Chapter 195: Prince Pingxi Defies the Imperial Decree
The Fang Residence, a prestigious second-rank official manor, stood solemn and imposing.
At this moment, Madam Fang was speaking with her youngest daughter, Fang Xinyan: "Barring any unforeseen circumstances, His Majesty will issue an edict tomorrow betrothing you to Prince Pingxi..."
A peculiar radiance flickered across Fang Xinyan's face, her eyes brimming with joy.
Madam Fang couldn't help but sigh.
She had conceived this daughter at forty, nearly losing her life during childbirth. The girl had always been frailer than ordinary children, thus she had been pampered since infancy.
After her daughter's hair-pinning ceremony marking adulthood, Madam Fang had intended to keep her home for another year before discussing marriage prospects. By seventeen, they began considering matches, yet after numerous introductions, the girl remained unsatisfied with every candidate.
Only after repeated questioning did Madam Fang discover that her daughter had somehow developed feelings for none other than Prince Pingxi!
Considered alone, Prince Pingxi was undoubtedly flawless. However, the prince already had a son and daughter despite being unmarried. Such conduct was truly beneath contempt.
As the legitimate daughter of a second-rank family wielding substantial power, she absolutely could not become someone's stepmother.
Yet—
In this world, what parents could ultimately prevail against their children? However unwilling, they had no choice but to steel themselves and approach Yin Pin to discuss the marriage...
"After the imperial betrothal edict is issued, according to protocol, you and Prince Pingxi's two children will meet," Madam Fang cautioned. "Prince Pingxi dotes on those children. No matter how they behave, you must not lose your temper..."
Fang Xinyan pouted. "After I marry him and bear Prince Pingxi a true legitimate heir, what significance will those two children hold?"
Madam Fang immediately covered her daughter's mouth. "Such words may be spoken at home, but you must never reveal them elsewhere."
As mother and daughter conversed, an elderly maidservant announced from the doorway: "Madam, Prince Pingxi has sent a letter, requesting that the Master and Madam open it personally."
Before Madam Fang could respond, Fang Xinyan rushed over, snatched the letter from the maidservant, and tore it open directly.
Madam Fang shook her head. This child was becoming increasingly undisciplined. While tolerable at home, she would frequently need to enter the palace after becoming Princess Consort—a truly worrying prospect.
Fang Xinyan clutched the letter, her face initially beaming with smiles. But upon reading its contents, her joy vanished instantly. Her fingers went slack, and the letter fluttered to the ground.
The maidservant hastily retrieved it and respectfully presented it to Madam Fang.
"What?" Madam Fang's face also showed disbelief. "Prince Pingxi says he already has a beloved and requests our Fang family to petition His Majesty to cancel the betrothal?"
"No, I refuse..." Fang Xinyan shook her head violently. "If he had a beloved, he would have married her long ago. How could he still be unmarried? This is merely his pretext."
Madam Fang guided her daughter to sit, speaking gently: "Prince Pingxi must have encountered resistance from His Majesty, hence writing this letter for our Fang family to cancel the marriage. His stance is clear—he does not wish to marry you. Since that's the case, our Fang family won't insist—"
"Mother, I love him! I must marry him!" Fang Xinyan burst into tears. "Don't tell Father about this! Don't let Father see His Majesty! Don't cancel the betrothal! I will marry into the Prince of Pacifying the West Manor! I will become his Princess Consort!""Xin'er!" Madam Fang's tone was stern. "Even if Prince Pingxi has children, what's the point of you marrying over when he's unwilling to accept this marriage from the bottom of his heart? You're the pearl your father and I have cherished in our palms since childhood. All the prominent families in the capital seek your hand in marriage. Why must you suffer at the Prince of Pacifying the West Manor? Xin'er, listen to your mother—don't keep banging your head against a wall..."
"But I love him," Fang Xinyan nearly broke down. "If I can't become his wife, I'd rather never marry in my life, even shave my head and become a nun..."
Madam Fang could only sigh.
Chu Yi never expected that the imperial edict for the marriage would arrive the very next morning.
