After sending Mrs. Qiao away, Xie Ruzhuo just returned to the house. However, there were too many things in her mind. She tossed and turned many times, but she did not fall asleep until the moon was high.
It wasn't until the sky turned white that she hugged the hosta given to her by Xiao Junxi and slowly fell into sleep.
In just two days, rumors were already spreading all over the capital. That day in the royal study, there were many ministers present. After returning home, something might have slipped through the mouth, and it spread to the servants through the noble lady. Moreover, this teahouse and restaurant had always been the most well-informed. After all the publicity, Xie Ruzhuo's request for marriage from the emperor spread throughout the capital.
By the time Xie Ruzhuo learned about the news, it had spread throughout Xie's mansion.
Xie Ruzhuo was teaching Xie Huailin how to practice calligraphy that day, when he saw Qian Bi walking in with an angry look on his face.
Xie Ruzhuo asked with a smile without raising his head, "Who has offended you again? Your face is so black."
Hearing this, Qian Bi immediately curled her lips and said angrily, "Miss, you don't even know that the servants in this house are talking about those nonsense everywhere, and they are so ugly!"
"Oh? What did they say?"
Seeing that Xie Ruzhuo was still careless, Qianbi felt even more aggrieved for her young lady, "What else can I say? That you are overestimating your abilities and shameless, and you actually went to the emperor to make trouble, asking the emperor to marry you to the third prince; you also said You relied on your family's achievements to support the third prince, and the third prince was forced to accept it; oh, it's so unpleasant to hear, it makes me mad!"
After hearing what Qian Bi said, Xie Ruzhuo smiled and said, "If someone else has his mouth, we can't stop him."
But what really concerned her was, "Someone actually said that I relied on my family's contribution? Ha, this is an interesting statement. I wonder who deliberately smeared the Xie family."
If the previous one still slandered her reputation, then the second one is to put a big hat on the Xie family! She may not mind her reputation being ruined, but she cannot allow others to slander the Xie family!
Seeing Xie Ruzhuo's face darken, Qian Bi also kept silent and said, "Miss, don't be like this, it's scary."
Xie Ruzhuo smiled coldly and said, "What are you afraid of? You are not the one who should be afraid. But I can guess who wants to slander our family." In the imperial study that day, there was no one from the Shen family. People, but there are people from the Zhang family. This matter probably has something to do with the Zhang family.
At this moment, Jiang Zhu hurried in from outside the door and said with a happy face, "Miss, the decree of canonization in the palace has come down. The chamberlain is waiting in the main hall right now."
Xie Ruzhuo was stunned for a moment. He put down the brush in his hand and straightened his and Xie Huailin's clothes. The two siblings walked towards the main hall.
Xie Shengli has also arrived and was talking to the chamberlain when he heard the chambermaid say, "Your Majesty is very concerned about you, Mr. Xie. When you came out today, you told me to take good care of you for him."
Hearing this, Xie Shengli immediately raised his hands and said with a smile, "Thank you, father-in-law. I will go to the palace to pay your respects to the emperor soon."
Just as he was talking, seeing that Xie Ruzhuo and others had already arrived, the eunuch stood up, slowly opened the imperial edict in his hand, and said, "The Xie family listens to the edict—"
Xie Shengli led the family to kneel down, and heard the high-pitched voice of the eunuch, "By the fate of heaven, the emperor issued an edict: The Xie family has an honorable reputation, and the Xie family is like a carving, and has a great reputation as a good lady. Today, you are the third one." Princess and concubine. The marriage will take place immediately after the Heavenly Supervisor and the auspicious day of Huang Dao. Please accept this."
Although Xie Ruzhuo asked for the decree in person that day, it was just written by Emperor Jing to reassure her and was not stamped with a jade seal. Today's letter is the real canonization edict.
Xie Shengli, who was the first to express gratitude, said, "Long live my emperor."
The eunuch was so busy that he handed over the imperial edict to him. He helped Xie Shengli up and said with a flattering smile, "Congratulations to Mr. Xie, and congratulations to the third prince and concubine."
Xie Ruzhuo gave a gentle bow to express his gratitude, and stood aside just looking gentle. Xie Shengli said a few more words to the eunuch, and then saw the eunuch cupping his hands and saying, "The Za family has to go to another house to announce the decree. Mr. Xie, I will talk to you another day."
Xie Shengli agreed, and then heard Xie Ruzhuo ask, "I wonder whose house my father-in-law is going to?"
The eunuch didn't hide anything, and said with a contemptuous smile, "Who else could it be? It's naturally the Shen family. The emperor must give justice to the New Year's Eve banquet. Today, I will grant you a marriage, and the other is to the Shen family. Miss canonization."
Xie Ruzhuo thought about it for a moment and asked, "Is she also the princess?"
The smile on the eunuch's face was still there, but he was no longer so respectful, "Only someone like you, Miss Xie, can afford to be a concubine. The Shen family, scoff."
Hearing this, Xie Ruzhuo understood that this decree must be for a concubine.
After the eunuch said goodbye, Mrs. Ji pulled Xie Ruzhuo with a kind smile and said, "Zhuo'er, although the emperor's decree has been issued, you and the third prince have not been married for a day, so you must abide by your duty. Understand What?"
Xie Ruzhuo asked for a bow and said, "Zhuo'er understands."
As soon as she finished speaking, she heard Xie Rulan snorted and said, "It's really unfair. Some people have gone to the emperor to make trouble, but you still dote on her! Grandma, you are so biased." It’s too cruel!”
