0p0 Chapter 350 Duanmu Chen's Marriage!
Chapter 350 Duanmu Chen's Marriage!
"Yes, yes, yes! I misspoke. Please forgive me, Grandmother." Duanmu Chen said with a grin, then suddenly changed the subject, "By the way, I just passed through the Imperial Garden and saw my cousin Xinyan. I almost didn't recognize her after all these years."
Upon hearing Duanmu Chen's words, Wang Zishu and his wife immediately perked up.
"Xinyan is still young. Has she offended the Crown Princess and His Highness the Grandson?" Madam Wang was shrewd and naturally understood the Empress's intention in saying those words. She deliberately asked modestly.
"Auntie, what are you saying? We're all family, there's no need for any offense. It's just that I didn't recognize her at first glance. If my aunt hadn't pointed it out, I would have been thinking, 'Whose daughter is so beautiful as an angel?'"
The Empress's smile deepened. Duanmu Chen's words naturally indicated that he had a good impression of Wang Xinyan.
The Crown Princess seemed to understand Duanmu Chen's meaning. She glanced at him with a hint of surprise, but when her eyes met his bright gaze, she hesitated to speak.
The Crown Princess originally intended to have her own daughter marry into the family as the principal wife, but now, compared to the Wang family, their lineage is completely outclassed!
The Crown Princess couldn't help but think more deeply. Although the Crown Prince didn't have many sons, he did have several sons born out of wedlock. Since the Crown Prince hadn't yet ascended the throne, many conflicts of interest were naturally not yet apparent.
But if the crown prince were to ascend the throne one day, these women would likely no longer hide their schemes. She only had one son, and she was no longer capable of having any more children. If something were to happen to him, who would she rely on in the future?
What worried her most was that Duanmu Chen absolutely had to marry a girl who could help him achieve his grand ambitions. And the eldest daughter of the Wang family, with such a status and such a powerful family background, would naturally be advantageous to Duanmu Chen.
First of all, the Emperor respects the Empress, and the two current Dukes have both earned their positions through their own merits! In particular, this young Duke of Yingguo was once a valiant general on the battlefield!
The Crown Prince is a filial son and has several brothers. If he were to ascend the throne, he would certainly not harm the Empress's family. Even if he were tempted, his other brothers would likely not agree.
In this respect, it must be said that the Empress has always been prescient!
Although she was unwilling to involve her maternal family in the princes' struggles, each of her sons had spent time at their maternal uncles' homes in their childhood, and all of them got along well with their maternal uncles from the royal family.
Even if we're not on the same page in the future, the bond we formed as children will remain!
The Crown Princess's mindset had changed drastically. When she arrived, she felt confident that she would surely persuade the Empress to make her niece Duanmu Chen's principal wife. But now? She had barely uttered a word before she was already being suppressed to the point of being unable to lift her head!
This suppression was invisible and intangible, leaving no one able to say a single bad word about the Empress.
When the Crown Princess saw the look in Duanmu Chen's eyes, she knew that she had no say in her son's affairs at all! She really didn't understand how she could have thought that her son would definitely listen to his mother when it came to marriage.
At this moment, the Crown Princess realized that the Empress's love and care for Duanmu Chen over the years had not been in vain!
With just a few simple words, Duanmu Chen understood that the Empress wanted him to marry the daughter of the Duke of Ying. Of course, he also understood that once he married Wang Xinyan, the entire Wang family would become his support.
In this way, the other half-brothers are simply not worth mentioning.
To the Crown Princess's surprise, this matter was not over yet.
After the Crown Princess left Kunning Palace in a daze, she was accompanied by Duanmu Chen back to the East Palace. Throughout the journey, Duanmu Chen remained silent.
This was the first time the Duke and Duchess of England had witnessed their aunt's remarkable ability to use such a simple method to silence the Crown Princess and even make Prince Changsun reveal his high regard for Wang Xinyan.
With this, Wang Zishu was naturally relieved. After what happened today, it was highly likely that Xin Yan was Duanmu Chen's legal wife!
The thought of her daughter being so young, and having to wait at least two more years until her wedding, was a real concern. Who knew what might happen in those two years? What if Duanmu Chen had a son born out of wedlock? Wouldn't that be extremely detrimental to her daughter?
The Empress was well aware of Prince Shu's thoughts, and with a single sentence, she successfully put Prince Shu at ease.
"In the Duanmu family, there has never been a case where the principal wife has not yet borne children, and a concubine is pregnant. If she is pregnant, the only option is to abort the pregnancy. This has always been the rule of the Duanmu family."
Wang Zishu suddenly realized that in his memory, the royal family always prioritized the eldest son of the legitimate wife, and all emperors throughout history were born of the legitimate wife. This shows how much importance the royal family placed on sons of the legitimate and illegitimate children.
The Empress's face darkened slightly. "Chen'er is a smart child, and Xin Yan is also beautiful. Most importantly, Xin Yan has been raised very well by you. Although she is young, she exudes elegance and poise. Only a girl like this has the potential to become the most honored woman in our Great Yong Dynasty."
"It is her good fortune that her aunt values her."
The Empress took a deep breath. "My daughter-in-law will naturally not let this go. However, speaking of the two daughters of my eldest brother that I just mentioned, when you go back, ask him what he thinks and see which one is more appropriate. The fourth son is both scholarly and martial. To be honest, he is the Emperor's favorite among the four legitimate sons."
The words seemed unfinished, and the Empress gently closed her eyes, showing no intention of continuing.
Prince Shu was taken aback, but he probably understood what the Empress meant. He and his wife quickly took their leave and went outside to wait for the palace servants to bring Wang Xinyan. They then left the palace together.
The Empress slowly opened her eyes, estimating that Prince Shu and his entourage had arrived at the palace gates. "Go, invite the Crown Prince over. Tell him I have important matters to discuss with him."
"Yes, ma'am."
To Wang Zishu's surprise, when they arrived at the palace gate, they encountered Duanmu Chen.
"Greetings to my cousins." Duanmu Chen greeted them before they could do so, and then glanced at Wang Xinyan to the side.
Wang Xinyan was just a young girl, but when she was looked at by the handsome and refined Prince Changsun, her face immediately turned red and her heart pounded as if a deer was running wild.
"I ran into my cousin today and didn't recognize her at first, which is truly a punishment. This is a special apology gift I prepared for you, please accept it with a smile."