Madam Wan immediately ordered an incense table to be set up in preparation for receiving the imperial decree.
Unlike the others, she thought the imperial edict was aimed at Ji Mingwei, and that it was meant to reward her with something good.
Now that Prince Xuan has gained favor, the Emperor will naturally also value Prince Xuan's fiancée. There's no need for the Emperor to issue an imperial edict to punish Ye Qingxue just because Prince Jing is involved in a scandal and Prince Jing is convicted.
This is unreasonable!
Madam Wan even told the nanny beside her to hurry up and invite Ji Mingwei out, so as not to delay.
The old woman truthfully conveyed Madam Wan's message: "Miss, hurry to the front to receive the imperial decree. It must be that the Emperor has come to bestow some fine gifts upon you."
Ji Mingwei had no doubts.
She thought that it must be because Prince Xuan had done a good job in searching Prince Jing's residence that she, as his fiancée, was also rewarded.
He immediately changed into new clothes and went to the front with his nanny to receive the imperial decree.
The incense table had been set up, and everyone from the Marquis's residence knelt in the front courtyard.
The old lady of the Pan family and the people she brought were all kneeling on the other side of the courtyard.
At this moment, everyone has different desires, but they all secretly hope that things will develop in the direction they desire.
The people from the palace finally entered, led by Eunuch Huaifu, who held an imperial edict in his hand. After everyone knelt down, he unfolded the edict.
[By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I, having received the mandate of Heaven to rule the throne, have always valued clear distinctions between rewards and punishments.]
Today there are:
Prince Jing, Yun Zhuo, armed himself with weapons and armor, and annihilated the rebels, bringing peace to the land.
Ye Qingxue was both intelligent and brave. She helped to kill the mastermind and made great contributions to the country.
The two worked together with one heart and one mind to eliminate treacherous officials, thus restoring order to the court and bringing peace to the country. I hereby make an exception and grant them this marriage to demonstrate my appreciation for talent and virtue.
Ye Qingxue was appointed as the principal wife of Prince Jing. The Ministry of Rites prepared the ceremony, and the Imperial Astronomical Bureau selected a period of three months for the wedding to take place.
He bestowed upon her a thousand taels of gold, a hundred bolts of brocade, and a bushel of pearls from the East Sea to add to her dowry;
May you forever live in harmony, like the zither and lute, soaring together in flight, upholding the weight of ancestral temples above and bringing peace to the hopes of the common people below.
The announcement was made to the whole world so that everyone would know.
So be it!
After Huaifu finished speaking, he took two steps forward and addressed Ye Qingxue in a gentle voice: "Miss Ye, congratulations, please accept the imperial decree."
Ye Qingxue immediately stretched out her hands: "Ye Qingxue accepts the decree and thanks Your Majesty for your great favor!"
The imperial edict was thus handed to Ye Qingxue.
Holding the imperial edict, Ye Qingxue finally felt a sense of relief; her marriage to Yun Zhuo was settled.
Although the imperial edict stated "a special exception to grant the marriage," it seemed the emperor was telling everyone that he was forced into the marriage, but what did it matter? As long as she and Yun Zhuo achieved their goal, that was all that mattered.
Furthermore, the Emperor's requirement that they marry within three months is too rushed and contains elements of humiliation and difficulty for them, but that doesn't matter. For her and Xiaobao, the sooner the better.
Moreover, and most importantly, the imperial decree granting her and Yun Zhuo their marriage was tantamount to telling her that Yun Zhuo's imprisonment in the palace this time was not only not a crime of rebellion, but also cleared of the crime of unauthorized troop deployment!
Qiu Shen immediately presented a money bag, which Ye Qingxue personally handed to Eunuch Huaifu: "It's hot, and you must be tired from your journey. This is a small token of my appreciation. Please have some tea with everyone."
After thanking him, Eunuch Huaifu turned and left with the people from the palace.
Then, the front courtyard of the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion fell into extreme silence. The old lady of the Pan family had a face that looked like a spilled palette, quite a sight to behold.
The other ladies looked at this one and then at that one, feeling extremely lost and embarrassed.
Someone started the conversation, saying, "Wasn't it said that His Highness Prince Jing rebelled and that evidence had been caught? How come he's suddenly being betrothed?"
Grandma Pan's mind raced for a moment, and she said, "Is it possible that Prince Jing has rebelled and is about to be executed? The Emperor pities his eldest son, so he arranged for Miss Ye to marry him, so that they can be together on the road to the underworld?"
Everyone suddenly realized that this was very likely.
In wealthy families, if a young man dies, they will try every means to find a woman to marry him in the afterlife.
Therefore, even though Prince Jing rebelled and was on the verge of death, the emperor still couldn't bear to see Prince Jing living alone in the underworld, which is why he allowed Ye Qingxue to marry him.
Old Mrs. Pan raised her chin again, her tone arrogant and sarcastic once more:
“Miss Ye, it seems that pestering the prince will not end well. You are young and do not know that sometimes lifting a stone may cause you to drop it on your own foot.”
"Is that so?" The only response she received was a cheerful and pleasant male voice from the main gate of the Marquis's mansion: "Please tell me, Old Madam Pan, how exactly did Miss Ye end up shooting herself in the foot by marrying me?"
Yun Zhuo, dressed in a black brocade robe, strode in. He wore a jade crown, and his tall and slender figure was as upright as a pine tree. His every move exuded nobility.
He stood in front of Ye Qingxue, and everyone held their breath.
To their utter surprise, the Prince Jing, whom they thought had been imprisoned in the palace and punished for treason, would appear here!
Grandma Pan's face paled, and she opened and closed her lips several times, but couldn't utter a single word.
"Or does Old Madam Pan think that it would be better for Miss Ye to marry into your Pan family as a concubine, rather than marrying me? When did the Pan family become above the royal family?"
Yun Zhuo's tone turned serious, with an unstoppable force that frightened Old Madam Pan so much that she immediately knelt on the ground.
The other ladies, seeing this, all felt the same way.
"I...I didn't mean that!" Old Madam Pan quickly said. Although the Pan family was of high social standing, it could never surpass the royal family.
She couldn't bear Yun Zhuo's words just now; if they got out, they would surely bring disaster upon the Pan family.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
