Chapter 239: First Update
Song Gao, leading his men, worked fervently. The water buffalo had been chosen, and construction had begun on the shacks atop the manor, with the measurements taken for the thatched bedding and seeds already sowed.
Song Yuan kicked the grass frame beside Song Gao with impatience. He truly took himself to be the one in charge.
"Why did you kick that?" It had not been easy to earn the Prince’s favor, and it would be even better to catch the Monarch’s eye while at it.
"What’s the use fussing over this? The Empress Dowager has already issued an imperial edict. How are we to explain this to the Princely Heir?" Song Yuan’s eyes blazed with anger. Just as they saw a glimmer of hope, this curveball was thrown. The Princely Heir had returned to Nanmen and the situation was not progressing smoothly. In the midst of mediating the various powers, it was not hard to imagine the desperate situation.
Yet the Princely Heir still persisted in sending letters. Only, both of them had been entrusted with a heavy responsibility, and now they had no solution at all.
"What imperial edict?" Song Gao looked up, sensing something was amiss.
"It’s an imperial edict from the Empress Dowager arranging a marriage, betrothing Commandery Princess Chao Ren to the heir of the Zong Sheng Aristocratic Family," said Song Yuan despondently, recounting all that he had learned—the Heir Zong was on the verge of death.
"Isn’t the Commandery Princess supposed to—" Song Gao panicked but then realized—this was an arranged marriage by the Empress Dowager. Although they dared not act rashly and had naturally not infiltrated the palace, they were aware that Empress Dowager Yan Ping did not favor the Commandery Princess; and in this matter, the Commandery Princess was utterly helpless. If she had any say, how could she allow others to marry her off to a dying man?
"What do we do now?" Song Gao calmed down and glanced at Song Yuan.