"It has been seven days, and my lady has not yet emerged. If this continues, her body will not be able to bear it," Yin Zhu said, her face showing undisguised worry. After the death of Monk Wuyou, His Majesty sent people to Ganye Temple. Upon learning that Xiao Man had woken up, he ordered Xiao Man to return to the General's Mansion as soon as possible to recover from her injuries.
Because Xiao Man was grateful for Monk Wuyou saving her life, she proposed to chant scriptures at the Hall of Longevity for seven days to pray for Monk Wuyou's blessings. She would then return to the imperial city after Monk Wuyou's burial. The Emperor could not refuse and agreed.
"General." Xiao Zhen came up the mountain early in the morning to pick her up. Countless eyes outside were fixed on Ganye Temple, wanting to see if the Yongning Princess, who was said to be dying, was truly about to die.
"Is my lady still inside?" Xiao Zhen inquired.
"She is still inside. A person who neither eats nor drinks like this cannot endure it, let alone my lady. General, please try to persuade my lady."
Just as Xiao Zhen was about to enter, he saw the doors of the Hall of Longevity open. Wen Mohan helped Xiao Man out of the hall. Xiao Man looked pale and sickly, and dressed in white, she appeared as if she could faint at any moment. Yin Zhu and Ying Xue quickly stepped forward to support her.
"My lady."
"Father."
"Let's return to the mansion." Xiao Zhen was heartbroken for his daughter.
Xiao Man nodded. She had only taken two steps when she fainted. The commotion was immediate, and the news of Xiao Man collapsing at Ganye Temple and being taken back to the General's Mansion by Xiao Zhen quickly spread throughout the imperial city.
The Emperor sent imperial physicians to examine her. After their diagnosis, the imperial physicians left a prescription and returned to report.
Coincidentally, the Empress Dowager was delivering restorative soup to the Emperor when the imperial physician returned to report.
"Imperial Physician Zhang, how is Princess Yongning?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, Princess Yongning's body is extremely weak. In my humble opinion..." Imperial Physician Zhang stole a glance at the Emperor and the Empress Dowager before continuing, "She may not live for more than three years."
"Previously, she was severely injured and was kept alive solely by the life-saving medicine from the State Preceptor. I did not expect that under Monk Wuyou's care, she not only woke up but could live for three more years. That is already a gain," the old Emperor said as he drank his soup. "The Imperial Hospital shall do its best. Send any medicinal ingredients the General's Mansion needs without delay."
"Your humble servant obeys."
"This Xiao family girl is truly ill-fated," the Empress Dowager said gently. "Prince Qin still intended to marry that girl as his consort. Given her current state, it is unlikely now."
"Mother, do you really think he wanted to marry Xiao Man as his consort?" the old Emperor said while drinking soup. "That was just an excuse. If you don't believe me, summon him to the palace tomorrow and ask him to send a marriage proposal to the General's Mansion. See if he goes."
"If Prince Qin does not marry, what does he intend to do?" the Empress Dowager asked, puzzled. She understood Prince Qin quite well, and in her opinion, when Prince Qin said he wanted to marry Xiao Man, he was not joking.
"I sometimes suspect that young man might be fond of men."
The Empress Dowager's expression changed. "Nonsense, how could Prince Qin be fond of men? How can a father so damage his son's reputation?" Su Dan Novel Network
"Mother, it is not I who am damaging his reputation. Look around him, is there a woman? And look at his Qin King's Mansion, in the inner court, is there even a single maidservant? All are handsome young servants. Every marriage arrangement for him has been thwarted. The beauties he sent into the mansion were either sent to the military camp or were defiled by the guards. His reputation has long been ruined by himself. Ask any minister, which one would be willing to marry their daughter into the Prince Qin's Mansion?"
The Empress Dowager frowned. "This cannot go on. Leave this matter to me."
"If Mother is willing to discipline that impudent boy, I will be at ease. That boy is stubborn, and I can do nothing about him," the old Emperor said gently. "Among all the children, he is the only one not married. What a disgrace."
"And how do you intend to handle the matter of Xiao Man?" the Empress Dowager asked subtly.
The Emperor paused his spoon. "Since she has become like this, let fate take its course. The Xiao family has always been loyal, and that girl does not have much time left. Why should we chill the hearts of our subjects over such a small matter?"
The Empress Dowager listened and slowly nodded. "I heard the Xiao family has several daughters, all unmarried."
"Does Mother have a plan?"
"I merely heard that the Xiao family has another legitimate daughter?"
"Does Mother intend to marry her to the fourth prince?" the Emperor asked in confusion.
"They are all daughters of the Xiao family. If the eldest is unsuitable, let's find another. I don't think Prince Qin would refuse."
"I'm afraid that won't do," the Emperor continued drinking his ginseng soup. "The third daughter of the Xiao family had a past with the thirteenth prince. She was originally supposed to be the thirteenth prince's secondary consort. For some reason, that third daughter of the Xiao family went to the door and broke off the engagement. Given the fourth prince's temperament, how could he possibly take a woman who belonged to his brother?"
"Then the second daughter..."
"Her status as a concubine's daughter is ultimately too low."
"She can be a concubine," the Empress Dowager said meaningfully. "A concubine's daughter from the Xiao family would not be wronged as a secondary consort."
"Mother may not be aware," the Emperor said, putting down his empty bowl and taking a handkerchief from Hu Wan to wipe his mouth. "Xiao Zhen has made it known that no daughter of the Xiao family will serve as a concubine."
The Empress Dowager smiled upon hearing this. "I was merely speaking hypothetically. Prince Qin would not deign to look at ordinary girls. There is one person Prince Qin would surely like."
The Emperor looked at the Empress Dowager with confusion. "Which girl?"
"Your Majesty, just you wait and see," the Empress Dowager said with a mysterious smile and ordered people to carry the food box away.
The Emperor was somewhat curious, but the Empress Dowager did not give him a chance to ask. He couldn't help but look at Hu Wan. "Which girl could possibly capture Prince Qin's eye?"
Hu Wan smiled obsequiously. "I imagine her beauty must be captivating."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Your Majesty, have you forgotten? Prince Qin has two major criteria for choosing a wife: first, she must be more beautiful than him; second, she must be able to defeat him. To capture Prince Qin's attention, her beauty naturally cannot be lacking."
"Which girl's beauty rivals Prince Qin's?"
"This... your servant does not know."
"You good-for-nothing servant, you are always good at taking shortcuts," the Emperor said with a laugh. "Among the young ladies in the capital, are there any whose beauty surpasses Prince Qin's?"
"Your servant has never seen a girl more beautiful than Prince Qin." Hu Wan's mind raced. "Your Majesty, could it be 'that person'?"
"That person? Who?" The Emperor picked up a memorial to review, asking absentmindedly. In his opinion, no girl from any family could make that son of his bow down.
"The girl who studied in the Imperial Study back then, besides the legitimate daughters of a few powerful ministers, there was only that one."
The old Emperor thought carefully and suddenly understood. "So it's her. If it's her, then yes, it's quite possible. Where is she now?"
"She is likely being raised in the Empress Dowager's maternal family," Hu Wan said softly. "Her parents died years ago, and Your Majesty brought her back to the palace. However, she disliked palace life, so the Empress Dowager sent her to her maternal family. Now that I think about it, she should be around twenty years old."
"Twenty? To be paired with the fourth prince, it's just right. When she returns, we'll see."