Li Yue took the imperial edict from the eunuch’s hands, turned around preparing to walk outside, the Emperor upon seeing this hurriedly called out to stop him: “Where are you going?”
“Going to Meng Residence ah,” Li Yue said as if it were natural, right now he finally could openly and aboveboard go see A’Fu.
Li Yue stopped his steps, turned his head to glance at the Emperor, and asked him: “Your illness is better?”
Just now still had a dying appearance, no?
This pretending to be sick, also be a little more sincere.
The Emperor coughed once, avoided Li Yue’s gaze, and said to him: “That, isn’t it because heard you are going to get married, Zhen‘s mood greatly improved, feels body is much better.”
Afterward he stood up from the bed, summoned a young eunuch to help him change clothes.
“You go to Meng Residence for what?” Li Yue really did not want to go with the Emperor together.
The Emperor asked: “Then you go for what?”
Li Yue pressed his lips together not speaking, the Emperor seeing him like this, just felt he definitely was not planning to do anything good, must follow him out together.
Li Yue had agreed to this marriage arrangement, but not sure he might go threaten Meng Yanxing and make Meng Yanxing withdraw the marriage.
This was absolutely something Li Yue could do.
The Emperor felt he truly understood this son too well, he walked to Li Yue’s front, patted his shoulder, and said: “Go, our father and son will go together to take a look, Zhen actually also cannot quite recall what Meng Yanxing’s eldest daughter looks like, but vaguely remembers should be a beauty, surely matches you.”
Li Yue looked completely unhappy, but had no way, could only go with the Emperor out of the palace, to the Meng Residence.
Arriving at Meng Residence, seeing Meng Yanxing’s two daughters, the Emperor became even more satisfied with this marriage, the younger daughter Meng Yu had a lively temperament, the Crown Prince was dull and silent, the two could just complement each other; and the elder daughter at one glance was a proper daughter from a noble family, after marriage could also make Li Yue restrain a bit his foul temper.
Li Yue listening to the Emperor and Meng Yanxing endlessly praising each other, finally could not bear it anymore, spoke out: “Royal Father, I want to go out and talk with Meng Guniang [Meng young lady].”
The Emperor was about to nod in agreement, but turned his thoughts around — Li Yue had nothing, what could he talk with the young lady?
He did not believe his son could take a liking to someone at first sight.
He might not have given up yet, planning to make a move starting from A’Fu.
The more the Emperor thought, the more he felt this was possible, but he also had no good reason to stop it, so after nodding and agreeing to Li Yue, he turned and said to Meng Yanxing: “Have the servants all follow along.”
Li Yue: “….”
Are you sick, are you sick!
If sick then quickly go find an imperial doctor to check the brain!
The Emperor seeing Li Yue’s face sink like water about to drip, even more confirmed that his guess was not wrong, he definitely wanted to do something to the young lady.
He was truly too wise!
Saw through him in one glance, with so many people following, he surely could not do anything outrageous.
After Li Yue and Meng Fu went out, the Emperor happily discussed with Meng Yanxing the matter of the grand wedding.
The Crown Prince’s wedding must be properly organized, but Li Yue would not stay long in the capital, so everything had to be simplified, and the marriage completed quickly.
The Emperor felt that according to Li Yue’s temperament he would not mind these matters, but as a result, after hearing, Li Yue directly said no, whatever way the other princes’ weddings were handled, his would be handled the same, if truly not enough time, then he would not marry this year.
Other little girls have it, his little girl also should have it.
The Emperor did not know what he was thinking in his heart, thought he wanted to delay the marriage matter, he absolutely could not give Li Yue the chance to delay, the Emperor could only temporarily set aside the Crown Prince’s marriage, and go all out to prepare Li Yue’s big wedding.
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau calculated the good date, in the end setting the Third Prince’s wedding on May 18th.
In the blink of an eye, the wedding day finally arrived, in the past more than two months, the Emperor every day worried over Li Yue’s marriage, afraid he would stir up some moths [meaning cause trouble] and want to break the engagement.
