"How could that be? I just thought you were young and worried you might not be able to handle things. What if you ended up treating her poorly?"
"Don't worry. I've liked Shuangshuang for years. Being able to marry her is my good fortune. From now on, whatever she says goes!"
"Oh, right, Grandfather's friend is a master calligrapher, isn't he? Grandpa Wang, I mean. My father-in-law likes calligraphy. I'll ask Grandfather to get Grandpa Wang to write something for me. She'll definitely like it!"
Jiang Chen ran out cheerfully.
Jiang Mother laughed. "Look at him. He's never usually this eager, but the moment it concerns Shuangshuang, he's all enthusiasm."
Jiang Wujie chatted and laughed with Jiang Mother, and Jiang An had no choice but to chime in from the sidelines.
But his heart was bleeding.
All this money, these shops, and this fertile farmland should have belonged to him. Now the Lin Family was getting it all!
His original plan had been to ruin Jiang Chen's reputation. That old man of the Lin Family thought too highly of himself to ever marry his daughter to someone like that.
He knew how much Jiang Chen liked Lin Shuangshuang. As long as he ruined their marriage prospects, Jiang Chen would destroy himself without Jiang An needing to lift another finger.
Never in his wildest dreams had Jiang An imagined that attending a coming-of-age ceremony would be enough to settle the marriage!
If the servants had returned to the residence then, he would never have let it happen.
But they had actually gone to the Liu Family first!
The more Jiang An thought about it, the more something felt wrong. "Chen didn't handle this very properly. I'm his father. Why did he go to Lord Liu Ning first?"
Jiang Mother said, "What's wrong with going to my brother? An uncle is close family, and Chen studies there too. It's perfectly understandable that he thought of him first."
"Exactly, Father. Second Uncle treats Chen very well. Besides, half of Chen's betrothal gifts are with the Liu Family. Going to them was only natural."
Jiang Wujie smoothly glossed over the matter, and after thinking it over, Jiang An had to agree.
Those two little brats had always been closer to the Liu Family anyway.
The more Jiang An looked at his son, the more irritating he found him. He turned and went to find Qin Wanru.
Jiang Mother sighed. "People, honestly... never mind. Let's keep tallying the betrothal gifts."
Jiang Wujie and Jiang Mother each contributed some of their private savings.
When the betrothal gifts were delivered, the spectacle could truly be called ten miles of bridal crimson.
The next day, while the sky was still pitch-black, the servants at the Marquis's Residence were already bustling about, dressing Jiang Shuyue.
Zhou Luming looked at her helplessly. "Father, no matter how we call her, Mother won't wake up. Should we hold off on going to the palace?"
"His Majesty personally ordered her to appear. We have to go."
"But..."
She was sleeping far too soundly!
Would entering the palace like this really be all right?
Jiang Shuyue was still drooling when they bundled her into the carriage.
Everyone thought, We've truly never seen the marquis put up with something like this before.
At that moment, inside the Imperial Palace, the emperor was a little more excited than usual.
He had heard about Jiang Shuyue from his sworn elder brother yesterday. Even the Imperial Preceptor had looked as though he had seen a ghost and flatly refused to believe it.
Anything that could make that little brother of his eat humble pie delighted the emperor.
The emperor urged, "Hurry up! Don't delay court!"
Eunuch Liu felt like crying. "Your Majesty, even if the Imperial Preceptor and Prince Huai are both attending morning court today, there's no need to rush so much. Court doesn't begin for another hour."
"Nonsense! Is that old rascal of an Imperial Preceptor worth a personal welcome from me? As for my third brother... just get him a thicker cushion and a softer blanket, and make sure he's well looked after."
"I'm going to witness something momentous today! What a pity the Imperial Preceptor is ill. Otherwise, I could make that old rascal suffer a little too!"
The emperor hurriedly pulled on his boots himself, hummed a tune, and jogged toward the Golden Chariot Hall with a spring in his step.
