Chapter 362: And What If This Son Insists on Marrying Her?
“Xuan Yanyu.” Yan Yunning tugged at his sleeve, her eyes and brows curving with a smile. “It is fine as long as Ruirui likes her. Did you not say before that you would not interfere in your son’s marriage, and that you would not be like Imperial Father — selecting consorts for your son?”
“Lingning, how did the illegitimate daughter come to know Ruirui? Can there truly be such a coincidence?”
He did not mind her status, but he could not allow someone to manipulate his son.
“Why not? Perhaps Ruirui left the palace and met the young lady on the main street?” Yan Yunning blinked. “Just like you and me.”
Xuan Yanyu furrowed his brows tightly. “That was different. It was because I took the initiative to stay at the Prime Minister’s residence that we came to know each other. Do you think Ruirui would take the initiative to go and befriend a young lady?”
If Ruirui would not seek someone out, then why would this illegitimate daughter take the initiative to befriend Ruirui?
Ruirui was not inconspicuous when he left the palace. Anyone with even a little discernment could tell from his brocade robe, the jade pendant at his waist, and the gold crown holding his hair that he was the son of a wealthy household.
An illegitimate daughter wishing to change her fate — resorting to a few schemes was only natural, and as long as no one was harmed it was hardly a great offense. But such scheming would not be conducive to harmony within the imperial family in the future.
Xiaoxiao had yet to establish an heir, and there was no guarantee that Ruirui would not be egged on by a pillow companion to covet the position of Crown Prince and Imperial Brother. Since the founding of Xuanzhao, those who had coveted an elder imperial brother’s throne were not unheard of. He trusted Ruirui completely.
But that still could not withstand a pillow companion filling his ear with poison day after day, sowing discord and dissension.
Ruirui was not particularly sharp-witted. The woman he took as his principal wife and his side consort had to be of pure character and genuine goodness.
For if Lingning were to urge him toward some course of action, he would certainly follow through — and so he feared Ruirui might be the same way.
Picking up on the meaning behind Xuan Yanyu’s words, Xuan Yunyao’s tone turned displeased. “That is prejudice. Imperial Father, Miss Qu is not so calculating.”
“Say what you will — the Miss Qu you speak of cannot become your side consort either.” Xuan Yanyu’s stance was resolute.
Xuan Yunyao met this with defiance. “Imperial Father, and what if this son insists on marrying her?”
Xuan Yanyu swept him up and down with a glance and said lightly, “I’ll break your legs.”
Xuan Yunyao’s eyes rose at the outer corners. “Then this son is determined to marry her.”
“Say that again.” Xuan Yanyu released his imperial authority, his gaze darkening as he fixed his eyes on his son.
“Mar… marry her.” Xuan Yunyao swallowed hard.
“Someone come — take His Highness the Rui Prince away and administer fifty strokes of the rod. If he dares to talk back again, one hundred strokes.”
“Xuan Yanyu, what are you doing?” Yan Yunning shielded Xuan Yunyao, her brow faintly furrowed. “What is the point of hitting your own son? If you will not let Ruirui marry her, you should at least give him a reason.”
“This Emperor does not consent. If he persists in this course, he may go back to the former territory of Qilan and never again set foot in Xuanzhao.”
Xuan Yunyao clenched his fist. “Why?”
Xuan Yanyu softened his voice. “You need not marry at all.”
Xuan Yunyao enunciated each word deliberately. “This son is determined to marry Miss Qu.”
Disappointment flickered through Xuan Yanyu’s eyes. The more he forbade him from doing something, the more the boy would go and do it — what good would come of marrying a scheming pillow companion?
“Let him be. Lingning, let us go see the little one.”
“You go first. I have words to say to Ruirui.”
“I will wait for you outside the chamber.”
“Very well.” Yan Yunning nodded.
Once Xuan Yanyu had carried the little one out, Yan Yunning tapped Xuan Yunyao on the forehead. “Do you truly intend to marry her?”
“Imperial Mother, look at the way Imperial Father was carrying on.”
“Enough. Your Imperial Father would not act like this without reason. Tomorrow, Imperial Mother will summon that Miss Qu into the palace and give you a proper look.” Yan Yunning straightened the front of his ceremonial robes. “If Imperial Mother also finds her unsuitable, Imperial Mother will not plead your case with your Imperial Father.”
Xuan Yunyao opened his mouth to speak.
