Chapter 724 Finale (Part 2)

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your understanding.”

“An Yang, come out and meet your future husband.” The Empress smiled gently and waved, signaling the palace maids to remove the screen.

“An Yang greets the Marquis.” Princess An Yang, her face blushing, rose and approached, bending slightly at the waist.

Having seen many beauties, Lin Miao was immune to them; every member of his family was a stunning beauty.

Yet the princess before him, An Yang, still amazed him; such beauty should only exist in the heavens, not on earth.

She was like a gem, radiating light, and between her brows was a scholarly air. She carried a small orchid fan, her slim waist adorned with silk that danced around her. She seemed like a fairy, her smile surpassing the brilliance of stars.

Lin Miao couldn’t help but be momentarily entranced, but he quickly regained his composure: “Please call me Lin Miao, Your Highness.”

“An Yang, are you satisfied?” the Empress asked with a smile.

Princess An Yang blushed instantly, turned away, but then secretly glanced back, evidently pleased.

“Young Marquis Lin, are you satisfied with An Yang?” The Empress asked Lin Miao, her eyes glimmering.

This was forcing him to express his stance; indeed, Empresses were difficult to deal with, she surely knew something that led her to this strategy.

This was cutting through the Gordian knot.

“In fact, I…”

“As long as Young Marquis Lin is satisfied, this marriage is settled.” The Empress hurriedly interrupted, speaking on behalf of Lin Miao.

Now Lin Miao couldn’t refute, the Empress’s rhetoric was formidable enough.

“Your Majesty, I meant to say, the Princess is heavenly beautiful, a celestial being, but in my heart, I feel unworthy of her favor and fear of profaning such beauty,” Lin Miao knelt down and spoke with determination.

“Lin Miao, do you intend not to marry An Yang?” Upon hearing this, the Empress was instantly angry; at that moment, Princess An Yang looked pale, her body trembling.

“My household is already full of wives and concubines, and if the Princess were to marry me, she might inevitably suffer grievances…”

“Are you afraid An Yang will suffer, or are you unwilling to marry her?”

“I…” Lin Miao sweated under the questioning, recognizing An Yang’s celestial beauty, but knowing that even the most beautiful woman, without a compatible personality, would make life a torment.

“Enough, this marriage is decreed by His Majesty, and I am satisfied too. Would you have His Majesty lose face before the world?”

“Mr. Lin, do you disdain An Yang for her ordinary appearance?” Princess An Yang’s eyes turned red, tears welling up.

“No, Your Highness weighs the words too heavily. I dare not have any disdain for the Princess; it’s just that I feel I’m unworthy of her.”

“Since His Majesty has decreed the marriage, should Mr. Lin refuse, An Yang will have to shave her head and become a nun, accompanied only by the light of oil lamps!”

Seeing Princess An Yang in this state, Lin Miao’s heart felt pricked, and he couldn’t say any more words of rejection.

Internally, he mused, testing a man with beauty, is this reasonable?

Forget it, he thought, marrying her would mean keeping a treasure at home, and besides, the Crown Prince mentioned how pitiable his sister was, being trapped in the palace all along.

With this marriage, she’s gaining freedom; why should he be so hung up? If she is willing, they could live as namesake husband and wife without issue.

As for the future, who can say? Life’s path is long.

“Since the Princess has said this, how could I refuse?”

“You’ve agreed?” Hearing this, Princess An Yang couldn’t help but cry tears of joy.

A man’s promise is worth its weight in gold; this explanation could work back home, and his senior sister wasn’t unreasonable. At worst, return her freedom after the Emperor’s passing.

“Good, good, good, this is a match made in heaven. I’m happy today; send for the banquet!” The Empress ordered.

But she didn’t stay for the meal, instead visiting the Emperor, leaving Lin Miao and An Yang to dine together.

Clearly, it was to deepen their understanding, with the intent obviously kind.

It gave Lin Miao a chance.

