"Princess Consort Nan, there's no need for such formalities. And the Prince Nan?" Since he hasn't been formally appointed, it's more appropriate to call him Prince Nan. Eunuch Li said with a smile.
Ji Wushang smiled, "He went to the palace early this morning to discuss matters with the Third Prince and hasn't returned yet. He must already be in the palace." Ji Wushang smiled again, then curtsied, "Eunuch, shouldn't we go to the palace now?"
"That's right, that's right. Then please, Princess Consort Nan, get into the carriage quickly. His Majesty has specially granted you a carriage to enter the palace." Since Prince Nan has entered the palace, that's fine!
"Thank you very much, sir." Ji Wushang smiled.
The Marquis of Jinnan listened and nodded. So he'd gone to the palace. Good, good! He wondered if he should also go to the palace. Hmm, he'd follow. He should probably attend the morning court session. Although… His Majesty had said that he was too old to attend…
The Marquis of Jinnan took a deep breath and said, "Let's go!"
At this moment, some people in the court began to chatter, while others discussed court etiquette. Ji Wushang was waiting for an audience in a side hall. He was somewhat anxious, wondering if Huangfu Xuan had arranged for someone to take care of Nan Xuzong, or if Nan Xuzong had woken up. If he didn't appear at the important ceremony of the coronation, or if he learned that Nan Xuzong was seriously injured and asleep, wouldn't everything be over?
Ji Wushang twisted the silk handkerchief in his hand, determined to fight to the end no matter what!
At that moment, someone walked in from outside. "Fourth sister-in-law."
Ji Wushang was startled. When he saw that it was Huangfu Xuan, the two guards behind Huangfu Xuan immediately stood outside to prevent anyone from entering.
"How is Cong?" Ji Wushang stepped forward and immediately asked.
"I had the imperial physician examine me... Unfortunately, we haven't been able to find Doctor Cui and the others yet; they seem to be out of the capital." Huangfu Xuan lowered his eyes slightly.
Ji Wushang's heart sank, but he immediately said, "Does the Third Prince not attend court?"
"No announcement, no action." That's his prerogative!
Ji Wushang nodded. Just then, they heard footsteps, and then the two guards immediately came in and gestured to Huangfu Xuan. Huangfu Xuan immediately disappeared into a corner.
A eunuch rushed in, announcing, "Summon the Crown Prince of Nan and his consort to the main hall!"
Ji Wushang was startled; Xuan Nanxu Cong was leading him into the palace!
☆、236 He was appointed as the fourth prince, Huangfu Zong!
A flicker of panic crossed Ji Wushang's eyes. He was just about to tell Nan Xuzong that he had some things to attend to and would come later when he heard a person emerge from a corner. The person had a pleasant voice and said, "Wushang, let's go!"
Ji Wushang was startled and looked at him sharply. Nan Xuzong?! No, it wasn't him. The tenderness she felt wasn't Nan Xuzong's. But at this moment, Nan Xuzong stepped forward and grabbed Ji Wushang's hand. "Wushang, what's wrong?"
Ji Wushang paused, looking at him, then at the young eunuch, wondering what to say, when she heard a voice beside her, "Keep acting; you can't handle this alone." It was Huangfu Xuan's voice!
Ji Wushang took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm fine. Let's go." Her emotions quickly calmed down. He was right; it was indeed not easy for her to deal with so many people in the court all by herself!
Huangfu Xuan gently held her hand; it was icy cold, instantly evoking a feeling of tenderness. However, he quickly composed himself. This wasn't his type of woman, and he would never fall in love with her! Besides, she was Nan Xuzong's woman; how could he possibly steal her from another man? He disdained such a thing!
Ji Wushang dared not look at his face. He was now disguised as Nan Xuzong, and if she looked at him too much, she would surely fall for him. Nan Xuzong was the love deep in her soul; only when he was there could her heart find peace.
Seeing the two of them so affectionate, the father-in-law knew they had always been very loving, so he wasn't surprised.
