Chapter 559

Chapter 559 – The Emperor’s Plan

Mo Rong Zhan’s decree to bestow Ye Zhen marriage was like throwing a stone into the calm water. The entire capital was shaken. Ever since the new emperor ascended the throne, all the influential families in the capital were on a path of decline. This monarch only trusted those with merit and mettle, like Tang Zhen and Lu Lingzhi who were of humble origins. Although they could not suppress the aristocratic clans, the favoritism in the imperial court still worried them*.

[*the aristocratic families]

It was not that those aristocratic clans did not want to curry favor with the new emperor who had exemplary military exploits to his credit. But the truth was, many had looked down on and bullied the monarch when he was younger. How could they dare to approach him? Also, it was not like they had not thought of working together to get him* to surrender, unfortunately, the new emperor was not the former emperor** of the Mo family. He did not give any face to the aristocratic clans at all.

[*the new emperor, **MRZ’s father and his brother (the deposed crown prince) were Ye Yisong’s puppet]

The best way to have a good relationship with the emperor was to marry one’s daughter into the palace. However, this new emperor was different from others in this regard as well. There were few concubines in the palace, and he didn’t seem interested in expanding his inner courtyard* to the point that he did not care if he did not have an heir. As such, it was very difficult to please the emperor.

[*harem]

The news that the emperor wanted to marry off the princess, although sudden, presented a great opportunity. Regardless of her looks and demeanor, just based on her recent achievements and the affection the empress dowager and the emperor had for her, this was indeed a marriage the entire nobility of the capital would fight tooth and nail for.

After court, Mo Rongzhan arrived at the imperial study with a cold face. A trembling Eunuch Fu followed him with a stack of memorials in hand while a little eunuch behind him carried a stack of picture scrolls, all of which were portraits of young talents sent by the Ministry of Rites today.

“Take them all and burn them!” Mo Rongzhan bellowed, pointing at the scrolls and memorials.

Eunuch Fu did not dare dawdle and immediately turned to do his master’s bidding.

“Come back!” Mo Rongzhan said as Eunuch Fu walked to the door. Then, he pointed to the side and continued coldly, “Put it down, go and invite the abbot of Hu Guo Temple to enter the palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Eunuch Fu said but couldn’t help complaining in his heart. Your Majesty, it was you who decreed the princess must marry, but now you are upset that the Ministry of Rites set about the task, haven’t you brought this upon yourself*?  And now the princess has misunderstood you for some reason.

Thus, Eunuch Fu concluded that it would be a long journey for the emperor to win the princess over.

[*he means he is the one who is responsible for his own plight]

Mo Rongzhan fished out two memorials and glanced at them. It had details of the Longxi Chen family who wanted to marry the princess for their eldest grandson…

He snorted in disdain, tossed the memorial aside, and continued to read a few more. The more he read, the angrier he got. Surely, all these people hadn’t remained unmarried all this while in the hopes of waiting for the opportunity to marry a princess. They were all getting on in years and somehow had (all) never managed to find a marriage prospect. Mo Rongzhan picked up another portrait and looked at it. “Seedy and no looks to speak of, and he still wants to marry Yaoyao!”

“What the!” Mo Rongzhan flung the picture scroll in his hand, almost hitting Marquis Jing Ning who had just walked into the door.

“Your Majesty?” He looked at the scrolls and memorials in the imperial study in surprise, who provoked the emperor?

Seeing Tang Zhen, Mo Rongzhan suppressed his anger and said, “Come in.”

When the marquis saw the portrait on the scroll, he immediately understood what was going on. The corners of his mouth raised slightly, and he said, “Your Majesty, are you choosing a consort for the princess?”

Mo Rongzhan’s eyes turned even colder at the word consort. “Are they worthy of marrying Yaoyao?”

“Your Majesty, do you really want to marry off the princess? Then what do you think…” Tang Zhen looked away from the handsome young man on the scroll and at Mo Rongzhan with a smile.

