MYUFPC CHAPTER 30
He is just a illegitimate son
Emperor Zhanghe looked at Ruyang, his gaze deep and still. After a slight pause, he opened his lips and said, "His age does not match that of Jiashan."
"Yanqing is indeed older than Jiashan," Ruyang replied, finding no reason to refute. "Back then, Duke Zheng was also six years older than Princess De ning. But as Your Majesty can see, they have been happily married for years, forming an enviable couple."
Ruyang curved her lips and continued, "Even our Imperial Father and the Empress Dowager are ten years apart."
The "Empress Dowager" Ruyang referred to was not the previous emperor's original empress, but the mother of both Emperor Zhanghe and Princess De ning. She had a heart for elevating Emperor Zhanghe and naturally chose the most flattering words to say.
Of course, this example was not entirely appropriate. An emperor had many beauties in his harem, how could they all be of a suitable age? Even Emperor Zhanghe himself had his moments.
Emperor Zhanghe looked at Ruyang and said kindly, "Imperial Elder Sister is blood-related to Zhan Yanqing. I understand your concern for him being unmarried all these years."
"It's just..." Emperor Zhanghe's expression turned solemn, and his tone became slightly heavier, "He is not a suitable match for Jiashan."
Emperor Zhanghe's tightly furrowed brow relaxed slightly. Softening his tone, he said, "I can find another match for him."
Ruyang's face turned ashen. After a moment, she smiled calmly and said softly, "Your Majesty thinks that Zhan Yanqing's background is not worthy of Jiashan."
Emperor Zhanghe did not answer, but simply stroked the ring on his finger, which was tantamount to admitting it.
Ruyang pursed her lips bitterly and lowered her eyes. "How could I not know?"
Seeing her like this, a slight pang of regret crossed Emperor Zhanghe's heart, but this regret soon disappeared. No matter how capable or high-ranking Zhan Yue was, he was after all, illegitimate son (shùzǐ, a son born out of wedlock).
Just this one point alone was like a chasm. Asking Jiashan to marry him was truly too much of an insult.
"The merits and demerits of the Yongding Marquis Mansion have already vanished into thin air," Ruyang sighed softly, her tone becoming soft and melancholy. "In terms of birth, Zhan Yanqing is indeed unworthy of the Eldest Princess."
Ruyang took a deep breath and said as if talking to herself, "But In my heart, I also feel sorry for this child, seeing him so lonely and helpless all these years. I still held out a glimmer of hope, wanting to plead for him before Your Majesty and beg for a favor."
Emperor Zhanghe discerned something from her words. He half-squinted his eyes and pressed, "Did Zhan Yanqing ask Imperial Elder Sister to come to the palace?"
"Yes," Ruyang smiled gently. "When we were at the temple, he told me he had something to ask of me, and since he is my only nephew, how could I refuse? That's why I agreed to his request to come to the palace."
Ruyang shook her head, as if lamenting in pain. "Unexpectedly, I still couldn't help him."
Emperor Zhanghe said, "Imperial Elder Sister has a kind heart."
"I will bestow the daughter of the Duke of Dingguo upon him as his wife," Emperor Zhanghe opened his mouth, intending to casually matchmake a pair, and at the same time, completely cut off the intentions of Zhan Yue and Princess Ruyang.
Ruyang immediately said, "There's no need for that."
"I appreciate Your Majesty's kindness, and I will convey it to him," Ruyang stood up to thank him. Thinking of Zhan Yue's temperament, her lips moved slightly, "I'm afraid that child won't be able to enjoy such a blessing."
Emperor Zhanghe's brow furrowed again. Thinking about how Ruyang was still Jiashan's aunt, he took the initiative to say, "I've taken a liking to the eldest son of Duke Zheng. What do you think of Yunchi, Imperial Elder Sister?"
