On Our Wedding Night, I Discovered the Crown Prince's Hidden Illness-Chapter 196: The Imperial Decree of Marriage

Chapter 196 -196: The Imperial Decree of Marriage

Leng Yuyue pondered, considering the time, it had been a month since the petition had been sent from Beilan City by the Emperor’s command. Given the speed of the Prince Zhenbei Mansion’s horses, traveling day and night, they could reach the capital in ten days.

The ten days to reach the capital represented the utmost limit of speed.

Relays of messengers and horses had been switched one after another to achieve such speed.

Considering his own journey back to Beilan City from the capital had taken more than a month, since one needed not only to eat and drink on the road but also to rest and sleep, which made the duration longer.

Subtracting the ten days it took for the Prince Mansion to send the petition, the Tian Family had taken twenty days to deliver the imperial decree.

The envoy sent to deliver the imperial decree must be someone from the Capital City, likely having traveled by horse carriage, pampered and not changing course mid-journey.

Although the coachmen could rotate, and horses could be switched at hostels, the horses from the capital were far from comparable to the steeds of Beilan City, yet they managed the trip in only twenty days.

For the Tian Family, such a duration of twenty days was already quite short.

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It was evident that this imperial decree was rather urgent.

The Leng Family’s patriarch had only requested a title for Yan’er, so why was the Tian Family in such a rush?

There must be a hidden reason!

Could it be that this imperial decree contained matters beyond the conferment of a title?

Leng Yuyue’s expression turned grave as he said to Leng Yu Yan, “Let’s set aside the matter of the bandit stronghold and Xiaoshan for now, and head to the front courtyard first.”

Leng Yu Yan nodded in agreement.

The siblings walked shoulder to shoulder toward the front courtyard of the Prince Zhenbei Mansion.

The envoy sent to the Prince Zhenbei Mansion to proclaim the Imperial Decree was a young general named Fan Qi. From the moment he stepped into the territory governed by the Prince Zhenbei Mansion, he had felt a chill in his spirit, while also being greatly alarmed.

It had to be said, the lands under the Prince Zhenbei Mansion’s governance were peaceful and prosperous, with Beilan City’s level of opulence nearly rivaling that of the Capital City.

No wonder the Emperor sought to suppress the Prince Zhenbei Mansion.

In regards to the young general before him, the Old Prince Zhenbei mentally scoffed. The crafty young Emperor indeed had his strategies, sending a general under the guise of declaring the decree, but likely also to assess the military state of their governed lands.

Fan Qi sat in the main hall, facing both the Old Prince Zhenbei and Prince Zhenbei, sweating profusely down his back.

This father and son duo were said to have illustrious battle achievements, never having suffered defeat.

Rumors even had it that the Prince Zhenbei line, had they so desired the realm in the past, could have easily seized it.

Fan Qi swallowed nervously, his hands trembled as he lifted the teacup to take a sip.

But he hadn’t expected the tea to be so hot, leaving him unsure whether to spit it out or swallow.

After a few moments in his mouth, he forcefully swallowed it down.

Old Prince Zhenbei raised an eyebrow, “Our humble tea from this remote place naturally can’t compare with the fine tea from the Capital City.”

Fan Qi forced a smile, “Old Prince, where are such words? The tea from your mansion is indeed fine, truly fine.”

Prince Lai Ran said coldly, “Just now you mentioned that the Emperor declared two decrees, how come there are two?”

Fan Qi hastily set down the teacup, “Please forgive me, Prince, I am only charged with delivering the decree and am not privy to the Emperor’s sacred intentions.”

At this moment, the entire Leng Family had arrived in the main hall.

Fan Qi’s gaze swept around and settled on Leng Yu Yan, filled with astonishment.

This lady must be the daughter of Prince Zhenbei, and she was truly beautiful.

There were rumors in the capital that Prince Zhenbei was so ugly as to shock his enemies. Upon first seeing him, Fan Qi was greatly surprised.

Prince Zhenbei’s true appearance was actually strikingly handsome.

And now, seeing his daughter, General Fan finally understood the saying “Like father, like daughter.”

Such beauty, on a man, was exceptionally handsome.

On a woman, it was simply a Heavenly Girl descending to the earth, an immortal fallen among mortals!

Leng Yuyue stepped forward, blocking Leng Yu Yan with his tall stature.

“Please, envoy, proceed with the pronouncement of the decree.”

