Chapter 370: A Person with Improper Thoughts
Xiao Changtai knelt, his head bowed in silence.
The Empress Dowager shook her head gently. "Forget it. It's not that I must break up a fated pair. Seeing you like this, I worry that marrying a young lady from a good family to you would only be wronging her."
"Your grandson has failed to live up to your heartfelt concern, Grandmother," Xiao Changtai said guiltily.
"Rise. The Empress Dowager summoned you all here for a simple family inquiry," the Youning Emperor spoke up. "It is natural for men to marry and women to wed when they come of age. None of you are young anymore. I have never rushed you to marry, but I will not tolerate every son of the imperial family living a life of abstinence."
After the Youning Emperor finished speaking, all the princes lowered their heads.
Seeing this, the Empress Dowager said, "Since none of you are willing to speak, do not blame His Majesty and me for playing matchmaker."
"Empress Dowager, your grandson does not wish to remarry for the time being," Xiao Changqing stated his position.
The Empress Dowager looked at him and sighed heavily. "When do you plan to remarry? You are a prince of the first rank."
"Five years. Your grandson does not wish to remarry for five years. After five years, I will leave it to the Empress Dowager's discretion," Xiao Changqing replied.
"Absurd!" the Empress Dowager rebuked angrily. "Besides being a husband, you are also a son, and what's more, a son of the imperial family, a prince of the first rank! By acting this way, where does that leave your mother? As a man, have you ever considered the responsibilities you bear on your shoulders!"
"Empress Dowager, please quell your anger. Mother still has Ninth Brother," Xiao Changqing said, dropping to his knees with a thud. "If the Empress Dowager feels your grandson is unworthy of being a prince, I implore Your Majesty to strip me of my title. Just as the Empress Dowager said, with me in this state, it would be a grievance for any young lady from a good family to marry me."
"You—"
"Fifth Prince!" The Empress Dowager was too furious to speak. The Youning Emperor, his face grim, spoke up, "Go kneel outside the hall."
Without another word, Xiao Changqing knelt at the entrance of the Hall of Eternal Peace. After making an example of him, the Youning Emperor asked the other princes, "What about the rest of you?"
Xiao Changying desperately wanted to say that he was still young and did not want to marry, but this would undoubtedly be adding fuel to the fire. Not only would his elder brother's punishment be harsher, but it would also implicate their mother. He opened his mouth but ultimately remained silent.
In the end, he would have to marry someone in this life. Other than that person, did it matter who he married?
As the others remained silent, the Empress Dowager said, "In that case, His Majesty will arrange the marriages. You are all dismissed."
The Empress Dowager was clearly displeased. Still, Xiao Changying spoke up, "Grandmother, before bestowing a marriage upon your grandson, could you inform me which young lady it will be? There are some things your grandson must make clear to her before the marriage is decreed."
He had someone in his heart, and he did not want to hide it. He needed to tell her beforehand. If she was still willing to marry him, then she should not use this matter to cause trouble with him in the future; he did not want disharmony in his household. If she was unwilling, then it would be he who was unwilling to marry.
Xiao Changying's attitude slightly softened the Empress Dowager's expression. "You will all be informed, lest we create only resentful couples."
After the princes left the Hall of Eternal Peace, news of Xiao Changqing being punished to kneel there reached the Eastern Palace.
Tianyuan did not avoid Shen Xihe, so she naturally learned that Xiao Changqing was being punished for defying the Empress Dowager because he was unwilling to marry.
"The Empress Dowager... why must she arrange marriages for all the princes?" Shen Xihe looked at Xiao Huayong, perplexed.
She was playing Go with Xiao Huayong—openly this time. After hearing Tianyuan's words, she felt the Empress Dowager's somewhat forceful attitude was different from the amiable impression she usually gave.
"I merely mentioned to Grandmother that my brothers have all reached a marriageable age. Shared joy is better than solitary joy," Xiao Huayong confessed, placing a stone on the board.
The current dynasty was unlike previous ones where princes had to be married to participate in politics and hold power. Upon establishing their own residence, they would be assigned a full retinue, including guards, totaling over a hundred people. They could take on official duties at fourteen, and as long as they performed well, they could cultivate their own retainers and advisors.
Men typically married between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, and it was common to start a family around the time of their capping ceremony. It was extremely rare for a man to remain unmarried after being capped.
"Your Highness, why do you want them all to marry?" Shen Xihe recalled the Spring Day Banquet, when he had asked her to choose primary consorts for his brothers. He seemed rather insistent on this matter.
"To prevent anyone from having designs on you," Xiao Huayong did not hide it.
Shen Xihe was slightly taken aback, then immediately understood he must have found out about Xiao Changying. She couldn't help but find it a little amusing. "Your Highness, if I could be so easily swayed, you would not need to go to such pains."
"You being unmoved and them having improper thoughts are two different things," Xiao Huayong simply did not want other men coveting his woman.
"Your Highness, this matter cannot be rushed. With time, such feelings will naturally fade," Shen Xihe felt it was unnecessary. If a person had feelings for another, whether or not they married had little to do with it. Only by letting go could one truly find peace.
"Once they are married, there will naturally be others to keep an eye on them." After a pause, Xiao Huayong added with a serious expression, "Marrying them off early will help delineate factions sooner and also prevent some people from using the position of primary consort as bait."
His words were pointed. Could she surmise that some prince was playing both sides, dangling the position of primary consort to entice more than one faction?
Since it was beneficial to his official business, Shen Xihe said no more.
Just as they finished a game of Go, which ended with Shen Xihe winning by three stones—she knew Xiao Huayong had intentionally let her win, but so subtly that she couldn't be bothered to point it out—Tianyuan came to report again. Liyang County Princess was also kneeling before the Hall of Eternal Peace, pleading for Xiao Changqing.
Liyang County Princess was Gu Qingshu.
"If the Fifth Prince doesn't see this woman's true colors soon, he's bound to suffer a great fall sooner or later," Xiao Huayong sneered upon hearing the news.
Shen Xihe raised an eyebrow. Because of Gu Qingzhi, she held no ill will toward Gu Qingshu. However, Xiao Huayong seemed to have a prejudice against her; he very rarely commented on a young lady.
"Do you know how I made the Fifth Prince let Xue Hui go?" Xiao Huayong asked, noticing Shen Xihe's confusion.
Shen Xihe hadn't known. She had assumed Xiao Huayong had secretly protected Xue Hui, preventing Xiao Changqing from succeeding. But now that he mentioned Gu Qingshu first and then this matter, it was highly likely related to her. "Your Highness found out Miss Gu's whereabouts and used it to force Prince Xin to back down."
Prince Xin had clearly been forced into a corner before he confessed, using it to eliminate any future trouble. It was a risky move. If His Majesty had pursued the matter, the punishment would have been severe; otherwise, Prince Xin would not have waited until now to let Gu Qingshu stand openly in the light of day.
As for why Prince Xin compromised before confessing, it was naturally because the person was not in his hands, and he couldn't let His Majesty know he had been forced to turn himself in. Furthermore, being exposed by someone else and confessing were two different concepts. If Xiao Huayong had truly exposed him, Xiao Changqing would not have gotten away unscathed.
"Youyou is correct," Xiao Huayong nodded. "However, the Fifth Prince hid her extremely cleverly. She ran into my men herself; it wasn't that I traced her from him."
Gu Qingshu had run down from the mountain, completely unconcerned about what would happen to Xiao Changqing if she fell into someone else's hands. Or perhaps, she was certain that Xiao Changqing could rescue her, and she could use this opportunity to live in the open.
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