Chapter 89: Imperial Reward
Mrs. Li's face had turned ashen just now due to Chen Shuwei's anger, and now she had to force a smile. She felt really sick in her heart.
However, Princess Rongyang's words seemed to imply that she was supporting the Shen family. Madam Li was very confused and did not dare to speak carelessly. She could only carefully inquire about Princess Rongyang's intentions.
"I am asking you questions now, when will it be your turn to question me?" Princess Rongyang said in a stern tone.
Madam Li bent even lower and apologized, "It's my fault for talking too much."
She glanced at the normal-looking Chen Shuwei, and her eyes darkened. It seemed that Chen Shuwei had a close relationship with Princess Rongyang, and she even expected Princess Rongyang to visit her today.
In a short moment, her mind turned a thousand times, and she changed her sharp and cunning attitude towards Shen Shuwei. She smiled and said, "In reply to the princess, my son and the girl Shuwei are in love with each other. I am here with the Marquis of Jingning to act as a matchmaker for the two young families."
"Your Highness, it's a coincidence that you came here to witness the wedding of my disappointing son and the young girl Shu Wei. I hope Your Highness will do me the honor of drinking a glass of wedding wine at the wedding banquet tomorrow."
Madam Li rushed to confirm her relationship with Li Jue in front of Shen Shuwei, fearing that Shen Shuwei would deny the marriage as she had just done.
She would accept it even if Chen Shuwei was a little crazy as long as she could establish a friendship with the eldest princess.
"Propose marriage?" Princess Rongyang laughed out loud and looked at Chen Shuwei.
Shen Shuwei shook her head slightly and was about to speak when Madam Li suddenly reached out and held her hands. She forced a smile and said with difficulty, "Shuwei, it was my aunt who said the wrong thing just now. You and Jue'er have been childhood sweethearts and your marriage has been arranged since you were young. This is a good match."
Marquis Jingning, who was standing to the side, also came to his senses and warned silently, "Shuwei, please don't talk nonsense in front of the princess."
Shen Shuwei twitched his hand, but it didn't twitch. He said calmly, "Madam Li, you pinched me and hurt me."
Madam Li's face froze, and the anger she had just suppressed surged up again. However, because Princess Rongyang was there, she could only put on a smile and let go of her hand, "Auntie is just too excited."
"Shuwei, regarding you and Jue'er, we—"
"I have made it very clear just now. If Madam Li and Marquis Jingning have forgotten, I don't mind repeating it again." As soon as Shen Shuwei finished speaking, Marquis Jingning shouted sternly.
"Shuwei! Don't say such nonsense. The young master of the Li family is deeply in love with you, and you grew up together. You will be blessed if you marry into the family." Marquis Jingning turned to look at Princess Rongyang, with a forced smile, "Shuwei is a naive girl. Your Highness, please forgive me for making fun of you."
"If Marquis Jingning thinks that being someone's concubine is a blessing, then he should send both of his daughters to be concubines." Shen Shuwei said without any concealment.
Marquis Jingning frowned, "It's the parents' order and the matchmaker's words. How can you be picky about such a big matter as marriage? You—"
"That's enough." Princess Rongyang sat on the chair and closed the covered bowl. The crisp sound startled Marquis Jingning and made him shiver on the back. He couldn't help but glare at Chen Shuwei angrily.
Silly girl, she didn't even think about who raised her to this age, and she even embarrassed herself in front of Princess Rongyang.
"Marquis Jingning himself said that it was his parents' orders and the matchmaker's words. What does the daughter of the Shen family have to do with your Marquis Jingning's Mansion? Or are the people in your mansion useless, so you come to the Shen family to snatch people to save face for your mansion?" Although Princess Rongyang was concerned about the two marquises of the Li and Chu families, she did not say anything too harsh, but she still made Marquis Jingning and Madam Li blush.
Madam Li glanced at Shen Shuwei with resentful and angry eyes, "Your Highness, my son values Shuwei and misses their old relationship in his heart, so he asked me, his mother, to come and propose marriage in person. Although she is a concubine, she is still a noble concubine, more than enough to match the daughter of a fourth-rank minister."
Princess Rongyang looked at her with a half-smile, "Madam Li, you think that all the men in the world have died, and only your son is left, right?"
"She, Chen Shuwei, is being ungrateful by not being your son's concubine today. Your Li family is so shameless."
Madam Li knew she had spoken out of turn and quickly knelt to apologize, "This was not my intention. It's just that my family proposed marriage with sincerity and was determined to marry Miss Shen. I was frustrated and said the wrong thing just now."
Princess Rongyang said nothing, but just looked outside the courtyard. Soon, a palace eunuch came forward holding a bright yellow imperial edict and a tray covered with red silk cloth.
Everyone in the room knelt down in unison, leaving only Princess Rongyang and the Xuanzhi eunuch standing.
After listening to the imperial edict read out by the eunuch, Marquis Jingning and Madam Li looked at Shen Shuwei with pale faces.
The imperial edict was full of praise for Shen Shuwei, and she was also rewarded with fifty taels of gold.
What did Shen Shuwei do? This was the same thought expressed by Marquis Jingning and Madam Li.
The eunuch who delivered the decree bent down and helped Shen Shuwei to his feet. His eyes wrinkled with a smile as he said with a hint of meaning, "Lord Shen has also been rewarded today. Now we should call him General Shen. His Majesty has appointed him the rank of General of the Cavalry."
Princess Rongyang chuckled at the right moment and looked at the two of them. "Speaking of which, my brother wanted to grant Chen Shuwei the title of village chief, but unfortunately the Shen family refused."
"Your Li family is quite successful. You almost got the village head as a concubine."
Madam Li could hear the ridicule in Princess Rongyang's words. She wished she could bury her head in the ground, and at the same time she resented Marquis Jingning.
This is not what he swore that Shen Shuwei was raised in their mansion and was the most filial. As long as he asked, he would definitely bring Shen Shuwei home as a concubine.
As a result, not only was she ridiculed by Shen Shuwei, but she was also embarrassed in front of Princess Rongyang.
Chen Shuwei accepted the fifty taels of gold and was just about to make a superficial effort to decline it with Princess Rongyang when she said, "Take it. This is a gift from His Majesty for your contributions to the people of Daliang. It's better for you to receive this reward than for those who do nothing all day but think highly of themselves."
Madam Li's cheeks were burning hot, and she didn't dare to stay any longer. She said goodbye and was about to leave, but was stopped by Princess Rongyang.
"Stop, you have no relatives or friends and you brought people to make trouble. If I hadn't happened to be here today, I'm afraid that Shen Shuwei would really be bullied and taken home by you two families."
"After making such a fuss, you want to just walk away? If you keep doing this, I, Daliang, will be able to kidnap any girl I like in the future?"
In his heart, Marquis Jingning still relied on the fact that he was Shen Shuwei's father. He looked up at Shen Shuwei indignantly, but before he could say anything, he was given a cold glance by Princess Rongyang.
He had no choice but to lower his head and admit his mistake, saying that he treated Shen Shuwei as his daughter and wanted to find a good marriage for her.
Madam Li glared at Marquis Jingning and cursed him in her heart as a fool. Couldn't he see that Princess Rongyang was trying to save face for Chen Shuwei? He was still talking nonsense here at this point. No wonder the Marquis Jingning's Mansion was just an empty shell in this generation.
If it weren't for the marriage contract arranged by the elders above, she would really want to cancel Chu Xinrou's marriage and cut off all ties with the Jingning Marquis' Mansion.
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