Chapter 286: Bestowed Marriage

Marquis Guangyuan was considered a prominent figure in the capital, known as one of the Eight Great Scholars, and had caught Princess Yongfu’s attention.

This marriage was something Princess Yongfu had insisted on securing. After Marquis Guangyuan became a Prince Consort, he was barred from holding an official position. His ambitions and aspirations had no chance to be realized before they were already stripped away.

Fortunately, Princess Yongfu’s mother, Consort Xian, was not only a concubine of the late emperor but also his cousin, having shared a bond since their youth. Before passing away, she pleaded for a favor from the late emperor, securing an official position for Marquis Guangyuan—though it was an assignment outside the capital.

Princess Yongfu could not bear to be separated from her husband. Because of the deep affection the late emperor had for Consort Xian, he granted an exception despite the ancestral rules prohibiting a princess from leaving the capital with her consort. Thus, the emperor honored Princess Yongfu’s wishes, allowing their family of three to leave the capital and officially bestowing their daughter with the title of County Princess Lin’an.

Until half a year ago, the former Marquis Guangyuan passed away, leaving behind only two legitimate daughters and several concubine-born daughters, but no sons. With his death, Princess Yongfu brought the entire family back to the capital, and the title of Prince Consort was inherited.

County Princess Lin’an was well aware of her position. The late emperor was gone, and the current Empress Dowager had no personal ties to her or her mother. However, there were still shared interests between them.

Princess Yongfu had a close relationship with the Eldest Princess, and the Empress Dowager wished to win over the Eldest Princess’s favor. She also hoped to use Princess Yongfu as a bridge, which was why over the past six months, the Empress Dowager had invited Princess Yongfu to the Guo Temple several times.

“Mother, if not Zhao Wei, I will marry no one else!” The moment County Princess Lin’an arrived in the capital, her eyes had been set on Zhao Wei. Whether it was his personal qualities or his family background, everything about him met her expectations. After looking across the entire capital, there was no other young man who could compare to him. “I don’t care! I’m going to the palace right now to see the Empress Dowager and ask her to grant me a marriage decree with Zhao Wei!”

Princess Yongfu saw that County Princess Lin’an was as determined as a weighed stone, utterly resolute in her decision to marry Zhao Wei, and couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on.

“An’an, a forced melon is never sweet. The Zhao family has already refused this marriage. Even if you marry into their family, you won’t find happiness.”

“Mother, didn’t you also marry Father because Grandfather Emperor bestowed the marriage? He had no choice but to accept the decree, yet you and Father still became a devoted couple, didn’t you?”

County Princess Lin’an coquettishly said, “Mother, feelings can be nurtured after marriage.”

Princess Yongfu’s smile stiffened slightly. She pried Lin’an’s hands off her arm and said, “If you want the Empress Dowager to make the decision, then so be it. But if she refuses, you must give up on Zhao Wei.”

“I understand!” County Princess Lin’an responded cheerfully and immediately ordered someone to send a visitation request to the palace.

Once the visitation request was sent to the palace, County Princess Lin’an assumed she would have to wait until the next day to be summoned. However, to her surprise, news arrived that very afternoon—the Empress Dowager had sent someone to escort her into the palace.

County Princess Lin’an went to Cian Palace, where Madam An stood at the entrance, bowing respectfully. “Your Highness, the Empress Dowager is waiting inside for you. Please follow this old servant in.”

“Lin’an knows that Grandmother loves me the most, so I dared to come and disturb you.” County Princess Lin’an gracefully sat down beside the Empress Dowager and affectionately began to massage her legs.

“You.” The Empress Dowager tapped Lin’an’s forehead lightly and said with a knowing smile, “Being this attentive today—what is it that you want Aijia^[1]“Aijia” (哀家) is a self-referential term used exclusively by empress dowagers in imperial China when speaking in the first person. It literally means “mourning family,” … Continue reading to help you with?”

County Princess Lin’an remained silent for a moment before speaking softly, “Grandmother, aside from Mother, you are the person who treats me the best. I am already seventeen, well past the age of marriage. “Today, I came not only to keep you company but also to ask you to grant me a marriage decree—with Zhao Wei.”