Chapter 438: Fulfillment

Chapter 438: Fulfillment

As an Empress has no custom of returning to her parental home after marriage, Xiao Yuzhu and Li Jingyi still visited the Duke's residence three days post-nuptials, dressed inconspicuously without the usual imperial escort to avoid hassle for themselves and their hosts.

Seeing Xiao Yuzhu’s rosy complexion and bright spirits, Tang Shuyi knew her daughter had been faring well. Still, she asked, "How have these past days been for you?"

Xiao Yuzhu’s smile was radiant, "The Great Empress Dowager doesn’t require my daily attendance; I speak with her after breakfast. And the Emperor... he’s been very kind."

Tang Shuyi nodded with a smile, "Be prepared, there will likely be talks of holding a selection for consorts. Brace yourself for that."

Many still believed the Emperor's previous reluctance to choose consorts was due to waiting for Xiao Yuzhu. Now that the imperial wedding has occurred, surely some will raise the issue again.

"I understand, don’t worry," she said, having anticipated this before the wedding and preparing to face it with Li Jingyi.

"And about having heirs, surely there will be pressure, but remember to keep a level head; children are a matter of fate," Tang Shuyi added.

Xiao Yuzhu blushed slightly, "I know."

………

Xiao Yuzhu and Li Jingyi had lunch before returning to the palace, and together they visited the Cining Palace. After sitting down, the Great Empress Dowager told them, "Lady Ming has requested to visit the palace tomorrow. Her daughter Ming Yu is still unwed at over twenty – the reason need not be stated. What do you think?"

The question was directed at Li Jingyi, since Ming Yu was his cousin, and the decision on how to handle it was his to make.

"Let them come tomorrow," Li Jingyi said nonchalantly.

The Great Empress Dowager, detecting no emotion on his face, warned, "Handle this well; don’t let irrelevant people affect your lives."

With a wry smile, Li Jingyi understood the underlying caution in her words; his grandmother valued his wife more than her grandson.

"I understand," he replied.

After more conversation, they returned to the Kunning Palace, where Xiao Yuzhu asked, "What do you plan to do?"

Li Jingyi held her, his expression playfully appeasing, far from the imperial dignity he usually carried. "A display of authority," he said.

Xiao Yuzhu pecked him on the cheek, then said with a blush, "That’s your reward."

"This reward is not enough."

"That's all you get."

………

The young couple laughed and frolicked.

Newlyweds naturally have passionate nights, and the next day Li Jingyi went to court early in the morning. Before leaving, he instructed the maids not to wake Xiao Yuzhu, allowing her to sleep until the sun was high in the sky.

After getting up, she freshened up, dressed, and had breakfast, then went to Cining Palace. Upon arrival, she saw that Lady Ming and Ming Yu were already there, both with red eyes from crying, while Li Jingyi sat indifferently, sipping tea.

Xiao Yuzhu paid her respects to the Empress Dowager and Li Jingyi, then sat next to him. Li Jingyi turned to her and asked softly, "Have you had breakfast?"

Xiao Yuzhu nodded, "I have."

This ordinary exchange, however, appeared to Ming Yu as Xiao Yuzhu's affected delicacy, flaunting in front of her, igniting jealousy within her to madness.

Lady Ming, though uncomfortable herself, knew this was not the time to confront Xiao Yuzhu. The most pressing matter was to get Ming Yu into the palace. She rose and knelt before Xiao Yuzhu with a thud.

"I implore the Empress to allow Ming Yu into the palace. She is over twenty and cannot wait any longer."

Xiao Yuzhu looked puzzled, "Lady Ming, what does Miss Ming Yu's age and unmarried status have to do with entering the palace? You should hurry to find her a suitable match to marry off!"

Both Ming Yu and Lady Ming, seeing Xiao Yuzhu feign ignorance, gritted their teeth in anger, yet had to maintain an appearance of being aggrieved.

Lady Ming, kneeling, wiped her tears and said, "Ming Yu is betrothed to the Emperor and cannot marry another. Knowing well that Ming Yu cannot be Empress, we waited until your marriage to the Emperor before suggesting she enter the palace."

