Chapter 168 Imperial Decree Grants Marriage
It was a sunny day with sunshine all over the earth, making the lake surface sparkle.
Shen Jingxuan stood on the small bridge, watching the fish in the lake swimming freely, with infinite yearning in her heart.
"Ling Huan, look how free the fish are." Shen Jingxuan threw the fish food in her hand into the lake.
Ling Huan took a look and said, "Miss, Yu'er might also have troubles."
Shen Jingxuan glared at her: "You know this now? Then tell me what troubles they have?"
Ling Huan stared. She was not a fish, so how could she know the troubles of a fish?
After hesitating for a moment, Ling Huan said, "Miss, I don't know either, I just feel that everything should have troubles."
She just said it casually, but she didn't expect the lady to actually ask her.
Shen Jingxuan tapped Ling Huan's forehead: "Of course there are worries. The worry of fish is being trapped in the water. They can't have a pair of legs and see what it looks like on land."
Whether it is a person or any other thing, how can everything go smoothly without any worries?
There were hurried footsteps behind her. Shen Jingxuan turned around and saw Chuntao walking towards her in a hurry.
"Miss, the imperial edict has come from the palace, please go and receive it quickly." Chuntao said anxiously.
Although Shen Jingxuan was puzzled, she did not dare to delay: "Did mother and grandfather send someone to invite them?"
"Yes, they should all be rushing to the mansion." Chuntao said.
"Yeah." Shen Jingxuan responded.
When she brought Chuntao and Ling Huan to the mansion gate, Mr. Shen and his companions had already arrived.
"Grandpa and grandma, mother Lin'er." Shen Jingxuan stepped forward to greet them.
Seeing that everyone was gathered, Eunuch Deng looked at Shen Jingxuan and said, "Miss Shen, please accept the order."
Shen Jingxuan looked at him suspiciously, not understanding why he asked her to accept the order.
As she knelt down, a group of people knelt down behind her.
Eunuch Deng nodded with satisfaction: "Here is Shen Jingxuan from the Zhenguo Mansion. She has a good character, is both talented and beautiful, and is in love with the Regent. The two are in love with each other. I hereby grant you the marriage of Shen Jingxuan as the Regent Princess. I decree this!"
Shen Jingxuan was stunned for a moment when she heard this.
After being reminded by Old Madam Shen, Shen Jingxuan stepped forward and took the imperial edict in her hand. She felt a slight warmth in her heart and her heart beat faster.
She didn't expect Xie Lingxiao to be so fast, and she actually made him do it.
She motioned Ling Huan to come forward and give the reward money to Eunuch Deng, who then returned to the palace with a grin on his face to report.
Although Mr. Shen was shocked, he knew the importance of the matter, so he led a group of people to the front hall.
"Xuan'er, why did the emperor suddenly issue an order to grant us a marriage?" Old Master Shen was puzzled.
The Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion had long been in decline. Not to mention Xie Lingxiao who held military power, even other mansions were unwilling to get engaged to them.
Official families pay attention to the matching of social status, and whatever they do will benefit their own mansion.
If Shen Jianan were here, the gate of the Duke Zhenguo's Mansion would have been broken down.
Nowadays, in the Zhenguo Mansion, apart from the elderly, the weak, women and children, there is only an empty title.
Old Master Shen couldn't figure out why the emperor wanted to marry Shen Jingxuan to Xie Lingxiao.
Shen Jingxuan frowned: "Grandfather, I don't know either."
Yesterday, Xie Lingxiao was still regretting that he couldn't marry her sooner, but today the emperor issued an edict to grant the marriage, which made Shen Jingxuan think more.
But I couldn't figure out the reason for the moment, so I could only wait until I saw Xie Lingxiao and ask him.
Mr. Shen was helpless: "Since the emperor has granted the marriage, the wedding date will be set soon, and the mansion must make preparations in advance."
Although he was unwilling in his heart, it was the emperor who granted the marriage after all, and they could do nothing about it. They could only prepare as much as possible.
Madam Shen said worriedly, "I don't know what the regent will do if he finds out."
Everyone in the capital knew that Xie Lingxiao was not interested in women. It would have been fine if he knew about it in advance, but if the emperor forced the marriage, she was worried that Shen Jingxuan would be wronged.
Shen Jingxuan listened to them talking, her pretty face slightly red, and she lowered her head without saying a word.
Hao wanted to refuse several times, but she thought that it was the emperor who granted the marriage, and it was not something a woman like her could stop.
After thinking for a long time, Old Madam Shen said, "Master, since Xuan'er has been granted marriage, she cannot be the head of the family. How can she prepare her own dowry?"