"A perfect match. Yun Chi is indeed a sensible choice," Ruyang smiled. She took a sip of tea, her expression calm and composed. She said, "Yun Chi is a loyal and honest man. If Jiashan marries him, she will at least not be bullied."
Emperor Zhanghe smiled, and his expression seemed to improve. He turned to look at Ruyang and said slowly, "That's what I think too."
Ruyang took a sip of tea and did not refute, simply saying, "Yes."
"If I had a daughter, I would probably have worried my hair white over her marriage," Ruyang's face was fair, her eyes downcast, and there was a faint lines at the corner of her eye.
That wrinkle seemed like a long trench of time, instantly drawing people into the years gone by.
Ruyang said softly, "If she marries too well, I would be afraid that the people of the high-ranking families would bully her. If she marries too poorly, I would also be afraid that the people of the low-ranking families would wrong her."
She spoke gently, as if she truly had a daughter. "Your Majesty probably thinks the same way I do."
Ruyang's eyes were clear, without a trace of water, but her tone was clearly filled with sadness and helplessness.
With just a few words, Ruyang finally allowed Emperor Zhanghe to see a vague shadow of the Yongding Marquis Mansion through her.
Emperor Zhanghe felt as if his emotions were being strangled by a hand. He thought of some old events, and of the promise he had made to the late Crown Prince Xiaohuai before his death - "To treat the descendants of the Fu family well."
His eyelashes trembled slightly, and when Ruyang got up to leave, Emperor Zhanghe's lips suddenly paused.
He said, "Regarding Zhan Yanqing and Jiashan, allow me to consider it."
Ruyang's expression remained calm, but her hands involuntarily clasped together tightly. She bowed and smiled, "Yes."
After Ruyang left, Emperor Zhanghe placed the marriage edict he had prepared to issue on the side and touched it carefully.
He closed his eyes and pondered for a long time, then suddenly turned his head and looked at Eunuch Chen, "What kind of person is Zhan Yanqing?"
Eunuch Chen paused for a moment and thought, "As a minister, there is nothing wrong with Zhan Daren."
"Actually..." Eunuch Chen said, "I heard that Zhan Daren was also recorded under the name of the Duke of Anguo's legitimate son (dí chū, direct legitimate son), but he just couldn't be made the heir."
Hearing this, Emperor Zhanghe looked at him with a smile that was not a smile, as if joking, "I forgot, you two both serve in the palace, it seems that you two have a good private relationship."
Eunuch Chen hurriedly knelt down and replied respectfully, "Your servant is terrified. Your servant merely feels that the family education of the Fu family should not be bad."
"Your servant remembers that Your Majesty also believed that Zhan Daren had the demeanor of the Marquis of Yongding, so he exceptionally promoted him to the position of Commander-in-chief," Eunuch Chen said, "I hope Your Majesty will be clear-sighted."
After a while, Eunuch Chen heard Emperor Zhanghe say, "Get up."
Eunuch Chen breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, and carefully refilled the tea for Emperor Zhanghe.
Just then, a young eunuch came to report, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Anguo requests an audience."
Duke of Anguo? Emperor Zhanghe's expression tightened and said, "Announce him."
The Duke of Anguo was Zhan Yue's father. He was now past his prime and had retired several years ago. Originally a scholar, he had served as a Censor-in-Chief in the Ministry of Censors. Later, his eldest son, Zhan Tai, became the Assistant Minister of the Guanglu Temple, and Zhan Yue became the Commander-in-Chief.
To avoid drawing too much attention to the Duke of Anguo's Mansion, the Duke had voluntarily resigned from his position and spent his leisure time at home raising birds and flowers, rarely coming to the palace.
The Duke of Anguo and Zhan Yue did not look alike; Zhan Shao'ying resembled him more. As he grew older, his skin became dry and wrinkled, giving him a rather shrewd appearance.
The Duke of Anguo paid his respects to Emperor Zhanghe, who granted him a seat.
