Chapter 5: How about I bestow her upon you?

Yingxia leaned in closer and whispered, "The Heir says that because the Fifth Miss caused you to faint, she deserves to be punished; she is forbidden from leaving the house for three months."

Shen Xianyue sneered inwardly. Xiao Liyang was truly piling up a massive amount of hatred for her.

The Fifth Miss had always been at odds with her, and this time, she had specifically come to tell Shen Xianyue about the imperial decree of marriage, all to see her in a state of panic and vent her own spite.

The Fifth Miss was dim-witted; if someone hadn't been pulling the strings behind her, Shen Xianyue would never believe it.

As for the person behind it...

Shen Xianyue looked across at Qu Shiying, who was dressed in a silver-threaded, brocaded dress embroidered with hundreds of flowers. Her head was adorned with a full set of pearl hair accessories, her face as delicate as a lotus, and her smile was truly that of a graceful beauty.

Noticing Shen Xianyue’s gaze, Qu Shiying turned her head. At that exact moment, Shen Xianyue picked up the fruit wine in front of her, took a light sip, and averted her eyes.

There is plenty of time for revenge. Everything she had suffered at the Jingxin Nunnery would, one day, be repaid to her tenfold.

The vast Imperial Garden was divided into two main sections. Maids and eunuchs filed in, placing food at every table; despite the large crowd, it remained orderly.

Half a joss stick later, a voice rang out from outside the garden: "His Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress have arrived!"

Everyone knelt.

Shen Xianyue’s seat was near the front. She only saw a flash of bright yellow pass before her eyes, followed by the command to be at ease and rise.

Only then did she see that someone was following behind the Emperor.

Xiao Tuyu.

The youngest son of the Old Marquis Xiao.

He was also the Champion Marquis of Donglin, undefeated in battle. Having just repelled Western Jin, he was currently the most prominent figure in the capital.

By rank, Shen Xianyue should address him as "Uncle."

However, he had long since established his own household and rarely returned to the Marquis’s estate. Thinking back, the number of times Shen Xianyue had spoken to him could be counted on one hand.

The moment Xiao Tuyu appeared, the eyes of every woman present were practically glued to him. Shen Xianyue followed suit.

He was perhaps twenty-three or twenty-four, with slender, defined brows and a high, straight nose. From her vantage point, she could see his jade-like profile, his long eyelashes casting a faint shadow under his eyes.

In the bright spring scenery, he drew the frequent, lingering glances of noblewomen.

And rightly so. Most men his age were still accomplishing nothing, either relying on the shade of their ancestors to live as idle scions, or struggling at the bottom rung of society while trying to earn a name for themselves.

Yet he had long since used his own prowess to become the most powerful man in the court.

Perhaps Shen Xianyue’s gaze was too intense, for Xiao Tuyu actually looked over.

From a distance, their eyes met in the air.

His features were refined and handsome. Looking at him through the crowd, his expression was indifferent, like the moon reflected in water.

In an instant, Shen Xianyue looked away.

The woman sitting next to her, however, twisted her handkerchief shyly, her cheeks flushing with two spots of red. She whispered to her maid behind her, "Is the Champion Marquis looking at me? If he proposes to me later, should I agree, or should I agree?"

Shen Xianyue nearly lost her composure and quickly turned her head away.

This "uncle" of hers was truly terrifyingly popular in the capital.

The Emperor sat at the head of the table, and Xiao Tuyu’s seat was just below him, on par with the princes.

After a round of singing and dancing, the Emperor seemed to be in high spirits and waved his hand to dismiss the dancers.

"In this battle against Western Jin, my Champion Marquis has made an indelible contribution. During this campaign, he led the Tiger-Brave Army, raising the prestige of our dynasty wherever the smoke of war rose. After bitter fighting, a great victory was finally achieved."

"Your merits, My Minister, are as bright as the sun and the moon. I am deeply pleased. I hereby bestow upon you ten thousand taels of gold, a thousand bolts of fine silk, and a hundred acres of fertile land to honor your achievements. I hope you will continue to gallop across the battlefield and protect our mountains and rivers in peace!"

The civil and military officials hurriedly knelt, shouting excitedly, "Long live the Emperor! May you live ten thousand years!"

Xiao Tuyu’s back remained straight; even while kneeling, he was far more striking than anyone else.

"Your subject will naturally give his all to protect our Donglin!"

"Hahahaha! With those words from you, My Minister, my heart is greatly comforted. Everyone, rise."

There was another rustle of clothing. Once everyone had returned to their seats, the Noble Consort, seated below the Empress, spoke with a smile.

"Your Majesty, I was chatting with the Empress yesterday and mentioned General Xiao. He should be twenty-three this year, shouldn't he?"

The smile on the Emperor’s face remained unchanged. "He is twenty-three! Still very young!"

The Noble Consort covered her mouth and laughed. "General Xiao has been busy serving the country for the past few years and hasn't even had time to take care of his own affairs. Why not grant him a favor and bestow a marriage upon him, Your Majesty?"

Shen Xianyue looked up abruptly. Had something gone wrong?

Wasn't he supposed to bestow a marriage upon her tonight? She had even thought of the reason to refuse the imperial decree, so why had the wind changed direction so suddenly?

Xiao Tuyu’s expression stiffened for a moment, and his brows furrowed slightly.

"Your subject is devoted to the country and has no intention of pursuing personal romantic affairs."

The Emperor stood up, walked down from the high platform, and gently patted his shoulder with his right hand. "My Minister Xiao is devoted to the country, and naturally, I cannot let you feel cold-hearted. The Noble Consort’s words make sense."

"Your Majesty, your subject has no intention of taking a wife."

Xiao Tuyu quickly spoke up to refuse, his tone showing a hint of urgency.

"If you refuse to accept my granted marriage, is it because you already have someone in your heart?"

"....No."

"That settles it. Since you do not, I shall bestow a fine marriage upon you."

"Your Majesty... I beg you to retract your decree!"

Shen Xianyue silently mourned for Xiao Tuyu in her heart. If one could not even make decisions about one's own marriage, what was the point of the rest of life?

But then, the Emperor suddenly spoke up: "How about I bestow the orphan of General Shen upon you?"

In an instant, everyone’s eyes turned toward Shen Xianyue—some assessing, some curious, some jealous.

The young lady beside her nearly shredded her handkerchief. "Why not me!"

Shen Xianyue, however, felt as if a thunderbolt had exploded over her head. A buzzing roar filled her ears, and she could hear nothing else.

So, the situation had not changed at all. It was just that in her previous life, she hadn't known that the person being forced upon her in marriage was actually Xiao Tuyu!

Her nominal uncle?

How could this be!

The scene fell into an eerie silence, followed by a burst of intense discussion, with people huddled in twos and threes whispering to each other.

Shen Xianyue wished she could find a crack in the ground to hide in.

Perhaps because no one responded, the Emperor’s expression darkened slightly.

"Lord Xiao, tell me, what do you think of the marriage I have bestowed upon your younger brother?"

Named, Xiao Zhengting broke out in a cold sweat. His eyes darted around frantically, signaling to his wife beside him to offer some input.

"Why, is my question so difficult to answer?"

"No... no... it’s not that, it’s just that your subject, your subject..."

Shen Xianyue watched as beads of sweat the size of peas rolled down his forehead; he was trembling all over with nervousness.

Madame Xiao looked at her sideways, her eyes filled with a gloom Shen Xianyue could not understand.

"Well? Does Lord Xiao also think my decision was wrong?"

When the Son of Heaven grew angry, those around them knelt immediately, each holding their breath, eyes fixed on their noses, not daring to make a sound.