Lady Wei, beaming with delight, chimed in, "It seems His Highness the Crown Prince's wedding is not far off."
Lu Xingjian is the Empress's legitimate son and the only prince, the undisputed heir to the throne, and has been the Crown Prince for many years.
She is now nineteen years old and still unmarried.
Whoever becomes the Crown Princess will be the future Empress.
Lu Xingjian had no intention of getting married.
He deliberately delayed his wedding ceremony, which should have taken place when he was sixteen, for three years.
The selection of the Crown Princess has not yet been finalized.
In recent years, noble ladies throughout the capital have used every trick in the book to win his favor, hoping to rise to the top.
Su Wanwan wasn't one of them at first.
She was raised in Qingning Palace from the age of six months, at the side of the Empress Dowager.
Having lived under someone else's roof for many years, he had long since grown tired of the constant caution and trepidation of court life.
She wanted to go back to the Su family, to leave the palace, and to see the beautiful landscapes of the world.
If it weren't for that unfortunate encounter with Lu Xingjian that led her to develop some inappropriate fantasies, she might have already gotten married.
Looking back now, his insistence on not getting married was probably because he was waiting for Xia Xueyi, who was a few years younger, to grow up.
She misunderstood, wasting two years of her efforts.
The Empress smiled with satisfaction: "Now that the Empress Dowager is unwell, we should have more happy events to make her happy."
His sharp gaze fell on Su Wanwan. "I'm still looking forward to drinking Wanwan's wedding wine."
“Speaking of which, Wanwan is eighteen this year, we can’t delay any longer.”
"According to the Empress Dowager, we should make a decision as soon as possible, so as to bring good luck to the old lady."
Su Wanwan's face paled slightly, and she curtsied, saying, "It was my fault, Your Majesty, that caused me such concern."
Because she had repeatedly refused marriage proposals over the past two years, the empress, who already disliked her, had long since grown thoroughly disgusted with her.
If it weren't for the Empress Dowager protecting her, the Empress would have kicked her out of the palace long ago.
But she can't leave.
She had to take care of the increasingly ailing Empress Dowager, the old woman who had raised her.
A cold, warning glint flashed in the Empress's eyes.
“The heir of the Duke of Wei and you are a perfect match, both talented and beautiful.”
"The Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and I all approve of this marriage, and we will finalize it for you today."
His words left Su Wanwan no room to refuse.
Even the Empress Dowager was eager to marry her off...
Su Wanwan closed her eyes resignedly, trying to hide her tears and bitterness.
One last struggle:
"Your Majesty, may I speak with the Heir Apparent of the Duke of Wei in private?"
The Su family had already stated that her marriage would be arranged by the palace.
Now, she has no way out.
"Of course," the Empress said with a confident smile.
Inside the west side hall.
Xu Peng'an, the heir apparent of the Duke of Wei, was sincere and firm in his attitude:
"His Majesty has promised that if Peng'an marries you, he will be entrusted with an important post on the frontier. Peng'an values this opportunity to serve in the government and hopes that you will grant his request!"
Su Wanwan's face turned completely pale.
She had intended to tell him that she was not a virgin, hoping he would back down.
Unexpectedly, the heir of the Duke of Wei was not only determined to marry her, but also had ulterior motives.
It has nothing to do with feelings.
Besides Lu Xingjian, what difference does it make who I marry?
Su Wanwan clenched her hands, lowered her eyes, and tried her best to suppress the trembling in her body:
"You won't regret it?"
...
The wedding was arranged in a hurry, just three days from now.
The marriage was arranged by the Empress Dowager and handled by the Imperial Household Department.
Even her dowry came from the palace and was extremely generous.
It was a lively and bustling place.
Everyone in the capital city admired it.
The story of "the Grand Secretary's family marrying off his daughter, and the Duke's family taking in a bride" has spread throughout the streets and alleys.
Su Wanwan went directly from the palace to the bridal sedan chair.
The bridal sedan chair travels down the street.
The suona horns and firecrackers went off in unison.
Su Wanwan naively wondered if Lu Xingjian would suddenly appear and domineeringly tell her not to get married.
However.
Everything went smoothly until they finished their wedding ceremony and entered the bridal chamber, without the slightest discord.
Oh.
Su Wanwan sneered through her tears under the red veil.
Perhaps it was because they once hoped to remain faithful to one person forever.
They still haven't given up.
They don't even respect themselves.
He went out of the capital on official business, so why would he care whether she got married or not?
To him, she was nothing more than a disposable plaything in bed.
After two years, he was already tired of it.
Even if she's gone, there are plenty of new faces to fill the gap.
He's a high-ranking prince, how could he possibly lack women?
It's even possible that there are many lovers like myself who secretly give themselves to him.
I am really nothing.
She should let go completely.
The last vestige of hope in my heart vanished completely at that moment.
She obeyed her husband's family's arrangements and set off early the next morning by boat to travel south along the Grand Canal to Nanjing.
Her husband's family is based in Nanjing.
She, the future matriarch, was to go to Jinling to serve her grandparents and elders, learn how to manage the clan, and take care of the family business.
They traveled day and night without hindrance.
As Su Wanwan gazed at the beautiful scenery on both sides of the river, her mood gradually calmed down.
Life is so colorful; she shouldn't be trapped in one place, indulging in love and forgetting her true self.
She should focus on the future, not dwell on the past.
The boat was intercepted on the canal when it was approaching Huaiyang.
A dozen or so tall and majestic five-masted ships were moored on the opposite side of the water.
They lined up in a row, completely blocking the wide river surface.
There were many fully armed soldiers standing on the deck.
Sunlight shone on the armor and weapons, reflecting a dark and cold light.
At the bow of the ship, a tall and handsome figure was surrounded by a crowd, looking this way.
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