After a few casual exchanges, the Duke of Anguo slowly said, "Your Majesty is wise. Some time ago, Your Majesty summoned me to the palace and inquired about Ying'er's birthdate. After returning home, I told my mother."
"Mother said that Your Majesty has a heart for elevating Ying'er, and perhaps intends to bestow a marriage upon him."
At this point, the Duke of Anguo glanced at Emperor Zhanghe, and seeing that he was unmoved, he maintained his composure and continued with a smile, " My Mother said that our family has served as loyal ministers for generations, and Your Majesty has always seen it."
Emperor Zhanghe then gave a deep and enigmatic "hmm". He said, "The old lady is a discerning person."
"I heard that your fourth son was raised by the old lady since he was young?" Emperor Zhanghe looked up at the Duke of Anguo and asked in a low voice.
The Duke of Anguo's face stiffened slightly, but knowing that Zhan Yue had deeply won the emperor's favor over the years, he replied, "Yes."
He explained, "Fu Shi passed away early, and Mother pitied his loneliness and had always raised him by her side."
"Is he considered a legitimate son (dí chū, direct legitimate son)?" Emperor Zhanghe asked slowly, his gaze lingering.
The Duke of Anguo could only say, "Yes."
This was a condition that Fu Shiyu had negotiated with him when she entered the mansion. At that time, the Duke of Anguo was blinded by lust, thinking that once Fu Shiyu entered his house, she would be his person and could not cause any major trouble, so he readily agreed.
But as years passed, he realized how foolish he had been to agree to that condition.
Emperor Zhanghe said, "I do indeed intend to bestow a marriage upon Zhan Shao'ying."
The Duke of Anguo's face brightened with joy. He had been unable to persuade Zhan Tai today and had come to the palace to gauge the emperor's attitude and see if there was still a possibility of his eldest grandson marrying a princess.
Hearing Emperor Zhanghe say this, he was already preparing to thank him, but Emperor Zhanghe said, "I have taken a look at the second di daughter of Marquis Qi Le. I think she is a good match for your Ying'er."
The Duke of Anguo was stunned. Emperor Zhanghe had already said, "What do you think?"
The Duke of Anguo lowered his eyes, a slight sweat appearing on his forehead. "Yes."
"A suitable match, it's the best possible marriage." The Duke of Anguo had already regretted coming to the palace today, but the emperor's favor was both a blessing and a curse. It was obvious that the emperor was unwilling to marry the Eldest Princess to his family.
He stood up to pay his respects, "This old minister thanks Your Majesty on behalf of my descendants."
"Rise," said Emperor Zhanghe.
The Duke of Anguo got up with a bitter heart.
Emperor Zhanghe glanced at him and offered no further consolation. Since Jiashan had clearly stated that she did not want to marry Zhan Shao'ying, the option of Zhan Shao'ying had been completely eliminated from Emperor Zhanghe's mind.
If the Duke of Anguo's family still harbored hopes of a royal marriage, it was best to make him see the reality sooner rather than later, especially considering... Zhan Yue, whom Ruyang had just mentioned.
Emperor Zhanghe took a sip of tea and, later that evening, visited Chengqian Palace.
Since Shu Xian had run to the Qianqing Palace to see Zhan Yue, she had been somewhat distraught. Zhuang Fei found it strange and summoned Li Yang to inquire, and also summoned the little palace maid who served Shu Xian.
Through a combination of coaxing and threats, she finally managed to extract the information about Jiashan and Zhan Yue's secret meeting behind the rockery that night.
Zhuang Fei immediately summoned Shu Xian. Tapping her forehead, she said reproachfully, "How could you keep such an important matter hidden in your heart?"
"You didn't even use this as leverage!" Zhuang Fei sighed in anger.
Seeing that her mother was determined to expose the matter, Shu Xian hurriedly said, "Please don't tell Father, okay!"
Zhuang Fei looked at her and asked meaningfully, "Why?"
