Chapter 16: Fulfilled Wish

…

Seeing that Zhao Yu was true to his word and genuinely intended to marry them as Wang Fei, not deceiving them, Zheng Xiansu and Wang Yisan were overjoyed!

Marrying the Prince and becoming a Wang Fei was, for women of humble origins, nothing short of ascending to heaven in a single step.

This meant that from now on, they would enjoy boundless wealth and honor, and their families could finally break free from the shackles of poverty and regain their dignity.

It also meant they would utterly escape the fate of serving others, becoming noble figures who managed the Wang Fu's household and embodied maternal grace.

In short, if they agreed to this marriage with the Empress Dowager, they would truly become phoenixes perched on the highest branch.

Wang Yisan stole a glance at the Empress Dowager, while Zheng Xiansu still pretended calmness.

Ma Xiao Jiao and Yuan Qing Cheng felt nothing about this matter. They were not Zhang Chun and had no idea how profoundly today's events would affect them.

The Empress Dowager never expected that Zhao Yu had come to her this time not to discuss how to deal with Liu Qingjing or how to respond to the possible retaliation brewing between Liu Qingjing and the New Party, but to… get married?!

To be honest, the Empress Dowager was deeply disappointed.

She had fully expected that, after this incident, Zhao Yu would abandon his former attitude of ignoring all worldly affairs and indulging only in personal comfort, and instead begin to devote himself to the Zhao Song Dynasty and to her as his stepmother.

Instead, Zhao Yu had turned his thoughts toward romantic entanglements.

"Ultimately, he is unfit for great responsibilities!"

Yet the Empress Dowager reconsidered: under the Zhao Song Dynasty's imperial clan management system, a detached Prince could do very little—indeed, they held less power than women in the inner palace, for those women could still influence the Emperor and participate in Zhao Song politics.

Moreover, Zhao Yu was already sixteen, fully grown, and long past due to marry and produce heirs for the Zhao lineage.

She then remembered how Zhao Yu had saved her.

The Empress Dowager set aside her disappointment and said, "Marriage is good—it will bring someone to manage your Wang Fu and relieve you of all worries."

Then the Empress Dowager volunteered, "Since Prince Shen and Prince Duan married, I have been keeping an eye out for a suitable match for you. The only daughter of Guo Cheng, Chief of the Imperial Guest Office, Defense Commissioner of Xiongzhou, Commander of Jingyuan Road's Military Forces and Eleventh Division, Guo Ting, comes from a deep-rooted family, possesses virtue and grace, and has a dignified appearance. I intend to betroth her to you—what do you think?"

Zheng Xiansu tightly gripped the hem of her robe, striving to maintain outward calm, yet her trembling fingertips betrayed her inner tension and unease.

Wang Yisan also watched Zhao Yu with worried eyes, fearing he might suddenly change his mind and choose Guo Ting instead.

Zhao Yu did not let Zheng Xiansu and Wang Yisan's fears come true—he bluntly refused, "Your Majesty has gone to great trouble selecting a bride for me; I am deeply grateful. Yet I already have someone I love—I humbly beg Your Majesty to grant me her hand in marriage."

Hearing Zhao Yu say the words they longed to hear, Zheng Xiansu lifted her head slightly, her eyes filled with gratitude and deep affection; Wang Yisan exhaled deeply, a hint of joy and anticipation appearing on her face!

The Empress Dowager frowned deeply.

In this era, marriage was governed by parental decree.

Imperial marriages took this principle to its extreme, weaving in numerous political considerations.

One could say that a key duty of imperial family members was to use their marriages to consolidate imperial power, balance factions, and forge alliances.

Specifically, the marriage of an Imperial Prince was often determined by the power of court ministers' families and the stability of border regions.

Take, for example, the Guo Ting the Empress Dowager wished Zhao Yu to marry.

She was from the Guo military clan of northwestern Deshun Army, a descendant of the famed Tang general Guo Ziyi.

At the founding of the Zhao Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin had specifically sought out Guo Ziyi's descendants to serve in office.

The family had not disappointed Zhao Kuangyin's trust—generation after generation served as generals, loyal and patriotic, earning great merit in foreign wars.

Guo Ting's father, Guo Cheng, had recently led troops to defend Pingxiacheng and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Xia army, earning fame along the western frontier.

If Zhao Yu married Guo Ting, the Guo military clan would become even more tightly bound to the Zhao clan.

Yet Zhao Yu did not wish to marry Guo Ting—he wished to marry someone else.

