Chongfei Manual pt. 1

100.1

Duke Ying has five granddaughters. First Miss had married a while ago. Second Miss was recently engaged. Fifth Miss Wei Zheng was recently married into Prince Ru Yang's family. Currently, there was only Third Miss and Fourth Miss left. Empress Chen hadn't talked with Third Miss Wei Ya, only Fourth Miss Wei Luo. Hearing Zhao Jie's words, she opened her eyes wider in surprise. All sorts of feelings welled up in her heart as she asked, "Is... Is it that girl?"

Even though she asked this question, she had already made a decision.

Duke Ying's third granddaughter, Wei Ya, wasn't particularly outstanding. She had seen her a few times during palace banquets. Wei Ya's bearing was overcautious and slightly small-minded... She didn't have a strong impression of her. Zhao Jie would probably have less of an impression. However, Wei Luo was different. Wei Luo had been Zhao Liuli's study companion when she was a child. Later, she was Zhao Liuli's best friend. They had practically grown up together. Zhao Jie had often seen her and treated her like a younger sister. Sometimes, he would look at her a few more times.

Empress Chen felt as if five bottles of different emotions had been knocked over in her heart. She was nervous and apprehensive. Was it Wei Luo? Why hadn't she thought of her previously?

Wei Luo was fourteen years old this year. But, she kept thinking of her as ten to twelve year old girl.

Every time that girl came to the palace, she would always bring happiness to Liuli. At such a young age, she was already so charming and exquisite. Her teeth were white and her eyes were like precious gems. Her clever, little mouth had the gift of gab. If she could become her daughter-in-law, it would be very wonderful...

But after Empress Chen thought more, she became slightly worried. What if it was Third Miss Wei Ya instead of Wei Luo? She really couldn't tell what type of preferences her son had!

Empress Chen's hands were squeezed so tightly that her palms were sweaty and she could only wait to hear Zhao Jie's reply.

Sitting next to her on the arhat couch, Zhao Liuli secretly smiled like a little mouse stealing kerosene. Her smile was both proud and secretly delighted.

Zhao Jie didn't disappoint her expectations. Word by word, he slowly said, "It's Fourth Miss, Wei Luo."

Empress Chen suddenly felt as if she heard a giant stone in her heart dropping. The jolt of surprise turned the stone into dust. Her son really liked Wei Luo... Empress Chen felt happy, but her mood also felt complicated. When did Zhao Jie become interested in that young girl? Every time that he refused to be married, was it because of Ah Luo? Zhao Jie would sometimes come to Zhao Yang Hall when Ah Luo was also here. But, she had never seen her son show any sign of unusual behavior in front of her at Zhao Yang Hall! He really could pretend. If he liked Wei Luo, why didn't he tell her? Why did he hide this from her? It couldn't be that he was worried that she would eat Wei Luo, right?

As soon as she thought of this, Empress Chen felt anxious. Her son had become interested in that young girl a long time ago.

Empress Chen's mood went up and down. First, she felt pleasantly surprised. Then, her mood became complicated. Suddenly, she thought of a problem and her mood quickly changed again. Panic-stricken, she asked, "Isn't Ah Luo engaged to Count Zhong Yi's grandson, Song Hui? If you like her, are you planning on snatching her from Count Zhong Yi's family?"

Zhao Luli ate a piece of pea pastry, brightly smiled at Empress Chen, and said, "Imperial mother, Ah Luo's engagement with Song Hui has already been canceled. You didn't know?"

Empress Chen really didn’t know.

After Zhao Liuli mentioned this, she finally smiled after the flash of insight and all was clear. She anxiously asked Zhao Jie, "What are your plans? Have you talked with Duke Ying or the emperor yet? What was their reaction?"

Zhao Jie calmly said, "I haven't talked with imperial father yet. Your imperial son is planning on getting Duke Ying's permission first, then asking imperial father to bestow this marriage."

"This is good..." Empress Chen nodded. She felt delighted from the bottom of her heart. How could she not be happy? There was finally a solution to her son's marriage. She had been worrying about this problem for so long. She had like Wei Luo to begin with. Now that Wei Luo had solved the problem of her son's major life event, she felt even more partial towards her. But, she suddenly thought of something else and worriedly asked, "Chang Sheng, aren't you nine years older than Ah Luo? The age gap is a bit too big. Will Duke Ying agree? That stubborn old man follows rules inflexibly. What will you do if he doesn't agree?”

Zhao Jie saw down in a rosewood chair. He paused with bringing the teacup closer. "Is nine years a lot?"

On the side, Zhao Liuli swallowed the bean pastry in her mouth and scrambled to say, "It isn't. It's better if you’re old. Old people will know how to love and care for another person dearly."

Zhao Jie, “…”

Empress Chen lifted her hand and knocked Zhao Liuli's head. She helplessly said, "How could you say such words to your older brother?"

Zhao Liuli held her head. Because the mood in the room was good, she wasn't as scared of Zhao Jie. She said to him, "Older brother, I was only joking. Don't take it seriously. You're only nine years older than Ah Luo. It's not ten years yet. Only ten years would be too old. You’re only considered slightly old."

Zhao Jie couldn't continue listening. He stood up and said to Empress Chen, "Imperial mother, if there's nothing else, your imperial son will return home to prepare."

At this moment, Empress Chen was eagerly looking forward to Zhao Jie bringing her daughter-in-law home. She immediately waved her hand to indicate for him to leave. She didn't have the slightest intention of urging him to stay.

Zhao Jie immediately left. Empress Chen impatiently called Zhao Liuli closer, pinched her little face, and intentionally made her face look serious as she asked, "Tell imperial mother, did you already know about this?

Zhao Liuli brightly smiled, burrowed herself into Empress Chen's arms, and flatly denied, "What's imperial mother saying? Why can't I understand what you're saying?"

There was a scale in her heart. She was considering Wei Luo's reputation. She shouldn't tell other people about her relationship with Zhao Jie. So, no matter how Empress Chen asked, she kept shaking her head and pretending to not know.

In the end, Empress Chen could only give up on getting an answer from her.

--------

After leaving Zhao Yang Hall, Zhao Jie took his usual customary, small path to leave the palace.

It was currently early autumn. On both sides of the path, there was abundant grass. Not far away, there was a flowering pomegranate tree. It's fiery red flowers were splendid and gorgeous. Zhao Jie walked another two steps, then he suddenly stopped. Soon after, he continued walking without any change in his expression. Seeing this, the woman that had been next to the tree hurriedly chased after him. She was wearing a peach pink robe embroidered with butterflies and flowers. She blocked his path and asked, "Older cousin Jing, do you really like Wei Luo? Are you going to Duke Ying's residence to propose marriage? Are you going to marry her?"

Zhao Jie stopped and looked at the worried girl in front of him. In the face of turmoil, he calmly asked, "Does this have anything to do with you?"

These words were a heavy blow to Gao Dan Yang.

How could this not have anything to do with her? Originally, she was going to marry him. But, Wei Luo had appeared out of nowhere and had taken away everything that should belong to her. She had been about to go to Zhao Yang Hall to pay respect to Empress Chen, but when she walked to Zhao Yang Hall's doors, she had heard their words and didn't go inside. Instead, she stood outside to wait for a little bit. She hadn't expected to hear that information!