Chapter 719: The Crown Princess Has Been Decided
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Originally, it was supposed to be announced on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival who would be chosen as the imperial concubine. However, due to the incident on the Qixi Festival, Huangfu Quan, under the advice of the Empress, issued the imperial edict ahead of schedule!
On the twelfth of August, the imperial edict was issued.
Liu Yan’er, the second daughter of the Grand Chancellor’s Liu family, was selected and honored as the Crown Princess!
Miao Linglong, the legitimate daughter of Duke An, was bestowed the title of the Crown Prince’s side concubine!
This was groundbreaking news!
At that time, Liu Shimei was in the Fusheng Pavilion, having just finished examining a patient. She was about to return to her consultation room to see what her silly dog was up to when she came from the gynecology area.
At this moment, a messenger from the Jiang family arrived to inform Zhang Miaozhen, “Miss Yao, the imperial edict has been sent to both the Grand Chancellor’s Residence and Duke An’s Residence. The lady ordered me to inform you and asked you to be at ease…”
Fearful that she might not have been selected, stirring her emotions.
Zhang Miaozhen remained expressionless, saying, “I’m fine; it was expected.”
Huangfu Lingyao heard that someone from the Zhang family had come to see Zhang Miaozhen and came over to listen to what was going on—
Honestly, he didn’t have any animosity towards Zhang Miaozhen, but he detested anyone or anything that hindered him from being alone with his wife!
So, he wished that someone from the Zhang family would come to take Zhang Miaozhen back.
Seeing Liu Shimei coming over with an umbrella, the Silly Second Prince, who had been leisurely eavesdropping while leaning against the corridor pillar, immediately jumped up and was about to rush towards her.
“Stay there and don’t move!” Liu Shimei stopped in her tracks, shouting.
His wife’s words were more effective than the imperial edict, and Huangfu Lingyao dared not move.
He stood honestly under the eaves, his eyes fixed on her, and said, “Wife, are your shoes wet? It’s raining, and you’re running around!”
“I just wanted to see what you were up to,” Liu Shimei walked towards him, a smile playing on her lips.
Having just stood still, she saw her dog squatting in front of her, lifting her skirt and patting her shoe.
Immediately, with a bitter face, she looked up and said, “Indeed, everything is soaked. You should have called me over to carry you!”
Liu Shimei cried and laughed, saying, “It’s okay, I’ll go change into another pair later.”
This silly dog, oh, he was quite considerate of her!
Just as she finished speaking, Zhang Miaozhen came out, and the maid beside her as well. Liu Shimei asked, “Did the madam send someone to pick you up again? In such heavy rain!”
“No, it’s the imperial edict for the Crown Prince’s marriage that has come down,” Zhang Miaozhen told her directly. “Your family has a Crown Prince’s Consort! The one from the Miao family is a concubine!”
Liu Shimei widened her eyes.
As expected, she was not surprised by the choice of the person, but by the premature edict!
“You also find it surprising, right?”
Zhang Miaozhen sighed and said, “The meaning of the edict was originally intended for the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, bypassing the traditional wedding customs. But the Astronomical Bureau suddenly reported that, based on recent celestial observations, the Mid-Autumn Festival day is more suitable for the prince’s grand wedding, so it was changed at the last minute.”
Then, looking at Liu Shimei, who was twisting her eyebrows, she asked, “Do you think… there might be some other reason?”
After pondering for a moment, Liu Shimei said, “Changing the time suddenly was the idea of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. But the Astronomical Bureau acts on the Emperor’s orders.”
So, either the emperor wanted to change the time, but it was more likely the Empress!
Now that the relationship between Zhang Miaozhen and Liu Shimei is so profound, they don’t shy away from speaking their minds. Liu Shimei thought for a moment and said, “I think, maybe it’s because they’re afraid that the remaining people will fight again, causing an imbalance in the power of the courtiers. A single dominant family is not the scene the Emperor wants to see.”
“You’re right,” Liu Shimei smirked, “It seems that Liu Yan’er has escaped another crisis!”