"Hmm," Yang Cheng’an’s handsome face flushed as he nodded gently.
Shen Qiulan took over the conversation and said, "Princess Mingxin is a kind and virtuous girl, but we wanted to ask of your and the prince’s wishes first."
Though their youngest son’s happiness was important, it couldn’t outshine Jiujiu’s, after all, considering Prince Chen’s special status. They couldn’t help Jiujiu much and didn’t want to cause her any trouble.
"Mother has met Princess Mingxin?" Yang Mengchen asked, barely containing his curiosity and emotions, having read his mother’s mind.
Shen Qiulan glanced at her son, who was looking down, "After Youyou married Yanrou, your father noticed that Anan was often preoccupied. When asked, he said it was nothing, but your father was worried. He and I followed Anan to An City in secret and met Princess Mingxin, along with Prince Yu and his princess."
Upon learning of the three people’s identities, the whole family hesitated for a long time. It was only after Chengning returned and suggested asking Jiujiu and the prince for their thoughts, and coincidentally receiving a letter from Jiujiu, that they set out for the Capital.
Noticing his father picking up the tea as a cover for his embarrassed expression, Yang Mengchen understood it must have been Mother dragging Father along to follow someone, and he chuckled inwardly.
Long Xuanmo suddenly said, "A few days ago, the emperor received a letter from the Royal Uncle, saying he would return to the Capital with his grandmother and Ruoshui, presumably because of Ruoshui’s marriage."
Long Ruoshui was granted the title of Princess Mingxin by the Emperor himself. Even if Prince Yu and his princess found a suitable grandson-in-law, under any circumstance, they must report to the Emperor before the marriage can take place.
"When they return to the Capital, we will pay them a visit, and then we will make further arrangements," said Yang Mengchen with a smile. "Uncle, aunt, it’s great that you’re staying a few more days. First, I miss you a lot, second, my fourth sister-in-law is newly pregnant and aunt and mother can share some of their experience with her, and third, my second brother and his fiancée’s wedding is fast approaching, so we need to start preparing for the wedding."
All of them readily agreed.
Hai Tang walked in and handed a letter to Yang Mengchen, "Princess, a letter from the fifth young master."
Upon receiving the letter and reading it, Yang Mengchen smiled and said to Yang Chaowu and his wife, "Uncle, aunt, fifth sister-in-law is over two months pregnant."
Whenever there was good news, all eight brothers would inform their sister first. Aside from sending his congratulations, Yang Chengyu also inquired about some matters of attention.
"Really?" Seeing her niece’s affirmative smile, Liu Xiuyun was overjoyed and nearly beside herself, "I’m finally going to hold a grandchild! No more need to envy Eldest Sister-in-law, this is so wonderful! Hehehehe..." She had always been envious whenever she saw the Eldest Sister-in-law happily playing with the three grandnephews and nieces.
Yang Chaowu was equally delighted, but as a man who had experienced battlefields, naturally he wasn’t as overwrought as his wife. Facing the congratulations from Grand Prince and other family members, his smile carried a hint of composure.
Catching a fleeting shade of melancholy in Grand Prince’s eyes, Yang Mengchen thought to herself that she would need to help him accelerate his progress a bit.
Night fell.
Seeing his beloved wife finally return to the room after a long time, Long Xuanmo, who had been sitting at the desk processing official documents, stood up to welcome her, "Ah Jiu is back." His tone was full of evident jealousy. He knew that with the Yang family, especially those three creatures around, all of his beloved wife’s attention would not be on him.
"I haven’t seen mother and father for a long time, so naturally, we chatted a little longer," Yang Mengchen said as her fair and delicate arms wrapped around Long Xuanmo’s neck. She tiptoed and kissed his lips. "You are as important to me as they are in my heart."
Although she did not say he was the only most important, thinking that his beloved wife placed him on the same level of importance as her family, Long Xuanmo felt quite satisfied in his heart.
After a long time, Long Xuanmo released Yang Mengchen, gazing at her blushing, flushed face and panting softly, his deep eyes ablaze with flames. He suddenly bent down and scooped up his wife, "Ah Jiu, let me help you bathe," he said and strode toward the bathroom.
Even though they were already husband and wife, Yang Mengchen still blushed at Long Xuanmo’s words, burying her face in his broad chest.
Unfortunately, Long Xuanmo did not hear his wife’s inner voice. It was only much later that he hugged his wife back to their room contentedly, caressing her smooth shoulders and gazing at the blooming red plum flowers on her face, his own face radiating with a satisfied smile.
Yang Mengchen gave Long Xuanmo a coquettish glare. Wende was getting naughtier and naughtier and still refused to let her go.
"Wait, I have something to say." Yang Mengchen hurriedly interrupted:
"We can talk about it tomorrow."
"What does Father plan to do with Long Yanrou?" Yang Mengchen blurted out swiftly.
Long Xuanmo’s movements halted, as he struggled to calm the surge of emotions, he replied sternly, "Father plans to send her to Huangjue Temple, where Master Jueyuan will perform rituals to dispel the demon inside her."
"Master Jueyuan?" Yang Mengchen raised an eyebrow.
"Although Master Jueyuan’s cultivation and reputation are not as eminent as my master and uncle’s, he is still a highly accomplished monk," said Long Xuanmo. "When the Eldest Imperial Sister and Madam Shao escorted Long Yanrou back to the palace, the Emperor happened to be receiving Master Jueyuan, who had returned from his wanderings. Master Jueyuan noticed something was amiss with Long Yanrou at first glance and suggested to the Emperor to send her to Huangjue Temple. After all, Long Yanrou is from the Royal family and cannot be cleansed with fire. This solution is the most appropriate."
