Chapter 662

Chapter 23 — The Three Little Ones and Niannian 23

“Heming, regarding Niannian’s marriage, what plans do you and the princess consort have?”

In the end, Zhu Jingchen chose to get straight to the point and turned to ask Heming.

“We have no plans.” Heming’s expression darkened.

The warning in his gaze was unmistakable.

He couldn’t help wondering why Zhu Jingchen would ask such a question out of the blue.

Could it be that someone had set their sights on Niannian?

“Your Majesty, Niannian is a girl. I can’t bear to marry her off. I only want to keep her here at the residence,” Heming said with utmost seriousness.

“Ah… keep her here?” Zhu Jingchen was stunned.

What did that mean? Was Heming planning to keep Niannian from marrying for the rest of her life?

“Yes. The residence is spacious enough. We can support her for the rest of her life,” Heming replied earnestly.

“Don’t tell me you intend to find Niannian a live-in husband?” Zhu Jingchen thought in dismay. It was over. His Third Son no longer had a chance.

After all, no imperial prince from the Zhu family had ever gone to another household to become a live-in son-in-law.

“That isn’t out of the question.” Heming thought the idea was excellent.

Zhu Jingchen immediately regretted bringing it up. If he hadn’t asked, perhaps Heming would never have thought of finding his daughter a live-in husband.

Now, it seemed the only thing he could do was persuade his own son to give up. Once Heming made up his mind, not even ten bulls could drag him back. Besides, Niannian was his daughter. Zhu Jingchen couldn’t force him to marry her to his own son, could he?

Such tactics might work on other people, but with Heming… he had better forget it.

“But you have three sons. Aren’t you afraid they’ll object?” Zhu Jingchen asked again.

“Your Majesty, sons can be married into another household as well. I don’t mind sending all three of them away as live-in husbands,” Heming said without the slightest hesitation.

Zhu Jingchen was speechless.

After returning to the residence, Heming wore a long, gloomy face.

“What’s wrong?” Li Zhiwei was startled when she saw him looking so unhappy. Could it be that the Emperor had blamed him?

But hadn’t they been working for the imperial family while they were in Jiangnan?

“Nothing. Where’s Niannian?” Heming asked with a frown when he didn’t see his daughter.

“She’s in the courtyard with Mingyue. Did His Majesty reprimand you?” Li Zhiwei asked cautiously.

“No. Keep an eye on Niannian these days. Don’t let her go out,” Heming instructed.

The moment he thought about how beautiful his daughter was, he felt that he absolutely couldn’t let some wretched young man take advantage of her.

“So you’re upset because of Niannian?” Li Zhiwei asked, momentarily stunned before bursting into helpless laughter.

“His Majesty brought up Niannian’s marriage today. Hmph. I wonder which scoundrel has dared to set his sights on her,” Heming said unhappily.

“If no one liked your daughter, would you be angry that those young men had no taste?” Li Zhiwei asked, rolling her eyes.

How had she never realized before that this man was such an overprotective father?

“Those men aren’t worthy of Niannian,” Heming said reluctantly.

“Who would be worthy of your daughter? An imperial prince?” Li Zhiwei asked, baffled.

She couldn’t help wondering whether Heming had started looking for a husband for Niannian in earnest.

“Look around and see whether there’s a young man from any family who’s willing to come to our residence and become a live-in son-in-law,” Heming said. He knew he couldn’t keep his daughter from marrying forever. The best solution was to have her remain under his roof.

“What?” Li Zhiwei wondered whether she had misheard him.

Heming actually wanted to find Niannian a live-in husband?

“Heming, have you lost your mind?” Li Zhiwei was so furious that she could hardly contain herself. He was already a grown man—how could he still behave so willfully?

“I can afford to support him,” Heming said stubbornly.

“Have you asked Niannian whether she agrees?” Li Zhiwei asked, pressing a hand to her forehead.

“Why wouldn’t she agree?” Heming demanded unhappily. Being able to marry Niannian would be a blessing that young man had earned over several lifetimes.

“I don’t think there’s any point discussing this with you.” Seeing how willful Heming was being, Li Zhiwei didn’t dare tell him that a group of young men had visited the residence that day.

Otherwise, he might very well take up a saber and go warn their families himself.

Thinking of this, Li Zhiwei shook her head.

When it came to matters concerning Niannian, this doting father simply had no sense of reason.

“Later, the Kong family will be discussing Third Son’s marriage. If they’re willing, they can take him back to the Kong residence,” Heming said mercilessly when he thought of An’an’s marriage.

“Are you really their father?” Li Zhiwei asked, her eyes wide.

“Qing Shi and Pingping can do the same. I don’t mind sending them to become live-in husbands either,” Heming added, as if that still wasn’t enough.

“Heming, say that one more time and you can go become a live-in son-in-law at someone else’s house yourself! No—forget it!”

Li Zhiwei angrily pointed at Heming and scolded him.

How had she never realized before that this man could be so shameless?

“Wife, if you want to return to the Li family, I don’t mind going with you,” Heming replied without a second thought.

The Imperial Palace

“Third ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‍Son’s marriage is probably going to fall through.”

Zhu Jingchen sat in the empress’s chambers. After remaining silent for a long while, he finally spoke.

“What happened?” The empress’s heart tightened. Could it be that Heming had refused?

“Your Majesty, perhaps you didn’t show enough sincerity?” the empress suggested.

She knew that Heming doted on Niannian immensely. It was only natural for him to have some demands.

Niannian was such a well-behaved child that the empress felt any additional requests were perfectly reasonable.

“Heming said that Niannian is to stay home and have a live-in husband,” Zhu Jingchen said with deep displeasure.

His son could not possibly go and become someone else’s live-in son-in-law.

The empress had prepared a whole speech, but after hearing this, she no longer knew what to say.

How could her son possibly become a live-in son-in-law?

“Isn’t there any other way?” The empress thought of her son’s attitude and gritted her teeth before asking again.

“That old rascal refuses to budge,” Zhu Jingchen said, equally exasperated.

Unfortunately, his own son had set his heart on that man’s daughter.

The thought alone made him angry.

“What if you leave the plot of land next to Prince An’s residence vacant and build Yu’er an imperial prince’s residence there?” the empress asked cautiously after thinking it over.

That way, strictly speaking, it wouldn’t count as marrying into Niannian’s family.

Zhu Jingchen stared at the empress strangely.

Normally, once an imperial prince married, he would move out of the palace and into his own residence.

However, doing so could make it more difficult for him to secure the position of Crown Prince.

He had never expected the empress to suggest that he build Zhu Hanyu an imperial residence.

“Your proposal isn’t impossible. But, Empress, have you never considered having Third Son take that position?” Zhu Jingchen asked, puzzled.

“Yu’er’s older brothers and younger brothers include many who are more capable than he is. I only hope that he can have his wish fulfilled.”

The empress smiled.

She only wished for her child to remain safe and healthy. Although becoming Crown Prince sounded impressive, the responsibilities weighing on his shoulders would be far greater as well. She didn’t want him to suffer so much.

Of course, that was merely her own opinion.