"Then please invite Prince Nan and Princess Nan to enter the hall." The eunuch bowed respectfully.
Ji Wushang and Huangfu Xuan immediately headed into the main hall.
She looked around to make sure no one was watching, and tried to pull her hand away. She still wasn't used to anyone other than Nan Xuzong holding her hand... and she couldn't be so frivolous! However, Huangfu Xuan gripped her hand even tighter. "Don't pull away. There are many secret guards in the palace. Do you want people to know that you and Nan Xuzong have a bad relationship?"
"No." Upon hearing Nan Xuzong's name, Ji Wushang immediately stopped struggling. "How is he now?" She looked at Huangfu Xuan with sadness in her eyes, but then immediately looked away. "I'm not used to you pretending to be him..." she said softly.
Huangfu Xuan had just seen the fleeting sadness in her eyes, and the tenderness in her eyes as she looked at him. His heart skipped a beat, but he quickly suppressed it. "He's fine now. Don't worry, I will definitely find a way."
"Thank you." Ji Wushang looked outside, hoping everything would be alright. No, Nan Xuzong, you must get better!
Huangfu Xuan pulled her along quickly toward the main hall, saying, "Let's go quickly."
Ji Wushang remained silent.
Upon arriving at the main hall, I saw civil and military officials standing there, whispering amongst themselves. Listening closely, some said:
"Why do you want Prince Xuan Nan and Princess Nan?"
"The Prince of Nan is the Grand Tutor of the Third Prince, so he can be summoned. But why not summon the Third Prince?"
"I don't know, but never mind. How can we presume to know His Majesty's intentions?"
"Yes, yes, I won't say anymore."
"The Prince and Princess Nan have arrived!"
The commotion quickly subsided, and Ji Wushang and "Nan Xuzong" immediately stood outside. The eunuch immediately shouted, "The Prince and Princess of the Southern Heirs have arrived!"
Ji Wushang and "Nan Xuzong" immediately went inside and walked on the red carpet. Then, the two knelt down and bowed to Emperor Zhou, who was sitting on the high dragon throne. "Nan Xuzong (Ji Wushang) greets Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"
"Rise." Emperor Zhou did not notice anything amiss, waved for them to stand up, and then gestured to the imperial edict-bearing eunuch on the other side. The eunuch immediately stepped forward and opened the imperial edict in his hand.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Twenty-three years ago, my beloved Consort Zhenrong gave birth to the Fourth Prince, Zong. However, a fire broke out in Consort Zhenrong's palace in the dead of night, and Consort Zhen perished in the flames. On her deathbed, she entrusted her son to Princess Huangfu Xiuer. Huangfu Xiuer painstakingly raised the Fourth Prince Zong, who was then raised in the residence of the Marquis of Jinnan. His courtesy name was Xuzong, and his given name was Zongzheng. However, Heaven had bestowed a great responsibility upon this person. At the age of seven, Zong practiced martial arts but suffered a stroke that left him unable to walk, confined to a small space. Fortunately, in our Great Xia Zhou, a miracle recently occurred to the Fourth Prince Zong, who encountered a divine physician." Standing on his hind legs, I approach. Consort Zhen has appeared, revealing the truth of that day. The Fourth Prince, Zong, should now acknowledge his ancestors and return to his clan. Therefore, I hereby appoint Nan Xuzong, formerly the heir apparent of the Marquis of Jinnan, as the Fourth Prince Huangfu Zong, courtesy name Xuzong, personal name Zongzheng. The Marquis of Jinnan's household, having shown great kindness in raising the Fourth Prince, is hereby renamed the Prince of Jinnan's Household, and the Marquis of Jinnan, Nan Aoqian, is hereby enfeoffed as the Prince of Jinnan. The Fourth Prince Zong's mother, Zhenrong, is posthumously honored as Consort Zhen. The Fourth Prince Zong's first wife, Lady Ji, who died young, is hereby appointed as the Fourth Prince's Principal Consort. This is the imperial decree!