"How did the father and son of Prince Ke respond?"
"With so many people having witnessed that ridiculous scene, their only choice to preserve their reputation is to send Long Yanrou to Huangjue Temple."
"Have you found out where Long Yanrou learned the Bewitching Technique?"
"According to the monks, Long Yanrou only had brief contact with a Young Master Huang."
"The Young Master Huang that Zhang Lianhua mentioned?"
Long Xuanmo nodded, "That man is very likely to be a remnant of the former dynasty, but his exact identity has not been confirmed yet."
"It seems Long Yanrou doesn’t know the man’s real identity."
"I had someone administer your medicine to her, and she confessed that the man said he could help her achieve her wishes. She truly knows nothing about his identity, but she is ultimately a calamity and cannot be kept."
"Let’s spare her life for now. Even a fool might prove useful someday,"
"All right." Long Xuanmo instantly understood the deep meaning hidden in his beloved wife’s words, gently helped her lie back on the bed, and kissed her forehead, "The night is deep, let us rest." In a place where Yang Mengchen could not see, his deep eyes flashed with a bloodthirsty murderous intent: Long Fengying, Prince Jing, he would not let go of either!
The next day, after breakfast, Yang Mengchen arranged for Sister Jin to personally visit the Ye Mansion and agreed to come to propose the following morning, but around noon, Eunuch Sun Chuanmao came to deliver a decree that the Emperor had granted a marriage between Yang Chengning and Ye Yunqian and had even selected an auspicious date, the sixteenth day of the twelfth month, through the Astronomical Observatory.
Yang Chengning and the Yang family kowtowed in thanks for the grace.
Yang Mengchen gave Eunuch Sun Chuanmao a generous reward, and with a beaming smile, he said, "The Emperor heard that Princess Chen has three auspicious beasts and wishes to see them. It just so happens that General Yang and Ms. Ye will enter the palace to give thanks tomorrow, so Princess Chen might as well bring the three auspicious beasts along."
"Thank you for your efforts, Eunuch Sun." Yang Mengchen gave him another red envelope, and Sun Chuanmao, with others, left.
Presumably, the Imperial Uncle and Wende spoke to the Emperor, and out of curiosity, the Emperor wished to meet the auspicious beasts. Xiao Guai and Xiao Bai wouldn’t be a problem, but would the Emperor be scared when he sees Xiao Jin? Yang Mengchen secretly rejoiced.
"Jiujiu, now that the Emperor has granted a marriage, do we still go to the Ye Mansion to propose marriage?" Liu Xiuyun cautiously asked.
"The Emperor’s decree is an enormous blessing, but we must not neglect the proper etiquette." After some thought, Yang Mengchen said, "Tomorrow, my second brother, his wife, and I will enter the palace to give thanks. Afterwards, we’ll visit the Ye Mansion. This will only serve to show our regard for our future sister-in-law."
Liu Xiuyun and the others nodded.
The imperial edict for the marriage left many families sighing in despair. The Ye family moved too swiftly, leaving the young ladies’ hearts shattered.
Bright and early the following day, Yang Chengning first went to the Ye Mansion to fetch Ye Yunqian before proceeding with his sister to the Imperial Palace.
The carriage went directly to the Inner Palace Gate, where Yang Mengchen and Ye Yunqian alighted and switched to a palanquin, while Yang Chengning walked to Cining Palace.
Seeing Xiao Guai and the others like guardian spirits, tightly surrounding Yang Mengchen on the left, right, and behind, the guards and palace attendants along the way were shocked, all the while marveling that Princess Chen truly is a star of fortune, as even auspicious beasts came to protect her.
Cining Palace.
The Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress were already seated in the main seats, with Grand Prince, Prince Ning, and Long Xuanmo sitting on both sides.
Yang Mengchen curtsied respectfully, while Yang Chengning and Ye Yunqian knelt and kowtowed, with Xiao Guai and the others following Yang Mengchen in a bowing motion. Their endearingly clumsy manner left the Emperor, Empress, and palace attendants stunned and reduced much of their fear.
"Good, good, good!" The Emperor, coming back to his senses, uttered "good" three times.
Praised by the Emperor, Xiao Guai and the others ran to his side and, after licking his hand, curled up at his feet, being ignored by everyone until Yang Mengchen departed, leaving the Emperor ’afraid yet pleased.’ Right then, he issued three gold medals to Xiao Guai and the others, naturally entrusting them to Yang Mengchen.
With these gold medals, Yang Mengchen could bring Xiao Guai and the others directly into the palace. The guards couldn’t obstruct them, and most importantly, they served as a Death Exemption Token; anyone who offended them and got bitten to death would only have themselves to blame.
Long Xuanmo had official duties to attend to. After leaving the palace gate, Yang Mengchen asked Yang Chengning to take Ye Yunqian back to the Ye family, while she, along with Sister Jin and others and Xiao Guai, went out for a stroll in the streets, shopping in preparation to return to the mansion when they came across someone causing a disturbance in the streets.
Lifting the carriage curtain, the path ahead was blocked, making it impossible to pass through. Yang Mengchen felt puzzled.
Right under the Emperor’s nose, people were fighting and causing a scene, blocking the road, and yet there wasn’t a single patrolling soldier in sight. Wasn’t this too strange?
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