bookrandom Chapter 199 A Marriage Bestowed by Prince Xun
Chapter 199 A Marriage Bestowed by Prince Xun
Although Wei Jianxun felt he was innocent, it was true that he had touched the woman's chest. He quickly blushed and stammered an apology.
"I...I'm sorry, I...I didn't mean to."
"Mother, I don't want to live anymore."
"Miss Lin, I'm so sorry!"
Wei Jianxun kept apologizing, and Lin Yuwei kept crying. More and more people gathered around to watch the commotion until the announcement of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor's arrival was heard. Only then did everyone step aside and bow in respect.
The Emperor, supporting the Empress Dowager, approached and asked curiously,
"What were you all looking at together just now? What happened?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yuwei began to sob again. Lin Xingliang felt too ashamed to speak and was so angry that he almost ground his back teeth to powder.
Madam Lin had intended to let the matter rest, fearing it would escalate and become unmanageable. However, to her surprise, Lin Yuwei suddenly knelt on the ground.
"Your Majesty, I...I don't want to live anymore."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor became even more curious.
"Yuwei, what's wrong with you?"
As he spoke, he looked down and noticed her soaked clothes, frowning as he asked, "Your clothes..."
"Uuuuuuu..."
Lin Yuwei raised her hand to cover her mouth, and cried even harder.
Wei Jianxun was already afraid of the Emperor, and now that such a thing had happened, he was so nervous that his palms were sweating and his head was hanging low.
He knew that even if he didn't say anything, his father would find out anyway.
Rather than being discovered and punished by the Emperor later, it's better to confess proactively.
Thinking of this, he immediately flicked his robes, knelt before the Emperor, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said:
“Father, I was wrong in this matter. Please punish me.”
The Emperor was even more surprised to see this, while the Empress Dowager waved her hand impatiently.
"Speak plainly if you have something to say. Do you expect me and the Emperor to stand here forever?"
Seeing the Empress Dowager's displeasure, Wei Jianxun swallowed hard and stammered:
"Your subject... Your subject accidentally... Accidentally bumped into Miss Lin..."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor was surprised, while the Empress Dowager angrily rebuked him:
How could you be so bold?
"Grandmother, please calm down. I didn't mean it."
"Hmph, whichever hand touches Miss Lin, I'll stomp that hand off."
Anyway, the Empress Dowager doesn't like this grandson. So what if she cuts off one of his hands just to avoid offending the Lin family? What if she kills him?
Upon hearing this, Wei Jianxun's expression changed drastically.
"Grandmother, please spare me! Your grandson knows he was wrong."
Seeing that the Empress Dowager was getting angry, Madam Lin quickly stepped in to help Wei Jianxun out of the predicament.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. This matter is not entirely Prince Xun's fault. My daughter, Yuwei, was unsteady on her feet first, and then Prince Xun bumped into her. However... however, this happened in public, which is truly an insult to my daughter's reputation..."
"Uuuuuuu..."
Lin Yuwei's crying came again, and Wei Jianxun was so nervous that he didn't dare to look up, his whole body trembling like a leaf.
The Emperor frowned slightly, unsure how to begin, when the Empress smiled and said:
"Your Majesty, since Xun'er offended Miss Lin in public, damaging her reputation and making it difficult for her to marry in the future, why not just bestow a marriage upon them directly? After all, there is no principal wife in the Xun Prince's mansion yet."
Upon hearing the Empress's words, a triumphant look appeared in Lin Yuwei's eyes. This was exactly what she had been waiting for, and she silently thanked the Empress in her heart.
Little did she know that the Empress knew Lin Yuwei disdained Wei Jianxun and was certain that Lin Yuwei would strongly oppose him. She deliberately said this to provoke conflict between the two families.
To her surprise, Lin Yuwei did not object. Seeing that Lin Yuwei did not refute, Madam Lin did not stop her either.
Anyway, it's impossible for her to marry the Crown Prince, so marrying Prince Xun wouldn't be bad.
Upon seeing this, the Emperor nodded and glanced at Lin Xingliang in the crowd.
"Lord Lin, what's your opinion on this matter?"
Lin Xingliang originally wanted to hide in the crowd so that no one would notice him and he could avoid being embarrassed.
But the emperor not only discovered him, but also threw this problem at him.
He frowned slightly, then stepped forward from the crowd, clasped his hands in greeting, and replied:
"I will obey the emperor's arrangements."
Hearing Lin Xingliang's emotionless words, Lin Yuwei sneered inwardly.
When she wanted to marry Wei Jianning, he wouldn't even say a word for her.
Now, the emperor wants to bestow her upon the good-for-nothing Wei Jianxun, and he actually agrees without hesitation.
He didn't care that she wasn't his biological daughter.
Wei Jianxun, who had been so terrified he wished he could disappear into the ground, seemed not to understand and looked blankly at the Emperor.
"Father..."
The Emperor frowned slightly and asked in a cold voice,
"Since you have offended Miss Lin, you must take full responsibility for her. I hereby bestow her upon you in marriage. From now on, you must treat her well."
Wei Jianxun opened his mouth wide, blinked a few times as if in a dream, then shook his head. Suddenly, the Empress Dowager angrily rebuked him:
"Hurry up and accept the imperial decree to express your gratitude, lest you delay everyone's New Year's Eve dinner."
He suddenly had a feeling of being in a dream or awake.
He was just about to be punished, but now he's being given a woman he could only dream of?
This is absolutely a dream, and a daydream at that.
"Xun'er, didn't you hear what I said? Hurry up and thank me."
Although Wei Jianxun felt this was somewhat unrealistic, after the Empress Dowager's stern reminder, he still hurriedly kowtowed to the ground.
"Your son thanks Your Majesty for your grace, Your son thanks Your Majesty for your grace."
Lin Yuwei's expression was indifferent; she showed neither the joy of getting what she wanted nor the sadness of having to marry someone she didn't love.
She has no right. Ever since she learned that she wasn't the real eldest daughter of the Lin family, she felt she didn't have that right.
The New Year's Eve dinner was held as usual. The dancers from the music hall, accompanied by musicians, were already dancing joyfully. Everyone was filled with the joy of the New Year, but Lan Zhi felt inexplicably restless.
"Ah Qi, let's go back!"
Ah Qi asked, puzzled.
Didn't you say you'd be back tomorrow?
Lan Zhi put one hand to her forehead and shook her head with a grim expression.
"I have a headache and want to go back and rest."
"But we still need to offer incense and pay respects to our ancestors tomorrow morning..."
That is a problem, but Lan Zhi felt inexplicably flustered, so flustered that she felt that sitting for even a little longer would be torture.
"Let's go for a walk and get some fresh air!"
Although the singing and dancing in the center of the hall was very lively, she felt that she could not fit in at all. She just wanted to escape from here as soon as possible and find a quiet place to stay for a while.
Ah Qi stepped forward to help her up. Just as she was about to turn around, a sound suddenly came from outside.
"Your Majesty, something has happened..."
Hearing those three words at the New Year's Eve dinner, Lan Zhi suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.
The singing and dancing stopped abruptly, and all eyes turned to the newcomer.
The Emperor's pupils contracted slightly, and he asked warily,
"What happened?"
The person swallowed hard, panting, and replied:
"His Highness the Crown Prince was attacked halfway and his fate is unknown. The hundreds of soldiers he led were all wiped out. Only one person managed to stay alive until his last breath and returned to report the news."