AUBTN -Chapter 53 The Fiancée Arrives

This woman… in public like this, with no sense of shame!

Immediately afterward came the decree concerning Shen Jue.

“Shen Jue, Director of the Eastern Depot, has been loyal to the throne and devoted to the state. His father, Shen Qingchuan, was deceived by villains in the past and unjustly wronged. Now that the truth has been uncovered, the injustice is hereby redressed, and the Shen family’s honor is restored…”

“Shen Jue is granted the privilege of entering court without hastening his steps, being praised without his name being formally called, and being exempt from kneeling before the emperor!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire court erupted in an uproar.

Exempt from kneeling!

What an extraordinary honor!

Shen Jue stood in his crimson flying-dragon robe, a jade belt cinched at his waist. On that bewitchingly handsome face of his, there was little joy—only a strange emptiness after a long-awaited vengeance had finally been fulfilled.

Still, he slowly bent forward and performed a proper minister’s salute.

“Your servant… thanks Your Majesty for this great grace.”

Watching his back, Su Hewan felt sincerely happy for him.

【That’s wonderful… He no longer has to bear the stigma of being the son of a traitor. For this day, he walked in darkness for far, far too long.】

【From now on, he can live openly and honestly—living in the sunlight.】

Shen Jue’s heart trembled sharply.

The victory banquet was held in the Imperial Garden.

The bright moon hung high above, palace lanterns glowed brilliantly, and the fragrance of wine mixed with the music of silk and bamboo instruments, gradually washing away the lingering scent of blood within the imperial city.

Although the young emperor was still a child, after surviving such a life-and-death crisis, he had become extremely dependent on his two saviors—Su Hewan and Yu Qing.

“Come, I raise a toast to my two elder sisters!”

Holding up a specially made small wine cup, the young emperor smiled so brightly that his eyes curved into crescents. There was none of the solemn dignity he had shown in court—he looked exactly like a child begging candy from the big sisters next door.

Su Hewan and Yu Qing exchanged a glance before helplessly lifting their cups.

“What kind of child drinks alcohol!” Su Hewan reached out, trying to snatch the little emperor’s cup.

“Exactly! Anyone under eighteen isn’t allowed to drink!” Yu Qing wagged a finger as well.

The young emperor grinned. “This is fruit wine. I won’t get drunk!”

Yu Qing and Su Hewan exchanged another helpless look.

“Then Your Majesty truly honors this servant too greatly.” Su Hewan raised her cup gently.

“There are no outsiders here. No need for formalities!” the young emperor waved his hand, downing the fruit wine in one gulp. Then he propped his chin on his hand, his bright black eyes rolling curiously between the two women.

At this moment, Lu Yan and Shen Jue were seated below on opposite sides.

Though the two didn’t get along, they had temporarily sheathed their hostility for the moment.

Lu Yan sat upright, rubbing the rim of his wine cup, yet his gaze occasionally drifted toward Yu Qing—who was gnawing on a chicken leg with absolutely no regard for her image.

Shen Jue, meanwhile, leaned lazily against his chair, long fingers idly playing with a new white jade wine cup.

But from the corner of his eye, he kept watching Su Hewan, who was peeling grapes for the young emperor.

“My two celestial sisters,” the young emperor suddenly said in a clear voice, “in this suppression of the rebellion, you both rendered great service.”

“I’ve long wanted to reward you. Gold and jewels feel too vulgar, and high office isn’t suitable since you’re women… So tell me—what would you like?”

Yu Qing swallowed the chicken in her mouth, her eyes lighting up.

【Money! Your Majesty! I don’t mind vulgar! Shower me with gold ingots! I want to become a rich lady!】

Lu Yan’s fingers tightened around his cup, the corner of his mouth twitching.

This woman—her mind contained nothing but money and lust. Honestly…

Su Hewan, on the other hand, was far more composed. She had just opened her mouth, intending to say some diplomatic phrase like “May the realm enjoy everlasting peace.”

But the young emperor suddenly looked as if he’d just thought of a brilliant idea. With the shrewdness of a child far wiser than his years, he said:

“I see that both of my ministers are still unmarried, and neither of my two sisters are wed… Why don’t I act as a matchmaker today and grant you two marriage decrees?”

“Pfft—!”

