Chapter 722: Finale (Part 1)

After prescribing the medicine, Lin Miao prepared to take his leave.

“Brother-in-law, you don’t have a place to stay in the capital, do you? Would you like me to arrange something for you?”

“Thank you for your kindness, Crown Prince, but I will be returning to Dongshan soon. I won’t be staying long in the capital, so I’ll just stay at an inn.”

“Then how will I find you?”

“I’m staying at the Hundred Jia Inn in the south of the city. You can send someone to inquire, and they’ll find me.”

“The Hundred Jia Inn in the south, understood.”

…

“Your Highness, why doesn’t Mr. Lin stay at the official residence?”

“He’s different from court officials; he doesn’t like being restrained. Though the official residence is nice, there are too many spies. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t like it either,” Zhao Yuanze explained.

“No wonder, he came to the capital alone. I heard that his fiancée is going to take the Dongshan Prefecture’s physician exam this year…”

“Yes, he’ll definitely return before that. I had almost forgotten about it,” Zhao Yuanze nodded in agreement.

…

The Empress’s bedchamber, Luan Yi Hall.

“An Yang, you’re here. I’ve heard you’ve been under the weather lately. Have you seen the imperial physician?” the Empress asked, holding the hand of a beautiful lady in palace attire.

The lady was dressed in a light purplish-pink gauze palace dress, with a slender figure, her long hair draped over her back and secured with a silver ribbon. Even her back was stunningly beautiful.

“Empress…”

“Call me aunt, how many times have I told you? You just won’t change.”

“An Yang greets Aunt,” the lady gracefully curtsied, her voice as clear and pleasant as an oriole emerging from the valley.

She was beautiful, and her voice was beautiful, too. It’s a pity such a lady was trapped in the palace, unable to step outside, without freedom.

The emperor had his doubts about her identity and also wanted to protect her. After all, if An Yang’s beauty reached outside the palace walls, who knows how many rogues would desire her.

“Good, good… In this palace, only you can keep me company,” the Empress said, pulling An Yang to sit beside her.

Princess An Yang had a radiant complexion, skin as fair as snow, lips like red cherries, brows painted like ink, and eyes like autumn water. A soft and demure demeanor, with a small dimple on her oval face and a hint of shyness, made her truly endearing.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty…”

“What’s with the panic, what decorum is this?” The Empress admonished her palace attendant, who lost composure in her presence.

“Your Majesty, His Majesty has awakened…”

“I’ve long known that His Majesty has awakened. Why are you panicking?”

“Your Majesty, His Majesty not only awoke, but he can move on his own now,” the attendant reported nervously, kneeling on the ground.

“What?” The Empress stood up in shock.

“Yes, Mr. Yao has already sent word!” the attendant confirmed while bowing in submission.

“Quick, help me dress. I must go to the Southern Study!” the Empress commanded.

“Your Majesty, His Majesty has also decreed a marriage for the Commandery Princess An Yang…”

“What?” Even the usually composed Commandery Princess An Yang couldn’t sit still upon hearing this.

“What did you say? His Majesty has arranged a marriage for An Yang? To whom?” The Empress was astonished. She had mentioned to the emperor before about finding a good match for An Yang, but each time, he would either avoid the topic or rebuke her.

Girls could marry at sixteen. An Yang was already twenty-four and still hadn’t found a husband’s family.

“It’s Lin Miao, the Deputy Director of the Dongshan Prefecture Medical Bureau!”

“What? His Majesty matched An Yang with an old man?” In the Empress’s mind, anyone who could hold a position in the Medical Bureau must be at least forty or fifty years old. Without a primary wife, they must either have health issues or have lost their wife and are remarrying.

She did not pay attention to the name.

“Lin Miao?” An Yang’s cheeks reddened slightly upon hearing the name. Although she couldn’t venture outside the palace, she was somewhat aware of events outside, especially over the past year, during which she often heard the name while with the Empress, leaving a strong impression.

