Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 195
Chapter 195 - The Prince of Pingxi Defies the Decree
The Fang family estate, holding the status of a Second-Rank residence, stood tall with a dignified and solemn air.
At that moment, Madam Fang was speaking with her youngest daughter, Fang Xinyan. "If nothing unexpected happens, the Emperor will issue an imperial decree tomorrow to bestow your marriage upon the Prince of Pingxi..."
A peculiar radiance bloomed across Fang Xinyan's face, her eyes overflowing with delight.
Madam Fang could not help but sigh softly.
She had conceived this daughter only when she was forty years old, a labor that had nearly cost her her life, and the daughter's constitution was also weaker than that of ordinary people. As a result, she had been raised in pampered indulgence since childhood.
After her daughter reached adulthood, Madam Fang originally intended to keep her by her side for another year before considering marriage proposals, only starting to evaluate suitors when she turned seventeen. Yet after looking over countless candidates, her daughter was satisfied with none of them.
It was only under her repeated, pressing interrogations that she discovered her daughter had somehow developed deep affections for someone—none other than the Prince of Pingxi!
Judging the Prince of Pingxi solely on his merits, he was naturally without flaw; however, the Prince of Pingxi had already fathered a son and a daughter before taking a formal wife. Such a course of conduct was truly difficult for respectable families to look upon with favor.
The Fang family was a Second-Rank prominent clan boasting real authority, and the legitimate daughter of such a lineage would never be married off to serve as a stepmother.
Yet—
In this world, what parents could ever truly prevail over their children? Reluctant as they were, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and approach Imperial Concubine Yin to discuss the marriage...
"Once the marriage decree is officially issued, according to custom, you will meet the Prince of Pingxi's two children," Madam Fang instructed. "The Prince of Pingxi dotes dearly on those two children. Regardless of what actions they might take, you must never lose your temper..."
Fang Xinyan pouted her lips. "Once I marry over there and bear the Prince of Pingxi a true legitimate son, what will those two children even amount to?"
Madam Fang swiftly covered her daughter's mouth with her hand. "You may say such things within the walls of our home, but you must never let them show outside."
Just as mother and daughter were speaking, a matronly servant stood at the threshold and reported, "Madam, the Prince of Pingxi has sent a letter, requesting that My Lord and Madam open it personally."
Before Madam Fang could respond, Fang Xinyan rushed forward, snatched the letter from the servant's hands, and tore it open directly.
Madam Fang shook her head. This child was growing increasingly devoid of proper manners. Doing so at home was one thing, but once she became a Princess Consort and frequently had to enter the palace, such behavior was truly a cause for worry.
Clutching the letter, Fang Xinyan's initially radiant smile vanished in an instant. Her fingers loosened, and the letter fluttered down to the floor.
The servant hurriedly retrieved the letter and respectfully delivered it into Madam Fang's embrace.
"What is this?" Madam Fang wore an expression of complete disbelief. "The Prince of Pingxi says he already has a beloved of his own, and asks our Fang family to take the initiative in asking the Emperor to cancel the marriage decree?"
"No, I won't have it..." Fang Xinyan shook her head violently. "If he already has someone he loves, he should have married her and brought her into his household long ago. How could he possibly remain single to this day? This is merely a fabricated excuse of his!"
Madam Fang pulled her daughter down to sit beside her and spoke in a gentle tone, "The Prince of Pingxi must have hit a wall with the Emperor, which is why he wrote this letter asking the Fang family to step forward and cancel the marriage. His attitude is already abundantly clear—he is unwilling to marry you. That being the case, our Fang family will not forcefully demand it either..."
"Mother, I like him, and I am going to marry him!" Fang Xinyan burst into loud tears. "You are not allowed to tell Father about this! You are not allowed to let Father go see the Emperor, and you are not allowed to cancel the marriage! I am going to marry into the Prince of Pingxi's estate, and I am going to be his Princess Consort!"
"Xin'er!" Madam Fang's tone turned stern. "It's one thing that the Prince of Pingxi already has children, but if he is unwilling from the bottom of his heart to accept this match, what meaning is there in you marrying over there? You are the precious pearl that your father and I raised in the palms of our hands; every major clan in the capital is vying to seek your hand in marriage. Why must you torment yourself by going to the Prince of Pingxi's estate? Xin'er, listen to Mother—stop crashing against brick walls where there is no path..."
"But I love him," Fang Xinyan cried out, nearly collapsing. "If I cannot be his wife, I would rather never marry for the rest of my life. I would rather shave my head and become a nun..."
Madam Fang could only let out a long sigh.
Chu Yi never expected that the next morning, the imperial decree bestowing the marriage would actually arrive.
He knew very well what kind of temperament Lord Fang possessed. Once he displayed even the slightest trace of unwillingness—whether for the sake of his daughter or the clan—Lord Fang would certainly persuade the Emperor to rescind the marriage decree.
