Chapter 3

Aimi asked again, “Why did you have to ask Third Sister to marry him?”

The second aunt said, “It is His Majesty’s wish. The empress dowager used to love fourth highness the most, because of the empress zhang’s pain of losing her son, these years also cold his highness, but the marriage can’t be sloppy, want to pick in jinling city these high families. But who is not afraid of the Empress Zhang and Marquis of Yongan, and who is willing to marry their daughter to Yangzhou ah? That place is adjacent to West Qin, often haunted by ghosts, killing people and drinking blood. Your second uncle, wasn’t he the one who died in Yangzhou?”

Speaking here, Long’s voice had changed. Xiang Wen hurriedly got up and hugged his mother to comfort her. Xiang Wen also followed the sadness.

The Rong family’s second son had outstanding military achievements, was a bright and handsome man. When it came to his untimely death, there was no one who didn’t complain that the heavens were not open to him.

After Rong Xiangmian was reborn, he once took advantage of the Spring Festival reunion one year to pester his second uncle to tell him not to go to Yangzhou, where assassins attacked at night, and to be especially careful on the night of the ninth day of the fifth month, as he would die!

But he only smiled, drank his wine and showed them a set of Rong family swords.

Auntie watched from the sidelines, full of pride and worry: “Your second uncle does not know the danger? The Lord of Western Qin never stops assassinating him. However, the Western Qin army and bandits often infested the people on the border, only your second uncle and the Rong family army can keep the peace.”

Thus, Second Uncle lived past the ninth day of the fifth month of that year, but only for a month or so longer.

On the third day of the seventh month, the most valiant General Rong of this dynasty was assassinated by Western Qin assassins in his military tent, leaving behind only his young wife and a pair of children.

Even after more than ten years, this incident is still the pain of the Rong family. And Rong Xiangmei has more of a sense of powerlessness. Some people regretted their deaths, and she was powerless to change them.

After a while, the aunt calmed down the mind, then said: “the capital of the public and high officials of the girl is either fixed, or too small, the other have their own rhetoric, what the body is not good bedridden, fortune tellers say that the fate of the fate, out of the home to save their lives……. The Empress Dowager is the most charitable, where would not want to force I don’t want to force people to marry their daughters to that kind of place. His Majesty knows the empress dowager’s heart, then said that the House of the British Duke, bare hearted and loyal, will never be like those families, this is not ……”

Rong Xiangmian grunted, a fist knocked on the table: “Our family is loyal, only caught us a family to kill? My father broke an arm for His Majesty, my second uncle died at the border to pacify the Western Qin rebellion, and now even my third sister is going to be married off to Yangzhou …… How is it that on weekdays the dynasty is full of loyalists, and at this time we are the only ones left with a family full of loyalists?”

“Alas …… fourth girl keep your voice down!” Long did not expect Rong Xiangmian to dare to say such words, and hurriedly stopped.

Xiangmian remembered her sister’s death-seeking appearance last night, and was really afraid that something would happen to her. In the last life, the third sister was married to the Elder Princess House.

The second aunt also followed up, “Don’t worry, the Duke of State has gone to the Eldest Princess’s residence.”

The Rapunzel and Jin Shang are siblings, back then the kings were vying for the throne, and it was dangerous, the Rapunzel had been implicated in order to protect her younger brother, but fortunately she was rescued by the Rong family’s Erlang, and has been courteous to the Rong family ever since.

“I heard that the princess’s son, Yun Zhongqing, is quite interested in Xiangzhi, only that the eldest princess has not opened her mouth. If His Majesty had known that the third girl was engaged to Mr. Yun, I’m sure he wouldn’t have forced her to be appointed to the Fourth Highness.”

Xiang Xiang and Xiang Wen were worried, and when they heard that Xiang Zhi was better and had gotten out of bed, they were busy going over to wait for news.

Xiangchi took a Chang’e Moon kite to the courtyard, saying that she wanted to let go of all the sickness and bad luck. She somewhat proudly told her sisters, “The eldest princess has already gone to the palace to tell his majesty that she and our family have long been engaged in marriage, only because the old master of the Wen family passed away more than two years ago, the period of filial piety has not yet expired, so she has not yet given the definitive rite of passage, and does not dare to publicize it, and his majesty did not say anything more.”

Xiangmian laughed: “Then congratulations to sister! Not only have you been relieved of the worry of marrying far away, but you also have such a good home.”

Rong Xiangzhi was satisfied and laughed, “Father originally wanted to say yes, but luckily mother planned for me …….”

When she said these two words, the third girl’s face changed and stopped her mouth. Rong Xiangmian saw with his own eyes last night how she jumped into the lake, and also knew that this was their mother and daughter acting together, in order to force their father to take advantage of the Rong family’s second son’s affection, and take the initiative to go to discuss marriage with His Highness the Princess.

Rong Xiangmian was a little envious, third sister was so happy to have a mother who was so dedicated to protecting her.

If her mother was still alive, maybe she would be the same.

At this time, Feixue ran over to her, “The Duke of State has returned from the palace, and sent someone to find the girl.”

Rong Xiangmian’s heart was empty, she was so stupid, she should have realized this a long time ago. Turning to look at her third sister, Rong Xiangshi immediately turned her face away and went to fly a kite on her own.

The Duke and Duchess of England sat in the Yu Qing Hall, watching their youngest daughter parked outside the door, the setting sun shining obliquely on her, causing a layer of light to be gilded around her.

