Chapter 53: Even Without the Title of Prince Consort, She Would Still Marry Yang Zhan

Phoenix Palace.

Yang Fu woke up suddenly from a start. Seeing Xiao Fengyi right in front of her, she instinctively threw herself into Xiao Fengyi’s arms.

"Mother, sob..."

Her eyes instantly reddened, and tears began to fall.

Xiao Fengyi gently patted her daughter’s back and let out a faint smile. "What are you crying for?"

"Mother, I had such a terrifying dream just now. I dreamt that you didn't want me anymore."

Xiao Fengyi turned her head to look out the window at the sky, which was gradually growing pale.

She smiled and said, "How could that be? Mother always has you on her mind no matter what."

"I was so scared. Eldest Imperial Brother actually sent assassins after you. I was terrified..."

"What are you afraid of? Besides, those weren't sent by your Eldest Imperial Brother; it was someone else."

"Not my Eldest Imperial Brother?"

Yang Fu paused for a moment, her face immediately crumpling into a bitter expression as her tears rolled down even faster.

"This is terrible, I went to give the Crown Princess a hard time last night..."

Xiao Fengyi smiled. "Silly child, don't worry. No one will go to such lengths to plot against you. Besides, Mother has found you a powerful backer. As long as that backer doesn't fall, no one can ever harm you."

"Mother, you and Father are my biggest backers!"

Xiao Fengyi affectionately stroked her daughter’s back, then lowered her voice. "Your father and I cannot accompany you for a lifetime, so Mother has found you a husband."

"Mother, why are you suddenly bringing this up? No, I want to stay with Mother for the rest of my life."

Xiao Fengyi suddenly spoke up, "You don't even know who it is, and yet you're already refusing?"

"Who is it?"

"Yang Zhan."

Yang Fu's eyes suddenly widened in shock, and she became agitated. "He even hit me that day, and he scared me last night!"

"Then are you willing or not?"

Yang Fu fell silent for a moment, then said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzzing, "He doesn't like me."

"As long as you like him, that's enough."

"Mother, I didn't..."

Yang Fu’s voice was filled with coy shyness and a spoiled tone.

By this time, her face had turned completely crimson.

"Who was the one constantly talking on and on about that great hero? Who was the one who said she wanted to marry a man just like Yang Zhan?"

Even Yang Fu’s ears turned red. She lowered her head and muttered, "Mother, stop talking about it. Back then, I wanted to go look for him, but you wouldn't let me."

"Back then, he might have dragged you down, and you would have been hurt. Later on, things changed—your father summoned him."

"What does it mean that my father summoned him?"

"It means your father will not kill him."

"Why would my father want to kill him?"

"You don't need to know that. You just need to know that right now, no one in the imperial court can touch him, not even your father."

With that, Xiao Fengyi pushed Yang Fu slightly away and stared straight into her eyes.

Yang Fu’s heart raced. A sudden wave of embarrassment washed over her, making her too shy to meet her mother's gaze.

Yet Xiao Fengyi said earnestly, "Fu'er, remember Mother's words. Even if you never take a husband, even if you are to be married off, you must marry Yang Zhan."

Feeling Xiao Fengyi’s burning gaze, Yang Fu couldn't help but recall that high-spirited, peerlessly heroic figure from the past who had extended his hand to her: "Come on, Big Brother will take you horse riding!"

Yang Fu’s heart seemed to melt, and her eyes grew slightly hazy.

Then, she unconsciously uttered, "Yes, Mother!"

Hearing this, Xiao Fengyi smiled.

"Dawn is breaking. Go wash up; Mother still has things to attend to."

"Okay!"

Xiao Fengyi left.

A short while later, she bathed, changed her clothes, and sat alone in meditation within the quietude of the Zen hall, letting out a sigh. "Jin'er, everything Mother could do for you, I have done!"

Immediately after, she closed her eyes and sat in stillness, as if waiting for something.

Suddenly, she spoke, "Liyi."

"Your Ladyship, this servant is here."

Liyi trotted inside.

"Go invite His Majesty to come here when he has a free moment. Tell him that I will give him peace of mind!"

Liyi lowered her head. "Understood, Your Ladyship!"

...

Bang!

Yang Wu overturned a tea cup and swept the table clear.

"Absurd! This brat actually expects me to change my daughter's surname—he is completely lawless! Unbelievable, utterly infuriating, he's going to drive me to death!"

Looking old and weathered, Yang Wu was nonetheless brimming with furious energy right now, radiating an aura that suggested he was ready to kill someone.

Having just finished pacifying the various military generals, Crown Prince Yang Xing hurried over. Seeing Yang Wu's state, he immediately dropped to his knees, trembling with terror.

Hearing those angry roars, even though he knew they weren't directed at him, a deep sense of dread gripped him.

He was terrified that his imperial father would vent all his anger upon him.

"Father, please calm your anger."

"Dammit, how can I calm my anger? That stubborn brat really thinks there's nothing I can do to him!"

