The Double
Chapter 546 - 163 Bestowed Marriage_4

Chapter 546: Chapter 163 Bestowed Marriage_4

Seeing Princess Yongning on the verge of breaking into tears, Empress Dowager Liu explained once more, "I did indeed speak with the Empress Dowager, expressing my hope that a marriage could be arranged for Shen Yurong and you, and she agreed. For all these years, even though I looked down on her, I know she wouldn’t go against her word; she doesn’t care about these palace affairs. The one who changed the person secretly was Emperor Hongxiao." As she reached this point, a trace of ruthlessness flashed through Empress Dowager Liu’s eyes, "That wily pup, seizing any chance to throw a spanner in the works. I’ve said it long ago, he’s a disaster waiting to happen!"

"Why would His Majesty do such a thing?" Princess Yongning asked, "I just want a Prince Consort, how does that get in his way?"

"Who knows, perhaps he just wants to make things difficult for us," Empress Dowager Liu said with indifference, "Yongning, I think Li Xian is not bad either. His father is the Right Chancellor, a man who knows his place and gets along well with your elder brother. Marrying into the Li Family, they won’t treat you badly."

"I’ve already said," Princess Yongning said with determination, "I will not marry Li Xian. The only person I want to marry is Shen Yurong!"

"Then what will you do? That is a royal decree. If you don’t comply, it’s defiance and disrespect. Besides, even if you are a princess and fear nothing, not even defiance and disrespect, what about Shen Yurong? Shen Yurong is a minister. When a king wants his minister dead, the minister has to die. Shen Yurong’s life and death are but a thought away for the emperor. Even if the emperor hesitates to harm you because of other concerns, Shen Yurong can easily be dealt with."

Upon hearing this, Yongning immediately became anxious, "He cannot lay a hand on Shen Yurong!"

Empress Dowager Liu watched her, the color of panic growing increasingly heavy in Princess Yongning’s eyes. Indeed, perhaps Emperor Hongxiao, relying on Prince Cheng’s power, might not be able to do much to her, but to Shen Yurong, he could easily dispose of him.

Princess Yongning was on the verge of tears, murmuring, "What should I do then?"

She had always been arrogant and willful; this was the first time she felt so fragile and helpless. Watching her, Empress Dowager Liu’s heart softened, and she asked, "Do you truly wish to marry none other than Shen Yurong?"

Princess Yongning nodded.

"I do have one idea," Empress Dowager Liu said.

Princess Yongning, as if grabbing a lifeline, asked eagerly, "What idea?"

"When I spoke with the Empress Dowager earlier, I did not mention when the wedding should take place. It’s likely that the Empress Dowager did not bring this up when telling the emperor either. Since the decree states to choose a date for the wedding, I can ask the emperor to delay it, say, until this winter. By that time..." Her voice lowered, "the world will have changed, and who will still care about that decree!"

Princess Yongning paused, but then she understood what Empress Dowager Liu meant.

Prince Cheng would soon take action, at least before this winter. If he succeeded, the decree would be worthless, the emperor changed, not to mention the decree itself.

This was the only way Empress Dowager Liu could think of: to let Yongning drag out this marriage, until the decree became irrelevant, at which point the betrothal would naturally be null and void.

But still... Princess Yongning shook her head, "That won’t do."

"Why not?" Empress Dowager Liu was surprised.

Princess Yongning was about to speak when she suddenly felt a wave of nausea, doubling over and covering her mouth to retch. Empress Dowager Liu got a fright and quickly had someone support her, wanting to call for the royal physician to see if she was unwell.

Princess Yongning clutched at Empress Dowager Liu’s hand: "Don’t call the royal physician!"

Empress Dowager Liu looked at her, her expression slowly changing as she realized, "Yongning, you couldn’t be..."

"Mother," Princess Yongning said, her voice tinged with panic and confusion, "I am pregnant with Shen Yurong’s child."

...

Shen Yurong was on his way back to his residence.

Heading towards his imperial-granted home, with other Official Family homes nearby, he was usually met by envious glances when he passed by; everyone recognized him. But today, as he walked home, he felt surrounded by mocking eyes.

This was of course impossible, and Shen Yurong knew that. His relationship with Princess Yongning, these people couldn’t possibly know. Thus, they also wouldn’t know how that morning’s marriage decree caused great turmoil in his heart.

Feeling like there was a thorn in his back was an illusion, yet it also made him think back to another time. When Xue Fangfei was caught in her secret affairs, the people in Yanjing City looked at him with a mix of sympathy and ridicule.

Today, the past and present met once again, making it nearly impossible for him to distinguish dream from reality, or perhaps the past year’s events had all been nothing but a ludicrous dream of his. Perhaps when he would open his door, his beautiful, intelligent Madam Shen would still greet him with a beaming smile, tenderly welcoming him home.