Chapter 81.1: The Cause, Li Hong Yuan's Dark History
In the past several days, there have been no news of Li Hong Yuan. In addition, just as he'd wished, nothing harmful came up from the investigation of the flower market incident. Yet, both on the surface and in the dark, more or less all proved those good sons of his all participated in it. Just, in the end, no one was able to obtain any good out of it. Le Cheng Emperor continuously remained in an out of control state. In order to warn them, several factions' key members were pulled out to take the blame. Don't know how many heads have already fallen, and how many people's blood spilled.
The few princes all obediently withdrew into their turtle shell, not daring to act blindly without thinking. Even the people they sent to White Dragon Temple, after receiving some seemingly true but actually false news, were all called back too. The small settlements near the White Dragon Temple were all people Le Cheng Emperor sent. They endlessly expanded their search perimeter. Including the river that Li Hong Yuan fell into, the area was searched repeatedly countless times. It truly was 'alive but don't see the person, dead but don't see the corpse'. To have still not been able to find the person after this many days, he most likely was already buried in the fish's stomach.
Shut up! Le Cheng Emperor was unable to restrain his anger. He just didn't believe that, that disastrous demon son of his was already dead.
Perhaps it was really because the Ding Duke Manor had unparalleled honor. Of the founding four dukes and nine marquises, after several political unrest, only Ding Duke Manor stood straight and unwavering form beginning to end, letting the Ding Duke unconsciously give birth to the 'as long as it wasn't a major crime like plotting a rebellion, he can do whatever he pleased' mentality. As a result, while Le Cheng Emperor was still angry, he repeatedly ran before Le Cheng Emperor, complaining tearfully about that misfortunate daughter of his, a beautiful upright flower ruined just like that, her entire life was all over.
Ding Duke's aim, Le Cheng Emperor actually was very clear about. It was nothing more than just giving him a son-in-law that he fancies.
And the Empress at this time originally should be dissuading her elder brother, but for the sake of her son, she not only didn't advise against him, she even discreetly persuaded Le Cheng Emperor, saying that her elder brother loved his daughter, and only have this one precious di daughter. For a daughter to have injured her face, it will only affect her marriage. And that bit of matter, Le Cheng Emperor only needed one word to take care of. How easy it sounded coming from her mouth, as if really with just one word from Le Cheng, the entire situation can turn around.
Le Cheng Emperor smiled, yet that smile made Empress Sun feel frightened for some reason, and afterwards, she continuously felt uneasy. Sure enough, bad news came the next day. An imperial decree bestowing marriage, one that Le Cheng Emperor personally wrote, was read out loud during the morning court in front of the hundred court officials.
Once the imperial decree passed, there was no room to turn back. Seeing more than half the people upon the imperial court blanking on the spot, Le Cheng Emperor felt pleased inside.
Don't think Le Cheng Emperor doesn't know that his eldest son and Sun Yi Jia's marriage was messed up by that bastard, and don't assume that he doesn't know that the Empress's side wanted to use the marriage to rope in manpower.
The Ding Duke Manor, in order to find another 'good son-in-law', naturally looked left and right, rushing about in many directions. Those who didn't know would only think that he really loved his daughter, and of those that did know, just how many mocked him in the dark. Where was this marrying off a daughter, this was clearly selling a daughter. To say it unpleasantly, what difference was there from those goods that were waiting to sell for a good price? Whichever side gave the highest bid is the side that will be able to marry that unparalleled beauty.
The Ding Duke Manor's power was displayed there, and the possibility of the eldest prince ascending the throne was the highest. After all, he was the eldest di born. His abilities weren't the most outstanding of the princes, but he wasn't the worst either. Rightfully and lawfully, his claim to the throne was perfectly legitimate, so naturally there were those that were getting restless, so far as to ignore those rumors between Sun Yi Jia and eldest prince, Kang Wang.
Unfortunately, before matters could be finalized, Sun Yi Jia got into an accident.
