Chapter 351 Beautiful Spider Spirit VS Cold and Ascetic Monk 55
A few days later, Eunuch Fu'an walked into the imperial study quietly, holding a scroll of portraits in his hand, with a smile on his face, and bowed to report: "Your Majesty, this old servant has found out the details of Duke Qin's daughter."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuanwu raised his eyes from the pile of memorials and looked at Fu'an, motioning him to continue.

"Your Majesty, the daughter of Duke Qin is named Meng Yao. She has been weak and sickly since childhood, so she was sent to the countryside to recuperate. In recent years, she has recovered and was brought back to the palace. I have had the honor of seeing Miss Meng in person. She is indeed talented and beautiful. Her behavior is full of the demeanor of a noble lady, and she is not inferior to the noble ladies in the palace."

Fu'an exclaimed with delight, and as he spoke he slowly unfolded the scroll and placed it on the imperial desk.

Emperor Xuanwu's eyes fell on the portrait. The woman in the painting had eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like rippling autumn water, skin whiter than snow, and an otherworldly temperament. He seemed to be able to smell the faint scent of ink and flowers in the painting and nodded secretly.

He smiled, "The prince has always had high standards and is very picky about women. I think he would be satisfied with a beauty like this."

If such a stunning beauty is thrown into cleaning toilets, she will be single for the rest of her life.

"Your Majesty is right. Miss Meng is not only beautiful, but also gentle and virtuous. She is truly the perfect choice for the Crown Princess."

Eunuch Fu'an echoed this, but secretly guessed the emperor's true intentions.

"Send an order to summon Meng Yao, the daughter of Duke Qin, to the palace for an audience."

Emperor Xuanwu pondered for a moment and decided to meet him in person to verify his true appearance and temperament.

The next morning, the sun shone through the clouds and fell on the bluestone path of the Qin Mansion.

Yu Yao was dressed in an elegant palace dress, with her hair tied up high and walking lightly as she followed the wife of Duke Qin into the imperial city.

She looked calm and composed, not at all nervous, and even had the mind to appreciate the scenery along the way.

She didn't need to think too much to know that Dugu Ye must have done something in secret.

If not, why would Emperor Xuanwu suddenly want to see her?
Lady Qin was extremely nervous and kept giving instructions along the way.

Although Yu Yao was a little impatient inside, she still listened carefully and occasionally agreed with a few words.

Soon, they arrived at the door of the imperial study. Lady Qin was waiting outside, and she went in alone.

"Your humble servant Meng Yao greets His Majesty. Long live the emperor."

She bowed respectfully, her voice clear yet dignified, and her demeanor fully displayed the demeanor of a lady from a noble family.

Emperor Xuanwu looked at her and could not help but admire her in his heart: She is indeed a stunning beauty, even more beautiful than in her portrait. No wonder Duke Qin wanted to hide his daughter in the countryside.

He raised his hand slightly, motioning for her to stand up, "Miss Meng, please don't be polite. Raise your head so I can take a good look at you."

Yu Yao looked up as she was told, her eyes clear and gentle, and she met Emperor Xuanwu's gaze, neither humble nor arrogant.

Emperor Xuanwu nodded secretly and asked, "I heard that you were weak since childhood, but now you have recovered and are both talented and virtuous. Is this true?"

She smiled slightly, her voice soft and respectful: "Your Majesty, I am indeed fortunate to have met a good doctor, and my health is getting better day by day. My father and mother have taught me carefully. Although I dare not claim to be both talented and virtuous, I also know that I am diligent in learning and strive to live up to your expectations."

Emperor Xuanwu nodded slightly and changed the subject: "I intend to select a concubine for the crown prince. Seeing that you are outstanding in character and appearance, I specially summoned you to the palace to meet you. Are you willing to become the crown prince's wife?"

She had already guessed the purpose of Emperor Xuanwu letting her enter the palace, so she was not surprised at all. She said calmly, "I will obey the emperor's arrangements in everything. If I can win the favor of His Royal Highness, I will do my best to assist His Royal Highness."

Emperor Xuanwu nodded with satisfaction, asked a few more questions, and then let her leave.

Then he ordered someone to summon the prince.

Dugu Ye quickly arrived at the imperial study, his steps steady and calm.

A black brocade robe outlines his tall figure, and his brows reveal his innate nobility and unruly nature.

The flickering candlelight in the hall illuminated his charming and handsome face, adding a bit of unparalleled charm.

"My son has met my father."

Dugu Ye's voice was deep and magnetic, and he displayed royal demeanor during his performance.

Emperor Xuanwu raised his eyes, waved his hand, and said, "Ye'er, stand up. I summoned you here today because I have something important to discuss with you."

Dugu Ye stood up straight, narrowed his eyes slightly, and waited for the next words.

Emperor Xuanwu picked up a scroll from the table and slowly unfolded it. The woman in the painting was as gentle as jade, with a hint of otherworldliness between her eyebrows and eyes.

It was Yu Yao.

"Ye'er, take a look at this painting. This woman is the daughter of Duke Qin, Meng Yao. I have sent people to investigate her in detail. This woman has excellent character and talent, and she is about the same age as you. She is indeed a good match for you."

Emperor Xuanwu looked at Dugu Ye with a gentle tone.

