Chapter 161 Marriage

After the carriage of the Duke of Zhenguo left, the group of princes and princesses continued to walk north. Yixing County Prince Li Chongjun finally found an opportunity and asked, "Brother Yong, are you really going to marry Ming Erniang?"

Yixing Prince Li Chongjun was the crown prince's third son. After Li Chongrun died, Crown Princess Wei always suspected that Li Chongfu, the second son, was responsible, because most people in the Eastern Palace were at the Princess Taiping's mansion for a banquet that day, and only Li Chongfu was in the Eastern Palace. His wife was the niece of the two Zhang brothers, and the reason why Li Chongrun was caned to death was precisely because he talked about the two Zhang brothers. If Li Chongrun died, the biggest beneficiary would obviously be his second son.

But Concubine Wei had suspicions but no evidence, and she couldn't ask the two Zhang brothers in front of the Empress who had informed them of the secret.

She couldn't do anything to the two Zhang brothers, but she could more than deal with a bastard. During this period, Concubine Wei made no secret of her dislike for Li Chongfu, and Li Chongfu's treatment in the East Palace plummeted. The rest of the Li family would not save someone who might inform the two Zhang brothers, so Li Chongfu "disappeared" from the outside world's sight.

Concubine Wei was heartbroken after losing her only legitimate son, but she had to go on with her life no matter how unwilling she was. The eldest son of the Eastern Palace died suddenly, the second son was abandoned, and the third son Li Chongjun became the tacit heir of the crown prince.

Li Chongjun had never thought that he would have something to do with the throne, but suddenly one day a great responsibility fell on his shoulders. Li Chongjun was terrified and surprised, and was struggling to get familiar with his new identity.

Li Huazhang glanced at Li Chongjun and said calmly, "Of course. I will go to the palace and ask His Majesty for a marriage."

Everyone in the team was shocked. Li Chongjun said, "Marriage is a matter of parents' decision. You may as well ask the elders first. There is no need to be so hasty."

"Yes." Princess Taiping's daughter, the head of Yonghe County, also said, "I originally thought Ming Yuji was just a village girl who came back halfway, but I didn't expect this girl to be so scheming. Today, she mentioned the Duke of Zhenguo in public, isn't it just to force you to express your position in front of others? Although the Ming family has made contributions, they have calculated too much. Second brother, you should test their family more and don't rush to make a decision."

"I don't think there's anything wrong with what Ming Yuji said. She's Er Niang's sister, and she's thinking about Er Niang wholeheartedly. I'm very happy." Li Huazhang's voice was cold and clear, like the wind blowing through the trees, the springs and rocks, and there was a firmness in his unrestrained voice. "I've thought it through very clearly, there's nothing to ask. I just like her, it doesn't matter what else. If Your Majesty doesn't agree, I won't get married, that's all."

Li Huazhang knew what Li Chongjun and the others meant. They simply felt that at this moment, the Li family should use all the chips they could to return to the palace, including marriage.

These royal children understood very early that love is love, marriage is marriage, and as long as the benefits are great, they themselves can become commodities. In addition to loyalty, the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion actually has no other benefits. Li Huazhang sacrificed his position as the main wife to marry Ming Huashang, which was too unplanned.

Li Huazhang has no intention of commenting on whether this idea is right or wrong, but he is very clear that he is not a commodity and he will never trade his feelings.

He married Ming Huashang simply because he loved her. He sincerely admired her passionate, kind, and strong soul. In fact, what he said today was not exaggerated. If it weren't for Ming Huashang, he really wouldn't have gotten married and had children.

He has too much on his shoulders. Starting a family would hurt himself and others.

But fate is so unreasonable. Ming Huashang is like a colorful butterfly, breaking into his world without any explanation and disrupting his established trajectory. He experienced happiness, sadness, reluctance, jealousy, those irrational but extremely vivid emotions.

He was relied on by her without reservation, and he had also relied on her when he was vulnerable. From then on, delusions began to appear in his black and white world. Li Huazhang could not help but imagine in his mind what every day in the future would be like if he spent the rest of his life with her.

These scenes appeared more and more frequently, and he couldn't help but have a very irrational, yet extremely exciting possibility.

——It would be great if I could marry her, discuss with her what to eat and what to wear every day, study together, go out together, greet the elders together, be scolded by my father together, and waste time together without restraint, just like they did before the age of four.

