Zhen Does Not Approve (1)
Returning to her room with a nervous heart, Ye Zhen asked Dai Mei to go to the upper hall to inquire. The matriarch had not returned yet, so without having other things to do, she went to the study to read books. Huang Fu Chen had given her many books on divination and medicine, although she had an eidetic memory, it would still take quite a long time to read those books.
It was easy for her to get fascinated by what she was reading. Time slowly passed, and it was dark in a blink of an eye. Yu Ping came in with a lamp to persuade her mistress to have dinner. Ye Zhen held a book in one hand and a steamed stuffed bun* in the other and simply ate like this. She was simply stuffed!
[*bāo zi]
When she put down the book and remembered that she had to greet the old madam, the latter was already asleep.
The next day, Ye Zhen went to accompany Old Madam Lu for breakfast early and heard that she had told the empress dowager yesterday about her marriage, and when she heard that Empress Dowager was about to summon Tang Zhen today, she silently decided not to enter the palace today.
She had heard that Qi Yizheng was going to Huaijiang tomorrow, so she went to ask her master for help and have Qi Yizheng take her to Huaijiang with him.
♚
Ci Ning Palace
The empress dowager had already met Tang Zhen and was extremely satisfied with him. She was currently considering how to grant the marriage.
“You have to choose a good day. Yaoyao is only fifteen years old, and Aijia is reluctant to let her get married so quickly.
Aunt Cheng covered her mouth and smiled. “You want the princess to accompany you more.”
While they were talking, Mo Rongyi came over to pay his respects to his mother, just to hear the words of marriage. “Imperial Mother, what are you talking about? Who is getting married?”
When the empress dowager saw her youngest son arrive, her lips lifted into a joyous smile. “We’re talking about Yaoyao. Today, Aijia has seen Tang Zhen. He and Yaoyao are truly a pair of talented man and beautiful woman*.”
[*郎才女貌: láng cái nǚ mào– talented man and beautiful woman; ideal couple]
Mo Rongyi’s eyes lit up. “Imperial Mother, you mean, Yaoyao and Brother Tang…?”
“Yes, Tang Zhen went to Lu’s family to propose marriage, and Old Madam Lu begged Aijia to confer marriage. Aijia took a look at Marquis Jing Ning and found him to be quite good,” she said with a smile.
“Big Brother Tang is very good.” Mo Rongyi felt that the two of them matched each other. “Imperial Mother, can you let me have the wedding wine when the time comes?”
The empress dowager smiled and said, “Of course you’re going, you’re even going to send Yaoyao away.”
Mo Rongyi immediately became happy. “Then I also have to prepare some dowry for Yaoyao. If anyone dares to bully her in the future, I will stand up for her.”
Since Ye Zhen had saved Mo Rongyi in the hunting grounds without regard for her own life, he now treated her as his own sister.
The empress dowager smiled. “You are considered a brother-in-law, so naturally you have to take a stand for Yaoyao.”
Mo Rongyi thought to himself that he had to mention to the brother emperor so that the emperor would give Yaoyao more good things to show that he valued Yaoyao in order that no one would dare to bully her in the future.
♚
Mo Rongzhan, who was in the imperial study at the moment, felt a little restless today. Is it because that little girl has yet to return to the palace?
“Fude, go and see if the princess is in the palace.” Mo Rongzhan ordered with a light tone, feeling rueful about his state. He had never known that the saying ‘one day apart seems like three years’ was true, however, he now had to admit its authenticity. He had not seen the little girl for just a day, yet he was already feeling uncomfortable all over his body.
From this, it was clear that regardless of what kind of emotions one had, it all depended on who the recipient was. If you met the right one, then no matter how cold a person you were, you would still inadvertently change.
“Your Majesty, this slave had just gone to check. The princess has yet to enter the palace.” Eunuch Fu whispered, afraid to look up and see his master’s expression since there was another piece of information he had just found out. One that he didn’t know how the emperor would react to if he knew.
Mo Rongzhan’s heart was somewhat gloomy. How come she has not entered the palace yet? Could it be… something happened? He wondered, idly picked up the teacup and drank a mouthful of tea. He lightly glanced at Eunuch Fu and noticed that his personal retainer seemed to be somewhat strange today. “Has Marquis Jing Ning entered the palace today?”
Eunuch Fu’s heart skipped a beat. “Your… Your Majesty, Empress Dowager summoned Marquis Jing Ning today. However, he has left Cining Palace and just returned to Jinwu Wei for the morning roll call.”
Tang Zhen was the left general of Jinwu Wei whose sole duty was to guard the palace and the capital day and night. He was responsible for enforcing compliance to the emperor’s rule as well as opening the path and guarding the emperor’s back, patrolling the surroundings round the clock and standing guard at night when he travelled.
Why did Empress Dowager want to see Tang Zhen? Mo Rongzhan wondered, still unbothered with the news. “What order did Empress Dowager have for Tang Zhen?”
“To—” A fine sheen of sweat glistened on Eunuch Fu’s forehead and he glanced at Mo Rongzhan before he whispered the answer. “Yesterday, when Old Madam Lu entered the palace, Empress Dowager sent word to Marquis Jing Ning, asking the marquis to go to the palace today.”
Old Madam Lu? Mo Rongzhan’s complexion sank slightly. Imperial Mother met Tang Zhen, how did it have anything to do with Old Madam Lu?
Just when he was contemplating this new information, Mo Rongyi had already requested an audience outside.
