Changle entered through the right side door, surrounded by a group of palace maids. As she ascended to the hall, she bowed to the Emperor and Empress.
The imperial couple made no effort to conceal their doting expressions. The Emperor even smiled and said, “My child comes of age today. Whatever you desire, feel free to ask.”
Changle first expressed her gratitude for the ceremony, then thanked her parents for their nurturing care. Afterward, she softly said, “Your child wishes to request that Father Emperor and Mother Empress bestow a marriage.”
What was bound to come had finally arrived.
Li Shaoling felt somewhat melancholic.
“Do you regret meeting her?” He Jianghe, standing beside him, suddenly asked in a low voice.
Did he regret it? If he hadn’t met her, his future would still be bright, he could still pursue his official career and still have a future to look forward to. But after meeting her, everything had become predetermined, beyond his control.
Li Shaoling felt he might regret it, but what could be done now that things had come to this?
Seeing his expression, He Jianghe’s eyes held even more mockery: “It seems the teacher has troubled himself.”
In Li Shaoling’s eyes, Changle seemed like a burden he had to accept unwillingly. But to him, Changle was a lovely young lady, a hardworking and serious classmate, and a highly talented opponent.
He Jianghe turned to look towards the front of the hall.
Changle took a deep breath. The officials behind her couldn’t see her face, but Mingyi, seated above, could see her daughter’s reddened eyes: “Your child requests Father Emperor and Mother Empress to bestow a marriage between myself and the eldest son of the He family, He Jianghe. May we two be together henceforth, until our hair turns white.”
Li Shaoling’s heart, which had been in suspense, suddenly sank.
He felt as if he had misheard. What eldest son of the He family? Shouldn’t it be him? Had Changle misspoken?
He looked towards the Emperor’s position with some trepidation. Unexpectedly, the Emperor neither glared at him nor paid him any attention, as if Changle had proposed a candidate he had long accepted. He immediately called out, “Is the eldest son of the He family present?”
He Jianghe stepped forward and knelt on one knee, declaring loudly, “Jianghe pays respects to Your Majesty and Her Majesty!”
His voice was too loud, startling the tears that were about to roll down Changle’s cheeks back into her eyes. She turned her head to glare at him.
But he only smiled: “If Your Majesty wishes to ask if this subject is willing, there’s no need to ask. I am willing, a hundred times willing, ten thousand times willing!”
His words amused all the civil and military officials in the hall. Changle, red-faced, said angrily, “Lower your voice.”
“Why should I lower my voice when I can marry such a wonderful girl as you?” He Jianghe smiled, his expression bright. “You don’t know that during the competitions at the Yuan Academy, my mind was full of thoughts of you.”
Indeed, the competitions at the Yuan Academy didn’t distinguish between men and women; all participated in mixed battles. In this session, only she and he were of the red meridian, so naturally, his mind was full of thoughts on how to deal with her as his only opponent.
However, saying this here inevitably led to teasing.
At her birthday banquet, the officials weren’t wearing their official robes and weren’t bound by strict etiquette. So everyone felt relaxed. As soon as he finished speaking, the people behind them applauded and cheered, embarrassing her to the point of biting her teeth.
Mingyi carefully observed He Jianghe and her daughter for a moment, then said softly, “I’ve said before that you can make your own decision about your marriage. Now that you have someone you care for, I have no reason to stop you.”
With that, she ordered someone to draft the marriage bestowal decree.
Changle let out a sigh of relief and bowed her head: “Thank you, Father Emperor and Mother Empress.”
He Jianghe also grinned and kowtowed along with her.
Amidst the cheers filling the hall, this corner seemed particularly quiet. Li Shaoling stood there, lips pressed tightly, cold and still. His initial confusion had turned into a surge of anger.
The person she wanted to marry wasn’t him.
If it wasn’t him, why had she come to toy with him? Talking about liking him, about her heart fluttering, making him live in fear and trepidation for a year or two.
What was this supposed to be?
Not willing to stay a moment longer, Li Shaoling left through the side door, without looking back.
Changle seemed to sense the movement in this corner and was about to turn her head to look, but He Jianghe blocked her peripheral vision and pulled her back.
“I prepared a few dishes for you. Go and see if you can find them.”
Changle came to her senses, realizing her lapse in composure. She forced a smile and went to the table to look.
He Jianghe glanced in the direction Li Shaoling had left and snorted with a laugh.
Li Shaoling went to Huamanlou. As soon as he entered, Hua Qing asked him, “Is the master unhappy?”
“How could I be?” He sat down and picked up the wine jug on the table. “My official position is secure, and I’ll be free in the future. Everything is good, so of course I should be happy.”
Hua Qing frowned and sat down beside him. She wanted to ask about the events at Princess Changle’s birthday banquet today, but seeing his expression, she didn’t dare to ask directly. She could only probe cautiously, “What do you mean your official position is secure?”
“Not having to be the Prince Consort means my official position is secure. Don’t you understand that?” He laughed, glancing disdainfully at the shallow wine cup before tossing it aside. He removed the lid of the wine jug directly and poured it into his mouth.
Hua Qing was frightened by his behavior and quickly asked, “Didn’t you not want to be the Prince Consort? This is exactly what you wanted, so why are you drinking like this?”
“Yes, it’s exactly what I wanted.” He swallowed a mouthful and continued pouring.
Hua Qing thought carefully, her eyes brightening: “Since you don’t have to be the Prince Consort, then the master’s future is bright. You can redeem this slave, and from now on, we can be equals…”
“What are you thinking?” He swallowed all the wine and looked up at her, the mockery in his eyes undisguised. “Choosing you? I’d rather choose Changle.”
Hua Qing’s face turned pale: “What do you mean by that, master?”
“You have more than one patron. You’ve also told others you want them to redeem you. How dare you act as if I’ve wronged you?” He snorted with laughter. “Just drink some wine, don’t think too much.”
Her face changed from white to green to purple. Hua Qing snorted and leaned back, no longer speaking politely: “You’d choose Changle over me, but it seems you don’t have a choice after all. Coming here to drink so dejectedly today, it’s likely the Princess didn’t choose you for her marriage. Well, you’re just a man from a humble background, how could you be worthy of the Princess?”
Li Shaoling threw the empty wine jug to the ground and said coldly, “Get out. Bring more wine in.”
Hua Qing pouted, reluctantly getting up. As she walked, she said, “The Princess was kind-hearted. Seeing you liked your career, she gave you your career. It seems she didn’t fulfill your wishes after all. How hard to please.”
“Get out!”
As the door closed, silence fell around him. Li Shaoling sat in a daze for a while before realizing that this was what He Jianghe meant by fulfilling his wishes.
Changle had once asked him, if he had to choose between his career and her, what would he choose?
At that time, he only felt angry because he thought he had no choice at all, and even retorted spitefully. Unexpectedly, at that time, she had truly placed the choice in his own hands.
This was his own choice.
As the effects of the wine surged, there was a slight ache in his chest. Li Shaoling gripped the edge of the table and thought, she would regret it. Marrying someone she didn’t like and forcing herself to live with them wouldn’t make her happy. Sooner or later, she would come back to him, begging him to return to her side!