Chapter 56. The wedding date is set.
After a night of running around, Gu Zhan returned to the East Palace at past midnight. Therefore, he did not go back to Qingluan Palace, but changed his clothes in Qinzheng Palace, casually drank a cup of strong tea, and then went to the palace to prepare for court.
The question of whether the Prince of Wei should stay in the capital for an extended period after returning at the end of the year has once again stirred up a storm in the court.
Two days after the Emperor issued an edict allowing Prince Wei to return to the capital, the situation between Prime Minister Li and Prime Minister Su, who had always been at odds, changed instantly.
Two years ago, Prime Minister Su presided over the reforms, which initially yielded great results and won the favor of the emperor. He also took the opportunity to promote many of his protégés and former officials, and in the court, he seemed to completely overshadow Prime Minister Li. However, since the beginning of this year, all the benefits of the previous reforms have turned into accumulated problems. For example, the Huizhou peasant uprising after the autumn was directly affected by the reforms. After the emperor criticized Prime Minister Su with the words "too much is as bad as too little", the situation between Prime Minister Su and Prime Minister Li was restored to balance.
The relationship between the two was already delicate. Although they maintained a friendly facade, their private attacks and accusations never ceased. The emperor seemed to tacitly approve of this and did not interfere much.
With the issuance of the imperial edict summoning the Prince of Wei back to the capital, Li Xiang, as the Prince of Wei's maternal grandfather, saw his status rise dramatically.
The Emperor, naturally unwilling to see this happen, deliberately asked Prime Minister Li for his opinion: "Prime Minister Li is the maternal grandfather of the Prince of Wei. In Prime Minister Li's opinion, after the Prince of Wei returns at the end of the year, should he stay in the capital or not?"
A cold sweat broke out on Li Xiang's back. He bowed and replied, "Our dynasty has no rule that princes must remain in the capital or go to their fiefdoms after reaching adulthood. It all depends on Your Majesty's will. If Your Majesty wishes that Prince Wei may stay with his parents to fulfill his filial duties, then he may remain in the capital as a prince with leisure. If Your Majesty wishes that Prince Wei may convey Your Majesty's will in the provinces so that the people of our Great Qi may receive Your Majesty's enlightened teachings, then he may be sent back to his fiefdom to guard Your Majesty's territory."
Gu Zhan listened from the side, a slight smile playing on his lips.
He was indeed eloquent and perceptive, able to understand the emperor's mind.
The Emperor did not comment on Li Xiang's words, but only asked, "What do you all think?"
Then a low-ranking official in a green robe stepped forward with a tablet in his hand and said, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, the vassal kings have been holding onto their territories for too long. I fear they will become too powerful and follow the example of the disasters of the previous dynasty."
Upon hearing this, Gu Zhan glanced back and recognized the man. Although he was not Li Xiang's protégé, he had been engaged to Li Xiang's brother-in-law's daughter just a few days ago. He appeared to be an upright official in the Censorate, but in reality, he had already joined Li Xiang's ranks.
It must have been difficult for Prime Minister Li to arrange for someone to put on such a charade.
The Emperor grunted in acknowledgment, then, as if finally remembering the Crown Prince, asked, "What does the Crown Prince think?"
Gu Zhan knew that the Emperor must want to keep the Prince of Wei here. Otherwise, he would never have recalled the Prince of Wei, who had been stationed in the capital for five years. Even if he was unwilling, he had to go along with the Emperor's wishes and say, "If my elder brother can get along well with his brothers after returning to the capital, that would be the best thing."
If the King of Wei is restless, then we will not let him have his way.
The emperor's mind is unpredictable. Although he did not directly say whether the Prince of Wei would stay in the capital after returning to Beijing that day, everyone guessed that the steward's move was clearly an attempt to give him a warning in order to balance the political situation.
After the court session, Yang Qing waited for Gu Zhan outside. After bowing to him, he walked a step behind him and said, "Your Highness, as you instructed, the graves of Madam Shen's parents and brothers in Yanzhou have been successfully moved back and placed in the cemetery you personally selected in the suburbs of the capital."
