The Double-Chapter 547 - 163: Granting Marriage_5

It’s like a joke, thought Shen Yurong.

He didn’t love Princess Yongning. Every moment he spent with her was obligatory and perfunctory. When Princess Yongning clung to him, he wanted to push her away. Now that Emperor Hongxiao’s marriage decree had come down, he no longer needed to push her away, but suddenly, panic bubbled up in his heart.

It was as if he had spent a great deal of effort raising a beast. He resented the creature for being too clingy and consuming too much of his time, waiting for it to grow plump and ready for slaughter. But before the harvest season arrived, the beast had run away. All his efforts were for naught, like scooping water with a woven basket.

Including his beautiful wife, whose sacrifices had now become worthless.

The Emperor Hongxiao’s marriage decree had been issued, and Shen Yurong saw the situation more clearly than others. He knew there was no turning back. Princess Yongning must marry Li Xian. Even if Prince Cheng was successful in his endeavors later, Prince Cheng wouldn’t mistreat the Li Family, which had offered its support. Between Princess Yongning, Li Xian, and himself, Prince Cheng would surely need to choose one—and between the Li Family and himself, Prince Cheng would have to choose one.

It seemed he had no chance of winning, for the Li Family was affluent, while the Shen family had nothing in the past. Even if by his own talents he had gained Prince Cheng’s favor and made Prince Cheng believe that the Shen family was more valuable than the Li Family, that was a tiger. If Princess Yongning were to remarry him, she would have to call off her engagement with Li Xian.

This time, Shen Yurong truly wore a green hat.

Twice "green hat," the first time was his own doing, putting himself in a position to be pitied and ridiculed by everyone, all for the sake of climbing higher. The second time, he was still aiming to climb higher, yet the higher he climbed, the less he wanted others to make a laughingstock of him.

The higher you go, the less you’re willing to lose.

Shen Yurong arrived at his family’s doorstep, reluctant to enter. He knew very well that as soon as he approached the Shen family home, his mother would greet him, and Shen Ruyun, having gotten wind of the news, would hasten back. They would inquire anxiously what exactly had happened. They saw Princess Yongning as a towering tree, and he was the one embracing the tree. Now that the tree was about to fall, they scurried to question why.

Why indeed?

It all seemed as absurd as a joke, like a series of coincidences orchestrated by heaven to punish him for his past deeds.

He was helpless, he was at a loss.

...

Princess Yongning returned to her mansion, dispirited and distracted.

Empress Dowager Liu had exhausted all possible kind and harsh words to finally make Princess Yongning understand one thing. This marriage was inevitable if she wanted her child to be born legitimate.

The first thing Empress Dowager Liu did when she learned of Princess Yongning’s pregnancy was to order a medicinal concoction, aiming to end the pregnancy and pretend nothing ever happened.

It was Princess Yongning who knelt on the ground, clutching at Empress Dowager Liu’s legs, weeping bitterly, that softened the Empress Dowager’s heart and changed her mind. She had never begged so humbly in her life, but over these past few days, for the sake of her child, she had done all things she thought she could never do.

Princess Yongning caressed her belly and remembered how she had asked in despair in the Imperial Consort’s palace, "Mother, is there really no other way? Can’t big brother think of something else?"

Empress Dowager Liu answered her, "You can’t tell your big brother about this. He has been very busy lately and can’t be distracted by such matters... Besides, he is closely involved with the Right Chancellor. If your big brother finds out, it’s hard to guarantee that the Right Chancellor won’t learn of it. Even if they are on very good terms, which family can be so magnanimous as to accept a bride who is pregnant with another man’s child? If Li Xian doesn’t know, I will find someone to help you get through the wedding night, and later we’ll think of a way for you to deliver the child. If you tell your big brother, be careful of the consequences."

Left with no choice, Princess Yongning had to accept this plan. Furthermore, to avoid showing her pregnancy too soon and raising suspicion, Empress Dowager Liu took the initiative to suggest to the Emperor that the marriage take place the following month.

That meant, next month, Princess Yongning would marry into the Li Family, becoming Eldest Lady Li and carrying this life within her at the Li Household. The child, once born, would have Li Xian as his father, not Shen Yurong.

Princess Yongning felt as though all the strength in her body was drained, almost unable to sit firmly; her face turned pale, and she suddenly felt utterly powerless.

She had longed to marry into the Shen family, and had even begun plotting early on. From the first moment she saw Shen Yurong, she knew this man belonged to her. She had caused the death of Xue Fangfei, clearing all obstacles early on. Yet now, when everything seemed to be going smoothly, how could it all fall to pieces?

In her mind’s eye, she suddenly saw Xue Fangfei on her deathbed, when she herself had gone to see her. Xue Fangfei lying in bed, looking at her with a smile that now seemed mocking.

Was she mocking her? After all her scheming, she ended up marrying someone else and didn’t become Madam Shen.

Shen Yurong hadn’t known about her pregnancy with his child yet, and since receiving the marriage decree, he hadn’t come to see her. Princess Yongning didn’t know what Shen Yurong was thinking, whether he was angry or simply indifferent. Or perhaps he, like her, found this all preposterous?

The most perplexing thing for her was how things had come to this state?