Chapter 266 Disobeyed the Imperial Edict?
Ma De came into Lord Rui’s Mansion with the imperial edict. Many people followed Dongfang Rui and knelt down.
With a slightly pitying eyesight, Ma De glanced at Dongfang Rui, who had lowered his head. Then he opened the edict and read loudly,
“By the grace of the nature, the emperor said,
Su Li, the daughter of Dongfang Rui, has a virtuous temperament and a beautiful look. I am happy for that. Today, the third son of the King of North is 20 and it’s time for him to get married with a good girl! Su Li is still unmarried, and they are matched by the nature. I’d like to do a good deed for the two. Here I decide to grant Su Li as a princess to the prince. You choose a good day and the Ministry of Rites will help prepare the marriage!
The end!”
“What? Brother grants Su Li to Ling Li in the Ling Family?!”
Dongfang Rui turned pale with fright, and suddenly he stood up from the ground with an amazing expression.
Li was the first talented girl in Yunjing City. Why did brother grant her to Ling Li, an ignorant playboy?!”
“Lord Rui, I know Princess Li has been living in the Affiliated School of the National Academy all the time, so, please take the edict for her.”
Ma De wore a gentle smile on his face, but his eyes were very cold. Once Dongfang Rui dared to refuse, Dongfang Xiao would kill him with violent power. He was monitored when he met Lord Rui, and he couldn’t have a trace of a relations.h.i.+p with Lord Rui.
Looking at the golden silk paper in the hands of Ma De, Dongfang Rui looked very angry and didn’t received the edict for a long time.
At this moment, he just knew the meaning of what Su Li remind him when she came back yesterday.
“No matter what the emperor requests, dad, you can accept it without any disobedience.”
Li could know the action of the emperor in advance and knew how to deal with it. How could she know this?
Originally, he thought the secrets that Su Li had were just the names that she used to deal with the Su Family. Until now, he found that he didn’t understand his daughter at all. Her excellent intelligence that no one had noticed could be compared with that of the hidden forces in Yunjing City.
“Lord Rui, Lord Rui?”
Hearing it, Dongfang Rui suddenly came into his sense and found that Ma De was not as kind as before. He was talking to him with an aggressive tone, “Lord Rui, are you unwilling to accept the imperial edict… do you want to disobey the edict?”
Dongfang Rui shuddered and understood the purpose of Dongfang Xiao immediately.
The emperor was trying to kill him?
Why!
No wonder that Li let him accept the request unconditionally. If not, it was the best excuse for Dongfang Xiao to kill him!
What a pity…
Dongfang Rui sneered. Brother, my brother! In any case, you wouldn’t think that Li had expected your move and arranged everything in advance. If it happened before, for his daughter, he wouldn’t accept the imperial edict, but now…
Thinking of this, Dongfang Rui glanced at Ma De who was staring at him with full of surprise in his eyes. Then he gently took the imperial edict, and said respectfully,
“I… accept!”
Dongfang Rui’s action was so sudden that Ma De and his followers were stunned. Even the Eunuch Feng who was waiting next to him expressionlessly didn’t expect that.
He… accepted?
Ma De s.h.i.+vered slightly and pointed to Dongfang Rui who had received the imperial edict. Then he said with a weak voice, “Lord Rui, you must think it clear. After accepting it, Princess Li must get married with Ling Li. She had no other way to go. Are you really willing to?”
Seeing Ma De’s reaction, a flash of light appeared in Dongfang Rui’s eyes and he asked with a forceful smile, “Why, it seems that Lord Ma has something to say?”
Ma De looked stiff and quickly shook his hands, “No, no. I just ask casually. Since Lord Rui has accepted it, I will go to the Ministry of Rites. Goodbye…”
“Thank you, Lord Ma. Take care.”
Dongfang Rui shouted. After Ma De left Lord Rui’s Mansion, the smile on Lord Rui’s face disappeared immediately, and the anxiety emerged. Wu Bin appeared around him in time and said seriously, “I will pick Miss up now!”
“Go!”
Dongfang Rui waved his hand and said anxiously. Since Li let him accept the imperial edict, she must have the way to deal with it. After Wu Bin brought Su Li back, her answer let him completely shocked.
“What… do you really want to marry Ling Li?!”
Dongfang Rui was surprised. He hit the table, and the tea on the table was scattered everywhere.
Su Li looked calm and nodded gently. She said without any fluctuation, as if she had nothing to do with the matter, “The emperor had issued the imperial edict. Although Ling Li was a playboy, considering about the family status, there was no difference between us. Even if this matter is spread and caused criticism, it will not trigger a huge reaction. Although the ministers may disagree, Dongfang Xiao has the right to make the decision, so, the ministers will give Mr. Gu a favor. In addition, you have accepted, so, can I have any way to change that?”
Su Li’s words was so clear that Dongfang Rui was sad. It turned out that there were so many secrets, and he did not think about a little bit before.
