Chapter 11 (The betrothed)
The strange thing is no one has seen the general's daughter but to everyone's guess is she must be a beauty, after all the wife of the general is very beautiful for those that have seen her and the general is also very handsome. Looking at their edlest son Xichen who is good looking as well, the daughter cannot be far off.
The emperor then make his decision
"The General's daughter will be betrothed to Xian er, I will arrange for the edict now", The serious emperor had made his decision.
Ching er was shocked by the sudden marriage proposal, she has some inside of what is in Wei Zong mind but this is too sudden and she also worries about her son's reaction. This is because for the past twenty years, Zhan Xian has been enjoying his carefree life, although he is the prince, he has actually able to experience some of outside life. Wei Zong has given him lots of freedom, he also from the age of thirteen would sometimes take small trips with his one and only highly skilled master, Master Tang San. Ching er sigh heavily
"Husband, is this the only way?" Ching er asks her dear husband
"Mn, although I am the emperor and I know the loyalty of General Lan, but the love of a parent can be beyond the ocean and sky, I have to do all I can to prevent this uproar. I don't want our two children to be in any danger, especially you. I love my other two children but....., their minds and souls can be poisoned by their mother" Wei Zong sigh heavily too, thinking of his other two children whom he does love but he also knew his own empress's evil deeds.
Ching er nods her head, she is a freedom fighter and she believes in true love however, she also knew the decision made by the husband is for the good of the nation and also for the household and she cannot be a straight minded person and ruin the nation and as she think about it, there might also be a chance that her eldest son who has no interest in anyone yet will falls in love with the General's daughter whom mother has been rumoured to be a great beauty and she did have a chance to see the General's eldest son who is handsome like the father, thus it could be like Love at first sight between her husband and herself.
She bow slightly to her husband which she had not done for a long time to give her sincere approval.
"Husband, forgive your wife for meddling in your thoughtful decision. I know you have the nation and our family in your heart" Ching er love for Wei Zong has grows every day for Wei Zong devotion to her has never wavered which is hard as an emperor he is constantly tempted by the official offering their beautiful daughters to him constantly to be his concubines but Wei Zong is so firm in this matter that all the officials stops offering them at all.
Wei Zong turns to his beautiful wife
"In this palace, we are husband and wife, thank you for allowing me to enjoy a blissful couple relationship and this will not change forever. As my beloved wife, you can ask anything under the sky" Wei Zong told his wife.
Ching er as always has been so touched by her devoted husband's love
"husband, I will fully support your decision and I know you did this for the good of our son, let's thank the heavenly God and ask for blessings upon our children" Ching er told the emperor and both of them kneel down to face the heaven and pray in silence. Ching er prayed for her sons happiness and Wei Zong pray for peace and calm in the country.
Emperor Wei ZOng then helps his wife to stand up and then he shouted
"Paper and pen and bring in the royal edict" the emperor shouted and immediately the chief eunuch who is waiting outside rushes in with all his preparation.
Emperor Wei Zong took the pen and with a heavy heart he wrote his words on the edict and the two lower rank eunuch holds onto the scroll till it is dry and Wei Zong give a surprising order
"Wei gong gong will take this edict to the Lan General's mansion" Wei gong gong is the chief eunuch who has been with the emperor since he was a young boy, he is someone that the emperor has great trust in and he usually do not run such errands as this is below his rank but Wei Zong order can only mean one thing. This is such an important mission that he doesn't want anyone but someone that he trusts to deliver the edict.
Wei gong gong was although surprised but being so many years in the service of the emperor he knew that it must be so important that his service is much needed and so he bow especially low
"I will not fail you" the eunuch Wei told the emperor
"Mn, you will have shadow guards and another twenty more bodyguards with you" Emperor Wei Zong told his trusted servant
"Mn, your wish is my command, this servant will leave now" Wei gong gong also knows that the fastest it is done the less danger it is, as the empress will not have preparation time.
"That is correct, go now" Emperor Wei Zong flipped his sleeves and the chief eunuch bow and back steps as he leaves the place.