“Don’t even think about it!” Before Tang Zhen finished speaking, Mo Rongzhan had already decisively refused. “Zhen asked you to come here because zhen has something to tell you.”

Inwardly, Tang Zhen chuckled wryly. He knew better than anyone that the emperor would not marry Yaoyao off to someone else. The imperial decree from the day before… Had His Majesty done it in order to prepare Yaoyao to enter the palace?

“Your Majesty, please command.”

“It’s about marrying Yaoyao…,” Mo Rongzhan said gritting his teeth, “If I ordered her to marry me directly, the ministers would never agree. Yaoyao’s identity is also somewhat tricky, so I can only use this method.”

Tang Zhen was stunned upon hearing the emperor solemnly explain his plans. In the end, he was at a loss for words.

Back then, when he had proposed marriage to the princess, the emperor had blatantly turned him down. However, he was not without resentment. He had always believed that he was the best choice in the whole wide world for Yaoyao. He knew the emperor liked her too, but never once thought the liking would be this deep let alone last long. Truth was, if it were possible, he wished the little girl never enters the palace. All maidens that entered the imperial palace were doomed to spend a lonely life… Such beautiful and delicate women, was there anyone who had not withered away*?

[*he thinks YZ will share the same fate as the imperial concubines usually do.]

However, he didn’t expect the emperor would go to such lengths for Yaoyao, just so her reputation would not be tarnished*. His Majesty is really… risking everything there is.

[*to make her standing as the empress more justifiable* he is risking everything regardless of the consequences]

“Your Majesty, do you really want to do this? It’s only possible with the help of the Abbott of Hu Guo Temple.” Even as Tang Zhen was processing his shock, he still had no words to describe the emperor’s plan. There surely was no other ruler in the world who would be willing to go to such lengths for the sake of a woman. He felt helpless.

Mo Rongzhan said lightly, “I have already arranged this, you just need to have these people do my bidding.”

“Your Majesty, what if they don’t want to—” Tang Zhen’s voice dropped to a whisper, “There are many people who want to marry the princess.”

“I have given them a lot of benefits.” Mo Rongzhan snorted coldly.

Tang Zhen had nothing to say, this should be the first time the emperor was willing to make concessions with families, just for Yaoyao…

“Your Majesty, have you told the princess what you intend to do?” Tang Zhen asked in a low voice.

“She will understand,” said Mo Rongzhan confidently. Although he had decreed the marriage, he believed that the little girl would understand that this was his plan. How could he marry her to someone else?

But would Ye Zhen understand?

She didn’t! What’s more, she silently added another black mark on Mo Rongzhan in her heart.

“Yaoyao, you see, these are all the invitations that the steward received this morning. Madam Chen’s birthday banquet, Old Madam Xue’s grandson’s full moon* banquet, both asking you to attend; also this one…”

[*one-month-old celebration]

“Mother, I remember that our family has hardly any contact with these aristocratic families.” Ye Zhen’s eyes twitched slightly as she looked at the invitations. Didn’t these aristocratic families look down upon the Lu family the most in the past? What’s with all the invitations now?

Pei Shi* was somewhat incredulous, her mouth began to twitch as she said, “Isn’t it all because of the emperor’s decree? These people must have ulterior motives when they want to see you**.”

[*literally fell on one foot, it has a comedic tone in Chinese.

**醉翁之意不在酒 zuì wēng zhī yì bù zài jiǔ: the wine-lover’s heart is not in the cup (idiom); a drinker not really interested in alcohol; having an ulterior motive; to have other things in mind; with an ax to grind; accomplishing something besides what one set out to do]

“Mother, why care about them? Do they still think Yaoyao is the object of their favor? Our family doesn’t look down on them yet, it’s their turn to point at Yaoyao!” Lu Xiangzhi said, visibly upset at the turn of events.

“Big Brother said it well.” Ye Zhen winked at him. “Mother, ignore the invitations from the noble families, I won’t go.”

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