Xiao Yuzhu turned to Li Jingyi, "Is there a betrothal between the Emperor and Miss Ming Yu?"

Li Jingyi shook his head, "No."

Xiao Yuzhu looked down at Lady Ming, "What say you, Lady Ming?"

Lady Ming clenched her fists tightly, about to speak, when Xiao Yuzhu said again, "Lady Ming, deceiving the sovereign is a grave crime. Consider your words carefully."

Lady Ming looked up at the young imperial couple before her, both with indifferent expressions, but she trembled under their gaze, unsure whether to stick to her previous claim.

"Cousin," Ming Yu suddenly knelt before Li Jingyi, tears streaming down her face, "Cousin, I've known since I was young that I would marry you, and have been waiting all these years. I ask for nothing more than to enter the palace, even if as a humble maid. Wuuu..."

"My poor daughter!"

Mother and daughter burst into tears, Li Jingyi was growing impatient, about to speak, but Xiao Yuzhu spoke before him, "This palace never coerces. If you had earlier stated Ming Yu's betrothal to the Emperor, I would not have married him. However, speaking out now is not too late."

This statement brought a fleeting joy to the faces of Ming Yu and Lady Ming, but Xiao Yuzhu continued, "A betrothal naturally comes with proof. If you can produce such proof, I am willing to divorce the Emperor."

These words silenced the entire hall; Ming Yu and Lady Ming were so frightened that they fell to the ground. They had not anticipated such a resolute declaration from Xiao Yuzhu. A divorce between the Emperor and Empress was no trivial matter, and they were reminded of the unshakable power of the Duke's residence.

The two women shook like chaff in the wind.

"No... there's no need for a divorce. Ming Yu only wishes to enter the palace; she does not seek a title," Ming Yu said with a tremble.

Xiao Yuzhu sneered, "Miss Ming Yu, the focus of our discussion is not whether you enter the palace but rather the existence of a betrothal proof with the Emperor."

Lady Ming and Ming Yu exchanged glances, shocked by Xiao Yuzhu's decisiveness in suggesting divorce. They had thought that being relatives of the Emperor's birth mother, a mere request would suffice for Ming Yu's admission to the palace.

If Xiao Yuzhu, as the Empress, did not agree, she would appear jealous. But who would have thought that Xiao Yuzhu cared so little for her reputation that she proposed divorce? Even so, neither the Emperor nor the Empress Dowager seemed displeased with her. What were they to do in such a situation?

"Lady Ming, where is the proof of the betrothal between Ming Yu and the Emperor?" Xiao Yuzhu asked, looking straight at Lady Ming.

Lady Ming trembled again. Did they have proof? Yes, they had fabricated one. But when Xiao Yuzhu mentioned divorce, they dared not present it. They were well aware that their so-called betrothal proof would not withstand scrutiny.

"You may go back," said Li Jingyi at that moment.

Lady Ming and Ming Yu quickly got up, paid their respects, and hastened away. To their shock, as soon as they reached home, an imperial edict followed. The gist of it was that the family of Lord Ming had committed the crime of deceiving the monarch. However, as the Emperor was newly married and wished to avoid bloodshed, he sentenced them to exile for thirty years.

Exile for thirty years meant this family could never hope to regain their status in this lifetime. The court officials no longer dared to discuss the selection of consorts. The current Emperor, when ruthless, was truly severe. After all, the Ming family was his maternal uncle's household.

However, some waited to see if the Empress would struggle with bearing offspring, wondering if the Emperor would remain steadfast in having only one Empress. But half a year later, the Empress was with child, dashing their hopes once again.

A few months passed, and both Jianing and Xie Xihua gave birth. Jianing had another boy, and Xie Xihua also had a son. The Duke's residence was indeed flourishing with descendants.

On another Mid-Autumn Festival a year later, the Empress Dowager summoned the family of the Duke to celebrate the festival in the palace. The large family gathered in the courtyard of Cining Palace, drinking wine and admiring the moon, a picture of perfect harmony.

Tang Shuyi and Xiao Huai held hands, looking at the bright moon above and then at their family members around them, feeling their lives were complete.

…………

End of the main text.

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