The first meeting couldn’t be too deep; Lin Miao introduced his family’s situation, saying only what was appropriate. Princess An Yang also shared her background, largely matching what Lin Miao had learned from the Crown Prince.

This truly seemed like a white lotus flower, at least on the surface. Yet in their conversation, he sensed her yearning for freedom.

“Mr. Lin, this is a sachet I’ve embroidered myself; a gift for you, I hope you won’t neglect Wan’Er in the future.”

Their fingers touched briefly, and Princess An Yang retracted hers as though shocked, her cheeks turning a deep red with shyness.

“Your Highness, I came to the palace empty-handed, without gifts; shall I write you a fan inscription?”

“Yes.”

Presented with a blank fan, Lin Miao picked up the brush and slightly altered a Luoshen Fu inscription, writing it on the fan.

His calligraphy was atypical for this world; he used running script, practiced in idle times of his past life.

It’s merely a poem praising a woman, and he naturally thought it suited the princess, writing it instinctively.

Without much thought.

However, Princess An Yang was mesmerized, being proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and particularly fond of poetry. Lin Miao’s poem, along with his elegant script, spoke directly to her heart.

Which young girl doesn’t dream of spring? An Yang thought she would never meet a man who resonated with her spirit; now it seemed this arranged marriage might not be so unsuitable.

Looking at Lin Miao, An Yang’s eyes were ablaze with warmth.

“Your Highness…”

“Mr. Lin, your script seems different from any I’ve seen before?” An Yang quickly composed herself, turning away, her flushed cheeks as red as blood.

She realized she was infatuated for the first time ever.

“I created this script in my leisure, called running script. I can teach you when time allows.” Lin Miao smiled casually.

He didn’t enjoy being restrained; with no outsiders around, revealing his true nature was natural.

“Running script, it’s beautiful. Lin, can you read it?”

“Certainly.”

“In the third year of the Tianqi era, I departed from Dongshan, first arriving in Li Jing. The ancients spoke of a god in Li Shui, called Wanyu…”

Beside him, Princess Zhao Wan Yu wrote it down swiftly, her elegant handwriting spreading across the white xuan paper.

Based on her excellent handwriting, Princess An Yang could absolutely be considered a talented woman. Such a beauty, if not for her status, would surely have many vying to marry her.

Otherwise, at twenty-four, still unmarried, it was as if Lin Miao found a diamond.

It felt like an exchange of tokens.

Lin Miao stayed in the palace until late afternoon before finally leaving An Yang, feeling a sense of reluctance, drawn by this attractive and talented woman. The hours spent conversing left him feeling somewhat enchanted.

His earlier thoughts of granting her freedom wavered.

Forget it, he thought, the future’s concerns can be dealt with later.

During his days in the capital, Lin Miao visited Fu Qingzhu; the two engaged in a day-long conversation, after which Fu Qingzhu persuaded him to deliver a public lecture at the Qihuang Research Institute.

Then there was the mansion bestowed by the Emperor, Marquis Lingyang’s Mansion, which he had to receive from the Capital Prefecture, obtaining revised deeds and also managing the Princess’s mansion.

Princess An Yang, upon her marriage assignment, finally gained freedom from the palace.

Once she emerged, she stunned the whole of Li Jing.

As Da Li’s renowned beauty, the title was bestowed upon her, while Lin Miao, the newly titled Leisure Marquis and future Prince Consort, was envied and admired by all.

Especially those from Medicine King Valley, who viewed Lin Miao as an adversary, and Medicine King Valley’s proposal to marry Princess An Yang was exposed.

The proposal was Medicine King’s grandson’s idea, but now Lin Miao interjected and married Princess An Yang as a secondary wife.

If it were Medicine King’s grandson, she would be a primary wife.

How infuriating!

The considerations behind these decisions remained unknown to outsiders, but Medicine King Sect surely felt the Emperor’s decision was a severe rebuke.

Meanwhile, Lin Miao quietly arrived and left, already on his way back to Dongshan.

He was still unaware that waiting at home was a “dear wife” he hadn’t anticipated.

The book is temporarily concluded.