Chapter 134: Seeing If Anyone Else Will Praise Themselves

The Empress Dowager listened to the conversation between father and daughter and frowned: "Why delay the age of marriage? What if there is a war and there is a shortage of men?"

Yan Ning said: "Great-Grandmother, you don't know, but when we went to Lingnan, we met a divine physician. At the time, I heard him mention that it is not advisable to marry too early."

Yan Ze immediately chimed in, "Yes, yes, that divine physician is truly amazing. I heard he can bring the dead back to life and regrow flesh on bones. Surely such a brilliant divine physician would not be wrong."

Yan Ning watched her father putting on an act and, stifling a laugh, said: "The divine physician said it is best for women to marry after the age of eighteen."

Seeing the two speaking so convincingly, the Empress Dowager took it seriously: "Then we certainly cannot let Ningning marry too early. However, to put everyone's mind at ease, we can arrange the betrothal first."

Yan Ning nodded; that was indeed the right thing to do.

Early the next morning, Yan Ning went to the Imperial Hospital.

The Head of the Imperial Hospital hurriedly knelt to pay his respects.

Yan Ning said: "Everyone rise. I have come today to discuss an important matter."

Everyone on duty at the Imperial Hospital came over.

Yan Ning wore a serious expression and said to them: "If anyone asks what age is appropriate for marriage, you are to say it is best to wait until eighteen."

The group looked at each other in dismay; what kind of matter was this?

Was there really any difference in marrying early or late?

However, since Yan Ning had said so, the people of the Imperial Hospital hurriedly agreed; it was just a casual remark, so saying it was no trouble.

Yan Ning continued to instruct: "Do not say that these words came from me. Furthermore, if I catch you not saying it, then I will..."

Yan Ning did not finish, but the threat in her words was full.

The Head of the Imperial Hospital asked somewhat uncertainly: "Then if others ask why we didn't say this before, how should we answer?"

Yan Ning thought for a moment and said: "Just say they never asked, and besides, it wasn't certain before, but now you have obtained a copy of the Divine Physician's Notes and that is what is written inside."

"Are there any other questions?"

The Head of the Imperial Hospital continued to ask: "What if they want to see that book of notes?"

Yan Ning said dismissively: "That's simple, isn't it? Can't you just work overtime for a few days and write one? In any case, it's just to fool the laymen."

For a moment, everyone in the Imperial Hospital looked at each other.

A young Physician gathered his courage and asked: "Your Highness, does delaying marriage truly have benefits?"

Yan Ning nodded, "It should reduce complications in childbirth. Actually, I think twenty is better, but the ministers wouldn't want to hear that since it's too long."

Yan Ning's premonition was indeed accurate; not many days later, someone proposed that the Crown Princess should hold a selection for a consort.

It was that same Vice Minister of Revenue with the surname Yuan who proposed: "Your Majesty, the Crown Princess is almost at the age of capping, and I believe it is time to begin the selection."

Yan Ze was the first to be displeased, "Select what?"

The Vice Minister of Revenue surnamed Yuan said: "Your Majesty only has one heir..."

Yan Ze interrupted: "I have two children; there is also the First Prince, Yan Qing."

The ministers:...

How could they make a proposal now?

Yan Ning had not expected that the pressure to marry in ancient times would be so terrifying; most of the court officials were demanding that she hold a selection.

Yan Ning cleared her throat: "Stop arguing. I have a betrothal with the Heir of the Prince of Nanyang and will not be holding a selection. Furthermore, I will not marry before I am eighteen."

The Vice Minister of Revenue surnamed Yuan couldn't help but ask: "Why wait until eighteen?"

His son was already sixteen; if he delayed another four years and wasn't chosen by the Crown Princess, it would be too late for him to marry.

He now felt some regret for letting his wife turn down a marriage proposal.

Yan Ning sighed and feigned worry: "I would like to marry sooner, but the divine physician said it is best to wait until after twenty. My father and mother were naturally unhappy, but in the end, the divine physician said eighteen is the earliest it can be."

For a moment, there was a stir in the Court.

"There is such a saying? Why haven't I heard of it?"

"What family would keep their daughter until eighteen? Even if they love their daughter, they can't keep her until eighteen."

Yan Ning cleared her throat and continued: "At first, I didn't believe what the divine physician said, but recently the Head of the Imperial Hospital also mentioned it. He obtained a copy of the Divine Physician's Notes, which states that it is best for women to marry after eighteen."

Yan Ze immediately said: "When you marry off your daughters has nothing to do with me, but my daughter must be over eighteen before she marries."

The ministers wanted to object.

But they all knew they couldn't speak recklessly, or they would be branded with the charge of wanting to harm the Crown Princess.

Yan Ning heard with her sharp ears a few officials discussing whether they should delay their own children's marriages, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.

She knew that if she forcibly issued an order, the ministers would all resist.

It was better to do it like this and let them make the decision themselves.

Sure enough, over the next few days, officials came one after another to the Imperial Hospital to ask the Head.

The people of the Imperial Hospital all gave the same answer: it is best to wait until after eighteen to marry, otherwise there will be complications in childbirth.

At this, many ministers who doted on their daughters gritted their teeth and decided to keep them at home for a few more years.

The ministers were now struggling with whether to delay their children's marriages and had no mind to urge Yan Ning to marry.

Yan Ze, however, sought out Yan Ning in private.

Yan Ze's expression was solemn, "Ningning, do you like Xiao Huaijin? I thought he looked dull at the time, like the foolish son of a landlord who would be easy to handle..."

"But now, he doesn't seem dull anymore."

Yan Ning scratched her head: "I think he's quite good, and he's handsome too."

Yan Ze ruffled her hair: "You're just a sucker for a pretty face."

Seeing that Yan Ning quite liked Xiao Huaijin, Yan Ze stopped worrying about her marriage.

It didn't matter who came to propose.

Although the ministers suggested that Yan Ning should have multiple spouses, that would be too strange.

As modern people, the father and daughter really couldn't stand it.

Recently, the ministers have been very well-behaved; they have not impeached Yan Ning, nor have they opposed some of the whimsical ideas Yan Ning has proposed.

Yan Ning is in a very good mood, so she gave herself a half-day off in the afternoon, wanting to go out for a stroll.

Now, one can see people riding Bicycles everywhere on the streets.

Yan Ning even saw a shop specializing in selling Bicycles; the price is three taels of silver, but there is also a custom service—for instance, if someone is too short, too young, or particularly burly, and a standard Bicycle cannot satisfy their needs, it can be customized according to their height.

At this moment, there is no business in the shop, and Yan Ning can even hear them praising her:

"I heard that shop was set up by the Crown Princess; she sells both Bicycle blueprints and the production methods for toilet paper, clearly trying to help us find a way to make money."

"Previously, quite a few people said that because she is a woman, she could hardly shoulder great responsibilities, but now, no one says that anymore."

"Isn't that the truth? And that road is truly well-built, wide and smooth; it saves half the time to get to Jincheng. My nephew in the countryside also said that it is now convenient for them to enter the city, and he can bring the paper he makes to sell every day, earning thirty to fifty wen a day; his family is even willing to eat meat now."

Yan Ning suppressed the corners of her mouth from curling upward and left, feeling very satisfied.

She wants to go to the places near the city gate where they sell paper to take a look and see if there is anyone else praising her ovo.