The moment the imperial edict was read aloud, the entire court was in an uproar and shocked. What was going on?! Nan Xuzong was actually the Fourth Prince Zong? And it was Consort Zhen's spirit who revealed the truth to the world?
At this moment, Emperor Zhou ordered someone to bring out Consort Zhen's handwriting. "This is Consort Zhen's handwriting. I have confirmed it is correct. My beloved ministers need not speculate further."
Ji Wushang and "Nan Xuzong" exchanged a glance, then both knelt down, saying, "Thank you, Father Emperor!"
Standing to one side, Marquis Nan Aogan of Jinnan listened to these words and was stunned for a long time, unable to feel joy or sorrow. Firstly, his promotion to Prince of Jinnan did indeed elevate the entire Marquisate to a higher level; this was a glorious achievement, finally placing him on par with the Prince of Zhenbei and others. However, secondly, he was distressed because he, Nan Aogan, had no successor! Nan Xuzong was not his son, but the Fourth Prince! Who would inherit the throne of the Prince of Jinnan? Nan Jinxue was dead, and Concubine Leng's child was not yet born, its gender unknown. If no one inherited the throne, his Prince of Jinnan would have to be incorporated into the imperial court, becoming a separate residence for the royal family! This was the rule of the Great Xia Zhou Dynasty!
It seems that he can only place his hopes on the unborn child. He absolutely cannot allow anything to happen to Aunt Leng... After returning to the manor, he will immediately bestow upon Aunt Leng the title of Princess Consort! To protect her! This was the only decision Nan Aogan could make.
The people in the hall were at a loss for what to do, but since Emperor Zhou had spoken, they could only bow in respect. However, at that moment, someone burst into the hall, shouting, "Your Majesty, wait!"
Upon hearing the voice, everyone immediately focused their attention on the person.
It was Empress Yao they saw, followed by quite a few others. Empress Yao burst into the hall! Everyone immediately turned to look at them. The Second Prince Huangfu Ting, the Sixth Prince Huangfu Yu, the Eldest Princess Huangfu Jing, and the Seventh Princess Huangfu Lan were all present.
Ji Wushang glanced at "Nan Xuzong," who smiled back at him, "Don't be afraid." His tone was remarkably similar to Nan Xuzong's! Ji Wushang was momentarily stunned. Yes, they were brothers, sharing half the blood, so naturally they had some similarities.
"Empress, how could you bring people into the palace? This is utterly disrespectful!" Emperor Zhou frowned, but clearly he wasn't angry.
"Your Majesty, I believe there is something fishy about this matter! Your Majesty, how can you conclude that the Prince of Nan is the Fourth Prince Zong based solely on Consort Zhen's handwriting?" Empress Yao said to Emperor Zhou, then turned to look at the surrounding ministers, and then at Ji Wushang and "Nan Xuzong," saying, "I fear that some people have ill intentions, impersonating princes to carry out their wicked deeds!"
Upon hearing this, Ji Wushang's heart blazed with anger! Did she mean that Nan Xuzong intended to commit a despicable act?
"Your Majesty, there's no need to worry. Xu Cong is simple-minded and has no intention of doing anything underhanded! The Emperor will surely know the truth, which is why he sent the eunuch to announce the imperial decree. Your Majesty need not concern yourself!" "Nan Xu Cong" said coldly, his eyes as cold as the night's chilling light, a murderous aura emanating from him, chillingly menacing. Those around him felt suffocated by his presence. Ji Wushang looked at him, slightly surprised. This must be Huangfu Xuan's true face, right? As domineering as ever!
Upon hearing this, Empress Yao's face changed drastically. What "Nan Xuzong" meant was that since Emperor Zhou had already issued the imperial decree, it meant the Emperor had confirmed his lineage as the Fourth Prince! There was no need for Empress Yao to intervene now! And what Empress Yao had just said was that Nan Xuzong intended to commit illicit acts. His rebuttal revealed her own womanly heart, as deep as the ocean; perhaps it was Empress Yao herself who was plotting illicit acts! She was jealous of the Fourth Prince's recognition of his lineage!
