"Where are the people from the Imperial Household Department? We can't contact any of them?" Chu You suddenly turned to the eunuch and asked in a deep voice.
"I have tried all kinds of methods. Even the person in charge of purchasing has not left the palace for several days." The eunuch swallowed his saliva and said in a whisper, "Your Highness, could there be another change in the palace?"
Chu You's face flashed with an uncertain expression, and he asked in a deep voice: "What do the people watching outside the palace say?"
The eunuch lowered his head even more, not daring to look directly into Chu You's sharp eyes. He lowered his brows and replied submissively, "Your Highness, apart from the Feng family's affairs, which caused some disturbances recently, it seems that there is nothing else going on in the palace."
The matter of Feng She instigating Censor Lian to hit his head against the pillar has caused a lot of controversy recently. There are different stories in the court, and there has been no conclusion yet.
"..." Chu You's expression darkened even more, his thin lips were tightly pursed, and his face seemed to be covered with a layer of ice.
Previously, even though Empress Dowager Yuan was temporarily under house arrest in Shouning Palace, the Imperial Household Department and even the entire inner court were in the hands of Empress Dowager Yuan. Chu You would receive news from the palace from time to time, so it was not difficult for him to find out anything.
But now, he didn't even know whether Empress Dowager Yuan was safe.
This is the first time in my life! What if the emperor deliberately embarrasses the empress dowager...
Chu You was really unsure, his heart was in beating fast, and he walked back and forth quickly.
In the corner, there is a three-legged incense burner with a green glaze and a lotus relief. A wisp of green smoke rises up and slowly dissipates in the air.
The rich aroma permeated Chu You's nose.
Chu You took a deep breath, and the fragrance filled his chest, making him feel suffocated.
Chu You suddenly stopped and muttered to himself: "I must go to the palace, at least to see my mother."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze darkened, and he immediately ordered the eunuch, "Prepare the horse for me."
He had to rush into the palace to find out what went wrong.
The eunuch responded meekly and hurried out, but he came back just as he left, and the chief secretary of the palace came in with him.
"Your Highness, someone from the Imperial Household Department is here, asking to see Your Highness." The Chief Secretary of the Palace bowed to Chu You and reported.
The Imperial Household Department? Chu You frowned even more tightly, and cast a gloomy look at the Chief Secretary.
When did a Silijian appear in the inner court?
"No." Chu You waved his sleeves heavily, "I want to go to the palace."
The chief secretary maintained the posture of bowing, hesitated for a moment, and then continued to report: "Your Highness, the person who came said that the Queen Mother has already granted you a marriage, but they checked the list of royal family members in the Imperial Household Department and found that the engagement has not been officially made yet. Now they have asked the Imperial Astronomical Department to choose an auspicious day and come here to ask Your Highness whether you want to go for the engagement."
A small appointment?! Chu You slightly widened his eyes, took a step back, and slowly sat down on the rosewood armchair at the back.
Last time, because of Fang Mingfeng's interference, the engagement ceremony between him and Meng'er was ruined, and the marriage was delayed until now.
Chu You half lowered his eyes, and a strange light flashed across his eyes, flickering.
He knew that his mother had never liked Meng'er.
Otherwise, this marriage wouldn't have been delayed again and again.
Although his mother had promised him personally during the Chinese New Year that she would set a date for his wedding with Meng'er as soon as possible, she actually had other plans in mind. She wanted to choose one or two concubines for him before he married Meng'er.
To him, concubines were just decorations, so he could just take them in.
But he knew that Man'er had a hot temper and could not tolerate any sand in her eyes. If he took a concubine, Man'er would definitely regret the engagement and leave him.
Just thinking of this possibility, Chu You felt a dull pain in his heart.
"Tick-tock. Tick-tock."
In a corner of the room, there was a slight sound of dripping water from a leaky pot. Drops of water gently fell into the receiving pot below, making the room even quieter.
The eunuch beside him couldn't help holding his breath. After a moment, he heard Chu You, who was sitting on the imperial chair, ask the chief secretary in a deep voice, "When will the auspicious day be chosen?"
"Three days later." The chief secretary replied respectfully.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Chu You's heartbeat quickened involuntarily, and an unusually bright light shone from his narrow eyes: Three days, just three days.
Only after the small engagement ceremony, he and Meng'er were considered to be truly engaged, and the marriage was set in stone.
But the Queen Mother...
There was a flash of fierce struggle in Chu You's eyes. The faces of the Queen Mother and Gu Yunmeng flashed in his mind one after another. His heart was in a stalemate and he was holding the armrest of the armchair tightly with his right hand.
Suddenly, Gu Yunyan's confident voice rang in his ears: "My luck has always been good."
Yes, Meng'er is indeed very blessed.
This may be the case now...
It was God who gave Meng'er the chance to be together for the rest of their lives! Chu You closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his eyes as deep as the sea were filled with determination.
He spoke clearly and stated his decision: "Let the people from the Imperial Household Department come in."
As he spoke, his eyes gradually became hotter and blazing like fire.
The eunuch standing by looked at Chu You hesitantly, and in the end did not ask him if he wanted to prepare the horse.
Looking at the back of the chief secretary as he left, Chu You comforted himself in his heart: his royal brother always claimed to be a benevolent monarch, and he was cautious in his dealings with others, always trying to please everyone, and he would not dare to treat his mother badly.
There was no rush to enter the palace at this moment. He still had time to arrange his marriage with Meng'er first.
