A Beauty In Troubled Times

Chapter 21: Fine rain falls from the river and sky (2)

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Zhao Pei refused to take medicine. No matter who brought her what medicine, she gritted her teeth and refused to open her mouth. She felt her body temperature burning her, but at the same time she felt endless cold. She looked at the swaying figure in front of her, and her consciousness gradually faded. Damn it, if this continued, she would really be finished.

The stalemate lasted for three days. On the morning of the fourth day, she heard the emperor say to her: "Girl, you win. I will go down the mountain with you."

Zhao Pei smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. She vaguely heard him sigh in her ear: "This girl, with such a stubborn and bold character, is suitable for him..." At that time, her mind was confused and she did not think deeply about his words. Only later did she vaguely remember that at that time, the emperor had already decided her future path. Everything in Tongtai Temple was just a test. To the emperor, she won. But to herself, she lost and had no chance of turning things around.

By the time Zhao Pei regained consciousness, she had been lying in the Pearl and Jade Pavilion for three days and three nights. She had been having a fever for three days, and her horrible temperature scared everyone. Ruhua took care of her day and night, and her father and mother came to visit her from time to time. Zhao Jie and Zhao Li also stayed by her side. Xiao Lun also heard the news and asked about her condition from time to time. Even the emperor specially sent a royal doctor to check her pulse.

When everything was spinning around Zhao Pei, she felt like she was already dizzy in such a beautiful vortex. However, it was so short-lived and unreal.

Later, she heard the news that although the emperor had returned to the court, the ministers had used 100 million silver coins in exchange for the incense of Tongtai Temple. Zhao Pei was really shocked when she heard the number! 100 million... .Mountains of silver emerged in her mind, and the dazzling halo reflected by the sunlight could even hurt her eyes.

However, the following news brought her endless shock.

The emperor ordered that Xu Kun's daughter Xu Zhaopei be married to the seventh prince as his consort, and that the wedding be completed on a chosen date.

She listened to the imperial edict blankly, and didn't react for a long time. It was as if she was hallucinating. The Seventh Prince, wasn't that Xiao Yi? She knew that she would get married sooner or later, but she never expected this result.

Xiao Yi, she thought of his deep eyes, dark and bright. There was always an unpredictable smile on his lips, which made her have endless speculations. She didn't want to have a close relationship with such a man, but now, she wanted to be his princess...

This... was too sudden. She was really puzzled by the emperor's sudden action. If the emperor had pointed her to Xiao Lun, she would have known the reason. But, it turned out to be Xiao Yi. Suddenly, she felt that it was a bit of a random matchmaking.

As she was thinking, Zhao Jie pulled her sleeve. When she came to her senses, she found that a large group of people had knelt down to receive the imperial edict, and she was the only one standing there abruptly.

Zhao Pei stared at her father-in-law holding the imperial edict, unwilling to kneel down. She cried out in her heart: "I don't want it! I don't want to marry him! Why should others worry about my marriage? Your Majesty, are you taking revenge on me?"

Her stiff body was dragged down by someone, and she prostrated herself on the cold ground, with the roaring blessing in her ears: "Long live the emperor."

She buried her head between her arms, and for a long time she said nothing or made any movement. There was only a few wet spots on the ground, colder than frost. (To be continued)