Not once since becoming emperor had he looked forward to court this much!
Eunuch Liu could not make sense of it. The only unusual thing about today was that the wife of the Marquis of Zhennan was coming to the palace.
Eunuch Liu found that curious too. She was merely an official's wife. However greatly the emperor favored the Marquis of Zhennan, surely that did not warrant this much anticipation?
How very strange...
The system poked her head. [Wake up! We're at the Imperial Palace!]
Who am I? Where am I? Never mind. Back to sleep.
Jiang Shuyue tilted her head, rested it against something neither too soft nor too hard, and continued sleeping.
Zhou Yunshen held Jiang Shuyue in his arms with an impassive expression and swept a cold gaze over everyone around him.
Everyone looked from side to side. You can't see me, you can't see me...
Jiang Shuyue nuzzled against Zhou Yunshen's chest. Why is there a draft in my room?
Zhou Yunshen wrapped her up a little more snugly.
Upon entering the Golden Chariot Hall, he saw another chair beside Prince Huai, sat down, and settled her on his lap.
Prince Huai thought, ...Seriously? It's bad enough that you, a mere subject, aren't standing at court, but now you're flaunting your affection right in front of me? Who do you think you're looking down on?
The system beeped twice and whispered in Jiang Shuyue's ear. [Rise and shine! There's juicy gossip!]
Jiang Shuyue: [Gossip, gossip, gossip! Where?]
Jiang Shuyue shot upright, striking the top of her head against something hard.
Ow, ow! That hurt!
Zhou Yunshen rubbed his chin. He had not even complained about the pain yet. This woman really was...
"Huh?"
Jiang Shuyue did not notice Zhou Yunshen's expression. She was simply curious.
When had her room become so golden and glittering? And why was there such a delicately handsome little beauty here?
Jiang Shuyue: [System, give me an electric shock.]
The system: [What would I shock you for?]
Jiang Shuyue: [I dreamed of a delicate beauty. I'm afraid I'm about to have an erotic dream. I'm a married woman! Cheating even in a dream would be immoral.]
The system: [...Sorry, this system is not a punishment system and has no electric-shock function.]
Prince Huai nearly bit his tongue.
This woman really was as outrageously bold as his imperial brother had said!
Zhou Yunshen did not know whether to laugh or cry. She actually had the gall to stare at another man, and she even knew about things like erotic dreams.
Still, she knew she ought to avoid impropriety, which made him a little pleased.
Prince Huai smiled. "I've long heard that the wife of the Marquis of Zhennan is no ordinary woman. Hearing a hundred times is no match for seeing once. Today, I've finally witnessed it myself."
Jiang Shuyue: [A beauty truly is a beauty. Even his breath is fragrant as orchids. That bearing is unmatched!]
[If I weren't married, I'd absolutely throw myself at him and plant a couple of kisses on him!]
The corners of Prince Huai's lips curved into a smile, leaving everyone stunned.
There were two men in this dynasty whom no one dared provoke.
One was Zhou Yunshen, the Killing God. The other was the unpredictable Prince Huai.
He was the emperor's full brother and the youngest son whom the Empress Dowager favored most.
He had once stood a chance of taking the throne. Unfortunately, he had been poisoned years ago. Though his life had been saved, he was confined to a wheelchair from then on.
Because of this, the Empress Dowager had always harbored resentment toward the emperor, while the emperor took especially good care of his younger brother.
Prince Huai was highly capable, but disabled, and his temper was far worse than most people's.
One careless misstep could offend him and cost someone their life.
Yet at this very moment, one of those two terrifying men was all smiles, while the other held Jiang Shuyue and glared sulkily at Prince Huai.
Were they really allowed to witness this?
Most terrifying of all was Jiang Shuyue. Sleeping with the Marquis of Zhennan was not enough for her-she actually wanted to sleep with Prince Huai too!
Before you continue