Yan Yunning understood. She spoke in a tone both earnest and gentle. “Ruirui, if you truly care for her, Imperial Mother will not stand in your way. But you cannot let a pique of temper with your Imperial Father waste a young girl’s years for nothing.”
“Imperial Mother, this son knows his wrong.”
“Tell Imperial Mother — how did the two of you come to meet?” Yan Yunning pulled him down to sit with her on the rush cushion.
“Imperial Mother.” Xuan Yunyao rested his head on her shoulder and told her honestly. “The puppy this son keeps ran off by accident on the day of the lantern festival. This son had notices posted — whoever found it would be handsomely rewarded. It was Miss Qu who found it and brought it back.”
“This son offered Miss Qu a banknote, but she would not accept it. This son asked her what she wanted, and she said she was not favored in her household, and dared not ask for anything, as it would only be taken away by her legitimate elder sister in any case.”
“She is Tuantuan’s benefactress, so naturally this son would not let her continue to suffer. This son therefore sent gifts openly in the capacity of His Highness the Rui Prince — that way, her legitimate elder sister would not dare to seize her things again, nor dare to bully her.”
The light in Yan Yunning’s eyes dimmed slightly. The more she heard, the more something felt off. How could a legitimate daughter possibly covet an illegitimate daughter’s things??
What was more, if she hid the banknote herself without letting anyone know, how would it be taken away?
“This son also cannot understand why you and Imperial Father would think this son is fond of Miss Qu.”
Yan Yunning let out a sigh and patted his hand. “Ruirui, if a banknote is unknown to others, how can it be taken away?”
“This son did ask Miss Qu about that. She said there was nowhere to hide things in her courtyard, and her legitimate elder sister would have maidservants go through it every few days. This son was about to ask further, but she grew distressed and started weeping, and this son found her constant crying so vexing that he did not press on.”
Yan Yunning pinched his ear lightly and slowly broke into a smile. “And you believed that?”
Xuan Yunyao lowered his eyes and turned the jade thumb ring on his finger. “Not really. But after all, she was the one who found Tuantuan and returned him — so this son thought he would lend her a hand.”
“Ruirui, if Imperial Mother had followed your Imperial Father away today, would you truly have married that Miss Qu?” Yan Yunning lowered her gaze and met his eyes directly.
Meeting Yan Yunning’s gaze, Xuan Yunyao lightly raised an eyebrow and gave a soft “Mm.”
“Unfilial wretch.” After a long silence, Yan Yunning let out only those two words.
Xuan Yunyao: “……”
Was a bit of humor not allowed?
“The flower petals, the sword dance, and taking the hairpin your brother had made for your sister-in-law — what do you have to say about all of that?”
Xuan Yunyao lowered his eyes with a slight smile. “Imperial Mother, take a guess.”
“Stop being glib. Speak.” Yan Yunning gave his hand a pat.
Xuan Yunyao toyed with his jade pendant and drawled unhurriedly, “Miss Qu said that no man had ever danced a sword for her, nor had she ever walked a path strewn with flower petals the way her legitimate elder sister had. As for the hairpin — this son simply thought it was beautiful and so gave it to Miss Qu.”
Yan Yunning’s eyelid twitched. “So — because Miss Qu said one word, you danced your sword for her and had people lay out a path of flower petals for her?”
Xuan Yunyao blinked and nodded.
Yan Yunning drew a deep breath. She pushed the young man away from where he leaned against her shoulder, broke into a faint smile, and said, “Hopeless. You were made a fool of.”
She now understood perfectly why the rumor had spread that Ruirui was openly pursuing Miss Qu — it must have been Miss Qu herself who let it leak.
“Imperial Mother!”
“Don’t call me Imperial Mother. You fool.” Yan Yunning rose to her feet and walked out of the ancestral hall without looking back.
Xuan Yunyao: “……”
Fool or no fool — could she not at least take him out of the ancestral hall with her??
——
The following evening.
Yan Yunning summoned Qu Qingqing, and along with her brought the legitimate daughter Qu Ying into the palace as well.
“Your subjects’ daughters pay their respects to the Empress Dowager and to His Highness the Rui Prince. May the Empress Dowager’s phoenix constitution be ever blessed with good health.”
“Be seated.” Yan Yunning said with a smile.
“These subjects’ daughters thank the Empress Dowager for granting them seats.” The two of them sat down properly.
Ye’an discreetly nudged the languid Xuan Yunyao, who was propping up his head and feigning sleep.