Now that the imperial decree had arrived at the Prince of Pingxi's estate, it could only mean one thing: yesterday's letter had never reached Lord Fang's desk.
"Prince of Pingxi, Chu Yi, hear the decree!"
"The Fang family possesses a daughter who is well-read, gentle, virtuous, and of exceptional character—qualities the Emperor hears of with great delight. Now that the Prince of Pingxi has reached the proper age for marriage, the fourth young lady of the Fang family, Fang Xinyan, is selected to be matched with him. All matters of ceremony shall be handled by the Ministry of Rites... Thus it is proclaimed!"
Chief Eunuch Gao dragged out his voice as he finished reading the imperial decree.
Yet a long silence passed without a response.
He looked toward Chu Yi, who remained kneeling on the ground, and prompted him, "Your Highness, it is time to receive the decree."
As a favored confidant by the Emperor's side, he had overheard a fragment or two of the dispute between the Prince of Pingxi and the Emperor in the Imperial Study yesterday, and he knew full well that the Prince of Pingxi was deeply dissatisfied with this match.
Yet since the imperial decree had already been issued, no matter how great his dissatisfaction, he had no choice but to receive it with joy and reverence.
Chu Yi raised his head. "This imperial decree bestowing the marriage—I will not accept it! I shall accompany Chief Eunuch Gao into the palace right now to plead for the Emperor's forgiveness!"
Chief Eunuch Gao was struck dumb with utter astonishment.
Defying an imperial decree was a grave capital offense. Had the Prince of Pingxi lost his mind?
He was not the only one who had come to deliver the decree; he had brought four junior eunuchs, two palace maids, and an entire detachment of guards right behind him.
Every single person present had heard those words loud and clear.
Chief Eunuch Gao lowered his voice. "Your Highness, His Majesty is completely set on this marriage this time. Even if it weren't Miss Fang, there would be a Miss Wang or a Miss Li. Bestowing a marriage is an imperial command, as well as a command from a father. Your Highness would do well not to butt heads with the Emperor. Just accept the decree."
Chu Yi stood up abruptly and ordered his men to saddle a horse.
Sighing heavily, Chief Eunuch Gao rolled up the imperial decree and trailed along as they headed toward the palace.
"You have truly grown lawless! How dare you defy an imperial decree!"
The moment the Emperor laid eyes on Chu Yi, he flew into a rage and hurled an inkstone. Yet, deep down, he still cared for this son, so the inkstone landed harmlessly right beside Chu Yi's feet.
Chu Yi knelt squarely on the ground. "This son is guilty! I beg Imperial Father to punish me!"
"Do you truly believe I wouldn't dare punish you?" The Emperor was angered to the point of laughter. "I will ask you one last time: are you truly unwilling to marry the Fang family's daughter?"
Chu Yi answered with unwavering resolution, "Yes!"
"Good, very good!" The Emperor slammed his palm against the armrest. "Guards, drag him out! Give him twenty heavy cane strikes first!"
The guards outside stepped forward into the hall. At that exact moment, the Empress Dowager walked in alongside them. "Emperor, this is hardly the time to punish Lao San. You should be thinking about how to provide the Fang family with a proper explanation."
An imperial prince had defied an imperial decree, causing the Fang family to lose all face, and the future marriage prospects of the Fang family's daughter would inevitably be impacted. The fury of the Fang family had to be appeased.
The Emperor felt a throbbing headache coming on.
Calculate as he might, he truly had never anticipated that this son of his would dare to defy an imperial edict.
"How about this," the Empress Dowager suggested. "Bestow a marriage between Miss Fang and Ruir'er."
The Emperor was momentarily taken aback.
He and the Empress Dowager were not biological mother and son. The Empress Dowager had been the empress of that era, and when the Crown Prince died young, the throne had fallen to him.
As for Chu Rui, he was the sole surviving son of that early-deceased Crown Prince. After ascending the throne, the Emperor had conferred upon Chu Rui the title of Prince Zhuang.
Chu Rui was twenty-three years old this year and still unmarried. It wasn't because the Emperor had deliberately overlooked him, but rather because Chu Rui was frail, sickly, and bedridden year-round...
"I'm afraid that wouldn't be appropriate," the Emperor demurred. "Ruir'er is sickly, and Miss Fang is delicate. If things continue down that path, Ruir'er's condition might never improve."
The Empress Dowager's expression darkened instantly.
The Emperor acted as though he hadn't noticed.
Over the years, the Empress Dowager had engaged in numerous petty maneuvers behind his back, all of which he had turned a blind eye to.
Once Yun Shilin captured the Chariot and Cavalry General guarding the southern frontiers, he would slowly deal with the Empress Dowager step by step...
At the mention of the southern frontiers, the Emperor furrowed his brows. Yun Shilin seemed to have vanished without a trace recently, having failed to send a single letter back to the capital for over half a month…