He truly had no interest in that throne. His greatest wish in this life was to find someone with whom he could travel and explore the magnificent landscapes of all the nations.
Today, during the audience, he should have handed over the military tally of the four hundred thousand Southern Garrison Army, but for some inexplicable reason, he had not. Now, it came in handy.
Xuanyuan Yi knelt on the ground, holding the military tally in both hands. “Your Majesty, I have come so late to seek an audience for two matters. First, as there are currently no wars in the country, according to regulations, I should surrender my military authority. Today in the grand hall, I was momentarily negligent and forgot, so I have come late at night to return the military tally of the Southern Garrison Army to Your Majesty.”
“The second matter is that I have heard that the daughter of Chang Xin Hou has today obtained a Divorce Decree from General Helian. I boldly request that Your Majesty grant me an imperial marriage decree, bestowing upon me the daughter of Chang Xin Hou, Xia Xing’er, as my wife.”
Emperor Shunkang stopped what he was doing and looked at him, his eyes dark and inscrutable.
He gazed at the military tally presented by Eunuch Wu, his expression still unreadable.
After a long while, he finally picked up the military tally of the Southern Garrison Army. This tally had been given to him by his dear father. How fond he was of this son!
His fingers repeatedly traced the patterns of this military tally he had never touched before, the texture feeling strange against his fingertips.
His dear father had entrusted both the Southern Garrison Army and the Heijia Army’s military tallies to this imperial brother of his. At this thought, a flicker of killing intent passed through his eyes, but he quickly adjusted his mindset.
He asked casually, “Have you thought this through?”
Xuanyuan Yi looked delighted, like a young man who had just fallen in love. “Imperial Brother, I have thought it through. On the eve of my departure for the campaign, I went to propose marriage but was refused by the Marchioness. Later, she married Helian Zhi, and I gave up hope. But now that she has divorced Helian Zhi, my chance has come, and I do not wish to miss it again.”
He raised his head, his face filled with longing for the future. “Of course, all of this depends on Imperial Brother’s approval. Please grant me the imperial marriage decree!” Emperor Shunkang quickly concealed the ambiguity on his face and smiled warmly. “You! With so many noble ladies in the capital wanting to marry you, you insist on seeking a divorced woman. Although she is the legitimate daughter of a Marquis’s Mansion, she is still unworthy of my imperial brother.”
As if remembering something, he tentatively suggested, “How about this? Given her current status, it is truly unsuitable for her to be your principal consort. I will bestow her upon you as a secondary consort, which would not disgrace her status. I will also grant you a noble lady of high status as your principal consort. What do you think, Imperial Brother?”
Xuanyuan Yi urgently replied, “Imperial Brother, this absolutely cannot be! You know the girl’s temperament. The reason she divorced Helian Zhi was precisely because he demanded an equal wife. If you issue such a decree, there will be no possibility for her and me in this lifetime.”
He then put on a pitiful expression. “Imperial Brother, you know my feelings for that girl. Now that I finally have a chance, I am afraid she might be snatched away by someone else. That is why I rushed here late at night to seek your decree. I do not want any principal consort or secondary consort. In this lifetime, I want only her. I beg Imperial Brother to grant my wish.”
After speaking, he prostrated himself and kowtowed again.
Emperor Shunkang looked at Xuanyuan Yi lying prostrate on the ground and remained silent for a long while before slowly speaking. “Is Xia Xing’er truly that important to you?”
In just this short moment, Emperor Shunkang had already thought of many things.
Trading forty thousand soldiers of the Southern Garrison Army for an imperial marriage decree—no matter how you think about it, it’s not a loss.
If it weren’t for his younger brother’s affection for that Xia Xing’er, this military tally would never have been recovered.
In truth, he didn’t know that even without the imperial marriage decree, Xuanyuan Yi would have handed over the military tally.
But now, in order to marry Xia Xing’er, Xuanyuan Yi had handed over his military authority without a second thought, making him think twice.
Thinking about the preparations he had made with the Prime Minister and the Grand Tutor, he felt he was overthinking things.
Xuanyuan Yi straightened his kneeling posture. “Your Majesty, you know very well that I’ve admired her since childhood. Later, when she was sent to Mei Shan, I begged Father Emperor to send me there too. In the end, Father Emperor couldn’t resist my pleas and made an exception to send me to Mei Shan. After Father Emperor passed away, I had no choice but to return.”
Emperor Shunkang forced a smile. “Fine, have it your way.”
Was Father Emperor really forced to send you to Mei Shan?
What kind of place is Mei Shan?
Who from Mei Shan has ever been mediocre?
It’s just that the martial world and the imperial court have always kept their distance. Otherwise, he would have long ago sent someone to eliminate Mei Shan.
“I will issue the imperial marriage decree for you tomorrow. As for the other arrangements, you can discuss them yourselves.”
In any case, in a few days, he would make them all disappear from under his nose. He didn’t mind issuing a decree to let them be happy for a couple of days.
But thinking about the fifty thousand soldiers of the Heijia Army still in the emperor’s hands, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of melancholy.
If he was happy, others naturally couldn’t let him have everything his way.
“Why are you still kneeling on the ground? Get up quickly and take a seat.”
Turning to Eunuch Wu, he scolded, “Wu Dahai, you useless servant, you didn’t even remind me. How could you let Zhennan Wang kneel on the ground for so long?”
Eunuch Wu felt bitter inside but dared not speak out. He could only admit his fault and take all the blame.
“It is this servant’s fault. I was distracted just now. Please punish me, Your Majesty!” After saying this, he knelt on the ground and lightly slapped himself twice.
Emperor Shunkang ignored the kneeling Eunuch Wu and continued speaking to Xuanyuan Yi. “I have no objections here, but your mother will definitely not agree. What do you plan to do?”
Xuanyuan Yi stood up and sat on a nearby chair, answering casually, “I will tell her the truth.”
Thinking of Imperial Noble Consort Xi’s temper, Emperor Shunkang’s lips curled slightly.
In Xihe Palace, angry curses could be heard. “She, Xia Xing’er, still wants to become Zhennan Wangfei? What status does she have? Is she even worthy?”
Xuanyuan Yi calmly watched the nearly hysterical Imperial Noble Consort Xi. He had grown up under such roaring voices and was long accustomed to it.
Imperial Noble Consort Xi’s face was livid with anger. She stretched out her finger, her long nail almost poking Xuanyuan Yi’s nose. “You unfilial son! You’ve always listened to me since you were young. So many noblewomen in the capital want to enter the Prince of Zhennan’s Mansion, but you won’t have any of them. Instead, you’ve taken a fancy to a divorced woman, a cast-off that no one else wants. I’ll go pack my things now and move into the mansion. If you dare marry her into the family, I’ll have her chopped up and fed to the dogs!”
Xuanyuan Yi said calmly, “She is not a cast-off. It’s not that others didn’t want her, but that she didn’t want that man!”
Imperial Noble Consort Xi waved her hand dismissively. “It’s the same thing! Whether she didn’t want him or he didn’t want her, it doesn’t change the fact that she’s secondhand goods, damaged goods. You, a prince, want to marry a remarried woman. Tell me, are you out of your mind?”
A sharp glint flashed in Xuanyuan Yi’s eyes: “I do not wish to hear such words again. No matter how many noble ladies in the capital wish to marry into the prince’s residence, I have no interest in them. I only care for her, and I will marry no one but her. If you, Mother, cannot accept this, then there is no need for you to come to the prince’s residence. Staying here in the palace suits you just fine.”