lcionline Chapter 6 Trapped in a Loop
Chapter 6 Trapped in a Loop
Watching Lin Shiming finish his meal and leave in a daze, Lin Shihe was speechless with frustration.
He raised his hand to summon a guard. "Has Madam returned?" He was eager to tell Ji Tiao about the twisted emotions and pain in his heart.
"Your Highness, the carriage has just entered the gate."
Lin Shihe quickly walked into his own courtyard.
*
In the room, Ji Tiao had just settled her sleeping son when Lin Shihe pushed the door open and almost woke An Ji up again. Ji Tiao was so angry that she kicked him.
"Let's talk in the outer room!"
After being glared at by Ji Tiao, Lin Shihe followed her out, feeling wronged.
The two sat down on the couch in the outer room, and Ji Tiao rubbed his back, which was a little sore from the long carriage ride.
"Speak up, what's wrong now? You came in with a face like you'd eaten a bitter melon."
Lin Shihe casually started massaging Ji Tiao as well, "Do you think love at first sight really exists?"
Ji Tiao looked at him, puzzled. "Yes! You might not know, but love at first sight is also known as lust at first sight."
"I see!" Lin Shihe nodded silently. The crown prince was indeed good-looking; no one could lie and say he wasn't.
He has the potential to be a male vixen!
"What exactly do you want to say?" Ji Tiao poked Lin Shihe's waist impatiently. "If you don't tell me, I'm going to sleep. I'm so tired today."
"I just want to say, Shi Ming fell in love way too fast, faster than falling off a cliff!" Lin Shihe still felt a toothache when he thought about how Shi Ming acted at dinner tonight.
"What do you mean, 'falling in love'?" Ji Tiao hesitated for a moment, then suddenly realized, and her voice immediately rose, "You mean he took a liking to the Crown Prince in just one afternoon?"
"Keep your voice down, the child is still asleep!" Lin Shihe quickly calmed Ji Tiao down. "Besides, this is a good thing, why are you in such a hurry?"
"What good news!" Ji Tiao's back pain and leg soreness immediately disappeared. "Hurry up, hurry up and go to the palace to tell them that this marriage is no longer valid!"
Lin Shihe looked bewildered. "Why is that?"
Ji Tiao got angry when she saw his dazed look. "I told you men are all rough and uncultured!"
After uttering a curse, seeing Lin Shihe's even more bewildered face, Ji Tiao forced herself to calm down.
"You are a man, and the Lin family's inner quarters are simple and clean, so you don't understand at all. You don't know that for a couple, especially a royal couple, whoever falls in love first will be in big trouble."
"Moreover, Shi Ming and the Crown Prince were married for certain benefits and special purposes."
Lin Shihe was momentarily stunned, but Ji Tiao quickly pressed him back down, "You don't need to explain. I know you. If it weren't for some important matters concerning the country's politics, you would never have involved your own brother. Even if you don't say it, I can guess that you and His Majesty must have some purpose."
"Therefore, this marriage was originally arranged by external forces. If Shi Ming gets caught up in it without understanding why, and there are conflicts of interest in the future, he will either be heartbroken or be used by others for the rest of his life. The Crown Prince is, after all, the emperor. In terms of etiquette and status, even in the midst of gossip, he will have the upper hand. If anything happens, it will inevitably be our child who suffers."
As she spoke, Ji Tiao sighed, "If it were the Crown Prince who was in love, that would be fine. He has a high status and there are always people protecting him. Shi Ming can live a carefree life by guarding his own heart. But now you're telling me that Shi Ming has fallen for her all of a sudden. How can anyone accept that?"
Although these words sounded somewhat alarmist, they did make Lin Shihe worry for a moment. He stood up anxiously and paced back and forth, as if he could already see his future younger brother heartbroken and tormented.
"What can we do? Their marriage is basically a done deal, and it's probably impossible to change it."
"Alright," Ji Tiao rubbed his temples. "What I said was just to prevent problems before they arise. Let's just wait and see. If there are any bad signs in the next few years, no matter what tricks you use, when the new emperor ascends the throne, Shi Ming and Li will be allowed to go home."
Lin Shihe seemed to have found a pillar of support and immediately sat down. "That's a good idea! Let's do it your way!"
Ji Tiao nodded, "Let's leave it at that for now. We can only proceed as we go. Time to sleep. We still need to arrange the receiving of the imperial decree tomorrow, and we can't afford to make any mistakes."
Although the two had made their plans, neither of them slept well that night, tossing and turning. When the eunuch who came to deliver the imperial decree arrived at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion the next day, their faces still showed signs of exhaustion, which puzzled Lin Shiming greatly.
"No, today's announcement is my decree of marriage, and it's not like we didn't know beforehand. Why do you all look so nervous and unable to sleep?" Isn't receiving decrees a common occurrence in the family? I'm the one who rarely receives decrees, so why are you all more nervous than me?
Lin Shihe was still immersed in his conversation with his wife last night. Now, seeing his carefree younger brother causing trouble, he almost lost his temper. "You better behave yourself!" After saying that, he flicked his sleeve and went to the front to arrange for the imperial edict to be retrieved.
Lin Shiming, who had been lectured afterward, looked completely bewildered and confused. However, he didn't care and was too lazy to dwell on it.
