The fool has become a spirit, and she can speak

Chapter 1729 Shang Xi presents Hong Jiutong with a light feather gossamer veil

"What?" Hong Jiutong hurriedly got up and ran outside!

"No, Miss...where are you going! Hey...Miss, slow down!"

"I'll go stop my mother!"

"It's too late! Madam has already ordered preparations. Miss, don't run so fast, wait for me!"

Hong Jiutong ignored the maid behind her and ran towards her parents' courtyard. On the way, she ran into Hong Yunrang, who was hurrying out of the mansion. Hong Yunrang asked her, "Sister, are you in such a hurry to find our parents?"

Hong Jiutong stopped and bowed to Hong Yunrang. "Brother, are you leaving the manor?"

"I have something to discuss with the Emperor. My parents are in the courtyard. You go ahead!"

"Did my brother go to see the emperor because of me?"

"My little sister can wait for my news at home!"

"Brother, Father forced you to do this, didn't he?"

"Back then, the reason I arranged your marriage with the Crown Prince was for my brother's sake. Even if Father hadn't said anything, my brother would have gone to see the Emperor. The Emperor is benevolent and will surely understand my situation!" After saying this, Hong Yunrang hurriedly left.

Early the next morning.

Hong Jiutong was still reading aloud in her room when her maid, Jingjing, rushed in with great urgency, "Miss, the imperial edict has arrived! The imperial edict has arrived!"

"The imperial edict has arrived! Could it be...?" Hong Jiutong had waited until late last night but hadn't received any news from her brother, Hong Yunrang. She thought there would be no more news! "Let's go, let's go see!"

"Okay!" Jingjing helped her young lady walk out.

The messenger from the palace, seeing that everyone was present, unfurled the imperial edict and read aloud: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Now that the position of Crown Prince has been established, the palace system should be strengthened. It is hereby heard that the eldest daughter of the Waterways Department Director, née Hong, is exceptionally beautiful and intelligent, of pure character and virtuous conduct, and self-disciplined and respectful. Having long been known for her virtuous conduct, she is suitable to be appointed as a concubine to assist the Crown Prince. This is the imperial decree."

Upon receiving the imperial decree, the Hong family was overjoyed.

The maid quietly took Hong Jiutong's hand and said, "Miss, now you should prepare to get married!"

Hong Jiutong nodded with great delight, and said to her maid Jingjing, "Quickly find me the etiquette and palace regulations."

“Miss, you’ve read those palace rules so many times, I’ve learned them all. Why are you still reading them? You should be worrying about your dowry right now.”

Hong Jiutong blushed, and I also became flustered. "That's not something I should worry about. What I should do now is learn the palace rules and etiquette."

At the same time, the Prince Pang's residence also received the news. Madam Wan said with some regret, "Why is it a girl from the Hong family? She should be the Crown Prince's principal wife."

Shang Xi could understand this. "Mother, I guess Chen Gongxiang's daughter is too young, while the Hong family's daughter is of marriageable age, so the Emperor chose the Hong family's daughter. Mother, it's just a marriage to bring good luck anyway, so it doesn't matter who marries first!"

"That's true. Your uncle handled this matter well, and your father and I are both pleased!"

Shang Xi chuckled inwardly. While they were all satisfied, she and Cheng Feng were still feeling uneasy. Just then, Shang Xi suddenly remembered something. "Mother, He Ye's son-in-law has switched to selling glass. I went to her stall yesterday and picked out two hairpins for you. Do you like them?"

Madam Wan's eyesight was failing, but she could still tell that the hairpin was too delicate. "This is something a young girl would wear. It's perfect for my daughter-in-law. You can keep it!"

"No need to refuse, everyone gets one, Mother, please wear it!" Without further ado, Shang Xi placed the glass hairpin in Madam Wan's hair.

Madam Wan asked Xing'er beside her, "Do you think it looks good?"

Xing'er smiled and nodded repeatedly: "Beautiful, the Crown Princess's choice is naturally excellent!"

Madam Wan couldn't stop smiling when she heard this. "You really know how to avoid offending anyone. Since it was bought by your daughter-in-law, I'll take it with me! By the way, Shang Xi, when is Feng'er coming back?"

"Mother, are you really confused? Your son only left yesterday, heading to Mochun County. With the round trip and other business to attend to, it will take at least five or six days!"

"Will it take five or six days?"

"Cheng Feng said he would come back as soon as possible and wouldn't be delayed for too long."

"Your father's health is such that Feng'er really shouldn't go out!"

“Mother, I’m still here at home. Ever since we talked about getting your grandson married, I’ve noticed that Father has been looking much better these past few days. Mother, please don’t worry too much about Father’s health. I’ve been taking care of him these past few days. I’m just as good at taking care of people as Cheng Feng. I’ll push Father out to get some sun in a little while.”

“With you at home, I’m naturally at ease, but Feng’er really shouldn’t go out at this time. Your father’s health is not so good.”

“Mother, Mochun County is not far, a round trip can be made in a day and a night. So, since Cheng Youning is uneducated and idle, let your eldest grandson take care of his father at his bedside for the next few days.”

"Well, it's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early. Mother is talking bad about me again." Cheng Youning pouted, pretending to be angry.

Madam Wan couldn't stop smiling when she saw Cheng Youning. "Grandson, let Grandma take a look!"

Cheng Youning sat down next to Madam Wan, pretending to be very obedient. "Grandma, I come to the manor every day! Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Your father has gone on a long trip, did you know?"

"I know! It's because my father went out that I didn't go to the Imperial Academy to study today. I came to serve my grandfather after court."

Madam Wan's admiring gaze lingered on Cheng Youning's face, clearly seeing Cheng Youning as her darling. "My grandson has grown up; he's about to be made a concubine."

"Grandma knows now, it's that old maid from the Hong family!"

Shang Xi corrected Cheng Youning: "Hong Jiutong is nineteen years old, not old at all, just in the prime of her youth!"

"That depends on who you compare her to. Compared to me, she looks old."

Shang Xi stared blankly, wondering if Hong Jiutong would ever have a good life. "If you despise her, why did you marry her in the first place!"

"Hey~ Mother is wrong. Marrying her was my great-uncle's idea, it has nothing to do with me."

Logically speaking, Cheng Youning is right. This matter is not something that a mere child like him can control. In the end, it is Wan Lianxing who messed up the marriage and treated Cheng Youning's marriage as a joke!

"Son! But that woman is marrying you. Don't you feel any guilt saying that?"

“Burden? I don’t have that. Taking wives and concubines is just adding more people to the household. I am the Crown Prince, second only to the Emperor. Can’t I even tolerate one woman?”

Shang Xi remained speechless for a long time, and even Madam Wan was stunned on the spot. Only Cheng Youning was unaware of how absurd and heartless his words were.

Finally, Shang Xi had someone find the batch of imperial-bestowed light feather cicada wing gauze and ordered someone to send this piece of light feather cicada wing gauze to the Hong residence.

Madam Hong stroked the gossamer-thin gauze with great affection, saying, "I've only ever seen Her Majesty the Empress wear this gossamer gauze at banquets before. I've heard that this gossamer gauze was a tribute from Lingyuan, and only two bolts can be made in a year. It's a priceless treasure. Tong'er, the fact that the Crown Princess gave this to you shows how much she loves you."