"She was summoned to the imperial study by the emperor?" Xin Zizhao looked at Grand Eunuch Li in surprise.
"Yes, Your Highness, the Fifth Prince," Grand Eunuch Li replied.
"Do you know what the emperor wants to talk to her about?"
"I'm afraid I don't know, Your Highness. The little eunuch didn't disclose this information to me."
"All right, Grand Eunuch Li, you may go back to your duties."
Xin Zizhao waved his hand, signaling Grand Eunuch Li to leave. The grand eunuch bowed slightly and left Xin Zizhao's study. After he left, Xin Zizhao picked up his medical book and continued reading. The more he read, the more something seemed off. Everything seemed to have come to an end, so why did the emperor summon Wei Shuxuan? What did he want to talk to her about?
Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, Xin Zizhao put down the medical book and stood up abruptly. Could the emperor be talking to Wei Shuxuan about what happened this morning?
He quickly left his study and found Grand Eunuch Li bustling around in the kitchen. The grand eunuch was extremely surprised to see Xin Zizhao standing in front of him. "Your... Your Highness, the Fifth Prince?"
"Tell me where my father summoned Wei Shuxuan."
To avoid being disturbed during his conversation with Wei Shuxuan, Emperor Jinzheng changed the meeting place to the Full - Moon Garden. The Full - Moon Garden was a place where Emperor Jinzheng held banquets, but there were also pavilions for resting.
Wei Shuxuan was led to the Full - Moon Garden by a little eunuch. She looked around the garden. It was her first time here. It was early spring, with new buds just emerging and various flowers exuding sweet fragrances.
The paths in the Full - Moon Garden were lined with colorful Chinese roses. The delicate flower buds hung on the green leaves, looking like stars dotted in the sky from afar. The faint fragrance of the Chinese roses wafted in the air, making people feel better.
"Miss Wei, this way, please."
".....Thank you."
Wei Shuxuan was so engrossed in looking at the flowers that she almost missed the little eunuch's voice. She quickly came back to her senses and followed the little eunuch.
After passing through the flower path filled with Chinese roses, Wei Shuxuan saw an archway twined with Chinese roses. Although the roses hadn't fully bloomed yet, she could imagine how beautiful it would be when they did.
After coming out of the rose archway, Wei Shuxuan saw a square pavilion not far away. Light - blue curtains were hanging from the four sides of the pavilion, fluttering in the spring breeze.
"Miss Wei, this is the place. You can go into the pavilion. His Majesty is waiting for you inside."
"Okay.....Thank you."
"You're welcome. Then I'll take my leave, Miss."
The little eunuch bowed slightly and left. Wei Shuxuan walked over carefully. She wondered why Emperor Jinzheng had summoned her here. It felt like a place for a marriage proposal... Could it be...
Just thinking about it made Wei Shuxuan shiver. She'd better see the emperor quickly and leave.
She strode into the pavilion and saw Emperor Jinzheng lying on a rocking chair, reading a book. Hearing the sound, Emperor Jinzheng turned his head and saw Wei Shuxuan standing there. "Shuxuan, you're here. Sit down, sit down. Over there is fine."
".....Yes."
Wei Shuxuan sat down nervously at the place indicated by the emperor. Before Emperor Jinzheng could speak, she spoke first. "Your Majesty, may I ask what you've summoned me for? If it's not something important, I'd like to go back now!"
Before she could run out of the pavilion, she was stopped by two soldiers guarding the pavilion. Then she heard Emperor Jinzheng's voice. "Where are you running to? I haven't finished speaking yet. Come on, sit down. I'll talk to you slowly. I'm just asking for your opinion. You don't need to be so nervous."
Asking for her opinion? What kind of opinion did he want from her? Could it be about the compensation?
Wei Shuxuan turned to look at Emperor Jinzheng. The emperor gave a lazy smile, and the wrinkles on his face relaxed. "It's about compensating you. You can rest assured now, right?"
Only then did Wei Shuxuan finally let go of the stone in her heart. "There's no need for compensation. The dead will never come back. No amount of compensation will be useful. Everything is already a foregone conclusion."
"I know. It was my wrong judgment that made you lose your family forever. I'm very ashamed. I hope you can also look forward."
Wei Shuxuan pursed her lips and said nothing.
"Sigh..." Seeing the expression on Wei Shuxuan's face, Emperor Jinzheng sighed. "Shuxuan, you can ask me for anything you want. I've also thought carefully. You have feelings for Zizhao. So, I'm going to bestow a marriage on you and Zizhao. What do you think?"
".....What!" Wei Shuxuan was stunned. Bestow a marriage? With Xin Zizhao? She was completely dumbfounded now. "This... It's not appropriate, is it? Xin Zizhao hasn't even agreed!"
As soon as the words came out, Wei Shuxuan felt that what she said was a bit strange. When Ge Long'an proposed that she should marry Ge Zian, she refused without hesitation and even angrily turned around and left. But now, when faced with Emperor Jinzheng's bestowal of a marriage between her and Xin Zizhao, she didn't have that firm - willed feeling. Instead, there was a little bit of anticipation... She thought she must be crazy.
"You're right. I also need to ask Zizhao if he agrees. But I can tell that Zizhao also likes you. This morning, Zizhao once rejected my proposal. He also thought that if you, Shuxuan, didn't agree, what kind of marriage would it be if only he agreed?"
"Ah? He said such a thing too?" Wei Shuxuan looked at Emperor Jinzheng in disbelief.
"Of course. Why would I lie to you? If you don't believe me, you can ask Zizhao himself."
On the other hand, Xin Zizhao had been to the imperial study, the Qianyu Palace, and even the Lingxiao Palace, but he couldn't find Emperor Jinzheng and Wei Shuxuan. He was walking on the main road near the imperial kitchen, and his anxiety was obvious on his face.
Where on earth had his father summoned Wei Shuxuan? Why couldn't he find them anywhere?
Xin Zizhao saw a little maid coming out of the imperial kitchen, holding a delicate lunch box. And this lunch box belonged to Emperor Jinzheng!
He stepped forward and stopped the little maid. "Do you know where the emperor is now?"
In the Full - Moon Garden, Wei Shuxuan looked at Emperor Jinzheng. After thinking carefully for several times, she said to him, "Your Majesty, do you hope that I marry Xin Zizhao? If so, I have a favor to ask."