However, with the example of Empress Fang in mind, Concubine Peng De would never want to be Empress Fang again.
The winner is the king and the loser is the bandit. She had previously tampered with the wet nurse that Concubine Lin Shu had appointed for the Sixth Prince, causing the Sixth Prince to develop a high fever.
Although nothing was found out in the end, both Concubine Lin Shu and she knew the reason.
The two of them have already started fighting, it’s not so easy for them to give up.
Just like what happened between her and Queen Fang, she was already in a dilemma and had no choice.
The room was filled with smoke, and the strong scent of agarwood did not make her feel better or calmer. After a while, she finally pulled herself together and told Nanny Peng to settle the prince. She leaned back on the couch and fell asleep soon after.
The next day, Eunuch An came over and told her to work with the Ministry of Internal Affairs to prepare a dowry for Princess Yonghe. He also said that Emperor Longqing said there was no need to build a princess mansion in the capital, and the princess would return to Guanzhong with the Marquis of Guanzhong.
Concubine Peng De was a little stunned, but she quickly came to her senses, responded, and then asked Eunuch An with a smile: "Why is it so hasty? I haven't received any news either..."
Eunuch An knew what she meant, so he smiled and said, "This matter is indeed a little sudden, but the matter was originally a little sudden... His Majesty meant that since the princess and the Marquis of Guanzhong have a similar sentiment, he should fulfill the princess's wish. Let the queen arrange it as soon as possible, and there is no need to make it too grand."
It doesn't have to be too grand, it can be casual.
Emperor Longqing was indeed extremely dissatisfied with Princess Yonghe's behavior, so he didn't even want to give her basic decency. He let her marry far away and didn't even build a princess mansion for her.
Concubine Peng De knew clearly that Princess Yonghe was a useless chess piece, so she nodded to Eunuch An and asked Nanny Peng to give him a generous envelope before sending him away.
After seeing off Eunuch An, she asked Nanny Peng to call Princess Yonghe.
Princess Yonghe was locked up all night but couldn't sleep. She didn't understand what Concubine Peng De said at all. She thought about it all night and had a splitting headache. She finally made it to the morning. When she saw Concubine Peng De, she rushed to her and cried to explain to her.
Concubine Peng De didn't want to listen, so she held out her hand to stop her, saying with a fake smile, "There's no point in talking about this now, and Princess doesn't have to keep explaining to me. There's nothing to explain. Love between men and women is human nature. Princess, since you have someone you like, you should have said it earlier. Why wait until now when the whole city is talking about it and His Majesty asked in person? But there's no need to say this. I'd like to congratulate Princess. His Majesty has agreed to your marriage."
Princess Yonghe's eyes widened, feeling a little scared and panicked: "What marriage? Madam, I don't understand..."
Concubine Peng De raised her eyes and glanced at her, then took a sip of tea and wiped her mouth slowly: "Don't understand? Princess, what is there that you don't understand? The emperor has already granted you a marriage with Guanzhong Hou, and this marriage is indeed a good match. Princess, you must cherish it and behave properly in the future."
Princess Yonghe was immediately stunned. When she heard the words "Marquis of Guanzhong", she was completely stunned. She took a step back and almost fell to the ground. She finally managed to steady herself. She pointed at her and asked with a trembling body: "What did you say?"
say what
Concubine Peng De no longer had the patience to talk too much to this ignorant useless chess player. She glanced at Princess Yonghe coldly and told her directly: "The emperor has already issued an edict. It is because the emperor still loves you as a daughter. Even if you had an affair with someone during your retreat, and even came back to deceive the emperor and wanted to sneak into Chencang, he did not pursue it. If the emperor was a little more cruel, you, the princess... ... I'm afraid it would be the end of you!"
She looked at Princess Yonghe coldly and waved her hand with some disgust: "Now the emperor still misses you and gives you a way to go. He finally fulfills your wish. You'd better cherish it. If you cause any trouble again, no matter how patient the emperor is, it will be useless. You can only wait for bad luck!"
This was the first time that Concubine Peng De spoke so impolitely, which showed that she was really extremely angry.
Princess Yonghe swallowed and looked at her with wide eyes, unable to believe that everything Concubine Peng De said was true.
How could that be?!
Even after being driven back to her own bedroom by Concubine Peng De, she still hadn't completely digested what Concubine Peng De said. She pulled her nanny to confirm again and again: "What did the queen say just now? Who did she say I should marry? What kind of marriage was granted?"
The nanny had received Concubine Peng De's warning and dared not indulge her anymore. She forced a smile and said, "The emperor has granted you and the Marquis of Guanzhong a marriage, and has allowed the Marquis of Guanzhong to take you back to Guanzhong to hold the wedding. You... you should get ready quickly. The eunuchs will probably come to take your measurements and tailor your clothes soon..."
None of this mattered, none of this mattered at all. Princess Yonghe screamed and started crying, totally unable to believe that she had no warning at all and was inexplicably going to marry an old man whose wife had died and who had a lot of illegitimate sons and daughters at home.
What on earth did she do wrong?! Why does everyone think she has something to do with that Guanzhong Hou?!
She didn't even know Guanzhong Hou, let alone have any relationship with him.
It’s disgusting to think about people like this!
She lay limp on the bed until the evening and into the early morning of the next day. She felt exhausted and very haggard.
But she couldn't be sad for too long. Before she could completely get out of the mess, someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs came and said that the Clothing Bureau would come to take her measurements and make clothes for her. The emperor had already given the order, and the Ministry of Rites had begun to arrange her wedding.
Getting married...
She had been looking forward to getting married for so long, but it ended up being so bizarre. She was about to marry someone she had never even met.
And Shen Chen...
The person she truly loved, the one she thought she would most likely get after this incident, no longer had anything to do with her anymore.
She was unwilling to believe it, but when she came to her senses and realized that this was no joke and had become a foregone conclusion, and that Emperor Longqing had personally granted the marriage, she screamed and asked to see her father.
She was not like that. She didn't know Guanzhong Hou, and she was not the one who was engaged to him. She had always liked Shen Chen, and the only one she cared about was Shen Chen.
She had lived such a hard life in Puci Temple before, how could she have the chance to sneak out of the mountain gate? How could she have the chance to do those things?! There must be some misunderstanding... Otherwise, how could they say that she had any relationship with Guanzhong Hou?!