Although during this period Li Yue did not do anything, the Emperor still felt that the Third Prince was too quiet, most likely planning to make trouble.
Fortunately, finally endured until May 18th, even if he wanted to make trouble it was too late, this day there was no wind no rain, the sky clear for ten thousand li, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau really did have some skills.
The Emperor early in the morning rushed to Li Yue’s residence, at this time still some while before the wedding procession’s time, Li Yue had already changed clothes, standing at the door, eyes now and then glancing toward the white horse not far away hanging with a red flower, asking the servants could they depart now?
The Emperor felt something was not right, this was not the Third Prince’s usual style, he looked and looked, suddenly felt, the Third Prince seemed quite willing to marry that young lady.
He recalled the smile on Li Yue’s face when receiving the edict that day, could it be that he already fancied the young lady?
Then wouldn’t he have suffered a great loss!
Impossible, absolutely no such possibility!
The Third Prince was not stupid enough to do this kind of thing!
At this time, the whole Meng Residence likewise had plunged into busyness, everyone was raising their spirits, daring not to make even a little mistake.
The wedding procession was about to arrive, Meng Yanxing stood outside Meng Fu’s boudoir, could not help but sigh.
The first few years after Meng Fu returned from Xuzhou, although his own official career was somewhat unfavorable, Madam Meng would often mutter in his ear about what the fortune-teller back then had said, but Meng Yanxing overall was still quite satisfied with Meng Fu.
She had a smart brain, could memorize at one glance, and was very obedient, did things meticulously, every word and action conformed to his requirements, Meng Yanxing often regretted that she was born a daughter, could only study the three obediences and four virtues, in the future marrying into another family, being a qualified mistress.
Only afterward, not knowing how, Meng Fu gradually changed, she did not, like Meng Yu, act coquettishly and foolishly pester him to change his words, she always nodded very well-behavedly, then turned around and threw his words behind her head, did whatever she should do, as if she had not heard at all, Meng Yanxing for this grew quite a bit of anger, just like he had painstakingly painted a painting, and one day the painting itself jumped into an ink pond, all his expectations and efforts wasted.
But after all, Meng Fu was his daughter, no matter how much resentment Meng Yanxing had toward her, he still would not wish for her to suffer too much torment at Li Yue’s place.
When the servants came to report that the wedding procession had arrived at the door, Meng Yanxing sighed again, walked into the room, while Li Yue had not yet come, warned Meng Fu saying: “The Third Prince’s temper is not good, after marrying him, you endure more.”
Meng Fu softly responded: “Daughter knows.”
Meng Fu answered so readily, but Meng Yanxing still could not be at ease, yet did not know what else he could say — the Third Prince was not a person of an ordinary family, once Meng Fu married over, she would be a person of the imperial family, no matter what she encountered, he could not intervene.
Thinking of how the Emperor had told him that the Third Prince even made the Emperor promise not to intervene in matters of his residence anymore, Meng Yanxing just felt that in the future Meng Fu’s days would be hard.
Forget it, after they married, who knows who would harm who.
Meng Yanxing gathered up the stray thoughts in his mind, tidied his clothes, and went out to greet the few princes who had come with the wedding procession.
But as soon as he went out and saw Li Yue, Meng Yanxing directly froze —
In so many years, this Third Prince, it was the first time when seeing him that he had a smile on his face.
Shocking!
Meng Yanxing at once had the same thought as the Emperor two months ago — Could it be the Third Prince had been tortured crazy?
Li Yue could not care less what these people were thinking inside their heads, he just happily and contentedly welcomed his bride home, performed the bowing ceremony, and entered the bridal chamber with her.
Meng Fu’s wedding veil was lifted, she raised her head to look at Li Yue, the candlelight jumped in her pupils, like countless starlight flickering.
The bright red wedding clothes set off Meng Fu’s skin like snow, black hair hanging down, she slowly lay down, the wedding clothes scattered to the side, red gauze swaying.