This was his unattainable wish, so what else was there to consider? Li Huazhang didn't care whether the empress would be suspicious or whether the Prince of Xiang, Princess Taiping and others agreed. The six rites of marriage were just worldly standards. In his heart, his wife would only be Ming Huashang.

Li Chongjun and the Yonghe County Lord looked at each other in bewilderment. They had never heard such frivolous words before and did not know how to respond. However, Li Huazhang was just as he said. He did not care what others thought. Without waiting for their reply, Li Huazhang had already loosened the reins and rushed towards Daming Palace like a gust of wind.

The horse's hooves stepped on the Tian Street, as if stirring up a turbulent river. Li Chongjun had to take a few steps back and steady his horse again. He watched Li Huazhang run towards Danfeng Gate without looking back, and he couldn't understand and was unbelievable: "Is he really going? Such a big thing, he didn't even discuss it with the family?"

The mayor of Yonghe County frowned and said, "We must hurry back home and tell my mother about this."

The Lord of Yonghe County hurriedly turned his horse around. In the chaos, only the Prince of Linzi reined in his horse and stopped, staring ahead. The Lord of Yonghe County saw that he did not move, and asked in surprise, "Sanlang, what are you looking at?"

Prince Linzi sighed and said sincerely, "I really envy you, my second brother. You are free as the wind, you can go anywhere you want."

This was a feeling he could not achieve, but he longed for. The Yonghe County Lady looked at him strangely, not understanding why she should envy such a willful and irresponsible behavior. She asked cautiously, "You don't want to imitate him, do you?"

Prince Linzi shook his head, not knowing whether to laugh or sigh: "I do want to."

However, the next sentence quickly came to his mind, but he wouldn't.

He didn't have the courage to refuse to be sold at a price by the outside world just for what he liked.

·

The royal family members traveled together. Ren Yao didn't want to spend time socializing after the hunt, so he chose another route and walked home slowly.

Jiang Ling and Xie Jichuan walked with her. Jiang Ling said with emotion, "I thought I was just out hunting today, but I didn't expect to see so many dramas. Li Huazhang is really silent but when he speaks, it's amazing. I just felt that they were too close before, and I thought it was my problem. That's how siblings with a good relationship get along. I didn't expect it..."

Ren Yao tutted and said, "That's great! Admitting it openly in front of everyone is the best response to those rumors!"

As he spoke, Ren Yao could not help but say with envy: "It's great, the reeds are lush and green, and we follow the current. They don't care about what others think, and they run towards each other passionately. I really envy this kind of relationship."

Jiang Ling turned around and looked at her as if he wanted to say something, and finally said, "I don't care either."

Ren Yao rolled his eyes at him and said, "Who wouldn't go against their family? But the important thing is not to rebel against your parents, but to refuse the interference of your family, not to hurt them, but to get things done. Just like Li Huazhang, when he said those words in public, I would bless them, and not worry about whether the palace would disagree, whether he would change his mind and hurt Huashang. Because I believe that he will solve these problems, as long as he wants, he will definitely do what he says."

Jiang Ling was not convinced and said, "I can also do what I say!"

"You?" Ren Yao glanced at him unhappily, "How can you be so confident that you can compare with Li Huazhang? He is so reliable, how about you?"

"Why am I unreliable? I've accomplished a lot!"

Ren Yao and Jiang Ling were arguing, and it was unknown how many times they had quarreled today. Xie Jichuan followed them, cold and silent. After arguing for a while, Jiang Ling found that Xie Jichuan had not said anything, so he curiously hit his shoulder: "Old Xie, what's wrong with you, why don't you say anything?"

Normally, Xie Jichuan would not pay attention to Jiang Ling, but today, Xie Jichuan was quiet for a moment and spoke for the first time: "Why do you dare to believe in a person's promise for this life? We don't even know tomorrow, how can we be sure that the world will remain the same in the next few decades, and lovers will continue to love each other? When the feelings fade in the future, looking back on today, isn't it ironic?"

Ren Yao was stunned by the question and said instinctively: "That's true...but they are definitely different."

"What's the difference?" Xie Jichuan asked, "So many couples in the world have experienced a happy marriage, but in the end they are not together in spirit. Why are they the exception?"

