"What?"
"Let bygones be bygones..."
He even remembers her jokes now and uses them against her. How come she never noticed before how petty this person is?!
Led by Prince Ning towards the "temple," which was clearly deserted, what good could come of it? Ling Xiao held onto his hand, resolutely refusing to take even a single step.
Before Prince Ning could speak, Ling Xiao saw a person emerge from the "temple." Upon closer inspection, she realized that this person was none other than Song Shuhao, who had left Tongcheng before her. Realizing that she had misunderstood, and that her thoughts were taking an extremely distorted view... Ling Xiao's face burned intensely.
"Lunch is ready, come in quickly." Ah Hao had been waiting for a long time without seeing anyone arrive, so she went to the door to take a look and saw that Prince Ning and Ling Xiao had already arrived, so she naturally greeted them.
Ling Xiao glared at Zhang Ye, who hadn't explained the situation to her beforehand, and with a burning face, she prepared to follow A Hao inside, but he grabbed her with his long arm and pulled her back to his side.
Prince Ning leaned close to Ling Xiao's ear, lowering his voice so that only they could hear him, and said, "What were you thinking about just now? A Buddhist temple?"
Ling Xiao's mind flashed with indescribable images because of Zhang Ye's words, and his face flushed red with embarrassment at having his thoughts exposed. The person who had done his misdeeds abandoned him and walked ahead on his own. Ling Xiao glared angrily at Zhang Ye's nonchalant back, and could only mentally give him a thorough beating in eighteen different ways!
...
When Song Shuhao initially pressured him to allow her to leave the palace and go to Jingyun Nunnery, Zhang Yu couldn't be said to have remained calm as he ordered the construction of a temple near Jingyun Nunnery. However, in the end, the temple was not built, and instead, this quiet residence came into being.
The courtyard was filled with lush bamboo, exuding a tranquil atmosphere, yet even in winter, it did not feel bleak or desolate. Zhang Yu was busy enjoying some alone time with Song Shuhao and had no intention of entertaining them. After lunch, Prince Ning took Ling Xiao for a walk around the courtyard.
Ling Xiao thought that kisses and hugs were the limit when Prince Ning led him to a corner and pressed him against the wall. Little did he know, Prince Ning was actually going to do it for real! Looking at Zhang Ye, who seemed possessed by a teddy bear these past few days, Ling Xiao silently facepalmed, "In broad daylight..."
"Aren't you looking forward to it?" Prince Ning asked calmly.
"..." So in Zhang Ye's heart she was just a teddy bear... Ling Xiao felt a pang of sadness, put on a shy smile, lowered her head and said in a low, reserved voice, "I'm shy." But all she got in return was a "hehe".
Before Ling Xiao could even react with anger after feeling utterly humiliated, Prince Ning gagged him, rendering him unable to speak…
·
Zhang Yu and Song Shuhao returned to Lin'an only seven days earlier than Ling Xiao. Although they were sightseeing, they were inevitably tired after a long time, so they allowed themselves plenty of time to rest.
When Ahao first saw that there were indeed new houses near Jingyun Nunnery, she was a little surprised. When she lived in Jingyun Nunnery, there had been no further developments, but when she returned, they were already completed.
The two men stayed there for about ten days. As the year drew to a close, Nie Zhiyuan finally led his army to the outskirts of Lin'an. After resting for one night, the soldiers would enter the city early the next morning.
It was a triumphant return, and all the officials were about to greet him at the city gates, so Zhang Yu naturally had to make an appearance. Before dawn that day, Ahao got up with him, and after Zhang Yu took her to the Prince of Ning's residence, he rushed off to join the army.
Standing at the gate of the Ning Prince's mansion, Lü Chuan still accompanied him as he left, Zhang Yu's figure slowly fading into the brightening sky. Ah Hao, however, remembered that back in Tongcheng, it was even earlier, when it was still pitch black.
At that time, she stood at the gate of Qiwu Mansion, watching him leave, the sound of his horse's hooves fading into the distance until it was no longer heard. It felt like a similar scene, yet so different now, but everything was still alright, and that was enough.
A little later, Prince Ning also came out. He was the one who was responsible for leading the officials to the city gate to welcome Zhang Yu and the soldiers today, so he was just as busy. Ling Xiao seemed to still be half asleep when Prince Ning pulled him up to see him off.
Knowing that Ahao had arrived, Lingxiao didn't go back to bed for a nap. She and Ahao had breakfast together, then took a carriage directly to Zhuque Street, where they secured the best spot in a teahouse facing the street, waiting to watch the excitement of the army returning to the city.
Despite it being winter, the people's enthusiasm remained undiminished, and the entire street was packed with people. The weather today was perfect for capturing the atmosphere; the sun was shining brightly, there was hardly any wind, and looking up, one could see the blue sky and white clouds complementing each other beautifully.
Ah Hao and Ling Xiao were sitting in a perfectly positioned spot, bathed in a gentle, warm sunlight that made them feel cozy. Perhaps because it was so comfortable, Ling Xiao kept yawning. Ah Hao poured her a fresh cup of hot tea, which Ling Xiao accepted with a thank you, then sipped it slowly from the cup.