The horses were fast, racing like the winds, a groups of men in the palace guards uniforms were racing towards a particular directions. It is already late, it is now evening, all the officials who were in the count this morning were all going home, change bath and ready to sit down with the family for dinner prbably. The servants were all cooking tirelessly in the kitchen to make up the best food for their masters and the family. This is the scene in every family, from rich to poor where families are all getting ready to eat their dinner.
The Lan family is no different, Lan Yiyuan has been working in the military base and now he is back, bath and change and Xichen who is now nearing twenty-three years old. Xichen looks upright and handsome, would be any fair maiden dream husband but Xichen has always told his father that he is not considering marriage till he feels he is ready. So, although there were many marriage proposal but each and every one has been turn down by Xichen, Grandmother Lan is of course getting agitated as some are very great marriages like the Prime Minister Zhou grand daughter, which Xichen is adamant in his refusal.
Thus, everyone is almost ready and gathering around the dining room to get ready for dinner, suddenly , one of the guards who is standing on the tall towel of the Lan Mansion runs in to report
"Master Lan, a group of people, like twenty over with palace uniform are heading our way" the guard bow to Yiyuan.
Yiyuan nods his head, he is not too alarm, he thought that the emperor might have some mission for him to calm or settle some uprising in certain part of the country and so he kept his calm and tell the family
"Don't serve food yet, get ready to receive the royal edict, it must be urgent, the emperor never send twenty-over bodyguards for an edict" Lan Yiyuan frowns a little but still his heart is steady.
Them another servants runs in and bow
"Sir, the chief eunuch, Wei gong gong is here with the emperor edict" when the servants speaks, Yiyuan was frowning, he knew that Wei gong gong holds a high post in the palace, and thus, it is really rare for him to run around delivering edict. Now, his heart is shaking a little, this must be a very important edict.
Just then, he can hear the rustling of shoes of a group of men and the bodyguard uniform which has some metal handing around were making some sounds with their sword knocking against the semi-hard armours clothing they were wearing.
Lan Yiyuan gathers his family, which include his parents and as his two brothers had their own homes, thus they are not here.
Wei gong gong is now walking in with his group of twenty over bodyguards and holding the important edict. He nods and gives them a smile and then standing in the middle of the dinning area, he unroll the scrolls and shouted
"Received the emperor edict" shouted Wei gong gong,
Everyone knee, including the bodyguards and all the servants in the household of the Lan general.
Wei gong gong is then satisfied with everyone kneeling and then he read out the edict
"By the order of the Emperor Wei Zong, it is hereby declare that the beautiful daughter of General Lan Yiyuan namely Lan Wangyi will be betrothed to the handsome third Prince Wei Zhan Xian. This is the order of the Emperor and this will be carried out as per order"
As soon as the the edict was read, Lan Yiyuan almost felt his heartbeat stopped. He became immobile, his eyes turns white and all rolls up. As the great General of the empire, he even forgot to raise up his hand to take over the scroll of edict. He just remains kneeling, like he has lost his soul. After Wei gong gong finished reading, he wanted to hand over the scroll with both his hands and even wanted to congratulate the General for having their daughter married into the royal family, as how many officials wish for their daughters to marry someone prominent and into the royal family is like a a dream that comes true. However, when the chief eunuch Wei looks at General Lan, that doesn't look like it and so Wei eunuch gives a loud shout
"CONGRATULATION!!!! General Lan" the shouts seems to brings the soul back into the General and he looks at the chief eunuch and nods and so took over the scroll.
"Thank you" the General mumble and that puzzles Chief eunuch Wei as usually the general should be smiling non-stop and thanking the chief eunuch for such good news. So Wei eunuch has his own thoughts and so he shares his thought
"General Lan, our third Prince Zhan Xian can be consider as the most handsome, good in both marital arts and military tactics, a good character and kind as well, your daughter should be well match, there is no worry there" Wei gong gong told General Lan.
