RWNEFE -Chapter 419 Zhou Ruyuan Takes Bai Qingling into the Palace

Such an unconventional wedding gift—whoever came up with it was truly a talent!

This marriage had been personally decreed by Emperor Renxiao. Even though many of the guests secretly came with the intention of watching a spectacle, they buried those thoughts deep inside. After all, once they returned home and shut their doors, they could say whatever they pleased.

To firmly cement this marriage, Emperor Renxiao even sent a young eunuch on the wedding day to bestow imperial rewards. Since it was an imperial marriage, even if Bai Qingling were later criticized for something, there would be no divorce. Only death could end the marriage and allow remarriage.

The emperor believed that the Third Prince loved Bai Qingling deeply; something like death separating them would never happen.

In high spirits, he even selected a consort from the green name tablets presented by Wang Bao.

After a night of passion beneath crimson covers, Emperor Renxiao felt unprecedentedly refreshed, as if he had returned to his youthful prime.

He completely forgot that there was still a son who had died of illness while serving him, buried just outside the capital.

Because of the wedding, Zhou Ruyuan’s departure to escort the Fifth Prince’s coffin was delayed.

On the second day after the marriage, he entered the palace to pay his respects and immediately submitted a memorial requesting permission to leave the capital. Emperor Renxiao readily approved.

“Qingling, after we pay our respects to Mother, I will depart. The affairs of the prince’s residence will be entrusted to you,” Zhou Ruyuan said.

Bai Qingling responded softly, her face full of tender affection. “My lord, please be careful on the road.”

Though this marriage had been unexpected, now that it was done, Zhou Ruyuan felt a sense of relief.

Qingling had done so much for him and even borne him a child—she had indeed rendered merit. He would treat this marriage as compensation for her.

“My lord, will you be taking Master Caolu with you this time?” Bai Qingling asked, her eyes flickering. Beneath her gentle appearance lay calculation.

At present, the household finances were still managed by Shen Yuantang. Since the prince had just said those words, after he left, she would have to quickly take back control.

No matter how favored Shen Lanxi was by the emperor, her own younger sister was still only a secondary consort in the prince’s residence.

And a secondary consort was, after all, just a concubine—easily controlled by her.

Soon they arrived at Chaoyun Hall, where Zhou Ruyuan finally saw the son he had not seen for a long time.

“Xiao Yu’er, don’t you recognize your father and mother? Come here,” Bai Qingling called, immediately recognizing the timid child.

After so long apart, her son’s appearance was etched deeply in her mind. Her eyes couldn’t help but grow moist.

But the child only glanced at them once, then ran away like a frightened rabbit, darting inside.

“Mother…” Zhou Ruyuan looked at the child hiding behind Consort Shu, his eyes tinged with sorrow.

Bai Qingling was even more affected, tears already streaming down her face.

“Greetings, Mother,” she said, her eyes fixed on her son, afraid that if she blinked he would disappear again.

Consort Shu already hated Bai Qingling and wished for her death. Seeing her so heartbroken now filled her with satisfaction.

“Mother, the prince and I have now formally married. We came today to take the child back to the residence to raise him ourselves,” Bai Qingling said.

Zhou Ruyuan frowned; he had never said such a thing to her.

Consort Shu’s expression darkened immediately.

“You ill-mannered thing! If not for my son standing here, I would have someone teach you proper palace etiquette.”

A flash of hatred crossed Bai Qingling’s eyes, but she quickly put on a pitiful expression.

“Mother, I’ve done nothing wrong. Why are you so angry?”

Consort Shu pointed at her furiously. “His Majesty pitied me for losing my child and sent my grandson to keep me company. And you—foolish creature, unworthy of being my son’s princess consort—don’t even understand the most basic filial duty. If not for them standing here, I would already have ordered you slapped.”

Bai Qingling choked on her words. Her son had been away from her so long that he clearly no longer recognized her.

