Chapter 86 What's it to him?
Concealing the turmoil in her heart, Yu Mingshu finally raised her head and met Liang Yuanyi's eyes. "After leaving the Eastern Palace, where does the Master hope I will seek employment?"
“If you are willing to leave the Eastern Palace, I will petition His Majesty to grant us a marriage.” Liang Yuanyi’s eyes shone brightly, and his tone was firm.
Each word of this short sentence is clear and easy to understand when broken down, but when put together, it is like a thunderclap, leaving Yu Mingshu stunned and blank-minded for a long time.
After regaining her senses, only four words remained in her mind: Are you alright?
Having finally regained his composure, Yu Mingshu moved back slightly, bowed, and said, "This humble subject does not know where in my previous words or actions has caused His Highness Prince Qin to misunderstand... My heart belongs to someone else, and that love is as firm as a rock."
Hearing her change in address again, Liang Yuanyi felt a surge of anxiety. "You have someone else in your heart. Do you really love He Zheng?"
Yu Mingshu lowered his head even further, making no attempt to hide anything, "Yes."
"You admire him, but how has he treated you?" Liang Yuanyi sneered. "For three years, he's kept you hanging on, clinging to you, inseparable from you, yet he hasn't given you any recognition or commitment, treating your reputation and integrity with such contempt! Is this kind of libertine worthy of your affection?"
Yu Mingshu's lips twitched, his gaze still fixed on the carpet on the floor. "How does Your Highness know that it is He Zheng who refuses to marry me, rather than that I am afraid of marriage and hesitant to entrust my life to him?"
Liang Yuanyi was stunned for a moment, his thoughts seemingly broken, unable to comprehend her so-called fear and anxiety. "If you don't want to marry him, how can you be considered to be in love with him?"
“These are two different things.” Yu Mingshu finally raised her eyes. Recalling Liang Yuanyi’s behavior over the years, she felt weary and had no desire to argue with him about his views on marriage and relationships.
“I admire He Zheng as a person, not as the wife of the Marquis of Pingyan. I am used to living alone and am not yet ready to be a wife or daughter-in-law.” Her voice was clear and cold, each word distinct.
“If He Zheng wanted to coerce me, he would have a hundred ways to force me to submit, but he didn’t. He respected my anxiety and tolerated my fears… He will be twenty-two after the New Year. I know in my heart how much pressure he has endured while waiting for me.”
A hint of guilt unconsciously flickered in her eyes, and Liang Yuanyi could no longer bear to listen.
"What do you think this is? Indecisiveness will only harm yourself and others."
Yu Mingshu pursed her lips and didn't say anything more.
Liang Yuanyi gripped the white jade thumb ring on his right hand, then changed the subject, "You have lofty ambitions, but have you ever considered what the He family's situation would be if the Crown Prince were to successfully ascend the throne?"
With the crown prince successfully ascending the throne, the He family, as the new emperor's maternal family, faces only two possible fates.
When the He family encountered a loyal and righteous monarch who readily believed those who were biased, they were undoubtedly distinguished and enjoyed unparalleled glory. However, when they encountered a cunning and suspicious monarch, the He family either had to relinquish their power and become wealthy and idle, or they would accumulate enough of the emperor's suspicion to face the annihilation of the entire clan.
Given the Crown Prince's clear-cut approach to rewards and punishments, she was clearly not the former. Fortunately, both generations of the He family were sensible and acted relatively discreetly, preventing them from falling into the trap of being purged by the Emperor.
The problem is that the He family has a distinguished military record and considerable influence in the army. If she marries He Zheng, can the Crown Prince still feel comfortable letting her advance further in her career?
Seeing her fall into thought and remain silent, Liang Yuanyi smiled.
The faint smile didn't last long before a shout came from outside the carriage, and then the curtain was suddenly lifted.
He Zheng grabbed Yu Mingshu's arm and pulled her out. Yu Mingshu instinctively gasped, but when she turned around and saw the person's face, she felt much more at ease and swallowed back the cry she was about to utter.
He Zheng slipped one hand under her arm and used the other to lift her knees, carrying her down from the carriage. Only then did he seem to realize the identity of the person inside, and he gave a perfunctory bow, saying, "Your subject did not know that you were His Highness Prince Qin. I have been very rude. Please forgive me, Your Highness."
Liang Yuanyi's expression was very unpleasant. He snorted, "Long time no see, He Erlang is still as reckless as ever."
He Zheng glanced meaningfully at his carriage, "Your Highness's simple and unpretentious style remains unchanged."
Liang Yuanyi found him an eyesore and said to the eunuch driving the carriage, "Return to the West Garden."
He Zheng shielded Yu Mingshu with one hand and stepped back to make way for the main path, then said with a smile, "Respectfully seeing off the Prince of Qin."
The carriage had gone far away, disappearing from sight outside the courtyard gate. He Zheng lowered his head and tucked the collar of Yu Mingshu's coat tightly. "What did he say to you?"
