Which emperor wouldn't mind others saying he was old?
Holding dominion over the empire, the greatest ruler would want to maintain youth and vigor, living a long life.
The Emperor had been the Crown Prince for nearly forty years, with the Emperor Emeritus clinging to life. He had only ascended the throne two years ago, after the Emperor Emeritus finally fell ill.
In the second year of the new Emperor's reign, to hear Prince Jin say that he was old and had wrinkles on his face was truly heart-piercing.
That's why he didn't like this younger imperial brother; the older he got, the more annoying he became.
"I am twenty years older than A Yue, so naturally I am more mature than you," the Emperor said, trying to save face.
His concubines all said he looked very young, like he was in his early thirties, and he was quite formidable in bed. Hmph, he absolutely couldn't let Prince Jin undermine him the moment they met; he had to hold his ground.
"Mmm, Imperial Brother is pushing fifty," Prince Jin replied casually.
The Emperor almost cried.
"A Yue, come in quickly and let's have a good chat. Where have you been all these years, and what interesting things have you seen? I'm busy with myriad affairs every day,
and it's hard for me to even step out of this Imperial Palace. Thinking about it, I'm quite envious of your freedom and unrestrained life." The Emperor gestured for him to enter the Imperial Study.
As he stepped over the threshold, Prince Jin said in a calm tone, "Imperial Brother, let's save the small talk for later. First, bestow a marriage upon me."
"Pfft!"
The Emperor stumbled, almost tripping over the threshold.
The inner attendant was startled and rushed forward to support him. "Your Majesty!"
The Emperor regained his footing, while Prince Jin walked in with one hand behind his back, calm and composed, glancing around the Imperial Study.
"A Yue, what did you just say? Did I mishear? You said you want a marriage bestowed?"
"Mmm, Imperial Brother didn't mishear."
"You wrote to Imperial Father before, didn't you say you were traveling around, and not even a female mosquito would bite you?"
Those were the words of the Emperor Emeritus. The Emperor Emeritus had always worried that his youngest son would never marry and would die alone.
Lu Zhaoling's pretty face appeared in Prince Jin's mind, and he curled his lips. "That's right, who knew there was a little fox in the capital?"
Her pounce was fierce.
He was a man who kept his promises; having agreed to the cooperation, he wouldn't go back on his word.
"Little fox?" The Emperor wasn't stupid; hearing this, he knew it referred to the girl he wanted to marry. "Which family's daughter is she?"
As Prince Jin was about to speak, a palace attendant announced from outside, "Empress Dowager has arrived!"
"Mother Empress is here?" The Emperor stood up. "She must be excited and happy to hear you've returned."
Prince Jin's eyes darkened slightly.
The Empress Dowager entered with Shen Xiangjun, her gaze immediately falling on Prince Jin.
The last time she saw Prince Jin, he was a teenager.
Now, the Prince Jin before her was a tall, mature, and distinguished man. He stood beside the Emperor, a full half-head taller than him.
His deep purple brocade robe made him appear exceptionally noble, even making the Emperor, dressed in his dragon robe, seem a little greasy and vulgar by comparison.
How infuriating!!!
"I heard the magpies chirping happily this morning, and indeed, there's joyous news, Prince Jin has returned!" The Empress Dowager looked at Prince Jin, dabbing her eyes lightly with a silk handkerchief, her voice slightly choked. "A few days ago, I even dreamt of you. I woke up worried and couldn't eat well. Now that I see you well, I can rest assured."
Was she implying she dreamt he was in trouble?
The Empress Dowager was still the same as before, always looking for opportunities to curse him, yet her expression was flawless, genuinely appearing thrilled and happy about his return.
"Empress Dowager, rest assured, this prince will be well and will never let you worry," Prince Jin said.
After Shen Xiangjun saluted upon entering, she stood to the side, looking at Prince Jin, her eyes also slightly red.
Prince Jin was so dazzling and handsome now!
His brows, his eyes, his face shape—everything about him was exactly what she adored.
Seeing that the Empress Dowager had forgotten her aside upon seeing Prince Jin, Shen Xiangjun took a step forward and bowed gracefully to Prince Jin, her voice soft.
"Shen Xiangjun greets Prince Jin."
Only then did the Empress Dowager remember her, and she brightened, immediately saying, "Prince Jin still remembers Xiangjun, right? She's Chancellor Shen's daughter; you two were childhood sweethearts."
Prince Jin's gaze lightly fell on Shen Xiangjun's face.
The Emperor looked at the Empress Dowager, then at Shen Xiangjun, and also understood.
The fact that the Shen family daughter had admired Prince Jin since childhood was no secret to him.
"I understand now. You two entering the palace at the same time is for the same matter, isn't it?" The Emperor chuckled teasingly. "Mother Empress, A Yue was just about to ask me for an imperial decree of marriage."
The Empress Dowager and Shen Xiangjun both trembled simultaneously, looking at Prince Jin in shock.
"Imperial decree of marriage?" Shen Xiangjun was greatly alarmed. She dared not imagine that Prince Jin's first action upon returning to the capital would be to ask for her hand in marriage.
But if it wasn't her, who else could it be? All these years, she had been sending people to keep an eye on Prince Jin's news, and they had clearly reported that there were no women around him.
"Now that I see Chancellor Shen's daughter, I recall something. Master Yuanzhen once divined A Yue's marriage fate and calculated the birth characters of his destined wife. Those birth characters, they are yours, aren't they?" The Emperor asked Shen Xiangjun.
That's right, precisely because of that incident back then, everyone, including the Emperor Emeritus and Chancellor Shen's family, had tacitly agreed that Prince Jin and Shen Xiangjun would be a match made in heaven.
Otherwise, Chancellor Shen wouldn't have kept his daughter unmarried until she was sixteen.
"Replying to Your Majesty, what Master Yuanzhen said back then were indeed this subject-daughter's birth characters. This subject-daughter leaves everything to Your Majesty's decision."
Shen Xiangjun immediately knelt down decisively, placing her hands on the ground and bowing her head, in a posture awaiting the Emperor's bestowal of marriage.
She had felt extremely flustered just now, sensing that the marriage she had been waiting for was about to encounter an unexpected turn. So now, regardless of losing face, she absolutely had to secure this imperial marriage decree!
"Shen Xiangjun also used to call Prince Jin 'Shi Yue Gege' when she was little," the Empress Dowager chuckled softly. "She has been waiting for Prince Jin to return to the capital for so many years; her sincerity is precious, Your Majesty. You must fulfill this marriage!"
"Haha, I also favor them. A Yue is not young anymore, this matter cannot be delayed. I shall now bestow this marriage upon them…"
Prince Jin's expression was cold.
"This prince intends to marry someone else."
Shen Xiangjun's body trembled, her mind buzzing.
"Prince Jin, half a year ago, the Emperor Emeritus personally promised to let me enter Prince Jin's Manor." She looked up, a string of tears rolling down, "If you don't believe me, you can ask His Seniority."
Prince Jin frowned.
The Empress Dowager secretly chuckled. "How could I forget about this? It's true, back then the Emperor Emeritus fainted in the Ancestral Temple, and it was Shen Xiangjun who happened to save him.
After the Emperor Emeritus woke up, he said that this girl had a kind and pure face, a fortunate person, and insisted on marrying her to you."
It was exactly the kind of thing the Emperor Emeritus would do.
"After returning home, this subject-daughter already reported this matter to her father and mother, but somehow guests were present and overheard, and now it has spread." Shen Xiangjun's tears fell again, "If it ends up becoming a joke, this subject-daughter fears she will have no face to leave the capital."
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