Already a few years ago, someone had shown the “Fire Prevention Diagram” [避火图, bìhuǒ tú, ancient euphemism for sex education pictures] to Li Yue, and even sent palace maids to teach him, that palace maid was driven away by Li Yue, and the “Fire Prevention Diagram” he also only casually flipped through two pages before throwing it aside — at that time, the youthful Li Yue felt, what was there to look at in this thing, the drawings uglier one after another.
Last night, Li Yue at the last minute hugged the Buddha’s feet [临时抱佛脚, idiom: to make frantic last-minute preparations], picked out a few books and stayed up overnight to study them bitterly, he had to admit, before it was he who did not know how to appreciate, this thing indeed was somewhat nice to look at, but just was a little confusing, the key places should be drawn a bit more detailed, that would be better.
But Li Yue was very confident in himself, this kind of thing, should be able to master without a teacher.
Should be.
Meng Fu lay on the bed, her fingers gripping the bedding under her tightly, her fingertips slightly whitening, she felt that her third brother was like a little dog, kissing here, kissing there.
The wine cup on the table toppled over, wine dripped down the table, making the sound of water dripping, but Meng Fu waited for a long time, and did not see him take the next step, she opened her eyes, and softly asked him: “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Li Yue said, he slightly narrowed his eyes, like he was thinking over some national matter of great importance.
Meng Fu observed him for a while, suddenly had a very strange thought — Could it be her third brother simply did not know what to do?
Meng Fu for a moment wanted to laugh, but afraid of hurting Li Yue’s confidence, could only hold back the laughter, but her body very honestly trembled slightly.
Li Yue did not understand the reason, thought he had done pretty well, wanted to repeat the earlier actions and kiss her again, Meng Fu seeing this quickly sat up, grabbed Li Yue’s hand, with a red face, said in a low voice — here.
Li Yue’s fingers trembled — this really could?
Fact proved, indeed could.
Red candles burned high, red gauze danced lightly.
After the big wedding, Li Yue then should return to Northern Frontier.
Meng Fu wanted to go with him to Northern Frontier.
Li Yue was a little hesitant, he very much wanted to be with Meng Fu, but once at Northern Frontier, she would have to suffer hardship along with him, he said to Meng Fu: “Northern Frontier’s climate is harsh, conditions are difficult, far less comfortable than the Capital.”
Meng Fu nodded and said: “I know ah, but since the soldiers can stay there year after year, then I also can.”
Li Yue no longer tried to persuade.
One month after the big wedding, Meng Fu followed him together to Northern Frontier, all the various disputes of the Capital had nothing to do with them anymore.
Northern Frontier, just like Li Yue had said, was indeed harsh, but Meng Fu did not feel it hard to endure, even liked it quite a lot.
Li Yue led soldiers out to fight battles, she stayed in the city to manage military supplies and provisions, presided over border trade, led the common people to reclaim wasteland and open schools.
When Li Yue came back, she entangled happily with him, listened to him talk about military strategy — the days passed very pleasurably.
Time like white horse passing a crack, in the blink of an eye.
In the winter of the 16th year of Wenkang , the Crown Prince who had just been married not long accidentally fell into the lotus pond while drunkenly returning at night, and passed away that night.
The old Emperor, upon hearing the bad news, fell severely ill, and the grown-up princes in the Imperial City thereby fell into an intense struggle over the position of heir apparent.
But in the end, not a single one succeeded.
At the old Emperor’s deathbed, he left an imperial edict, establishing the Third Prince Li Yue, far away at Northern Frontier, as the Crown Prince.
In the 17th year of Wenkang, Crown Prince Li Yue returned from Northern Frontier, ascended the throne as Emperor, conferred Crown Princess Meng Fu as Empress, and changed the reign title to Xihe [熙和, meaning “Brightness and Harmony”].
Thus began a long era of prosperous times spanning decades.