Rongsheng momentary trance, like to see that year on the horse race course of the glittering woman. He spoke with rare gentleness, “Xiangmian, come in.”

Rong Xiangmian bowed and sat at the bottom, waiting for his parents to speak.

Mrs. State Duke was wearing her signature virtuous smile. But the older she gets, her cheekbones and brow bones are getting higher and higher, this smile has long since lost its old kindness, but instead is full of shrewdness.

She spoke with deliberation, “Xiangmian, you are a blessed child, his majesty saw you in the palace for many years, thought you were very good, and wanted you to be a royal daughter-in-law.”

Rong Xiangmian pursed her lips and looked at her with a wry smile. Last night’s words were still ringing in his ears as his wife argued with his father over his third sister.

Seeing that she did not make a sound, the Duke and Duchess of England only thought that she was shy, Rong Sheng continued, “Today, His Majesty declared me to come to the palace, saying that the position of Li Wang’s side consort is really aggrieved by you, and that it would be better to betroth you to His Fourth Highness as the main wife …….”

Rong Xiangxian was not surprised, but only asked, “Father, the daughter’s status …… to marry a royal son as a full wife, I’m afraid of being criticized.”

“His Majesty said that he is a concubine, who dares to make an issue out of this matter! His Majesty is most displeased with those families that are full of first born concubine, those are people whose character, disposition, and talent are useless, and only then do they talk about first born concubine every day.”

Having reached this point, Rong Xiangmian knew that this matter was finalized. Marrying in Yangzhou is also far from the political danger of Jinling. Moreover, from the Fourth Highness and Princess Zhaoren’s correspondence, it can be seen that it is a good to get along with, and it is not bad to respect each other like a guest.

Before the Princess left the capital, she instructed her to often go into the palace to accompany Princess Hui. If married to Yangzhou, and the Princess in the north, one in the south, really the ends of the earth, I’m afraid that this life will not be able to reunite.

The Duke of England’s heart is also quite intolerant. In the beginning, for the future of the House of England, sent her to the palace, flesh and blood separated. Now home in a few days, to marry so far away, and is for the third girl pushed the marriage, only to fall to the head of the fourth girl, do father’s unavoidable shame.

“Meet each other, His Majesty’s words are earnest, father is really unable to ……”

The Duke of England lowered his head and sighed. The Rong family is now depopulated, and the blessings and glory are all tied to His Majesty’s whim, so how dare he push again and again.

Rong Xiangmian relieved: “Father, daughter save. The more earnest His Majesty is, the more careful we have to be, or else we will be ungrateful.”

This sentence, said to the heart of the British Duke.

Just now in the Chonghua Hall, His Majesty had invited him to a separate banquet, letting Shen Duzhi personally arrange the food for him, and the two of them had a cup of wine together to talk about the old days. Speaking of the dangers of the first wife, His Majesty got up and touched the British public that an empty sleeve, emotional: “Rong family has done too much for me, although you give your family glory, but ultimately feel that it is not enough. I have always thought, if you do with you as a daughter and son, that is really the whole of our decades of friendship.”

The British public is grateful, and terrified, immediately fell to the ground.

At this moment, he raised his head to look at his youngest daughter and sighed: “What it took my father so many years to understand, you have realized at such a young age. Some people just don’t penetrate this and take His Majesty’s earnestness for sincerity.”

Rong Xiangmian rose to her knees and bowed again, “Many thanks to my father and mother for working on my daughter’s marriage.”

The Duchess of State knew that she couldn’t bear to let Sang-mi marry far away for the Princess in the Northern True Kingdom in the first place, and only then did she send Sang-mi to the palace as a companion reader. Now, in order to preserve her own daughter and cause Xiangmian to marry far away from Yangzhou, she busily said, “You are our child, if not for you to worry about who to worry about? Don’t worry, mother will prepare a generous dowry for you, never less than your second and third sisters.”

The Duke of England also laughed, “Don’t worry, His Majesty will not let His Fourth Highness stay in Yangzhou for the rest of his life. The empress dowager is getting old and this is not a long term solution. If you endure for a few years, you won’t have to worry about not having a royal consort to do it in the future.”

These words were like quenching one’s thirst by looking at a plum, Rong Xiangmian did not dare to take them seriously, but they made the Duchess of State’s heart jump. After Rong Xiangshi left, she immediately asked, “Why didn’t the Duke of State say so earlier? His Majesty has moved to let the Fourth Highness return to the capital to be crowned king?”

The Duke of England said, “Didn’t I tell you all about it now? What’s the matter? Do you want to back out?”

Husband and wife for decades, what each other’s temperament has long been known as well, a sentence blocked Mrs. State Duke speechless.

State Duke coldly said: “Today, the eldest princess said, you early years and she is just a courtesy exchange only, but with Shufei close. But when Shufei gave King Qing the Duke of Zhen’s daughter, you suddenly warmed up to the Eldest Princess’s residence. Isn’t that a slap in my face? You raised a good girl, only care about their own pleasure, do not know the family honor and disgrace in the eyes of the rise and fall. I give up this old face to plead with the eldest princess, as you wish to marry her into the princess residence, you still do not know enough?”

After saying that, Rong Sheng dusted off the dust of a day’s running around and left Yu Qing Hall.

Xi mother came in to wait, see the state Duke wife remorseful sigh, then asked: “Lady what’s wrong?”

The lady pounded her knees: “I was too hasty, should not have hastily rejected this marriage. The empress dowager and the emperor good reason to think of the marriage of the fourth highness, there must be a reason ah, alas!”