Yang Xing shrank his neck and said in a low voice, "Father, how on earth did Yang Zhan manage to provoke you?"

"I offered to make him my son-in-law, but not only is he ungrateful, he even refuses to remain the Grand General! He actually insists on being a prison warden instead. Tell me, have you ever seen such a clueless, unappreciative brat?"

"If that weren't enough, he actually demanded that I change Yang Fu's surname, only to turn around and say he won't even agree to change Yang Fu's surname either! You tell me, doesn't this bastard deserve to die?"

Yang Xing swallowed hard, not daring to utter a single word.

Recalling the scene of the conversation between Yang Zhan and his imperial father earlier, Yang Xing felt a surge of profound admiration.

Even he, the Crown Prince, wouldn't dare even dream of defying his imperial father to such an extent.

As expected of his Second Uncle, utterly fierce and unyielding!

Though filled with admiration, he didn't dare voice it. Instead, he immediately adopted a righteous and earnest tone. "If Father truly wishes for Yang Zhan and the Fifth Princess to be wed, this son is willing to go and persuade him. Perhaps Yang Zhan just feels this matter came too suddenly and can't accept it yet. This son will definitely do his utmost to persuade him, so that he may soon understand Father's painstaking efforts."

At this, Yang Wu’s expression eased somewhat.

However, he still dropped a harsh ultimatum: "If he refuses, let alone becoming the Grand General, restoring his former position is completely out of the question!"

"Yes, yes, Father is entirely right!"

Yang Xing nodded repeatedly.

Then, Yang Wu frowned and said, "Right, you are to have Yang Zhan negotiate with the Fenglin Kingdom. He is now the chief envoy; if he fails to extract any favorable terms, he can forget about being a prison warden—he might as well just stay locked up inside for good!"

"Understood, this son will go right away!"

"Wait!"

Yang Xing dropped to his knees once more, a look of bitter distress on his face.

Yang Wu said coldly and sternly, "You are to discuss the enfeoffment of the Prince of Li with the court ministers. It's best to come to a decision within a few days. Once he is enfeoffed, tell him that if he wants to stay alive, he must father at least four children within three years—the more sons, the better! Otherwise, even his fiefdom will be revoked!"

Hearing those final words, Yang Xing's heart skipped a beat, and a suffocating wave of urgency washed over him.

Stealing a glance at Yang Wu, Yang Xing felt restless and unsettled, sensing deeply that his imperial father was subtly putting pressure on him.

"Get out!"

"Yes, this son takes his leave!"

Yang Xing departed.

Liyi arrived and knelt before Yang Wu. "Your Majesty, Her Ladyship invites Your Majesty to come over. Her Ladyship said she will give Your Majesty peace of mind."

"Very well, I shall go at once!"

Yang Wu stepped out of the Wude Hall, boarded a sedan chair, and headed toward the Phoenix Palace.

Dawn had broken.

Yang Zhan was leading three female prisoners back.

The Celestial Prison was currently spacious and quiet, with only the cook, Yang Daniun, tending the place.

Seeing Yang Zhan, Yang Daniun was overjoyed. "Second Uncle, where did you go last night? Everyone suddenly vanished, and I thought something terrible had happened."

Yang Zhan looked at Yang Daniun. "I went to handle some business. Suddenly I feel like having a drink today. Cook a couple of dishes, and keep me company for a few cups."

Yang Daniun paused for a second, then broke into a wide grin. "You got it!"

With that, Yang Daniun unclipped the chopper from his waist and said cheerfully, "Then I'll whip up a proper dish to go with the wine!"

"Go ahead!"

Yang Zhan had just made a trip to the Yuhong Brothel before hurrying back alone.

While Yang Daniun went to cook, Yang Zhan entered the interrogation room and shut the door behind him.

A short while later, a rat scurried over.

A sharp gleam flashed in Yang Zhan's eyes. After a moment, Yang Zhan sighed. "I always thought you were a man planted by the old emperor."

Soon after, Yang Daniun prepared a dish of braised pig trotters, using his own money to buy a jar of wine.

"It's rare for Second Uncle to be in such high spirits, so I'll definitely accompany Second Uncle for a few bowls no matter what."

Saying this, Yang Daniun poured two bowls of wine, handed one to Yang Zhan with both hands, and looked at him quite excitedly. "Second Uncle, I toast you."

Yang Zhan picked up his wine bowl, clinked it against Yang Daniun's, took a sip, smacked his lips, and smiled. "Poison-free!"

Yang Daniun froze for a fraction of a second, only to see Yang Zhan instantly tilt his head back and drain the entire bowl of wine in one go.

Watching Yang Zhan's raised neck, the chopper at Yang Daniun's waist twitched slightly, but ultimately remained still.

Yang Daniun also downed his bowl of wine, set the bowl down, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

He spoke up, "Second Uncle, were you suspecting me?"

"It wasn't suspicion. I've come to ask you—now that my good Eldest Brother's plan has failed, do you have anything you'd like to say to me?"