Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“Father, I clearly asked for a Secondary Consort. Why did you confer the title of Princess upon Ah Yu?”

The Emperor set down his memorial and looked up, scrutinizing him.

“Zhen’er, you haven’t even married your primary consort yet, and you’re already in such a rush to name a Secondary Consort. What will people think of the Eastern Palace?”

Zhao Xizhen lowered his eyes, falling silent for a moment.

“It may be improper, but it is not impossible.”

He looked up, his expression solemn.

“Even if the matter of the Secondary Consort is denied, how could you possibly title her a Princess?”

The Emperor spoke with decisive authority.

“Ah Yu is your savior. Years ago, when I wanted to title her a Princess, you insisted on demoting her to a Commandery Princess. I guessed your intentions and went along with it. Now that five years have passed and your marriage is already arranged, I do not wish to wrong her.”

Zhao Xizhen remained kneeling, his lips pressed thin, and spoke firmly.

“Father, Ah Yu loves me. She certainly wouldn’t want to be some Princess. Doing this is what truly wrongs her.”

Hiding behind the screen, my fingertips suddenly tightened at those words.

He had known all along. He was fully aware of my years of devoted love for him; he simply didn’t care. It just wasn’t important to him.

The Emperor looked toward the screen and sighed deeply.

“She has already given her thanks for the grace shown to her.”

Disbelief flickered in Zhao Xizhen’s eyes. He clenched his fists until the veins slightly bulged.

“How could she do this?”

The Emperor had nothing more to say and could only admonish him to focus more on state affairs now that his marriage was set.

Zhao Xizhen pondered for a long while before suddenly bringing up the matter of the marriage alliance, following the Emperor’s lead.

“Father, I heard the Ministry of Rites is preparing for a marriage alliance. I would like to follow along and learn a thing or two.”

My heart suddenly leaped into my throat.

Why did he want to interfere with the marriage alliance? Had he guessed something?

The Emperor furrowed his brows, also deep in thought.

“This is a major matter concerning the diplomatic relations between two countries. I find it strange that I still do not know which Marriage Alliance Princess has been chosen?”

Zhao Xizhen stared at him intently, afraid to miss any suspicious expression.

I saw through his true intent. He didn’t actually want to preside over the marriage alliance.

At this very moment, he had a suspicion in his heart.

A suspicion that made him nervous and afraid.

The Emperor hesitated before saying, “It is Princess Changyi…”

Zhao Xizhen’s face turned deathly pale. He was so panicked that he even forgot protocol and stood up abruptly.

“Father, Ah Yu absolutely cannot-”

“…It is Princess Changyi’s Palace Maid.”

The Emperor still remembered his promise to me.

“Since you wish to preside over the marriage alliance, I shall leave it to you.”

Zhao Xizhen let out a massive sigh of relief, his doubts dispelled. He took two steps back and muttered to himself, “That makes sense. A Palace Maid is more appropriate. Even a Palace Maid of noble birth has a far better background than Ah Yu.”

The Emperor closed his eyes and waved his hand, dismissing him.

I stepped out from behind the screen.

“Your Majesty, why did you use my name to test him?”

The Emperor turned his head to look at me, his gaze full of paternal affection.

“Ah Yu, I have lived long enough to know your mind is made up. But as a father figure, I wanted to ask you to give him one last chance.”

The Emperor had made a bet with me.

Everyone in the palace involved in the marriage alliance would hide my identity for me.

However, if Zhao Xizhen discovered that I was the one being sent away while presiding over the marriage alliance and moved to stop it, the Emperor would change the Marriage Alliance Princess at the last minute.

Even the Palace Maid who would take my place had been prepared in secret.

My lips quirked into a helpless smile.

“Your Majesty, you are still favoring him.”

If Zhao Xizhen put even the slightest bit of heart into the marriage alliance, how could the wedding be completed right under his nose?