Chapter 265: I Want to Marry Yun Chu
The Emperor did not immediately grant the marriage.
He intended to have the Grand Astrologer compare their birth dates first. If there were no issues, the Ministry of Rites would select an auspicious date before the imperial decree would be announced.
Princess Qinghua was utterly stunned.
Was the marriage settled just like that?
How could a woman who had been married before enter the imperial family as a Princess Consort?
She grabbed Yin Fei's arm and whispered, "Mother, Yun Chu isn't worthy to be Yi'er's principal wife. If she must enter the household, she should at most be a Side Princess Consort..."
"This matter has already been approved by your father. What say do I have?" Yin Fei was also dissatisfied, but she knew that although she was Yi'er's birth mother, the Empress was his legal mother. The Empress held more authority over Yi'er's marriage. With the Empress fully supporting this matter and almost everyone else agreeing, no matter how displeased she was, she had to swallow her discontent.
Moreover, she had heard that Yun Chu was infertile. Only someone who couldn't have children of her own would treat Yun Ge'er and Changsheng well.
This was probably the only advantage.
And in the entire capital, only Yun Chu possessed such an "advantage."
She said coldly, "You're a married woman now. You have even less right to interfere in Yi'er's marriage."
Princess Qinghua was left fuming.
Although those present couldn't hear the imperial family's conversation, seeing the two children joyfully rush into Yun Chu's arms made it clear that the marriage was settled.
"What? The Emperor actually agreed to this marriage?"
"Let's not even discuss whether the Yun family committed treason. The Yun family's eldest daughter is a widow who's been divorced! She might even be a husband-killer. How can such a person marry into the imperial family?"
"Prince Pingxi could reject the Tan family and the Fang family. Why couldn't he reject the Yun family?"
"Just look at the Yun family's eldest daughter's appearance. Before her first marriage, she was the capital's number one beauty. After being... nurtured by a man, her charm is even more captivating. Appetite for beauty is human nature. In the end, Prince Pingxi is just an ordinary man."
"No matter how beautiful the Yun family's eldest daughter is, she's no longer pure. She's not even worthy of being a Side Princess Consort..."
"The Emperor agrees, Prince Pingxi agrees, the Yun family's eldest daughter agrees, and the two children agree. Who are you to discuss this?" Du Ling, sitting among the crowd, coldly interrupted everyone's chatter. "Do you know the penalty for recklessly discussing imperial family matters?"
The women present immediately fell silent.
Fang Xinyan, the Crown Prince's Side Princess Consort, sat among the crowd, nearly grinding her teeth to dust.
Back then, Chu Yi had rejected marriage with her without hesitation. Even when she threatened suicide, he showed no pity.
She had thought Chu Yi was truly determined to remain unmarried for life.
But now, he actually agreed to marry Yun Chu as his principal wife.
Aside from being slightly less beautiful than Yun Chu, in what other aspect wasn't she superior to Yun Chu?
Why...
The New Year's Eve palace banquet concluded amidst widespread disbelief.
Chu Yi wanted to escort Yun Chu out.
But she stopped him with a look.
Until the marriage was officially settled, they couldn't afford to be careless.
Chu Yi had no choice but to stand where he was, watching her walk away.
"Yi'er!" Princess Qinghua couldn't help but approach him. "Tell me, have you had your eye on Yun Chu for a long time?"
A flicker passed through Chu Yi's eyes, but his expression remained calm. "Of course not."
"I knew you couldn't possibly be interested in such a woman!" Princess Qinghua said. "Keep your principal wife position vacant for now. Let her be a Side Princess Consort."Chu Yi curled his lips and spoke, "I've heard the noblewomen of Pingliang Prefecture can't stand you. Rather than meddling in my affairs, you should focus more on integrating into your own social circle."
Qinghua Princess's face turned ashen. "If you marry such a woman, not only you but I will also become a laughingstock. You—"
Chu Yi directly turned and walked away, his sleeves fluttering.
In the distance, Chu Rui watched this scene, a faint, elusive smile touching his pale lips.
"Rui'er, why are you here?"
The Empress Dowager, supported by her matron, approached him and draped a fox fur cloak over his shoulders.
"Today's banquet has blessed two couples with good marriages, yet you remain alone. It pains my heart to see..."
Chu Rui pressed his lips together. "With this frail body of mine, I shouldn't burden others."
"Rui'er, I know your thoughts, so I won't force you to marry anymore." The Empress Dowager sighed deeply. "But your father only has you, his legitimate son. Can you bear to see your father's lineage end with you? Rui'er, I promise not to seek a Princess Consort for you anymore, but you must promise me to have a child soon, alright?"
As she spoke, she waved her hand.
The matron led ten palace maids forward—some plump, some slender, each with different charms and appearances.
Chu Rui's expression instantly changed.
He suddenly understood: the Empress Dowager was giving up on him.
Because he was disobedient, she wanted to replace him with another pawn—and the next pawn would be his child.
He could still refuse marriage, but having a child... if the Empress Dowager drugged him, he would have no choice.
At this moment, he felt as if he were standing on a cliff, with no way forward or back.
Chu Rui pressed his lips together and spoke slowly, "Grandmother, I believe these lowly maids are unworthy of bearing my child."
The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What do you mean, Rui'er?"
"I agree to marry, Grandmother." Chu Rui enunciated each word clearly. "Not only a Princess Consort but also a Side Princess Consort, low-ranking imperial concubines, and several concubines."
The Empress Dowager's eyes widened. "Rui'er, are you deceiving me?"
Previously, he had vehemently opposed marrying even one wife—how could he now agree to so many?
"Whoever Grandmother previously selected—the Yu family's eldest daughter, the Zhou family's second daughter, anyone—I'll accept." Chu Rui's lips curved into a smile. "But I want to choose the Princess Consort myself."
The Empress Dowager, caught off guard, instinctively asked, "Who do you want as your Princess Consort?"
"The Yun family's eldest daughter, Yun Chu." Chu Rui spoke each word deliberately. "If Grandmother cannot arrange this, then let's forget the matter."
The Empress Dowager looked at him in disbelief. "You want to marry Yun Chu? What for?"
If the Yun family still held military power, she would have eagerly agreed to this match. But now the Yun family was nothing.
Most importantly, Yun Chu had been married before and was rumored to be infertile. What would be the point of marrying her—to enshrine her?
"I just want to marry her." Chu Rui lifted his head to gaze at the distant night sky. "I hope that when I die, the one I love will see me off on my final journey."
The Empress Dowager's heart clenched.
The words "the one I love" stung her deeply.
Rui'er's life had been too bitter. Because of his frail health, he never dared to eat what he wanted, go where he wished, or do what he desired... Now that he finally had someone he wanted to marry, how could she bear to refuse him...
After all, there would still be Side Princess Consorts, low-ranking imperial concubines, and concubines... With so many women, surely one would conceive a child.Rui'er has already refused to drink the heart's blood anymore, truly won't live much longer... She merely wanted Rui'er to leave an heir before his death.
The Empress Dowager's eyes grew slightly moist: "Very well, Rui'er, I grant your wish."
She knew very clearly that just moments ago, the Emperor had approved the marriage between Chu Yi and Yun Chu. But what did that matter?
As long as she hasn't been wedded through the door, everything can still be changed.
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