The latter lifted his eyelids, then stretched lazily.
“Xuan Yanyu.” Yan Yunning tugged at his sleeve, her eyes and brows curving with a smile. “It is fine as long as Ruirui likes her. Did you not say before that you would not interfere in your son’s marriage, and that you would not be like Imperial Father — selecting consorts for your son?”
“Lingning, how did the illegitimate daughter come to know Ruirui? Can there truly be such a coincidence?”
He did not mind her status, but he could not allow someone to manipulate his son.
“Why not? Perhaps Ruirui left the palace and met the young lady on the main street?” Yan Yunning blinked. “Just like you and me.”
Xuan Yanyu furrowed his brows tightly. “That was different. It was because I took the initiative to stay at the Prime Minister’s residence that we came to know each other. Do you think Ruirui would take the initiative to go and befriend a young lady?”
If Ruirui would not seek someone out, then why would this illegitimate daughter take the initiative to befriend Ruirui?
Ruirui was not inconspicuous when he left the palace. Anyone with even a little discernment could tell from his brocade robe, the jade pendant at his waist, and the gold crown holding his hair that he was the son of a wealthy household.
An illegitimate daughter wishing to change her fate — resorting to a few schemes was only natural, and as long as no one was harmed it was hardly a great offense. But such scheming would not be conducive to harmony within the imperial family in the future.
Xiaoxiao had yet to establish an heir, and there was no guarantee that Ruirui would not be egged on by a pillow companion to covet the position of Crown Prince and Imperial Brother. Since the founding of Xuanzhao, those who had coveted an elder imperial brother’s throne were not unheard of. He trusted Ruirui completely.
But that still could not withstand a pillow companion filling his ear with poison day after day, sowing discord and dissension.
Ruirui was not particularly sharp-witted. The woman he took as his principal wife and his side consort had to be of pure character and genuine goodness.
For if Lingning were to urge him toward some course of action, he would certainly follow through — and so he feared Ruirui might be the same way.
Picking up on the meaning behind Xuan Yanyu’s words, Xuan Yunyao’s tone turned displeased. “That is prejudice. Imperial Father, Miss Qu is not so calculating.”
“Say what you will — the Miss Qu you speak of cannot become your side consort either.” Xuan Yanyu’s stance was resolute.
Xuan Yunyao met this with defiance. “Imperial Father, and what if this son insists on marrying her?”
Xuan Yanyu swept him up and down with a glance and said lightly, “I’ll break your legs.”
Xuan Yunyao’s eyes rose at the outer corners. “Then this son is determined to marry her.”
“Say that again.” Xuan Yanyu released his imperial authority, his gaze darkening as he fixed his eyes on his son.
“Mar… marry her.” Xuan Yunyao swallowed hard.
“Someone come — take His Highness the Rui Prince away and administer fifty strokes of the rod. If he dares to talk back again, one hundred strokes.”
“Xuan Yanyu, what are you doing?” Yan Yunning shielded Xuan Yunyao, her brow faintly furrowed. “What is the point of hitting your own son? If you will not let Ruirui marry her, you should at least give him a reason.”
“This Emperor does not consent. If he persists in this course, he may go back to the former territory of Qilan and never again set foot in Xuanzhao.”
Xuan Yunyao clenched his fist. “Why?”
Xuan Yanyu softened his voice. “You need not marry at all.”
Xuan Yunyao enunciated each word deliberately. “This son is determined to marry Miss Qu.”
Disappointment flickered through Xuan Yanyu’s eyes. The more he forbade him from doing something, the more the boy would go and do it — what good would come of marrying a scheming pillow companion?
“Let him be. Lingning, let us go see the little one.”
“You go first. I have words to say to Ruirui.”
“I will wait for you outside the chamber.”
“Very well.” Yan Yunning nodded.
Once Xuan Yanyu had carried the little one out, Yan Yunning tapped Xuan Yunyao on the forehead. “Do you truly intend to marry her?”
“Imperial Mother, look at the way Imperial Father was carrying on.”
“Enough. Your Imperial Father would not act like this without reason. Tomorrow, Imperial Mother will summon that Miss Qu into the palace and give you a proper look.” Yan Yunning straightened the front of his ceremonial robes. “If Imperial Mother also finds her unsuitable, Imperial Mother will not plead your case with your Imperial Father.”
Xuan Yunyao opened his mouth to speak.
