Chapter 427: The Marriage Contract

Chapter 427: The Marriage Contract

Li Jingyi’s attitude towards the Ming family was one of slight favoritism; he was even willing to let them enjoy a lifetime of glory and wealth, as they were relatives of his mother. But if they hoped for more, it was not to be.

He accompanied Lord Ming to the Great Empress Dowager’s sleeping palace. On the way, Lord Ming recounted, “Your mother was so adorable as a child, like a piece of lovely jade. During the New Year, our elders loved to slip lucky money into her pockets. But she was frugal, saving it all to buy things for your maternal grandparents…”

Along the way, he shared many stories of Empress Ming’s childhood, which warmed Li Jingyi’s heart, yet also filled it with sorrow. How wonderful it would have been had his mother not been harmed.

Upon arrival at the Cining Palace of the Great Empress Dowager, Lady Ming and Ming Yu immediately stood up to pay their respects, and then sat down to talk. Naturally, the conversation was replete with praises for Ming Yu, and her eyes were full of tender affection when she looked at Li Jingyi.

Li Jingyi felt her gaze and involuntarily furrowed his brows. After a bit more conversation, he stood up to take his leave, with Lord Ming hastily following behind.

Back in the imperial study, Lord Ming hesitated for a moment before saying, “Your Majesty, before your mother’s misfortune, we had discussed the matter of your union with Ming Yu.”

Upon hearing these words, Li Jingyi's face immediately darkened, yet it seemed that Ming Great Master failed to notice the expression on his face and continued, "Though the Empress Mother is no longer with us, the agreement we had must still stand."

"Minister Ming," Li Jingyi's face was so stern it seemed it could drip ink, he said, "The matters of the past have no evidence, and moreover, I was adopted by the Prince of Xiaoyao, my marital affairs are not for the Empress Dowager to decide. Let’s not speak of this again in the future."

"But the engagement was already settled back then, if Your Majesty were to go back on your word now, what would become of your cousin?" Ming Great Master said anxiously.

"Impudence!"

Li Jingyi shouted angrily, causing Ming Great Master to immediately kneel down.

Li Jingyi continued, "Ming Wenmao, I have tolerated you out of respect for the brotherly affection you shared with the Empress, yet you show no understanding of propriety. I will say this one more time: my father is the Prince of Xiaoyao, and I have no Empress Mother. You are not my uncle, remember your place."

Since returning to the capital, Li Jingyi's interactions with the Ming family, though not warm, had always been courteous. Such a rebuke as today’s was unprecedented. Ming Great Master, sweating cold beads of fear, hurriedly kowtowed, stammering, "It is my fault, all my fault."

Li Jingyi watched him for a moment with a heavy gaze before saying, "You may rise."

Ming Great Master stood up, trembling. Li Jingyi, impatient, waved him away. His good New Year's mood was completely ruined by this encounter. Only when Ye Deben reported that the Lady of Dingguo and Princess Kang Le had arrived at the Cining Palace did his mood improve, and he hurriedly made his way there.

Upon arrival, he saw Xiao Yuzhu sitting by the Empress Dowager's side, engaged in conversation. Noticing that the hairpin and jade pendant she wore were the ones he had sent that day, a surge of sweetness filled his heart, and he involuntarily touched the jade pendant at his waist.

Tang Shuyi and Xiao Yuzhu both stood up to greet him, and he quickly returned the gesture. Afterward, they all sat down to talk. After a while, the Empress Dowager found an excuse to send the young pair out, giving them a chance to be alone. Once they were gone, several times the Empress Dowager seemed on the verge of discussing betrothal for the young couple, but she held back.

Tang Shuyi, reading her expression, guessed her intentions but pretended ignorance. She and Xiao Huai both felt that the time was not right for a formal engagement.

The palace banquet proceeded smoothly, and afterward, the various families left the imperial palace in succession. At the palace gates, Ming Yu stared at Xiao Yuzhu, causing her mother to quickly pull her aside, "Staring like that is impolite."

Twisting her handkerchief, Ming Yu boarded her family's carriage and then said to her mother, "Did you see? The hairpin and jade pendant of that Xiao Yuzhu are a pair with cousin's."

Madam Ming sighed, "My child, you can't compete with her, we cannot vie with the household of Dingguo. So, put aside thoughts of becoming the Empress, being chosen as a consort would be enough."

At that moment, Ming Great Master boarded the carriage and, hearing her words, said with a stern face, "The matter of Yu'er entering the palace as a consort may not come to pass."

Upon hearing this, Ming Yu looked anxious, and Madam Ming hurriedly asked, "What happened? What did the Emperor say?"

Ming Great Master said, "I mentioned to the Emperor his engagement with Yu'er, but the Emperor denied it, saying there was no proof and he would not acknowledge it."

"How can he not acknowledge it?" Madam Ning exclaimed, "Yu'er is his cousin, if not the Empress, is it not even possible to become a consort?"

Meanwhile, Ming Yu began to cry, "I don't care, I will just wait, wait for him to hold the selection."

"Yes, we will wait for the selection. It's not fair that other daughters can enter the palace, but his cousin cannot," Madame Ming also said.

Master Ming remained silent with a stern face. After a while, Madame Ming added, "Why don’t we spread the news now that the Emperor is betrothed to our Yuer?"

Master Ming, furrowing his brows in thought, then said, "Not yet. Let's wait for the selection. If he still doesn’t allow Yuer to enter the palace, then we will spread this news."

After all, there was no actual marriage agreement, and all Li Jingyi needed to do was to inquire with Lord Ming, and everything would become clear.

Madame Ming and Yuer both nodded in agreement, the whole family feeling displeased during the festive season.

……

After the new year, Tang Shuyi began preparing for Xiao Yuming's grand wedding. Having already organized a wedding before, she found this time much easier, handling it with greater ease.

On the eve of the grand wedding, Tang Shuyi said to Xiao Huai, "You should talk to your son about the wedding night."

Having his own experience, Xiao Huai took a few books to Xiao Yuming's courtyard, tossed them to him, and said, “Study these to avoid embarrassment on your wedding night.”

Xiao Yuming, unembarrassed, had heard plenty of bawdy jokes from the rough soldiers in the military camp. Though he had no personal experience, he was familiar with such matters. Flipping through the books, he found them quite interesting. Seeing his reaction, Xiao Huai left without further comment.

The next day, Tang Shuyi and Xiao Huai got up early. After dressing, she looked in the mirror and said, "Time flies so quickly, our second son is about to get married in the blink of an eye."

Suddenly, she remembered the time when she had to drag Xiao Yuming back from the brothel, and couldn't help but laugh. That young rascal from back then had grown up.

Xiao Huai asked her why she was smiling. After she told him the story, he laughed too. Then, looking at the woman in the mirror, her features exquisite and figure graceful, she appeared only in her late twenties despite being over thirty.

Embracing her waist from behind, he said, "Actually, our youth is just beginning."

Tang Shuyi laughed heartily, agreeing that as long as one kept a youthful heart, they would always remain young.