“Rustle…”
A breeze blew, and a wisp of wind carrying the scent of forsythia floated in from outside the hall. Chu You raised his eyes and looked outside the door, and suddenly he felt that the scene in front of him became clear.
After a while, the chief secretary of the palace led the eunuchs sent by the Imperial Household Department and several eunuchs to the main hall.
However, in just a cup of tea, it was decided that they would go to Dingyuan Marquis' Mansion to place the engagement three days later.
The visitor from the Imperial Household Department quickly left, and the entire Kang Wang Mansion became busy and joyful. There were only three days left until the engagement ceremony, and everyone in the palace wished they had three heads and six arms.
The busiest person was the chief secretary of the palace. He was ordered by Chu You to personally go to Dingyuan Marquis's Mansion to deliver a message. When he came back from the Marquis's Mansion, he reported in high spirits:
"Your Highness, the eunuchs of the Imperial Household visited the Marquis's residence first and brought the county princess's hairpins, crowns, and dresses."
"The Marquis asked me to tell the Prince that he will be waiting for the Prince to come to the Marquis' Mansion on the 22nd day of the first lunar month."
The Imperial Household Department acted very carefully, leaving Chu You unable to find a single fault with it.
A day later, someone from the Imperial Household Department came again and brought a list of small betrothal gifts for Chu You to review. The list was arranged according to the prince's share, so Chu You could not find any mistakes.
On the morning of the 22nd day of the first lunar month, accompanied by the Imperial Household Department, Prince Kang formally presented the betrothal gift to the Dingyuan Marquis's residence. Along the way, there were music and dances, and it took twelve loads to carry the betrothal gift to the Marquis's residence.
The royal family had not held a wedding for many years. Such a festive scene attracted many people on the street to watch, making it very lively. The news of this happy event spread throughout the capital that day.
After the engagement was successfully completed, Chu You wanted to go to the palace to meet Empress Dowager Yuan the next day to tell her the good news. However, before he left the house, someone from the Imperial Household Department came and said that the Imperial Observatory had already calculated an auspicious day for the wedding.
The Imperial Astronomical Observatory gave two auspicious days, the first one would be one month later; if one missed February 23, the next auspicious day would be half a year later.
Chu You was so excited that he immediately selected the wedding date and hurriedly ordered everyone in the palace to prepare for the wedding.
On this day, Chu You did not enter the palace after all, and he comforted himself again in his heart: the emperor would definitely not dare to neglect his mother, it would only be a mere month.
Everything will be fine after Meng'er gets married. Meng'er is so considerate, and with his help, over time, people will become more compassionate, and the Queen Mother will definitely like Meng'er.
At worst, after a while, when Meng'er becomes pregnant with their child, the Queen Mother's dissatisfaction will disappear for the sake of the child.
After the people from the Imperial Household Department left Prince Kang's Mansion, they went to Marquis Dingyuan's Mansion and announced the good news, which excited everyone in the mansion.
Madam Gu, who had been ill for more than twenty days, recovered without any medicine and looked radiant. She also ordered a reward for two months' monthly salary to everyone in the mansion.
There was laughter and joy in Cihe Hall.
"My sister is really blessed!" Madam Gu, who was sitting on the Luohan bed, said with great joy, and then turned to the Marquis's wife Wang and gave her earnest instructions, "Xinwen, you should prepare the dowry for sister."
"There is still a month left. Time is a bit tight, but we must not treat Sister Meng badly. Show me the dowry list later."
Wang, who was sitting below, uttered a dry “hmm”.
Wang was already impatient. She absentmindedly clenched the handkerchief in her hand and thought to herself: This dowry list was all written by the Madam herself. I've read it several times. What else is there to read?
Madam Gu gently took Gu Yunyan's little hand and patted it with a loving smile.
Gu Yun'er's marriage can be said to be full of twists and turns.
Yesterday, when Prince Kang and the eunuchs came over to make the engagement ceremony, Madam Gu was a little nervous, fearing that something unexpected would happen at this happy event. But this time the engagement ceremony went quite smoothly, and today the wedding date was even more smoothly set.
Her sister Meng will soon be the Princess of Kang! "Sister Meng's coming-of-age ceremony has to be held at the Kang Palace," Mrs. Gu said with a smile, looking both happy and a little sad. "Grandmother originally wanted to preside over your coming-of-age ceremony in person."
She could finally marry him! Gu Yunyan's lips curled up slightly, her eyes sparkling with light, like a hibiscus bud about to bloom, bright and beautiful.
She leaned on Madam Gu's shoulder affectionately, her tone full of attachment: "I can't bear to leave my grandmother..."
"Grandma knows how filial you are." Madam Gu raised her hand and stroked Gu Yun'er's little face affectionately.
Nanny Li said jokingly, "Madam, this is a happy event. In the future, the Empress Dowager will personally pin the hairpin on the Third Young Lady. This is a blessing that ordinary people cannot get. Others will definitely envy our Third Young Lady."
These few words touched Mrs. Gu's heart, and she couldn't stop smiling.
In the east room, the atmosphere was joyous, with grandparents and grandchildren living in harmony, talking and laughing happily.
Wang standing aside seemed out of place in this lively scene.
Apart from her response at the beginning, she didn't say a word properly. She just held the teacup and drank tea silently. The smile behind the teacup was a little stiff.
If someone didn't know this, they would probably think that her family was not having a wedding, but a funeral.
(End of this chapter)
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