Gu Zhan nodded, indicating that he understood.
*
Last night, Gu Zhan was not in the East Palace, so Shen Mi rarely slept peacefully. It had been a long time since she had slept so unrestrainedly as she had last night. Therefore, even when Cuiwei was doing her hair and makeup, she said that her complexion was much better than in the past few days.
Coincidentally, the chef delivered a meal that matched her taste, so she ate more than she wanted.
However, this sense of ease did not last long before it was interrupted by Sun Cheng's voice.
Shen Mi looked at Sun Cheng and asked, "Why is Eunuch Sun in such a hurry?"
Sun Cheng bowed to her hastily and said, "An imperial edict has arrived from the palace. We must go to the entrance of Qingluan Palace immediately."
Shen Mi's back suddenly stiffened. "Is this an imperial decree for His Highness? But His Highness doesn't seem to have returned from court yet?"
Sun Cheng replied, "It is an imperial decree to establish you as the Crown Princess."
He had barely finished speaking when another shrill voice came from outside: "Imperial edict has arrived—"
Shen Mi was pruning flower branches in preparation for arranging flowers when she heard the sound. She tightened her grip on the scissors slightly, and one of the flower heads of the twin lotus beside her was cut off. The cut-off flower head rolled down the table.
But she couldn't hesitate for long. She immediately put down the scissors, didn't bother to straighten her dress, and hurriedly left the palace. After all, keeping the imperial decree waiting was a serious offense.
All the palace maids and eunuchs in the courtyard had knelt down, and Shen Mi also knelt before the eunuch who was delivering the imperial decree, saying, "This concubine, Shen, receives the imperial decree."
The eunuch unfurled the scroll and proclaimed: "I have heard that education originates from within the palace, thus emphasizing the fundamental principles of human relations. Rites and rites are revered, and virtuous women are deemed essential. Shen Mi is gentle and kind by nature, possessing a kind and compassionate heart. Her virtues are evident from the beginning, and her conduct is impeccable. Now, Crown Prince Zhan is of marriageable age. Therefore, I hereby appoint Shen Mi as Crown Princess, a fitting match for a virtuous and capable wife, to serve the ancestral temples and altars. You shall further cultivate your virtues as a wife, never forgetting the rules of conduct; you shall diligently uphold the virtues of a duchess, forever bearing the imperial favor. This proclamation is hereby issued, so that all within and outside the palace may know. The officials in charge shall carry it out."
As the eunuch finished reading the imperial edict, Shen Mi felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave and been bound in a cocoon.
She never expected that Gu Zhan, a man so obsessed with power, would actually disregard the Empress's wishes and marry a noblewoman from a prominent family in Bianjing to gain the upper hand in the struggle with Prince Wei after the New Year. Instead, he insisted on asking the Emperor to marry her and make her the Crown Princess.
Once she becomes Gu Zhan's rightful Crown Princess, she will never be able to escape Gu Zhan's control, and from then on, she will be bound to Gu Zhan for life.
If it were four or five years ago, upon hearing this imperial edict, she might have been overwhelmed with gratitude, or deeply moved. But now, she felt a slight urge to escape.
Seeing that Shen Mi remained silent for a long time after he finished reading the decree, the eunuch assumed that she was so surprised that she forgot to accept the decree and express her gratitude. So he reminded her again: "Your Highness, it is time to accept the decree."
Shen Mi finally came to her senses. She took a deep breath, raised her hands above her head, and accepted the imperial edict. "This concubine, Shen, accepts the edict."
The eunuch rolled up the imperial edict and placed it in her hand, smiling as he said, "Your Majesty and His Highness are a match made in heaven. This servant congratulates Your Majesty in advance."
Shen Mi forced herself to calm down and asked Cuiwei to give her a reward.