The general actually already sweating heaps because he doesn't have a daughter but he has a ger son, it is not uncommon for ger to marry a man but never into the royal family because they are classify as not worthy. Thus, the general knew if the emperor knew this, his head will be on the chop board but they had register their ger son as daughter so as not to embarrass the family and so now they actually have no way out,. Thus, this is like a death sentences to the family.
General Lan is still able to find some functionality after a while and quickly returns the gestures
"Chief eunuch Wei, of course I know about Prince Zhan Xian, he sometimes comes to the military base, I am aware of his good characters and good look, he is a worthy man which I am just worry that my humble daughter might not be good enough or worth enough of Prince Zhan Xian" General Lan hoping against hope to try and turn down the marriage proposal.
Wei eunuch looks at the General and let out a loud laugh
"How can anyone speaks such humble words. The great general's daughter is good enough for anyone under the sky" Wei eunuch has such high respect for the country number one military man.
General Lan Yiyuan knew that there is no way out and the more he speaks, the more he may causes suspicion and so he just nods his head and accept the edict with a hard smile.
"Thank you for your hard work Chief eunuch Wei, please feel free to come in for a meal" General Lan extend his courtesy to the Chief eunuch who immediately decline
"I better rush back to report to the emperor, thank you and good night" Chief eunuch Wei bow and bide his farewell.
All the bodyguards have great respect for the country's number one general and so all of them bow and set off with the chief eunuch Wei back to the Palace immediately.
At another side of the palace, every plates or any breakable cups etc were flying like flying saucers
"Phak! Phak! Phak! Phak! Phak!" and then
"Slap, slap" the tables suffered by the heavy slapping of the empress.
"How could he....."
"This is too much..."
"I will not be defeated by this..."
The empress spy has already told her about Wei eunuch delivering the royal edict to the General Lan's resident a while ago and probably by now, the team has already arrived back into the palace reporting to the emperor about their mission accomplished.
The empress palace is in a mess, she screams and throws everything down like a mad woman and even her hair has been disheveled with all her hair pins falling off and that doesn't even bother the usually dignified empress. Empress Zhou just couldn't control herself anymore and she is shaking and trembling as her mind wonders what is the emperor intention and suddenly she screams and yells again to no one but herself as all the maid servants and bodyguards are all just standing at the side watching her as no one dares to approach her when she is in this crazy state of mind.
"D-Don't t-tell me, he w-wants Zhan Xian to take over the crown prince position....."
"T-That w-will be o-over my DEAD BODY!"
"I will never allows it!" screams the empress
Even momo, the closest maid to her who looks after her since young refrain from approaching her when she is in this mindset. There were constant screaming, breaking of even tables and chairs and no one dares to go near the empress but just stood trembling and wishing the hell of the night will get over soon, this did not stops till several hours later the empress felt her own energy being drained that momo helped her to change and sleep but even when her eyes closed she is still mumbling
"I will not be defeated" like a prayer till the darkness took over her.
By then, the servants then hurriedly clean-up and shakes their heads and each went back to their quarters to sleep. All these scenes were recorded by the emperor spy who promptly report to the emperor as well.
On the other end of it, the Lan family were also in chaos after the Chief eunuch Wei left the Lan Mansion. Dinner was served as per usual but no one had actually eaten any of it, all were having a sad face especially General Lan. He knew he lied to the emperor that he has a daughter, he gave in to his mother who thought that was the best way to solve the problem to save the reputation of the family by announcing to the emperor that he has a daughter but will be staying with his wife at the Cheng tribes and hopefully no one thought anything about it. He didn't know that after seventeen years, the emperor still remembers his daughter and now offer a marriage to him for Wangyi over the most eligible and handsome prince where every fair maiden in the city would die to marry but not his Wangyi.
"Sigh....." a long sigh by Yiyuan
Old General just shakes his head
Old General Lan's wife tries to speak but the sharp eyes of her old husband upon her, making her only opens her mouth and then closes back again. The Old General is now already up to his neck with his wife nonsense and would not have it anymore with the family lives are in danger now.
