Chapter 345: All Follow the Emperor

Jia Mei also saw the trick in it, and she whispered into Ling'er's ear.

"Today is the matchmaking banquet, right?"

Ling'er was still in the dark, "What matchmaking?"

"You and my Eleven Prince brother."

Ling'er looked up; Eleven was looking at her. The two met eyes, and both lowered their heads in shame.

"How is my Eleven Prince brother?"

"Still… still fine, I guess."

"You two really… you both say 'still fine', what does 'still fine' mean? Is it willing or what?"

Ling'er pursed her lips for a long while before saying, "Marriage is decided by my mother."

"That's truly filial!"

Now the capital is in an uproar again—Eleven's leg is fine? My god, when was it healed, is it that traveling Divine Physician?

It seems the Emperor is about to make a move. My god, this is undoubtedly pouring water into a hot oil pot.

"Haha, then it's settled."

"This trip is another month; being away from home, my heart stays uneasy."

Qiao Mai was talking with the mother‑in‑law, already reading Ling'er's expression; it seems this marriage is truly set.

The Old Emperor had long relinquished military authority in a stepwise manner; many troops, many generals, each managing their own, and the Military Tokens remained in his hand.

Ling'er hooked her arm, "Sister‑in‑law, if you weren't going with me, my mother wouldn't have arranged such a carriage, fearing you'd suffer on the road."

The next day, word spread through the palace: Princess of Tianshui had betrothed the Eleven Prince, and the marriage decree would follow after Princess Jia Mei's wedding.

The two coachmen driving the fast carriages sat at the front, looking mighty; it's a blessing to drive a carriage for a princess, let alone such a carriage.

But now it's truly settled; does that mean the Emperor intends to make him heir apparent?

One hundred percent possible, absolutely possible; after their repeated analysis, all withered away.

At the end of November, Qiao Mai emerged from Seclusion to prepare to return to Tianshui Town; Ling'er clung to her, wanting to go back together and have a look—it's been many years, and she also misses that place.

"Being the aunt's daughter is truly happiness."

"It's so comfortable."

"Yuan Jiaqi,"

In the evening, she practiced the Mind Technique taught by Qiao Mai.

"I won't go out every day; I have to help aunt manage the household, there's no time."

"When Sister‑in‑law marries in, we can ride such a carriage every day,"

Usually, as long as Qiao Mai says Seclusion, Yuan Jiaqi won't disturb her upon returning; after a quiet meal she begins reading.

These two girls intervened, instantly ruining her plan; taking both of them back and forth takes over a dozen days on the road, and once back she still has to worry—she had hoped to Seclude properly, but now it seems impossible.

The first to panic were those royal princes, now turned into Princes, along with their descendants.

"Soon you will also be happy; as long as you are good to my mother, she will be good to you, thinking back to the beginning."

"This is not filial piety, it's trust; under the heavens, even a husband who is good to me cannot surpass my parents."

She instructed the coachman: she wouldn't alight at noon, let them handle it; when night fell, find an inn to stay, and any issues should be reported directly to Jia Mei and Ling'er—both are grown, they should train a bit.

This time Jin Mama didn't go with Ling'er; accompanying them was Yuehong, and they arranged the ceremony on the carriage, while Yuan Jiaqi held Qiao Mai's hand.

One time is enough; now the Imperial Palace is like an iron bucket, impervious to swords, and knowing that Lady Qiao's medical skill is so formidable, no poison needs to be feared.

The little girl she bought back then has adapted to life in Jixiang Yuan; the tiny one has already a baby‑chubby look, and she herself keeps Yuexian Pavilion spotless.

"My Empress has already been deposed; I wish to make the Noble Consort the Empress, but she has no son by her side. I intend to enshrine the Noble Consort as Empress, then assign Eleven to her name as a Legitimate Son; what do you think?"

His command—who dares disobey?

Qiao Mai, regardless of how the Old Emperor arranges things, goes on house calls when the weather is fine, and retreats to a space for Meditation when it isn't.

