Emperor Mingkang’s mood grew worse and worse. Having lost the pleasure of secluded cultivation, he felt his entire life had become gray and dim.

“Wei Wuxie, go summon the Celestial Master.” After enduring for a long time, Emperor Mingkang finally couldn’t hold back and wanted to ask Master Zhang to calculate an auspicious date for seclusion.

Before long, Master Zhang, dressed in his Eight Trigrams robe, hurried over.

Emperor Mingkang’s expression was much better when facing Master Zhang than when facing others. He even warmly beckoned to him: “Celestial Master, come quickly.”

Master Zhang walked over with a calm expression and paid his respects.

“Celestial Master, I’ve encountered many difficulties in my recent seclusions. Please calculate for me when the next seclusion would be appropriate.”

Master Zhang nodded, slightly closed his eyes, and began calculating on his fingers.

“How is it?” Seeing Master Zhang open his eyes, Emperor Mingkang asked impatiently.

Master Zhang shook his head: “Your Majesty, recent times are not suitable for seclusion.”

“Then, when would be suitable?”

“This year and next year are not suitable for seclusion.”

Emperor Mingkang’s vision darkened: “Celestial Master, is there a way to resolve this?”

Not being able to seclude for so long, this life would be unbearable.

“Allow this humble Taoist to cast a divination.” Master Zhang took out three ancient coins, placed them in his palm, shook them several times, and then scattered the copper coins on the table. After doing this several times, he said solemnly, “This is a changing hexagram. The hexagram shows a mountain with danger below, yet one continues advancing without stopping.”

Emperor Mingkang felt terrible upon hearing this.

This meant if he insisted on seclusion, he would encounter misfortune again?

“However—”

Hearing the word “however,” Emperor Mingkang’s spirits lifted, and he looked at Master Zhang eagerly.

Master Zhang maintained his otherworldly sage appearance: “However, if actions are appropriate, it can transform into success. This hexagram contains hidden marriage connections, meaning if Your Majesty sets this seclusion date on someone else’s joyous wedding day, borrowing others’ joy to generate your joy, you can rest easy.”

Emperor Mingkang’s eyes narrowed as he stroked his sparse beard: “So I need to become a matchmaker?”

Master Zhang remained silent.

“Anyone will do?” Emperor Mingkang asked again.

As long as he could quickly return to seclusion, even marrying off his daughter now would be acceptable.

“There are no restrictions on the person, but the chosen one cannot be of weak influence. If it’s a common people’s wedding, it would be difficult to support the Son of Heaven borrowing joy. Imperial relatives or court ministers would all be suitable.”

“Let me think.” Emperor Mingkang pondered.

He still had one daughter who hadn’t married, and Fifth Son also had no principal consort. But since this was borrowing joy, if he borrowed his children’s “joy,” wouldn’t that affect his children?

Although compared to his own path to immortality this wasn’t much, the Celestial Master had said court officials would also work. Since he could bring misfortune to outsiders—ahem, no, since he could bestow favor on his subjects, the princes and princesses needn’t be involved.

Who would be suitable?

“Wei Wuxie—”

“This slave is here.”

“Bring me the rosters of court officials and nobles.”

“Yes.”

Two quarters of an hour later, Wei Wuxie walked in carrying a tall stack of books, followed by several young eunuchs also carrying stacks of books.

Emperor Mingkang’s mouth twitched: “Pick out those who are still unmarried.”

This was a big workload. Wei Wuxie called several young eunuchs to work together, and after more than half an hour of busy work, they presented two organized lists to Emperor Mingkang.

“Just these few people?” Emperor Mingkang first looked at the list of court officials.

Wei Wuxie was full of helplessness but didn’t dare show it: “Reporting to Your Majesty, most court officials are over thirty years old. The very few who haven’t married are mainly new jinshi graduates.”

Emperor Mingkang frowned deeply upon hearing this.

The top scholar among the new jinshi was only granted the sixth-rank position of Compiler. What influence could these people have? What if it affected his seclusion results?

As Emperor Mingkang was feeling disdainful, Wei Wuxie added: “Due to our Great Liang’s tradition of catching sons-in-law right after the examinations, most of these unmarried new jinshi have already had their marriages arranged.”

“What about these?” Emperor Mingkang picked up the other list, which was densely packed. “Duke Han’s grandson, Earl Changchun’s youngest son… what positions do they all hold?”

Wei Wuxie’s mouth twitched: “Most don’t have positions…”

They were all dandies living off their ancestors’ foundations—what positions could they have? Your Majesty always gave him difficult problems.

Emperor Mingkang fell silent.

He had thought being a matchmaker once would be the simplest thing, but who knew it would be so troublesome. Everything was truly going wrong!

“Isn’t there any high-ranking, powerful noble or important minister who’s still unmarried?”

Wei Wuxie gave a dry laugh.

Your Majesty, you’re joking. If there were such a person, he’d want to give birth to a daughter to marry him.

Wait, it seemed there was such a person!

“Your Majesty, this slave remembers one suitable person.”

“Who?”

“Marquis Guanjun.”

Emperor Mingkang’s eyes lit up.

Right! How could he forget that young man!

“Marquis Guanjun and that Miss Li…”

“Third Miss Li.” Wei Wuxie continued.

“Mm, that’s them. How long have they been engaged?”

“One year.” While Wei Wuxie might not immediately recall when others got engaged, as Director of the Eastern Depot, he naturally kept close watch on Marquis Guanjun’s affairs.

“What about the wedding date?”

“Next February.”

“Transmit my decree: bestow marriage upon Marquis Guanjun and Miss Li, commanding them to wed in seven days.”

“Yes.” Wei Wuxie had long cultivated the composure to remain unmoved no matter what bizarre words the emperor spoke.

“Go then.” Emperor Mingkang closed his eyes.

Still having to wait seven days—each day felt like a year. Should he retract the decree and change it to three days?

After the Li residence received the imperial marriage decree that Wei Wuxie personally came to announce, everyone was stunned.

Why would there be an imperial marriage decree?

Had the emperor eaten his fill with nothing to do, specifically watching his subjects’ marriages and funerals?

“Third Miss Li, please receive the decree.” Wei Wuxie reminded coolly.

Only then did Old Madam Deng wake as if from a dream, looking at her granddaughter with complex emotions as she received the imperial decree.

What did this sudden imperial marriage decree mean?

As soon as Wei Wuxie left, Old Madam Deng immediately asked: “Zhaozhao, do you know what this is about?”

Qiao Zhao blinked.

What else could it be about? Someone thick-skinned was eager to marry his wife.

Of course, she couldn’t say this directly to Grandmother and the others. Qiao Zhao curved her lips: “Granddaughter doesn’t know why either. Perhaps they’re sending Tingquan to war again, and to reassure people’s hearts, they want him to marry early.”

This reason was quite reasonable. Old Madam Deng thought about it and sighed: “Early marriage is good too.”

Military generals were different from civil officials—there were too many unpredictable things. Since the two children loved each other, it was better to fulfill their wishes early. With this imperial marriage decree, they needn’t worry about others gossiping about Third Girl marrying before her mourning period ended.

Old Madam Deng silently convinced herself, but He Shi was having none of it: “Seven days? How is seven days enough time? So much of the dowry isn’t ready yet! Oh, right, Zhaozhao, have you finished embroidering that red bridal veil?”

Qiao Zhao: “…”

If they hadn’t brought up this topic, she could still be a happy bride.

“Aiya, I originally thought there were still three months. You could practice and at least finish the edges of the veil. Now there are only seven days. Why don’t you just cut out the fabric first? I feel this isn’t too difficult.”