Just as Wei Shuxuan was about to voice her opinion publicly, her hand was grabbed by Xin Zizhao standing beside her. He signaled her to keep quiet.
Wei Shuxuan knew Xin Zizhao must have his reasons for asking her to do so, so she obediently shut her mouth.
“As for the date of the grand wedding, we'll choose a new one after Zizhao ascends the throne,” Emperor Jinzheng just remembered there was still one thing he needed to announce. “Speaking of which, I still have something to announce. The former Crown Prince Xin Yezheng was deposed long ago. I'm already in my eighties and getting too old to handle many things. So now I'm going to establish a new Crown Prince here.”
Actually, it didn't really matter if Emperor Jinzheng didn't say the following words, because he had already revealed the candidate for the new Crown Prince when he was speaking just now.
“After much consideration and taking into account his performance, I believe my fifth prince, Xin Yelin, is very suitable to be the new Crown Prince. He is second to none in terms of both character and talent. I'm sure he can fully live up to this position. All you ministers, please take good care of my new Crown Prince!”
“Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, new Crown Prince!” All the ministers blessed in unison.
“Also, ask the Imperial Astronomer to calculate when will be a lucky day. I'm going to hold an investiture ceremony for Zizhao.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Wei Shuxuan secretly tugged at Xin Zizhao's sleeve and whispered to him, “Who is Xin Yelin? Aren't you called Xin Zizhao?”
“Zizhao is my courtesy name. My real name is Xin Yelin.”
After saying that, Xin Zizhao gave her a disdainful look. Although Wei Shuxuan knew that ancient people had courtesy names, she never expected that the name she had been calling all along was just his courtesy name and she didn't even know his real name.
Even after the court session ended, Wei Shuxuan still felt a bit dazed and couldn't react at all. If Xin Zizhao was the Crown Prince and he would ascend the throne, and there was still a marriage contract between them, wouldn't she become the queen?
“Hey, let's go. What are you still standing here daydreaming for?” Xin Zizhao urged Wei Shuxuan to hurry up.
“Wait a minute. I haven't come to my senses yet,” Wei Shuxuan felt she needed some time to adjust. Xin Zizhao had no choice but to stand there and wait for her. “You're going to be the Crown Prince. Does that mean I'm going to be the Crown Princess?”
Xin Zizhao frowned and looked at her. “Didn't you say you didn't want to accept this imperial marriage?”
“Yes, but at least for now, am I the Crown Princess?”
“Yes. After I ascend the throne, you'll be the mother of the nation, the queen.”
Xin Zizhao clearly knew what was on Wei Shuxuan's mind. Wei Shuxuan shook her head, trying to clear her mind. “I never thought I'd ever be the mother of the nation. It's so scary.”
“What? Are you really going to marry me? Didn't you say you didn't like me?” Xin Zizhao asked Wei Shuxuan very bluntly. Wei Shuxuan was immediately stunned by his question.
“... It's not exactly like that...” Wei Shuxuan didn't know how to answer Xin Zizhao. Clearly, this man was still angry with her last night. He was really fickle.
Last night, Xuan Ruoling complained to her a lot. If she hadn't issued an order to expel the guest, that girl probably wouldn't have been willing to go back to her own bedroom to rest. As soon as Xuan Ruoling left, Wei Shuxuan wanted to go and find Xin Zizhao. But although Xin Zizhao wasn't asleep yet, he pretended not to hear her knocking on the door.
This behavior made her shout loudly outside Xin Zizhao's room, “Xin Zizhao, you stingy guy!”
After shouting, she ran back to her own room angrily, and then came this morning's court session.
“I said you were still angry with me last night. Why aren't you angry today?” Wei Shuxuan rolled her eyes at him.
“I wasn't angry with you. I had already gone to bed when you came.”
Wei Shuxuan could tell at a glance that Xin Zizhao was lying through his teeth. “Humph, I don't care about you. I'm going to the Imperial Study to see the Emperor.”
Seeing Wei Shuxuan stomping away from the Golden Luan Hall angrily, Xin Zizhao had no choice but to quicken his steps to follow.
As soon as Wei Shuxuan arrived at the door of the Imperial Study, the great eunuch guarding outside the Imperial Study looked at her with a smile. “The Emperor has given an order that if Miss Wei and His Highness the fifth prince come to pay a visit, they should be let in. Miss Wei, this way please. The Emperor is already waiting for you inside.”
“Thank you.”
This Emperor must have known that she would definitely come to him, so he had sent his great eunuch to guard in front of the door of the Imperial Study.
Wei Shuxuan had just gone in when Xin Zizhao arrived. The great eunuch led Xin Zizhao into the Imperial Study. Emperor Jinzheng glanced at the great eunuch. “Little Gao, you go outside and guard first. If there's anything, I'll call you.”
“Your servant obeys.”
As soon as Little Gao went out, Emperor Jinzheng sat back in his seat and looked at Wei Shuxuan and Xin Zizhao. “I know what you two have come for this time.”
“Since Father knows, that's good. Father, you should still remember what I told you, right? Please take back your order.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. You didn't tell me it was an imperial marriage at that time. I just annulled one marriage contract, and now Your Majesty is giving me another one. I still haven't come to my senses...” Wei Shuxuan pretended to look aggrieved.
“At that time, you told me that if I could help you annul your marriage contract with Zian, you would accept any compensation I gave you. Have you forgotten what you said? Although I'm old, I'm not so old as to forget what you said.”
She really did say such words. Even she herself remembered. She really couldn't deceive herself.
“But... I don't want to get married yet! I don't want to stay in the palace for the rest of my life either...” Wei Shuxuan really felt aggrieved.
Xin Zizhao looked at Wei Shuxuan's aggrieved face, and the color in his eyes was as deep as indelible ink.
“Shuxuan, anyway, no matter what you say, I won't take back my order. You just wait obediently to be my daughter - in - law, haha!” Emperor Jinzheng seemed very happy. “And Zizhao, don't even think about disobeying my order. As soon as a lucky day is chosen, I'll let the two of you get married immediately. Do you understand?”
Neither Wei Shuxuan nor Xin Zizhao said a word. Emperor Jinzheng continued to add, “Humph, do you think I can't see? I'm not a fool. Why don't people who like each other be together? It would be such a pity if they missed each other!”