Led by Prince Rui, a dark mass of people knelt in rows.

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Li Shi, eldest daughter of Hanlin Compiler Li Guangwen, is gentle and prudent by nature, diligent and compliant, with a mild and virtuous temperament, containing refined virtue. She is hereby enfeoffed as Secondary Consort of Prince Rui. By imperial decree!”

Under the surprised and envious gazes of everyone, Li Jiǎo bowed her head to receive the decree, tears brimming in her eyelashes.

She had finally waited for the imperial edict of enfeoffment – the heart she had held in suspense for several days could finally be set at ease!

After rising, Li Jiǎo glanced toward the courtyards housing Prince Rui’s numerous beauties, the corners of her lips slightly upturned.

From now on, she would be the most noble woman in the prince’s residence. What did it matter if others entered the household earlier? What did it matter if they bore little princes? With her birth and Prince Rui’s favor, who could surpass her?

Thinking this way, Li Jiǎo’s originally distant feelings toward the Li family became active again.

She had originally felt that her father had been a Hanlin Compiler for nearly twenty years without providing her any assistance, but now it seemed she had been thinking incorrectly.

Only Hanlin scholars could enter the Inner Cabinet. Being born to a Hanlin family might not provide other practical benefits, but it was extremely prestigious when mentioned.

Having become Prince Rui’s secondary consort, she was no longer a despised concubine. From now on, she could openly go out to visit guests. It seemed time to return to her natal family for visits.

As Li Jiǎo was pondering this, she heard Prince Rui laugh: “Father-in-law, why not stay for a cup of tea?”

The edict-bearing eunuch respectfully replied: “Thank you, Your Highness, but this slave still needs to go to Marquis Liuxing’s residence to deliver an edict.”

Prince Rui was honest and didn’t dare probe Emperor Mingkang’s affairs, so he didn’t ask further.

Who would have known the edict-bearing eunuch would smile and say: “This slave must also congratulate Your Highness.”

“Eh?”

“Congratulations to Your Highness on soon having a princess consort.”

Both Prince Rui and Li Jiǎo were startled.

“What does father-in-law mean by this?”

The eunuch smiled: “The Emperor has bestowed in marriage the sixth young lady of Marquis Liuxing’s residence as Princess Rui. Congratulations to Your Highness on soon having a primary consort.”

Prince Rui was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed.

Marquis Liuxing’s residence was the Empress Dowager’s natal family. Now that Father Emperor was bestowing in marriage the sixth young lady of Marquis Liuxing’s residence as his primary consort, what this meant was self-evident.

In his struggle with Sixth Brother, Father Emperor, who was devoted to the Dao, had finally revealed some of his attitude.

Prince Rui was beaming with joy at this sudden good news, but Li Jiǎo’s face turned deathly pale.

At this moment her heart seemed to plummet directly into an ice cave, cold emanating from her very bones. The imperial edict in her hands that had just brought her infinite joy nearly slipped from her grasp.

Why was the Emperor selecting a primary consort for Prince Rui at this time? Even if she had been allowed to sit securely in the secondary consort position for a year or two, she would have had fighting power when the primary consort eventually entered the residence.

Could Heaven truly not stand to see her prosper? Whenever she struggled with all her might to advance another step, inexplicable misfortunes would always occur.

The more Li Jiǎo thought about it, the more she resented it. Her originally gentle and graceful face twisted with emotion.

“Jiǎo Niang, are you feeling unwell?” Prince Rui’s voice, tinged with joy, reached her.

Li Jiǎo awakened as if from a dream, swallowing all her depression along with her broken teeth and blood, revealing a fragile smile: “This concubine is too overjoyed – please forgive any breach of propriety, Your Highness.”

Prince Rui helped the bowing Li Jiǎo to her feet: “Why is the beloved consort being so formal? Today is indeed joyous – accompany this prince for a drink.”

Li Jiǎo forced a cheerful expression and accompanied Prince Rui for a drinking session. After Prince Rui left, she angrily smashed a teacup.

Having just been enfeoffed as secondary consort, Prince Rui’s residence was about to welcome a primary consort – she had no face to return to her natal family.

The concubines in Prince Rui’s residence had originally been extremely envious upon hearing Li Jiǎo was enfeoffed as secondary consort, but immediately after learning the residence would welcome a primary consort, they instantly discarded that bit of envy.