She knew Lin Miao was a young physician who passed the “Path of the Medical Sage” trial, earning national physician qualifications. His medical skills were so superb that he saved Prince Jing’s grandson with just a prescription. Even the Crown Prince sought him in secret for an heir, and his medical books created a tumult in the capital’s medical circles, endorsed by Fu Qingzhu. His innovative pulse diagnosis method was unique. She had dabbled in medicine during idle palace hours but never had the chance to apprentice under a famous teacher. Yet, she yearned for the ability to heal and save lives…

If such a union were possible, she would feel a spark of joy.

It presented her an opportunity to escape palace confines.

“Aunt…” An Yang couldn’t bring herself to remind openly but still couldn’t resist calling out, pulling back the Empress from her angry thoughts.

“Your Majesty, Mr. Yao has arrived!” A voice came from outside the hall.

The senior eunuch Mr. Yao had arrived quickly.

The Empress and An Yang were both surprised. They hadn’t gone yet, and Mr. Yao was already here; what was he planning to do?

“Commandery Princess An Yang, His Majesty has a decree for you!” Mr. Yao entered, holding a decree with a smile.

“An Yang receives the decree,” An Yang quickly knelt on the ground.

“By Heaven’s Mandate, the emperor proclaims: Commandery Princess An Yang, gentle and courteous, graceful and incomparable… is specially promoted to Princess An Yang. This decree is to be honored!”

Commandery Princess An Yang was stunned. How could it be a decree promoting her to a princess? This was impossible. Her title of Commandery Princess had been given out of royal obligation, and now she was suddenly promoted to Princess?

The Empress was greatly shocked, suspecting the emperor had gone mad.

“Princess An Yang, receive the decree.” Mr. Yao closed the golden scroll, bending down with a warm smile.

“An Yang receives the decree,” Commandery Princess An Yang said, still bewildered, but she reached out and accepted her promotion’s golden scroll and decree.

“Don’t be rushed, Princess. There’s another decree for you.”

A junior eunuch quickly presented another decree, which Yao Qian unrolled and read aloud: “Princess An Yang, gentle and virtuous, refined and graceful, outstanding in demeanor and appearance… is hereby betrothed to Lin Miao, Marquis Carefree, as an equal wife. All ceremonies shall be handled by the Ministry of Rites and the Directorate of Astronomy, choosing an auspicious day for the marriage. Announce it to all, let everyone know. This decree is to be honored!”

…

“What? I became the Marquis Carefree…” Lin Miao was also surprised. He was just preparing to return from the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace when he heard the emperor had made him Marquis Carefree.

Moreover, the marriage decree had already been announced.

The emperor acted swiftly, not giving him a chance for negotiation; the feudal imperial power didn’t regard human rights indeed.

“Brother-in-law, from now on, I must address you as Marquis Lin,” Crown Prince Zhao Yuanze said cheerfully. The Crown Princess was pregnant, it was still unknown whether it was a boy or a girl, but at least there was potential for an heir. With effort, a son could be born in the future.

If the first child were a son, his position would be secured.

“Crown Prince, could I ask the emperor to revoke the decree? This Marquis Carefree title isn’t favorable!” Lin Miao said with a bitter expression.

“Marquis Carefree, aren’t you the one who dislikes court restraints and prefers freedom between heaven and earth?”

“Crown Prince, are you aware that there’s a mysterious organization in the world called Carefree Hall? This organization is the covert support of the heretical Shenxiao Association, and behind Dongshan Prefecture’s epidemic is the Shenxiao Association, and the leader of Carefree Hall claims the title of Marquis Carefree. For his majesty to bestow me this title now, isn’t that…”

Zhao Yuanze was stunned by this revelation; he truly was unaware of these internal affairs.

“The decree has already been issued from the Central Palace; reclaiming it might be impossible.”

“Mr. Lin is still here with the Crown Prince; it saved this old eunuch from running again…” Eunuch Yao Qian entered the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace with a smile, seeing Lin Miao preparing to leave.

“Mr. Yao, what are you here for at the emperor’s command?”

“His majesty has two decrees for Mr. Lin.”

Lin Miao and Crown Prince Zhao Yuanze exchanged glances; the emperor truly didn’t give him any chance to speak.