As the imperial eunuch finished delivering the edict, he didn’t want to linger at the Lu residence. With a cold snort, he waved his sleeve and led the palace guards to mount their horses, pursuing the Northwestern Army.
After Li Guangcai and the local officials respectfully saw off the palace eunuch, the prefecture governor let out a sigh of relief. He turned to look at the Lu family patriarch: “Old Master, your ancestral graves must be smoking with good fortune! His Majesty personally issued an edict. Your granddaughter might ascend to great heights and receive the Emperor’s favor!”
A nearby official, noticing the governor’s confusion, hastily informed him: “Sir, the Lu family’s granddaughter was recently betrothed to Prince Cui Xingzhou of Huaiyang, who passed through our prefecture some days ago!”
Upon hearing this, the governor was stunned, realizing the implications.
It meant that the Emperor was summoning the betrothed of the Prince of Huaiyang to the palace!
Although the Emperor’s word was law, Prince Cui Xingzhou was no ordinary idle prince. Could he silently accept the Emperor taking his fiancée?
For the Emperor to so brazenly summon a meritorious general’s betrothed into the palace… What kind of foolish move was this?
The governor was at a loss. He turned to find the local magistrate Li Guangcai for clarification, but Li had disappeared.
Bewildered, he looked back at the Lu patriarch. Lu Wu didn’t respond to him, instead coughing urgently and appearing frail. Breathlessly, he said: “Since there’s nothing else, please return to your offices, gentlemen…”
With that, he instructed the doorkeeper to see the guests out and close the gate. Following the master’s orders, the doorkeeper unceremoniously shut the main gate in front of the officials.
The Lu family’s doorkeeper, now well-experienced, felt that the residence he guarded might soon become a golden phoenix nest. Even if the Jade Emperor himself came knocking tomorrow, he could remain composed…
The governor and remaining officials looked at each other, feeling it was best to feign ignorance about the new Emperor competing with a noble prince for a bride.
Meanwhile, Li Guangcai hurried to the local post station. As a temporarily assigned official, he had no property or transportation in the area. He usually rented a donkey from the station for a silver coin.
When the station master saw Li arrive, he asked with a smile: “Oh, are you here to borrow a donkey again, sir?”
Li Guangcai waved his hand: “Quick, bring me your fastest horse. I have an urgent business!”
The station master didn’t dare delay. Fortunately, there was one horse left at the station, which he brought for Li. Li Guangcai turned to instruct the secret guard left behind by the Prince of Huaiyang: “Use any means necessary to deliver my letter to the Prince before the palace messengers arrive. Don’t stop even if you run the horse to death on the road. Understand?”
The guard accepted the order, mounted the horse, and galloped away. Li Guangcai watched the departing horse, sighing deeply at the Prince of Huaiyang’s somewhat rocky romance.
The guard pushed himself to exhaustion, carrying the Prince’s military token. Post stations along the way had to provide preferential treatment. He rode day and night without rest, finally catching up to the Prince of Huaiyang ahead of the palace eunuchs.
When the Prince read Li Guangcai’s letter, his brows furrowed and his eyes flashed with anger.
Mian Tang was in the military tent, sewing new undergarments for him. She had heard that his previous undergarments, which she had sewn, were ruined by Mo Ru’s rough washing. But Cui Xingzhou found other clothes uncomfortable, so she was making him a new set. Her stitches were still crooked, showing little improvement, but the Prince didn’t mind and even said her sewing seemed better than before.
Seeing his usual composure give way to anger, she asked what was wrong.
He thought for a moment, then handed Li Guangcai’s letter to Mian Tang.
As Mian Tang read, her eyes grew wider and wider. She exclaimed in shock: “He… What does His Majesty mean by having me serve the Empress?”
Cui Xingzhou, suppressing his anger, said coldly: “In previous dynasties, there was such a custom. If the Emperor desired another man’s wife but couldn’t directly summon her to the palace, he could appoint her as a court lady. After some time in the palace, he could arrange for the woman to divorce her former husband and then, finding an opportunity, elevate her to imperial consort…”
Mian Tang threw the letter aside: “You mean… His Majesty wants to…”
She couldn’t finish the sentence. According to her great-uncle, she had been involved with Liu Dan before, but that had ended. Besides, hadn’t he married and had children? What did he mean by suddenly summoning her to serve his wife?