“As you say, why did you let me accept it? Li, this is your lifelong issue! The playboy of the Ling Family doesn’t deserve to marry you. How can I explain to your mother…”
Dongfang Rui sighed. Then he suddenly realized something and said, “Li, I’ll let Wu Bin escort you to leave Dahan Country. As long as you get out of the control of the country, even if Dongfang Xiao wants to punish you, it was impossible. Wu Bin…”
“It won’t work.”
Dongfang Rui was about to speak but he was interrupted by Su Li.
“Dad, how cunning Dongfang Xiao is. Since he managed to deal with you, he must be well-prepared. If you resist the edict, the Royal Guards will stamp on Lord Rui’s Mansion within a half day. If you accept and let me escape, I am afraid that I will be caught by the Royal Guards before I reach the city gate of Yunjing. At this moment, all the people in Lord Rui’s Mansion are birds in a cage. They can only act as command, or they will perish. Dad, do you understand?”
Every word of Su Li was like a sword which was fiercely stabbed into the chest of Dongfang Xiao. He retreated a few steps, and turned pale.
He thought that there was still a chance for them to turn back. Actually, Dongfang Xiao had taken this step.
“But… I don’t want you to be wronged!”
Dongfang Xiao tightly grasped the hands of Su Li, and his eyes flickered with sincerity. Since Su Yue died, he only had Su Li around him. If killing him could free her, he would do that without any hesitation！
But now even if he refused, the end also would be worse than now.
Feeling the warmth from his palm, Su Li smiled gently. She touched the wrinkle between Dongfang Rui’s eyebrows and said gently. Her voice was like a spring breeze blowing his ear.
“Dad, it’s the luckiest thing for me to be your daughter in this life. I don’t dare to hope for other things.”
“Li…”
Dongfang Rui was moved deeply, with tears welling up in his eyes, while Su Li smiled slightly.
Fortunately, I did not kill you in this life. For the rest of the time, let me solve… all the matters.
“Dad, Ling Li is not as simple as you think. In fact, the first one that Dongfang Xiao designed was Ma Jintian.” Su Li smiled like a flower and gently explained, “I did something that made him replace Ma Jintian with Ling Li. That is to say, Third Childe in the Ling Family is my own choice, and I… am willing to marry him!”
Dongfang Rui heard this and became confused.
Born in the royal family, he was used to intriguing, but now he was confused by his daughter’s schemes.
Obviously, Su Li had been living outside the Imperial Palace, and she never went there. But how could she affect the option of the marriage granted by the emperor?
“Li, why…”
Dongfang Rui was stopped by Su Li’s fingertip. She showed a cute smile with wits in her eyes, “Dad, I can’t tell you a lot now. When it’s the appropriate time, you will know everything. As for now… please arrange some dowries for me.”
He stared at Su Li without saying anything for a while. Then he smiled finally, “I have only one daughter, and I must prepare your dowries and let you get married happily and decently like a real princess!”
“Thank you, Dad!”
Su Li smiled happily, and she stayed in Lord Rui’s Mansion overnight. In the next few days, she would live here. She knew her situation. If she didn’t live here now, there would be less opportunities for her to live in Lord Rui’s Mansion.
Dongfang Rui became really busy and every day he brought up a lot of gold and silver jewelry for Su Li to select.
Although he didn’t know what Su Li was planning, he still chose to believe his daughter unconditionally. He could only pray now and hope Yun, his wife who was in the heaven, could protect their daughter from suffering troubles and help her have a good life.
When Lord Rui’s Mansion were busy with preparing the dowries, people of the Ling Mansion were struck by the sudden news.
“The emperor grants the marriage for Ling Li and Su Li?”
Receiving the imperial edict from Eunuch Feng, both Mr. Gu and Qiu Meng was shocked and they didn’t move for a long time. Then Qiu Meng became ecstatic immediately, and she came to the East Courtyard quickly and told it to Ling Li.
“Li, come out. Good news! The emperor granted you a marriage, and the girl is the girl you like, Su Li!”
Ling Li was dealing with the intelligence of the Tianya House when he heard his mother’s voice. He was scared and put all the intelligence under the table. Then, he just heard that his mother opened the door and came in.
Where did Ling Mo go? Why didn’t he stop her for a moment?
Ling Li complained inside, then he began to pay attention to what Qiu Meng said. He gazed at nothing because of the extreme surprise, then he asked with trembling, “Mom… what did you say?!”
With a beaming face, she quickly spread out the imperial edict in front of Ling Li. It was written clearly with black words on the silk paper.
“Su Li and I should choose a good day to get married?”
Being confused, now Ling Li seemed that he couldn’t pondered. He thought that it was impossible for him to marry Su Li in this life before, but unexpectedly, an imperial edict was issued suddenly.
He never thought that Su Li and him could be married in this ridiculous way.
“Master!”
Ling Mo rushed in with weirdness and joy on his face. When he saw Madam was also there, he immediately stopped talking. It seemed that Master already knew.
But… would Su Li… be willing to marry him?