Yu Mingshu pulled him inside, closing the doors and windows tightly before saying, "He asked me if I had ever thought about what the situation would be for your He family if the Crown Prince were to successfully ascend the throne."
He Zheng blurted out, "What's it to him?"
Receiving the other party's intense gaze, he coughed lightly and changed his words, saying, "He has the leisure to worry about this. He might as well think about what kind of situation he would be in if his cousin, the Crown Prince, were to successfully ascend the throne."
Yu Mingshu remained silent, poured himself a cup of hot tea, and pressed his cold fingertips against the scalding hot rim of the cup.
"No, he came to your doorstep to block you, just to say this?" He Zheng suddenly realized, his tone becoming much sharper.
Yu Mingshu avoided his gaze and did not utter Liang Yuanyi's insane words.
She got up and went back to the inner room, bringing out a brocade box. She opened the carved lid, revealing the gift inside. "The Duke's birthday is in a few days. You said your father has no interest in calligraphy, painting, or other refined things, and in recent years he hasn't even touched swords or weapons..."
"I racked my brains before finally deciding to start with drinking as a gift. I asked Manager Cui's caravan to find this set of wine utensils from the west as a birthday present. Can you take a look and see if it's presentable?"
He Zheng paused for a moment, then reached out and took out a jade cup. The cup was slightly cool to the touch but not icy, and the jade was clear and transparent, without the slightest impurity.
Yu Mingshu said, "It looks ordinary, but Manager Cui said that this jade cup is also called a luminous cup, which can shine brightly in the dark."
He Zheng pondered for a moment, "During the reign of King Mu of Zhou, the Western Hu people presented him with a luminous, ever-filled cup. The cup was made of the finest white jade, and its light shone brightly in the night."
“That’s right, this is the luminous cup mentioned in the ‘Ten Continents Chronicle’.” Yu Mingshu looked at him with delight. “You have quite a wide range of reading.”
He Zheng smiled and accepted her praise, carefully putting the jade cup back. "My father will surely be pleased with the gift you prepared so thoughtfully."
Yu Mingshu closed the lid and hesitated before asking, "When the Duchess mentioned the marriage proposal to my mother, did she say anything when you went back to persuade her?"
“She just doesn’t understand what you’re worried about, she didn’t say a bad word about you.” He Zheng could tell what she was worried about just by looking at the worry in her eyes, and gently advised, “Don’t think so much. Sometimes not understanding or not agreeing is not the same as opposing. My parents are not as domineering as you think.”
Yu Mingshu knew, of course, that the Duke and his wife were enlightened; otherwise, they would not have allowed their son to postpone his marriage until he was twenty-one.
She was simply unable to control her anxiety.
…
Zhang Zhuoyan was already a Noble Consort, but because she was naturally quiet and unwilling to interact with other concubines, the emperor still allowed her to live in the West Garden after the investiture ceremony and exempted her from attending various banquets and occasions.
The Empress never disturbed her peace, and even if other concubines wanted to test her, they didn't dare.
After Liang Yuanyi recovered, he moved to Yishanfang. The emperor ordered the former Prince Jin's residence to be renovated and converted into Prince Qin's residence. As a result, Zhang Zhuoyan was the only person in the West Garden on weekdays.
She had long been accustomed to such quiet days, reading and painting, admiring flowers and sipping tea, and occasionally listening to servants talk about Yuan Yi's situation outside the palace.
"Did he go to Jingfeng Gate to wait for Yu Zhanshi again?" Zhang Zhuoyan put down her paintbrush, her brow furrowed.
The maid bowed her head and replied, "Yes, to avoid His Highness Prince Qin, Master Yu will spend the night in his quarters at the Master's residence."
Zhang Zhuoyan's brow furrowed deeper, her heart filled with utter helplessness. No one knows a son better than his mother; how could she not know what Yuan Yi was thinking? But his behavior was undeniably rude.
Just then, I heard barely perceptible footsteps behind me.
The emperor placed a list on the table in front of her, turned around and sat down, gently brushing aside her hair.
Zhang Zhuoyan glanced at him, carefully flipped through the roster, and looked through all the women with noble backgrounds and outstanding appearances.
Among them are many daughters of newly rich families from humble backgrounds, as well as some women from prestigious and established families.
She frowned and asked, "What does Your Majesty mean by this?"
Just as the He family was concerned about He Zheng's marriage, the emperor was also concerned about his own son's marriage.
He sat down next to Zhang Zhuoyan, put his arm around her shoulder, and said, "Yuanyi is not young anymore. He was delayed for a few years before, but now he is at the age where he should settle down."
Zhang Zhuoyan closed the register and cautiously looked into the emperor's eyes, "Which family's daughter has Your Majesty taken a fancy to?"
The emperor smiled, then opened the register again, his fingertips seemingly grazing a few names unintentionally, and sighed softly, "What use is it if I take a liking to them? It's up to Yuan Yi himself to be interested."
Zhang Zhuoyan's gaze returned to the roster, staring intently at the names he pointed to. "Speaking of Yuan Yi's sweetheart..."