Cui Xingzhou walked over and pulled her into his embrace: “There’s no ‘want’ about it. He won’t have the chance!”
Although she felt Cui Xingzhou’s defiance of the newly enthroned Emperor was somewhat reckless, Mian Tang couldn’t help but think this was how a true man should act.
Whether in the past or present, one thing about Cui Jiu remained unchanged – that arrogant streak that seemed to look down on everyone. Though he carefully concealed this rebelliousness beneath a cultured exterior, Mian Tang could sense it and found his masculine spirit truly captivating!
She bit her lip and couldn’t help but throw herself into his arms, tightly encircling his waist.
Though Mian Tang said nothing, her docile retreat into his embrace was proof enough of where her heart lay now.
To be honest, Cui Xingzhou now very much wished that Mian Tang wouldn’t recover her memories and recall her past with Liu Dan.
Although her great-uncle had said it was just a young girl’s foolish game, she had genuinely cared for Liu Dan at the time. Even though she had left in anger, if Liu Dan had pursued her then as persistently as Cui Xingzhou had, would she have softened and changed her mind?
Now that Liu Dan had reclaimed his true name, announced it to the world, and ascended to the throne, he was naturally eager to reclaim what he had lost.
The fact that he summoned Mian Tang to the capital before even securing his position on the throne was proof! If Mian Tang regained her memories, would she still have lingering feelings for Ziyiu?
When considering matters, Cui Xingzhou always imagined the worst scenarios, but the thought of Mian Tang having another man in her heart made it hard to suppress his violent temper.
So what if Liu Dan had become Emperor? If he wanted to compete for a woman, they’d see if this new Emperor had what it took!
However, knowing that the eunuchs delivering the edict were in pursuit, Cui Xingzhou changed his previously leisurely pace. He ordered the army to prepare and march as if in wartime, greatly increasing their speed. They rested only two hours a day, traveling day and night.
They left the eunuchs far behind, arriving near the capital much earlier.
The triumphant return of the Northwestern Army was cause for national celebration in Da Yan. Cui Xingzhou had won the people’s hearts through this campaign. Without any organizing, people spontaneously lined the roads outside the city with flowers and clean water to welcome the Northwestern Army.
As the new Emperor with an unstable foundation, Liu Dan’s treatment of meritorious officials became a test by which his subjects would judge him after his ascension.
He needed to guard against Cui Xingzhou’s potential insubordination and uprising while also appropriately drawing in capable ministers to consolidate his position. So, setting aside past grudges, Liu Dan had to show courtesy to talented individuals, aligning with the people’s will and according to the Prince of Huaiyang the proper ceremonial treatment.
Therefore, he issued an imperial edict to open the capital’s main gates and personally led all the court officials to welcome the army. Liu Dan even stood atop the city gate before dawn. Such great favor truly demonstrated the new Emperor’s virtuous and magnanimous nature.
However, it wasn’t until the sun was high in the sky and crowds of commoners had gathered along the road that the Northwestern Army finally arrived.
The procession stretched like a long snake, its tail out of sight. The soldiers, in shining silver armor, looked valiant and spirited. The welcoming citizens cheered enthusiastically, vying to throw their flowers at the troops.
Most eye-catching was the Northwestern Army’s commander, the Prince of Huaiyang, at the front. Clad in golden armor with knee-high boots and a fluttering cape, he sat atop a white horse like a war god descended to earth, his sharp brows and focused gaze commanding attention.
Beside him, surprisingly, was a young woman also riding a white horse. Dressed in black hunting attire with her long hair in a high ponytail cascading like a black waterfall, her wide belt accentuated her slender waist. Her posture was graceful yet robust. Her face, with arched brows and almond eyes, was stunningly beautiful as if a celestial maiden had descended to accompany the Prince of Huaiyang.
The crowd exclaimed in wonder, speculating about the identity of this young woman.
Such a scene of a handsome man and a beautiful woman was rare to behold. On this joyous day, the people simply shouted “Long live the Prince of Huaiyang!” in celebration.
Liu Dan had planned how to welcome the Prince of Huaiyang with a great ceremony, showcasing his magnanimity.