Yan Yunning understood. She spoke in a tone both earnest and gentle. “Ruirui, if you truly care for her, Imperial Mother will not stand in your way. But you cannot let a pique of temper with your Imperial Father waste a young girl’s years for nothing.”
“Imperial Mother, this son knows his wrong.”
“Tell Imperial Mother — how did the two of you come to meet?” Yan Yunning pulled him down to sit with her on the rush cushion.
“Imperial Mother.” Xuan Yunyao rested his head on her shoulder and told her honestly. “The puppy this son keeps ran off by accident on the day of the lantern festival. This son had notices posted — whoever found it would be handsomely rewarded. It was Miss Qu who found it and brought it back.”
“This son offered Miss Qu a banknote, but she would not accept it. This son asked her what she wanted, and she said she was not favored in her household, and dared not ask for anything, as it would only be taken away by her legitimate elder sister in any case.”
“She is Tuantuan’s benefactress, so naturally this son would not let her continue to suffer. This son therefore sent gifts openly in the capacity of His Highness the Rui Prince — that way, her legitimate elder sister would not dare to seize her things again, nor dare to bully her.”
The light in Yan Yunning’s eyes dimmed slightly. The more she heard, the more something felt off. How could a legitimate daughter possibly covet an illegitimate daughter’s things??
What was more, if she hid the banknote herself without letting anyone know, how would it be taken away?
“This son also cannot understand why you and Imperial Father would think this son is fond of Miss Qu.”
Yan Yunning let out a sigh and patted his hand. “Ruirui, if a banknote is unknown to others, how can it be taken away?”
“This son did ask Miss Qu about that. She said there was nowhere to hide things in her courtyard, and her legitimate elder sister would have maidservants go through it every few days. This son was about to ask further, but she grew distressed and started weeping, and this son found her constant crying so vexing that he did not press on.”
Yan Yunning pinched his ear lightly and slowly broke into a smile. “And you believed that?”
Xuan Yunyao lowered his eyes and turned the jade thumb ring on his finger. “Not really. But after all, she was the one who found Tuantuan and returned him — so this son thought he would lend her a hand.”
“Ruirui, if Imperial Mother had followed your Imperial Father away today, would you truly have married that Miss Qu?” Yan Yunning lowered her gaze and met his eyes directly.
Meeting Yan Yunning’s gaze, Xuan Yunyao lightly raised an eyebrow and gave a soft “Mm.”
“Unfilial wretch.” After a long silence, Yan Yunning let out only those two words.
Xuan Yunyao: “……”
Was a bit of humor not allowed?
“The flower petals, the sword dance, and taking the hairpin your brother had made for your sister-in-law — what do you have to say about all of that?”
Xuan Yunyao lowered his eyes with a slight smile. “Imperial Mother, take a guess.”
“Stop being glib. Speak.” Yan Yunning gave his hand a pat.
Xuan Yunyao toyed with his jade pendant and drawled unhurriedly, “Miss Qu said that no man had ever danced a sword for her, nor had she ever walked a path strewn with flower petals the way her legitimate elder sister had. As for the hairpin — this son simply thought it was beautiful and so gave it to Miss Qu.”
Yan Yunning’s eyelid twitched. “So — because Miss Qu said one word, you danced your sword for her and had people lay out a path of flower petals for her?”
Xuan Yunyao blinked and nodded.
Yan Yunning drew a deep breath. She pushed the young man away from where he leaned against her shoulder, broke into a faint smile, and said, “Hopeless. You were made a fool of.”
She now understood perfectly why the rumor had spread that Ruirui was openly pursuing Miss Qu — it must have been Miss Qu herself who let it leak.
“Imperial Mother!”
“Don’t call me Imperial Mother. You fool.” Yan Yunning rose to her feet and walked out of the ancestral hall without looking back.
Xuan Yunyao: “……”
Fool or no fool — could she not at least take him out of the ancestral hall with her??
——
The following evening.
Yan Yunning summoned Qu Qingqing, and along with her brought the legitimate daughter Qu Ying into the palace as well.
“Your subjects’ daughters pay their respects to the Empress Dowager and to His Highness the Rui Prince. May the Empress Dowager’s phoenix constitution be ever blessed with good health.”
“Be seated.” Yan Yunning said with a smile.
“These subjects’ daughters thank the Empress Dowager for granting them seats.” The two of them sat down properly.
Ye’an discreetly nudged the languid Xuan Yunyao, who was propping up his head and feigning sleep.
The latter lifted his eyelids, then stretched lazily.