Leng Yuyue’s austere voice brought Fan Qi back to reality, as he quickly refocused and asked, “Why is the Princess Consort not present?”

“My wife is feeling unwell, so she will not come to receive the decree,” Lai Ran nonchalantly rose from his chair and lifted his hand, “Please proceed, General Fan.”

Fan Qi cleared his throat and took an imperial decree from an attendant, unfolding it.

The other members of the Leng Family immediately knelt down.

Since both the Old Prince Zhenbei and Prince Zhenbei held their titles, and since the late Emperor had said that neither the new nor the old Prince Zhenbei need to kneel to the Emperor, they did not need to kneel for the Emperor’s imperial decree either.

Fan Qi read aloud, “Prince Zhenbei has found his daughter, which greatly comforts Our heart. We hereby bestow upon the daughter of Prince Zhenbei the title of Princess Beilan.”

He then went on to discuss the stipend the Princess Beilan would receive as a first-rank official.

Leng Yu Yan stepped forward to accept the decree.

Due to the Leng men’s piercing and stern gaze, Fan Qi dared not look too long at the maiden receiving the decree, and with a stiff resolve, he took another imperial decree from an attendant.

“The Prince Zhenbei has a daughter, whom We now bestow in marriage, granting the title of Crown Princess Consort to Princess Beilan, to be wed to Crown Prince Ye Yiheng. This will demonstrate the profound bonds between Beilan City and the Ye Family…”

Fan Qi had not yet finished reading.

Lai Ran interrupted with a chilly voice, “Please tell the Emperor that I have only this one daughter and cannot bear to send her to the Capital City.”

Wouldn’t such a distance mean father and daughter would be separated again?

Disturbed, Fan Qi explained, “Prince, the Emperor means to invite you and the Princess to enter the Capital City together. At that time, a Prince Zhenbei Mansion will also be set up in the capital, so it wouldn’t really count as a separation.”

Hearing this, Lai Ran’s expression became even colder.

Was the Emperor intending to put him under house arrest?

Furthermore, how could Ye Yiheng, that boy, become his future son-in-law?

How could a blind Crown Prince be worthy of his daughter?

Leng Yu Yan was shocked beyond measure.

Why was she being bound to that blind man again?

With a grave expression, Lai Ran waved his hand, “I have just found my daughter a month ago; let’s talk about marriage after a few years.”

Fan Qi was internally panicked, fearing Lai Ran would tear the imperial decree on the spot, for if he returned to the capital without success, he might lose his head.

Even if he didn’t lose his head, if the Emperor decided to send troops to attack Beilan City, he would likely be the first one to be sent into battle.

As a mere General, he had enough with delivering decrees. If it came down to warfare against the Prince Mansion, he’d be no match for the Leng men.

He feared he would die on the battlefield.

Whether it was at the hands of the Emperor or on the battlefield, either way, it was a loss.

With these thoughts, he uneasily whispered the truth, “Prince, some things I cannot say explicitly, but you also understand that certain things must not be left to give others leverage.”

Lai Ran’s handsome eyebrows furrowed at this.

By refusing the marriage, they would give the Emperor an excuse to make trouble for Prince Zhenbei Mansion.

Confiscating the soldiers and military power nurtured single-handedly by the Prince Mansion was the most likely outcome.

The Emperor’s constant wariness of the Prince Zhenbei Mansion was predominantly because of the military power behind him.

A marriage refusal would be handing the Emperor a tremendous and usable pretext.

Seeing that Lai Ran was taking his words to heart, Fan Qi added in a soft voice, “At the very least, those who have received the decree should enter the capital to express gratitude. When the time comes, Prince, you can directly convey your concerns to the Emperor, and perhaps the matter could be resolved.”

Such a beautiful Princess Beilan must surpass the previous Crown Prince Consort in splendor.

Fan Qi had just arrived in the Capital City not long ago and had heard many speak of how beautiful the former Crown Prince Consort was.

Now, having seen the daughter of Prince Zhenbei, he felt that the people of the Capital City had narrow judgment.

They surely had never seen Princess Beilan.

Such a strikingly beautiful maiden, he also could not bear to see her married off to a blind Crown Prince.

Lai Ran’s expression darkened even more, but faced with his daughter, beautiful as flowers and exquisite as jade, he knew he had to fight.

But how to fight?

First, he had to steady the Emperor, who was always suspicious and jealous; second, he had to calm the court officials’ rumors; and most importantly, he had to protect his daughter!