Chapter 1344 - 23: Breaking the Engagement
The Duchess of Duke Zhen tried to persuade, but in her heart, she cursed the Empress numerous times.
If possible, she wished more than anyone that this marriage could be called off, but she had been irreversibly rejected in front of the Empress, and she hadn’t anticipated that the Empress would inform the Emperor that she had already agreed to the marriage.
If she were to deny it now, the Empress would be committing treason.
Treason is a capital offense, the Empress is betting her own life against hers.
The Empress dared to gamble, but she didn’t have the courage to expose the Empress’s lie and could only go along with her words.
The Empress could go to such lengths for Princess Nanzhang, it shows how much she values Princess Nanzhang. Would the Empress really turn a blind eye if she were to snatch away the title from Princess Nanzhang?
The Duchess of Duke Zhen was burning with rage inside but still had to persuade Duke Zhen who was equally furious.
Duke Zhen knew that his wife had a good relationship with the Empress, but no matter how good the relationship, such a significant event like marriage should require his approval, shouldn’t it?
Seeing his wife constantly praising Princess Nanzhang, Duke Zhen felt annoyed, as this marriage posed more harm than benefit, he couldn’t see any advantage in it.
Not wanting to listen any further, Duke Zhen left in a huff.
Mrs. Wang watched Duke Zhen depart, then looked at the Duchess, "Madam, the Duke..."
The Duchess wore a grim expression, "What’s the use of being angry, the imperial decree has already granted the marriage, I’ve accepted it, whether unwilling or not, the marriage is set."
She said this to Mrs. Wang, but more so to reassure herself; now, she could only take it one step at a time.
If anyone was happiest about this marriage, it was Princess Nanzhang.
The Empress loved Princess Nanzhang as if she were her own daughter, naturally wishing her a smooth future, but she didn’t feel assured with the Duchess’s character.
It was fine with her and the Duchess of Duke Chong suppressing things, but what if someday they couldn’t?
Then Princess Nanzhang would be like staying in a pit of fire.
She held leverage over the Duchess, but this leverage was also a threat to her, as no one wanted mutual destruction, which is why things had remained stable over the years.
The Emperor’s health was deteriorating; as long as the Sixth Prince could secure the throne, she could solidify her position as Empress Dowager, thereby ensuring Princess Nanzhang a lifetime of safety.
With Princess Nanzhang’s marriage, the Duke Zhen Country Mansion’s influence leaned towards her and the Sixth Prince, firmly securing the Crown Prince position.
The Empress had just lost the Crown Prince and worried about the throne being taken; she had no time to prepare a dowry for Princess Nanzhang, leaving it to Nanny Zhou to ensure Princess Nanzhang married in glory.
On one side, Princess Nanzhang was joyfully preparing her dowry; on the other, the Heir of Duke Zhen was sent to Nanliang to celebrate a birthday, galloping back as fast as possible, and his thousand-mile horse was worn out, leaving accompanying officials far behind.
Xie Hao was truly pressed; Princess Hengyang of the Nanliang Donglin Prince Mansion had reached her marriageable age, and given the thousand miles between Daqi and Nanliang, even at a fast pace without stopping, it took twenty days. He feared that if he didn’t propose soon, the Donglin Prince Mansion would arrange a marriage for Princess Hengyang.
He was the heir to Duke Zhen Country Mansion, while Princess Hengyang was a Nanliang Princess; whether the court would agree to their marriage was still uncertain.
Every day delayed was another day of anxiety.
The only thing that could relieve this anxiety was the whip in his hand.
He hadn’t expected that upon rushing back to the Capital, as soon as he entered the city gates, he encountered an acquaintance who congratulated him, "Congratulations, Heir of Duke Zhen! Congratulations!"
Xie Hao’s brows knitted tightly.
What joy could he possibly have?
"Where does the joy come from?" he asked.
The acquaintance laughed, "The Emperor has granted a marriage between Brother Xie and Princess Nanzhang; isn’t that joy?"
Joy?
Xie Hao’s heart sank to the bottom.
He cracked his whip and hurried back to the mansion, leaving the acquaintance who wished to chat a bit more in bewilderment; such a good marriage, so why did Brother Xie seem unhappy?
Xie Hao dashed back to the mansion, leaped off the horse, and immediately asked Manager Li upon entering, "The Emperor granted the marriage, did Father accept the decree?"
Xie Hao’s voice was very urgent, although he knew the chances were slim, he still wanted to get clear answers.
Manager Li quickly responded, "The Madam accepted it."
Upon learning Duke Zhen was not home, Xie Hao didn’t even enter the mansion to greet the Duchess but mounted his horse again, heading to the military camp to find Duke Zhen.
This marriage, he must call off!
Duke Zhen hadn’t expected Xie Hao to return so quickly, not waiting for him to return home but finding himself at the military camp.