The emperor sensed something amiss in her hesitant tone: "He already has someone he loves?"
“When he lived in seclusion in Yongningfang, he was quite fond of the young lady Yu next door… However, Yuan Yi never mentioned his feelings for the Yu family, so this is just my guess.”
"The Yu family?"
"Yu Mingshu, Junior Chamberlain of the Crown Prince's Palace."
Upon hearing her confirm the woman's identity, the emperor's brow furrowed. "The Yu family has fallen on hard times; how can she be worthy of being the Princess Consort of Qin?"
Zhang Zhuoyan said helplessly, "His Majesty just said that it depends on Yuan Yi's own wishes."
The emperor said in a deep voice, "Over the years, I have wronged you and your son a great deal. Now the crown prince has a wide influence in the court and many supporters. If we do not choose a noble lady from a prominent family for Yuan Yi, I am afraid he will have difficulty establishing himself in the future."
Zhang Zhuoyan was shocked to hear this. The Crown Prince was known to be wise and virtuous, and his position had become increasingly stable since he joined the government. The Emperor's words seemed to suggest that he wanted to promote Yuan Yi to compete with the Crown Prince. Why was that?
"I only wish that Yuan Yi is in good health and that he may find a soulmate to spend the rest of his life with." Her voice trembled slightly, unable to hide her unease.
The emperor chuckled lightly, "How do you know that Yuan Yi is content to be a fish in a pond?"
Zhang Zhuoyan suddenly stood up, knelt down and said, “Your Majesty, Yuan Yi has lofty ambitions, but he only hopes to use his knowledge to serve the court and bring peace to the people. He has no desire for power.”
The emperor reached out and gently stroked her neatly styled hair, then helped her sit up. "Sister, this is not a test. I genuinely want to make amends to you."
Zhang Zhuoyan stared intently into his eyes, "The Crown Prince has done nothing wrong. To shake the position of heir apparent is detrimental to the overall situation."
"No one is perfect, who can guarantee they will never make a mistake?" The emperor said wistfully, shifting his gaze to the distance.
In any case, the crown prince cannot inherit the throne.
A chill ran through Zhang Zhuoyan's heart. After a long silence, she finally said in a hoarse voice, "Your Majesty should ask Yuan Yi for his opinion."
The following afternoon, Liang Yuanyi was summoned by the emperor and followed Yao Qingxi into the Taiji Hall. Just as he was about to perform the rites, the emperor told him to excuse himself and beckoned him to come forward and take a seat.
That list ended up in Liang Yuanyi's hands again.
The emperor did not explicitly state his intentions, but Liang Yuanyi understood them at a glance.
He closed the register and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I... have already chosen someone."
The emperor frowned, but since he had heard Zhang Zhuoyan mention this matter the day before, he was not particularly surprised. "Yu Mingshu, is that so?"
Liang Yuanyi was taken aback for a moment, then lowered his head and admitted, "Yes."
"Ms. Yu is indeed exceptionally talented and beautiful, and quite intelligent. However, with the decline of the Yu family, it would be unsuitable for her to be the principal wife of a prince." The emperor glanced at him and smiled with pleasure, "If you like her, you can make her a concubine."
Liang Yuanyi's breathing hitched slightly, and when he spoke again, his tone unconsciously became anxious, "Your Majesty, I will marry no one but Ming Shu in this life."
The emperor said meaningfully, "I didn't say you can't marry her, it's just that given the current situation, it's only fair that she temporarily remain as a concubine."
"I am unwilling to wrong her in the slightest." Liang Yuanyi suddenly raised his head, his eyes resolute. "Back then, Your Majesty and Mother each had their own difficulties and were forced to separate for several years. Even if you have reconciled now, I ask Your Majesty, can a broken mirror be mended as if it were new again?"
The emperor seemed stumped by his question and remained silent for a long time.
The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. After what seemed like an eternity, the person at the head of the table sighed deeply, "Go to the West Garden to see your mother first."
Liang Yuanyi remained silent for a moment, then bowed in agreement. Tong Shun led him away, while Yao Qingxi tiptoed up the steps to the emperor's side.
"Your Majesty, I have heard that His Highness Prince Qin has been frequently visiting Jingfeng Gate to see Yu Zhanshi these past two days, and there are already many rumors circulating in Chang'an."
Upon hearing this, the emperor glared at him and said, "You also want to persuade me to bestow a marriage upon him and the Yu family?"
"How dare I?" Yao Qingxi hurriedly feigned fear. "I just feel that His Highness Prince Qin is in high spirits right now, and no one can persuade him otherwise. Fortunately, this Yu Zhanshi knows his place and knows to avoid suspicion from His Highness. Perhaps after a few more days, His Highness will lose heart and come to his senses."
Judging from the way Liang Yuanyi vowed to marry no one but her in this life, he was clearly not the type to back down easily.
The emperor was unimpressed, staring down at the discarded register on his desk. After a moment, he ordered, "Go to the Eastern Palace Chamberlain's Office and summon Yu Mingshu."
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