The wedding would take place at the start of next month?

Feng Jiu’er froze for a moment, then immediately flew into a rage. “Grandfather, why was I not told about any of this beforehand?”

“Marriage is a matter of the utmost importance — did anyone bother to ask for my opinion?”

An imperial edict had already been issued. Did that not make this an iron-clad fact, impossible to change?

“Ask for your opinion?” Feng Junzhuo looked as though he had just heard the most ridiculous joke of the century and nearly burst out laughing.

But with Father present, along with the Academy Director and Huo Yan, mocking his own daughter in front of others would hardly be seemly.

His expression darkened, and he said with displeasure, “Marriage has always been decided by the command of one’s parents and the word of a matchmaker. Since when has it ever required your opinion?”

Feng Zhenhai, treating her as a young girl too immature to understand, was still willing to explain patiently: “His Majesty summoned us without prior notice last night and has already selected a marriage partner for you.”

“His Majesty personally arranged your betrothal — such imperial grace and benevolence is the glory of our Feng Family.”

“But His Majesty only recently issued an edict dissolving my betrothal to His Highness the Crown Prince. Now, all of a sudden, he wants me to marry the Crown Prince again — is that not a slap to his own face?”

“Insolence!” That single word of rebuke burst forth simultaneously from all four people present.

One could well imagine how exalted the Emperor’s status was in this era.

The Emperor stood above all things — who would dare utter even half a word against him?

What Feng Jiu’er had just said was truly far too impudent.

She drew a deep breath, about to say something more, but Feng Junzhuo cut in: “Who said the person you are to marry is His Highness the Crown Prince?”

This wretched girl — Qingyin was already residing in the Empress’s Xuanhua Palace, and yet this foolish creature still dared to set her sights on the Crown Prince.

It was fortunate that His Majesty was wise, for he had now arranged a match for her. Otherwise, who knew whether this girl might still go on to ruin Qingyin and the Crown Prince’s future marriage.

Feng Junzhuo said with a cold snort, “The marriage His Majesty has decreed for you is to the son of the Duke of An’guo — Young Lord Xu.”

Feng Jiu’er said nothing. Every shred of shock was swallowed silently within her.

So the intended party had already been changed to someone else. Young Lord Xu — she had no idea what sort of background he came from.

In all likelihood, he would not be a particularly desirable match. If he were, it would not have been her turn.

It was not that Feng Jiu’er held others in contempt — she simply understood her own standing and knew full well what place she held in the Emperor’s heart.

Seeing her silence, Feng Zhenhai understood that his granddaughter’s heart had been wounded. He could not help but let out a quiet sigh.

Her originally intended match had been the Crown Prince. Now, he had been replaced by an illegitimate young lord of the Nanmen clan.

Though he bore the title of young lord, he held not even a shred of real power and was an overlooked, disregarded presence even within the Nanmen clan.

Still, given Jiu’er’s current reputation — having been rejected by the Crown Prince — the fact that anyone was willing to take her at all was already no small thing.

“Jiu’er, regardless of anything else, Young Lord Xu is still a son of the Nanmen clan. If you treat each other well, you can at the very least secure a peaceful life.”

“The Nanmen clan?” Feng Jiu’er finally caught the hidden meaning in those words. “So this marriage was arranged by Her Majesty the Empress?”

“That, we cannot say for certain, and it would be improper to speculate.”

After all, there were outsiders present — the Academy Director and Huo Yan were not members of their Feng Family — so Feng Zhenhai glanced at Jiu’er and decided it was best to soothe her first.

“Jiu’er, Grandfather knows you are still young. But marriage is something that must come sooner or later.” “What is more, the imperial edict has already been issued and the matter is settled. We will handle the arrangements for the wedding — you need only wait patiently for the day you leave home.”