He knew Lord Fang's character well—if he showed the slightest reluctance, whether for his daughter's sake or the family's, Lord Fang would surely persuade the Emperor to revoke the marriage decree.
Now that the edict had reached the Prince of Pacifying the West Manor, it could only mean yesterday's letter never made it to Lord Fang's desk.
"Prince Pingxi Chu Yi, hear the decree!"
"The Fang family has a daughter, well-versed in literature, gentle and virtuous, of outstanding character. We have heard of her with great pleasure. Now Prince Pingxi has reached marriageable age. We select the fourth young lady of the Fang family, Fang Xinyan, as his match. All ceremonial matters shall be handled by the Ministry of Rites... So it is decreed!"
Eunuch Gao finished reading the edict in a strained voice.
But no response came for a long time.
He looked at Chu Yi kneeling on the ground and reminded him, "Your Highness, it's time to accept the decree."
As the Emperor's favorite, he had overheard a word or two about the dispute between Prince Pingxi and the Emperor in the Imperial Study yesterday and knew the prince was dissatisfied with this marriage.
But since the imperial edict had been issued, no matter how displeased, it must be accepted with apparent joy.
Chu Yi raised his head. "I will not accept this marriage edict. I shall accompany Eunuch Gao to the palace to apologize to His Majesty!"
Eunuch Gao was utterly shocked.
Defying an imperial decree was a grave crime—had Prince Pingxi gone mad?
He wasn't alone in delivering the decree; behind him were four junior eunuchs, two palace maids, and a group of guards.
Everyone present had heard these words.
Eunuch Gao whispered, "Your Highness, His Majesty is determined to bestow this marriage. Even if it weren't Miss Fang, there would be a Miss Wang or Miss Li. An imperial decree is both the Emperor's command and a father's order. Your Highness should not quarrel with His Majesty. Please accept the decree."
Chu Yi stood up directly and ordered a horse to be prepared.
Eunuch Gao sighed, rolled up the edict, and followed him into the palace.
"How dare you defy Our decree!" the Emperor fumed upon seeing Chu Yi, throwing an inkstone in anger. Still caring for his son, he aimed it only at Chu Yi's feet.
Chu Yi knelt on the ground. "Your son is guilty. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"
"Do you truly think We dare not punish you?" The Emperor laughed in anger. "We ask you one last time—do you truly refuse to marry the Fang family's daughter?"
Chu Yi declared firmly, "Yes!"
"Good, very good!" The Emperor clapped his hands. "Guards, drag him out and give him twenty strokes with the rod first."
As guards entered, the Empress Dowager followed them in. "Your Majesty, now is not the time to punish the third prince. You should consider how to explain this to the Fang family."
With a prince defying the decree, the Fang family had lost face completely, and their daughter's marriage prospects would be affected. The Fang family's anger must be appeased.
The Emperor felt a headache coming on.
In all his calculations, he truly never expected this son would dare to defy an imperial decree."How about this," the Empress Dowager spoke up. "We shall arrange a marriage between Miss Fang and Rui'er."
The Emperor was taken aback.
He and the Empress Dowager were not biological mother and son. She had been the Empress back then, but when the Crown Prince died young, the throne had passed to him instead.
As for Chu Rui, he was the only son of that Crown Prince who had died young. After ascending the throne, the Emperor had enfeoffed Chu Rui as Prince Zhuang.
Chu Rui was now twenty-three and still unmarried—not because the Emperor had intentionally neglected this matter, but because Chu Rui was frail and sickly, confined to his bed year-round...
"I'm afraid that wouldn't be appropriate," the Emperor said. "Rui'er is in poor health, and Miss Fang is delicate. In the long run, I fear Rui'er's condition may never improve."
The Empress Dowager's face instantly darkened.
The Emperor pretended not to notice.
Over the years, he had turned a blind eye to many of the Empress Dowager's private maneuvers.
Once Yun Silin captured the General of Chariots and Cavalry guarding the Southern border region, he would deal with the Empress Dowager slowly...
Speaking of the Southern border region, the Emperor frowned. Yun Silin seemed to have disappeared recently—it had been over half a month since his last letter to the capital...
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