Chapter 402 - Engagement (2/2)
Crown Prince tried it again, “Imperial father, please…”
“Silence!” The emperor said, “Crown Prince, there are some things you have no sway over!”
“It’s fine, elder brother. I know I’ve stepped on the imperial father’s nerves. Not receiving anything is normal. There’s no need to try anymore.” The fatty pouted, lamented and advised.
Second prince enjoyed their distress, “One’s a hypocrite, the other’s a blob. At least they have each other, humph…”
The Crown Prince gnashed his teeth and gave one last look to the emperor before taking a seat. His hands were clenched tight, the fingers digging into his palms.
[Just why is it like this? I am the Crown Prince! How can I lose to that lard?]
Glancing at the second prince’s mocking face, Crown Prince taunted, [You idiot, not even this can get through your thick skull? Anyone can be rewarded, except the emperor. What the imperial father just did was that he showed his intent on the successor. But why does it have to be him?]
The Crown Prince looked at the fatty, who was saluting back in gratitude.
[Is the punk oblivious to imperial father’s meaning or is he just that good at faking it?]
In the Crown Prince’s eyes, the longer he stared at his horizontally challenged brother, a thicker bloodthirst was brewing,
The celebration went on with the officials, the seven houses and the delegation presenting their gifts, each with a reward returned in kind.
As the music picked up once again, graceful and stacked girls glided into the room while dancing. With that lardass setting the mood for an upset stomach with his class act, the audience got to appreciate these girls’ efforts much better. To the point that they saw them as starlets, mesmerizing and soothing.
Whoosh~
One figure jumped out of the crowd and presented a plate of peaches to the emperor, “Happy anniversary, imperial father. May your joy be boundless and your life never ending.”
The emperor looked at the apple of his eyes and his heart softened, “Ha-ha-ha, Yongning, you have brought me the best gift!”
“Truly?” Yongning jumped up with a smile and went for a hug, “Then, imperial father, please reward me properly.”
“Ha-ha-ha, of course. What would you like?” The emperor laughed, doting on her.
With a wobbling face, the fatty pointed a sausage at his dear sister and cut her off, “Imperial father, didn’t you want to know my great dancing teacher. It’s her! But worry not, Yongning, Imperial father’s word is gold. He won’t beat you to death!”
The emperor looked off-kilter, “Yongning, did you teach Cong’er to dance?”
Ugh!
Blushing, Yongning glared at the living fat. She had also witnessed that thing’s high class act. It was like a horror show.
But now accepting that she was the grand dance teacher behind it all, wouldn’t that ruin her reputation?
Yongning explained, “Imperial father, don’t listen to his gaffe. I’ve taught him to the best of my abilities, but his dancing is just that nauseating!”
“Ha-ha-ha, I see. My princess’ dancing is the best in Tianyu!” The emperor nodded, “Yongning, you still haven’t told me what you want.”
Blushing, Yongning peeked at Zhuo Fan, twiddling with her bracelet, acting coy and all, “I-imperial father, don’t you think it’s time? I mean, for mother’s final wish…”
The emperor nodded, sending her back to the center and shouted, “Yongning, Zhuo Fan, here is my decree. Today, Princess Yongning and Best Steward Beneath Heavens Zhuo Fan shall be wedded!”
[What?!]
Unlike the exuberant Yongning, everyone else was dumbstruck. Zhuo Fan figured something like this was coming and sneered inside.
It didn’t end with just some simple decree, the second prince found his guts from god knew where and jumped forth, “Imperial father, I have long since taken a liking to the Parish’s Holy Maiden Yun Shuang. I ask the imperial father to wed us!”
The emperor grinned inside.
[What’s up with today? Everything is falling together perfectly.] He had long been thinking about how to steal Yun clan back from the Luo clan, to take advantage of Zhuo Fan’s calculative ploy, using this perfect chance to do just that.
The emperor nodded inside, [Marvelously done, my son!]
And spoke, “Happiness comes in two today, with miss Shuang’er tying the knot with my son.”
Second prince kowtowed. Yun Shuang shuddered, crestfallen, grabbing Zhuo Fan’s arm tighter out of instinct.
With a confident smile on, Zhuo Fan gave her a warm look, “It’s ok. You are with me now. It will never change!”
Yun Shuang’s eyes turned red, but her heart regained calm. The last time she’d been so at ease was when her grandfather was alive.