"Hehe,"

"Of course. Next year, when Chuan'er and Jia Mei's grand wedding occurs, I will issue an edict granting them marriage; after I make Eleven Crown Prince, it will be a grand spectacle—your family will also have face, right?"

Jia Mei's face flushed, she lightly punched her, and Ling'er flipped through the little compartments in the carriage.

"Mm, that makes sense."

"Mmhm."

She also took Jia Mei back together to see the true ice and snow of the North.

Everyone knows that if the Eleventh Prince's leg hadn't been crippled, the Old Emperor would have already made him Crown Prince.

Seeing her about to leave for Tianshui Town, the Emperor issued a decree, enshrining the Noble Consort as Empress and simultaneously turning Eleven Prince Li Yuxian into the Noble Consort's Legitimate Son.

On the way back, Ling'er learned of this and did not object; after all, her marriage was set, so there was no need to look at other families.

"Everything follows the Emperor's arrangement."

The Old Emperor trusted Yuan Jiaqi deeply; while drinking wine, he poured out his thoughts.

The Old Emperor kept Eleven by his side daily, teaching him how to manage state affairs and become a good ruler.

"Yes, mother."

After Jia Mei reported to the Empress, she went to the Emperor to inform him, then, accompanied by a palace maid and guards, arrived at the Qiao Family early in the morning.

Qiao Mai boarded the carriage, waved to her husband through the window, and called to the coachman, "Let's go."

The two carriages were spacious, insulated and sound‑proof; though they looked heavy, they moved with surprising lightness, their wide tires smoothing any bumpy road.

Ling'er left happily; that night, Qiao Mai bought two very comfortable carriages on the Platform.

"Your Majesty, please speak."

"Just call mother, it's the daily aunt thing, so troublesome."

Coupled with their own well‑fattened, sturdy high‑head horses, it's simply too magnificent.

Aside from the other princes and imperial grandsons, everything is Ruyi; the noble consort has become Empress, there is a Dizi, Jia Mei now has a brother, and the Great Ming Dynasty's realm has an heir.

"I've arranged everything; no one will get into trouble."

Qiao Mai swept the two with her spiritual power, curled her lips, and then began Meditation Cultivation.

Ling'er's little mouth chattered on about family matters, while Jia Mei listened with a face full of yearning.

She sighed inwardly; everyone present was a clever person, the Old Emperor even more so, and after just that observation she had everything figured out.

Qiao Mai sat alone in one carriage, while Jia Mei and the others sat in another; the luggage on the roof took up no space inside the carriage.

"Wow, Mother thought of everything, look, there are fruits inside, there are melon seeds, there's candy, and all kinds of snacks."

With these two distinctive carriages, a journey that originally took ten days was shortened to six days; a day's travel could cover several hundred li, truly fast.

She was shocked when she saw the carriage, "This… this carriage is just too beautiful."

"Fine, send someone to the Imperial Palace to tell Jia Mei that we set out tomorrow; each person brings one attendant, and don't bring too many belongings, it's inconvenient."

Jia Mei and Ling'er leaned against the carriage window watching the scene, envy shining in their eyes.

"Your Majesty, as long as it meets your wishes, we, the ministers, are merely assistants; but the Eleventh Prince's leg is just right, you still need to take good care of him."

"Hah, who cares, you're the one who keeps the royal family high above; my daughter‑in‑law doesn't even want to bother with you."

The farther north you go, the colder it gets, yet inside the carriage you feel nothing; opening the window, however, lets you experience Beifang's chill.

If it were other ministers, they'd have been scared by the Emperor long ago and wouldn't dare look up, but Yuan Jiaqi's courage had already been forged.

In the blink of an eye a month passed; outside the sky was deathly cold, while every house in Jixiang Yuan was warm as spring.

Assassinate in the Imperial Palace? Poison again? Impossible; the Emperor will not give anyone a chance to harm his son.

Jia Mei looked at the withered trees outside, feeling a bit sad, "So this is what the north is like."

"Yes, don't be fooled by the fallen leaves; Mother says they're hibernating, and when spring comes they'll burst forth sky‑high."

"Accumulating thickly before releasing thinly, right?"

"Exactly!"

(End of chapter)