He was flesh of her flesh—how could she not long for him?

Now that she was the princess consort, what was wrong with personally raising her own child?

Consort Shu was clearly looking down on her background and using this matter to put her in her place.

“Mother, I will be leaving the capital tomorrow on official business. Let’s have a good meal together today,” Zhou Ruyuan said, trying to smooth things over.

Consort Shu glanced at her son. She didn’t want to make things difficult for him. After finally seeing him again, she had much to say and didn’t want to waste time on a lowly woman.

“Go supervise the preparation of lunch. Nanny Wang, go instruct her. When she leaves the palace later, go with her and properly teach the rules of the Prince of Zhennan’s residence.”

Nanny Wang, her face stern, replied coldly, “As you command, Your Highness.”

Bai Qingling didn’t want to go, but under Nanny Wang’s piercing stare and Consort Shu’s pressure, she had no choice but to leave.

“Take the little prince out to play,” Consort Shu ordered.

Zhou Ruyuan knew his mother had dismissed everyone because she wanted to speak with him alone, and he waited quietly.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yunhao’s two hundred thousand troops had retreated outside Pingcheng.

They had originally marched to the capital to support a rebellion. But with Zhou Yunhao’s sudden death, they were leaderless. They had planned to flee back to Xihuazhou, but unexpectedly received an imperial decree.

After discussion, Zhou Yunhao’s advisers decided to gamble.

Zhang Xinsui, the chief strategist under Zhou Yunhao, summoned all the commanding generals overnight for a council.

“I heard earlier that the heir of Guiguzi has already been summoned to the capital by His Majesty. I suspect this imperial decree must have adopted that person’s advice.”

“Then what should we do now, Mr. Zhang? Wait, or return to Xihuazhou?” asked General Wang Zhixiao, one of Zhou Yunhao’s senior commanders.

Since Zhou Yunhao’s sudden death, Zhang Xinsui had been overwhelmed, so busy that he hadn’t even washed for days.

Suppressing the urge to scratch his head, he analyzed, “The empire’s troops are scattered outside. Right now, the capital itself is weakly defended.”

They had originally been able to march straight in, but who would have thought the Fifth Prince, once so healthy, would suddenly fall ill and die?

If not for the six highly skilled physicians who had accompanied the army and had always been loyal to the Fifth Prince, he would never have believed it was merely an illness.

“Previously, with the Fifth Prince, our march to the capital was justified. Now, if we advance even one step, it will be rebellion, and everyone will be justified in killing us.”

All the generals knew this. The problem was that they didn’t want to sit here waiting for death.

“Sir, just tell us what to do. We’ll listen to you.”

If not for Zhang Xinsui restraining them, the two hundred thousand troops under their command would already have scattered.

“We wait for the court to send someone to take over,” Zhang Xinsui said at last, hoping only that these former subordinates might meet a decent end.

Though he didn’t speak words of despair, the generals still felt the sorrow of those awaiting inevitable doom.

Ordinary soldiers might escape with their lives, but officers like them—personal guards of the Fifth Prince—would almost certainly be executed.

They could only hope the court would spare their families in consideration of their obedience.

Prepared for death, they endured their suffering—until Shen Lanxi arrived with officials from the Ministry of War.

All existing troops in the capital were being used to defend it, so the party sent to take over the army numbered fewer than five hundred.

If the two hundred thousand troops had any rebellious intent, they would have no chance of survival.

Because they knew this mission was dangerous and uncertain, most of those who came from the Ministry of War were young, newly promoted officers, many raised through the military examinations.

Shen Lanxi sat on horseback, exuding authority. The others stood behind her in neat, disciplined formation.

Zhang Xinsui had long heard of Shen Lanxi and already knew she would be the one coming to take over.

Seeing her at last, he was first struck by her appearance. His instinctive thought was:

Such extraordinary beauty… even if she commands troops, would her soldiers truly be convinced by her?