Chapter 48: Imperial Marriage Decree

Jun Jun Yiyi knew that Noble Consort Gao held hostility toward her, so she kept her mouth shut, daring not to say another word, and prepared to obediently kneel in punishment to avoid provoking Noble Consort Gao and receiving even heavier penalties.

Young Lady Jiahe, seeing that Jun Jun Yiyi had exposed her, was so furious she wanted to tear Jun Jun Yiyi apart, but with so many eyes watching, everyone knew full well that she and Jun Jun Yiyi had framed Seeing Jun Jun Zijin; what more could she say?

Young Lady Jiahe glared fiercely at Jun Jun Yiyi once more, then prepared to follow Jun Jun Yiyi to kneel in punishment.

At this moment, Prince An finally ran up, panting like a bull, his body covered in excess flesh, sweat pouring down like rain, breathing heavily; at this moment, his greatest regret was not having made up his mind to lose weight. Before he could even squeeze his way in, he opened his mouth wide and shouted:

"Your Majesty, Jiahe bears the surname Quan after all; how can she be made to kneel in punishment at the palace gate alongside a girl from the Jun family?"

Prince An's shout was like thunder striking from a clear sky, leaving everyone around stunned.

Quan Quan Wuji furrowed his brows:

"Is Prince An suggesting that My Noble Consort's punishment of Young Lady Jiahe was too light?"

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin held back his laughter and exchanged a glance with Quan Quan Aoyu: the Emperor had cleanly washed his hands of the matter.

Quan Quan Wuji flew into a rage:

"Come..."

Before the Emperor's words had fully left his lips, Prince An came to his senses and quickly scolded Young Lady Jiahe:

"Noble Consort has ordered you to kneel at the palace gate; why do you not go at once!"

Quan Quan Wuji's expression softened slightly; with a wave of his large hand, several eunuchs came to lead Young Lady Jiahe and Jun Jun Yiyi away.

Quan Quan Wuji gave a light snort and did not pursue the matter further; Prince An had spoken correctly. After all, he also bore the surname Quan; as a royal prince and a second-rank official, some face had to be preserved.

Seeing Jun Jun Zhidie, realizing the Emperor was about to arrange her marriage to the Second Imperial Prince, refused to comply. Ignoring her fear, she shouted loudly:

"Your Majesty, this commoner girl does not wish to marry the Second Imperial Prince!" Seeing Jun Jun Zhidie summoned her courage and looked directly at the Emperor.

Instantly, a profound silence fell over the hall. Everyone turned to look at her in shock. The Jun family's Third Young Lady was seriously ill; who did not know her intentions? She simply wished to marry the Crown Prince. But let alone the fact that she was now a withered flower and broken jade, even her awkward status within the Jun family would make her too dirty to hold the Crown Prince's shoes!

The Second Imperial Prince's face shifted from green to white; he was being spurned by this ungrateful woman!

The Emperor's expression darkened:

"Jun Jun Zhidie, is My son unworthy of you?"

At this moment, Jun Zhengming, who had arrived late, happened to hear these words. On his way here, he had already learned the general situation.

Jun Zhengming hurriedly strode forward, taking three steps as two, and upon reaching the Emperor, dropped to both knees, clasped his hands in a fist, and struck his head heavily against the ground, trembling as he spoke:

"Your Majesty! My eldest daughter and my niece were spoiled by the elders of the family since childhood, thus developing this spoiled and willful nature. My eldest daughter has already been punished; I beg Your Majesty to grant mercy and spare my niece! As for today's imperial marriage decree, I am willing to represent the Jun family in gladly accepting the decree and kowtowing to express gratitude!"

Having spoken, Jun Zhengming struck his head heavily against the ground once more. Was his life easy? He had been terrified for a long while; just as he had been happy for a short time after his second daughter received a reward, his eldest daughter and niece had caused such a huge disturbance.

Just as Quan Quan Wuji was about to speak, Seeing Jun Jun Zhidie, her eyes red with desperation, suddenly straightened her body and spoke first:

"Uncle, you know who is in my heart; you cannot fail to care for Jun Zhidie simply because I am not your daughter, can you?"

