Emperor Xiande felt a sudden pang in his heart.
He couldn’t sit still anymore, stood up, and asked Xue He, "When did you get married?"
Xue He, speaking of his wife, smiled with a radiant face: "I, got married in a dream."
Emperor Xiande almost cursed out loud; he took a few steps toward Xue He and said, "Got married in a dream? How can a wife from a dream be legitimate?"
"It’s legitimate, it’s legitimate."
Xue He stood up too, unafraid of Emperor Xiande, and retorted with puffing anger right in front of the emperor: "We’ve taken our wedding vows; naturally, it’s legitimate, I..."
When Anning heard from the palace maid that Emperor Xiande summoned Xue He to the palace, she knew what Emperor Xiande was thinking. She hurriedly changed her clothes and went to Tianji Palace.
Upon arriving at the entrance of Tianji Palace, Anning asked the guard: "How long has Mr. Xue been inside?"
One of the guards replied: "It’s been a while."
A young eunuch wanted to go in to report her arrival, but Anning didn’t allow it, and directly barged in.
As soon as she entered, she saw Emperor Xiande and Xue He staring each other down, both unwilling to back down, a scene that was quite amusing.
Then, both Emperor Xiande and Xue He turned their heads to look at the sound of footsteps.
Seeing this, Xue He imdiately opened his mouth wide with laughter.
His eyes were filled with joy, and regardless of where he was, he went straight to Anning and grabbed her hand: "My lady, you’ve co."
Emperor Xiande was so angry that he glared and pulled Xue He over: "What my lady, who is your lady, you playboy, stay away from my darling girl."
"This is my lady."
Xue He also glared at Emperor Xiande: "My lady and I have been married for years."
Then, Xue He pulled Anning: "My lady, let’s go ho."
Anning, with a smile on her face, actually started to walk out with Xue He.
Emperor Xiande grabbed Anning’s other hand tightly: "You’re not allowed to go."
Xue He turned and glared back at Emperor Xiande, his pouting look surprisingly endearing: "What right do you have to stop us?"
Emperor Xiande was so frustrated he almost gave up: "Because I am her father."
Xue He looked at Anning, then back at Emperor Xiande: "Really?"
Anning nodded.
Xue He quickly released Anning’s hand and kneeled before Emperor Xiande with a thud: "Your son-in-law pays his respects to his father-in-law."
"Who the hell is your father-in-law."
Emperor Xiande was so angry he blurted out a curse: "My girl isn’t married to you yet... no, my girl will never marry you."
Anning quickly pulled Emperor Xiande aside, whispering softly: "Father Emperor, why stoop to argue with a fool, are you also a fool?"
That’s really it.
The more Emperor Xiande thought about it, the angrier he got; how did a mighty Emperor get into an argunt with a fool.
He rubbed his forehead, realizing it’s truly pointless to reason with soone whose mind isn’t clear. In the end, you might find your own mind muddled too.
Anning went to pull Xue He up: "You should get up now."
Xue He’s face was adorned with a smile, his eyes shining brightly at Anning: "Okay."
He stood up: "My lady, shall we go back ho later, I have a lot of fun things in my room, all for you, I’ve also saved money, all for you, oh right, and delicious food..."
Anning replied with a smile: "I can’t go back ho with you yet. You haven’t proposed to my Father Emperor, and I haven’t married you, so how could I possibly go ho with you?"
Xue He tilted his head in bewildernt, thinking hard for a good while before realizing: "Hmm, we got married in a dream, but... but others don’t know. If my wife were to co ho with , surely people would gossip, then, then I..."
He turned his head again towards Emperor Xiande: "Father-in-law, I, I’m asking for your blessing to marry my wife, but I don’t know how I should ask, could you please teach ?"
Emperor Xiande was extrely vexed, waving his hand: "Just leave, quickly leave, be away from my presence, I get a headache just looking at you."
Anning said to Xue He with a smile: "My dear, you should hurry back, our marriage is not urgent, I’m here after all."
Xue He considered it, then nodded firmly: "I’ll listen to my wife, then, I’ll head back first."
He left reluctantly, constantly turning his head back with every step he took.
Anning smiled as she watched him leave.
As soon as Xue He left, Anning started to act coquettishly towards Emperor Xiande: "Father Emperor, you’ve seen the man, isn’t it about ti to grant the marriage, Father Emperor, dear Father Emperor, please issue the decree quickly, co on..."
Anning laid out the imperial decree and writing materials: "Please do it fast."
Emperor Xiande felt another headache watching his precious daughter eager to marry Xue He; it was not just a headache now—his heart ached too.
Capital - A certain guild hall
Zhao Hongwen was beaming with the Spring breeze of success.
He was nad top scorer and even received an imperial marriage grant; he was about to marry the Grand Secretary’s daughter and was overjoyed.
In the past few days, many folks from his hotown visited him, along with peers bringing gifts to congratulate him, and others invited him to poetry gatherings, keeping Zhao Hongwen extrely busy.
In his joy, there was still so worry in his heart.
Mainly because he had a wife and children back in the countryside; if Pri Minister Liu were to find out, this would not end well, and avoiding charges of deceiving the Emperor would be impossible.
But things had co to this point, and it was no longer up to him.
He could only move forward, unable to look back now.
Thinking of his sallow country wife and the skinny pair of children, a flash of disgust crossed Zhao Hongwen’s eyes.
If not for being poor initially and seeing the hard-working Liu iniang with her skilled needlework, he would never have married an illiterate woman from the country.
He had already planned that if he were to succeed this ti, during his return ho, he would divorce Liu iniang first, never expecting his luck to be so good, for His Majesty to take notice and wish to marry off the Princess.
If it weren’t for Princess Anning being too willful, he would already be the Prince Consort by now.
But to marry the daughter of the Grand Secretary is not bad either; after all, that daughter still holds the title of Princess, and besides, Miss Liu has the Grand Secretary as her esteed father, which would be of even greater assistance to him.
Thinking of his imminent rise, Zhao Hongwen’s heart surged with pride.
After seeing off a few peers, Zhao Hongwen began to contemplate whether he should find a way to eliminate his sallow country wife first. After all, if the news of his becoming top scorer were to spread back ho, what to do if that sallow woman ca looking for him?
Ancient Tree Village
Liu iniang carried a basket of wood on her back as she walked ho.
She was not short, but her fra looked incredibly frail; the basket of wood weighed down on her, bending her back.
Struggling to move forward, she occasionally coughed.
As she reached her ho’s doorstep, Liu iniang, by accident, fell to the ground.
Her head struck heavily against the doorstep stone.
In the courtyard, Dong and Chuni heard the noise and quickly ran out.
Seeing Liu iniang fallen, both children burst into tears in anxiety.
They were just about to find soone to help when Liu iniang gradually ca to.
Liu iniang opened her eyes and saw her young son and daughter; her gaze was murky, with a trace of resentnt hidden deep within.
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