Finally, the Yiyuan speaks after a long half an hour
"How are we to tell the emperor now, cheating the emperor will be death for nine generations" Yiyuan looks at his family and sigh again.
Xichen who is now twenty-three years old stand up and pat his father
"Father, how about asking Wangyi to run away and report him as lost" XIchen frowns and talk to his father
Yiyuan opens his wide eyes
"Then, we will also be punished as we could not deliver the bride for the prince. They are the royal family, it is not as easy as dealing with normal family" Yiyuan who loves his son to bits just sigh and pat his shoulder back.
The old general stokes his beard and then he raise and talk to his son
"Yiyuan, let's just take a step as we walk. I know this is not easy, there is only one way out" the old general who has always been quiet now speaks to his son and grandson.
All eyes are on the old general and also with respect
"Let's just let Wangyi marry the third prince and hopefully, the prince falls in love with him and then we will be all saved, if not then....l-let the heaven decide our fate then, after all...it is our mistake to lie to the emperor" old general Lan told the family.
All of them nods except the old general's wife who couldn't control herself but stand up and brave her voice to speak
"How about finding a woman to replace Wangyi" she speaks proudly like she has the best solution in the world.
Immediately, the Old General slams the table with a very loud "Phak!!!!"
"You woman haven't make enough trouble for this family already. Seventeen years , we listened and lied to the emperor which has created this chaos, now we lie again but this time will be worst, we actually physically replace Wangyi with a young girl and if this has been found out, not only we die but we die with a horrifying and a name that will be laugh at for generations to generations.... you stupid woman, better shut up and sit down" Old General Lan has never got so angry and refute his wife before.
Lan Yiyuan stands up and think and he is now walking in circle and then he looks at his old father with sad eyes, suddenly Yiyuan knee in front of his father
"Father, I really hates that our reputable names from generation to generation being ruined in my hand" Yiyuan starts to tears. Immediately, the old General Lan stands up and pulls him up
"We are warriors, we fight, the battle is not over yet. Wangyi is such a beauty as from how Xichen couldn't stops description his little ger brother that now he doesn't even want to marry yet because no one can compare to his little ger brother. So, there might still be a chance of our survival if the third prince falls in love with yiyi.........." suddenly the old general is in tears too.
"I haven't seen my little grandson for seventeen years and how I miss him and now he is the only one that is going to save our family. I feel shameful...." old general tears also couldn't stop tearing thinking of how he had agreed to let his ger grandson lives in the Cheng tribes for seventeen long years.
Suddenly, Xichen robes in
"Grandfather is right, we make one mistake and we shouldn't lie on top of lie. It is better to be truthful and let Wangyi marry the third prince.....but Wangyi character might not agree because he is still a child. He doesn't live in the city..., so he is mischievous and innocent and I wonder how he will react now being ordered to marry..... wwwaaauuuhhhh" Xichen is now in tears and he continue
"Wangyi is still like a baby to me, the last visit a few months ago, he is still riding on my back and wanting me to fly with my light weight martial arts which makes him feels like flying....his can only be unlocked at eighteen for a reason which could be because he is mischievous...but he is so beautiful that even girls cannot be compare to him...still I am worry about him" Xichen looks at his father and grandfather with worries on his face for his ger brother.
Lan Yiyuan walks to pat on his son shoulder and nods with agreement
"We are an upright family, we make a mistakes and let's just not make another, the edict is for a child of the Lan family and not just any random child. We still have time to prepare yiyi as the third prince is now roaming with his master, thus the wedding will be a few months later. First, get yiyi into the city and starts with his etiqutte training and prepare him for the wedding. We have to bring both mother and yiyi here!" Yiyuan then walks out and looks at the sky
"How ironical now, our lives now depends on a ger whom people despite....this is probably heaven's punishment for looking down on ger....." Yiyuan cries as he misses his wife and child.
The Old General nods his head and then he pat his son's shoulder
"Let's sent them a message now then"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thank you for reading and here is another chapter
I hope you are enjoying it
Have a good day