Since Mr. Lu left, Xie Rulan felt more and more unable to eat at home. Mrs. Liu has always been evil-minded, and the new Liu Yun is also not a good person, making Xie Rulan more and more difficult to do. Now seeing Xie Ruzhuo like this, he was also seducing others, but the other party was able to take advantage of him like a fish in water. She could only be punished and disciplined, which made her feel unbalanced!
Ji frowned and said, "What are you talking about, third girl? Although Zhuo'er asked for her marriage, she has done nothing wrong after all."
"Oh, isn't this out of bounds? In front of so many civil and military ministers, don't you think it's embarrassing for you to force the emperor to decree a marriage in front of so many civil and military ministers? Grandma, tell me, why is it out of bounds? "
Xie Rulan was aggressive, looking at Xie Ruzhuo as if she could kill him with her eyes.
It's a pity that Xie Ruzhuo didn't care and just smiled and asked, "So what? Now that I have been made a concubine, I have become a king and a loser. So what if you are not convinced?"
One sentence made Xie Rulan jump with anger, but Xie Ruzhuo ignored her, turned around and supported Qiao and said, "Grandma, let me go back with you."
Xie Rulan wanted to say something else, but Xie Shengli glanced at him and said in a deep voice, "We are not allowed to discuss this matter anymore. Outsiders haven't said anything yet. Let's make our own family members discord first. Isn't this a trick?" Is it someone else’s conspiracy?”
As he spoke, he looked at the servants around him and ordered, "From now on, if you hear anyone gossiping behind their back, they will all be beaten and sent out. Do you understand?"
Seeing that the servants around him knelt down in fear and said in unison, "Minions understand."
Even though Xie Rulan was unwilling to accept it, she could only say in a low voice, "I understand."
The eunuch came to Xie's house quickly, but when he went to Shen's house, it was almost noon.
Hearing the eunuch's arrival, Mr. Shen took the lead and knelt down in the courtyard, waiting for the decree to be announced.
The chamberlain supervisor glanced at Shen Jingci, who stood out among the crowd. He first praised her for her good looks, and then sneered at her lack of reserve. After a long time, she coughed lightly and said, "Shen's family accepted the order—"
"By God's blessing, the Emperor Zhao said: Shen Jingci, the daughter of the Shen family, with a beautiful heart and a well-known family, Shuyuan, is now named the second prince's concubine, occupying the side position. The Qintian Supervisor confirms that the marriage will be held in the auspicious day of Huang Dao. I hereby express my gratitude."
When Shen Jingci first heard the sentence "for the prince's concubine", she felt happy, but the next sentence completely threw her into the ice cave. Living on the side, she is just a side concubine? !
Seeing that Shen Jingci didn't move, the eunuch was a little impatient and said with a smile, "Miss Shen, will you accept the order?"
Mr. Shen was the one who reacted quickly and took over the decree first and said, "Thank you Lord for your kindness, long live my emperor!"
Shen Jingci stood up reluctantly, clenching her hands tightly into fists hidden in her sleeves.
After Mr. Shen sent the eunuch away politely, he put away the smile on his face, lowered his face and said, "Ci'er, come with me."
Shen Jingci did not dare to delay, and followed Mr. Shen to the room, and heard him ask, "Didn't the second prince say that he would grant you the position of concubine? How should you explain today's matter?" "
Hearing this, Shen Jingci's face suddenly burst into tears, and she knelt down and said, "Grandpa, I'm so unwilling. This time I was set up!"
"Hmph, aren't you usually the most scheming, but now you can't beat others? Well, after all, you are going to get married, so let your elder brother worry more about the affairs of this family in the future."
Hearing this, Shen Jingci looked at Mr. Shen in disbelief, and her voice became louder, "Grandpa, I have done so much for our family over the years -"
Mr. Shen took a sip of tea, but his expression was full of ruthlessness, "You are about to get married, do you still expect to hold on to the power of the Shen family? The Shen family is not your future husband's dowry!"
After hearing this, Shen Jingci felt chilled to her bones. No matter how unwilling she was, she did not dare to show up. She just kowtowed and said, "Grandpa, I understand." After saying that, she raised her eyes again and said, "It's just that now the Shen family and the second prince are tied together. They both prosper and suffer. So what if I marry him today and become a concubine? When he ascends the throne in the future, I can only take the position of queen, grandpa. Just watch!"
When she said this, Mr. Shen suddenly remembered that this little girl who was only six years old had said this to him so firmly.
Later, she really showed her amazing talent and brought the Shen family to a higher level.
But, can he still believe what she said today
After a long time, Mr. Shen finally said, "Don't worry, the Shen family is your natal family after all. Grandpa is not a heartless person. If you use the Shen family's place in the future, grandpa will not stand idly by."
Seeing that she had spent a long time and only got this result, Shen Jingci hated him for being an old fox, but at the same time she had no choice but to kowtow and say, "Thank you, grandpa, my granddaughter will go back first."
After Shen Jingci returned to the room, the first thing she did was sweep a tea set off the table, and screamed like crazy, "Ah-"
Baoqin Shimo stood outside the door as if he hadn't heard anything, looked at each other, then lowered his head and started doing his work.
After Shen Jingci finished venting, she slowly sat on the ground, her eyes shining with a cold light.
A carrier pigeon flew in. She stretched out her hand to grab the pigeon and took out the small note inside. After seeing the content above, his eyes widened and he said bitterly, "Xie Ruzhuo!"
She had long suspected that what happened at the palace banquet that day was closely related to Xie Ruzhuo, and now it turned out to be true! Her informant came to report that only two people had entered the dressing room that day, one was her and the other was Xie Ruzhuo. And Xie Ruzhuo went in before her and stayed sneaking inside for a long time!