Had Zhao Yu not just saved the Empress Dowager, causing her to reassess and tolerate him, she would have snapped, "Nonsense! Marriage is no affair to be decided by your whim!"

Now, after a moment's hesitation, the Empress Dowager patiently asked, "Who is the woman you favor?"

Zheng Xiansu and Wang Yisan's hearts leapt to their throats, fearing failure at the final moment!

Perhaps sensing their tension, Zhao Yu spoke without delay, bowing deeply: "I wish to marry Zheng Yaban and Wang Yaban as my Wang Fei—I humbly beg Your Majesty to grant this union."

"Zheng Yaban? Wang Yaban?"

The Empress Dowager was momentarily confused—who was Zhao Yu referring to?

Only when her peripheral vision caught Zheng Xiansu, blushing furiously and nearly burying her face in her chest, did she suddenly understand.

"Prince Shen has good taste indeed. This girl has a delicate, intelligent appearance, her eyes radiating wit. She has served me for years, handling affairs with utmost care, clever yet mindful of the bigger picture—among all the maids, she stands out. But she comes from a humble family—unsuitable for a political marriage."

The Empress Dowager turned to the other side, where Wang Yisan, equally flustered, stood: "This girl is good too—like a lotus emerging from water, gentle and obedient, unambitious. But she too comes from a humble family—unsuitable for a political marriage…"

At this point, the Empress Dowager suddenly realized: "Ah! Prince Shen doesn't misunderstand political marriage—he simply doesn't wish to ally with the Guo clan, but wishes to ally with me!"

Previously, to demonstrate her impartiality, whenever Emperor Zhao Xu took concubines, or Zhao Bi and Zhao Ji married, the Empress Dowager had barred her own Xiang clan from offering daughters for selection.

She had already spoken these words aloud—how could she now retract them?

Thus, for Zhao Yu to marry a Xiang clan woman and bind himself deeply to her was nearly impossible.

Moreover, to avoid criticism, whenever members of her faction sought to use precedent to gain appointments or petition for metropolitan ranks, the Empress Dowager not only refused to help but actively blocked them, publicly declaring: "My clan has never used this precedent—why should private affection override public law?"

This had caused her relationship with the Xiang clan to deteriorate.

Thus, even if Zhao Yu married a Xiang clan woman, he could not truly bind himself to the Empress Dowager.

But if Zhao Yu married Zheng Xiansu and Wang Yisan—women nearly equivalent to her adopted daughters—he could perfectly circumvent her own rules and bind himself deeply to her.

Only now did the Empress Dowager realize: Zhao Yu was no mindless brute—he was a political mastermind, or at least had a mastermind behind him.

The Empress Dowager's disappointment in Zhao Yu vanished completely!!!

At this critical moment, she feared nothing more than Zhao Yu being a liability—she feared him being a useless ally who could not help her and might drag her down.

As for her own image? First, Zhao Yu wished to marry her maids, not her kin—this would not harm her reputation. Second, with her imminent clash with Liu Qingjing, how could she afford to care about such things?

Moreover, the Empress Dowager now very much wished to prove to the world that she was not a lonely, helpless old woman—she had a filial son who honored her; anyone who dared to insult her must think twice.

One could say Zhao Yu had chosen the perfect moment and the perfect excuse—flawless!

At this moment, the Empress Dowager looked at Zhao Yu and liked him more than ever.

After a long while, the Empress Dowager smiled warmly and confirmed with Zhao Yu: "You truly wish to marry my two maids?"

Zhao Yu replied firmly: "I will marry none but these two."

The Empress Dowager laughed heartily.

Seeing Zhao Yu so resolute, Zheng Xiansu, whose wish had been fulfilled, was filled with emotion and sweetness; her shyness deepened, her blush radiant as the clouds at the horizon.

Wang Yisu was no different.

Seeing Zheng Xiansu and Wang Yisu in such a shy state, the Empress Dowager smiled and asked them: "You two heard it — Prince Shen wants to take you as his Wang Fei. What do you say?"

Zheng Xiansu replied shyly: "Your servant leaves it entirely to the Empress Dowager's decision."

Wang Yisu said in an even shyer tone: "Your servant follows the Empress Dowager and Sister's wishes."

Behind and to the side of the Empress Dowager, Ma Xiao Jiao and Yuan Qing Cheng stared in stunned disbelief: "Aren't they supposed to marry Zhao Ji? How could they marry Zhao Yu?"

……

(End of Chapter)