Suddenly, a commotion arose on the long street. Ah Hao and Ling Xiao both looked over and saw a long procession preparing to pass through. Soldiers were on both sides of the street to maintain order, and the people, curious about what the general looked like, all craned their necks to get a better look.
The cheers and chatter of the people filled the long street with a bustling atmosphere. The neatly dressed soldiers seemed unmoved, their faces grim as they passed by. The horses' hooves pounded the street, and the riders on horseback were all imposing and full of spirit.
The procession, like a dragon, swept through the long street, but Ah Hao's gaze remained fixed on Zhang Yu, who was surrounded by admirers. As always, he was expressionless and imposing in front of others, yet this only enhanced his dashing presence and charm.
Beside Zhang Yu, on horseback, was Nie Zhiyuan, whom Ahao naturally recognized. Noticing that Nie Zhiyuan looked up in the direction of her and Ling Xiao, and that his gaze fell on Ling Xiao, Ahao frowned slightly, but said nothing.
After the excitement subsided, Ahao asked about Ling Xiao, who had been busy resting with his eyes closed. She had only paid attention to him because she felt that Nie Zhiyuan's gaze was a bit strange, and she didn't know that Ling Xiao had much interaction with him.
“No, I’m not familiar with him,” Ling Xiao told A-Hao. But mentioning this person reminded Ling Xiao of the time when Nie Zhiyuan questioned her for no reason. Later, when she occasionally saw Nie Zhiyuan, his attitude was much more polite, but she didn’t pay much attention to it.
The people gradually dispersed in twos and threes, and the long street was no longer as congested as before. Ahao and Lingxiao also returned to the Ning Prince's Mansion together. Because they waited a while longer, it was already quite late when they returned. They had just finished washing up, cleansing their faces and hands, and warmed themselves up when Lü Chuan arrived with the imperial edict.
An imperial edict concerning Ling Xiao, but unrelated to Prince Ning or their marriage. This edict concerned Ling Xiao's contributions in the campaign against Dayuan, for which her efforts were unanimously recognized. Zhang Yu bestowed upon her gold, silver, jewels, fertile fields, brocade, and mansions; but most importantly—
She was granted a title of nobility.
This is absolutely unique.
Author's Note: This is a story about Lingxiao being granted a title and women being allowed to hold official positions. It's an irresponsible fantasy.
Another thing Your Majesty needs to do.
QAQ Thank you everyone for the flowers!
Chapter 94 Past Life Extra (1)
Song Shuhao came out of the main hall of Changning Palace to get some fresh air. Leaning against a vermilion pillar, she looked up at the bright sun and subconsciously squinted. Someone gently patted her shoulder from behind. Song Shuhao turned around and saw Xue Liangyue, so she smiled.
"Ah Hao, congratulations." Xue Liangyue's face immediately lit up with a bright smile as she sincerely congratulated Song Shuhao. Then she teased her, "From now on, I should call you the Lady of the Heir Apparent. I must bow to you when I see you, like this..." As she spoke, she made a gesture to curtsy to her.
The Empress Dowager has issued an imperial decree betrothing Song Shuhao to the Prince of Anping's heir, indicating that His Majesty the Emperor has no objections. Therefore, the matter is now set in stone and cannot be changed. After all, it was the Prince Zhao who took the initiative to propose marriage, and Song Shuhao, as the Prince's consort, will undoubtedly enjoy great prestige in public.
She was of humble birth and had no powerful background, yet she was able to marry the heir of Prince Anping. Even as a second wife, it seemed a worthwhile union to outsiders. After all, Prince Anping was a figure of considerable influence before the Emperor, so how could she be a bad daughter-in-law?
"If you do this, don't tell anyone else..." Song Shuhao had no interest in joking with Xue Liangyue and patiently reminded her.
Xue Liangyue took her hand and smiled, "I only said this in front of you, how could I say it outside? But it's a good thing after all. Prince Zhao is a handsome and talented man, and you have finally gotten what you wanted... When you see Prince Zhao later, you can put in a good word for him, and he will surely agree to let you take your mother with you."
After the family tragedy, she now only has her mentally unstable mother as her sole relative. If she truly marries the heir apparent, she won't stay in Lin'an City but will have to go to her fiefdom. She's worried about leaving her mother in Lin'an; if she could take her with her to the fiefdom, that would be ideal, but that depends on the heir's consent…
Listening to Xue Liangyue's words, Song Shuhao had some thoughts, but then she remembered that Xue Liangyue had fulfilled her wish, and she didn't know what to say. After the imperial decree was announced, the Empress Dowager kept her behind for a private talk, implying that even if Song Shuhao left the palace to get married, she would not have an easy time.
However, I was mentally prepared for this outcome. It's still slightly better than being trapped in this harem with no way out. What difference does it make who I marry? Since I have no choice, I might as well accept it calmly and face it properly to make myself feel better.