The Imperial Palace
Within Fengqi Palace, the assassin Lin Feng, who had attempted to assassinate Leng Ruo Li that night, knelt before the Empress.
“Your Highness, your subordinate failed. Please punish me,” Lin Feng said, his face pale and his breath weak.
As soon as he spoke, the Empress casually grabbed a teacup from the table and hurled it at Lin Feng’s forehead, drawing blood.
“Useless trash! It’s been two nights, and you only report to me now. Where were you these past two days?” the Empress said, her gaze dark as she looked at Lin Feng.
“Your Highness, that night I had captured Leng Ruo Li, but I was careless and didn’t kill her on the spot. Prince Leng rescued her, and I was severely injured by Prince Leng, which caused me to lose consciousness for a day before being rescued.” Lin Feng stated.
“Prince Leng? Him again?”
How could this bastard be so lucky?
She had secretly dispatched countless assassins to assassinate him, and each time they were annihilated.
She couldn’t stand this!
She needed to think of a way to annoy Prince Leng. Wasn’t he getting close to that ugly girl from the Leng family?
Then she would propose to the Emperor to break off the engagement between Prince Leng and the Leng family’s legitimate daughter.
“Hmph—”
“Prince Leng, oh Prince Leng, I’ll let you marry that ugly woman back to your manor and disgust you every single day.”
The Empress muttered to herself as she sat on her phoenix throne, her hands clenched into fists, her long, sharp fingernails digging deeply into her palms, yet she felt no pain.
She looked at Lin Feng kneeling on the ground and said coldly, “Hurry up and get out!”
“Yes, thank Your Highness for not taking my life,” Lin Feng said subserviently, no longer possessing the arrogance he had when he was in General Leng’s residence.
He struggled to get up from the ground, staggered, and walked out of Fengqi Palace.
After Lin Feng left, the Empress rushed to the Emperor’s Imperial Study.
At that moment, as the Emperor returned to the Imperial Study after the morning court, he encountered the Empress, who was hurrying towards him.
“Your subject pays her respects to Your Majesty!” the Empress said, bowing respectfully to the Emperor.
“Rise,” the Emperor said, waving his hand impatiently at the Empress.
“The Empress has just recovered from a serious illness. What business do you have coming to the Imperial Study to see me?”
“Your Majesty, your subject heard that Han’er and that eldest daughter of the Leng family are getting along particularly well. I thought that since Han’er is finally willing to interact with women, perhaps I could facilitate their good fortune.”
The Empress’s expression, as if she were considering Prince Leng’s well-being, made the Emperor feel disgusted.
The Emperor knew perfectly well what the Empress’s intentions were.
She wanted to make Prince Leng marry the ugly woman whom her son had abandoned, simply to disgust Prince Leng.
However, her plan was flawed. Although Leng Ruo Li was indeed ugly, she was not like other daughters of officials who were useless.
She possessed excellent medical skills, was intelligent, and knew how to assess the situation. Most importantly, she was the phoenix star mentioned by the old immortal.
If it weren’t for the black mark on her face, he would have long ago decreed a marriage between Han’er and the Leng family’s eldest daughter. Both in terms of her background, her wisdom, and her suitability with his Han’er, they were a perfect match.
After pondering for a moment, the Emperor said unhurriedly, “Very well, let it be as the Empress wishes. I will immediately draft two imperial edicts to bestow marriage upon them.”
The Empress’s face lit up with triumph, thinking that making Prince Leng marry the ugly woman discarded by his own brother would surely invite mockery from the entire world.
However, later, when the Empress learned of Leng Ruo Li’s abilities and her devastating beauty, she regretted it deeply.
Thus, without the knowledge of Jun Mo Han and Leng Ruo Li, they were betrothed by the Emperor.
–
Prince Leng’s Manor
When Jun Mo Han received the imperial edict of betrothal from Eunuch Li, he was stunned.
Although he had seen Leng Ruo Li naked the night before and had wanted to request the Emperor to bestow marriage upon him and that ugly woman, he feared that the Emperor would dislike Leng Ruo Li’s ugliness and refuse his request. He was currently troubled by this matter.
He never expected his father to bestow marriage upon them so quickly.