The surrounding ministers looked at these people, not daring to say a word.
“Your Highness is probably too excited. Your Majesty’s intention is simply for Father to investigate further; there is no other meaning,” Huangfu Ting said, his thin lips slightly moving. “If the truth is as described, then I would be happy to address Your Highness as Fourth Imperial Brother!”
"Wu Shang thinks that Consort Zhen's handwriting may indeed be insufficient, but His Majesty has already confirmed everything a few days ago, so Your Highness need not worry."
Huangfu Ting was shocked. It had already been confirmed? How was it confirmed? Could there be something else besides Consort Zhen's handwriting?
Ji Wushang looked at Emperor Zhou with cold eyes. It was Emperor Zhou who had pushed him and Nan Xuzong in front of everyone. If Emperor Zhou didn't step forward, Ji Wushang would have no choice but to ruin the whole thing!
Emperor Zhou coughed three times. "Yes, I have personally verified it. When the Fourth Prince was born, I saw that he had seven stars under his feet, and yesterday, I saw it myself and there was no forgery. My beloved ministers can rest assured. I understand the thoughts of my sons and the Empress. How could I allow someone who is impersonating a prince to live in this world? But, Nan Xu Cong is indeed the Fourth Prince Zong. This is a fact, so you don't need to say anything more."
Those around immediately knelt down, chanting, "Long live the Fourth Prince! Long live the Fourth Prince's Consort!"
Ji Wushang and "Nan Xucong" exchanged a glance.
Empress Yao was enraged by this scene. Was she really going to watch them become the Fourth Prince's consorts? No! Absolutely not! She would rather they die! Those damned Zhenrong and Huangfu Xiuer, why didn't they take Nan Xuzong with them when they were going to die! Burning Consort Zhen to death back then was too good for that bitch! Now, this scourge has been left behind! She must find a way to eliminate them!
Huangfu Ting intended to argue to the end, but Emperor Zhou had already called out, "Rise! Rongguang Palace is hereby granted as the residence of the Fourth Prince and his consort." Rongguang Palace is a grand hall near Consort Zhen's Palace, and as its name suggests, it is truly glorious! This demonstrates Emperor Zhou's compensation and deep affection for Nan Xu Cong!
Ji Wushang and "Nan Xuzong" immediately knelt down to pay their respects and express their gratitude.
The curtains of the court finally fell. Ji Wushang and "Nan Xuzong" walked along the corridor, their hands still clasped, but both remained silent.
Nan Aogan returned to the Marquis's residence with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow. Immediately, an imperial edict was issued, and court officials came to renovate the Jinnan Marquis's residence into the Jinnan King's residence. The Zhou Emperor specially bestowed the plaque "Jinnan Marquis's Residence".
Upon returning, after Nan Aogan was enfeoffed as the Prince of Jinnan, he immediately bestowed the title of Princess Leng of Jinnan upon Consort Leng, and Consort Jin upon Consort Jin. This caused a great stir. But let's leave that aside for now.
After returning to her Ningfeng Palace, Empress Yao and the others looked extremely sullen and disgusted. Huangfu Ting was also extremely frustrated. Damn it, did he suddenly have another opponent? Now, whether it was Huangfu Xuan or Nan Xu Cong, once they both became princes, their power would increase dramatically. If they joined forces, whoever became emperor would have a great chance of victory!
Huangfu Yu didn't care about such things. He just smiled and went back to his own palace after watching them argue.
"Mother, didn't you send people to kill Nan Xuzong and Ji Wushang? How come they are both perfectly fine!"