Once the ministers left after their discussion, Xie Hao went straight to the point, "Father, I cannot marry Princess Nanzhang!"
Duke Zhen furrowed his brow.
He could guess Xie Hao’s reluctance; no one wanted to marry a girl they didn’t love, but if he could adapt and accept the result, it would work out. Blind marriages happen all the time; who hasn’t gone through it?
But Xie Hao’s refusal was too resolute; it left no room for negotiation at all.
The Duke Zhen felt something was amiss, "Why can’t you marry?"
Xie Hao didn’t hide from the Duke Zhen. Originally, his rush to return was for this matter. He said, "I already have someone in my heart. Before returning to the Capital, I promised to marry her."
"I cannot let her down."
The Duke Zhen’s brows furrowed, refusing to relax. He asked who the person in Xie Hao’s heart was, but Xie Hao didn’t say.
He knew the Duke Zhen’s temperament; his father would rather him marry Princess Nanzhang than agree to him marrying the Princess of Nanliang.
The urgent priority was to break off the engagement.
Xie Hao kept silent, and since the Duke Zhen was busy with military affairs, he also turned to his official duties.
However, Xie’s unwillingness to marry Princess Nanzhang had the Duke Zhen quite in agreement to call off this engagement.
He complied with his son’s wishes and went to the palace to ask the Emperor to withdraw the imperial edict of marriage.
He admitted his failure in teaching his son. Tasked with official duties outside the Capital, yet privately promising someone a lifetime commitment. But since he made the promise, he must keep it.
The Emperor found himself in a difficult position. After all, in his heart, he also did not wish to grant the marriage.
The Empress rushed upon hearing the news to stop it. The edict for the marriage was already presented to the Duke Zhen Country Mansion; how could it be retracted?
Xie Hao needs to keep his promise, but could the Emperor’s sacred words be treated as a trifling matter?!
In this regard, the Empress’s words were reasonable, leaving the Duke Zhen without a retort.
The Duke Zhen could only tactfully urge Princess Nanzhang to take the initiative to call off the engagement, "But everything should have an order, withdrawing the edict is also to not wrong Princess Nanzhang."
The Duke Zhen didn’t dare to directly mention the word "concubine," but no matter how tactful, the Empress could hear it loud and clear.
She was nearly livid with rage.
Her niece, raised in her palm, noble as a Commandery Princess, and yet the Duke Zhen Country Mansion had the thought of wronging her to be a concubine?!
This was an insult to Princess Nanzhang and even more so to her!
The Empress was never a person with a good temper. She laughed coldly, "A lady who defies etiquette and privately promises herself, what kind of good character is that? Is the dignified Duke Zhen Country Mansion wanting such a woman to be the Heir’s wife?!"
These words were truly harsh. Even the Duke Zhen felt them a bit cutting. He said, "My son’s engagement details, I am not quite clear about."
"But my son was raised by me personally, and ordinary women cannot catch his eye."
"On this point, I am confident."
The Empress was infuriated, but she could not refute this point either.
If the Heir of Duke Zhen was truly a man with no discernment, why would she object to breaking off the engagement?
The Emperor found himself caught between the Duke Zhen and the Empress, in a difficult situation.
At this moment—
The news came that Princess Nanzhang attempted suicide by hanging.
The Empress gave the Duke Zhen a cold look and hurriedly left.
With Princess Nanzhang threatening with death, how could the Duke Zhen dare to ask the Emperor to withdraw the marriage edict any further and could only take his leave for now.
Good news doesn’t go beyond the door, but bad news spreads far and wide.
The fact that the Heir of Duke Zhen had someone in his heart and wanted to withdraw the Emperor’s marriage edict, coupled with Princess Nanzhang attempting to hang herself out of shame and anger, spread like wildfire.
Shen Junshan heard this and knitted his brows tightly.
A shared misfortune indeed.
Wasn’t his situation and Xie Hao’s not the same?
Only that one was granted by the Emperor and the other by the Empress Dowager.
Shen Junshan was still planning to ask the Empress Dowager to withdraw the wedding decree, but now he must wait and see.
If he were to create a scene about breaking off the engagement now, not only would he fail to withdraw it, but he would also anger the Emperor, making the Heir of Duke Zhen’s path to breaking off his engagement even more rugged.
Because Royal Family dignity must not be taken lightly!
If anyone could break engagements, who would respect marriage edicts in the future?
Ruckus is definitely not an option.
On the contrary, if the Duke Zhen Country Mansion could convince the Emperor, he could easily force the Empress Dowager to withdraw the wedding decree with evidence of their faction’s misconduct against the Wenyuan Bo Mansion.
The Duke Zhen returned unsuccessfully, and the Duchess went to the palace to persuade the Empress, only to hit a wall.
However, the Duchess wasn’t afraid of rejection, and went again and again, until the Empress forbade her from entering the palace anymore.