Jun Zhengming was so angry that veins bulged on his forehead; pointing at Seeing Jun Jun Zhidie, he cursed loudly:

"You lifeless girl! The person you desire should never have been coveted in the first place. Now you dare to commit such a deed with the Second Imperial Prince and even dare to defy the imperial decree in court; do you wish to have the entire Jun family buried alongside you?"

Seeing Jun Jun Zhidie, tears streaming down her face, slumped down listlessly. The matter between her and the Second Imperial Prince was now known to everyone present; within two days, the entire Jingcheng would surely spread the news. Let alone the Crown Prince would not want her; apart from marrying the Second Imperial Prince, no one else would want her. Yet she simply could not accept it.

The Emperor narrowed his eyes, looking first at Jun Zhengming, then at Seeing Jun Jun Zhidie, and gave a cold snort: "Jun family's Third Young Lady, have you thought this through?"

Seeing Jun Jun Zhidie had no choice but to accept her unwillingness; she gritted her teeth:

"This humble daughter accepts the decree and offers thanks."

Seeing Jun Jun Zhidie had now fallen silent, but the Second Imperial Prince, Quan Quan Qiming, who had been stunned for half a moment, refused to comply:

"Father, how can such a woman be granted to me? Furthermore, aside from concubines, there is no position in my residence to grant her; at most, we might see if a 'Liangdi' rank can be carved out..."

Quan Quan Wuji felt a headache; what sort of affair was this? Quan Quan Wuji looked at Jun Zhengming, and Jun Zhengming was also stunned, standing there blankly, not knowing how to react.

Quan Quan Aoyu, who had remained silent until now, spoke:

"The Third Young Lady of the Jun family and Second Brother are mutually affectionate; I suppose she will not mind such empty titles as rank and status?"

Hearing these words, Seeing Jun Jun Zhidie was suddenly startled, as if struck by lightning; she instinctively raised her head. Yet she dared not look into Quan Quan Aoyu's eyes, which were as cold as a frozen pool.

Seeing Jun Jun Zhidie bit her lower lip tightly, her fingers twisting her hem, her heart filled with humiliation. She, the Third Young Lady of the Jun family, was being treated with such contempt.

"Mutually affectionent, your mother!" Quan Quan Qiming was so angry he nearly swore, but thinking it over, it was merely a matter of adding another woman to his residence; how big a deal could it be? So he said nothing more.

At this moment, Jun Zhengming, who had been stunned for a long while, came to his senses and said:

"How about... after the niece's coming-of-age ceremony, the Second Imperial Prince first takes her into his residence according to the rites for a concubine, and later, when a rank is available, grants her the title of Liangdi?"

Hearing this, Seeing Jun Jun Zhidie nearly fainted from anger, but given the situation, what could she do?

"Pfft." The crowd, their faces flushed from holding back laughter, could no longer contain themselves and burst out laughing; this, was this not sheer nonsense?

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin and Quan Quan Qingle, Jun Jun Shuyan, and He Ling'er, who had squeezed in to watch the spectacle for a long while, were laughing so hard they could not straighten their waists.

Prince An, whose heart had been blocked with discomfort, now saw that the Jun family was far worse off than he was. Young Lady Jiahe was merely going to kneel in punishment at the palace gate; Young Lady Jiahe herself often caused trouble, so this punishment meant nothing. But everyone knew that Jun Zhengming's daughter was the talented beauty of Emperor Tianqi; this time, not only had they lost immense face, but the marriage of the Jun residence's Third Young Lady would, within two days, become a laughingstock known to all under heaven! Prince An wanted to laugh aloud, but he dared not, forcing his fat face to turn red.

The Emperor finally breathed a sigh of relief, waved his hand, and said: "Enough; let this matter be settled thus. Issue the decree: Jun family's Third Young Lady, Jun Jun Zhidie, and Second Imperial Prince, Quan Quan Qiming, are mutually affectionate; a marriage is hereby granted to the two of them, to be consummated on the day of the Third Young Lady's coming-of-age ceremony, according to the rites for a concubine."