"Madam is right. Why don't you and your daughter-in-law take charge of the household and prepare for Xuan'er together?"
Mr. Shen didn't want Old Madam Shen to be the head of the family. Being the head of the family is very tiring and he couldn't let his wife suffer.
But it was not a good idea to throw it to Hao. After all, Hao had just had a few days of peace and she couldn't be made to work too hard.
Old Madam Shen smiled and said, "Let our daughter-in-law take charge of the household. Sooner or later, she will be the one to take charge of the Zhenguo Mansion."
"As for Xuan'er's matter, I will discuss it with her when the time comes."
Madam Shen had made the final decision, and Hao couldn't refuse anymore, so she had to agree.
"Mom, I will manage the household well. If there is anything I cannot do, you must help me."
"Okay, just do it with confidence." Mrs. Shen said.
Old Master Shen was delighted to see that the power of the family had fallen into the hands of Mrs. Hao.
As long as his wife is not tired, nothing else seems to matter.
Shen Jingxuan sat there without saying a word until Old Madam Shen and Mrs. Hao were tired of discussing. After dinner, Shen Jingxuan finally returned to Yuxuan Courtyard.
The moment the door opened, Shen Jingxuan fell into a warm embrace, and then the door closed tightly.
Shen Jingxuan nestled in Xie Lingxiao's arms, smelling the familiar scent, feeling extremely at ease.
"Xuan'er, you are finally mine." Xie Lingxiao could not hide the joy in his heart.
He had been waiting here for a long time, just to wait for Shen Jingxuan and share the joy of the moment with her.
Shen Jingxuan raised her eyebrows slightly: "Not yet."
They haven't gotten married yet, so it seems too early to say this.
"If I say yes, then it is." Xie Lingxiao said.
After saying that, Xie Lingxiao pecked Shen Jingxuan's lips lightly: "Xuan'er, I am very happy today."
Seeing the difference in Xie Lingxiao today, Shen Jingxuan's lips gradually raised, and she was also happy.
"Axiao, I'm happy too," Because it's you, so I'm happy.
The two of them hugged each other quietly, feeling each other's heartbeats, smelling each other's breath, and felt extremely satisfied in their hearts.
After the two of them calmed down, Xie Lingxiao said, "Xuan'er, Lingfeng found out about your father's past."
Shen Jingxuan suddenly raised her head: "But you know the queen?"
This was what she cared about most. She wanted to know if the person the queen was talking about was her father.
Xie Lingxiao tucked her scattered hair behind her ears: "We met, just as you expected."
Shen Jingxuan's almond-shaped eyes widened slightly, and she looked at Xie Lingxiao without blinking, waiting for his next words.
Xie Lingxiao told her about his father's youth.
The queen had not yet entered the palace at that time, but she was already at the age of marriage.
But no matter how her family tried to persuade her, she still refused to get engaged, which really worried her family.
Shen Jiande was much younger than the empress. He was young and handsome at that time, and countless women were secretly attracted to him, including the empress.
The Queen had taken the initiative to express her feelings, but was rejected by Shen Jianan at that time. However, she still did not give up.
Later, Shen Jianan went out on business. When he returned to the city, he brought Hao back with him, which shocked all the housekeepers in the capital. They got married soon after.
When the Queen found out, she wanted to find Shen Jianan privately to ask him about it, but Shen Jianan disagreed with her.
At a banquet, the Queen saw Shen Jianan and continued to pester him, trying to threaten him with her innocence to marry her, even as a concubine.
Unexpectedly, Shen Jianan saw through the conspiracy and left her alone. Soon after, the queen became disheartened and entered the palace.
After hearing this, Shen Jingxuan was stunned for a long time.
Is this really the truth? Unable to obtain love, so hatred arises?
Thinking back to the way the Queen looked at her, Shen Jingxuan knew that the Queen wanted to see her father through her.
But she didn't understand why the queen had such a twisted mind. Not only did she not bless her father, but she wanted to kill him. Wasn't she also suffering from it?
"Xuan'er? Don't be sad." Xie Lingxiao coaxed gently.
Shen Jingxuan was unusually calm at this time: "Ah Xiao, I'm not sad anymore."
"But I won't let her off easily. She will have to pay the consequences for the mistakes she made."
Xie Lingxiao felt sorry for Shen Jingxuan when he saw her appearance.
But what he knew was that no matter what Shen Jingxuan did, he would stand by her side and accompany her all the way.
Xie Lingxiao suddenly stood up while holding Shen Jingxuan, and Shen Jingxuan was frightened and cried out: "Ah Xiao, what are you doing?"
Seeing her nervous look, Xie Lingxiao remained silent.