"I'm fourteen now, Mother," Shu Xian's usually arrogant and domineering face showed a rare flush. She bit her lip, "Please beg Father to give me Zhan Daren as my Prince Consort, okay?"
Zhuang Fei was startled. She stood up, her expression immediately changing. She lowered her voice and said, "Shu Xian, my good child, he is just a illegitimate son, he has no title."
"I know!" Seeing Zhuang Fei like this, Shu Xian couldn't help but feel a little anxious. She grabbed Zhuang Fei's sleeve and bit her lip repeatedly, "I don't care."
"Speaking of which, I'm also a concubine's daughter," Shu Xian said.
A cold light flashed in Zhuang Fei's eyes. She asked sharply, "What did you say?"
Shu Xian shrank her hand in fear.
Although Zhuang Fei held power over the six palaces, a concubine's position was the limited to a certain limit. The emperor had left the position of empress vacant for many years, and even though she had given birth to the Eldest Prince and the court officials had submitted petitions for many years saying that "the palace cannot be without a mistress," Emperor Zhanghe had never changed his mind.
On this matter, this emperor, who was usually gentle in matters of state, was surprisingly stubborn.
Unless Zhao Youcheng ascended the throne in the future, she would remain just a concubine in the emperor's eyes.
Zhuang Fei had always hated it when others mentioned this matter. Now, her beloved daughter had openly admitted that she was merely a concubine's daughter, and Zhuang Fei's eyes were almost bloodshot. She said, "Give up that idea as soon as possible. I will never do that for you."
"Mother!" Because she was a twin with Zhao Youcheng, Shu Xian had also been pampered by her mother and brother since childhood, and she had to get whatever she wanted!
She forced a smile and said, "Although Zhan Daren is illegitimate, he is a commander. Don't you and Brother both want to win over people in the palace?"
"He commands the Jinwu Guards. If he could stand by Brother's side, what a valuable asset he would be." After falling in love with someone, Shu Xian had also used her head and had learned a lot about the Jinwu Guards from Li Yang.
Her eyes lit up. "A title is just an empty name. If he becomes famous and makes a meritorious contribution in the future, and Brother bestows a title on him then, wouldn't that be perfect!"
Shu Xian's thinking was simple, but one thing she said hit the nail on the head. Zhuang Fei's maternal family was from a scholarly background and had no roots among the military.
Although Zhan Yue came from the Duke of Anguo's Mansion, his reputation had grown in recent years, and it was undeniable that he had also benefited from the former prestige of the Marquis of Yongding.
Zhuang Fei still vividly remembered the high prestige of the Fu family in the military.
Zhuang Fei hesitated for a moment, and Shu Xian quickly seized the opportunity, saying, "Mother can go and ask Brother, I think he will agree."
Zhuang Fei pursed her lips, thinking of her son's still unstable position, she really hesitated.
That night, when Emperor Zhanghe came over, Zhuang Fei served him as he took off his dragon robe and smiled, asking, "I have made all the arrangements for the Zhongxiu Palace and have invited Imperial Sister Ruyang to move in."
Emperor Zhanghe was reassured by her efficiency to handle matters and simply asked, "Are the palace maids you sent suitable?"
"Yes, they were carefully selected and there will be no mistakes," Zhuang Fei replied.
She carefully observed Emperor Zhanghe's expression and cautiously said, "After all, Zhan Yanqing Daren is a relative of Imperial Sister Ruyang. Since Imperial Sister has been living alone in the temple for so many years, do you think I should arrange for them to meet?"
When Emperor Zhanghe heard this, he knew that she had taken the matter to heart and felt very comfortable. He said, "I mentioned it, but Imperial Sister declined. She will stay in the palace until my birthday, so there will be opportunities to meet."
Since Consort Zhuang had proactively brought up the matter of Zhan Yue, Emperor Zhanghe took the opportunity to ask about something that had been weighing on his mind.
"What do you think of Zhan Yanqing?"