No matter how dignified a secondary consort might be, she was still just a concubine when standing before a primary consort. When the new princess consort arrived, she would certainly make an example of the secondary consort first.

Emperor Mingkang’s imperial marriage decree immediately stirred many people’s thoughts.

Upon hearing this, Prince Mu became numb instead.

Heh, from when Father Emperor sent Fifth Brother to Mount Lingtai to pray for blessings, he had already seen it – Father Emperor was grooming Fifth Brother as heir apparent. What was so strange about now bestowing the Empress Dowager’s niece to the Fifth Brother as primary consort?

Hmph, he didn’t care – he had the “imperial edict”!

Shao Mingyuan and others gathered together, likewise discussing this matter.

“The Emperor’s favoring Prince Rui is good news for us. That sixth cousin of mine has a narrow temperament – if he ascended the throne, who knows what he might do,” Chi Can said lazily, supporting his cheek with his hand.

“Prince Rui would indeed be better,” Shao Mingyuan thought of Prince Rui’s several overtures, plus his guards having saved Prince Rui’s life on the Mount Lingtai expedition, giving him more confidence in future harmonious ruler-minister relations.

“I always feel Prince Mu won’t let this rest,” Qiao Mo spoke up.

With the Lan father and son who supported Prince Mu having fallen, Xu Mingda, who was close to Prince Rui, rising to the Chief Minister position, and now Prince Rui about to marry the Empress Dowager’s grand-niece as princess consort – all of this was too unfavorable for Prince Mu.

Yet from his observation of Prince Mu’s temperament, after this series of events Prince Mu’s behavior was too quiet.

“Prince Mu very likely has some backing.”

Chi Can smiled: “He wouldn’t stage a rebellion, would he? Don’t look at how the Emperor doesn’t concern himself with worldly affairs – he maintains tight control over the Imperial Guards. Prince Mu couldn’t possibly have a chance at armed rebellion. What do you think, Tingquan?”

Shao Mingyuan poured a cup of fruit juice for Qiao Zhao and said indifferently, “We won’t participate in succession struggles. In any case, we’ll meet soldiers with generals and floods with earth.”

“That’s true too – let’s just drink,” Chi Can, unwilling to return to the Eldest Princess’s residence, pulled the others to continue drinking.

Time passed swiftly like a white horse through a gap, and soon it was June.

As the weather grew hotter, Emperor Mingkang became increasingly irritable.

He felt the heat within his body growing stronger each day. Even in seclusion, he couldn’t calm his mind, and he had no appetite for food. These past two days, he had even started having nosebleeds, yet when he summoned imperial physicians for examination, those idle rice-eaters couldn’t explain what was wrong.

“Wei Wuxie, why are there only so few ice basins in the room? Are you trying to heat this emperor to death?”

“This slave will immediately have more ice basins brought in,” Wei Wuxie repeatedly soothed the ill-tempered Emperor, yet felt extremely puzzled in his heart.

The hall was refreshingly cool – he even felt somewhat cold. Yet the Emperor still felt hot?

Wei Wuxie’s mood became inexplicably heavy, but he had no solutions. He quickly ordered young eunuchs to bring several more ice basins.

Emperor Mingkang’s inner heat still could not be relieved. He paced back and forth in the room, finally ordering: “Summon the Celestial Master.”

Before long, Celestial Master Zhang hurried over.

Upon entering, Celestial Master Zhang couldn’t help shivering.

Quite cold!

“Celestial Master, this summer the capital is particularly sweltering. This emperor plans to go to Mount Qingliang for a summer retreat. What do you think?”

Celestial Master Zhang quietly observed Emperor Mingkang’s complexion. Though his spirit seemed good, there were dark circles under his eyes, and his cheeks showed an unhealthy flush. Secretly alarmed, he quickly said: “Mount Qingliang is a blessed land of excellent feng shui. Your Majesty, going there for several months of cultivation would benefit your spiritual practice.”

Looking at the Emperor’s condition, things seemed somewhat dangerous. If something happened in the palace, he, as Celestial Master, would probably face great misfortune. But if it were outside the capital, he might be able to escape early and avoid disaster.

Celestial Master Zhang’s words helped Emperor Mingkang make his decision. He quickly issued an edict commanding court officials, imperial relatives, and nobles to accompany the Emperor to Mount Qingliang for summer retreat.