Ren Yao wanted to argue for Li Huazhang and Ming Huashang, but she also felt that what Xie Jichuan said made sense. She didn't understand, and was about to give up when Jiang Ling expressed his opinion firmly, "If you hold on to this mentality, no matter who is sleeping next to you, you will end up being in a state of physical harmony but spiritual estrangement. Even the walls will collapse in a few decades, so why should you ask the other person not to change? Even if you become strangers in the end, the years you spent together and the happiness you experienced together are real."

"Happiness?" Xie Jichuan raised his eyebrows. It was hard to imagine that humans and animals pursued happiness all their lives. "If that's the case, why do we need another person? Playing chess, calligraphy, painting, eating, and sleeping can all make people happy. It's such a simple thing, can't I do it myself?"

"Of course you can." Jiang Ling picked up a willow leaf from the roadside, held it in his mouth, and said casually, "To put it bluntly, marriage is just a choice in life. If you can enjoy yourself and don't expect others to accompany you at all, then it's fine to live your life by yourself; if you want someone to accompany you and go through thick and thin together, then you have to be sincere first. Longing for true love, but not wanting to change, how can there be such a good thing in the world?"

Ren Yao was surprised and looked at Jiang Ling in astonishment: "I can't believe you said that?"

Jiang Ling snorted and immediately said proudly: "No, I know a lot more!"

Ren Yao rolled his eyes at him and said, "This stretch of road was fertilized some time ago, and you're still holding leaves in your mouth. Spit it out now, you idiot!"

"Why didn't you say so earlier!" Jiang Ling quickly spat out the leaves and spat on the ground. Ren Yao laughed loudly, and when he had enough of the excitement, he patted his horse's butt and said, "I lied to you, you are really a fool."

Jiang Ling realized that he had been tricked, and chased after them, whipping his whip. The two men were fighting each other, while Xie Jichuan rode behind them, looking elegant, calm, and aloof.

Xie Jichuan looked at the two men and suddenly envied them for being so reckless and oblivious to the people around them.

Unlike him, he became alone again without knowing when.

Although Ren Yao always said Jiang Ling was stupid, Xie Jichuan knew that Jiang Ling was much smarter than he let on. Jiang Ling just said that because he felt something, he deliberately said it to Xie Jichuan.

In fact, Xie Jichuan himself also felt it. He had always been hostile to Li Huazhang's feelings for Ming Huashang. In the early stage, he was afraid that Li Huazhang's emotional behavior would ruin his plans. In the later stage, it was because of unknown jealousy.

Xie Jichuan once arrogantly thought that Ming Huashang was just another beautiful but boring daughter of a noble family, but she repeatedly exceeded his expectations. She knew that Xie Jichuan was smart, but she did not worship him or obey him. She refuted Xie Jichuan's conclusions several times and proved that he was wrong.

This was the first woman that Xie Jichuan felt he could not control. He developed curiosity and exploration towards this woman, and eventually developed a crush on her. He actually realized that he liked Ming Huashang, but he did not believe that love could last forever. Rather than ending up in a mess, it was better to let the flowers stay at their most beautiful time.

So he did not take any action, letting the momentary throbbing subside, until he saw another man say to her in public, I will not marry anyone but you.

At that moment he was angry, unhappy, regretful, and perhaps even disgusted with himself. On the day Butterfly left him, he finally realized that his feelings for her were not just a momentary throbbing.

He firmly believes that human nature is evil, while Ming Huashang practices truth, goodness and beauty from the bottom of her heart; he always uses ridicule to cover up his inner feelings, but Ming Huashang never hesitates to express praise to those around him; he has a shallow relationship and cannot make close friends with anyone, but Ming Huashang has the ability to weave love, grows up in love, and dares to love others.

She is the other half of himself that he is unwilling to admit but longs for very much.

In fact, Jiang Ling was right. He was very irresponsible for his malicious remarks against Li Huazhang. In the final analysis, Xie Jichuan was angry at his own incompetence and took his anger out on Li Huazhang.

Xie Jichuan didn't believe that he could get long-term love, so he always expected others to leave first. For this reason, he made all kinds of precautions and was unwilling to give too much. In the end, he realized everything he feared.

The flowers fall and become nothing in a flash. It is true that no one will accompany him forever.

Xie Jichuan suddenly felt that the sunlight was very dazzling. He put his hands over his eyes. The sounds from the street seemed to be separated by a layer of membrane, swaying into his ears.