The mouthful of fruit wine that Yu Qing had just taken went spraying straight out.

If she hadn’t reacted quickly and turned her head aside, that spray would have landed squarely on Lu Yan’s handsome face.

Su Hewan’s hand also trembled, and the grape she had just peeled rolled off the table and into the dust.

【What the hell? An imperial marriage decree?】

【Damn! Arranged marriage?!】

The inner voices of the two women instantly exploded like a pot boiling over—like two thousand ducks screaming inside Lu Yan and Shen Jue’s minds.

Lu Yan frowned, while Shen Jue raised an eyebrow.

“What? You’re unwilling?” The young emperor blinked innocently.

“Minister Lu is heroic and extraordinary. And Minister Shen… although he has physical ailments, he’s still a rare talent among men. Besides, I’ve specially permitted him to have a duishi companion. That’s an enormous favor!”

The smile at Shen Jue’s lips deepened as he looked at Su Hewan with a teasing gaze.

Su Hewan only felt her scalp go numb.

Just when the awkwardness had reached the point where you could practically dig a three-bedroom apartment out of it with your toes—

“Report—!”

A young eunuch hurried in, breaking the stalemate.

“Your Majesty, two women are seeking an audience outside the palace gates. They’re holding… holding a gold token bestowed by the late emperor and claim to be…” The eunuch’s expression turned strange as he hesitated.

“Claim to be what?” Lu Yan asked in a deep voice.

The four of them froze instantly. The wine cups in their hands clattered onto the table.

Before anyone could react, two figures appeared at the entrance of the imperial garden, slowly walking forward under the glow of palace lanterns.

The woman on the left wore a pale green dress. Her temperament was cool and refined, her brows carrying the scholarly elegance of a cultured lady. Every movement she made embodied the grace of a noble young woman.

The woman on the right wore a pink gauze dress. She looked delicate and adorable, with two shallow dimples appearing when she smiled. Her eyes were lively, her whole demeanor bright and energetic like a little rabbit.

When Su Hewan saw the two women, her pupils shrank sharply.

“What’s going on, Wanwan?” Yu Qing whispered.

Su Hewan’s expression was complicated. “If I remember correctly… those two are the fiancées who were betrothed since childhood to Lord Lu and Shen Jue.”

Yu Qing also stared wide-eyed at the girl in pink.

“Damn, there’s this twist too?!”

While they were speaking, the two women stepped forward before the emperor and gracefully knelt.

Their voices were soft and melodious.

“This humble subject is Jiang Ruyi.”

“This humble subject is Song Zhaoyuan.”

“We pay our respects to Your Majesty.”

Lu Yan and Shen Jue narrowed their eyes at the same time.

They looked at the two unfamiliar women in the courtyard, then turned back toward Su Hewan and Yu Qing beside them—both pale-faced and visibly frightened.

Lu Yan suddenly let out a cold laugh. His hand rested on the hilt of his blade as his sharp gaze fixed forward.

“Interesting. I didn’t know anyone in this world had the nerve to impersonate my fiancée.”

Shen Jue slowly rotated the half-broken jade pendant in his hand, a trace of bloodthirsty light flashing in his eyes.

“I wasn’t aware that a eunuch like me even had a fiancée.”

But Su Hewan and Yu Qing couldn’t laugh at all.

“Claim to be? Heh, that’s an interesting choice of words.”

Shen Jue lightly tapped his finger as he studied the prey that had delivered itself to his door with great interest.

“Since you’re here, then explain yourselves. This fiancée of mine who has appeared out of thin air—just who exactly are you?”

Jiang Ruyi, facing the feared Chief of the Eastern Depot who struck terror throughout the imperial court, showed not the slightest fear.

She slowly raised her head, took something out from her sleeve, and presented it with both hands.

“Please allow me to explain, Chief Shen. When the Shen family met with disaster back then, my father had once received great kindness from your honored grandfather. The two families arranged a marriage alliance long ago. This is the token from those years—the other half of the twin-fish jade pendant. Before my father passed away, he instructed that if any descendant of the Shen family remained, we were to use this pendant to recognize each other and fulfill the marriage contract.”

It was a piece of mutton-fat white jade, smooth and delicate. Even in the night, it flowed with a gentle, luminous glow.