The eunuch did not accept the gift, but instead spoke in a fawning tone: "These are all my duties, Your Highness. There is no need for such formality. I only hope that Your Highness will not forget me in the future."
Shen Mi immediately recognized the eunuch. Upon hearing his accent, she suddenly recalled that snowy day six years ago when this same eunuch came to the declining Shen family to announce the imperial decree betrothing her to Gu Zhan as a concubine. At that time, he did not have the humble attitude he has now, and he accepted the gifts she gave him without any hesitation.
Thinking of this incident, she couldn't help but lower her head and chuckle. Times have changed, and people's hearts are no longer what they used to be.
Shen Mi quickly pulled herself out of her wandering thoughts, nodded slightly to the eunuch who was delivering the imperial decree, did not respond to his words, and only told Sun Cheng to escort the person away from the East Palace.
After the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree left, the palace maids and eunuchs who had been kneeling in the courtyard gradually got up and quickly changed their address to "Your Majesty".
Shen Mi held the imperial edict in her hand, feeling as if it weighed a thousand pounds. She was in no mood for it, but according to the rules, she still asked Cuiwei to give each of them some reward money.
If one day Gu Zhan loses interest in her again and feels that she is disobedient, at least these people won't kick her when she's down, and her life won't be too difficult.
Then she went into the bedchamber alone, without asking Cuiwei to serve her. She just held the imperial edict in her hand and stared blankly at a certain spot in the hall.
His eyes were vacant, and tears slowly streamed down his face.
After returning to the East Palace, Gu Zhan took the bracelet that Consort Yang had given him the night before from the Hall of Diligent Governance and went straight to the Qingluan Hall without asking anyone to announce his arrival.
He saw Shen Mi sitting quietly by the window, the imperial edict still in her hand, lost in thought.
Only after he sat down next to Shen Mi did Shen Mi seem to come back to her senses and call out to him, "Your Highness."
Gu Zhan held her hand, looking at the imperial edict in her hand, and said, "What I have granted you, I will certainly do. The Imperial Observatory and the Ministry of Rites have already determined an auspicious date based on your and my birth dates. It was originally set for this winter, but I felt it was too rushed, and many things would not have time to be prepared. So I chose a later date, next spring, the ninth day of the third month, when the peach blossoms are in full bloom. 'The peach tree is young and tender, its blossoms are bright and beautiful. This maiden is going to her husband's home, may she bring harmony to her family.' What do you think?"
Shen Mi gave a self-deprecating smile: "Your Highness has already made up your mind, so why bother asking for my opinion?"
Gu Zhan walked around to her side and hugged her tightly: "Zhi Niang, let's make things right from now on. I will give you the grandest wedding and make up for all our past regrets, okay?"
Shen Mi broke free from his embrace: "Your Highness, I always think that if only we could go back to that day, but I don't know exactly which day it was. I always feel that we can never go back. There is just too much, too much between Your Highness and me."
Her tone was soft, filled with melancholy.
Seeing her like this, Gu Zhan's breathing became heavier. He didn't understand. He had clearly given Shen Mi the best, so why did Shen Mi still keep him at arm's length?
After a long silence between them, Gu Zhan finally spoke, "Zhi Niang, there is one more thing I need to tell you."
Shen Mi did not think much of it.
"At the border, our dynasty is at war with the Dangxiang, and Yanzhou has been lost."
Shen Mi was shocked; the graves of her parents and brothers were all in Yanzhou.
Gu Zhan took her hand and said, "But you don't need to worry. I sent people to move the graves of your father-in-law, mother-in-law, and brother back to the capital some time ago. It was just completed today, which is why I'm telling you."
Shen Mi's lips moved slightly as she looked at Gu Zhan.
My thoughts were in turmoil.
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Author's note: Thank you for waiting!
There's more to the story, including the part where the female lead learns the truth about her miscarriage. It's currently at a level one or two, and I have an outline and a pacing plan. I guarantee that the necessary angst will be dealt with accordingly!
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