"Do you think I don't want to kill them?" Empress Yao said coldly, looking at Huangfu Ting. "Their strength has truly surprised me! I sent the Twenty-Eight Ghosts of Yanyun to them, and they were all wiped out! The Twenty-Eight Ghosts of Yanyun steal souls, but unexpectedly, they couldn't even harm them! I heard that last night, the Ma family army and the Third Prince were actually at the Marquis of Jinnan's residence!"
"The Twenty-Eight Ghosts of Yanyun?" Huangfu Ting was shocked. He hadn't expected that he could control an assassin organization that had disappeared for more than ten years. What kind of power was his mother hiding behind her? It seemed that he still needed to hide his strength, otherwise, he couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't do something detrimental to him!
"Enough, let's leave this matter at that for now. There are still many things to do in the future that require utmost care!" Empress Yao looked at the scenery outside, her eyes flashing with coldness. This matter would definitely not end like this!
Huangfu Ting nodded, "I will send people to keep a close watch on them!"
"Go! I'm tired, you may leave!" Empress Yao closed her eyes and then waved her sleeve.
Huangfu Ting bowed and then withdrew.
Ji Wushang and "Nan Xuzong" headed straight for the palace. As they passed through the Imperial Garden, they saw Huangfu Ting coming out of Ningfeng Palace. The two exchanged a glance and then sat down at a table in the Imperial Garden.
Seeing that it was the two of them, Huangfu Ting wanted to investigate further, so he immediately stepped forward and said, "Fourth Imperial Brother, Fourth Sister-in-law!"
"Second Imperial Brother!" Nan Xuzong lowered his eyes slightly, while Ji Wushang gave a simple bow, "Second Imperial Brother."
He really wasn't used to it! This person had once tried to kill him and Wu Zi, and now he was his fourth sister-in-law! However, Ji Wushang knew very well that there would be many more battles to come, and he would not be soft-hearted!
"You're here?" Huangfu Ting hesitated for a moment.
"I'll take Wu Shang for a stroll here, and we'll return to Rongguang Palace later!" Nan Xu Cong's eyes were cold as he spoke, taking Ji Wu Shang's soft hand in his and gently caressing it in his palm. The meaning was clear: he was telling Huangfu Ting that he had disturbed their lovemaking!
Ji Wushang frowned slightly, but did not refuse his gentle caress; she did look somewhat embarrassed.
Seeing the awkwardness, Huangfu Ting smiled and said, "Then you all go ahead with your work. I just happened to be passing by. I have some things to do inside the hall, so I'll be going now. Be careful, it's windy here." With that, Huangfu Ting turned and left.
"It's windy?" Huangfu Xuan's lips curled into a smile. Was he implying that he and Ji Wushang shouldn't be being affectionate in front of so many people? Humph!
Ji Wushang turned to him and said, "Let's go back. I need to take care of him."
"Hmm." Huangfu Xuan nodded, helping her up. "Play your part well, be natural! I suspect Huangfu Ting has people watching us!"
"Fine!" Ji Wushang gritted his teeth, letting him lead him towards Rongguang Palace. "This is Rongguang Palace. Remember the way through this palace well, don't go the wrong way, and don't go to places you shouldn't go, lest something happen! The inner palace is under the jurisdiction of Empress Yao, so be careful!" Huangfu Xuan whispered in Ji Wushang's ear as they walked.
"Thanks for reminding me!" Ji Wushang replied softly.
The palace servants around them assumed that Nan Xuzong and Ji Wushang were very affectionate, so they carefully avoided seeing the two of them and went about their business.
As soon as Ji Wushang returned to Rongguang Palace, he asked in a low voice, "No one should be paying attention to us here, right?"
"No." Huangfu Xuan knew what she was thinking. "But let's go inside first!" He immediately led her inside.
After entering the room, Ji Wushang immediately let go of his hand and looked at him, "Can we go to your palace to see Cong?"
"Yes, there's a secret passage here. You can come with me." Huangfu Xuan's eyes darkened. Her heart was filled with thoughts of Nan Xuzong. Nan Xuzong, you are truly blessed!