Echoes of My Heart Throughout the Court

Chapter 279: Risk and Investment (2 / 2)

[WUHOOO!]

[The Surprise Box is here!]

[Opening—]

Xu Yanmiao was having a great time reading through the list and eagerly flipped to the next entry.

As for the previous candidate, while his mistakes weren’t severe enough to implicate his entire family, the old emperor still mentally crossed out his name.

Even if a man’s brother was virtuous, if the official himself committed a major crime, his relatives would be dragged down with him all the same.

No problem, though—there were still plenty of names left. Time to check out the next surprise box… Ahem! The next candidate!

[This time, it’s from the third-tier scholars. Rank 85… Oh ho, dead last!]

[The person under consideration is this scholar’s eldest brother.]

[He’s also honest—never keeps lost money he finds and never absentmindedly brushes people off in conversation.]

[He even studied medicine. Though not an expert, he can treat minor illnesses and even tends to the illnesses of pigs and cows in the neighborhood for free.]

[Hiss—]

[But the thing that tempts the emperor the most is… his ancestral home has excellent feng shui!]

Princess Xiangyang was fuming but dared not speak out: “If it’s so tempting, why don’t you marry him yourself?!”

—The emperor might not believe in fortune-telling, but he definitely believed in feng shui!

[Damn! This is tricky!]

Just arriving at the Qionglin Banquet, Princess Xiangyang looked absolutely exasperated and grumbled unhappily, “What’s so great about good feng shui? Maybe it’s good for him but bad for me!”

[Wait a minute! The emperor was actually worried that, despite the good feng shui, it might not be favorable for Xiangyang—so he secretly had the Imperial Astronomical Bureau check it?!]

Princess Xiangyang: “…”

Father! You really are my biological father!

She shot a sideways glance at her father, only to see him sitting up straight, listening intently. She couldn’t help but grit her teeth.

“He may not love money, but what if he’s a womanizer?! If I marry him, I’ll have to deal with a house full of mistresses!”

She paused for a moment, then suddenly smacked her forehead.

Her father had made her so angry that she had momentarily forgotten—princess consorts weren’t allowed to take concubines!

Even if a consort so much as held hands with a maidservant, as long as the princess wasn’t completely neglected, she could just go cry to her father, and he’d have the man thrown straight into prison!

—Take her sixth sister, for example. Her husband once drunkenly touched a maid’s hand, and her sister immediately reported it to their father. Without a second thought, the emperor had the man locked up, beaten, and kept in prison until her sister’s anger subsided. Once he was released, he behaved himself ever since.

—Of course, there were exceptions. If the princess herself allowed it, or if they had no children by the time the consort turned forty, then he could take concubines.

Princess Xiangyang thought it over and grew even more anxious. “No one is perfect! What if he’s just plain-looking?!”

She made up her mind—if he turned out to be unattractive, she would use that as an excuse to throw a tantrum at her father.

At that moment, Xu Yanmiao took a sharp breath.

[Hiss—]

[The old emperor not only evaluated character but also took looks into account. This man happens to be exactly Xiangyang’s type—fair-skinned, handsome, and not greasy.]

[He even worried that the consort might be too strong-willed and constantly argue with Xiangyang, but this man is gentle and docile. The emperor even complained to the empress that he’s as delicate as a young lady?]

Princess Xiangyang, who was just about to use “maybe he has a bad temper” as an excuse: “……”

She stomped her foot, almost exasperated beyond words. “I refuse to believe his family background is perfect too!”

[Wow. His family is known for strict discipline. For three generations, not a single man or woman has been irresponsible, cowardly, oppressive, or tyrannical.]

[Moreover, they never sacrifice their own family for the sake of outsiders—they only sacrifice themselves.]

[The household is also harmonious and full of warmth.]

Princess Xiangyang: “……”

[Oh no, what now?]

[The old emperor even checked their birth charts, so she can’t claim they’re astrologically incompatible!]

Princess Xiangyang: “……”

The old emperor leisurely adjusted his sleeves, a smug look appearing on his face.

