Even if they were sentimental, they would still have other concubines in their harem.
Rather than placing your hopes on a man's promise, it's better to make your country so powerful that the other side has no choice but to be wary.
The Emperor Emeritus rose and sat down in front of the Empress Dowager, instructing her: "Jinyue, I don't mean to sow discord between you and Ling Yumo. You two are currently in love and your feelings are strong. You can indeed enjoy a few happy years together, but no one can guarantee what will happen in the future. Therefore, you need to be rational. If you are capable, you must firmly secure your position as Empress, give birth to the eldest son of the royal family, and ensure that no one can find fault with you."
"The more concubines there are in the harem, the more intrigue and backstabbing there will be."
"Remember not to be too kind-hearted and easily fall into someone's trap, and of course, don't easily make enemies."
"When you're in a foreign country, protecting yourself is the most important thing."
Yan Jinyue listened quietly and attentively to her father's instructions, and nodded gently: "Father, rest assured, I will protect myself."
"Your Majesty the Retired Emperor and Your Majesty the Empress Dowager," a eunuch entered, knelt down, and reported, "His Majesty the Emperor of Xiling has finished discussing official business with His Majesty and said he wishes to see the Princess and has something to say to her."
Yan Jinyue fell silent.
"Go ahead." The Empress Dowager patted her head. "You two are currently in the sweet and tender stage. You haven't seen each other for several months, so you must want to have a good talk."
Yan Jinyue's cheeks flushed slightly, with the shyness unique to a young woman before marriage, as she rose to take her leave.
The Empress Dowager watched her departing figure, her face filled with sorrow and reluctance. Once she went to Xiling, who knew when they would meet again?
"Don't worry," the Emperor Emeritus said gently. "After a few years when I've recovered, I'll have Yan Cang give us a private guard, and then we can go to Xiling to see her."
The Empress Dowager turned her head in surprise: "To Xiling?"
The retired emperor nodded.
The Empress Dowager's expression was a mixture of surprise, joy, and disbelief.
She had never even left the capital city in her entire life, and she never imagined that she would be able to leave the Yong Dynasty and go to see other countries.
“I know the royal rules are strict, and once you’re in, it’s for life.” The Emperor Emeritus sighed, walked over to the Empress Dowager and sat down, gently putting his arm around her shoulder. “But after all I’ve been through over the years, I’ve come to terms with it. Rules are just for those who are willing to follow them. Yan Chen is unconventional and never takes the rules seriously. Shen Jingbai comes from a noble family, yet he still does all sorts of shocking things. Aren’t they still living well now?”
He sighed self-deprecatingly, "If they can do whatever they want, why can't we be willful for once?"
The Empress Dowager was silent for a moment: "Yan Chen and Shen Jingbai paid a heavy price."
They can live as they please now entirely thanks to the emperor's mercy. After all, if Yan Chen hadn't been the emperor's own son, what happened back then would have been enough to kill him several times over.
The Shen family was also implicated by Shen Jingbai and withdrew from the court. If Shen Jingbai hadn't loved the emperor's son, how could he have escaped the harsh family rules back then?
Such unorthodox cases that survive are extremely rare and not worth emulating, because there are no comparable examples.
Of course, if the retired emperor and empress dowager wanted to act willfully, there should still be ways to do so.
"I have complete confidence in entrusting the country to Yan Cang." The Emperor Emeritus held her hand. "We are getting old, and it's time for us to go out and enjoy the good life."
The Empress Dowager paused for a moment, then raised an eyebrow slightly: "So, even if it's just so I can have the opportunity to travel the world outside the palace in the future, I should take good care of you in the days to come and make sure your precious body is well taken care of?"
The Emperor Emeritus laughed heartily: "Of course. Otherwise, even if a frail woman like you wanted to leave the palace, Yan Cang wouldn't feel at ease."
The Empress Dowager pursed her lips but did not refute.
This is a male-dominated world, and it is indeed difficult for women to go out alone, especially a woman from a wealthy family who has never left the capital for half her life. She dares not even think about what she might encounter if she goes out.
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