–
Hundred Herbs Hall
Just as Leng Ruo Li finished administering an IV drip to Nie Caidie’s husband and walked out of the room, Leng Jin Yu’s guard, Xiao Cheng, rushed to the medical hall to find her.
As soon as Xiao Cheng stepped into the medical hall, he hurried to Leng Ruo Li’s side, “Miss, you must quickly return to the manor with me to receive the imperial edict.”
“…”
Upon hearing Xiao Cheng’s words, Leng Ruo Li was utterly bewildered.
“Xiao Cheng, my father is on his day off today. Isn’t he at home? Why do I need to receive the imperial edict?”
“Eldest Miss, this is an imperial edict written by the Emperor for you. Eunuch Li said it must be read in your presence.”
Leng Ruo Li was speechless.
“Alright, I’ll return immediately after I finish my current tasks.”
Soon, a cup of tea later, Leng Ruo Li tidied her medical kit, exchanged a few words with her old apprentice, and then got into the carriage driven by Xiao Cheng, speeding towards General Leng’s manor.
A moment later, in the manor’s living room.
“Oh, my eldest miss of the Leng family, you’ve finally deigned to return.”
As Leng Ruo Li stepped through the living room door, she heard Eunuch Li’s effeminate voice sitting in the living room with her father, sipping tea and muttering.
“I’m sorry to have kept Eunuch Li waiting for so long,” Leng Ruo Li said politely.
Eunuch Li nodded at her approvingly. “General Leng, Eldest Miss is indeed more polite than other young ladies from official families. No wonder the Emperor always praises her in front of us.”
“Haha, Eunuch Li’s words are too kind. Ruo Li is always like a mischievous boy, always running outside. She needs some discipline. Please don’t laugh, Eunuch Li.”
Eunuch Li smiled at Leng Jin Yu and Leng Ruo Li, then stood up, holding a horsetail whisk in one hand and the imperial edict in the other, with a profound smile on his face. Seeing that Leng Ruo Li had returned, he said with a smile, “Receive the edict!”
“Your subject (Your subject’s daughter) receives the edict!” Leng Jin Yu and Leng Ruo Li knelt respectfully before Eunuch Li and performed a kowtow.
Eunuch Li smiled and read, “By the grace of Heaven, we issue this imperial decree. Leng Ruo Li, daughter of General Leng’s manor, possesses extraordinary medical skills, is intelligent and gifted, virtuous and dignified. She is hereby bestowed the title of Prince Leng’s official consort, and will wed Prince Leng, Jun Mo Han, on an auspicious day. Respect this decree!”
Upon hearing this, Leng Jin Yu’s brows furrowed. He hadn’t even had a few good days with his Li’er, nor had he taken her to find famous doctors to cure the black spots on her face, and now someone was snatching his daughter away.
However, Leng Ruo Li’s heart became even more depressed.
What was going on?
She hadn’t expected Jun Mo Han to be serious about this.
Had he really gone to the palace to request the Emperor to bestow marriage upon them?
Damn it!
What was she going to do?
She had just broken off her engagement with Prince Qing and enjoyed a few happy days, and now the Emperor was bestowing a marriage upon her again.
This was truly…
Just as her consciousness was drifting, a feminine voice echoed from above her head.
“Eldest Miss Leng, Eldest Miss Leng, quickly receive the edict.”
Hearing this, Leng Ruo Li immediately came back to her senses and said respectfully to her father, “Your subject (Your subject’s daughter) receives the edict. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Leng Ruo Li reluctantly accepted the imperial edict.
“Congratulations to General Leng and Miss Leng Ruo Li, who will soon become Prince Leng’s consort,” Eunuch Li said with a smile to Leng Jin Yu and Leng Ruo Li.
At this moment, a gleam flashed in Leng Ruo Li’s beautiful almond-shaped eyes. She took out a hundred-liang silver note from her sleeve, slipped it into Eunuch Li’s cuff, and said with a smile, “May I ask Eunuch Li who proposed to the Emperor that I be bestowed marriage with Prince Leng?”
Eunuch Li glanced at the hundred-liang silver note in his hand and thought to himself, this eldest miss certainly has good judgment. He then whispered something into her ear.
Leng Ruo Li instantly understood that this was the Empress’s doing.
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