Of course. He had carefully selected this match.

Xu Yanmiao was also growing anxious.

After all, this concerned his best friend.

But no matter how he searched, he couldn’t find any flaws. Sure, there’s no such thing as a perfect person, but finding a suitable husband for Princess Xiangyang wasn’t exactly a fantasy either.

[Still, we need to keep looking. Xiangyang can’t be this unlucky—what are the chances she’d run into him in this very imperial examination?]

Princess Xiangyang: “……”

Make up an excuse! Just make something up!

[Xiangyang did ask me to make up an excuse before… Let me think…]

[He has acne on his back—maybe that means he’s not in good health?]

Just then, a calm voice came from behind her:

“No problem. I can assign imperial physicians to be stationed at the princess’s residence permanently.”

Princess Xiangyang had been scheming internally, but on the surface, she immediately turned around with an innocent and obedient expression.

“Father.”

The setting was secluded—only the father and daughter were present, along with the hidden Jin Yiwei guards. No one else knew Princess Xiangyang was here.

The old emperor smiled at her, full of amusement. “Come, tell your father what concerns our dear Shengxian. I will handle them for you, one by one.”

After saying that, he ordered the Jin Yiwei, “Go summon Xu Yanmiao.”

Princess Xiangyang’s sense of crisis shot to the highest level.

She knew her father was giving her an ultimatum—if she couldn’t change his mind before Xu Yanmiao arrived, then her consort would be none other than this feng shui-blessed man.

She couldn’t rely on Xu Yanmiao now! She had to fight for herself!

“Father! I don’t like scholars! I like warriors!”

The old emperor smoothly responded, “Then I’ll issue an edict—he shall eat three catties of beef daily, lift iron weights for two hours, run half an hour in the morning, another half before bed, and train with the Jin Yiwei in the afternoon.”

“Ha!” Seeing Princess Xiangyang’s stunned and horrified expression, the emperor’s fatherly love overflowed. “My little girl is eager to marry, huh? If you really can’t wait, the martial examination is coming up soon. We can pick a husband from there—most families that send their sons to compete have them trained in martial arts from a young age.”

“Father! I don’t want children yet!”

“That’s fine. If the consort has no children by forty, he may take a concubine, and you can adopt the child as your own. If you’re in a hurry, he can take one earlier and have a child sooner.”

“I want a husband I can actually talk to!”

“You’re so sharp-tongued—who could you possibly not talk to?”

“I… I…” Princess Xiangyang blurted out desperately, “I like Xu Yanmiao!”

The old emperor: “?”

Right after she said it, a realization struck her like lightning.

Oh! Her father would never force Little Bai Ze! If she insisted that she would marry no one but Xu Yanmiao, wouldn’t that mean… she’d never have to marry at all?!

[!!!]

Just then, Xu Yanmiao arrived and immediately shouted in horror:

“Your Majesty! I am unworthy!”

Each word was spoken with perfect clarity and absolute righteousness.

Princess Xiangyang: “……”

She silently turned to look at Xu Yanmiao.

I thought we were friends! Couldn’t you have at least covered for me? It’s not like I actually want you to marry me!

Xu Yanmiao—completely unaware of his special status—stood upright with a firm expression, as if he were submitting a party membership application.

[Are you kidding?! What if the old emperor had a moment of impulse and actually decreed the marriage?!]

“The first sword upon reaching the shore cuts down one’s beloved.” (Internet meme)

—

“I was born with a solemn nature and do not love to smile.

What other surprises do you have in store for me?”

(Reference from Empresses in the Palace)

—

About the consort not being allowed to take concubines and getting punished for even touching a maid:

Inspired by historical records:

“Prince Consort Douwei Xue Huan once privately served a maid and quarreled with Princess Changde, violating court etiquette. When the matter was reported, the Six Ministries and Thirteen Censors impeached Xue Huan. The court sentenced him to death, but he was instead imprisoned under the Jin Yiwei’s watch for several days before being released.”

— Ming Shilu: Records of Emperor Yingzong

(Inspired by history, but not entirely identical.)