Have to say, Sun Yi Jia's existence in this exchange was nothing more than a token. As long as she existed, that was her greatest value. Then, whether her face was intact or not wasn't that important anymore. However, those that were truly willing to voluntarily have this kind of woman taken back home as a wife will have those 'transactions' displayed on the surface. Some things, no matter how well aware one was inside, absolutely must not float up to the surface. Face, to a family, was very important, and striving only for the sake of benefits, and not asking anything else, will only make one disdain.
Ding Duke's actions were merely just to let Le Cheng Emperor issue a decree, giving them the face they wanted. After all, the imperial order was difficult to defy. Clearly, having received a benefit, he still assumed an air or reluctance. Towards Sun Yi Jia, Jing Wan, and even the Sun Yi Lin that had just entered officialdom, all only thought of the ruined Sun Yi Jia being abandoned. How could they ever imagine that the Ding Duke was actually able to go this far. This completely was cutting off any chance of survival for her, making one endlessly disappointed and sorrowful. And this time, they can be considered to have learned a lesson, never ever underestimate certain people's cold-bloodedness and shamelessness.
Unfortunately, they miscalculated one thing. Le Cheng Emperor was indeed a rather mediocre emperor, indecisive in court affairs, and further didn't have the ambitions to expand Qi Yuan's domain through warfare. But this didn't mean that he didn't have a temper and will allow a bunch of people to lead him by the nose. If truly angered, no one will have a good end.
Weren't you, the Ding Duke, worried that your daughter won't be able to marry? Alright, right now, this emperor will give you this one's own son as a son-in-law. A prince and a qinwang, this is giving you an enormous face! "What, Ding Duke is dissatisfied with this emperor's son?"
"No, your Majesty......."
"Jin Qinwang is elegant and handsome, graceful like a jade tree, beauty of a celestial being. That daughter of yours, even before ruining her appearance, could barely be a worthy match to him. What she's like now, although this emperor hasn't seen, but can still imagine. This emperor, seeing on behalf of Ding Duke Manor's loyalty, can't bear to see beloved official worrying all day, thus reluctantly decreed your daughter as Jin Wangfei...." Le Cheng Emperor displayed a 'for the sake of Ding Duke, he's suffered a huge loss' stance, and was just a step away from directly saying—-'Son, this old man has let you down ah, choosing for you such a wangfei. But this old man has no other way ah, Ding Duke has wholeheartedly served the country. This old man can't just chill an official's heart. That's why, can only sacrifice you to solve this worry for this old man.......Ding Duke, this old man's son is of great talent, master in learning, proficient in the brush and sword, but now have to marry that daughter of yours, sacrificing this much, if you don't prepare some more dowry for your daughter, won't you feel ashamed?
The court officials listened to Le Cheng Emperor's tearful-like narration and couldn't help continuing to bury their heads even lower, covering up their twitching mouths. Emperor, can you not have some more face? Even if you have that son of yours praised to the heavens, it still can't change one fact, setting aside the fact that apart from that face of his, there's not a single good point, he also has that rotten to the extreme reputation. Even if they don't like Ding Duke, they would still have to say, even the ruined Miss Sun matched with that son of yours is a huge grievance. Also, counting on one's fingers, from Jin Qinwang leaving the palace and opening his residence to until now, how many times have you bestowed a marriage? Seven, seven times! Cursing wives to this level, no one can match either. You can't just, because you're the Emperor, have no consideration for the other party's daughter's life, no?
Also, until now, there is still no news whatsoever about Jin Qinwang. Nine times out of ten he's.........this is preparing to fix a ghost marriage to let Sun Yi Jia be a widowed wife of a ghost, or what?
T/N: Ghost marriage is marrying someone to a dead person. Shamelessness runs deep in this family. Also I have to say, the Emperor sometimes is a bit of a masochist towards ML. He like knowingly does a lot of things that he knows his son will rebel against, and he will inevitably get high-blood pressure because of it, he still does it. It's so funny watching the Emperor throw himself in this endless cycle of suffering......deep down I'm probably a sadist. And yes, the Emperor issued the decree just to shut Ding Duke up, because he was annoying him.