Chapter 56
Wei Jing'an couldn't help but steal a glance at himself. He couldn't understand what he had done that made the Emperor misunderstand him as someone who was good at acting.
Wei Jing'an didn't connect this matter with his eldest son at all.
The next morning, Eunuch Liu arrived at the Li family's house.
"Lord Li, congratulations!" Eunuch Liu smiled as he looked at Li Tianyou, the emperor's favorite.
"Eunuch Liu, thank you for making this trip." Li Tianyou bowed to Eunuch Liu.
He thought to himself, "This is the emperor's most trusted eunuch; I must curry favor with him."
"Lord Li, are you ready?" Eunuch Liu asked Li Tianyou considerately.
If it were anyone else, he wouldn't even bother to remind them and would just read the imperial edict aloud.
"Please sit for a moment, sir. I will have someone prepare the incense table right away," Li Tianyou said to Eunuch Liu with a smile, while quickly having Zhou Tong lead people to carry the incense table out.
"Lord Li, there's no need to be so polite. His Majesty has already instructed you to keep everything simple." Eunuch Liu thought that when he came out, His Majesty had specifically instructed him that Li Tianyou was originally a merchant and probably didn't know anything about receiving imperial decrees. If he wasn't prepared, he should give him some pointers.
Considering the money that saved countless lives, Li Tianyou deserves some guidance.
"Eunuch Liu." Li Zhiwei rushed over and saw her father chatting and laughing with the chief eunuch in front of the emperor.
She breathed a slight sigh of relief, but she was also worried that her father wouldn't be able to handle the situation.
However, seeing Eunuch Liu's kind eyes, I felt relieved.
"Congratulations, Princess Consort An." Eunuch Liu looked at Li Zhiwei and thought to himself, "This Prince An is truly blessed. This Miss Li is concerned about the world and is well-regarded by the Emperor."
From now on, Miss Li will be able to walk sideways in the capital.
"Master, everything is ready."
Zhou Tong quickly came over and said.
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Liu composed himself, walked to the incense table, and stood solemnly. Li Tianyou quickly led his entire family, including Li Zhiwei who had rushed over, to kneel down in unison, holding their breath and focusing their attention.
Eunuch Liu unfurled the bright yellow imperial edict in his hand, his high-pitched and clear voice echoing in the hall:
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I have heard that when Heaven and Earth follow the right path, families will be at peace, and marriage is of utmost importance to the foundation of royal governance. I have heard that Li Zhiwei, the eldest daughter of Li Tianyou, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, is born into a distinguished family, gentle and virtuous, intelligent and wise, and of upright and elegant character. Moreover, she is kind-hearted, offers advice and resources, benefits the common people, and has made great contributions to the nation. She is truly a model woman."
Prince An, Xu Heming, is my trusted advisor, a leading member of the imperial clan, a man of imposing stature, loyal and brave, and with outstanding achievements. He is of marriageable age and should be married to a virtuous woman.
I was delighted to hear of this, for it is my wish to help others achieve their happiness. Li Zhiwei is of marriageable age and is a perfect match for Prince An. To ensure the happiness of this beautiful woman, I hereby betroth Li Zhiwei to Prince An as his principal wife. All the ceremonies will be jointly handled by the Ministry of Rites and the Director of the Imperial Observatory, and the wedding will be held on an auspicious day.
The proclamation was made known both domestically and internationally.
So be it.
After the imperial edict was read aloud, the hall fell silent. Then, Li Tianyou’s excited voice rang out: “Your subject, Li Tianyou, accepts the edict and expresses his gratitude! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!” He raised his hands above his head and respectfully accepted the heavy imperial edict.
Li Zhiwei followed her father in bowing to express her gratitude, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
She was filled with trepidation as she brought a generous dowry to the capital, intending to dedicate herself to being a wife and mother.
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