Princess Yongping's seemingly light words caused the huge third floor to fall into silence.
Although Wu Ge Lao and Zhang Yu were outsiders, they also heard that the emperor looked at Song Juren, who had argued with Princess Yongping in public, was good at cooking and didn't care much about the imperial examination, differently. As dignified elders, they certainly wouldn't gossip in the officialdom about whether the emperor was planning to match someone with Princess Yongping, but they always felt that it was very likely that the father-in-law was looking at his son-in-law.
Now the empress dowager has invited the two imperial concubines and several princesses, county ladies and other daughters of the royal family. This situation reminds them of the empress dowager personally choosing a son-in-law for her grandson. Of course, it is true that Imperial Concubine Yu was also invited to choose a son-in-law, but the rest of the girls were probably just a decoy... After all, there was a precedent of the emperor personally choosing a son-in-law last time, so the two did not find it strange at all.
But first, Princess Hailing fell in love with Mr. Song and asked him in public whether they were going to get married or not, and then Princess Yongping asked the Empress Dowager and the Emperor to help the couple get married. They both felt that they had lived most of their lives and worked in officialdom for decades, but all of it was in vain.
Why is this drama not being performed according to the lyrics and plot in the script
Zhang Shou was not surprised at all by Princess Yongping's sudden statement. He gently nudged Zhu Ying with his elbow and saw that the young lady suddenly woke up, but her face darkened and she was obviously angry. He said softly, "Yingying, I told you a long time ago that some things are impossible. You know, a forced melon is not sweet."
"Come and show off your good taste to me again... Humph!"
Zhu Ying raised her eyebrows unhappily, then stood up suddenly, breaking the silence: "A Ling has good taste, but there is a saying that love should be mutual, and Chef Song has not agreed yet! Even though I fell in love with Shou at first sight, we got along first after we made it clear. He recognized what kind of person I was, and then he brought up the engagement again. Isn't it too early for you to agree now?"
Princess Yongping's eyes became colder and colder: "Zhu Ying, do you want everyone to follow your example, regardless of the difference between men and women?"
"You said you wanted to make it happen, not me. Marriage is a big deal, it's decided by the parents and the matchmaker, but doesn't it also have to be a mutual love? A-Ling thinks Chef Song is good, but Chef Song also has to think she is good, only then can there be a basis for making it happen. Otherwise, if you're clamoring for making it happen, aren't you treating Chef Song as a living person, but as an object that can be arranged at will?"
"Our dynasty is not like those self-righteous emperors of the Han and Tang dynasties, who married off daughters of the royal family one by one, calling them princesses, while hiding their own daughters in the deep palace. When they reached a certain age, they were betrothed to unwilling noble sons and daughters just like forced marriages! The rules left by our Emperor Taizu, even when choosing a bride, have always been voluntary and will not affect one's future."
"As for the marriage of a daughter of a clan, if the father and grandfather of the family are still alive, even the royal family will never interfere!"
Zhu Ying stared at Princess Yongping and said word by word: "You look down on Chef Song, but the Emperor does, A Shou and I do, and now A Ling does too. You don't have to worry about someone forcing him on you. Chef Song is a man of ambition and will, not someone who can be manipulated by others!"