Dugu Ye took the scroll, his eyes lingered on the painting for a moment, and he chuckled, "She is a rare beauty. I will leave it to the emperor to decide."

After saying this, he gently rolled up the scroll, a gleam of light and pride flashing in his eyes.

Emperor Xuanwu was relieved to see that his son was satisfied.

I was afraid that this kid would look down on me again.

For some reason, he always felt something was wrong, as if he had fallen into a trap.

He looked at Dugu Ye and suddenly felt that this kid looked like he deserved a beating.

"Since you have agreed, I will issue an edict to grant the marriage and choose a date for the wedding. You can go back and prepare. The wedding must be grand and cannot be sloppy in the slightest."

Emperor Xuanwu thought of his son's behavior and gave him a serious warning: "Treat him well and don't throw him to clean the toilet again, otherwise Duke Qin's family will not be vegetarians." Dugu Ye looked at Emperor Xuanwu, laughed happily, and teased: "Don't worry, father, I can't bear to do that. Even if I have to clean the toilet, I will do it."

Emperor Xuanwu was amused by his words and waved his hand, "Okay, go away. The marriage decree will be sent to the East Palace later."

After he finished speaking, he put aside the memorial he had just read.

After Dugu Ye came out of the imperial study, he returned to the East Palace happily.

He sat at the table, looking at the portrait of Yu Yao, with a happy smile on his face, "Yao'er, I can finally marry you. In this life, we will be as loving and sweet as in our previous life, and live together until old age."

The imperial decree granting the marriage came down quickly.

One copy was sent to the Eastern Palace, and the other copy was sent to the Duke of Qin's Mansion.

The capital was in an uproar and full of discussions. The gate of Duke Qin's mansion was almost broken down by spies and people who came to congratulate.

Meng Yao, this once unknown woman raised in the countryside, became the Crown Princess overnight. The change in her identity spread quickly among the major families in the capital like a spring breeze.

"Have you heard? Miss Meng from Duke Qin's mansion is going to marry the prince!"

In the teahouse, a young man in fancy clothes exclaimed to his friend at the same table.

"Oh? Which Miss Meng? Why have I never heard of you?" the friend asked puzzledly.

"You are out of touch with the news! It is said that Miss Meng has been weak since she was a child, so she was sent to the countryside to recuperate. Now that she has recovered from her illness, she has been personally chosen by the emperor to be the crown princess. She has really become a phoenix from a tree!"

The young man shook his head, looking envious.

Inside the Prince of Wei's mansion, spring is in full swing, with peach blossoms flying everywhere, but this cannot hide the loneliness and dullness deep within the mansion.

Xuan Ji was sitting in the study. The occasional chirping of birds outside the window made the room even quieter.

There were a few scriptures scattered on the table, but he had never turned them over. His mind had already drifted away.

"Meng Yao, the daughter of Duke Qin... the Crown Princess..."

The servants' discussions were like needles that pierced through the doors and into his heart.

Xuan Ji gently put down the teacup in his hand. The tea had gone cold, just like his mood at the moment.

Based on his understanding of Dugu Ye, it is impossible for that man to marry a woman other than Yaoer.

Dugu Ye agreed and happily prepared for the wedding.

This can only mean that Miss Meng from Duke Qin's Mansion is Yao'er, but for some reason she changed her identity and became the daughter of Duke Qin.

He closed his eyes, trying to picture in his mind the woman who once leaned against him with a smile as warm as spring, but now, she was going to become someone else's bride.

"Your Majesty, it's time for you to eat."

Archie, the personal attendant, reminded softly, breaking the silence in the room.

Xuan Ji opened his eyes and looked out the window with empty eyes. After a while, he slowly said, "Let's go. I have no appetite."

In the dead of night, Xuan Ji was walking alone in the back garden of the palace.

The moonlight was like water, sprinkling on his body and casting a long shadow.

He stopped and stared at the bright moon reflected in the pool, feeling mixed emotions.

"Yao'er, do you really want to marry him?"

Xuan Ji murmured to himself, looking lonely and sad, feeling that everything in the past was as ethereal as a dream.

In the following days, Xuan Ji seemed to be even more obsessed with Buddhism, reciting scriptures and chanting Buddha's name every day, not caring about worldly affairs.

But whenever it was late at night and everyone was asleep, he would always think of her involuntarily. The laughter and joy they had once shared would haunt him like a nightmare, making him unable to sleep.

After several months of preparation, the wedding day of Yu Yao and Dugu Ye finally arrived.

As the morning light broke, the whole capital city was shrouded in joy.

The gate of Duke Qin's mansion was decorated with colorful red silk, indicating that a grand wedding would be held today.

Inside the Prince of Wei's mansion, Xuan Ji sat quietly in the study, playing with a string of prayer beads in his hands, with a look of melancholy and complexity between his brows.

"Your Highness, have you heard? Duke Qin's daughter Meng Yao is about to become the Crown Princess, and the wedding will be today."

A trusted guard reported quietly, breaking the silence in the room.

Hearing this, Xuan Ji paused for a moment and said with a faint smile: "Oh? Really? That's a happy event."

There was a subtle bitterness hidden in the words.

Although I said happy things, the bitterness in my heart continued to grow.

He still couldn't let it go, but he had no intention of going to participate.

He only ordered his servants to prepare a generous gift and send it to the Duke of Qin's mansion.