Prince Jing narrowed his eyes. “Explain how this is a wonderful thing.”

“Think about it—once Eldest Brother becomes Crown Prince, who would dare provoke us—”

Prince Jing raised his hand and struck. “I’ll teach you ‘who would dare provoke’! I’ll teach you! Are you a bandit? From now on, your eldest brother can only call me uncle, do you understand!”

Qi Huan fled with his head covered, admitting fault swiftly and decisively. “Father, I was wrong!”

Getting the benefits was enough—why worry about forms of address? Besides, he could still call him elder brother.

After returning to their quarters and dismissing the servants, Lin Hao grabbed Qi Shuo’s sleeve. “A’Shuo, don’t you feel like this is a dream?”

“No.”

“Hm?”

Qi Shuo helplessly rubbed the place where he’d been pinched. “Dreams don’t hurt this much.”

Lin Hao awkwardly released her grip. “I was too shocked. I always thought if the Emperor adopted an imperial clansman, he would choose someone young.”

A ready-made grown son was worry-free but also hard to control. For any emperor accustomed to being supreme, making such a choice was no easy matter.

“I also find it unexpected.” Away from his parents, Qi Shuo showed a trace of worry. “Ah Hao, what do you think?”

“It’s not particularly hard to accept.”

Unless Prince Jing’s estate planned to rebel, thunder and rain alike were imperial grace—the Emperor’s decision could only be obeyed.

Tilting her head slightly to look at the handsome, upright young man, Lin Hao sighed. “It’s just that an emperor can’t have only one empress, right?”

If there were any sign of that, she would need to find an escape route.

Perhaps because her parents had been married for many years, at least before her father revealed his ugly true face there had been no other women in the estate, she had never developed the notion that men should have three wives and four concubines. And when her father appeared with Chang Shi, her most beloved relatives fell into hell from that point on, making her deeply detest having a third person intrude between husband and wife.

She couldn’t imagine or accept her A’Shuo sharing a bed with other women.

Qi Shuo grasped her hand and smiled. “We can’t control what others do, but I’ll only have you, regardless of my status.”

Infatuated in youth, separated across past and present lives before finally holding her hand—imperial authority couldn’t be defied, so he would become the one controlling imperial authority. If even that couldn’t keep her safe and worry-free, he would be too incompetent.

The man spoke lightly, but Lin Hao’s heart settled.

There was no absolute freedom in the world. As long as what mattered most remained unchanged, whether the path ahead held thorns and storms or blooming flowers, she was willing to experience it all with him.

Emperor Tai’an was a decisive person. Once he’d made his decision, he no longer delayed. He quickly summoned the Imperial Clan Court official to announce the matter.

The Imperial Clan Court official had actually prepared two copies of the roster—one submitted to the Emperor, one kept for repeated study. These past days he’d nearly memorized the roster backward and forward, frantically guessing which one the Emperor would choose.

It was actually Prince Jing’s heir!

The Imperial Clan Court official was shocked inside but dared not show too much on his face. He respectfully congratulated Emperor Tai’an.

Emperor Tai’an was quite satisfied with the Imperial Clan Court official’s reaction.

Indeed, the combination of kindness and authority he’d employed toward these people in the first two years after ascending the throne had been effective. They were still very tactful even now.

The next day, Emperor Tai’an summoned the key ministers from various departments to Yangxin Hall and told them of his chosen heir.

“Prince Jing’s heir?” Jinlin Guard Commander Cheng Maoming was the first to jump out. “The Emperor is wise! Congratulations, Your Majesty!”

As a close minister, it was appropriate for the Jinlin Guard Commander to be first in expressing support to guide the atmosphere. Yet Emperor Tai’an somehow felt the corners of this fellow’s mouth were lifted a bit too high.

The Emperor’s suspicious gaze made Cheng Maoming’s heart tighten. He quickly worked hard to suppress his exposed emotions.

He truly felt the Emperor was wise! The Emperor mustn’t overthink it.

The Minister of Justice stepped forward second. “The Emperor is wise! Congratulations, Your Majesty!”

Prince Jing’s heir worked right there in the Ministry of Justice. Setting aside everything else, he was smart, capable, and reliable, and they had the bond of working together—he absolutely had to support this!

“The Emperor is wise! Congratulations, Your Majesty!” The Minister of War followed closely.

Prince Jing’s heir and his grandson were brothers-in-law. Hehehe, the Emperor was indeed wise!

After that came even more congratulatory voices.

Emperor Tai’an looked at the smiling faces with slightly upturned corners of mouths and suddenly felt somewhat confused.

He’d been prepared for some people to have differing opinions. Why did all these people’s congratulations sound so genuinely heartfelt?

Was it that these people’s flattery skills had reached perfection, or was he really this wise?

Glancing at Master Mingxin, Emperor Tai’an felt it was the latter.

Qi Shuo was the person the National Teacher had calculated, and also his most favored candidate.

Thus after a pleasant discussion between monarch and ministers, the adoption matter was settled smoothly.

The news that Prince Jing’s heir had become the Emperor’s adopted son grew wings and spread that very day.

The General’s Estate also learned the news at this time.

The Old Madam’s mood had been somewhat low due to the Empress Dowager’s death, but now the gloom was shocked away.

“This is truly unexpected…” The old lady grasped Lin Hao’s hand, her expression complex.

Lin Shi was more direct. “The heir became Crown Prince—won’t he have to sit in that position in the future? What about the three thousand in the rear palace?”

With great difficulty, Ah Hao had found someone talented, handsome, and devoted, yet now he was going to be emperor. How inauspicious!

Moreover, she’d noticed that emperors particularly brought bad luck to empresses—most empresses died young.

Lin Shi was momentarily shrouded in gloom, sighing heavily.

The Old Madam glanced at her daughter who couldn’t hold back her words, but had no heart to scold her.

For the General’s Estate, this news could only be called shocking, not joyful.

“Then should I… divorce him?”

Hearing this, Lin Shi seriously considered it.

The Old Madam’s mouth twitched.

The daughter wanted divorce because her husband became Crown Prince, and the mother actually considered it—this mother-daughter pair was truly outrageous!

“Stop talking nonsense.” The Old Madam glared at her granddaughter.

Lin Hao smiled sweetly.

She was naturally just joking, seeing her grandmother and mother feeling uneasy.

“Grandmother, Mother, don’t worry. I have the ability to live well.”

The Old Madam revealed a gratified smile. “As long as you know what you’re doing.”

The atmosphere relaxed. A maid came in to report, “The Minister’s Estate sent congratulations—the eldest young mistress gave birth to a daughter. Mother and child are safe.”

The three generations were delighted. Unable to wait for the third-day bathing ceremony, Lin Shi sent someone to deliver a card to the Minister’s Estate and brought Lin Hao to visit Lin Chan.

The Minister’s Estate was also full of joy.

An estate of this status wasn’t like those small households that would pull long faces upon seeing a daughter born. In any case, they could afford to raise her in fine clothes and good food. As long as both mother and child were safe, having flowers before fruit was the same.

Especially after Lin Shi impatiently brought Lin Hao along, seeing how much the daughter-in-law’s maternal family valued her, they held Lin Chan in even higher regard.

By this time, the Minister’s Estate had also learned the news that Prince Jing’s heir would soon become Crown Prince—which meant the young mistress’s younger sister would become Crown Princess.

Lin Hao clearly felt there were quite a few gazes falling on her. After accompanying Lin Shi through pleasantries with the Han family, she saw her eldest sister with a weary expression from recent childbirth and the sweet, soft little niece.