"He's probably sexually frustrated!"
*
The imperial edict had already arrived at the Lin family, so today's announcement was just the eunuchs carrying an empty box, pretending that the edict had just been issued today. They would then take the edict from the Lin family ancestral hall and read it once they arrived at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
To demonstrate his respect for the Crown Prince and the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, Emperor Longyun specially arranged for his three highest-ranking chief eunuchs and the commander of the Imperial Guards to bring people to deliver the imperial decree.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: It is hereby learned that the Duke of Zhenguo's family... hereby bestows upon Crown Prince Lu Yuxi as his principal wife, to be married on the second day of the second month of the seventeenth year of Longyun, with the investiture ceremony for the Crown Princess to be held on the same day. So be it."
"Your Majesty, we accept the imperial decree and thank you for your great favor."
The imperial edict, which had been prepared long ago, was finally announced to the world openly. The eunuch Li beamed with joy, "Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations, Second Young Master!"
"Thank you, Eunuch Li." Lin Shihe nodded in greeting.
"It has been a long time since I last saw the Second Young Master. To meet you today with such good fortune shows that you are indeed a blessed person."
Although he was often away from home, Lin Shiming was aware of some basic unspoken rules. He smiled and said, "Eunuch Li is too kind."
Ji Tiao stepped forward and waved to the guards behind him to take several sachets, saying, "Let the eunuchs and the commander share in the joy."
Eunuch Li and the others did not refuse, and happily accepted the thin sachet. "We dare not accept gifts from others, but today is a joyous occasion for the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, and we servants must share in this happiness."
Ji Tiao smiled broadly, showing no sign of the fear and anxiety he had felt the night before. "Please, gentlemen and commanders, come inside. We have prepared food and drinks at home. Please have some, and we won't blame you for being impolite."
"It's not that I'm trying to refuse, but after the imperial edict is issued, we servants still need to send a message to the Imperial Clan Court. After all, she is the Empress Dowager, so I still have to go to Mount Fotuo. So there really can't be any delay."
Lin Shihe understood, "Then we won't keep Father-in-law any longer."
Eunuch Li bowed and then stood up and waved to the back of his head. Four neatly dressed matrons stepped forward. "According to etiquette, after the Crown Princess is betrothed, Her Majesty the Empress shall appoint a tutor to teach her. These are the tutors Her Majesty the Empress has prepared for the Second Prince."
The four matrons stepped forward to greet them. Seeing that Lin Shiming looked somewhat bewildered, Ji Tiao quickly called a maid over. "Don't worry, we have already prepared a courtyard for the matrons. Xin Ye, take the matrons there to settle in."
Xinye left with the nannies, and then Eunuch Li turned to talk to Lin Shi and his brother.
"Your Highness, that's all for today. The Ministry of Rites will come to discuss the rest of the wedding arrangements with you. Just please don't forget to bring the Second Young Master to the palace to express your gratitude tomorrow."
"I will never forget your concern, Grandpa Lao!"
"Then we'll take our leave."
"Father-in-law, please."
After the figures of Eunuch Li and his group disappeared around the street corner, Lin Shihe slowly returned to the front courtyard with his wife and younger brother through the main gate.
In the front courtyard, the steward Lin Ye was still directing everyone to work busily. Ji Tiao sighed, "This Crown Princess selection process took more than a year, and it was quite a hassle. Today, with the imperial decree announced, our Shi Ming has become the Crown Princess, and I'm afraid there will be more chaos."
"Let it be chaotic, what can anyone do to me?" Lin Shiming didn't care about that at all. He was more worried about those old women. "But sister-in-law, what should we do with those old women? Do I really have to learn some rules for women from them?"
"Don't worry, I'll go with you to see them in a bit," Ji Tiao replied. "I've met the Empress in the palace a few times; she's a shrewd woman and won't make things difficult for you."
Lin Shiming was relieved and then turned to pester his brother about Lu Yuxi, which made Lin Shihe and his wife so angry they wanted to fly to heaven, but they didn't dare to show it.
*
Ji Tiao guessed correctly; this imperial edict truly shocked the entire capital.
Those families who were interested in becoming the Crown Princess dared not believe the news.
After all, who could have guessed that after a year of searching, His Majesty would choose a male consort for the Crown Prince, one who was rarely in the capital and whom few people knew?
It wasn't until later, when everyone knew that the Imperial Clan Court was preparing to add names to the imperial register, the Ministry of Rites was arranging for people to prepare the necessary rituals, and even people from Mount Fotuo were sent to inform them, that people were still in a daze. For a time, they didn't even know how to feel jealous.
Within a single day, the entire capital was abuzz with discussion and speculation.
Could it be that His Majesty is dissatisfied with the Crown Prince and wants to use this method to make him childless so that he can be deposed?
But that doesn't make sense. The Lin family, the Duke of Zhenguo, is incredibly powerful and has close ties with the royal family. If that prince can gain the Lin family's support, he'll practically be the next emperor.
So, His Majesty thinks highly of the Crown Prince?
But something's still not right, it's a man!
…
It's stuck in a loop.
However, none of this concerns Lin Shiming for the time being. He is currently facing four very serious-looking governesses with his sister-in-law.