Duke Jing's younger sister

Chapter 198: Concubine Ning summons

Candles were lit in the house.

The dim candlelight flickered and reflected on her cheek, adding a touch of softness to her pale face.

The person lying on the couch's eyelashes trembled twice, and then he woke up slowly.

The blurry vision gradually became clear.

When Jiang Li saw the familiar goose yellow gauze curtains in the bedroom of Qinghui Courtyard, he couldn't help but be dazed for a moment.

It was as if I had returned to a quiet afternoon many years ago.

She slept soundly in Qinghui Courtyard. When she woke up, it was already dark.

In a daze, I couldn't tell whether I woke up too early in the morning or fell asleep too late at night.

"Aman?"

Jiang Cheng saw her wake up and called her softly.

Jiang Li then came to her senses and realized that there were only her brother, Xingping and Luo Zhi in the room.

Yang and Shen Zhiyan were also sitting beside the couch. When they saw her wake up, they hurried over to her.

The memories before I fainted came flooding back to my mind.

She struggled to sit up, looking at Jiang Cheng with hope in her eyes.

"Brother, I just heard the Fourth Princess say that His Majesty wants to introduce me to the Crown Prince. Is this true?"

She stared closely at Jiang Cheng's expression, trying to find a hint of denial on his face.

However, Jiang Cheng's face was as gloomy as ice.

Not only was there no shock or surprise, but it was filled with self-blame and helplessness.

It was as if he was blaming himself for not having the ability to protect her and to overturn this marriage.

Jiang Li's heart gradually sank.

It was as if someone had mercilessly thrown him into the bottom of an icy lake.

From top to bottom, inside and outside, I was shrouded in the coldness of despair.

"I came to you for this matter. The imperial edict was delivered to the Jiang family this afternoon... His Majesty ordered you to enter the East Palace in three days to learn the rules and regulations, and to hold the wedding ceremony in a month."

Three days? So fast?

Jiang Li bit her lower lip lightly.

Once you enter the Eastern Palace, even if you don’t have a wedding ceremony, there’s no way back!

Jiang Cheng's voice was heavy and firm, "Father has already received the imperial decree. Your marriage with the prince...cannot be changed."

"How could this be?"

Shen Zhiyan said angrily, "Why would His Royal Highness the Crown Prince suddenly ask to marry the third sister?"

"It's not that the prince wants to marry Li'er." Yang sighed softly and said slowly,

"According to the news from the palace, it was the Second Prince who originally asked Your Majesty to marry Li'er, but Your Majesty did not agree to his request and instead gave Li'er to the Crown Prince."

The thing that Yang feared the most finally happened.

Jiang Li is no longer a perfect woman. If she marries into the Eastern Palace, she would be committing a crime of deceiving the emperor. If she does not marry, she would be committing disobedience.

No matter how you look at it, it's a capital crime.

Although her surname is no longer Shen, they are mother and daughter after all, and Yang doesn't want to see her end up in a miserable situation.

I heard that the mother in Wanhua Tower has a magic recipe that can make people who are not virgins have their periods, and make them look like virgins. Ordinary people can't tell the difference.

It seems that she has to send someone to look for her, at least to save Jiang Li's life.

According to Emperor Hongyang, the position of Crown Princess was vacant, and the daughter of the Jiang family was both talented and virtuous. If she were to marry the Second Prince as a concubine, it would be disrespectful to the Jiang family.

Therefore, Jiang Li was assigned to Xiao Wenhao.

But Yang found it very strange.

As far as she knew, Shen Beiqi had once asked His Majesty for an imperial decree to grant marriage, but was rejected by Emperor Hongyang.

She didn't know why His Majesty didn't agree.

But Your Majesty knew that Shen Beiqi was in love with Jiang Li, so why did you still betroth Jiang Li to the prince?

It's not that she was arrogant and thought that her son's status was so high that he could surpass the prince.

But Emperor Hongyang has always valued Shen Beiqi, so why didn't he even ask for a marriage?

The reason behind this is really puzzling.

After much thought, she decided to go to the palace another day to ask her sister, Concubine Zhao, for details.

