MYUFPC CHAPTER 27
How about marrying me?
The next day, Shu Xian found Li Yang, the steward of Chengqian Palace.
"Li Gonggong, let me ask you" Shu Xian got straight to the point, "How many officials with the surname Zhan are there in the court?"
Shu Xian didn't know much about court affairs, so she thought that the stewards would have some connection with the secretaries, so she asked Li Yang.
Li Yang looked embarrassed and said, "Your Highness, do you mean all the officials? Then I'm afraid I'll have to go to the Ministry of Personnel before I can report back to Your Highness."
Shu Xian impatiently said, "No, just those in the capital."
After thinking for a moment, Shu Xian added, "Their official positions can't be too low."
"The Duke Anguo has the surname Zhan," Li Yang pondered, "but the old Daren retired two years ago. The heir of Anguo is now serving in the Guanglu Temple, I don't know if he's the person Your Highness is looking for."
"The Duke Anguo..." Shu Xian thought for a moment, then she remembered, "Didn't Father have the intention of marrying the eldest grandson of the Duke of Anguo to Jiashan?"
Li Yang nodded, "Yes."
"Where does his eldest grandson serve?" Shu Xian's eyes lit up, "Did he enter the palace yesterday?"
Li Yang shook his head, "Zhan Shao'ying Daren is currently in the Ministry of Transmission and Communication. I didn't hear that he was summoned to the palace yesterday."
"So it's not him," Shu Xian asked anxiously, "Who else could it be?"
"The Commander of the Jinwu Guards, Zhan Yanqing Daren," Li Yang said. "He is the youngest son of the Duke of Anguo. Zhan Daren was on duty yesterday and is in the palace."
Shu Xian excitedly rubbed her hands together, smiling and saying, "It must be him."
"He's not very old, is he? Is he still here today?" Shu Xian asked a series of questions.
"Zhan Daren is twenty-four years old," Li Yang said, "The Jinwu Guards change shifts every three days, and Zhan Daren should still be here."
"That's great." Shu Xian nodded repeatedly. She jumped off the chair, "I'm going to Qianqing Palace. Gonggong, accompany me and point out that Zhan Daren to me."
Li Yang didn't understand, but this little princess always had a new idea, so he could only reply, "Yes."
Soon, they went to the gate of Qianqing Palace.
Shu Xian was holding a food box, claiming that she was visiting her father. Unfortunately, her timing was bad, as the Emperor Zhanghe was discussing the government affairs, so Eunuch Chen took Shu Xian's things and politely stopped her.
Shu Xian didn't mind either, she wasn't really looking for her father, and she still thanked Eunuch Chen verbally.
When she turned her head, she quietly asked Li Yang, "Which one is Zhan Yanqing?"
Li Yang carefully glanced at the Jinwu Guards at the gate of Qianqing Palace and replied cautiously, "Zhan Daren is not here, he may have gone to rest."
"Then let's wait," Shu Xian said stubbornly.
They waited at the gate of Qianqing Palace like thieves for nearly an incense stick, but the Jinwu Guards showed no sign of changing shifts.
Shu Xian was impatient and stomped her foot, saying, "What's going on? Is he coming or not?"
Li Yang hurriedly comforted her, "Your Highness, please calm down. Why don't I serve you back to the palace first, and we can come back later."
Shu Xian was also tired from standing, but thinking of last night, she was very angry, "No. I have to see what Zhan Yanqing looks like."
Shu Xian pounded her small waist.
Just as a mosquito flew in front of her, she waved her hand, but through the gap between her fingers, she saw someone walking through the corridor from a distance.
The man was dressed in a jet-black brocade robe, with smooth skin, a hooked nose, lips red as snow, and a pair of eyes that shone brighter than Shu Xian's favorite night pearl.
Shu Xian's face flushed, but she couldn't help but look him up and down.
Li Yang pulled on her sleeve and whispered, "Your Highness, Zhan Daren has arrived."
Shu Xian's heart seemed to bloom. She stared fixedly at Zhan Yue and said softly, "I see."
"Let's go back to the palace," Shu Xian lowered her head, her tone gentler than usual. She said softly.
The next afternoon, Zhan Yue returned to the Duke of Anguo's mansion after changing his guard in the palace. As soon as he changed out of his formal attire, his servant Liu Qi came over and said, "Fourth Young Master, the Old Madam wants to see you."
Zhan Yue hummed in response, his voice soft and indifferent, as if he had already guessed why the Old Madam had called him.
In the backyard of the Old Madam Wen's residence, there was a hexagonal incense burner in the main hall, from which wafted a mixture of sandalwood and pine incense, which was very solemn.