The daughter pestered her parents to buy candy figures, the old man scolded his useless son, and the sound of horse hooves punctuated the laughter of Jiang Ling and Ren Yao, getting farther and farther away from him.

He was the only one left there.

·

Daming Palace.

After listening to Li Huazhang's words, the empress was silent for a moment and asked, "Did you enter the palace just for this matter?"

"Yes." Li Huazhang stood upright in front of the prince, his eyes clear and firm, and bowed his hands and said, "Your Majesty, please grant me the marriage."

The Queen seemed to chuckle and said, "You said please grant me the marriage, but you didn't say please fulfill it. If I don't agree, what will you do?"

Li Huazhang's eyes were dark, and they drooped slightly on the floor tiles. He said calmly, "I am marrying my beloved, and of course I hope to get the blessing of the elders. If Your Majesty does not bless me, I will not ask for it. But my feelings for her will never change."

The Queen said calmly: "Marriage is determined by the will of parents and the words of matchmakers. What's the point of just your feelings?"

"My biological father and mother have passed away, so I can decide on my own whether to get married. Moreover, even if my biological father were here, I would tell him in front of him that I want to marry the person I love, and whether he agrees or not is irrelevant."

The Queen snorted and said in a more serious tone, "You are really bold and willful. If he doesn't agree, you can only choose between the title and the woman. Are you going to do it anyway?"

"If this is the only way to be with the one I love, then please forgive me for being unfilial." Li Huazhang lowered his eyes and said, "I saved Your Majesty not for the title of Prince Yong, and I was filial to my parents not for the support of my family. Similarly, I want to marry her, and it has nothing to do with fame and fortune, but just out of my heart. I came to ask Your Majesty to grant me marriage, just to give her a perfect worldly etiquette so that her parents and relatives can rest assured. As for the etiquette itself, I don't care. If the Ministry of Rites does not issue a document, then I will hold the wedding myself. If I can't hold a wedding, then I will take her to my side, or I will go to her side. It doesn't matter whether we are brother and sister or husband and wife in the eyes of the world, anyway, in my heart, she is the only wife of my life."

The Queen said nothing after hearing this. Li Huazhang bowed his head and stood at the bottom of the stairs, also motionless. After a moment of stalemate, the Queen sighed and said, "Go back."

Li Huazhang bowed according to the rules, turned around and walked out without saying a word. Princess Taiping hurried to the palace and saw this scene. She walked into the hall and asked hesitantly, "Mother, what did Erlang say? Why did he leave?"

"Please grant me a marriage." The Queen sighed, and said in an ambiguous way, "The child has grown up."

Princess Taiping carefully guessed the Queen's expression and asked, "So what do you mean..."

"He has already said that he doesn't care about worldly etiquette. If the palace doesn't agree, he will live in the girl's house for the rest of his life. What else can I do?" The queen sighed and waved her hands weakly, saying, "The royal family can't afford to lose face like this. Let him do it."

If it were another young man, she might have said so to appeal to her elders, but for Li Huazhang, the empress believed he could do it. Once people get old, they always want to keep things quiet. He is Li Xian's only child, so if he likes it, let him do it.

However, Ming Huashang is now a useless chess piece, and no important tasks can be assigned to her in the future.

Princess Taiping had originally entered the palace to stop Li Huazhang, but she did not expect the empress to agree. Princess Taiping had been with the emperor for many years, and she soon realized that the empress actually appreciated Li Huazhang's choice.

If Princess Taiping were younger, she would also yearn for such a sincere and passionate love that can only be shared with one person.

Unfortunately, Li Lingyue no longer likes these flashy things. Princess Taiping smiled, but she was weighing the pros and cons quickly.

The Queen had already agreed, so she couldn't say what she had prepared. Princess Taiping's eyes rolled around, and when she spoke, she smiled in a completely different way: "It's a waste of youth if a man doesn't act frivolously. It's rare that he likes a girl so much. We are a royal family, so we don't need to care about the girl's family status. Let him do what he wants."

The Queen responded calmly, without much reaction on her face, but not objecting was a statement in itself. Princess Taiping smiled on her face, but she felt heavy in her heart.

Not good, the most valuable position of Li Huazhang's wife was abandoned just like that. What a waste, it seems that she has to rearrange the remaining cards.