The room suddenly fell into deathly silence.

Jiang Li sat on the bed with her legs curled up, looking dazed.

It was as if someone had taken away my soul, and I couldn't recover from the state of helplessness.

She kept telling herself to stay calm.

Only by calming down can you think of a solution.

But she knew very clearly that under the supreme imperial power, the imperial edict was as heavy as a mountain pressing down on an egg. Who could easily disobey it?

Be it Luo Cheng or her, I'm afraid even Shen Beiqi would not be able to openly disobey the order.

To disobey an imperial order is to challenge the emperor's authority!

The result of disobeying the order was the demise of the Jiang family, an even more miserable fate than eight years ago!

What should she do?

Did she really have to marry Xiao Wenhao, a man who made her feel sick just thinking about him?

or……

She threw herself into Jiangyang Lake and ended it all?

Madam Cen lifted the curtain and came in. She quickly walked to Yang's side, knelt down and reported: "Madam, someone has come from the palace."

"In the palace?" Yang was puzzled. "Who would send someone at this time?"

"It's Concubine Ning."

Nanny Cen looked at Jiang Li and continued, "Empress Ning wants to invite the third young lady to the palace for a gathering."

Han Yunning?

Jiang Li came back to her senses.

Your Majesty would not arrange a marriage for her without any reason. Han Yunning must have been behind this.

Or maybe, she was the one who made it happen!

So why is she so anxious to send someone to invite her into the palace now?

Show off your power?

Do you admire your own success?

Jiang Li slowly raised her eyes, her eyes were red and as cold as ice, "Okay, I'll go right away."

"No." Jiang Cheng said, "You and Concubine Ning don't have any deep feelings for each other, and you don't interact much. She suddenly called you over at this time. I don't know what she has in mind. It's better not to go."

Yang agreed, "It doesn't matter if you don't go. After all, it's getting dark now, and it will pass if you push it off."

Naturally, they didn't understand what kind of grudges and entanglements existed between her and Han Yunning.

In their impression, the relationship between the two was definitely not close enough to allow them to be together in the palace.

The palace was full of crises, and everyone thought the trip was extremely dangerous, so they all disagreed with her going.

Jiang Li resisted the dizziness in her head, stood up from the couch, and insisted on going to the palace despite all the dissuasion.

"What's there to be afraid of?"

She slowly smoothed out the wrinkles on her dress and said calmly,

"Now that His Majesty has issued an order, I will be the future Crown Princess. How could she do something bad to me at this time?"

Jiang Li took Luo Zhi and resolutely boarded the chariot sent by the palace.

Bright yellow oil-paper lanterns are hung on the deep and narrow palace road.

The night wind blew the lanterns, and the rustling sound echoed within the high walls, accompanied by the "whirring" sound of the wind, revealing a chilling fear.

Luo Zhi sighed all the way, worried about the girl.

Jiang Li kept her eyes downcast and remained silent.

This was Jiang Li's first time to Han Yunning's Xiyun Pavilion.

As you step into the hall, you will feel the soft scarlet carpet under your feet.

A wisp of smoke rose from the golden three-legged incense burner.

The tip of your nose is shrouded in the elegant fragrance of orchids, and if you savor it carefully, you can also smell a hint of otherworldly sandalwood.

Turning around a three-fold screen, Han Yunning was sitting in front of the dining table, the bright candlelight reflected on her pearly and jade-like hair, making it sparkle.

Beside her, there were seven or eight maids serving her.

When she came in, Han Yunning just raised his eyelids slightly, took the freshly stewed blood swallow handed to him by the maid, and ate it slowly.

"Greetings to Concubine Ning."

Jiang Li knelt down and saluted, her voice was cold and her eyes were even colder.

Han Yunning finished eating the bird's nest calmly and casually took the handkerchief handed to him by the maid.

After gently wiping his lips, he slowly said, "My sister is here, come - give her a seat."

The maid brought an embroidered stool and placed it behind Jiang Li, but she still stood straight, with no intention of sitting down.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty, but I dare to ask if you have anything to say?" Jiang Li said, "If you have anything, Your Majesty, please speak frankly."