Zhan Yue stepped forward and greeted the Old Madam Wen. The Old Madam slowly opened her eyelids and pointed to the seat below, "Sit down."
Zhan Yue lifted his robe and sat down.
"At the end of the year, all the provincial governors have to return to the capital to report on their duties," the Old Madam Wen looked at Zhan Yue and said softly, "Feng Daren will most likely be recalled to be a capital official this time, and his family will also follow him to the capital."
She turned the Buddhist beads in her hand and said gently, "I heard that you helped Feng Daren's nephew. Feng Furen wrote a letter specifically to thank me and said that she must invite you to dinner."
There was no ripple on Zhan Yue's face.
The Old Madam Wen continued, "Taking this opportunity, it would also be convenient to settle the matter between you and the Feng Shi."
Zhan Yue lowered his head. He held a teacup in one hand and gently stirred the floating tea leaves with the porcelain teacup in the other. He said, "Grandmother has misunderstood."
"Please tell Feng Daren on my behalf and say....." Zhan Yue said calmly, "I will not marry Feng Shi."
The Old Madam Wen's expression changed slightly, and her brows furrowed tightly into the shape of a "川". She pondered for a moment and said solemnly, "When I told you this before, you weren't so resolute."
"What happened?" The Old Madam Wen had always been sharp-eyed. She gently put down the Buddhist beads and stared at Zhan Yue intently.
Zhan Yue's expression was obscure. He said calmly, "Grandson will tell Grandmother personally when the time is right."
His Adam's apple rolled, "I'll have to trouble Grandmother with the matter of Feng Shi."
The Old Madam was silent, staring straight at Zhan Yue for a long time. Seeing that Zhan Yue remained silent, she sighed and waved her hand, telling Zhan Yue to leave quickly.
After leaving the Old Madam's courtyard, Zhan Yue kicked a small stone on the road. Seeing the small stone rolling and gradually disappearing, he turned to Liu Qi and said coldly, "Has there been any movement from the heir's courtyard these days?"
"Regarding the marriage," Zhan Yue's voice was low.
Liu Qi said, "There hasn't been any new news from the palace, and the Duke and the heir have both calmed down, but..."
"But what?" Zhan Yue paused slightly, turned his head, and looked at Liu Qi seriously.
Liu Qi said, "I heard vaguely that the eldest young master and Furen really like the Princess, and they want the heir to ask His Majesty for a favor."
Zhan Yue snorted and laughed. Thinking of Jiashan's disdain for Zhan Shaoying, he curled his lips and coldly dropped a few words: "Don't overestimate you own abilities."
A few days later, it was Zhan Yue's turn to be on duty in the palace.
That day, it happened to be Wu Yingtong's turn as well. Since their trip to Changchun Temple, Wu Yingtong had become more obedient to Zhan Yue. Seeing Zhan Yue, he took the initiative to salute and said, "Commander."
Zhan Yue nodded in response and casually asked, "Who is accompanying His Majesty?"
"It's Princess Dening," Wu Yingtong smiled and said, "His Majesty dismissed the court early this morning and summoned the Princess to the palace. At this moment, he's probably keeping the Princess for dinner."
Zhan Yue smiled and didn't take the matter to heart.
Princess Dening was the Emperor Zhanghe's own sister. Among the Princesses, she had the highest status. It was common for siblings to forget about time when talking to each other.
Zhan Yue nodded as usual.
"There's one more thing..." Wu Yingtong hesitated, and he said awkwardly, "Daren, you asked me to keep an eye on the letters between the Princess and the Pei family."
"Today, there just happened to be a reply from the Pei residence," Wu Yingtong looked around to make sure no one was around, then dared to take it out and hand it to Zhan Yue. "I secretly intercepted it."
"Daren, Do you want to look at it?" Wu Yingtong asked softly.
Zhan Yue paused, then looked up, and after a moment, he took the letter from Wu Yingtong. He took Pei Yuantang's reply and went to the rest room of the Jinwu Guards on duty.
At that time, most people were on duty outside, and the rest room was quiet.
Zhan Yue put the letter on the table.
He paced back and forth, walking for a long time. It wasn't until after almost half an incense stick that Zhan Yue slowly returned to the table and chair.
He stared fixedly at the seal of the letter, calmly opened the seal, and took out the letter. There were only four simple words on the letter, headless and tailless, making it difficult to understand.
The letter read: How about marrying me?
Zhan Yue pursed his lips and smiled thinly. His face was expressionless, but the fingers holding the letter suddenly tightened.
He stuffed the letter back into the envelope, his eyes as sharp as a wolf's.
Furen - Madam, Wife of noble family.