Li Shimin’s heart was also filled with tremendous excitement. While wiping away Yunyi’s tears, he said hoarsely, “This is a joyous occasion. You shouldn’t cry.”
“Thank you, thank you for doing so much for me!” Looking at Li Shimin’s haggard face and his limping appearance, Yunyi knew he must have suffered greatly these past few days.
Li Shimin smiled, “The one we should thank most is Third Lady. If she hadn’t come up with such a good method this time, Father might still not have agreed even now.”
Yunyi wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes, “Does it have to do with those actors?”
Li Shimin asked in surprise, “Third Lady told you?”
Yunyi shook her head, “That day I wanted to visit the Tang Prince’s mansion to see Wugou, but was stopped outside. Third Madam happened to come out and asked me to accompany her to the market, saying she needed to purchase some things. After watching a performance of ‘Stepping on the Swaying Lady,’ she brought two actors back to the mansion. Then she said it was settled and that this was what she had wanted to purchase, and that it related to our matter. But when I asked her what it was all about, she refused to say.”
After Li Shimin had her sit down, he recounted in detail what had happened the night before. After hearing his words, Ruyi suddenly understood, “So that’s how it was! Third Madam’s mind is truly ingenious to think of such a method.”
Li Shimin smiled, “So I said we really must thank Third Lady properly this time.”
Yunyi nodded, “I still remember four years ago, when Caiping and I were wrongly accused of causing the death of Fifth Young Master’s little dog, it was Third Madam who helped us out of that predicament. This time we’re indebted to Third Madam again. I truly don’t know how to thank her properly.”
Ruyi said sweetly, “This shows that the Princess has deep good fortune, destined to have many benefactors to help her, like Young Master Du and Third Madam.” She then smiled with pursed lips, “Actually, Second Young Master also counts as one of the benefactors.”
“You talkative girl,” Yunyi chided lovingly, then looked at Li Shimin with concern, “How is your leg? Have you had a physician examine it? Is it serious?”
“I’m fine. It’s just that I knelt for too long before, so my blood circulation was blocked. These past two days walking has been somewhat difficult, but once my blood circulation improves, it will naturally be the same as before.”
Hearing this, Yunyi’s heart relaxed, “That’s good then.” After a pause, she said with heartache, “You really are… if the Tang Prince didn’t agree, that would be that. Why force it? Fortunately, nothing serious happened from all that kneeling, otherwise I would never have peace of mind for the rest of my life.”
Li Shimin caressed her delicate face, as finely crafted as a meticulous painting, and said gently, “Since I said I would marry you, I will certainly do it.”
Hearing these words, Yunyi’s nose tingled, and the tears she had just managed to stop nearly fell again. She said chokingly, “You seem quite intelligent on ordinary days, but you’re actually a stubborn fool. If the Tang Prince didn’t permit it for a month, would you have continued kneeling for a month?”
Li Shimin smiled, “If that were truly the case, I could only continue kneeling. Since I promised you, I would never break my word!”
“Fool!” Yunyi smiled through her tears, her heart filled with emotion. To be able to hold hands with the person beside her for a lifetime—she would have no regrets in this life.
Li Shimin took the gift list from Chuyi’s hands, “Take a look at this. If there are no problems, I’ll have someone send the items to the palace tomorrow.”
Chuyi said quickly, “This gift list was prepared by Second Young Madam according to the one used when Young Master married her. Second Young Madam said that since you are a princess, marrying as an equal wife is already quite unfair to you, and you absolutely cannot be wronged regarding the betrothal gifts as well. She also said that if you feel it’s insufficient, just speak up, and she’ll have more items prepared.”
Yunyi’s heart warmed, “Wugou always thinks of others this way.” She then opened the gift list and looked through it briefly, “It’s very complete. Let’s go with this gift list.”
Li Shimin nodded, “Then I’ll go speak with His Majesty about this matter, ask him to issue an imperial decree for the marriage, and set the wedding date. What do you think?”
Yunyi smiled, “You make the decision.”
Before her words had finished, Ruyi had already taken up the conversation teasingly, “Now the Princess just needs to wait for Second Young Master to bring the bridal sedan to marry her.”
“Chatterbox!” Though her words were scolding, her face was radiant with an irrepressible smile. After years of longing, at this moment, it was finally coming true. She was so overjoyed she almost thought she was dreaming.
After accompanying Yunyi through lunch, Li Shimin went to see Yang You. The latter was not entirely in favor of Yunyi marrying him as an equal wife, as Yunyi held the status of princess after all. However, first, he was merely a puppet emperor; second, this was Yunyi’s own wish, and as her nephew, it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to oppose it too strongly. In the end, Yang You issued an imperial decree granting the marriage, with the wedding date set for March 29th.
Upon hearing this news, Xin’an smashed everything breakable in Shuangyue Hall, including her usually most beloved pair of white-glazed dragon-eared vases, which didn’t escape the carnage and became fragments scattered across the floor. The palace attendants cowered fearfully to one side. Earlier, a eunuch had tried to offer a few words of comfort, only to be struck in the forehead by a blue and white floral cup, bleeding profusely. After that, no one dared to offer even half a word of comfort, letting Xin’an turn the once-beautiful Shuangyue Hall into something resembling ruins.
After even smashing the rosewood screen nearby, the anger in Xin’an’s chest finally subsided somewhat. She glared at the palace attendants standing with lowered hands to the side, “Why don’t you quickly clean up this mess? Do you expect this Princess to clean it up herself?”
The palace attendants hurriedly began cleaning up the chaotic floor as instructed. After they had cleared away the debris, Xin’an looked at the great hall, now much more spacious than before, and said casually, “Have the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau and Imperial Workshop Bureau prepare a new set.”
One of the palace attendants said carefully, “Just some days ago, the Princess had the Imperial Wardrobe and Imperial Workshop Bureaus prepare a set. I’m afraid…” Previously, not knowing what madness had seized Xin’an, she had done the same as today, breaking many things. To have them replaced, they had received no small amount of criticism from the Imperial Wardrobe and Imperial Workshop Bureaus, as every item in Shuangyue Hall was expensive. Just today, the things Xin’an had smashed were worth at least a thousand strings of cash, and it had only been half a month since the last time. This was truly… difficult to speak of.
Hearing this, Xin’an’s expression immediately darkened, “What? Don’t I, this Princess, even have the right to break some things?”
“This servant wouldn’t dare. This servant is just worried that the Imperial Wardrobe and Imperial Workshop Bureaus won’t be willing to prepare them. Perhaps… Your Highness could speak with them?” Before he had finished speaking, he had already received a kick to the chest. Xin’an said coldly, “You dog slave, you actually dare to instruct this Princess on what to do. Have you eaten a bear’s heart and leopard’s gall?”
The palace attendant dared not cry out in pain and knelt in panic, “This servant wouldn’t dare, this servant was just…”
Xin’an was too lazy to hear his words and interrupted, “Go immediately to the Imperial Wardrobe and Imperial Workshop Bureaus to have them prepared. If you can’t handle this matter properly, you’ll all receive twenty strokes of the punishment rod. Did you hear clearly?”
All the palace attendants cried out in misery, but knowing Xin’an’s tyrannical nature, they could only agree submissively and steel themselves to go to the Imperial Wardrobe and Imperial Workshop Bureaus.
Watching their retreating figures, Xin’an said coldly, “A bunch of useless things, simply wasting the palace’s food.”