“In response to Your Majesty, everything in the residence has been fully prepared.” Li Tianyou had no idea what the Emperor was up to, but at that moment, the Emperor himself had brought up the matter of the grand wedding. Li Tianyou felt this was a positive sign.
“That’s good. Minister Xu, you must not treat the Li family poorly.” Zhu Jingchen nodded in satisfaction.
“Rest assured, Your Majesty. I would not dare.” Xu Heming replied with unwavering certainty.
“Good. How many loads of betrothal gifts did Minister Xu send?” Zhu Jingchen asked, his curiosity piqued.
In his mind, he recalled that Li Zhiwei had once brought with her a dowry of thirteen hundred loads. This time, surely it shouldn’t appear too meager.
Otherwise, wouldn’t everyone think the Li family looked down on Prince An’s estate?
Or worse—that Prince An did not truly value Miss Li?
“Your Majesty, His Highness Prince An sent three hundred and sixty loads of betrothal gifts,” Li Tianyou promptly answered.
In truth, Li Tianyou had found it difficult to decide on his daughter’s dowry.
If he gave too much, he feared arousing the Emperor’s suspicion.
If he gave too little, he worried about shortchanging his own daughter.
Especially now that all of Beijing was gossiping that, with the Li family having found a son, the daughter would inevitably be neglected.
Li Tianyou was also concerned that because of Li Zhiwei’s smaller dowry, Xu Heming might one day mistreat his daughter.
“Three hundred and sixty? Minister Xu, that’s a bit on the low side,” Zhu Jingchen remarked. He thought Prince An’s estate ought to have some wealth.
But then, remembering that Xu Heming’s first wife hadn’t received even three hundred and sixty loads, he let the matter go.
“Go to the Li residence later and deliver some additional wedding gifts from me,” Zhu Jingchen instructed Eunuch Liu, who stood nearby.
“This old servant obeys the decree,” Eunuch Liu replied with a smile.
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your boundless grace!” Li Tianyou immediately knelt to express his gratitude.
Inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief—at least the Emperor wasn’t talking about marrying his daughter off to that Third Prince of the Qinling Kingdom.
The only downside was that Xu Heming was getting off too easily.
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your boundless grace!” Xu Heming felt the displeased glare from his future father-in-law and hurriedly knelt as well to give thanks.
“Minister Xu, the Li family finding their son is a good thing. I’ve heard that this young Master Li was quite capable while staying with the Jiang family in Lucheng. This is a blessing for our entire Lan Nuo Kingdom!” Zhu Jingchen, noticing Xu Heming’s less-than-pleasant expression, offered some words of reassurance.
“Your Majesty, I understand,” Xu Heming replied with a mental sigh. What exactly was Zhu Jingchen implying?
That he was after the Li family’s wealth?
If that were truly the case, he wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to bring the young man back to the capital.
“Your Majesty, it was thanks to Prince An that my son was successfully found. By a twist of fate, he saved my son,” Li Tianyou quickly added.
Xu Heming remained silent, simply watching Zhu Jingchen with a calm but knowing gaze.
Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on in your head, he thought.
You think I’m like you?
Greedy for what others have?
I have never taken a single advantage from the Li family.
“Ahem. In that case, you two ministers should return early,” Zhu Jingchen said, catching the unspoken meaning in Xu Heming’s eyes.
He had summoned them today because of the widespread talk that now that Li Tianyou had a son, Xu Heming might change his mind about marrying Li Zhiwei.
After all, this marriage was personally decreed by him.
He couldn’t let any unfavorable rumors spread—that would be a slap to his own face.
Li Tianyou and Xu Heming walked out of the palace gates.
“Prince An.” Li Tianyou had some things he felt he needed to clarify with Xu Heming.
Otherwise, how could he bear it if his own daughter were mistreated in the future?
“Father-in-law, do you have something to instruct your son-in-law?” Xu Heming asked respectfully, glancing at Li Tianyou.
“You brought Zhou’er back for me, and I am very grateful.” Li Tianyou looked somewhat awkwardly at Xu Heming.
“Rest assured, Zhou’er and Wei’er are both my children. I will not, because Zhou’er has returned, keep what was originally meant for Wei’er. What belongs to the Li family and should go to Wei’er, I will not withhold a single bit.” Li Tianyou, worried that Xu Heming might misunderstand Li Zhiwei, explained carefully.
Xu Heming was momentarily stunned, then quickly understood Li Tianyou’s meaning and said, “Father-in-law, the Li family’s possessions are yours to decide who to give them to—that is your freedom. I married Wei’er without any regard for the Li family’s wealth. Otherwise, when I encountered my eldest brother-in-law, I would not have sent word back to the capital.”
The thought that Li Tianyou believed he might care about the Li family’s estate made Xu Heming somewhat displeased.
Still, he felt it was best to clarify the matter as soon as possible.
Li Tianyou was taken aback. Thinking it over, if Xu Heming had not told them about meeting Jiang Yuanrang, how would they ever have known?
They would have only assumed that child had long since passed.
“Thank you,” Li Tianyou said with genuine sincerity.
With the Emperor’s words now, his heart had settled somewhat. Recalling that his daughter’s wedding was only two days away, he hurried back to the Li residence.
Just as he arrived, Eunuch Liu arrived with men bearing gifts from the Emperor and Empress for the bride.
“Congratulations, Lord Li! The Emperor, in His benevolence, has specially sent this servant with two hundred palanquins of wedding gifts for Miss Li.” Eunuch Liu said with a smile.
He thought to himself that the Emperor had truly given the Li family great honor.
Usually, when other noble ladies of prominent families married, the Emperor would only bestow a few symbolic gifts.
Not like Miss Li, who received a full two hundred palanquins’ worth.
“I thank His Majesty!” Li Tianyou had not expected the Emperor to give so many gifts.
“The Emperor said that you and Miss Li deserve them. After all, had Miss Li not generously donated her thirteen hundred palanquins of dowry, the Kingdom of Lannuo would not have resolved the southern flood disaster so quickly.” Eunuch Liu repeated Zhu Jingchen’s words with a smile.
In truth, compared to what Li Zhiwei had originally donated, the Emperor’s two hundred palanquins were but a drop in the bucket.
Still, Li Zhiwei was deeply touched that the Emperor had thought to consider her in this way.
“Lord Li, Her Majesty the Empress will also be sending wedding gifts shortly.” Eunuch Liu glanced at Eunuch Li not far away and added with a smile.
Li Tianyou was greatly surprised, for the Emperor had already bestowed gifts; he had not expected the Empress to send more.
Eunuch Li seemed to notice they were talking about him and quickly walked over with a smile.
Li Tianyou hastened to slip a pouch of silver into Eunuch Liu’s hand, saying with a smile, “Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch. The Li family’s hospitality has been lacking; this is a small token, please have some tea on me.”
“This servant will not stand on ceremony, then.” Eunuch Liu did not refuse. As Eunuch Li approached, he tucked the pouch into his sleeve.
"Congratulations, Lord Li, congratulations! This old servant has come on the orders of Her Majesty the Empress to present a bridal gift to Miss Li." Eunuch Li approached Li Tianyou with a smile and said.
"So, Eunuch Liu is here as well. What a coincidence," Eunuch Li added, seeming to have only just noticed Eunuch Liu's presence.
"I humbly thank Her Majesty the Empress for her grace!" Li Tianyou was startled inwardly, thinking of the Empress's earlier intention to have Li Zhiwei marry the Third Prince. He felt uneasy—was the Empress really here to give a bridal gift?
Could it be that she had come to persuade his daughter to marry the Third Prince after all?
Chapter 483
7 min read